Kitchen equipment · Bread maker
Bread machine
A countertop appliance that mixes, kneads, proves and bakes a loaf in its own tin on an automatic programme.
Specialist · Electric
Photo: Ashley Pomeroy, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-4.0)
What it is
A box with a lid and window containing a removable non-stick tin with a kneading paddle at the bottom. Programmes control kneading, rising and baking times and temperatures. Many offer dough-only, jam and cake settings. Loaves are tall with a hole at the base where the paddle sat.
What it’s for: Hands-off bread making, from raw ingredients to a baked loaf or ready dough.
How to use it
- Add ingredients in the order the manual gives, usually liquids first and yeast last, kept away from salt.
- Choose the programme, loaf size and crust colour.
- Let it run; add nuts or seeds when it beeps, if prompted.
- Remove the tin with gloves, turn out the loaf and cool on a rack.
Good to know
- Tasks
- baking sandwich bread, making pizza and bun dough, kneading dough for shaping by hand, making jam
- Cooking methods
- Oven-baked
- Materials
- plastic or steel housing, non-stick tin
- Care and cleaning
- Soak the tin briefly to release the paddle; never use metal tools on the coating. Wipe crumbs from the chamber.
- Limitations
- One loaf shape; less control over crust and crumb than hand baking.
Safety
- The tin and steam from the vent are very hot.
If you don’t have one
- Stand mixer — Knead, then prove and bake in a loaf tin.
- Loaf tin — Knead by hand and bake in the oven.
Equipment guide
How it works: A paddle in a loaf-shaped pan kneads the dough, a heating element keeps it warm while it proves, then the same element bakes it. Each programme sets the times and temperatures for kneading, rising and baking.
| Material | Good | Watch out |
|---|---|---|
| Non-stick (PTFE or ceramic sol-gel coating on aluminium) | Eggs, fish and pancakes release with little fat; easy to clean; forgiving for beginners. | Coatings wear out (ceramic often faster than PTFE); PTFE should not be heated empty or above about 260 °C; poor at building fond; needs non-metal utensils. |
- Standard vertical-loaf machine
- Single paddle; tall loaves.
- Horizontal-loaf machine
- Two paddles; more conventional loaf shape.
- Machine with nut and fruit dispenser
- Adds extras at the right time.
Buying guidance
Starting out: A machine that makes a 750 g–1 kg loaf with a dough-only programme (so you can shape and bake in the oven).
- Loaf size: 500 g–1.2 kg
- Power: about 450–850 W
- Dough-only and gluten-free programmes
- Delay timer
- Viewing window
No brands or prices — check current reviews before buying.
Related tools
Recipes that use it
No recipe in the catalogue lists it yet.