One of the best bread makers gives you the power to make loaves at home exactly how you like them – and for cheaper! We tried each and every one of these bread machines to make loaves of white bread, wholemeal, and even gluten-free loaves. Making bread by hand is a labour of love, but after the first few minutes of kneading and the struggle of getting sticky dough out of your fingernails, it can definitely lose the initial charm.
Although you can turn to the best stand mixers to knead your loaves, there is nothing easier than adding your flour, yeast, water, and any seeds or flavourings you need to a bread maker, and pressing 'start'.
Bread makers can be expensive, but when you’re able to buy bread flour and yeast in bulk they can actually be very cost-efficient machines. Homemade bread can actually cost a lot less than the supermarket alternatives, and you can eat it fresh out of the machine when it’s done. Mmm…
The quick list
Looking for a quick overview of the machines we've tested? Welcome to the quick list.
Best bread maker overall
This is a pricey choice but its also the best one, with multiple size options, a fruit and nut dispenser and a collapsible paddle (which means no holes in your loaves). The LCD screen makes the process easy and the results are so delectable you'll never visit the bread aisle in your supermarket again.
Best under £200
Larger than most, this bread maker has a a top tray that can add yeast and seeds at the perfect moment. It comes with a rye kneading paddle as well as the regular paddle, and there are 32 different modes to choose from with this bread maker, including gluten free, cake, sourdough, and seeded wholemeal and white loaves.
Best for white bread
You can adjust colour, size and also select from 12 modes with this machine. We enjoyed making white bread in this machine, which came out fluffy and well-risen. It also made excellent pizza dough, and is great value for under £100 for something that creates supermarket-quality crusty white loaves.
Best fast bread maker
Equipped with two rapid programmes for making a 1.5lb or 2lb loaf in less than an hour, it’s perfect for a busy lifestyle. This machine boasts 12 programmes and there’s a 13-hour delay start, 60-minute keep warm and three crust colour options.
Best bread maker overall
Sage is a brand better known for its stunning coffee machines, but this bread maker is the one you need to familiarise yourself with if you want to make the best quality bread at home. It boasts four size options, with the ability to make loaves up to 1.25Kg, as well as three crust colours and sweet options too.
When we tried it, we found the LCD screen was fantastic for navigating through the process, including the part where you can drop fruit and nuts into your mixes. The results were astoundingly impressive too, with bread that had us turning away from our reliance on supermarket bread.
This is a big, bulky (and very shiny) appliance which is by no means inconspicous on a worktop. But if you want to get into at-home bread making, it simply can't be beaten.
Read our Sage Custom Loaf review for the full details.
Best bread maker under £200
Panasonic's latest launch is the Panasonic SD-YR2540, and it's a beauty. Is is larger than most, with a top tray that can add yeast and seeds at the perfect moment. This bread maker also comes with a rye kneading paddle as well as the regular paddle, and there is a myriad of recipes included with a simple formulaic layout in the instruction book.
There are 32 different modes to choose from with this bread maker, including gluten free, cake, sourdough, and seeded wholemeal and white loaves. We tried a handful of the recipes, including the brioche recipe, which came out lusciously bronze and very well risen.
You can choose from different size and colour loaves, and follow your programme's progress using the display. This shows whether it's in the kneading, rising or baking stage. One of the things that impressed us most with the Panasonic SD-YR2540 was how quiet it is. It really does get along with any mode in near-silence, and the only noisy stage is when it empties the yeast or seed container, which makes a slight knocking noise. While not every kitchen will need something this large, it's a very impressive machine.
Read our full Panasonic SD-YR2540 review for the full details.
Best bread maker for white bread
You can adjust colour, size and also select from 12 modes with the Judge Electricals Digital Bread Maker. We enjoyed making white bread in this machine, which came out fluffy and well-risen. So well-risen in fact that it made contact with the viewing mirror, leaving a slight dent in the top of the bread maker.
The Judge Electricals Digital Bread Maker also made excellent pizza dough, and it is effective at turning out speedy recipes in time for dinner or even a pizza party. It does beep loudly between each stage of the process, letting you know that the proving process is over and that baking is beginning. We weren't convinced that this step was necessary, and the actual kneading is quite loud.
Aesthetically it's not the prettiest bread maker in this buying guide by a long shot, but it's great value for something that creates supermarket-quality crusty white loaves.
Read our full Judge Electricals Digital Bread Maker review for the full details.
Best fast bread maker
Hate waiting? The Fastbake is the bread maker for you. Equipped with two rapid programmes for making a 1.5lb or 2lb loaf in less than an hour, it’s perfect for a busy lifestyle. This machine boasts 12 programmes that include wholewheat, French, sweet, cake, jam and dough.
There’s also a 13-hour delay start, 60-minute keep warm and three crust colour options. There’s no gluten-free setting. However, there are instructions on making gluten-free bread and cakes using the other programmes. There’s also no extras dispenser but it will sound an alert when you can add ingredients. Two spoons and a cup make measuring simple.
While there’s no button for it, the machine can be used to make a 1lb loaf but on the 1.5lb setting. However, making sure you stick to the right quantities for the recipe can be a challenge. In testing, it wasn’t as easy as some to programme. The buttons aren’t in a logical order.
