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Whether you like yours topped with avocado, slivers of salami, or simply slathered with golden butter, few foods hit the spot like freshly baked bread. But unless you live next door to a bakery – or you’ve spent years honing your sourdough recipe – fresh, quality bread can be hard to find, and often pricey.
That’s where the best bread makers can help. These handy kitchen appliances can help you create deliciously fresh (and additive-free) bread with little effort. With the touch of a button, the best bread machines can take the guesswork out of the baking process, as you’re pretty much guaranteed to have a great loaf every time. That’s because the best bread machines control the kneading, proving and baking processes, and all with the utmost precision – some even use sensors to adjust temperatures and timings according to environmental conditions.
Purists may turn their noses up at such aids, but they can be real gamechangers for novice bakers and those looking for a quick and easy way to get their freshly baked bread fix. There’s plenty of room for experimentation, too – you can often use bread machines to make a base dough for pizzas, bao buns, doughnuts or bagels, then do the shaping and baking yourself. Meanwhile, the range of different types and flavours of bread means you can switch things up as much as you like.
Plus, even the simplest machines can usually be used to make jams and cakes as well as bread, while some of the more elaborate models can even make yoghurt or defrost food for you.
My favourite was the Panasonic mini bread maker, but I tested a few other machines that might be better suited to your home. If you’re ready for a slice of the action, keep scrolling for my pick of the best bread machines for 2025.
How I tested
Every bread machine included here was tested in my kitchen at home, using recipes and instructions provided by the manufacturer. In each case, I made the machine’s standard white sandwich bread loaf, using identical ingredients: supermarket brand flour, tap water, dried yeast, salt and – when called for by the instructions – butter and milk powder. In the event the machine had unique specialist settings, I tested these separately (for example, the Panasonic 30 machine’s sourdough function).
Each bread maker was rated on the following criteria:
- Quality of bread: Of course, this was the most important factor – I looked for machines that create delicious loaves with minimal fuss.
- Ease of cleaning: No one wants to spend hours scrubbing myriad components, so easy cleanup was also assessed.
- Noise levels: How noisy the machines were while kneading dough was also a consideration.
- Value for money: Overall, I looked for machines that provided good results and a decent range of functions, without breaking the bank.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Alicia Miller is an award-winning travel and food writer who has tested everything from the best ice makers to the best non-stick pan sets for IndyBest. In her reviews, Alicia shares her honest opinions and will only recommend products she believes are worth your money.
The best bread makers for 2025 are:
- Best overall – Panasonic mini bread maker: £109, Amazon.co.uk
- Best budget buy – Russell Hobbs classics breadmaker: £69.89, Amazon.co.uk
- Best do-it-all machine – Gastroback design automatic bread maker advanced: £129, Currys.co.uk
- Best for sourdough – Panasonic bread maker with 30 programs, SD-R2530KXC: £179, Amazon.co.uk
- Best for gluten-free loaves – Tower gluten free digital bread maker: £73.99, Amazon.co.uk
Panasonic mini bread maker
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Best: Bread maker overall
Dimensions: 29cm x 23.5cm x 30.7cm
Settings: 30
Timer: Yes, 13 hours
Why we love it
- Compact design
- Quiet and easy to use
- Stylish and modern-looking
Take note
- Bread produced is smaller than a typical sandwich loaf
Quiet, compact, good-looking enough to keep on show this little machine from Panasonic is well deserving of the top spot in this roundup. Fairly-priced, it may lack some of the extra settings of some other models I tested, but what it does it does well: white, wholewheat, brioche and gluten-free bread in perfectly formed 400g loaves.
If 400g sounds small, you’d be right, but given that additive-free homemade bread doesn’t stay fresh for long, you probably don’t need it to be much bigger, unless you have a large family.
The sleek, minimalist design (36cm x 25cm) doesn’t take up too much space on your counter, either. It uses sensor technology to ensure the bread is baked to perfection, and it was impressively quiet during testing. With 18 different functions, there’s plenty of flexibility (you can make dough, jam and cake), while a built-in 13-hour timer enables you to schedule your bread making so it’s ready when you want it to be. I found that you can load the machine before bed and wake up to freshly baked bread in the morning – I don’t think there’s anything better.
Buy now £109.99, Panasonic.com
Russell Hobbs classics bread maker
Best: Budget bread maker
Dimensions: 33.3cm x 28.2cm x 27.7cm
Settings: 12
Timer: Yes, 13 hours
Why we love it
- Great-tasting bread
- Good price point
Take note
- Basic, retro feel
This is a simple, reliable bread machine that produces good-quality loaves without any unnecessary complexity or bells and whistles. The interface feels more basic than some of the premium models tested (it reminded me of my mother’s first bread machine, dating back a quarter of a century), but it makes good bread, and that’s the main thing. The basic white loaves produced by this machine were top notch.
