Even though homemade bread tastes great, it takes time and patience to mix, knead, and watch a loaf rise.
Taking care of the dough at various stages of the bread-making process is not difficult, but it requires being available. Most people don’t find this procedure convenient or practical since it can take several hours.
This is where the modern bread machine comes in. The machine does all of the work for you after you add all the ingredients and push a few buttons, making bread-making easier and quicker.
As well as being in control of what goes into your bread, you can make several types, including white bread and artisan bread.
We compiled our list of the best bread machines based on factors like bread capacity, extra features, and gluten-free options.
With a top-quality bread machine, you’ll make fresh, homemade bread that rivals any bakery’s quality. By simply adding the ingredients, setting the program at the press of a button, and having the machine handle all the hard work for you, the best bread machines will also deliver the ideal texture and crispiness.
Using the best bread recipes will enable you to prepare your fresh loaf in a few hours. A good homemade loaf of bread is baked with a crisp, domed crust when it’s kneaded evenly.
Further, if you enjoy baking, you can find one with fancy features or a size that suits your family. Every budget, lifestyle, and home is catered to with our bread machines.
| Products | Price |
|---|---|
| Hamilton Beach Bread Maker | |
| Oster Expressbake Breadmaker | |
| Zojirushi BB-PDC20BA Home Bakery | |
| Cuisinart CBK-200 Convection Bread Maker | |
| West Bend Hi-Rise Bread Maker |
1. Hamilton Beach Bread Maker
With a streamlined operating system, various settings, and an affordable price point, this Hamilton Beach model appeals to bakers.
A budget-friendly bread maker that bakes fresh loaves in three easy steps, reviewers said it takes the guesswork out of making bread, no matter whether they are gluten-free, yeast-free, French, sweet, or whole grain.
Even though it can bake two pounds of bread, it can also produce one and a half pounds of loaves, and busy bread enthusiasts can use the delay start feature to bake bread overnight. Pizza dough, dinner rolls, and other favorites can also be prepared with this.
Additionally to making your favorite bread and dinner rolls, this machine can also turn out pizza dough, cinnamon buns, and dinner rolls.
With a delayed timer, you can also set alight, medium, or dark crust settings, so a hot loaf of bread will await you when you walk in.
2. Oster Expressbake Breadmaker
This bread machine offers plenty of features at a value price for those who want to make fresh, easy homemade bread but don’t want to spend a fortune.
You can make loaves up to 2 pounds with this Oster Bread Maker, which has 8 bread settings and three crust settings. You can even make homemade jam with this machine.
You can bake a loaf in less than an hour with the Expressbake feature if you’re in a hurry. When using the included recipes, our tester found that the machine performed well overall; however, when using her own recipes the results were less predictable.
This bread maker has a large LCD display that shows the progress of the bread-making process, as well as a delay timer that allows you to add ingredients and bake them later.
It is important to note, though, that Oster warns you that loaves may come out denser and darker than usual, but you can still enjoy fresh-from-the-oven loaves without prior planning.
Furthermore, there are more settings for bread, such as white and whole wheat, and a longer cycle lasting 1 hour and 20 minutes. The gluten-free setting does not exist, nor do you have any other options for bread.
Despite its basic white appearance, the Oster is among the cheapest machines available. You still get an easy-to-program LCD display even at this price.
3. Zojirushi BB-PDC20BA Home Bakery
This slim bread maker makes a 1 pound loaf and fits in smaller spaces, so it is perfect for couples, singles, and families who don’t need a large loaf of bread. It comes with all the features you expect from a quality machine.
Featuring a viewing window so you can check the bread being baked, a control panel that’s easy to use, and a programmable timer that can delay the baking by up to 13 hours, this bread maker can bake bread perfectly every time.
Among the menu options are basic bread (regular or firm), soft bread, French bread, bread dough, cookie/pasta dough, cake, and jam. With both the regular and light crust settings, you can bake a loaf of bread in less than two hours.
It’s impossible to beat the Zojirushi Home Bakery Virtuoso Plus when it comes to picture-perfect loaves every time. It will come out with a rounded top, a crunchy but not tough crust, and a tender crumb no matter what you choose.
It gives you the option to program your own recipes into the Virtuoso Plus as well as make a sourdough starter using a setting that lets you make a sourdough starter. Additionally, you can select one of three crust colors. If you forget to add cranberries or walnuts, the machine will beep to remind you.
4. Cuisinart CBK-200 Convection Bread Maker
This bread maker bakes evenly, regardless of whether you choose 1-, 1 1/2-, or 2-pound loaves. It allows you to add mix-ins at exactly the right time, while a different tone makes it easy to remove the finished dough from the paddles for final shaping.
In addition to a pause button, which allows you to take your time hand-shaping the dough, the bread can be scheduled up to 12 hours in advance using the delay option. When there is a power outage, the bread maker can wait up to 15 minutes before continuing to work
It has a sixteen-item menu that automatically adjusts kneading, rising, and baking times to bake bread, dough, cakes, and jams to perfection.
With a sleek stainless steel surface, an embossed logo, and a handle that feels sturdy, this bread maker looks good on the counter, too. LED indicators allow you to gauge the progress of the baking process through a window. A removable lid allows easy cleaning.
5. West Bend Hi-Rise Bread Maker
In addition to its spacious horizontal pan, the West Bend Hi-Rise Bread Maker offers 12 settings for baking basic, French, whole wheat, gluten-free, sweet, and sandwich loaves. A setting for kneading pizza dough is included, as well as boxed bread recipes.
To create its signature high-rise loaves, the machine uses two blades, which are thoroughly kneaded and have a light texture.
Its uniqueness lies in its ability to be customized based on user preferences; users can switch between pre-programmed settings according to their preferences when baking. The machine is great for experienced bakers.
Things to Consider Before Buying
Machine size
Make sure you have enough space for your bread machine. They’re bigger than you think. Please check the dimensions before purchasing and measure the space where it will sit – remember, you will need space around the machine for it to vent, and you will also need to allow for the lid to open on top.
Furthermore, in order to avoid a machine ending up on the floor, you should leave some space in front. Some machines can ‘walk’ as they knead, so it’s wise to leave some space.
Loaf size
You don’t need to buy the largest loaf size available. You may end up storing more than you need if you choose a large machine.
Furthermore, if you don’t finish the bread, you will probably waste a lot of it. The primary risk of homemade bread going bad is that it does not have any preservatives. One pound of bread should yield eight slices, and an extra half pound should yield four more.
Features to look out for
A bread machine’s overall size should be the first consideration. You will be able to store smaller machines with ease, but your loaves will not be as big.
Then again, some bread machines can produce larger loaves without taking up too much space, so keep an eye on the dimensions and size of the loaf. You can get a 3lb loaf from some bread machines on the market if you want the largest.
Now that bread machines offer gluten-free settings, you can enjoy a fresh loaf of bread even if you have dietary restrictions.
There are also alternative settings becoming increasingly popular, including sourdough, pizza dough, and sweet loaves. When it comes to bread machines, this versatility makes them ideal for more adventurous bakers.
For families with picky eaters, a bread machine with crust tone settings and adjustable size settings might be a good option. By doing so, you can better control the resulting loaf and bake exactly how much you desire.
An automatic fruit and nut dispenser is another useful feature that is starting to appear on more premium models. After the machine has finished kneading, the machine will dispense the fruit and nuts so they’re baked into the loaf.