12 best bread makers, from Panasonic, Russell Hobbs, Morphy Richards and more
There are few things as moreish as freshly-baked bread, whether you like to indulge in a slice the second it's finished baking, or enjoy it toasted, slathered with butter, cheese or jam.
If you're keen to dust off your apron, a bread maker is a home appliance you just can't do without.
They're incredibly versatile and do all the hard work for you. Simply put in your ingredients and let it bake.
There are plenty of options, too, allowing you to whip up everything from a crusty sourdough loaf to gluten-free pizza dough.
We've handpicked our top bread makers, spanning a variety of budgets, sizes and settings – whether you want a compact machine for speedy baking or a high-performance appliance that will bring out your inner star baker.
12 of the best bread makers for 2021
Tefal Pain & Delices PF240E40 Breadmaker | £119 (was £129) from Currys
This Tefal bread maker allows you to choose from three loaf sizes and three crust settings, along with a generous 20 programs for baking as much bread as your heart desires. A multi-tasking machine, it can also whip up yoghurt, cottage cheese, or cakes.
Eonbon 17-in-1 Bread Maker | £139.99 (was £159.99) from Amazon
As the name suggests, this machine has 17 settings to allow you to make many varieties of the doughy treat. Made from stainless steel, it has a non-stick ceramic pan that can easily be removed and cleaned. It also comes with 300 recipes to try your hand at, as well as a 15-hour timer and a keep-warm function.
Lakeland Touchscreen Bread Maker | £149.99 from Lakeland
This smaller model has an LED touchscreen display and 12 settings, ranging from 'wholewheat' to 'knead', and is also able to make cakes, jam or yoghurt. It comes with two kneading blades, a measuring cup, and spoon, a hook to remove the blades and a lengthy instruction manual full of tips and recipes. It's ideal for a beginner.
Tower T11002 Digital Bread Maker | £99.99 from Amazon
Whether you prefer a loaf of multi-grain or gluten-free, you're spoilt for choice with this Tower bread maker, which has 18 settings, an automatic nut dispenser, and a 15-hour delay time. There's also a 60-minute warming function that will keep your freshly baked bread at an optimum temperature.
Morphy Richards 48281 Breadmaker | £100 from Argos
This is a great option if you're hoping to spend no more than £100. It takes very little effort to whip up white, french, sweet, rye or specialty bread, with a fast bake time of just 50 minutes. There are three crust settings too and a 12-hour delay timer.
Swan SB22110N Breadmaker | £79.99 from Swan
If you have a monochromatic kitchen and want a bread maker to match, try this Swan design for size. It will do all the hard work for you, with a handy timer to let you know when is best to add nuts, grains, seeds or chocolate. The fast bake option allows you to make a fresh loaf in less than an hour too.
Salter EK4189 Digital Bread Maker | £79.99 from Currys
Cook up a storm and discover your inner baker with this Salter model that can make bread, scones, and cakes. With the ability to bake a 2lb loaf of bread, it has 15 built-in functions, so you can simply press a button and let it get to work. While it's currently out of stock, you can leave your email to be notified when it's available again.
Sensio Home Bread Maker | £64.99 from Amazon
Boasting 15 automatic programmes, a 13-hour programmable timer and viewing window to check on the progress of your loaf, this chic bread maker will be a stylish addition to your kitchen counter. It's also designed with crust control, allowing you to pick between a light, medium or dark crust.
Russell Hobbs Compact Fast Breadmaker 23620 | £70 from Dunelm
More than just a bread maker, this Russell Hobbs machine can whip up dough balls and pizza bases too, perfect for when you want to rustle up a dish to rival your favourite takeaway. It also has a 55-minute fast bake time and a keep warm function.
Panasonic SD-YR2550SXC Automatic Bread Maker | £199.99 from John Lewis
If you're shopping with a bigger budget, try this Panasonic bread maker for size.
It has a horizontal, space-saving design, which will free up room on your kitchen counter. There's a huge list of 31 automatic programmes; 13 bread, four gluten free, seven dough, four sweet and three manual, so you're truly spoilt for choice and it does all the kneading, resting, rising and baking for you too.
Sage BBM800BSS the Custom Loaf Pro Bread Maker | £248.95 from Amazon
If you're in the market for a premium bread maker, look no further. The internal light and viewing window allows you to check on your bake without losing heat by opening the lid
Plus, the the LCD screen and interface will work out the baking time for you, simply choose your setting and let it do all the hard work. It will also automatically dispense fruit and nuts to ensure they're evenly distributed throughout your loaf.
Panasonic SD-ZB2502BXC Breadmaker | £160 from Argos
Panasonic's bread makers are some of the most popular on the market, and this model has a number of impressive features. There are 27 programmes, allowing you to bake wholewheat, french, gluten-free or rye bread, along with brioche, pizza dough and cakes. You can even use it to make jam. It's able to bake an entire loaf in 115 minutes, or you can use the 13-hour delay timer to let it get to work overnight, so you can enjoy a warm slice of toast with your morning coffee.
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