So, for the extra five quid you get a clean, stainless steel finish. Stainless steel does not stain, corrode or rust as easily as ordinary steel so the BM256 breadmaker should out last the BM250. Jam and yogurt: Other non-bread functions on certain models include jams, compotes and yogurt. Try our peach & amaretto jam recipe or garlic yogurt, and read our guide on how to sterilise jars for jams and preserves. The Kenwood’s accompanying recipe book contains a good range of recipes, some of them rather foodie. Recipes include, or example, caramelised onion bread and chocolate bread. We tested it with an 86% wholemeal recipe but even this had slightly quirky ingredients, including lemon juice (perhaps taking the place of the vitamin C powder that some recipes feature) and a combination of butter and skimmed milk powder, rather than one or the other.

Extra features: viewing windows, separate yeast or nut and seed dispensers are handy but not essential. We chose bestselling bread makers from leading UK retailers, and baked more than 40 loaves to find out which produced the perfect loaf of bread. We baked several white and wholemeal loaves using each bread maker, following the exact recipes for each loaf and judging them for their evenness and texture. Like the Kenwood BM260, the BM450 has simpler recipes, such as the standard white and wholemeal loaves, in the instruction booklet, and more complex ones in a glossy magazine. The BM450’s wholemeal recipe is far more involved; you have to mix one egg and one yolk with water, and the recipe requires lemon juice and honey, too. Compared to other bread makers I’ve seen, putting together a wholemeal loaf is a bit of a faff.

Delay Timer

Longer programs tend to be better: Although lots of bread makers have fast-bake programs, you're likely to get better loaves from the traditional, longer programs. There's no way to force yeast to work faster. We judged each bread maker on how easy the controls and program options were to understand, how easy the recipes were to follow, and how straightforward the bread was to remove from the bread pan after baking. Our experiences with the bread makers varied widely. While some ran quietly and couldn't be easier to use, others were very noisy and kneaded so aggressively that the bread maker moved across the kitchen counter. Cakes and pastries: From classic cakes to breakfast pastries, some breadmakers come with presets for sweet treats, too. See our most popular cake recipes for ideas.

In addition to our high-quality bread and waffle makers, we also offer hand mixers and electric ovens right down to the necessary baking tools to get you all set in the kitchen. Our selection of top-quality baking equipment is sure to complement every baker and guarantees the most rewarding kitchen experience. From beginner bakers to pastry chefs, the preparation process has never been more efficient than this!

Features include the aforementioned “eco” program and a gluten-free program, plus programs for breads, cakes, doughs and jams. It makes loaves in three sizes, ranging from a 500g loaf made using 350g flour to a 1kg loaf using 600g flour. Baking a loaf takes 3 to 3.5 hours on a typical program. A delay timer is fitted as standard on the BM256, ensuring you can have fresh bread in the morning. Don't worry if you are late to collect your bread as the BM256 will automatically turn itself to the handy keep warm feature. For up to an hour, your bread will stay hot, ready and waiting for you.