Complete with 12 functions – including French bread, sandwich bread and gluten-free bread – the machine enables you to choose between two different bread sizes (750g or 1kg) and comes with fast-bake options if you’re in a rush. It even makes jam, too.
It’s a little basic, and the all-white plastic design is a little 90s, but it excels at making bread. All in all, this Russell Hobbs machine proves (sorry) that you don’t need to spend a bundle to get a good bread machine.
Buy now £69.89, Amazon.co.uk
Gastroback design automatic breadmaker advanced
Best: Do-it-all bread maker
Dimensions: 33.4cm x 35.3cm x 27.4cm
Settings: 18
Timer: Yes, 15 hours
Why we love it
- An investment machine that does it all – so long as you have the space to store it
- Large lid window lets you peek in at what’s happening inside
Take note
- Large machine
- Requires an additional purchase to make use of all functions
If you’ve got a lot of kitchen storage, a larger budget and really love bread, this German-made machine is a no-brainer – it truly does it all. With the ability to bake loaves in three sizes – 500g, 750g and 1kg – it can make bread for all occasions. With a 15-hour pre-set timer and a keep-warm function (which lasts for an hour), even if you snooze past your alarm, that breakfast loaf is kept nicely toasty.
Gastroback puts practicality first, and this model has a dedicated ingredients compartment, which will automatically add nuts, dried fruit or seeds at the optimum time during baking, so you don’t have to hover nearby when preparing your favourite raisin-walnut loaf. Speaking of favourite recipes, you can also save your own pre-set baking program to revisit time and again.
What really makes this machine so special is that it has a number of fun functionalities not found in any other machine on test. For example, there’s a ‘defrost’ setting to help you hygienically thaw all kinds of foods from the freezer, and another setting for making yoghurt. For the ultimate party trick, though, buy the separate ice cream container attachment (£29.90, Gastroback.co.uk) and the machine transforms into an ice cream maker.
Buy now £139.90, Gastroback.co.uk
Panasonic bread maker with 30 programs, SD-R2530KXC
Best: Bread maker for sourdough
Dimensions: 36.2cm x 39.5cm x 25.2cm
Settings: 30
Timer: Yes, 13 hours
Why we love it
- Confidently tackles sourdough
- Looks great on the countertop
- Quiet and easy to use
Take note
- Quite large
- Sourdough bread designed to be made with the brand's own machine-made starter, so it may not work with your own homemade starter
Bread-heads will know that perfect sourdough is the pinnacle. Given the living nature of a sourdough starter, preparing this kind of bread is a much more complex process than classic dried yeast recipes, which means sourdough can be tricky to get right using an automated bread maker.
But this model from Panasonic is one of the few machines that takes on the challenge, with a dedicated setting for baking sourdough bread, as well as one for making a machine-compatible sourdough starter (a process that takes 24 hours, so you’ll need to plan ahead). During testing, my loaf turned out decadently chewy with a nicely crunchy crust. It was not as flavourful as a top-quality bakery version – which was perhaps inevitable, given the tender day-old age of my starter – but it was yummy nonetheless.
You don’t need to be a sourdough fan to enjoy this machine, though – it has plenty of other selling points, too. Like the Gastroback machine above, it has a dedicated ‘raisin nut dispenser’, which enables you to automatically add additional ingredients at just the right stage of baking (this is helpful if you want to make a panettone, for instance). Plus, with 30 different settings, this machine also makes jams, cakes, brioche, rye and spelt breads. This Panasonic machine sits as the pricier end of the spectrum, and also takes up a fair bit of countertop space, but for the ultimate bread enthusiast, it’s a dream machine.
Buy now £150.00, AO.com
Tower gluten free digital bread maker
Best: Bread maker for gluten-free bread
Dimensions: 29.4cm x 36.2cm x 24.9cm
Settings: 12
Timer: Yes, 13 hours
Why we love it
- Good value for money
- Easy-to-clean exterior
- Keeps bread warm after baking
Take note
- Not as stylish as some other models
Everything I’ve ever tested from Tower, whether it’s a kitchen mixer or a pan set, always seems to deliver good value for money, and this bread maker is no exception. Though all the machines we tested had gluten-free settings, this bread maker boasts the fact in its name, and it certainly made good gluten-free bread during testing. I also used this machine to make basic white and whole wheat loaves, French bread (a favourite) and sweet bread in 700g and 1kg formats.
