Bread machine recommendations

[RumNotRun]

I've been making my own bread for a few years now by hand. I am tempted to buy a bread machine instead so I can just chuck it all in and not have to faff about with kneading and proving. Does anyone have any recommendations please? Preferably on the cheaper end of things!

Look on marketplace and any local sale pages you have, can always pick up one cheap there, be surprised if you can't! Failing that the Lidl Silvercrest one is actually very good for a cheap machine, I bought a used one for 20 quid to see if I liked it and it's great.

That said its not really just dump and go, might work eventually when you have perfected a recipe as you will have to check initially to make sure the dough has mixed to right consistency and doesn't need extra flour or water. When you have a perfect recipe then you could use it with the timer.

Personally I bought the machine mainly to knead and rise the dough, I hate hate hate the feel of dough so didn't want to make it by hand and I don't want to wreck my kitchenaid with it hopping around. Added to that my kitchen is never warm enough to rise dough in any reasonable timeframe so I find it great to put in the ingredients, let it mix and rise twice in the lovely heated atmosphere in there, then take it out and shape (don't mind touching it at that stage as it's not really sticky) if I am making burger buns/cinnamon rolls or just loaf of bread. I often let it bake in the breadmaker too but there is no doubt you get a slightly better result by baking in the oven but not enough to make a difference if it's speed and convenience you want rather than better shape.

I might upgrade at some stage to a Panasonic which seems to be the holy grail of breadmakers but not paying for a new one! The Silvercrest is also a double paddle model which apparently is better too and makes a horizontal loaf rather than some single paddle which make a tall vertical loaf that you basically turn on it's side to cut. The horizontal loaf is more like a shop bought shape.

Thanks, that's really helpful. I will keep my eye out on Marketplace and at Lidl.

I have a Panasonic 2500.

My tip is to store it in an easily accessible cupboard (or worktop) or you’ll never use it.