Store-bought Bread will never ever compare to homemade bread. When I was a kid, mom used to make it using yeast, let it double in bulk, punch it down, cover with a towel and sit over the register with warm air from the furnace to help it rise. I loved that smell and even more wonderful, was the smell when it was baking. Eating it warm with butter and honey or mom’s homemade black raspberry or strawberry jam—berries she grew—was a taste pleasure I’ll never forget.
The best bread makers were not manufactured at that time. The flavor and crispy crust was the best ever! Not even artisan breads at the markets will come close to homemade bread, sweet rolls, bread sticks, and all the other goodies to be made with the best bread machines on the market today.
Fresh baked, warm, and soft with butter—heaven forbid, no greasy margarine—a touch of jelly or honey and a steaming hot cup of coffee, tea, or cocoa is a bread lover’s delight. The kids would love it with peanut butter and jelly, I’m sure.
What is a Bread Making Machine?
For baking bread, we can now use the kitchen appliance either called a bread making machine or bread maker. It has a bread pan that used to be called a bread tin at the inside bottom of the unit’s housing. It has one, two, or more paddles (beaters) built into the center, usually.
It is really a small oven using simple electronics built into its computer inside. You select your desired setting on the control panel, usually digital.
Most of the best bread maker machines have timers to start without needing your assistance. The high-end brands have custom cycles so that you can create a recipe.
Bread makes have distinct sequences for the type of bread you want to make such as while, whole-wheat, whole-grain, French, Italian, fruit bread, vegetable bread, gluten-free or with gluten bread. You can select the dough only cycle for making pizza dough and different shaped loaves that you will bake in a typical oven.
On another note, the first bread maker appliance was released in Japan in 1986 by the Matsushita Electric Industrial Company, now Panasonic®.
About Bread Makers
Making bread with a home bread maker is easy to do. It is not as time consuming as making bread like my mom did, yet some people still do.
Bread Maker Features
There’s virtually no work to do when you use a bread maker. All you do is buy the mix or use a recipe. You simply add the ingredients to the maker and push some buttons and it does all the work for you.
Then sit back and enjoy the aroma wafting through the house. When the time is up, cut a slice and enjoy your homemade creation!
Discover the different models and features, machine sizes, and the number of loaves they make in my reviews below. Some make bread only and others make even more scrumptious goodies. You will no doubt want a timer and even a window where you can see what’s bakin’!
There are many models to choose from with many different features that you will want to consider. Read my bread machine reviews below and buying guide for small bread makers and large bread makers as well. Today’s bread makers are inexpensive with many features for you to make your perfect loaf each time.
When you have gluten sensitivities, you can make fresh bread with flour without gluten.
You can make many types of bread and here are some favorites that are easy to make without the work of making if from scratch.
Bread Types
Read further for features and loaf sizes, crust color, recipes, tips, and more below.
- Beer Bread
- Buckwheat Bread
- Carrot Bread
- Dinner Rolls
- French Bread
- Fruit Breads
- Italian Bread
- Pizza Dough
- Potato Bread
- Quick Breads
- Raisin Cinnamon Bread
- Rice Bread
- Rye Bread
- Sandwich Bread
- Soda Bread
- Sourdough Bread
- Sweet Bread
- Sweet Rolls
- Vegetable Bread
- Wheat Bread
- White Bread
- Yeast Bread
Many more bread types and flavors are available. You can use your own recipes as well for the best of the best bread ever.
