Last Updated on February 28, 2022
Our editors independently research the best products online to produce this list. We may receive commission on purchases made from the links below but this will never affect our product choices.
Top 10 Best Bread Makers
- Russell Hobbs 23620 Compact Fast (Editor’s Choice)
- Gastroback 62823 Design Automatic (Luxury Choice)
- Morphy Richards Fastbake (Best Value)
- Panasonic SD-ZB2502BXC Stainless Steel (Best with Nut Dispenser)
- Tower 11002 Digital (Best Gluten-Free)
- Morphy Richards Homebake 502001 (Best with Viewing Window)
- Andrew James Digital (Best Easy to Use)
- Lakeland Compact 1 lb Daily (Best Compact)
- Sensio Home (Best Easy to Clean)
- Unold Top Edition (Best with Accessories)
Bread is a staple of our daily diets. It is easy to grab a loaf from a shop, but so much more appetising and satisfying to prepare a freshly baked loaf at home. There is nothing better than making your own bread, the smell is so inviting, and you need nothing more than butter as an accompaniment to a finished loaf. A bread maker not only prepares fresh bread, but you can also begin to explore and create new flavours.
Added preservatives and additives in shop-bought food can prove to be damaging to your health in the long term. On the other hand, a bread maker can promote a healthier way of eating and also help you save some money along the way and doesn’t need to be a significant expense in the first place if you choose the right product.
Bread makers have grown in popularity over the years, and it’s easy to understand why. They’re straightforward to use and give you the freedom to be creative and inventive with your baking. But it is important that you choose the best bread maker in the UK for you, to avoid the risk of it eventually just using up cupboard space and collecting dust.
Here are our ten best bread makers, so that you can choose the one most suitable for your needs.
How We Compared Bread Makers
To find the right bread makers we considered multiple factors, including:
- Size
- Versatility
- Additional features
- Removable paddle
- Practicality
Our team independently examined and compared hundreds of products to help satisfy different needs. We spent our time researching bread makers and consulting customer reviews to ultimately bring you what, in our opinion, are the best options on the market right now.
To find out more about our editorial process, take a look here.
Bread Maker Reviews
Russell Hobbs 23620 Compact Fast (Editor’s Choice)
What sets the Russell Hobbs 23620 Compact Fast Breadmaker apart from its competitors is its versatility: 12 programmable functions giving you the option to explore so much more than white or brown bread. With these features, why not expand your culinary expertise to baking French bread, banana bread or gluten-free loaves?
The 55-minute fast bake function means that you can always have delicious bread available with that hot bowl of soup for a winter lunch or freshly baked bread if guests arrive unexpectedly. And if you like to plan, the 13-hour delay bake function gives you the flexibility to set your bread to bake overnight and be ready fresh in the morning. The keep-warm function ensures your handmade loaves remain toasty and warm for up to an hour in case of a lie-in on a weekend morning!
The Russell Hobbs Breadmaker allows you to choose between three loaf sizes (1 lb, 1.6 lb and 2.2 lb), making it a flexible buy for a household of any size. There is also a function for choosing your favourite crust colour, from light, medium and dark.
Russell Hobbs have included a 7-minute cut off memory function with this best bread maker machine, meaning that it will continue baking from where it was in the programme when you restore power if it is accidentally unplugged or switched off.
Pros:
- 12 pre-installed functions
- 13-hour delay timer
- 55-minute fast bake setting
- Three loaf size settings
- Three crust browning options
- Compact design
Cons:
- The paddle may occasionally stick
- Non-slip feet may move on some surfaces
Gastroback 62823 Design Automatic (Luxury Choice)
The Gastroback 62823 Bread Maker has a sleek and stylish stainless steel design that adds an element of luxury and sophistication to any kitchen; however, it’s not all style over substance as this bread maker comes with no fewer than 18 automatic programmes! It also includes nifty functionality such as a fruit and nut dispenser that releases ingredients automatically during pre-programmed baking programmes, extending your choices from pizza dough to gluten-free loaves to even jam and yoghurt making settings.
One of this machine’s key selling points is that it comes with a rapid bake time of just 15 minutes! So you can have a freshly baked loaf for any meal or occasion, no matter how last-minute your decision for baking bread is. In addition, if you like a crisp crust, this machine has three browning levels for you to choose from, whether it is a crunchy wholemeal loaf or a soft white bread you are craving.
