A s a bread-loving lazy person, easy access to plump, airy loaves is always appreciated. And while buying it from a shop might be considered the laziest way to acquire it, I think making it at home can be just as convenient, especially with a decent bread maker to do all the hard bits for you.

Bread machines mix, knead, prove and bake your loaf at the touch of a button and most, including the ones I’ve tested here, produce loaves that are above and beyond your standard sandwich bread.

This is a real treat if, like me, you enjoy letting your imagination run wild with all the different loaves you can make. Sweet chocolate-chip breads, Italian pesto loaves, super-seeded high-fibre slices for your lunchtime toasties – the possibilities are almost endless.…