Our Best List Bread Makers
- Best Overall: ZOJIRUSHI Home Bakery Virtuoso® Bread Maker
- Best Budget: Hamilton Beach® Home Baker Bread Maker
- Best Compact: Sunbeam® Bread Maker
- Best Mini: Oster® EXPRESSBAKE® Bread Maker
- Best Design: Pohl Schmitt Stainless-Steel Bread Machine
- Best Square: KBS Pro Stainless-Steel Bread Machine
- Best Value: Cuisinart® Bread Maker
- Best Mini: ZOJIRUSHI Home Bakery Mini Bread Maker
- Best Large-Capacity: Breville® Custom Loaf Bread Maker
Best Bread Maker Reviews
1. ZOJIRUSHI Home Bakery Virtuoso® Bread Maker, 2-Pound Capacity
The ZOJIRUSHI is a Japanese Corporation, and the model BB-PAC20, is a small bread maker shown on Amazon.com® just perfect for turning out beautiful bread every time made of steel. This machine is ideal for a smaller family. It has many functions that will surprise you.
It has 2 kneading blades and another heater on the lid for even and complete kneading and baking. This is the only model with a heating element in the lid!
The panel has an LCD (liquid crystal diode) clock with a 13-hour time delay function with 3 memory settings.
The large handles on the baking pan are easy to use for handling and removal with a large viewing window to watch your bread bake.
Its new gluten-free menu setting lets you make gluten-free breads easily with no effort. You can use the quick baking cycle to make bread in about 2-hours.
Add seeds, nuts, grains, raisins, spices, flavorings, herbs, and other items to your bread dough.
The menu settings are for basic bread, wheat bread, gluten-free bread, sourdough starter, dough, a fresh fruit jam cycle, cake, quick bread, and 3 homemade menus to bake a meatloaf for instance. It will also make salt-free, sugar-free and vegan.
Plug the 3-foot, 3-prong grounded UL® listed cord into a 110/120-Volt, 50/60 Hz receptacle. It does not work on 220/240-Volts outside the USA or Canada so buy an adapter. It operates at 700-Watts power.
The dimensions are 18-inches wide x 10-1/2-inches deep x 12-7/8-inches tall and weighs 22.08-pounds.
You will receive 2 kneading blades, an easy-to-follow instructional DVD, User’s Manual in English and French for Canada, and a recipe book for cinnamon roll bread, mini white bread, meatloaf miracle, homemade pasta, gluten-free dinner bread, and more. You’ll also get a liquid measuring cup, nested measuring cups, and a measuring spoon.
ZOJIRUSHI AMERICA CORPORATION (‘ZOJIRUSHI’) Warrants this product against defects in materials and workmanship for a period of 1-year from the date of original retail purchase. Commercial products have a 6-month Warranty from the date of purchase. In both cases, a copy of the purchase receipt is required. It is made in China.
ZOJIRUSHI Home Bakery Virtuoso® Bread Maker demonstration making bread video.
2. Hamilton Beach® Home Baker Bread Maker, 2-Pound Capacity
The Hamilton Beach® company has been making home appliances for decades with their trusted equipment for home users. Professional chefs and commercial cooks use their products as well. The model 29882 in black durable hard plastic on Amazon.com® is affordable and the top best-selling bread maker.
Make your homemade bread the way you like it: without preservatives, gluten, or trans-fat. Set the programmable controls for all of your bread loving cravings and even make jam, cake, and cookie dough. It also has an automatic shut off.
You will also get whole-grain and gluten-free recipes as a courtesy from Bob’s Red Mill®Natural Foods. I love this brand, especially the gluten-free almond flour with real almonds.
The bread maker has 12 cycles being basic; French; gluten-free; whole-grain; quick bread; sweet bread; flat bread; croissants; 1.5-pound express; 2-pound express; dough; jam; cake; and bake.
The unit will also make dough for pizza and rolls with light, medium, and dark crust settings. This bread maker will remind you when you want to add nuts and fruit later in the process of baking with its delay timer mode.
It comes with 2 kneading paddles made of metal with a nonstick coating, using only 1 at a time, so if 1 is dirty, you can use the other one. The bread pan is nonstick and cleans easily by hand or in the dishwasher as well as the paddles.
The dimensions are 12.2-inches high x 14.13-inches wide x 10.43-inches deep and it weighs 11.9-pounds empty.