Though the machine looks simple, it comes with a number of handy functions. Like other machines tested, this one enables you to adjust the crust finish to your liking (light, medium or dark bake), and there’s a 13-hour programmable timer and a keep-warm function (which lasts for an hour). There’s also a 60-minute fast bake option, for when you’re in a hurry. I found the machine easy to wipe clean, and I loved the little window in the lid, which let me keep an eye on my dough coming together during the kneading process.
Buy now £89.99, Towerhousewares.co.uk
Judge electrical digital bread maker
Best: Unconventional sizes
Dimensions: 29cm x 28cm x 33cm
Settings: 12
Timer: Yes, 13 hours
Why we love it
- Produces loaves in two sizes
- Easy to use
Take note
- Noisy during kneading
- Looks a bit old-school
There were a couple of little things that irked me about this machine. It was rather noisy during the kneading process, and it didn’t have quite the stylish modern finish of some other models on test.
Saying that, the rest is all positive. This machine works well, making bread in two unconventional but handy sizes of 650g (great for a small family for a day) or 800g (for two or three days). Its glossy snow-toned finish will blend in better with a kitchen featuring largely white appliances, and it’s simple to use. It makes very tasty bread, and it's only let down by the noise. Buy this machine and you won’t have to buy supermarket bread ever again.
Buy now £83.50, Judge.co.uk
KitchenAid bread bowl with baking lid
Best: For making bread with your KitchenAid mixer
Dimensions: 19cm x 22.6cm x 31cm
Settings: N/A
Timer: No
Why we love it
- Makes the most of your existing kit without a massive added footprint
- Allows for a more creative freedom
Take note
- You’ll need to own a KitchenAid for it to work
- Not automated – requires significant participation on your side
- Expensive
Simple and sleek in appearance, this smooth ceramic bowl fits onto your KitchenAid stand base (provided you have a classic tilt-back model up to 4.8l) and effectively acts as a one-stop shop for breadmaking. You knead the dough in the bowl using your stand mixer, leave it to prove and then pop it directly in the oven to bake before turning it out.
Unlike a traditional automated breadmaker, you will have to get a bit more involved in the process – monitoring the kneading, checking the proving and doing the to-ing and fro-ing with the oven. This will either excite you or put you off, depending on how much you enjoy the breadmaking process and to what extent you want to be involved.
The benefit of your extra toil is that you get a nice domed loaf (other bread-maker loaves look quite boxy) and, of course, an increased sense of satisfaction that you made it yourself. Is it worth buying a KitchenAid stand mixer just to make the bread? Absolutely not. But if you own one already and want to expand your journey into bread, it’s a handy piece of kit.
Buy now £99.84, Amazon.co.uk
Your questions on bread makers answered
What is the best bread maker?
All the bread makers included here will produce high-quality loaves, saving you money at the supermarket over time and enabling you to have a non-stop flow of freshly baked loaves with no added nasties. However, my favourite of the bunch is the Panasonic mini bread maker, thanks to its performance, price, looks and function. It makes small 400g loaves that will feed a couple of people for a day or two, but if you have a larger family, try the Russell Hobbs machine, which is simple but effective and comes at a great price point. Meanwhile, if you want a bread machine that does it all, opt for the Gastroback design automatic bread maker – plus, you can buy the extra attachment to transform it into an ice cream maker.
What should I look for when buying a bread maker?
Firstly, work out how much bread you want to make. Not every bread maker can make big 1kg loaves, and similarly, that might be overkill if you’re catering to a small family. On top of that, consider the shape of bread and cakes you want to make. This sounds like a small concern, but it can’t be adjusted with a different tin. If you don’t like perfectly square loaves for some reason, it helps
You then need to consider additional settings. Some machines just turn out bread, but others have helpful presets to help you tackle different styles of bread, such as white, brown, farmhouse or gluten-free.
On top of that, look out for handy timers, as these mean you can wake up to a delicious morning loaf, or make fresh, warm bread for a dinner party. You should also keep an eye out for additional accessories like spoons and measuring cups to make the process even easier.
What else can I make in a bread maker?
Bread makers can cook a range of other foods. They can easily handle other baked goods like cake and pizza dough, but many are designed for a surprising number of dishes, including jam, yoghurt, and ice cream. Of course, this depends on the model, so be sure to check the functions before you dump a load of fruit and sugar in your brand-new bread maker.
Is bread made in a breadmaker healthier?
“Healthy” is an imprecise term, but in the main, homemade bread is healthier than shop-bought bread. It has less sugar and salt, and fewer additives like calcium propionate. It also means that you can cater to dietary requirements and avoid ingredients like milk powder.
For more kitchen appliance upgrades, read our guide to the best microwaves and the best slow cookers
