I bought a Breville Breadmaster Big Loaf here in Oz for about $AU280 in 1999 - they've come down in price since then I think. It makes rectangular loaves and has the problem of the two paddles getting stuck in the base of the bread, but I now have a few recipes which I seem to work well. I am getting more into it now that the results are more reliable, and I've had it for 2 years.

My favourite is to fry up some onions until they are golden brown and put them in just after the dough has been mixed. Yum!

I like mine because it has various settings and I can just make the dough or go the whole hog. I can make pizza dough, or pasta or doughnuts (haven't tried these) or hubby makes dough for Indian breads.

I made an apple twist one day by making the dough in the machine, then letting it rise once, then getting it out, making the twist with the apple in it, then letting it rise in the pre-warmed oven, and then baking it.

The next version up from the one we bought cost maybe $AU50 more and the only difference we could see was that it had a nifty compartment for added chopped ingredients and they were torpedoed in at exactly the right time in the cycle. Ours just beeps at the right time. Didn't need to get that automatic. When they invent one which fries the onions as well I might consider it - NOT!

For someone who has never made bread before it is a good thing to have. And I agree about the reasons why some people have a bread machine or no home made bread at all.

8 Pints, thanks for the tip on the Australian bread pre-mix. I have been avoiding the pre-mixes so maybe I'll try that brand out.

Helen