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Best bread makers 2026: bake perfect loaves at home
We've tested bread makers from Lakeland, Morphy Richards, Panasonic and more to find out which bake the best white and wholemeal loaves
Joel has spent six years testing pizza ovens, camping gear, binoculars and more. He’s cooked a criminal amount of pizza, and swallowed the evidence.
The best bread makers produce delicious, crusty loaves, and will fill your home with the lovely smell of freshly baked bread every time you use them.
We've tested popular bread makers from Lakeland, Morphy Richards, Panasonic, Russell Hobbs, Sage and more. After baking and meticulously inspecting dozens of loaves, we rate everything from the browning of the crust to the fluffiness of the crumb, as well as how easy to use and noisy each bread maker is.
Our results reveal three top-rated Best Buys that are several tasty slices above the rest, as well as several Great Value bread makers that cost well below the average price and still deliver excellent loaves.
How our tests find you the best
We've tested 16 bread makers
We use the same ingredients to bake white, wholemeal and gluten-free bread, so we can reveal the crème de la crumb.
Bread quality
No one wants a crummy loaf. We scrutinise the rise, evenness, crust, colouring and texture of every loaf that we bake.
Ease of use
Nothing should stand in the way of that freshly baked smell, so we recommend only bread makers with simple recipes, helpful instructions and easy controls.
We also test...
how noisy and energy efficient the bread makers are, plus whether the kneading paddle sticks in the loaf after baking.
The bread makers we tested
The biggest brands and the most popular 10 bread makers are listed below.
Only logged-in Which? members can view the bread maker test results.
| Bread maker | Price | Score | Wholemeal bread | White bread | Ease of use | Noise |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sign up to reveal Get instant access to this and all our scores and recommendations Unlock tableGet Digital access £9.99 per month, cancel at any time. Already a member? | 86% | |||||
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| 86% | ||||||
| 84% | ||||||
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| 80% | ||||||
| 78% | ||||||
| 77% | ||||||
| 75% | ||||||
| 73% |
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Dates tested: January 2026, July 2023. Page last checked: June 2026. We're not able to show every retailer, and cheaper prices may be available. We've tested 16 bread makers in total, but the table shows our top picks only.
See a selection of the bread makers we tested, listed below in alphabetical order.
Only logged-in Which? members can view the best bread makers from our tests.
Gastroback Design Advanced 62823 Breadmaker
Most recently tested December 2025
Size and weight 33.4 x 35.3 x 27.4cm (HxWxD); 5.75kg
No. of programs 18, including French, rice and fruit bread
Accessories Measuring spoon, measuring cup, kneading paddle hook
Need to know Delay timer (up to 15 hours); rapid bake; viewing window; keep warm (up to 1 hour); auto-program memory; beeps for nuts/raisins; has automatic dispenser for nuts/raisins and yeast; 115cm cable; 500g, 750g or 1kg loaf sizes; light, medium or dark loaves; also makes dough, yoghurt, jam, cake and ice cream (ice cream container needs purchasing separately, available from Gastroback – £29.90)
Lakeland Bread Maker Plus 33362
Most recently tested December 2025
Size and weight 29 x 35 x 22.5cm (HxWxD); 5kg
No. of programs 15, including wholewheat, sandwich and mix bread
Accessories Measuring spoon, measuring cup, kneading paddle hook
Need to know Delay timer (up to 15 hours); rapid bake; viewing window; keep warm (up to 1 hour); auto-program memory; beeps for nuts/raisins; has automatic dispenser for nuts/raisins; 100cm cable; 500g, 750g, 1kg loaf sizes; light, medium or dark loaves; also makes dough, yoghurt, jam and cake
Morphy Richards 48281 Fastbake Breadmaker
Most recently tested July 2023
Size and weight 30.5 x 28.5 x 40.5cm (HxWxD); 7.4kg
