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Produce fresh loaves whenever you want with these top picks, no baking experience required. Bakery Dough Divider Rounder Machine
Few simple things yield more joy than a fresh loaf of bread. A slice of still-warm bread (but not too warm, bread should be allowed to properly cool!) with a slick of salted butter is nothing short of delightful under any circumstance, but doubly so when you’ve baked the bread yourself.
Despite what the intricate scoring patterns you see on sourdough boules across Instagram may lead you to believe, baking bread doesn’t have to involve a complex understanding of fermentation. There’s nothing wrong with using instant or fresh yeast instead of tending to a sourdough starter, and you don’t have to invest in a costly baking vessel either, especially if you’re working with a proper bread machine.
When looking for the perfect machine, the loaf size and the overall size of the machine are where many home bakers will start, but the features don’t stop there. Some bread makers seem to perform better with particular types of flour; others keep the bread warm until you’re home from work and ready to have it with a big bowl of soup for supper. To help you along on your baking journey, we recently put several of these appliances through their paces to determine the best bread machines available.
This is an easy-to-clean machine with versatile features.
It’s pricey, and it's quite large.
You may know Zojirushi for its stellar rice cookers or just as an excellent Japanese kitchen brand; it makes stellar bread machines, too. In fact, Zojirushi’s Virtuoso Plus is our pick for the best overall bread machine thanks to its versatility and ease of use. With a large LCD screen, easy-to-clean components, and features that support baking far more than just your basic loaf of white bread, this is a great choice for experienced bakers who don't want to sacrifice quality for convenience. It even has a narrow viewing window to keep track of your loaf throughout the baking stages, making it a great choice for beginners and pros alike.
We found the presence of two dough blades valuable for thorough mixing, which helps develop gluten structures for an airy crumb. The programmable cycles of the Virtuoso Plus make controlling each stage (kneading, rising, baking) nice and simple to adapt from one recipe to the next. This Zojirushi also excels at the process of baking itself, turning out evenly baked loaves with lovely golden crusts. Plus, the nonstick baking pan makes for easy cleanup across the board. You will have to make sure you've got room on your countertop and in your wallet for this somewhat large and pricey machine, but if you do, it's definitely worth the splurge.
Dimensions: 10.5 x 18 x 12.88 inches | Loaf size: 1.5 and 2 pounds | Settings: Multigrain, whole wheat, rapid whole wheat, gluten-free, salt-free, sugar-free, vegan
Food & Wine / Will Dickey
Food & Wine / Will Dickey
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Food & Wine / Will Dickey
This machine has dishwasher-safe components and produces lovely loaves.
It's most suitable for entry-level home bakers.
We love how easy the Hamilton Beach HomeBaker is to clean and use. This machine reliably turns out beautiful loaves that are easy to slice, has 12 baking modes, and can even tackle other cooking projects like cakes, jams, and pizza crust. While we liked its versatility and all of its user-friendly features, we feel that this bread maker would be best suited to beginning bakers. But if you're an experienced home baker who's looking for something a little more advanced, then this might not be the machine for you.
We noted that while the recipes included with the machine work well, we wouldn’t reach for the Hamilton Beach HomeBaker for more involved baking projects (like those you might find in your favorite bread cookbooks). Plus, Hamilton Beach recently released a newer model of this machine that we have yet to test, with all of the same versatile baking modes packed into an easy-to-program digital display. If you prefer a digital interface, you can find it at Amazon, Hamilton Beach, Wayfair, and Walmart.
Dimensions: 10.43 x 14.13 x 12.2 inches | Loaf size: 1.5 or 2 pounds | Settings: Basic, French, gluten-free, quick, sweet, 1.5-pound express, 2-pound express, dough, jam, cake, whole grain, bake
Food & Wine / Will Dickey
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It's an easy-to-use machine that reliably turns out three sizes of bread, so it adapts nicely to your baking whims.
Dough tends to stick to the paddle, and there are no dishwasher-safe components.
As its name implies, Cuisinart’s Compact Automatic bread machine makes quick (and simple) work of turning dough into beautiful loaves of bread. Designed to produce loaves in a variety of sizes, this machine offers additional flexibility by including 12 preprogrammed options, a 13-hour delay-start timer, and settings that allow you to bake various types of bread and control whether the crust is light, medium, or dark. Its slim vertical baking pan, with easy release, makes use and cleaning simple and keeps the machine slim and suitable for counters in smaller kitchens. We found the instructions to be very easy to understand and the machine itself easy to program, resulting in mouth-watering white bread and soft, fluffy banana bread.
We also found that dough tends to stick to the paddle, so it may require a quick soak before cleaning. But despite the fact this machine has no dishwasher-safe parts, we found that they were pretty easy to clean by simply wiping them with a damp cloth. And sadly, the same can't always be said for your other favorite bread-making tools.
Dimensions: 10.25 x 13.25 x 11.25 inches | Loaf size: 1, 1.5, or 2 pounds | Settings: White, French, whole wheat, ultra-fast, sweet, gluten-free, artisan dough, dough, jam, package mix, cake, bake-only
Food & Wine / Will Dickey
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Food & Wine / Will Dickey
This is a thorough, versatile bread machine with the largest loaf size on our list.
