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Best bread makers 2024 – including Panasonic and Tefal
These bread makers will whip up star bake after star bake.
Name a cosier feeling than biting into a slice of buttered, freshly home-baked bread. Go on, we'll wait. Never known this joy? Then it's time to bake like Paul Hollywood – only an exceptionally lazier version with access to a full-time assistant in the form of an expert bread maker.
After all, mixing, kneading, proving and baking can be a time-consuming faff for people with more important things to do (you know, like pretending you don't watch Love Is Blind and oh-so discreetly reading Drag Race spoilers). The good news is that these clever kitchen gadgets will do all the hard graft for you. Simply toss all your ingredients into the machine, press a button and wait for the perfect loaf to emerge.
What is the best bread maker?
You can use the best bread makers for conjuring up everything from traditional farmhouse loaves to sourdough, brioche and pizza dough. Some even make jam and yoghurt, so what are you waiting for? These are our top picks.
On your marks, get set, baaaaaake!
Pros
- 15-hour delay timer
- 20 settings
- 3 loaf sizes
Cons
- No viewing window
Wake to the smell of your freshly baked masterpiece. Featuring a 15-hour delay timer so you can set it before you sleep, this Tefal machine will even keep it warm for you for up to an hour after baking. There are a hefty 20 settings to make everything from pizza dough to brioche and if you're feeling impatient, the rapid program takes you from ingredients to loaf in under 90 minutes.
Where other machines might struggle with gluten-free bakes, this handles it with ease. You can even whip up your own jams and yoghurt using the included recipe book. A versatile gadget.
Key specs
| Number of programs | 20 including brioche, French, pasta, pizza, cake |
|---|---|
| Choice of crusts | Light, medium, dark |
| Choice of sizes | 500g, 750g, 1000g |
| Dimensions | H29.8 x W29 x D31.7 |
Panasonic SD-R2530 Bread Maker
Pros
- 4 gluten-free settings
- Fruit and nut dispenser
- 30 automatic programmes
Cons
- Pricey
This Panasonic is a joyfully great choice for baking enthusiasts, with 30 programs including four gluten-free settings. Its unique kneading blade is designed to deliver a mouthwatering artisan texture, and it boasts dual temperature sensors to ensure a perfect crust and airy inside.
It produces fluffy, flavoursome loaves with just the right amount of rise and crunch. The automatic ingredient dispenser will come in handy when making choc-chip brioche, and there's a manual function if you're eager to get creative.
Key specs
| Number of programs | 30 including sourdough, French, brioche, gluten-free and jam |
|---|---|
| Choice of crusts | Light, medium, dark |
| Choice of sizes | Medium, large, extra large |
| Dimensions | H36.2 x W40.8 x D25.2 |
Pros
- 13-hour digital timer
- 32 automatic programs
- Easy to use and clean
Cons
- Bulky
- No viewing window
If you're after a do-it-all bread maker, look to this Panasonic, which has 32 programs – two more than the model above. It has the same dual temperature sensors and kneading blade, and it also produced delicious white and wholemeal loaves that ticked all our tasting boxes.
Gluten-free attempts might have a slightly cake-y texture to it, but it's still a thumbs up. The separate automatic yeast and ingredients dispensers make it a top choice if you're too busy to add in any extras manually, and hungry families will love the XL size.
Key specs
| Number of programs | 32 including sourdough, brioche, rye, spelt, gluten-free and jam |
|---|---|
| Choice of crusts | Light, medium, dark |
| Choice of sizes | Medium, large, extra large |
| Dimensions | H36.2 x W40.8 x D25.2 |
Pros
- Affordable
- Simple to use
- Compact
Cons
- Doesn't come with accessories
Intuitive to use, even if you've never baked bread before, this reasonably priced machine is also one of our most compact picks. It comes with a recipe book to help first timers, as well as a 13-hour delay timer and 'keep warm' setting. Sure, there are only 12 programs, but for less than £60, it does all the basics brilliantly.
