Best Bread Makers to Bake Bread at Home in the UK

The Panasonic SD-2501WXC is easily the most complete appliance on this list. Before anything else, this machine comes fitted with 25 pre-set programmes. These programmes include 25 Bake, Bake Rapid, Sandwich Bake, Bake Raisin, Dough, Dough Raisin, Italian Bake, Pizza Dough, Pizza Bake, and more, without forgetting Gluten-Free Bake, and even Jam and Compote modes, so you won't be limited to baked products alone. The instructions include 6 compote and 8 jam, so you'll be able to experiment here. There's also the Speciality mode that lets you use different grains and flours, not unlike spelt flour that you cannot make into bread without using machines like this one. The Rye Bread setting, coupled with the robust mixing blade, will also be able to create various tasty loaves with rye and spelt flours mixed together.

With these many settings alone (and we're not even talking about the construction and all that yet), the machine's biggest flaw becomes somewhat obvious even when you haven't been presented with one yet - its size. Measuring 25.6 x 38.2 x 38.9 centimetres, the unit is massive, so you'll have to sacrifice ample countertop space or store the machine somewhere else and move from that place to the kitchen countertops when baking bread. The appliance weighs 7 kilograms, not necessarily lightweight but light enough to carry alone.

The Russell Hobbs 23620 is pretty compact and really fast. Measuring 32.2 x 29 x 30 centimetres in overall dimensions, the model will not impose on any precious kitchen space you want to conserve. It weighs 4.3 kilograms, so you shouldn't have any issues moving the bread maker around either. The black housing with silver accents, incorporating an LCD screen and touch buttons, will mesh well with any modern/contemporary kitchen setting.

Drawing 600 watts, the machine takes far less time to prepare bread than its peers. The company's 55-minute fast-bake feature is present as well, letting you whip up the most delicious white loaf in less than an hour.

Fast-bake aside, the model comes equipped with 10 additional pre-set programmes, including Basic, French, Whole Wheat, Cake, Sweet, Dough, Jam, Sandwich, Gluten-free, and Speciality. You can use these settings to prepare anything on this list, from delicious but healthy whole-wheat bread to mouth-watering jams.

As far as the loaf size is concerned, the model will let you make 500-, 750-, and 1000-gram loaves. As you would imagine, these loaves will be enough to satisfy 2-4 individuals.

The programmable bread machine from Murphy Richards is all about providing the user with a multitude of choices. Though they aren't necessarily unique, a dozen of pre-set programmes will allow you to bake not just a number of different types of bread but also the most delicious cakes and jams. Of course, if you wouldn't describe yourself as a person with a sweeter tooth, the model has plenty to offer you too. From a basic white or a French to a wholewheat or simple dough, the machine can bake it all.

In terms of the loaf size, the bread maker will allow you to choose from 1 lb, 1.5 lb, 2 lb loaves (or 450, 680, and 900 grams if you feel so inclined). The last couple of options work with the Fastbake function. Using the latter, you will be able to make yourself a freshly baked loaf in no more than 50 minutes. If you have a celiac disease or you simply do not fancy gluten in your food, the model will allow you to сhoose from a number of gluten-free options, using the recipes that are included in the instruction manual. And if you like to switch things up every once in a while, there're 3 crust settings that you can use to change the crust from light to dark.

The Lakeland 16147 is a compact daily bread maker, just as the title suggests. Of course, the 'compact' part is not difficult and requires very little explanation. At 35.5 x 30 x 25.5 centimetres, this is a fairly petite machine, occupying almost no space on average kitchen countertops. Plus, weighing less than 4.3 kilogrammes, the model enables easy relocation.

The 'daily' part is a little less straightforward. On the one hand, this appliance can only make 500-gramme loaves, so accommodating more than 2 individuals' needs is not necessarily something it is great at. On the other hand, looking at the model's features, there are very few differences between this budget machine and its more expensive peers.

To begin with, this bread maker comes equipped with 11 pre-set programme. With these programmes, you can whip up basic bread, french, whole wheat bread, quick small loaves, sweet bread, gluten-free bread, prepare bread rolls and pizza, make cakes, sandwiches, bake different goods, and, with the ultra-fast setting, this machine will make you pretty tasty bread in 30 minutes. As always, besides these pre-set programmes, the model features multiple controls that let you make considerable adjustments to the recipes.

The Klarstein KG13-90500-B looks like those sleek stainless steel appliances that cost almost as much as cars. Nevertheless, the model comes at 95 pounds, which is not necessarily cheap, but also not expensive, not really. Sure, there are more affordable bread makers out there but those come without stainless steel housing that's protected against rust and corrosion and that requires very little upkeep.

The illuminated LCD screen and the controls also contribute towards its sleek aesthetic. But where things get a little hairy is with the controls' sensitivity. Because they're as sensitive as they are, there's almost no way you will avoid occasional misclicking. On the plus side, the backlit screen lets you manipulate these controls without turning on the lights.

Before you play with different recipes, however, we would recommend starting with the model's 14 pre-set programmes. Aside from normal bread and the usual settings, such as express/quick, dough, gluten-free, whole grain, and 2 homemade settings, these programmes include fluffy, sweet, pasta/noodles dough, low-carb bread, cake, marmalade, yoghurt, a separate bake programme, and a knead-only function. As you can tell, the appliance has a certain fondness for the sweeter things in life, so this bread maker will be appreciated by people with a sweet tooth as much as by those who like their bread simple and their desserts more savoury.