No. of programs 12, including French bread, sweet bread and jam
Accessories Measuring spoon, measuring cup
Need to know Delay timer (up to 13 hours); rapid bake; viewing window; keep warm (up to 1 hour); beeps for nuts/raisins; 85cm cable; 454g, 680g or 907g loaf sizes; light, medium or dark loaves (although dark is always recommended unless otherwise stated in the instructions); also makes dough, jam and cake
Panasonic SD-PN100KXC
Most recently tested December 2025
Size and weight 29 x 25.5 x 30.7cm (HxWxD); 3.5kg
No. of programs 18, including brioche, raisin and pizza dough
Accessories Measuring spoon, measuring cup
Need to know Delay timer (up to 13 hours); rapid bake; keep warm (up to 1 hour); auto-program memory; beeps for nuts/raisins; 90cm cable; 400g loaf size only; light, medium or dark loaves; also makes dough and cake
Panasonic SD-YR2540HXC
Most recently tested December 2025
Size and weight 36.2 x 39.5 x 25.2cm (HxWxD); 7.5kg
No. of programs 32, including rye, spelt and sourdough bread
Accessories Measuring spoon, measuring cup, sourdough starter spoon, rye kneading blade
Need to know Delay timer (up to 13 hours); rapid bake; auto-program memory; beeps for nuts/raisins; has automatic dispenser for nuts/raisins and yeast; 90cm cable; 700g, 900g, 1kg loaf sizes; light, medium or dark loaves; also makes sourdough starter, dough, jam and cake
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ProCook 2lb Bread Maker
Available from ProCook (£79.00)
Most recently tested December 2025
Size and weight 23.5 x 27.5 x 37cm (HxWxD); 4.39kg
No. of programs 12, including basic, sweet and buttermilk bread
Accessories Measuring spoon, measuring cup, kneading paddle hook
Need to know Delay timer (up to 13 hours); rapid bake; viewing window; keep warm (up to 1 hour); auto-program memory; beeps for nuts/raisins; 85cm cable; 700g or 900g loaf sizes; light, medium or dark loaves; also makes dough and cake
Russell Hobbs Compact Classics Breadmaker 27260
Most recently tested December 2025
Size and weight 27.7 x 28.2 x 32.8cm (HxWxD); 4.1kg
No. of programs 12, including French, gluten-free and speciality bread
Accessories None included
Need to know Delay timer (up to 13 hours); rapid bake; viewing window; keep warm (up to 1 hour); auto-program memory; beeps for nuts/raisins; 100cm cable; 750g or 1kg loaf sizes; light, medium or dark loaves; also makes dough, jam and cake
Sage The Custom Loaf Pro BBM800BSS
Most recently tested July 2023
Size and weight 35.2 x 39.9 x 24.8cm (HxWxD); 7.8kg
No. of programs 13, including custom, gluten-free and yeast-free bread
Accessories Collapsible paddle, fixed paddle (for making jam)
Need to know Delay timer (up to 13 hours); rapid bake; auto dispensers for nuts/raisins; beeps for nuts/raisins; keep warm (up to 1 hour); auto-program memory; detachable lid; viewing window; internal light; cable tidy; 103cm cable; 500g, 750kg, 1kg and 1.25kg loaf sizes; light, medium or dark loaves; also makes cake, dough and jam
Tefal Pain et Delices PF240E40
Most recently tested July 2023
Size and weight 29.8 x 29 x 31.7cm (HxWxD); 5.23kg
No. of programs 20, including French, rye and gluten-free bread
Accessories Measuring cup, measuring spoon, kneading paddle hook, soft cheese and yoghurt filters
Need to know Delay timer (up to 15 hours); rapid bake; viewing window; keep warm (up to 1 hour); auto-program memory; 95cm cable; 500g, 750g or 1kg loaf sizes; light, medium or dark loaves; also makes cake, jam, dough, yoghurt and soft cheese; wholemeal bread recipe is not 100% wholemeal
Tower T11003 Breadmaker
Most recently tested July 2023
Size and weight 35.7 x 24 x 30.5cm (HxWxD); 4.3kg
No. of programs 12, including French, sweet and gluten-free bread
Accessories Measuring cup, measuring spoon, kneading paddle hook
Need to know Delay timer (up to 13 hours); rapid bake; viewing window; keep warm (up to 1 hour); beeps for nuts/raisins; auto-program memory; 78cm cable; 700g or 1kg loaf sizes; light, medium or dark loaves; also makes dough and cake; wholemeal bread recipe is not 100% wholemeal
More bread makers from our tests
Here are the rest of the bread makers we've tested, listed in alphabetical order.
