You can make fresh, homemade bread that rivals any bakery with the top bread machine. Moreover, a good bread machine will provide the right texture and crispiness with just a few ingredients and set the program at the touch of a button, allowing it to do all the work for you.
Even better, you will be able to get a fresh loaf of bread within a few hours if you use one of the best bread recipes. A crisp, domed crust and even kneading are the secrets to homemade bread at its best.
Due to the wide variety of bread machines available today, it can be difficult to choose the right one for you. You can find a variety of bread to suit your preferences, whether you prefer sweet or savory bread.
A baking machine can have fancy features or can be sized to suit your family if you love baking. Regardless of your lifestyle, home or budget, you’re sure to find the perfect bread machine.
For now, we’ve gathered up a great selection of the best bread machines for homes, lifestyles, and budgets.
| Products | Price |
|---|---|
| Hamilton Beach Bread Maker Machine | |
| Cuisinart Bread Maker | |
| Zojirushi BB-PDC20BA Home Bakery | |
| Oster Expressbake Breadmaker | |
| Breville BBM800XL Custom Loaf Bread Maker |
1. Hamilton Beach Bread Maker Machine
You can make pizza dough, dinner rolls, and more with this affordable bread maker, and it has a delay start and automatic one-hour warming features.
Its streamlined operating system, numerous settings, and affordable price make it Amazon’s best-selling bread maker.
A pre-programmed cycle makes it easy to produce fresh loaves in three easy steps, according to reviewers, even when baking gluten-free, yeast-free, French, sweet, or whole-grain bread.
The machine can still produce one-and-a-half-pound loaves, and the delay start feature allows for overnight baking for busy bread enthusiasts.
2. Cuisinart Bread Maker
This compact, space-saving Cuisinart Automatic Bread Maker isn’t quite as small as a mini bread machine but is still great for kitchens with limited counter space. As it measures 10.25 x 13.25 x 11.25 inches and weighs just over 10 pounds, it shouldn’t be too difficult to move from one counter to another.
It can bake up to 2-pound loaves, and it has 12 preprogrammed settings, plus three crust shades (light, medium, dark). You can choose between gluten-free, artisan creations, jams, sauces, and cakes on the menu.
It’s very user-friendly, with a very clear control panel. Despite being a little over-aerated, the bread was perfectly browned. However, recipes need to be considered carefully. We had to reduce the amount of dough in a few tests because this machine couldn’t handle the full 2-pound loaf.
A nonstick kneading pan that is removable makes cleaning a breeze. This machine provides a 13-hour delay start, like many others. You can also keep the bread warm once it’s done, a feature that is uncommon in bread machines.
3. Zojirushi BB-PDC20BA Home Bakery
It’s expensive and, at 24 pounds, it’s heavy: the Zojirushi Home Bakery Virtuoso Plus Breadmaker. If you are serious about baking your own bread, this machine is the best you can find. This bread maker is easy to program and works with many kinds of bread, including whole wheat, gluten-free, salt-free, and sugar-free.
The use of two kneading blades ensures a well-mixed dough with proper gluten formation, and the use of two heating elements ensures the bread bakes evenly, all of which contribute to a better loaf.
A 2-pound loaf of bread can be produced in less than three hours on Zojirushi’s bread machine, which measures 10.5 x 18 x 12.9. The machine also features a sourdough starter set as well as the ability to add nuts or seeds.
This Zojirushi left a lasting impression on us. Easy to use, with a very quiet beeping alert when it was time to start up. A timer counts down the 30 minutes left in baking, so you know when to add the nuts.
The tasters scored each loaf high, although it doesn’t allow for varying levels of brownness. In addition, the nonstick surface was easy to clean, requiring only a quick wipe-down to be done.
4. Oster Expressbake Breadmaker
A great choice for anyone who would like to make fresh, easy homemade bread but doesn’t want to break the bank, this bread machine boasts a value price tag along with plenty of features.
Breads up to 2 pounds can be made with the Oster Bread Maker, which has 8 bread settings and three crust settings. A homemade jam can also be made with the Oster Bread Maker.
