It can take three to four hours to produce a white loaf not using rapid bake, and three to five hours for wholemeal. You’ll need to be present to remove the loaf, even if there’s a keep warm option. Therefore it’s a good idea to plan ahead. If your bread maker has a rapid bake option, check the duration of the programme. Bread doesn’t like to be rushed, so the longer the programme is, the better the loaf.