The Insider: Bread makers

Baking bread at home has had something of a renaissance over the past few years, helped in no small part by the fact that the cost of bread-making machines has come right down. Furthermore, the soaring cost of wheat over the past 18 months has made a stronger financial case for making your own bread too.

The ingredients and electricity to make around three loaves in a bread maker will set you back something in the region of £1. Even three of the cheapest loaves available in the supermarket would cost you more, and if you're prone to a loaf of Hovis or Warburtons, you would expect to be paying more than £1 for just one loaf.

Bread makers are not just good for making bread either. They're great for making cakes, and some can also make jam and pasta too. Best of all, they're incredibly easy to use – just throw all the ingredients in and hit the button.

But don't be fooled into thinking all bread-making machines are the same. There's a wide range available these days, with prices varying from as little as £30 up to £100 – and the quality among the different models can vary significantly as well.

It's not even as simple as paying more for quality. When the consumer group Which? reviewed 13 break-making machines recently, the most expensive one came only fifth. The winner, however – the Morphy Richards 48245 compact – costs just £40. The only downside to this model is that it doesn't have a rapid setting (which makes a loaf in half the usual time). However, the standard of most loaves made on the rapid setting of bread makers is fairly poor.

Most bread-making machines take around three hours to cook a standard loaf, and between three and a half and five hours if it's wholemeal. But don't be fooled into thinking that the bread will be better quality because the machine takes longer. The machines that took the longest to cook a loaf were rated no higher by Which? when it came down to the quality of the bread.

By and large, Morphy Richards machines, and Panasonic models, all tend to be a good bet. Bottom of the pile in the Which? survey was Prima's ABM36 model (pictured), which scored only 42 out of 100 and yet costs £20 more than their top-rated machine.

Where to buy

As always, the cheapest place to buy kitchen appliances is on the internet – and price comparison sites such as kelkoo.co.uk and pricerunner.co.uk can help you find retailers who are offering each model at the cheapest price. Unfortunately, Morphy Richards' 48245 model is now hard to come by, as it's been replaced by a newer model. However, you'll still be able to pick that model up online at Amazon.co.uk for some time yet.

Other websites for buying bread makers cheaply include Asda, Tesco, Argos and Comet – and you'll also be able to pick up a machine in high street branches of Argos, Comet and Currys, as well as the larger supermarkets.

What to look out for

* How long does it take to bake? A fast time doesn't always mean poor quality.

* Does it have a rapid bake setting? Some machines can bake you a loaf in less than an hour.

* Is there a delay timer? A great function if you want to wake up to the smell of freshly baked bread.

* Does it have a viewing window? Great for keeping an eye on your loaf's progress.

* Can it make jam and pasta too? Some machines can make much more than a loaf of bread.

The Insider is written in conjunction with the consumer group Which?. For more information on the best breadmakers, visit their website, www.which.co.uk/breadmakers. To get three issues of Which? for £3 call 01992 822800 and quote INADVICE.