This model features an LCD display that shows the bread-making process in real-time, a delay timer that allows you to add ingredients and bakes later, and a keep warm setting. You can create a loaf with the Expressbake option in just a few minutes if you’re in a hurry.
Oster’s performance in some tests was good, but not universally so. As a budget pick, it beat out other budget picks with an even distribution of mix-ins, a bouncy bread texture, and a pleasing flavor.
In addition, the top can be removed for easy cleaning. The basket wasn’t difficult to clean, but cleaning the paddle was more challenging.
5. Breville BBM800XL Custom Loaf Bread Maker
A Breville Custom Loaf Bread Maker has four loaf sizes ranging from 1 to 2.5 pounds, making it perfect for large families and entertaining. In addition to handling several loaf styles, this machine has customizable settings so you can save your own recipes.
Also, the machine comes with an automatic nut and fruit dispenser to prevent clumping of ingredients in one area. In addition to creating a professional-looking loaf of bread, the paddle collapses when it’s done kneading, so your bread won’t come out indented at the bottom.
The backlit LED screen and knob scroll button of the LED screen were very intuitive in our tests. You will always know what to do and when to do it, since the buttons constantly tell you when to preheat, rest, knead, and rise.
Bread came out with an even browning and a really nice crust, and tasted really good. As with whole wheat bread, the gluten-free bread was soft and fluffy. There was one downside in that the audible alerts were very loud and it was noisy while kneading.
Things to Consider Before Buying
Loaf Size
A bread machine can usually handle a range of loaf sizes, from 1 to 2 pounds to 2.5 pounds or more. The freshness of bread lasts only a few days, so estimate how much bread you and your family will consume within a week.
Despite the fact that you could theoretically halve the recipe to make a smaller loaf, for consistency’s sake, you’re better off buying a bread machine that’s the right size for you.
Weight and Size
A large bread machine can take up a lot of counter space, so some people don’t have it. Size and weight are equally important. The weight of some of these machines makes them difficult to move from cabinets to cabinets sporadically for making bread.
Program Settings
The settings on most bread machines are similar, but there are subtle differences among their features. If you’re interested in making a particular type of bread, such as sourdough, or have other preferences, make sure the bread machine you choose can handle it.
Crust Control
A bread machine usually has a setting that allows you to choose the level of darkness of your crust, from light to dark.
The ability to control the crust’s darkness when making specialty loaves is nice even if it’s not essential for making a good loaf.
Browning occurs faster in sweet breads, whereas pale crusts might need a little more baking time in other types of dough. You can also choose exactly how dark you want your crust to be, so it can be nice to know what you’re going to get each time.
You can observe the bread-making process from kneading to baking from a bread machine with a viewing window on the lid.
Gluten-Free Options
Making gluten-free bread is a different process than making standard bread, and the dough behaves differently as well.
If you’re going to focus on making gluten-free breads, look for a machine that prioritizes gluten-free settings. Depending on the machine, gluten-free bread can be baked in a single sitting or in multiple options.
You should consult gluten-free bread recipes adapted for a bread machine since the results vary depending on the flour you use.
The machines you plan to use for making gluten-free bread must be cleaned thoroughly to remove any gluten residue that could cross-contaminate your gluten-free loaves.
Delayed Start
Regardless of the machine you choose, the best quality bread takes at least four hours to mix, knead, rise, and bake. If you want fresh bread for breakfast and don’t want to wake up early to measure flour, water, and yeast, you might be able to use a machine with quick-bake cycles that will bake the bread in less time.
You can delay the start of your bread baking so that you can wake up to the aroma of baking bread or have it ready when you get home from work to serve with dinner when you want.
Price
For a decent bread machine from a mid-range brand, you can expect to spend between $100 and $150. The price of bread makers from budget brands may be less than $100, whereas high-end brands such as Breville and Zojirushi can cost up to $300.
Warranty
Bread machines normally have a one-year warranty, which usually covers manufacturing defects rather than wear and tear or misuse. A manufacturer’s and model’s specific coverage varies, so it’s always a good idea to check the details before you buy.
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