| Bread maker | Price | Score | Wholemeal bread | White bread | Ease of use | Noise |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daewoo 2lb Digital Breadmaker | SQUIRREL_TEXT_50024283 | |||||
| Kitcanis 19 in 1 Bread Maker MBF-013 | SQUIRREL_TEXT_50024284 | |||||
| Lakeland White Compact 1lb Daily Loaf Bread Maker | SQUIRREL_TEXT_12878724 | |||||
| Panasonic SD-B2510WXC | SQUIRREL_TEXT_12877581 | |||||
| Panasonic SD-R2530KXC | SQUIRREL_TEXT_12875410 | |||||
| Panasonic SD-YR2550SXC | SQUIRREL_TEXT_12878205 |
Dates tested: January 2026, July 2023. Page last checked: June 2026. We're not able to show every retailer, and cheaper prices may be available.
How we test bread makers
We choose bestselling bread makers from leading UK retailers, and bake dozens of loaves, to find out which consistently produce perfect bread. We pay for every bread maker we test and use the same ingredients to ensure loaves can be compared as fairly as possible.
We regularly revisit the bread makers on sale to see if there are any more popular models that need testing. When we find them, we do so.
Baking quality and consistency
- We bake white and wholemeal loaves in each bread maker, meticulously following the manufacturer's recipes and judging the bread's evenness and texture.
- We check whether each bread maker produces consistent results by baking multiple loaves.
- As a result of valuable feedback from Which? members, before recommending a bread maker, we check whether it makes a great gluten-free loaf.
- The best loaves have even colouring, a good rise, a light and airy crumb and a crisp crust. The worst are dense, underbaked and poorly mixed.
Ease of use, noise and paddle sticking
While some bread makers run quietly and couldn't be easier to use, others are very noisy and knead so aggressively that the machine judders across the kitchen counter.
- We judge each bread maker on how easy the controls and program options are to understand, how simple the recipes are to follow and how easy it is to remove the bread from the bread pan after baking.
- We listen out for annoying whirring noises during kneading, or piercingly loud beeps that can't be silenced. We favour bread makers that hum quietly throughout the baking process.
- We check how frequently the kneading paddle gets stuck in the bread and needs to be hooked out.
- We used to rate how easy each bread pan and paddle is to clean, but there's very little difference between the bread makers. All are relatively straightforward to clean, but must be handwashed – none of those tested have dishwasher-safe parts.
Energy efficiency
We plugged in an energy-use monitor while each bread maker was running and found that the differences in energy use were fairly small. If you baked two 1kg white loaves every week, it would cost between £5.20 and £12.48 in electricity per year to run your bread maker under the current energy price cap (24.67p per kWh).
Why you can trust us: at Which? we're free from manufacturer and retailer influence. Find out more about our impartiality and how your support helps us to stay editorially independent.
Is it cheaper to buy bread or make it in a bread maker?
It depends on several things, including the type of bread you want to bake, your bread maker's recipe and the cost of supermarket bread and electricity, which change frequently.
Generally speaking, though, it's unlikely that making bread with a bread maker will be cheaper than buying cheap supermarket bread. Our extensive testing has shown that bread maker recipes often require a much more varied list of ingredients than those you need to make a loaf by hand.
