SHOP TALK : Bread Machines That Rise to the Occasion : First, pick what features you want. It’s the month for department store sales on these products.

We are not exactly the type to sit at home and bake bread. But we do love to eat bread. Especially good, fresh bread. In fact, we’ve been known to choose a restaurant solely for the bread it serves.

So, after spending a recent weekend at the home of a good friend (who isn’t the sit-at-home-and-bake type, either), we were surprised to find ourselves lusting after one of her kitchen appliances. Her bread machine, to be exact. A simple, white box that contains a food mixer, mini-oven and microprocessor in one neat package.

Why this sudden infatuation? It was probably waking on that first morning to the unmistakable aroma of fresh baking bread that sealed our fate. We must have that machine! Now, what are the features we want our machine to have and where can we find one at the best price?

There are four specific features we are looking for. First, we are very superficial and we like our bread to look like bread, not a super colossal muffin, so we want a machine with a square or rectangular pan.

Second, we want our machine to have a 100% whole wheat cycle. This will please health-conscious husbands and diet-conscious teen-agers.

Third, a dough cycle is necessary so we can remove the dough to shape our own breads. And for making pizza dough, bagels and croissants.

Fourth, we want a timer so we can relive again and again the experience of waking up to fresh bread.

Happily, major department stores have bread machines on sale this month. Looking at the Broadway’s selection, we spotted a Regal Breadmaker on sale for $99.99 from its original price of $140. It’s a small machine, though, and doesn’t have all the features we’re looking for. The Regal 1 1/2 Pounder does have a timer, and six varieties of baking cycles. This one is priced at $149.99 from $240. That is quite a discount. Westbend is priced here at $199.99 from $240. This machine has six baking cycles, a keep-warm setting and a timer. It also has a window to check on the bread without disturbing the machine’s temperature.

At Bullocks, we admired the Zojirushi. Considered to be one of the best machines available, it’s on sale for $299.99 from $350. The Zojirushi has eight automatic baking settings, memory timer, viewing window, square pan, digital clock and beeper. Still at Bullocks, Mr. Loaf (Mr. Coffee’s friend), is a two-pound producing baker with seven baking modes and a glass window. Bullocks also has two models of Breadman by Trillium on sale.

Not surprisingly, the best deals we saw were at Price-Costco. If you are not a member, this might be the time to try to become one. Hitachi’s Home Bakery is $159.99 and makes two sizes of loaves, two shades of crusts, has four baking cycles, (including the dough cycle) a 13-hour delay timer and viewing window. This is the very machine my friend paid $300 for. Price-Costco also has Sanyo’s Bread Factory for $139.99 plus $11 delivery charge. This machine must be ordered from their catalogue.

A couple of words of caution. You will need kitchen counter space. Also be prepared to play with your machine a bit as you learn the basic science of bread making. You are still in charge of the ingredients; the mind behind the machine. So don’t be shy about taking all the credit for the wonderful bread your machine produces.