In 2024, the global bread machine market continues to expand, driven by a resurgence in home baking. Recent data shows a 15% increase in sales from last year, reflecting growing consumer interest in homemade bread.
With so many options available, finding the best bread machine can be a challenge. Our comprehensive guide simplifies this decision by comparing top models based on performance, features, and consumer feedback. Let’s begin!
List of the Best Bread Machines
Best Overall: Zojirushi Home Bakery Virtuoso Plus Bread Maker
You’ll find everything you need in the Zojirushi bread maker, making it the top choice for serious home bakers. It offers 15 pre-programmed courses, covering a range of bread types with options for light, medium, or dark crust. Plus, you can set up your own baking programs. This machine includes dual kneading paddles, ensuring thorough mixing, and features a 13-hour delay timer, allowing you to wake up to freshly baked bread.
Experimenting? No problem. Adjust flours, modify butter amounts, or change the ingredient order—your bread will still come out well. The machine ensures even baking and a consistent texture.
The Virtuoso stands out by delivering well-aerated interiors and a crisp crust on every loaf—achieving a quality often missed in other bread makers. It bakes bread with a domed top, resembling traditional loaves more closely. Even with banana bread, expect evenly baked results with great texture.
Keep in mind, this is a premium machine with a corresponding price tag. If you’re a casual baker or new to bread making, this model might be more than you need.
- Various healthy course settings include Multigrain, Whole Wheat, Rapid Whole Wheat, Gluten Free, Salt Free, Sugar Free and Vegan
- Double Kneading Blades thoroughly knead dough for superior results; Dual heaters on the bottom and lid of the bread maker promote even baking and browning
Best for its Features: Breville Custom Loaf Bread Maker
You’ll elevate your home baking with the Breville Custom Loaf Bread Maker. It features both automatic and custom programs, including a pause function to reshape the dough or add toppings before baking. It even stores up to nine of your personal recipes and can handle loaves up to 2.5 pounds with settings for gluten-free, yeast-free, crusty loaves, dough/pasta, and jams.
This machine impresses with a nut and fruit dispenser that adds ingredients at the optimal time for even mixing. It’s prepared for power outages too, thanks to a 60-minute backup battery. The kneading blade even collapses before baking to prevent holes in the bottom of your bread. The manual offers 60 pages of recipes to expand your baking repertoire.
The Breville also features intuitive controls and a viewing window to monitor your baking progress. Expect soft, tender breads with a uniform texture, appealing aroma, and perfect crust. However, note that the included banana bread recipe may require additional mixing.
Cleaning could be simpler, as the nonstick pan must be hand-washed, and it’s one of the louder bread machines on the market. Also, sometimes it may need a bit more time to mix ingredients thoroughly.
- Automatic fruit and nut dispenser releases ingredients at the right moment during the knead phase so they are evenly incorporated within the dough. Voltage : 110–120 Volts
- Unique collapsible kneading paddle thoroughly mixes ingredients then collapses before bake phase to minimize the hole at the base of the baked loaf
Best Bread Maker with Large-Capacity: West Bend Hi-Rise
If you’re after large, hearty loaves, the West Bend bread maker is unmatched. It can produce a massive 3-pound loaf, along with smaller sizes, effortlessly. Unlike other bread makers, this one features a custom-shaped loaf pan that results in bread similar to standard, hand-baked artisan loaves in look, texture, and quality. Keep in mind, its large capacity does require more counter space, so consider this when selecting the best bread maker for your needs.
- Bread Machine: A traditionally shaped, horizontal bread pan accommodates 3 different loaf sizes: 2 lb, 2.5 lb, or 3 lb; Dual knead blades thoroughly knead dough to produce a lighter taste and higher rise
- Custom Settings: This bread making machine features 12 digital settings: Basic, Wheat, French, Sweet, Dough, Gluten-Free, and 3 crust control levels: Light, Medium, and Dark
Best Compact Bread Maker: Cuisinart CBK-110
If you have a small kitchen or a countertop full of gadgets, this compact bread maker is a perfect fit. It’s designed to produce “full-size” loaves while conserving space, featuring a modern stainless-steel look and weighing just over 10 pounds for easy mobility.
The Cuisinart Compact offers 12 cooking programs and three crust shades (light, medium, dark), capable of making everything from gluten-free bread to jams and cakes. While it can handle up to a 2-pound loaf, you might find better results with 1.5-pound recipes to avoid the dough rising into the lid.
This machine is user-friendly with a clear and intuitive control panel. Expect evenly browned white bread and soft, golden-brown banana bread, with no sticking to the pan. However, be aware that due to its compact size, the unit can get very hot during baking.
- Cuisinart-quality technology promises superior crust, color and texture.UC Cubic Feet: 1.180, MC Cubic Feet: 1.350.MC Cubic Feet: 1.350, MC Cubic Feet: 1.350
- 12 preprogrammed menu options – fully automatic, easy to use
Best for Mini Loaves: Zojirushi Home Bakery Mini Bread Maker
If you need just enough bread for a sandwich or two and have limited kitchen space, this compact bread maker is ideal. It produces 1-pound loaves and fits comfortably in small spaces. Despite its size, it offers a variety of settings including basic bread (regular or firm), soft bread, French bread, and more, as well as options for cake, jam, and quick baking—which delivers a loaf in under two hours.
The machine is straightforward to use and performs comparably to larger models. Loaves slide out smoothly, featuring a rich golden brown color and a nicely domed top. The Home Bakery Mini is not only compact—with a handy carrying handle for portability—but also operates quietly, making it perfect for baking at any hour without disturbing others.
