There’s nothing like waking up to the smell of freshly-baked bread straight from the comfort of your kitchen. Modern tech, fortunately, has introduced bread machines to make baking bread hassle-free. Now there’s no need to fire up your oven and create bread from scratch.
The T-fal PF111 Balanced Living and PF311E ActiBread bread machines both serve the same primary function— produce high-quality bread. Both bread machines can bake different types of bread and have a delayed start of up to 15 hours. This allows you to conveniently set the machine to make your bread in the morning before you wake.
T-fal’s newer version, the PF311E, offers more functions and options, including more programmable settings for bread types. This doesn’t make its predecessor the PF111 less inferior. You as the consumer have the choice if you prefer more settings or a simpler, more laid-back machine.
Bread Production
T-fal PF111
This bread machine can produce bread in 12 different settings, including whole wheat, sweet, and cake. This already wide array of settings makes this appliance a formidable choice of machine. Your bread loaves can be produced in 2 different sizes: 1.5 and 2 lbs. The crust may also be baked to 3 different settings: light, medium, and dark.
T-fal PF311E
The PF311E, the previous bread machine’s newer counterpart, offers 15 program settings, three more than the older version. It also allows you to choose between 3 loaf sizes, namely: 1, 1.5, or 2 lbs; and three crust settings, which are light, medium, and dark, similar with the other machine. More settings ensure that your bread is made according to all your preference, so you’ll finish breakfast with a happy stomach.
Conclusion: The T-fal PF311E offers more settings for more specific bread types, although it’s not a far cry from the settings of the PF111. If you prefer having more options, the newer machine may be the perfect bread maker for you. However, since it’s not at all that different, anyway, if you wish to purchase based on this feature alone, the PF111 proves to be just as good as the PF311E.
Machine Functions
T-fal PF111
Setting your bread maker the night before to bake bread by 7 AM is a good feature. The PF111 allows this and allows delayed start by up to 15 hours. You may also choose rapid baking for both 1.5 and 2lbs bread if you’re out of time. If you decide to eat the bread for a while later, the machine can keep the loaf warm for up to 1 hour after production.
T-fal PF311E
Although newer, the PF311E didn’t present different functions. It still provided the delayed start feature, also with up to 15 hours of delay like the PF111. Rapid baking is also available for many of the bread settings, such as whole wheat and sweet bread. The keep-warm function for the PF311E is also 1 hour as the other unit, so you always have warm bread at your hands.
Conclusion: The functions of both T-fal products are almost the same. Both have automatic keep-warm functions and are capable of delayed start at the same time. Rapid baking is also possible in both machines if you’re running out of time for your meal. Overall, you won’t go wrong in terms of function in both bread makers.
Technical Specs
T-fal PF111
The older version of the bread maker uses up 600 watts of power for every round of making bread. The machine itself looks sleek and modern with its stainless steel housing with black accents. It is also user-friendly with its easy buttons and screen to show how much time for baking is left.
T-fal PF311E
700 watts is used for every bread production by the PF311E. Its exterior is tailor-made for modern kitchens with the brushed stainless steel look with black accents, like the first unit. It has a top-loading lid and a non-stick coated interior to make cleaning it a breeze. An LCD display with indicator light allows the user to monitor the bread making as well.
Conclusion: The exteriors of both bread machines do not differ so much. Their interiors are both covered with a protective layer of nonstick coating as well. The ActiBread machine, however, looks a bit more modern and minimalist compared to the Balanced Living bread machine.
Other Features
T-fal PF111
The bread making speed of the PF111 averages 3 hours, although rapid baking can reduce this by half. The appliance is sturdy and stable on countertops, and its size makes it easy to store in cabinets and cupboards. It includes a measuring cup and spoon.
T-fal PF311E
The time it takes to bake using the PF311E is around 3 hours as well, and rapid baking may also cut this in half, like the PF111. The machine makes little to no noise while mixing the batter and baking. The inclusions are a measuring cup and a spoon, hook, kneading blade, and a recipe book with 25 recipes.
Conclusion: The baking times of both breadmakers by T-fal are roughly the same. They’re both perfect for all kitchens since they make no noise, are easy to store, and are sturdy. However, the PF311E offers more inclusions with the product if you buy it, with extras such as a hook, kneading blade, and a recipe book.
T-fal PF111 vs T-fal PF311E: The Best Way To Make Bread
The T-fal PF111 and PF311E both serve their purposes, and they serve them well. Both have proved to be effective in the aspect of making high-quality bread, with loaves that may feel like they were baked in a traditional oven. This is all thanks to the superb features of the machines.
The keep-warm and delayed start features are two of the best feats of these bread makers. Waiting for bread to be baked fresh in the morning may take up too much time, so the delayed start already answers that problem. The rapid baking functions also help cut down baking time by about half. The 12 settings of the PF111 are beaten by the 15 of the PF311E, however, along with the extra inclusions of the latter including the recipe book.
T-fal has produced high-quality bread machines to make your morning better with fresh bread. Whichever bread maker you choose— whether you purchase the PF111 Balanced Living or PF311E ActiBread— you’re sure to have a convenient, satisfying time making fresh loaves of bread.