Plug the 2-prong polarized 3-foot UL® listed cord into a 110/120-Volt, 50/60 Hz receptacle. It does not work on 220/240-Volts outside the USA or Canada so buy an adapter.
Here’s a delicious recipe from Hamilton Beach® easy to create in this bread maker.
The bread maker comes with a User’s Manual, recipes, an extra paddle, and a 1-year Limited Warranty. It does not come with measuring cups/spoons. It is made in China.
How to make cinnamon bread in the Hamilton Beach® Bread Maker video.
3. Sunbeam® Bread Maker, 2-Pound Capacity
The Sunbeam® company has been around for many years. My grandmother and mom owned many of their kitchen appliances, and I do too. The item model number 005891-000-000 on Amazon.com® is one of the best affordable bread makers. Sink your teeth into the best tasting homemade bread and sweets so much better than from the stores.
Use the programming functions with pure healthy ingredients and no additives or chemicals that are used in store-bought breads and sweets. Did you know that feathers are added to donuts to keep the dough light and fluffy? Yuck! So, light as a feather donuts now has meaning!
With the machine’s ExpressBake® functioning cycle, you can bake or cook in less than an hour. You can delay your baking process for up to 13-hours in advance and then let it do its process ready for you when you get home from work or get out of bed in the morning.
The baking pans are removable nonstick and easy to clean up. It’s best to hand-wash the metal blades and bread bucket.
Choose from 12 baking cycles of basic, French, whole-wheat, quick, sweet, express bake 1.5- or 2.0-pounds, dough, jam, cake, sandwich, and bake. See how your bread is baking using the see-through window also with LED lights on the control panel.
Make lush moist cinnamon raisin bread, artisan breads, oatmeal bread, or whatever you can dream up with made-from-scratch flavor. Buttery dinner rolls have never tasted better than the ones you make. You can make gluten-free bread as well. Select the crust color you like from light to dark.
These recipes are included in the recipe booklet you’ll receive with your bread maker. The bread maker bakes at 260-degrees F.
The bread maker fits your countertop measuring 16-inches deep x 11-1/2-inches wide x 12-1/2-inches tall weighing 18.6-pounds.
Plug the 3-prong grounded UL® listed cord into a 110/120-Volt, 50/60 Hz receptacle. It does not work on 220/240-Volts outside the USA or Canada so buy an adapter. The power is 600-Watts.
You will receive with the Sunbeam® bread maker free recipes, 1-kneading blade (no extra one), and a 1-year Limited Warranty. It is made in China.
Sunbeam® Bread Maker – bread baking the easy way!
4. Oster® EXPRESSBAKE® Bread Maker, 2-Pound Capacity
The Oster® brand is great! The model CKSTBRTW20-NP on Amazon.com® comes in white with silver trim at the top. The bread maker machine has many features and is reasonably priced. You can load your bread and other baked goods with fruit and nuts, flavorings, and spices. You and your family with enjoy award-winning home baked treats and bread quickly and easily.
Baking in the Oster® will fill your house with the mouth-watering aroma instantly when it’s cooking. Using the EXPRESSBAKE® cycle, your bread will bake in under an hour. Set the machine for up to 13-hours delay time, go to work, and come home to an aroma-filled house with a 2-pound loaf of bread ready to eat. It’s that easy.
It has a warm setting to keep your baked goods from getting cold along with 12 bread settings and 3 crust settings for your bread varieties, dough, and jam.
The machine has an LCD control panel easy to read using buttons. Make gluten-free bread using the wheat button since it has no specific button for gluten-free. If you want the gluten-free button unit, buy the model CKSTBR9050-NP for $10 more on Amazon.
Make rye, pumpernickel, potato, oat, fruit breads, and many wonderful taste treats with this unit.
The bread pan is aluminum with a nonstick coating. I never put aluminum in the dishwasher because it tarnishes and nonstick coatings can be destroyed. It’s easy to wash the blade and pan in hot sudsy dish detergent.
