This makes divine bread but you have to get the recipe 100% accurate, the slightest deviation can cause problems like cratered (too much liquid), mushroom (too much yeast, I actually forgot to put any yeast in at all one time and the result was a brick and a lot of hilarity from the family)or gnarly loaves (not enough moisture).
My breadmaker was just £39.99 from Tesco just after Christmas (BARGAIN) and comes complete with measuring jug, spoon and instruction booklet. You just add the ingredients in the order on the recipe and press the button for the program required and start it is really as easy as anything.

It can take up to almost 3 hours to make a loaf but as you don't have to do anything once it is on you can just get on with other stuff like watching 'This Morning' or having friends round for lots of cups of coffee (imagine how impressed they'd be when the smell wafts into the lounge, 'Oh, thats just my bread cooking').

The ingredients you have to initially buy can work out quite expensive but when you have the basics all you need to buy for ages is the flour and that is quite reasonable. (About 69p in tesco for Strong White Flour, enough for about 4/5 loaves).The recipes are easy to follow and l have tried different loaves like coffee bread (made by adding a tablespoon of instant coffee powder with the flour, it was a bit strange l have to say but my husband liked it) and adding a tblsp of oregano to the flour also makes a lovely bread on the french bread recipe. We had this with homemade Spaghetti Bolognaise and it was really delicious. I added mixed cruahed nuts to another bread and that was totally gorgeous. Recently l tried the doughnut recipe and although the mix was a little sloppy they end result was a great hit with the children (with this the mix is finished uncooked and you have to cut the shapes, prove the mix for 1/2 an hour, heat your oil in your fryer then carefully add the dough shapes. We
dipped them in caster sugar (not too much though) and they disappeared within an hour.

The best recipe for normal bread that l have found if to follow the recipe for white bread and instead of using 3 cups of strong white flour use 2 and one cup of wholemeal. This bread has a lovely texture and gets some wholemeal goodness into the children.

You do have to be careful when making bread that you don't leave the bread in the machine when its finished. It has a keep warm facility for an hour after cooking but if you leave it after that it may get soggy (and theres nothing worse that getting soggy). It's important to put your finished bread on a cooling rack also.

I have invested in a new bread knife as you really need a long blade to cut your bread, l tried with a smaller knife and it is really difficult with them. I haven't done jam yet and when l do l will re-write this opinion to let you know how it went. I am waiting for the summer and the soft fruit season. I wonder if you can make chutneys with this? I will attempt that later too, watch for results. I haven't programmed the breadmaker to make the bread so that it is ready when l get up yet but l will and l'm sure that will be lovely (l haven't yet as l don't really like things going in the kitchen when l am asleep).

Well l would recommend anyone to buy one of these, especially if like my sister, there are only two of you at home. She says one of these loaves a day is more than enough for her and her son. It is worth mentioning that because the bread has no preservatives in it (a good thing l think) it does go hard quicker than shop bought products. A small price to pay for fresh baked bread every day. Look out in Tesco or ask if they are getting any in (it may be worth looking on their web site, www.Tesco.co.uk)and aparantly Currys do a cheap one too, so get baking and impress your friends with your homebaking (l won't tell if you don'
;t).