Delay & Keep Warm Function- The Swan bread maker has a variety of useful functions. The delay function has a 13-hour delay timer, which means you can bake safely overnight, fast bake allows you to bake in under an hour and it can also be set to keep bread warm for 1 hour, providing warm bread for you to enjoy when you fancy. Pizza dough: Some breadmakers come with specific pizza dough settings that take care of kneading and rising – ideal for making classic margherita pizzas, barbecue pizza, or calzones. See our pizza dough recipes for more inspiration.

The wholewheat sweet bread was more encouraging. Ready in 2hrs 55mins, it came out with a nice crust, if a little on the dark side. The loaf was consistent on the inside, with an even spread of dried cranberries (added “at the beeps”) that still retained some chewiness. The manual includes a selection of 18 basic recipes, as well as a troubleshooting section. Although written/translated by somebody with a good sense of humour – including some tongue-in-cheek upselling of other Swan products – certain instructions are questionably phrased or remain unclear. We listened out for annoying whirring noises during kneading, or piercingly loud beeps that couldn't be silenced. We favoured bread makers that hummed along quietly throughout baking. 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.Ideal for beginners or avid bakers, this bread maker is easy to use thanks to the clear LCD display. Choose from either a 1.5 or 2lb loaf and add in any extra ingredients such as seeds or chocolate to suit your preference. This bread maker even keeps bread warm for up to one hour. The fast bake option allows you to make bread in under an hour, or the delay-timer bakes bread over 13 hours, so you can wake up to warm freshly baked bread in the morning. Delicious! The result tasted good and the crust was hefty and golden brown. It was uneven, however, with some dark-brown corners and a small patch of unmixed dough on the side. The loaf was consistent on the inside and strong enough not to be torn apart using a cold buttery knife, yet not too tough to eat . It also made for tasty toast. We rated the bread pan and kneading paddle for how easy they were to clean after each use. All were rated exactly the same for this, and all are handwash only. Energy efficiency

French: A crisp crust that is light in colour, soft and airy inside What else can I make in a bread maker? Yoghurt When adding solid ingredients, such as raisins into sweet bread, the manual instructs you to add them “at the beeps”, without giving an estimate when the beeps occur. That left me nervously hovering, raisins in hand. LCD Display- The automatic and easy to use LCD display makes this bread maker perfect for beginners. It is simple to use and takes the hassle out of making bread. Perfect as a gift for bread lovers, friends and family or as a house-warming gift. 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. To help you out, we’ve listed the size dimensions of each of our top-scoring bread makers. If you’re after a simple-to-use and clever machine that makes bakery-quality bread, then a bread maker is a great option. What should I look for when buying a bread maker?This is a small basket where yeast or other add-ins, such as nuts, sultanas, chocolate and others, sit. Instead of stopping the kneading process and manually adding the ingredients, an automatic ingredient dispenser will do it for you at the right time. Delay timer

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. If you have never used a breadmaker before, or are used to older models, here are a few tips for that perfect loaf. Please note large appliances will not be collected or delivered by Kettle and Toaster Man under any circumstances and buyer assumes all responsibility. A delay timer means that ingredients can be added to the mixing bowl hours in advance so you have freshly baked bread the moment you need it. Great if you’d like bread with your dinner, or want to wake up to a fresh loaf. Viewing window 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.Most loaves take around 3 hours to bake, with the exception of the 58-minute fast-bake option. French bread takes 3hrs 50mins, and wholewheat 3hrs 40mins. Crust settings come in Light, Medium and Dark, although in my experience Medium often proved plenty dark. Extra features: viewing windows, separate yeast or nut and seed dispensers are handy but not essential. Create delicious home baked bread for the whole family to enjoy with ease, with the Swan Bread maker. With an impressive 12 modes to choose from, you can make a variety of different breads including basic white loaves, wholewheat, pizza dough, brioche and even cakes and jam. The Swan Bread Maker caters to many tastes and dietary requirements thanks to the variable crust settings – light medium and dark – and it can even make a delicious gluten-free loaf at the press of a button, perfect for those with a gluten intolerance. 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.