The dimensions are 12-inches long x 11-inches wide x 11-inches tall. The bread pan measures 7-inches long x 5.25-inches wide x 5-inches deep. The bread maker weighs 10-pounds.
Plug the 3-prong grounded UL® listed 40-inch cord into a 110/120-Volt, 50/60 Hz receptacle. It does not work on 220/240-Volts outside the USA or Canada so buy an adapter. The power is 650-Watts.
You will receive instructions, recipes, and a 30-day money back Guarantee if you are not happy with this bread maker. It is made in China.
Oster® EXPRESSBAKE® Bread Maker Machine video.
5. Pohl Schmitt Stainless-Steel Bread Machine
The Pohl Schmitt bread making machine will produce for you a perfect crusty 2-pound loaf of tasty bread. It has on top a nut and fruit dispenser for adding raisin, walnuts and other tasty morsels to your creation.
The aluminum bread pan itself is a non-stick ceramic for easily sliding out onto a plate. It bakes a horizontal loaf vertically.
You can make quick breads without yeast and other breads that do take yeast with that wonderful aroma with this enduring bread making machine.
Make yourself up a batch of whole grain bread, French bread, gluten-free, and other many varieties. Even make dough and cake. Make sweet breads such as banana nut, apple, pumpkin, zucchini and more.
The bread making machine on Amazon has 14 digital settings on a touch panel. You can make 3 different crust colors, 3 loaf sizes, set on time delay while working or out and about, and keep warm after it’s done. Recipes come with this unit.
This is perfect for making French bread to go with your lasagna or spaghetti. It’s easy and actually, quite a bit of fun!
It comes with one kneading paddle with the interior pan that’s removable for easy cleanup.
This bread making machine will beep to let you know to add final ingredients during it’s baking cycle such as those fruits and nuts—even cereals. You can see what’s bakin’ through the window on top.
It has a low-noise DC (Direct Current) motor design and up to 1-hour thermostat. The dimensions are approximately 12-5/8-inches high x 14-inches long x 10-1/2-inches wide and the compartment on top sticks up a bit.
Plug the 3-prong grounded UL® listed cord into a USA 120-Volt/50Hz outlet; it draws 550-Watts.
You will receive a detailed booklet with instructive drawings, recipes, and tips. It has a 2-year Limited Warranty for defects and workmanship. It is made in the People’s Republic of China.
6. KBS Pro Stainless-Steel Bread Machine
The KBS, model MBF-010, is a top-selling bread making machine on Amazon.com. It has 17 programmable functions and makes 3 loaf sizes of many different types and flavors.
It bakes horizontally and has a nut/fruit detachable dispenser on top to add more flavorful ingredients.
Select from 3 crust colors and delay the time to start cooking and know that you can keep this warm when the bread has finished baking.
It comes with a non-stick ceramic pan and has a digital control panel with a tempered glass window so you can see what you’re baking with a light inside too!
It tells you with a beep to add nuts/fruits if you want those in your bread.
It has a single kneading paddle and it is dishwasher safe.
The fruit/nut/cheese dispenser will dispense these ingredients after the kneading and before the rising of the bread.
It has a built-in timer with a 15-hour delay so your bread can be slowly baking while you’re at work or even while you’re sleeping.
The bread making machine on Amazon will keep your bread warm for up to an hour after it’s done baking.
It even has a 15-minute Interruption Recovery in case the power goes out.
The KBS bread machine uses a rotating speed while it’s kneading. This ensures the dough is completely kneaded. This creates perfect and firm dough for a sumptuous loaf of bread.
For even baking, the bread pan rotates 360-degrees—a full circle.
Included with the bread maker:
- 1 each ceramic bread baking pan
- 1 each measuring cup
- 1 each measuring spoon
- 1 each hook to remove paddle
- 1 each fruit/nut dispenser
- 1 each stirring rod
Plug the 3-prong grounded UL® listed cord into a USA 120-Volt/50Hz outlet; it draws 710-Watts. It weighs 14.7-pounds.