The Gastroback 62823 Bread Maker has a delay start feature so that you can set the timer, and the bread is freshly baked whenever you need it. It allows you to put it on overnight, and the aroma of freshly baked bread will greet you in the morning. The machine will also keep your bread warm for up to 60 minutes, allowing you the lie-in you deserve. You can also choose from three loaf sizes (500g, 750g and 1000g), making it a flexible product for any household.
One thing to note about this product is it does not have a viewing window.
Pros:
- Stylish appearance
- 18 pre-installed functions
- Three loaf sizes
- 15-minute rapid bake time
- 60-minute keep-warm function
Cons:
- It may not have a viewing window
- It may be noisy on some settings
- The paddle may occasionally stick
Morphy Richards Fastbake (Best Value)
The Morphy Richards Bread Maker prides itself on being straightforward to use with its front display leaving space for a large viewing window on the top of the machine. It consists of 12 pre-installed functions to ease the process of baking, from specialty bakes such as gluten-free and wholemeal bread to bread rolls and pizza dough.
If you are short on time, you can bake a perfect loaf of bread, using the fast bake programme, in under 50 minutes. You can also adjust the level of browning on the crust by choosing one of the three crust settings, making perfect white or wholemeal loaves every time.
The three loaf size options (1 lb, 1.5 lb and 2 lb) allow you to produce what you require in terms of your daily bake, increasing the size if you have guests or are planning on a summer picnic. The delay function enables you to determine the time of cooking so that you can wake up to the fresh aroma of bread in the morning.
One differentiating factor of this loaf baking machine is that it has a cool touch body meaning it is safe and easy to handle. Additionally, included with this bread maker are measuring spoons and an instruction booklet.
This bread maker has many features included for a product that doesn’t require a large financial outlay.
Pros:
- 12 pre-installed functions for usability
- Cool touch body
- 50-minute fast bake programme
- Three loaf sizes
- Three crust browning options
Cons:
- Could have a large footprint
- The paddle may occasionally stick
Panasonic SD-ZB2502BXC Stainless Steel (Best with Nut Dispenser)
The Panasonic SD-ZB2502BXC Stainless Steel Bread Maker is a robust but stylish stainless steel device.
This bread maker is pre-programmed with 27 bake and dough options that let you experiment in the kitchen. A gluten-free programme allows you to make a fantastic gluten-free loaf using any flour or bread mix. You could even try going beyond the standard white loaf and make your own pizza dough.
Unique to Panasonic, this machine boasts a separate yeast dispenser that works on accurate timing to cook a dense yet fluffy loaf. In addition, this model has an automatic dispenser that adds in additional ingredients at the right time, giving you the option of making sweet bread or wholemeal loaves with crunchy seeds throughout.
The Panasonic Bread Maker helps create the perfect size of loaf according to the family’s needs, with three sizes to choose from. The browning levels are customisable, with three different settings according to whether you like your bread with a light, medium or dark crust. There are even eight jam and six compote recipes. The bread pan is diamond Fluro coated, making it non-stick and scratch-resistant, so it looks like new for a long time.
This bread machine comes with a book full of bread recipes and more, a measuring cup and spoons and a kneading paddle.
Pros:
- 27 bake and dough functions
- Scratch-resistant, non-stick pan
- Automatic yeast dispenser
- Fruit and nut dispenser
- Three loaf sizes
Cons:
- Yeast drop may be noisy
- Fruit dispenser may stick
- May have struggles to create very dark crusts
Tower 11002 Digital (Best Gluten-Free)
We give the title of best gluten-free bread maker in the UK to the Tower 11002 Digital Bread Maker based on the positive reviews for the gluten-free loaf of bread it creates.
It is a modest device that can be placed on the kitchen counter, being one of the smaller bread maker machines that we have reviewed. However, coming in a stainless steel finish, you won’t have any concerns about having it on display! There are 17 pre-installed functions, including sourdough and healthy gluten-free options, and you can also make jam and yoghurt.
Setting it apart from its competitors with its delay timer, you can set this bread maker’s timer 15 hours in advance. This helps in pre-cooking and saving you time during hectic mornings. In addition, there is a 60-minute keep-warm function and an automatic fruit and nut dispenser to add variety to your bread making.
This bread maker can make three different sized homemade loaves (500g, 750g and 1000g), suitable for any family size and has three crust settings so that you can decide between light, medium and dark. The non-stick blade is easy to clean with a little water and a wet cloth. The viewing window allows you to watch the baking process and LED lights to help you see the display in low light conditions.
