Making bread at home can be a bit of a hit-and-miss activity often involving a fair amount of mess, the aroma of burnt dough and results that would be better placed in the garbage than at the table. The Russell Hobbs Breadman Ultimate, a custom-made breadmaker that allows you to make fresh bread in a self-contained unit, does away with the uncertainty of baking at home. It's clean, easy to use and does most of the hard work for you.

  • Making bread at home can be a bit of a hit-and-miss activity often involving a fair amount of mess, the aroma of burnt dough and results that would be better placed in the garbage than at the table.

Take the Breadman Ultimate out of its packaging, separate the parts and clean it with a damp cloth. Plug it into the main power supply and place it in a dry, cool area on a flat surface.

Insert the bread pan and kneading paddle into the baking chamber and close the lid. Run the unit on the "Rapid White Cycle" program using the "Select" feature on the control panel to burn off any manufacturing oils if you're using the machine for the first time. This will ensure you eradicate any remnants you missed with the cloth.

Find a recipe for the type of bread you want to make (see Resources). You can look online or buy a recipe book. The list of breads you can make in the Breadman Ultimate is virtually limitless, but it's best to seek out recipes designed specifically for breadmakers.

Open the lid and add your ingredients.

Press the "Select" button to choose the baking or dough cycle desired, which will be indicated in your recipe. The machine has 27 presets for different types of bread. Use the "Crust Control" button to specify the type of crust you want and loaf size to set the size and weight of your bread.

  • Find a recipe for the type of bread you want to make (see Resources).
  • Use the "Crust Control" button to specify the type of crust you want and loaf size to set the size and weight of your bread.

Press the "Start" button to start the cycle you've selected.

Using an oven glove, remove the bread pan from the baking chamber at the end of the cycle.

While wearing oven gloves, turn the bread pan upside down to remove the loaf.

Dismantle the machine when cooled and wash before putting into storage.