This bread maker was used to make a 1.5lb white loaf on the basic programme. While it wasn’t too noisy, it beeped loudly when it was ready for extras. The action isn’t shown on the display so first-time bakers might wonder what it wants.
The loaf rose and baked well, and stayed crisp on the keep warm setting. It came out of the pan easily. However, the paddle had to be dug out and there was some unmixed flour on one corner.
How we tested these bread makers
We've tested every bread maker on this list extensively before ranking each one, with most of them (with the exception of #4) having standalone reviews containing full details of the testing process.
We know what you really care about is how the bread turned out, so that's the focus of our testing protocol. To evaluate these machines, we've worked our way through the programs, tried different loaf sizes and puzzled through instruction booklets and included recipes. We've also included details on how easy each bread maker is to set up and use on a day-to-day basis, as well as how easy each one is to clean.
How to choose the best bread maker
Using a bread maker means all the hard work is done for you. But there are a few differences to conventional baking. Bread makers have a non-stick pan with a handle to lift it out of the machine. The usual shape produces a shorter, wider loaf than shop-bought.
1. Loaf size - Most machines will make three sizes of loaf, with compact models often offering two. These are usually labelled as a general size, eg medium, large or extra large. Loaves may also be measured in pounds, eg 1lb, 1.5lb and 2lb, or in grams, ie 680g, 900g, 1kg.
2. Dough paddle - One thing that bread maker-baked loaves have that homemade bread doesn’t is a hole in the bottom. This is down to how the bread is produced – the dough is mixed and kneaded by a paddle that stays in place. Some paddles can be easily removed while others have a tendency to stick. Although, there may also be a tool to help you free it from the loaf.
Alternatively, look for a model with a paddle that collapses before baking. Bread makers can be bulky, so balance the size of the machine with how much you plan to bake.
Larger machines will make bigger loaves but require more space. It’s a good idea to make your bread maker a permanent worktop resident. This is simply because storing it away means you’re less likely to use it regularly.
3. Viewing window - Some, but not all bread makers will have a viewing window so you can check on your dough’s progress. It’s essential that you don’t lift the lid to look as this lets heat out as it’s proving or baking.
4. Programmes - Check how many programmes each bread maker has – more affordable models may only have 11 or 12. Premium designs can have as many as 37. At the basic end, these should include white, rapid bake (for speedier bread), wholemeal, brown, knead only (for bread rolls, focaccia or pizza) and bake only.
High-end bread makers may include settings for sweet breads, rye, spelt, gluten-free breads, pizza dough, cake, jam and pasta. These extra programmes can help you get more use out of your bread maker.
Each programme will calculate the temperature and baking time and/or function. There should be an option for selecting how brown you prefer the crust to be, and a delay start. This allows you wake up or come home to fresh bread or make sure you’re there to remove it.
This setting won’t always be suitable if you’re baking with ingredients that can spoil, such as eggs. Up to 13 hours is average, which includes the time the bread takes to be made. A default keep warm is a handy option if you’re not around to take the bread out. This maintains enough heat inside the pan to prevent condensation being absorbed by the loaf as it cools.
5. Recipes - There should be some recipes to get you started. For the best results, stick to these until you become familiar with the machine. Most have accessories, such as spoons, tiny yeast scoops or cups, to help you measure each ingredient. Bread making is more of a science than most cooking. This means that varying quantities affects how your loaf looks and tastes, so use these where they’re provided.
Another accessory some machines have is a fork-like paddle for kneading less elastic rye bread. Bread makers have different ways to add ingredients. This may be a pause button so you can add them when you want. Or, a specific time in the programme with an alert.
Alternatively, the machine can have an automatic dispenser that tips in fruit, nuts and seeds. There may also be a dispenser for adding yeast after initially mixing. This prevents the yeast activating too soon.
FAQs
How much should I spend on the best bread maker?
A basic bread maker can cost as little as £50, with more premium models costing more than £200. Consider what’s important to you when deciding how much to spend. A higher price tends to mean more features and versatility, rather than necessarily corresponding to performance.
If all you plan to make is a mix of white or wholewheat loaves, a sub-£80 machine should fit the bill nicely. Do you want to experiment with different flours and recipes, such as sourdough? Then you will get more out of a premium appliance. Plus, it’s likely to have a longer lifespan.
Are bread makers easy to clean?
Most pans and paddles aren’t dishwasher-safe, so need to be cleaned by hand to prevent the coating from being eroded. Kneading paddles can get stuck on the spindle, so try soaking in warm water to remove them. The paddle’s hole can get clogged with baked-on bits of bread or flour. Clean this thoroughly – a toothpick is useful for removing residue.
How long will each loaf take to make?
It can take three to four hours to produce a white loaf not using rapid bake, and three to five hours for wholemeal. You’ll need to be present to remove the loaf, even if there’s a keep warm option. Therefore it’s a good idea to plan ahead. If your bread maker has a rapid bake option, check the duration of the programme. Bread doesn’t like to be rushed, so the longer the programme is, the better the loaf.
So if you're on the hunt for a bread maker that will really make a difference to your next sandwich, there's plenty to think about. Hopefully there's one in there that perfectly fits the bill!