It has a low-noise AC (Alternating Current) motor design and up to 1-hour thermostat.
The dimensions are 13.7-inches long x 8.6-inches wide x 11.8-inches tall.
You will receive a User’s Manual with recipe book and a 2-year Warranty. It is made by Jiangmen Kang Bai Shi (KBS) Electrical Company, Ltd., a Chinese company in China.
KBS Bread Machine video.
7. Cuisinart® Bread Maker, 2-Pound Capacity
The Cuisinart® folks make fantastic kitchen appliances to include their CBK-100 bread maker shown on Amazon.com®. It is a high-end bread maker machine in a silver colored finish and BPA-free. Whip up a fruit bread with craisins (dried cranberries), raisins (dried grapes), zucchini, or banana nut. Make gluten-free and low carb breads in under 3-hours.
The control panel lets you preheat, knead, rest, rise, bake, and keep warm when making your French or Italian bread from scratch or a box mix. Whip up whole-wheat, sweet bread, cake dough, pasta dough, pizza dough, and make jams too.
With the 12 programs create baked treats and bread of 1-, 1-1/2-, or 2-pound hot loaves. It has a 13-hour delay-start time, 3 colors for crust setting, a viewing window on top, with a removable lid, bread pan, and metal paddle. All parts are easy to clean not in the dishwasher with simply wiping the outer housing with a sudsy washcloth or sponge, rinse, and towel dry.
The machine has a 15-minute pause, bake only option, and power failure backup, with cool handles.
The dimensions are 14.5-inches long x 7.5-inches wide x 12.5-inches tall and it weighs 22-pounds.
Plug the 3-prong grounded UL® listed cord into a 110/120-Volt, 50/60 Hz receptacle. It does not work on 220/240-Volts outside the USA or Canada so buy an adapter. The power is 550-Watts.
Try this recipe from Cuisinart®; it’s over the moon delicious.
You will receive recipes, instructions, a measuring spoon, and a measuring cup. The 3-year Limited Warranty covers all parts and accessories. It is made in China.
Cuisinart® Bread Maker demonstration video.
8. ZOJIRUSHI Home Bakery Mini Bread Maker, 1-Pound Capacity
The ZOJIRUSHI is a Japanese Corporation, and the model BB-HAC10, is a small bread maker shown on Amazon.com® ideal for making soft, warm, beautiful bread every time. Because it only makes 1-pound loaves, it’s best for a smaller family. It is the premium white color to go with your kitchen décor.
Being taller, it will fit smaller countertops in kitchens. Choose at the digital control panel on the front if you want regular, soft, or firm bread. The programs will make bread in less than 2-hours. This is the perfect machine for a single person or couple and I love it!
Enjoy the 13-hour delay timer to have your bread ready and warm when you wake up or when you get home.
The preprogrammed settings are basic bread (regular, firm), soft, French, dough, cookie/pasta dough, cake, jam, and quick bread. You can also make your own custom recipes for pasta dough and cookie dough. Just leave the gluten out when making gluten-free bread.
The outside dimensions are 8.5-inches wide x 11.25-inches deep x 12.25-inches tall and it weighs 13.3-pounds.
Vertical Baking Pan Dimensions:
- Inside: 4-1/4-inches high x 4-5/8-inches wide x 5-5/8-inches long
- Outside: 5-1/2-inches high x 5-1/5-inches wide x 6-11/16-inches long
- Capacity: 6-2/3 cups
Plug the 2-prong polarized UL® listed cord into a 110/120-Volt, 50/60 Hz receptacle. It does not work on 220/240-Volts outside the USA or Canada so buy an adapter. The power is 450-Watts.
You will receive recipes, video instructions in English, User’s Manual, and one kneading blade, a measuring cup, and a measuring spoon. The 1-year Limited Warranty covers all parts and accessories. It is made in China.
