I'm thinking of getting a breadmaker -if I get a cheap one to see if we actually use it will I be wasting my money?

[NorbertDentressangle]

Like the title said really.

We've been thinking of getting one for ages but don't know if it'll be a short-lived novelty hence I don't really want to waste loads on Panasonic to find that it sits gathering dust in a few months time.

However will I be throwing money down the drain if I buy a £40 one from Lidl for example.

Are the cheap ones all crap or perfectly good for use a couple of times a week.

I've heard that the only ones worth buying are the Panasonics - we have a Panasonic and it's fab.

to be honest, it might be a false economy - buy a good one, then eBay it if you don't use it enough. It'll fetch a reasonable price, whereas a cheap one might put you off the whole idea with rubbish bread.

We got a middish range one a few years ago and the novelty wore off pretty quickly. TBH the bread isn't actually that nice. But it still gets used a fair bit because it is great for pizza dough - but that's not a good enough reason for a ton of money. I'd start cheap, see how you get on and trade up if you feel the need in 6 month's time.

We have a Panasonic which has been going strong for 5 years plus . My mum has had two cheaper ones in the same time, both of which have broken down.

Ours is a Morphy Richards and it's great, I use it all the time. Picked ours up from a Network recycle place for a tenner though it was brand new, so wouldn't really have lost anything if we didn't use it!

I have a cookworks one - cheap from Argos.
I have had it about 3 weeks and aam loving it.
It has a timer so I bung all teh ingredients in every night and it is ready the next morning.
Iw as really sceptical before, but am a total convert.
Not sure wht the more expensive ones do tbh!

I was hoping you'd all advise the same thing to make my decision easier but it ssems to be 50/50 ..... still undecided

panasonic 253 all the way

Why don't you look on Freecycle, or put a WANTED out on there? People who have stopped using theirs might be glad to get the counter space back, and you could try one for free.

oh no, 255 for me, expat - with the timed nut/raisin flap.

sounds a bit dodgy

Message withdrawn

Had a £25 one from Tescos a couple of years ago (Hinari). Never got a decent loaf out of it. Stopped using it because the bread was so rubbish and it was really dis-spiriting. Currently thinking I should put a decent one on my wishlist for Christmas.

The brand of bread flour that you use makes a HUGE difference to the loaf - my favourite is Carr's breadmaker's flour. About £1.29 a pack, and I get three small-ish loaves out of it.

I have a Panasonic 255 which I would definitely recommend - I use it about 2-3 times a week. I did ask for it as a present though (can't remember when, Christmas or birthday or something), so if I didn't use it so much it wouldn't be a huge waste of my money!

I did think about freecycle but it seems to be one of those things that don't come up very often as you see quite a few Wanteds for them but very rarely see a Received or Offered .

I need to put some big stuff on freecycle this weekend so I might give it a go -nothing to lose .

I got one off e-nbay for about 30 quid, a second panasonic - quite elderly but it works! I would now love a new panasonic which has a bigger loaf tin and more features but am too skint right now. Panasonic rock. They always come out best in reviews etc.

A second HAND panasonic, I meant to say.

I have a Kenwood (49.99) & it makes fab bread

I am acually on my 3rd - but I worked out that each of the first two broke at about 700 loaves (ish) so that is 7p's worth of breadmaker per loaf - well worth it in my opinion

Mind you I spend a lot of flour - it's about £3.90 for 3kg - stone ground at a water mill - it is special

Panasonic for me too. Have had it three years and haven't bought a loaf of bread, pizza dough or virtually anything else breadlike since.

Panasonic is very good. And they've changed the shape of it now - its deeper and narrower. Doesn't take up so much room on the work surface.

Panasonic here too.

Panasonic! Friends also have this and swear by it.