The viewing window fogs up during kneading and proofing cycles.
We found Breville’s Custom Loaf machine to be true to its name, as it was our favorite for recipe customization. A comprehensive booklet is included that specifies which type of paddle needs to be used (there are two included for collapsible and regular kneading), and a progress indicator lets you know how things are going along the way. The machine's intuitively placed basket, oven light, and backlit buttons only add to the Breville’s functionality. What's more, its design is easy to use and attractive, with a bread basket that is simple to put in and an outside handle that stays comfortable to the touch while in use.
Although we did find that the viewing window tends to fog up during the kneading and proofing cycles, we were incredibly pleased with the outcome of the bread from this machine. Loaves were fluffy, tender, and evenly baked with minimal effort. And with 100+ recipes in the included instructions, you won’t get bored with this Breville!
Dimensions: 7.17 x 16.22 x 10.75 inches | Loaf size: 1, 1.5, 2, or 2.5 pounds | Settings: Custom, basic, whole wheat, rapid, gluten-free, crusty, sweet, yeast-free, dough, pizza, pasta, bake, jam
Food & Wine / Will Dickey
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Food & Wine / Will Dickey
Food & Wine / Will Dickey
It's a super-quiet, comprehensive bread machine with a small footprint.
It has no dishwasher-safe components.
We loved Zojirushi’s Home Bakery Mini, enjoying everything from its comprehensive instructions to the delicious bakes it produced. Despite having no dishwasher-safe parts, this little machine is easy to clean, and storage is no problem thanks to its diminutive size. That way, you can have more room on your countertop for that stylish new bread box you bought to house all your homemade loaves.
We found that this machine made some of the best banana bread out of all the bread makers we tested, and it managed to stay very quiet throughout the process. Not to mention how evenly it distributed the ingredients. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned baking pro, this is an ideal bread machine for small spaces or anyone who wants fuss-free baking on a small scale.
Dimensions 8.5 x 11.25 x 12.25 inches | Loaf size: 1 pound | Settings: Basic bread, soft, French, dough, cookie/pasta dough, cake, jam, quick
Food & Wine / Will Dickey
Food & Wine / Will Dickey
Food & Wine / Will Dickey
Our favorite bread machine overall, the Zojirushi Home Bakery Virtuoso Plus, is on the pricey side, but it's worth it for a person who will use their bread maker with some frequency. It turns out gorgeous, evenly-cooked loaves with perfectly soft, golden crusts, and its versatile presets and delayed-start timer make it easy to set it and forget it. If you're looking for an equally versatile machine with a smaller footprint, we also loved the Cuisinart Compact Automatic Bread Maker.
Choosing the best bread maker is a matter of knowing yourself and your needs, like how big you need your loaves to be. Some machines only produce loaves of one size, whereas others allow you to produce various sizes. So, knowing how big (or small) you prefer your bread size is important. There is also the matter of how big the machine is itself. If you are short on counter space, you may want to look into a smaller model that you can easily store away in your kitchen cabinets. But if space is no object and you're a frequent baker, a bigger machine could stay out on your countertop with no problem.
Not all bread machines are created equal, and since home bakers want different things from their appliances, that may be OK. The machine that delivers 10, 1-pound gluten-free loaves a year may not be the same bread maker that makes the best 2-pound whole wheat loaf once a week. Are there specific automatic settings you’d prefer your bread maker to provide, or do you want to be able to tweak the kneading and baking period to meet the needs of your own recipes? Do you want the bread machine to do the kneading for you? Do you care if the kneading paddles leave marks on your loaves? These are all features to take into consideration when choosing the best bread machine for you.
Some machines come with pre-programmed settings that allow you to simply put in the ingredients and push a single button, while others are more suited to customizing your loaf. If those types of features are important to you, then you'll want to pay close attention to what settings your machine offers and whether or not they can be adjusted manually.
Lastly, how hard is it to clean the machine and all of its accouterments? Does it require disassembly, and are all of the pieces hand-wash only? These days, there are many bread machine models that come with dishwasher-safe parts; however, there are still plenty that don't offer that convenience. You should also consider which parts of the machine are removable and which ones aren't, as that will affect how thoroughly you can clean them. Some parts may only require a quick wipe-down with a damp cloth, while others might require a bit of soaking if they're covered in sticky dough. Overall, knowing how much time and effort you wish to commit to cleaning your machine is important when looking to make an investment in a countertop bread machine.
After researching the different options on the market, we selected 20 bread machines (13 vertical and 7 horizontal) based on what our competitors were recommending and by analyzing each machine's overall functionality and features. To find the best bread makers out of the bunch, we put all the models through a series of tests and inspections in our lab that were designed to determine their efficacy, including how well they produced plain white bread, the outcome of their banana bread, and how easy they were to clean after use. We also prepared the loaves using the recipes that came with each machine in order to evaluate them as fairly as possible. Some of the other factors we looked for during testing included what settings the machines provided, the consistency of their performance, their versatility, and how easy they were to use.
