In addition to our high-quality bread and waffle makers, we also offer hand mixers and electric ovens right down to the necessary baking tools to get you all set in the kitchen. Our selection of top-quality baking equipment is sure to complement every baker and guarantees the most rewarding kitchen experience. From beginner bakers to pastry chefs, the preparation process has never been more efficient than this! So, for the extra five quid you get a clean, stainless steel finish. Stainless steel does not stain, corrode or rust as easily as ordinary steel so the BM256 breadmaker should out last the BM250.

Cakes and pastries: From classic cakes to breakfast pastries, some breadmakers come with presets for sweet treats, too. See our most popular cake recipes for ideas. 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. Build quality is seriously solid for a fairly affordable breadmaker. The love-or-loathe design is unusual, white with a retro-style handle for the lid, reminiscent of a 1950s fridge. And instead of a window for inspecting progress, the lid boasts a built-in fan to assist cooking. The BM260 is compact, the size of an A4 sheet.The Kenwood BM250 is a bread maker designed to provide convenience and versatility in the kitchen. With its LCD display, users can easily navigate through the various settings and options available. The appliance also features a delayed start timer, allowing users to set a desired baking time in advance.

Extra features: viewing windows, separate yeast or nut and seed dispensers are handy but not essential. 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. I’ve seen a few bread makers with viewing windows, but this is one of the few, along with the Sage Custom Loaf, that has a light for the baking chamber. This lets you see how your loaf is getting on at each stage in the process, but the viewing window is much more restricted than on the the Sage model.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. 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. A delay timer is fitted as standard on the BM256, ensuring you can have fresh bread in the morning. Don't worry if you are late to collect your bread as the BM256 will automatically turn itself to the handy keep warm feature. For up to an hour, your bread will stay hot, ready and waiting for you. Features include the aforementioned “eco” program and a gluten-free program, plus programs for breads, cakes, doughs and jams. It makes loaves in three sizes, ranging from a 500g loaf made using 350g flour to a 1kg loaf using 600g flour. Baking a loaf takes 3 to 3.5 hours on a typical program.