"Which?"-type reviews (breadmakers)

[zcacogp]

Chaps,

Does anyone know any good websites which offer Which? type reviews, but which are free? Which? offers 30 days free on their website, but you need to declare your bank details to activate the free trial.

While I don't have any major problem with this, are there any, equally good review sites (i.e. with reviews done by people professionally, rather than members of the public who have bought an item and offer their opinion) which are genuinely free?

(FWIW, I am trying to buy a breadmaker for my Brother-in-Law, and what to know what you get for spending £100 instead of £30. All opinions welcome!)


Oli.

[puggit]

For £100 you get the Panasonic, which is the only one that consistently makes damn good bread

We have one, and are happy that somebody spent the money for us for a wedding gift

[rich 36]

Bakery down the road, do you need to add raisins to you loaves?

[CarZee]

www.dooyoo.co.uk hosts reviews. Usually my first port of call.

www.ebuyer.com and www.amazon.co.uk sell domestic appliances and host customer reviews.

My review: Breadmakers are a complete waste of time unless you like some kind of lentil, sea-sponge & dust-mite bread that you can't buy in the shops.

[sparkythecat]

A well known consumer website said:

The best bread maker on test was the Panasonic SD253, £90 from John Lewis or £80 from www.24-7electrical.co.uk.The bread was a hit with our testers, with one noting that it was 'superior to shop-bought'. The only criticism was that 'it makes you eat more bread because it tastes so lovely'. Some users were critical of the relatively long baking times, but our bread expert believes longer programs tend to result in a better loaf, and she felt the bread from this machine 'looked great, and had a nice colour and shape'. It comes with a whopping 100 recipes for breads and cakes, and has a raisin dispenser so you don't have to hang around to add fruit. On the downside, it's the only one without a viewing window so you can't spy on your loaf as it cooks. A close second, and a much cheaper option, is the Morphy Richards Cooltouch Fastbake 48280, £40, from Robert Dyas, or £47 from www.amazon.co.uk. All our testers were fans. One said it baked 'a very good loaf, light with nice texture'. And our expert felt the raisin bread had 'texture as good as home made', with 'a toasty smell and glossy crust'. There's no automatic fruit dispenser: instead, a beep reminds you when to add raisins. Another point in its favour is the accompanying recipe for chocolate bread, which was a big hit with our users. Another good value machine is the Team International BBA52 Rapido £50, from www.teamuki.com. It was popular with testers, with one calling it a 'very impressive machine that makes excellent bread', though some couldn't get the crust dark enough for their liking. Our expert said 'you can't fault the white loaf - as good as shop-bought' but she thought the raisin bread was a little undercooked. The machine's fairly easy to use, and has a raisin beep but no dispenser. Handily, it has a paddle extractor for getting the mixer out of the baked loaf with minimal tearing.

These reviews are 14 months old, so these models may by now have been superceded.

So buy the cheaper one and with the money you save you can have 15months subscription to Which.

[rich 36]

cupboard under the stairs;
Wok/Sandwich toaster/Elec tin opener/Car polisher/Kettle/coffee maker/Fondue set/cocktail whisk/latex clothing/spare orange










bump

[m1spw]

CarZee said:

www.amazon.co.uk sell domestic appliances and host customer reviews.

Seconded, amazon normally has a good range of reviews and I find that people who are using them on a daily basis and have no ties to the company normally give a more accurate insight into the product.

m1spw