How do I keep the paddle of a bread machine from damaging the bread upon removal?

I used to remove the paddle before the second rising to avoid breaking the bread. Did not find any other good way of doing it.

I am new to this "baking hobby using a bread maker". I have faced the same challenge, and at this very moment am experimenting to find the best "trick" to avoid having unsightly impressions created by the machine paddlers; therefore, I would like to share with you what I have "come to know" basically through experimenting, and some confirmed through readings:

Basically the bread maker is used for making bread and cakes; for cakes the solution is simple and straight forward.. simply because the cake ingredients whence mixed they become in a semi fluid state; to remove the paddles before the baking cycle or just when it starts, you can simply do the following:

Use a kitchen hand-held mixer (egg whisker) with suitable design, and insert it in the pan so the large end would form something like a net around the bread maker paddle/s, and gently pull up. You should experiment with this with the bread maker (B/M) pan empty and the machine is turned off and unplugged.

As for breads.. I have experimented with removing the paddles at different times during the operation of the bread maker, but always before the baking cycle or when it had just started. I must say that I am still experimenting to find the absolute right moment of time to do so; and I believe its only logical to tackle this matter (and experiment) with the understanding that different B/M have different timing with regard to when best to remove the paddles so the bread will not be adversely affected; and actually today I came across this very interesting page referring to this specific point:

http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2015/02/17/successful-loaves-from-your-bread-machine/

I'm afraid the best answer might be to upgrade your bread machine. Newer designs have paddle shapes designed to minimise breaking the bread. I've even seen paddles that fold flat when they're not moving so as to not even get stuck in the bread. No idea how well that works.

I love my bread machine, it's great time saving "cheat" but I never bake in it. I like my loaves looking like I actually baked them. It's just a tiny extra step to let the bread maker do all of the hard work then shape the loaves and bake them in the oven.

I always set my timer to go off before final rise and bake (program time breakdown is near the back of my machine’s instruction and recipe booklet), at which time I open the lid, pull the dough out, remove the paddle, then replace the dough and close the lid again. The machine goes through the final rise and bake and the only hole in the loaf is the size of a screw. Perfect!

Stuck Paddle? Before starting, Put a pea size blob of shortening in the bottom hole of the paddle. Push the paddle onto the shaft. I have been doing this for six months. When the bread is dumped out you can grip the paddle with your oven mitt and pull off.

It depends on your bread maker and paddle design. I have a very old one that I keep as a backup which has a flat paddle design that breaks the bread no matter what. But newer designs should come out cleanly, and in fact should stay in the bread maker when the bread is removed.

But even on the newer, better designs, as the anti-stick coating wears away, the paddle will start sticking to the bread and become harder and harder to remove. If you have a newer design but it sticks in the bread and is hard to remove, chances are the anti-stick coating is worn and you will have better luck with a new replacement paddle.

To find a new replacement paddle, just google the bread maker's make and model name, and the word paddle.