Zojirushi Mini BB-HAC10

The Zojirushi Mini BB-HAC10 is a compact bread machine that is ideal for singles, couples or small families. It takes up less counter space than a full-size machine, yet it has settings for 1-pound loaves of bread or cakes, as well as settings for cookie or pasta dough and jams. It also has a quick bake cycle that cuts cooking time nearly in half. The only complaint logged about this machine is its price; those who hesitate to pay nearly $200 for a miniature breadmaker may be better off with a less expensive, but more flexible machine, such as the West Bend Hi-Rise Breadmaker (*Est. $100) , which makes loaves in 1-pound to 2.5-pound sizes.

We did not find any professional reviews of the Zojirushi Mini BB-HAC10, but its bigger sibling, the Zojirushi BB-CEC20 (*Est. $240) bread machine is the most highly regarded of the full-sized machines by expert reviewers. The Zojirushi Mini BB-HAC10 is the best-reviewed breadmaker on Amazon.com, with about 300 users giving it a near-perfect average rating. Users at Cooking.com rate it lower, with 4.4 stars out of 5, but the reviews cite no negatives, and it's difficult to ascertain why its rating is lower. At Epinions.com, a handful of reviewers give the BB-HAC10 5 out of 5 stars.