- COMPACT: Requires less than 1′ of countertop space and makes 1-lb loaves
- VERSATILE: Makes cookie dough, pasta dough and jam
Best Bread Maker Machine for Gluten-Free Bread: Pohl Schmitt 14-in-1 Stainless Steel Bread Maker Machine
If you’re baking gluten-free bread, the Pohl Schmitt bread machine might be a solid choice for you. It’s specifically designed to handle gluten-free recipes well, producing loaves with a pleasant texture and an evenly browned color.
However, if you often bake bread with gluten, such as whole wheat or white bread, this machine may not meet your needs as well. It tends to produce flat, dense loaves that might be undercooked or unevenly baked. While the machine boasts 14 cooking programs and customization options for crust browning and loaf size, the controls can be tricky to navigate without frequently referring to the manual.
On the plus side, it’s one of the quietest bread makers on the market. If a noise-free operation and gluten-free baking are your priorities, this could be the right machine for your kitchen.
- Versatile Functions: With 14 settings, including gluten-free options and the ability to incorporate fruits and nuts, this bread maker provides a wide range of options for creating delicious homemade bread to suit various dietary preferences.
- Large Capacity: This bread maker has a 2lb capacity, allowing you to bake bread in different sizes, accommodating small or large gatherings or satisfying varying hunger needs.
Best Value Bread Maker: Oster Expressbake
If you’re not much of a planner or you just have limited patience, the Expressbake could be ideal for you. It lets you enjoy a freshly baked loaf in under an hour. Plus, it’s priced much lower than many other bread makers and includes a viewing window to watch your bread as it bakes.
Expect loaves from the Expressbake to be more rounded and artisan-like, rather than the typical rectangle. They may not be the prettiest, but they’ll have a crunchy crust and fluffy middle.
However, this machine might not suit you if you need to feed a large family or require gluten-free options, as it lacks a gluten-free setting.
- 650 watts oster bread maker with upto a 2.0 pound loaf capacity is ideal for larger families
- 12 bread settings and 3 crust settings for making a variety of breads, dough, and jams
Best Budget Bread Maker: Amazon Basics 2-Pound Non-stick Bread Making Machine
You’ll notice that the Amazon Basics bread machine looks exactly like the pricier CRUXGG model, yet it costs $100 less. It also shares the same loaf pan design as the more expensive Oster and Cuisinart models, but manages to produce a similar or even better loaf of plain white bread. This machine doesn’t boast many extra features, but it does deliver excellent value and reliably produces a tasty loaf of bread. The included manual offers a selection of easy, appealing recipes perfect for those less experienced with baking.
- 550 watt non-stick bread making machine with up to a 2 pound loaf capacity
- Automatically mixes, kneads, rises, and bakes fresh bread
Hamilton Beach Digital Bread Maker
You’ll appreciate the Hamilton Beach HomeBaker if you’re after delicious, homemade bread without the hefty price tag of more advanced machines. It comes with built-in settings for a variety of breads, cakes, and jams. Whether you prefer a 2-pound or 1.5-pound loaf, this machine handles both using the same pan and paddle.
While the HomeBaker lacks custom-programmable options, limiting its appeal for advanced bakers, it consistently produces fluffy white bread and evenly baked banana bread. All recipes provided adapt for both loaf sizes, enhancing its utility. However, note that some recipes require boxed mixes, which might not suit all home bakers.
Cleaning is generally straightforward, though occasional stickiness and leftover flour might require a longer soak. This bread maker balances functionality with simplicity, ideal for everyday baking needs.
- FRESH HOMEMADE BREAD IN 3 EASY STEPS: Just add your ingredients to the bread machine, select the cycle and press start.
- YOU CONTROL THE INGREDIENTS & NUTRITIONAL CONTENT: Prepare healthy loaves of bread without preservatives or trans fat using this Hamilton Beach breadmaker.
Panasonic SD-R2550
This bread maker delivers tasty regular and gluten-free breads. You’ll find it easy to use, especially with its comprehensive manual and quick start guide that includes 27 recipes ranging from whole wheat bread to cake.
The nonstick coating on the bread pan makes cleaning simple, as dough rinses off effortlessly. However, be prepared for some loaves, like sourdough and whole wheat, to have a lumpy exterior—they may taste great but won’t always look perfect.
One downside is the lack of a viewing window. You’ll need to resist the urge to open the lid and check on your bread as it bakes, which can be a challenge if you’re curious about the progress.
- Double Temperature Sensor for Ideal Baking: Sensor detects both internal and room temperatures, auto-adjusting the time to rise and rest dough to make incredible breads, cakes, pizza and pasta dough, and gluten-free baking
- Artisan-style Kneading: Unique kneading blade is shaped to knead firm dough, and works together with the specially-placed ribs in the bread pan to deliver the best-tasting bread with ideal texture; even hard-to-blend ingredients are kneaded just right
While exploring the best bread machines for your kitchen, you might also be interested in perfecting your coffee game. If you’re a coffee enthusiast looking to complement your freshly baked bread with a perfect cup of espresso, check out our comprehensive guide on the 10 Best Nespresso Machines of 2024. This guide will help you find the ideal Nespresso machine to create barista-quality coffee at home.
Final Verdict
In deciding on the best bread maker, consider your specific needs. Whether you prioritize gluten-free baking, want the quietest operation, or need a machine that fits into a small space, there’s an option tailored for you. Our reviews aim to simplify your choice with straightforward insights into each model’s performance.
Now that you have the facts, pick the bread maker that best aligns with your baking ambitions and kitchen requirements. Looking for more kitchen essentials? Check out our other blog posts for additional recommendations and expert advice. Get ready to bake with confidence and ease!