Zojirushi America demo from manufacturer video.
9. Breville® Custom Loaf Bread Maker, 2.5-Pound Capacity
The Breville® Custom Loaf is just that; make it the way you want for 1-, 1-1/2-, 2.0-, or 2-1/2-pound (family size) loaves. The high-end model BBM800XL is a best selling medium to large bread maker with its outside housing made of brushed stainless-steel.
This machine has a dispenser on top for adding nuts and fruits so you won’t need to open the lid as with many other brands. It releases the fruits and nuts that you’ve put into the dispenser at the correct time when it’s kneading so that it’s totally combined within the dough. It has no yeast dispenser.
Make your selections on the control panel, set the time, and it will tell you when to add up to 3/4-cup of the nuts, seeds, cheese, and fruits.
You will receive a huge amount of recipes—46 in all for basic, whole-wheat, gluten-free, crusty loaf, sweet, yeast-free, pizza dough, jam and with 9 more custom recipe charts. The recipe booklet also has 6 yeast-free recipes. You can also use box mixes made for a bread maker machine.
With the 13 automatic settings and 3 crust colors to include the 4 loaf sizes on the LCD control panel, you will have your item baked in no time. The control panel also shows you the process with that indicator. It’s truly a smart bread maker!
It picks up where it left off if there is a power outage. It has a delayed time setting for all baking except ‘bake’ only and making jam.
The kneading paddle is collapsible after it mixes all the ingredients. This lets it lay flat before it starts to bake for a smaller hole at the bottom of your loaf of bread. The fixed paddle stays immovable and does not collapse when you make jam or jelly. For jam and jelly, you will receive and use the fixed paddle.
The outside dimensions are 9.8-inches deep x 15.7-inches wide x 13.9-inches tall and it weighs 16.85-pounds.
Horizontal Baking Pan Dimensions:
5-1/2-inches wide x 7-1/2-inches long x 5-1/2-inches deep and it is aluminum with a nonstick coating inside and not dishwasher safe.
It does not come with a measuring cup or spoon; use your own.
Plug the 3-prong grounded UL® listed cord into a 110/120-Volt, 50/60 Hz receptacle. It does not work on 220/240-Volts outside the USA or Canada so buy an adapter. The power is 830-Watts.
You will receive recipes, instructions, 1 collapsible kneading paddle for bread and dough, and 1 fixed paddle for jam only. The 1-year Limited Warranty covers all parts and accessories. It is made in China.
Breville® Bread Maker: The most advanced bread machine yet—sundried tomato and pita bread video.
Bread Making Tips
- My mom told us kids not to run, jump or bang doors when her cakes or bread were in the oven because that vibration would make them fall. She was right!
- Do not make meatloaf in the bread makers unless the instructions say you can; not designed for greasy food.
- The bread pan bucket with handle is the part that comes out of the machine that your ingredients will go in. Always pull it out when putting in your ingredients.
- Do not use metal utensils in the bread maker or pan or it will ruin the finish. Use wood, plastic, or rubber.
- Fleischmann’s® yeast is an old favorite before bread makers and it’s now made specifically for bread machines.
- It’s best to wash the beaters and bread bucket by hand; the dishwasher water is too hot and the detergent too strong and will ruin the nonstick coating. Be cautious: When your bread is done, it is hot—and so is the bread bucket; use mitts or a thick pot holder.
- Cool your bread on a wire rack so it cools evenly and is not soggy on the bottom when sitting on a plate.
- This is a great Bread Machine Cookbook on Amazon.
- There are some online bread recipes for you as Easy white bread, 36 of Our Best Bread Recipes.
Bread Machine Basics with tips for success video.
Final Thoughts
Let me know about your success (or despairs) with your best bread maker machine and the comments section below. I’ll give you my replies soon. Happy shopping and happy baking!
The post Top 9 Best Bread Makers | Buying Guide | Reviews 2023 appeared first on Cookware News.
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