The Tower Digital Bread Maker comes with a 1-year warranty that can be extended to 2 years.
This product does not have a fast-bake option to compete with others in this review if that is an important feature.
Pros:
- 17 variable settings
- 1-year guarantee and 2-years warranty upon registration
- 1-hour keep-warm function
- Three loaf sizes
- Three crust browning options
Cons:
- The guide may not provide sufficient recipes or info
- The paddle may leave large holes
Morphy Richards Homebake 502001 (Best with Viewing Window)
The Morphy Richards Homebake Breadmaker 502001 is a stylish bread maker with a small footprint if you are looking for a machine to go on a worktop.
It has 14 pre-installed functions. You can bake a cake, sandwiches, yoghurts, and jams in this device and includes a range of recipes using the kneading process, such as bagels, ciabatta and hot cross buns. In addition, the bread maker can bake a loaf of healthy gluten-free bread for you. Differentiating this product from others is its five crust options so that you can enjoy the perfect crusty white loaf or soft wholemeal bread.
This fabulous bread maker from Morphy Richards can also bake three different sizes of loaves (1 lb, 1.5 lb and 2 lb). The fast bake option in the Morphy Richards Homebake Breadmaker 502001 can help to cook the bread fast for those occasions when you have unexpected guests, taking just 90 minutes. A delay timer is also included in this device so you can set it for overnight and wake to your perfect white bread in the morning.
The large glass viewing window allows you to see your creations go from unmixed flour and milk powder to the perfect homemade loaves as you watch.
Unlike some of its competitors, the Morphy Richards bread-making machine does not have a keep-warm function.
Pros:
- 14 pre-installed functions
- Capacity of 2lbs
- Recipe booklet included
- Five crust browning options
- Features a delay timer
Cons:
- 90-minute fast bake option may be too long
- Can be noisy
Andrew James Digital (Best Easy to Use)
The Andrew James Breadmaker is stylish in brushed silver and has easy-to-use smooth-touch controls.
It has 16 pre-set functions to ease the cooking process and offers a low carb option as one of them as well as gluten-free bread. You can also prepare homemade jams, marmalades, chutneys and yoghurt with the help of this device, so not just for bread makers.
An automatic fruit and nut dispenser will add the ingredients to your bread maker after around 20 minutes, giving you the option to create tasty sweetbreads and go beyond a basic bread.
The Andrew James Breadmaker has three crust options and a delay timer of up to 13 hours that helps bake fresh bread if you are out at work or want fresh bread ready for you in the morning. It also includes a 60 minute keep warm function so that your bread is always kept at a perfect temperature until you are ready to remove it from the bread pan.
The device can cook 500g, 750g and 1kg loaves and has a viewing window for you to inspect your bread-making skills. It has a rapid bake option of 90 minutes for when you need that perfect white loaf in a hurry.
Pros:
- 16 pre-set functions
- 2-year warranty
- Bakes bread loaf of up to 1 kg
- Fruit or nut dispenser
- Three loaf sizes
Cons:
- Supporting information may be lacking
- The paddle may occasionally stick
- May have struggles to create very dark crusts
Lakeland Compact 1 lb Daily (Best Compact)
The Lakeland Compact 1 lb Daily Breadmaker has a compact design suited to work within any busy kitchen.
It has 11 pre-installed settings, including a knead, the only function for pizza dough, bread rolls, gluten-free, and French bread options.
There is a delay start feature, allowing you to plan the timing of your perfect white loaf, whether it be for breakfast, waking to that irresistible aroma of freshly baked bread, or in time for lunch with that hot bowl of soup.
This breadmaker does not have an automatic dispenser for ingredients such as seeds, fruit or nuts, or additional features such as a keep warm setting, crust options or loaf sizes, like other bread machines in this review.
However, if you are looking for a small compact device that makes 1 lb loaves, this would be ideal for you.
Pros:
- Compact design
- 1lb loaf size
- 11 pre-installed settings
- Delay start feature
Cons:
- May have a short power cable
- May only cook small-sized loaves only
Sensio Home (Best Easy to Clean)
The Sensio Home Breadmaker is sleek in black and features 15 automatic programmes, including a gluten-free setting and also prepares doughs for pizza or bread rolls. There are also settings for making jam and cakes.
