The idea is that you can mix your bread ingredients in the bowl, do the kneading in the bowl, close it up and cover the open ends to let it rise, then shape, rise, and bake, all in the same container.
It all makes perfect sense for me, except kneading in the bowl - if I'm hand-kneading, I prefer to do that on a clean counter top. But there might be reasons why someone prefers kneading in a container.
The best thing about using this as a bread pan is that the resulting bread is a unique shape - a cross between a football and a submarine, with slices being nearly round. I've bought plenty of baking equipment just because I like the shape, so I'm more than happy to add this to my arsenal.
A bonus is that because the bread bakes in an enclosed space that holds in the steam, you get a crisp crust - and it browns nicely.
Since the bread maker is made from silicone, it's microwave safe. Not that you'd bake bread in the microwave, but it's perfect for cooking corn on the cob in the microwave, if you're inclined to do so. If you leave it closed after cooking, it will help keep the corn warmer than if you leave them in an open container.
And of course you can cook, bake, or roast other foods in it as well, and it's dishwasher safe.
I'd like this if it was just a bread pan because I like the shape of bread baked in it, but the fact that it can be used for cooking other things makes it a little more practical.
Wondering about that bread - the recipe will be posted tomorrow!
The product was supplied for the purpose of a review on Serious Eats; this was previously published on Serious Eats.