Bread Machine Paddle Extractor v2

When using a breadmaker, the paddle can sometimes get stuck in the pan after cooking, and it can be very hard to remove. If you google this problem you'll see it is very common, with lots of methods proposed for loosening it and removing it. The problem with most of the methods is they take a lot of time for soaking, use tools or apply forces that can damage the breadmaker, or require rigging up a bunch of different items like string and jugs of water. I went looking for an easier solution and came up with this little tool which works great.

The tool uses an inclined plane as a simple machine to create a large mechanical advantage to push free a stuck paddle. You place it down flush to the bottom of the pan, with the fork around the shaft for the paddle, and push it sideways under the paddle, gripping the large rectangular part. Avoid trying to pry or lift, just push it sideways and let the mechanical advantage of the inclined plane do the work. Sometimes a repeated "stabbing" motion is helpful for a very stuck paddle. Since the compression force used to push the paddle up is distributed over a large area, this should not cause any damage to your breadmaker.

The tool is sized just right for my BreadMan Ultimate. You may need to customize it a little bit depending on the size of the shaft of your breadmaker, or the clearance between the paddle and bottom of the pan. But I expect this might work for a wide variety of breadmakers.

Let me know if this has been as useful to you as it has been for me!

Happy breadmaking!

Update for v2: increased the width of the inclined plane for added strength, and increased the total lift distance slightly to ensure the paddle comes off easily.