In addition to the usual flour, water, salt and yeast, some of the bread makers we've tested have also required oil, sugar, butter, powdered milk and even crushed vitamin tablets.
This lengthier list of ingredients, combined with the cost of the electricity you'll use to bake the bread and the initial outlay of buying your bread maker, means you're very unlikely to be banking much extra cash.
If you're considering buying a bread maker, think of it as an easy way of enjoying freshly baked bread whenever you want it, rather than a cost-saving exercise.
So is it worth buying a bread maker?
For some people, absolutely. If you're worried about your intake of ultra-processed foods (UPFs), making your own bread is a long-term solution to avoiding supermarket loaves, which often contain additives such as preservatives and emulsifiers.
If you get into a routine of keeping basic ingredients in your store cupboard and using delay-timer programs, you can eat fresh bread every day with very little hassle.
Bread makers can be particularly useful for those with gluten intolerance. Gluten-free bread is often limited in choice and availability at supermarkets, so making your own ensures you'll have a freshly baked supply.
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Can you make sourdough in a bread maker?
Yes, we've tested several Panasonic bread makers that have sourdough programs and recipes, such as the Panasonic SD-YR2550SXC, Panasonic SD-YR2540HXC and Panasonic SD-R2530KXC.
These bread makers also come with measuring spoons and cups specifically designed for sourdough starters, along with recipes for making your own.
Can you make 100% wholemeal bread in a bread maker?
Yes, but more than half the bread makers we've tested have a wholemeal bread program that requires a 50/50 mixture of wholemeal and white bread flour. If you want to make 100% wholemeal bread, be sure to check that the bread maker you plan to buy can do so.
Of the bread makers we've tested, these are the models that have 100% wholemeal bread recipes, in alphabetical order:
- Lakeland Bread Maker Plus 33362
- Morphy Richards 48281 Fastbake Breadmaker
- Panasonic SD-B2510WXC
- Panasonic SD-R2530KXC
- Panasonic SD-YR2540HXC
- Panasonic SD-YR2550SXC
- Sage The Custom Loaf Pro BBM800BSS
How to make bread in a bread maker
- Follow the instructions to the letter: Make sure you add your ingredients to the bread pan in the right order, measure accurately and follow the bread maker's recipes exactly. The only exception to this is gluten-free bread; we've found you'll get better results following the recipe on the flour packet instead.
- Ingredients lists can be long: Although some bread makers require only flour, water, salt and yeast, others have longer lists of ingredients. Check the bread maker's recipes before buying to see what impact it will have on your grocery shopping.
- Check wholemeal programs before you buy: Several bread makers we tested have a wholemeal program that turned out to be a 50/50 mixture of wholemeal and white flour, or even slightly more white flour. Check the recipe if you're after 100% wholemeal loaves.
- Bread not rising? Measure the water temperature: Tepid water, typically 21-28°C, is needed to make the bread rise just the right amount. Use a thermometer to check the temperature before you bake. If it's too cool, the bread won't rise, and if it's too warm, it will sink in the middle.
- Delay timers can be tricky when it's cold: It can spoil your loaf if the water in the machine cools too much overnight when the heating is turned down. Your kitchen needs to be at least 21°C to prevent it from cooling too much. It's best to use the delay timer in warmer seasons.
- Longer programs tend to produce better loaves: Although lots of bread makers have fast-bake programs, you're likely to get better loaves from the traditional, longer programs.
- Take your bread out as soon as it's ready: Plenty of bread makers have keep-warm functions that will kick into gear for up to an hour after your bread finishes baking, but take it out straight away for the best results.
- Let it cool: Although it can be tempting to tuck into your freshly baked bread as soon as the program finishes, you should place it on a wire rack to cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting it. This allows time for steam to escape.
- Don't use your dishwasher: Bread pans and kneading paddles have non-stick coatings, which will wear away when cleaned in the dishwasher. None of the bread makers we've tested have dishwasher-safe parts – all are handwash only.
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