There's a viewing window for keeping a greedy eye on your bread and our testers were impressed by how quickly it slid off the non-stick pan once ready. Their traditional loaves tasted pleasingly rustic with a springy texture and nicely browned crust, but the gluten-free version emerged flat and dense.
Key specs
| Number of programs | 12 including French, sandwich, cake and gluten-free |
|---|---|
| Choice of crusts | Light, medium, dark |
| Choice of sizes | 700g, 1000g |
| Dimensions | H35.7 x W24 x D30.5 |
Pros
- Easy to use
- Reasonably priced
- 13-hour delay timer
Cons
- No fruit and nut dispenser
This entry-level bread maker offers 14 programs for making a tasty array of breads, plus jam and yoghurt. Our testers found its touchscreen display a doddle to use, and liked that its delay timer means you can schedule it to start baking up to 13 hours in advance.
It consistently produced crunchy bread but one of our small white loaves came out patchily risen. There's no automatic ingredient dispenser, but it beeps loudly when it's time to add the yeast.
Key specs
| Number of programs | 14 including French, cake, yoghurt, gluten-free and jam |
|---|---|
| Choice of crusts | Light, medium, dark |
| Choice of sizes | Medium, large |
| Dimensions | H28.5 x W26.5 x D36 |
Pros
- 21 automatic programmes
- 2-hour fast bake
- 3 loaf sizes
Cons
- Not dishwasher-friendly
- No viewing window
The Panasonic SD-B2510 is a breadmaker built for bigger households, and bigger kitchens for that matter.
If you don't know your way around one of these machines yet then this is the one to go for because it's simple to use with plenty of settings to try out.
Expect fresh flavours and light, fluffy textures. The only downside is the lack of a fruit and nut dispenser.
Key specs
| Number of programs | 21 |
|---|---|
| Choice of crusts | Light, medium, dark |
| Choice of sizes | Medium, large and extra large sizes |
| Dimensions | H36.2 x W40.8 x D25.2 |
Pros
- 31 settings
- Fruit and nut dispenser
- Easy to clean
Cons
- No viewing window
- Expensive
The Panasonic SD-YR2550SXC is a hefty breadmaker with lots of potential thanks to its huge amount of options. Some of its settings work better than others, but the sheer amount of choice is sure to win a lot of people over.
The breadmaker has its own seed and nut dispenser, and there's a handy guide included in the box which lists all types of bread and how long they take to cook. You easily get soft, fluffy bread with a nice crunch from the crust!
Key specs
| Number of programs | 31 |
|---|---|
| Choice of crusts | Light, medium, dark |
| Choice of sizes | Medium, large, extra large |
| Dimensions | H36.2 x W39.5 x D25.2 cm |
How do I choose a bread maker?
Like any tech, consider your personal needs and budget before you buy, rather than immediately plumping for the latest model. Unsurprisingly, bread makers with more speciality programs cost more (our winner is just shy of £120), but there are simpler options that can still do a lot for a lower cost.
Check your chosen appliance's dimensions, too. Bread makers can be bulky, and they usually open from the top, so you'll need enough space between your worktop and any overhead cupboards.
In terms of features, look out for an automatic ingredient dispenser. This is a small basket that holds add-ins such as chocolate chips, nuts and sultanas before automatically dropping them into your mixture at just the right time in the kneading process.
If you want your bread to be ready when you wake up or get home from work, choose a model with a delay timer and a 'keep warm' setting.
Which bread maker is best?
The Tefal PF240E40 is the best bread maker for most people because it's well-priced and can bake a loaf in under 90 minutes. Plus it has 20 settings to choose from from pizza dough to brioche.
How to make bread in a bread maker
You'll need to follow the instructions in your bread maker manual, but usually, you should add the liquids first, followed by the dry ingredients, adding the yeast last.
Are bread makers energy efficient?
Bread makers are quite energy-efficient. They use around 0.34 kWh per cycle which is less electricity than most coffee machines.
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