The 13-hour delay function allows you to time to perfection when your loaf is ready, and the 60-minute keep-warm function will keep the bread at the perfect temperature until you are ready to serve. The bread maker has two size settings (1.5 lb and 2 lb) and the option of selecting one of three crust settings to ensure your perfect white loaf every time. If you are in a hurry, the quick function allows you to bake the perfect loaf in just a short amount of time.
The pan is non-stick and can easily be removed for quick and simple cleaning. There is a viewing window, and the Sensio Home Breadmaker also sports cool touch body technology making it easy to use and handle.
It even comes with accessories, including a hook, measuring cup and spoon, and recipes.
Pros:
- Non-stick bread pan for easy cleaning
- 13-hour delay function
- 60-minute keep-warm function
- Cool touch body
- Make 1.5lb o 2lb loaves
Cons:
- May have a light crust even when selecting the dark setting
- May only cook two loaf sizes
Unold Top Edition (Best with Accessories)
The Unold Top Edition Bread Maker offers 11 pre-set programmes as well as one individually adjustable programme. It is a modern design in stainless steel and black and has a large viewing window.
The bread maker has three crust options and a delay timer of up to 13 hours that helps bake fresh bread if you want fresh bread ready for you in the morning or not going to be in for the day. It also includes an automatic keep-warm function at the end of each programme so that your bread is always kept at a perfect temperature until you are ready to remove it from the bread pan.
The bread pan and kneader come with a Fusion ceramic coating by Whitford, and the product includes a measuring cup, spoon, kneading blade, baking pan, hook and user manual.
Pros:
- Great accessories
- Delay start timer
- Fusion ceramic coating7
- Three crust options
- Keep warm setting
Cons:
- The paddle may occasionally stick
- The dispenser may not dispense evenly
Things to Consider Before Investing in a Bread Maker
The key to choosing the best bread maker in the UK for your kitchen is determining what you are making, how often you’ll be using it, and what types of loaves you’d like to make. Here are some things to think about:
Size
Think about the size of your household and your average bread consumption. It would be counterproductive to buy a bread maker meant for two people when you need it to produce loaves that will feed a family of six. Conversely, if you live with one other person, you don’t want to spend the time, energy, and ingredients producing large loaves, leading to waste. Or to spend the money needed to purchase a bread maker meant for five-six people when what you need is a small bread maker.
Versatility
All bread makers will prepare a fresh loaf every day, but what about all the other creations it might offer? Some machines can produce various slices of bread, and you can even make pizza doughs, cakes, and jams in these machines – think beyond the basic white loaf! Invest in one that is versatile, so you have the option of making other things than just homemade bread in your bread maker.
Many bread makers now feature gluten-free settings for those who suffer from gluten allergies or intolerances such as coeliac disease and provide gluten-free recipe guides.
Additional Features
Consider the options and functionality important to you. Do you find all things electrical daunting to operate and need an easy-to-use machine? Do you need a delay timer, a rapid bake setting, a non-stick bread pan or a bread machine with a gluten-free setting? What is your favourite crust colour, and does the machine you are considering allow you to make and change your selection? Make a list of all these factors, and then peruse through our reviews.
Removable Paddle
One feedback item you repeatedly see in reviews is the paddle getting stuck in the bread after kneading or a large hole left in the bread.
If you want to avoid this, look for a bread maker with a removable paddle that you can take out partway through the cooking process. There are also models with a collapsible paddle designed not to leave holes at all.
Practicality
Consider where you want the bread maker to feature in your kitchen – do you have cupboard space big enough to store it, or will it be out on a worktop? So, are you looking for a compact unit or one that is stylish and compliments your kitchen design? Are your worktops shiny, and therefore a bread maker with non-slip or suction feet may be important to you?
Conclusion
Hopefully, this review has been helpful in providing food for thought in listing down our bread maker reviews and providing information and guidance on what to look for to buy the right model.
Our aim is that having reviewed the considerations at the top of this article, you’ll have been able to find a product that ticks all the right boxes for you. However, if you’re still struggling to choose the best bread maker in the UK for your needs, you can try our Editor’s Choice – the Russell Hobbs Compact Fast Breadmaker. It comes equipped with 12 programmes, three crust settings, a 55-minute fast bake setting, a 13-hour delay on the timer, and can make three different loaf sizes for any occasion.
Enjoy baking!
Additional Resources
Tania is a full-time writer and home product enthusiast. She loves helping readers not only get the most out of their home but to also pick the right products for their needs.
