Bread Machine Review

Evaluating reviews of bread machines

Most professional reviews for breadmakers are quite dated; none of the consumer review magazines have updated their reviews in several years. However, many of the machines tested in these reviews are still available and selling well with strong consumer followings.

We found the best professional reviews at BreadMachineDigest.com, where Robert Barnett tests 13 bread machines, summarizing his findings in one-page reviews, and in an article in the Toronto Star, where Vicky Sanderson tests and reviews three models. Two consistently reliable sources, Australia's Choice magazine and Great Britain's Which? magazine, both publish comparative reviews of bread machines with excellent information for buyers, and results are reliable and well reasoned. Unfortunately, none of the tested bread machines are available in the U.S.

To balance out these older professional reviews, we also read dozens of owner-written ratings at Amazon.com, Walmart.com, Epinions.com, Cooking.com and Target.com. Unlike professional testers, owners can comment on long-term reliability, and we found more up-to-date user reviews than we did professional reviews. We also checked several bread-enthusiast sites to see how consumers' opinions may have differed from professionals.

Bread machines can do more than just bake white or wheat loaves. Some can prepare pizza, pasta and bagel dough, as well as make jam, meatloaf and even butter. With all models, you can follow a recipe from scratch or use a machine mix purchased in your grocery store's bakery aisle. Most breadmakers costing more than $100 include programmable timers that allow you to wake up to fresh bread. Other perks include power-failure protection and quick-bake cycles. Despite these advances, some machines fall short on the most important performance quality -- delivering fresh, tasty loaves.

Clad in stainless steel, the Cuisinart CBK-200 (*Est. $115) boasts several practical features, including a convection fan and an indicator that tells you when to remove the kneading paddle, as well as cycles for both low-carb and gluten-free breads. Vicky Sanderson of the Toronto Star likes the brushed stainless-steel finish and molded side handles, which make moving the machine off the countertop easy. These innovations can't make up for lackluster performance, however, according to Robert Barnett of BreadMachineDigest.com. The design of the loaf pan requires you to stop the kneading cycle to scrape down the sides of the pan. Although the convection fan produces crisp, evenly browned loaves, Barnett found that the lid of the Cuisinart bread machine traps flour, which he had to remove with a cotton swab. Owners posting to Amazon.com give the CBK-200 mixed reviews overall. We read several reports of breakage, lopsided loaves and burned bread. Owners who like the Cuisinart CBK-200 say it takes some trial and error to produce a good loaf.

The Breadman Ultimate TR2500BC (*Est. $110) bakes a horizontal loaf and has a convection fan for even baking. Customer comments are divided. While some owners say it's attractive and does its job well, others complain about pans that shift during kneading and about breakdowns. Many owners express frustration with customer service.