Each machine was first evaluated on its ability to produce a classic loaf of white bread, taking into account how easily the bread released from the pan, its texture, and the color of the crust. We also observed whether or not the kneading blades stuck to the bottom of the loaf. Then, we made a loaf of banana bread to determine how well each machine distributed add-ins throughout the baking process. Finally, we cleaned each machine according to the manufacturer's instructions, observing how much dough or baked bread was left behind on the paddles, whether there was any flour scattered throughout the machine, how difficult it was to take apart, and whether its parts were dishwasher-safe. Throughout testing, we noted how complicated each machine's features were to use and if their pre-programmed settings were easy to work with for producing different kinds of bread. We also looked at how well each one performed and how versatile they were when it came to handling various breads (as well as noting things like how the machine kneads and what additional helpful features there were, such as a “keep warm” or “gluten-free” functions).
Breadman 2-Pound Professional Bread Maker ($280 at Amazon)
This machine is well-engineered, from its solid construction to its industrial, stainless steel design. But despite its luxury feel, we found that its performance was too inconsistent for it to rank higher on our list.
CUSIMAX 2-Pound Bread Maker ($110 at Amazon)
The CUSIMAX produced a great loaf of white bread, and we loved how easy its recipes were to follow. However, it seemed to struggle with other types of bread and didn't do a great job of fully incorporating the dry ingredients into our banana bread loaf.
KBS Large 17-in-1 Bread Machine ($128 at Amazon)
We loved how easy this machine was to use, including its automatic add-in feature and its straightforward display and settings. However, due to the lackluster loaves it produced, we were not as impressed by its performance as we were by some of the other machines on this list.
There were a few other models that stood out to us during our testing, but they ultimately didn't make the cut when compared to our favorites. The Cuisinart 2-Pound Convection Bread Maker (CBK-200) was among those that didn't quite measure up. Despite its versatility and easy-to-use design, we found this machine to be pretty shakey and loud during use. The Zojirushi Home Bakery Maestro Breadmaker didn't live up to the performance of its counterparts on our list either. With limited instructions and no viewing window at the top, it is difficult to monitor your bread during the baking process, making it anyone's guess as to how the final product will turn out. Add in the fact that you have to allow the machine to cool completely before you can start another bake cycle, and you're left in a bit of a pickle if your loaf comes out underbaked. We also tested the Neretva Bread Machine and the KITCHENARM 29-in-1 SMART Bread Machine, but despite the Neretva's aesthetic appearance and the KITCHENARM's 29 settings, their performance left much to be desired.
Like our favorite air fryers, waffle makers, and pasta machines, bread machines are universally convenient; even the less-than-ideal versions save time and effort over working from scratch. All in all, bread makers are less dependent on the ambient temperature of your home (or the weather outside) to rise dough successfully, which takes some of the chance out of being the baker of your family’s daily bread. They also mitigate mess and tend to be very efficient. They can also save you money over time (see Is it cheaper to make my own bread? below). Then there’s the timeless and hard-to-quantify reward of a home filled with the warm, yeasty scent of freshly baked bread and the satisfying taste of melting butter against a warm slice just from the oven.
Bread machine flour has a higher protein content, which means it also has a higher gluten content. The increase in protein strengthens the dough and allows it to rise more easily, and the increased gluten creates a chewier loaf. If you do choose to use all-purpose flour, you may need more of it to reach the percentage of protein (and gluten) necessary to make perfect loaves. While many people prefer bleached all-purpose flour, the increased protein of other forms of flour produces tastier and healthier loaves. Be sure to examine your bread maker’s manual or contact the machine’s manufacturer if you have additional questions.
While you can use regular active dry yeast in a bread maker, bread machine yeast and rapid-rise yeast are specially prepared to become active at a quicker pace than active dry yeast. They are made specifically to be used in bread machines and for other quick-rising bread recipes. There is also the issue of active dry yeast needing to be activated in water before use. In contrast, bread machine yeast and rapid-rise yeast can be mixed in directly with other dry ingredients, making them much more simple to use with bread machines.
This can be a result of not kneading bread thoroughly enough, but most often, it is from not using the proper kind of flour. Higher protein flour produces taller, lighter, and chewier loaves. Also, keep in mind that allowing your bread to rest for three hours after baking gives the starches in the bread a chance to settle in a bit and can produce tastier results.
Depending on flour prices, the average loaf of homemade bread can cost around $2. When compared to high-quality store-bought loaves, this can represent solid savings over the course of a few months. What baking your own bread doesn’t save, however, is time. For busy people who cook at home daily, this won’t feel like a pinch. But for people who opt for convenience due to habits and busy schedules, making a staple like bread at home can quickly become a frustrating task.
Burger Bun Machine The short answer is yes, but there are some caveats. You will likely need to adjust your recipe to make sourdough bread in a bread machine, and the final product may not achieve that thick, crusty boule you're used to. Sourdough bread has to be made with a sourdough starter as opposed to traditional yeast, which can make its rise time unpredictable. So, if you have a machine without customizable programs, it will be more difficult for you to use it to make sourdough. However, if your bread machine allows you to adjust the length of time your bread spends in the rise cycle, you may be in luck. But it will still take a bit of trial and error.