Bread Machines

Best bread machines

At the upper end of the price range, you’ll find bread machines that do more than the basics. Although it costs more than others, experts say the Zojirushi BBCC-X20 (*est. $200) sets the standard for bread machines. Experts at Breadinfo.com say that it’s the most advanced breadmaker on the market. Robert Barnett of BreadMachineDigest.com bakes more than two dozen loaves in his BBCC-X20, reporting that each turned out perfectly. Its build quality is also commended. Owners posting to Cooking.com award the BBCC-X20 an average of 4.6 stars (out of a possible 5) in over 150 reviews. High points are the Zojirushi bread machine’s ease of use and quiet operation compared to the competition.

The Zojirushi BBCC-X20 bread machine uses dual paddles to mix dough, and it bakes horizontally, so loaves resemble traditional sandwich bread. Experts say that two-paddle bread machines do a better job of kneading than single-paddle machines. The Zojirushi BBCC-X20 has a sourdough starter cycle and bake protection, which prevents the user from interrupting the baking cycle. You can make two-pound loaves, as well as cake batter, jam and even meatloaf in this versatile machine. Unlike most other machines in its class, the Zojirushi BBCC-X20 allows you to enter your own baking times and cycles rather than being entirely confined to preprogrammed settings.

Zojirushi now has a new breadmaker in its lineup. Small families might better appreciate the Zojirushi Home Bakery Mini Breadmaker (*est. $180) , which makes one-pound loaves instead of two-pound loaves. This machine also takes up less counter space than the Zojirushi BBCC-X20. This smaller breadmaker has so far received excellent reviews from owners, but since it hasn’t been on the market very long, owners can’t yet assess long-term durability. Owners say that the smaller loaves lead to less spoilage (without preservatives, homemade bread can spoil quickly if left on the counter). It has pasta, pizza, jam and cake settings. It also has a quick-bake cycle and a 13-hour delay timer. This smaller breadmaker produces a tall, more vertical loaf of bread.

If you don’t want to spend so much, editors at Breadinfo.com say that the Panasonic SD-YD250 (*est. $130) is a good choice, as long as you don’t need custom cycles. Reviewers say it’s a sturdy, flexible bread machine that makes flavorful loaves, and it gets high average ratings from over 200 owners posting to opinion websites. Owners say that it is solid and quiet, and its non-stick pan makes cleanup easy. This Panasonic breadmaker has a dispenser that protects the yeast and adds it to the dough at the right time, and like the Zojirushi, there's a beep signal for adding nuts or fruit. Unlike the Zojirushi BBCC-X20, the Panasonic SD-YD 250 lacks a viewing window.

Compared to the Zojirushi BBCC-X20, the Panasonic bread machine, which also makes horizontal loaves, has one paddle instead of two. Experts say that two paddles do a better job mixing and kneading large loaves. The downside is that you have two holes in the bottom of your loaf -- and some owners don't like that. While the Zojirushi can accept customized cycles and times, the Panasonic can't, so you're confined to presets. Those who don't plan on experimenting with custom cycles might not miss that feature. Unlike the Zojirushi, the Panasonic breadmaker doesn't have a jam cycle, nor can it make meatloaf. BreadInfo.com's editor likes the Panasonic bread machine, however, saying it's a "nice machine all around." Although this bread machine isn't quite as advanced as the Zojirushi, reviews say the Panasonic is a nice basic, durable breadmaker.

We found no professional reviews of the Breadman Bread Machine Plus TR875 (*est. $80) , but it earns generally high scores in nearly 100 owner reviews posted to Amazon.com. Owners like its stainless-steel housing and relatively large viewing window. It has gluten-free, quick-bake and whole wheat cycles. Some owners, however, say the loaf (you can choose 1-pound, 1.5-pound or 2-pound sizes) is so tall that slices for sandwiches must be cut in half widthwise. A few owners wish the machine had cycles for pizza and pasta dough. We read a small number of complaints about defective machines, but overall, reviews are good if you just want the basics.

The Breadman TR888 Corner Bakery (*est. $95) is another basic bread machine that gets good reviews from owners. Unlike the Breadman Plus TR875, the TR888 Corner Bakery makes vertical loaves, which some people don’t find as appealing as horizontal loaves. The Breadman Corner Bakery isn’t programmable, and it also lacks battery back-up in case of power failure, but owners agree that it’s a good machine for the price. They like the heavy-duty pan and solid construction. It has a white plastic housing that owners say looks a bit dated, however.

Although we found no professional reviews of the Sunbeam 5891 (est. $50) , it receives high marks in owner-written reviews posted to Amazon.com and Cooking.com. Owners say that it’s a good machine for the price. It delivers tasty bread, owners say, as long as you avoid the recipes in the manual, which some say call for too much yeast. The Sunbeam 5891 breadmaker has dough-only, bake-only and jam settings, as well as a signal that lets you know when to add dried fruit or nuts. We read a few complaints about the hard-to-read display, but owners are generally pleased with this machine, which they say pays for itself quickly. The Sunbeam bread machine makes a 1-, 1.5- or 2-pound vertical loaf.

Editors at Good Housekeeping and Breadinfo.com give the ultra-compact West Bend Just for Dinner 41077 (*est. $95) high marks for efficiency and bread quality. It bakes a .75-pound oval loaf in about 45 minutes. It lacks several of the features of larger bread machines, but owners say they don’t mind. Inexperienced bakers say the Just for Dinner is easy to use; while more experienced owners say that the small loaves give them the freedom to experiment with flavorings. A few wish that they could control the level of doneness, however. This breadmaker now has limited availability and likely won’t be available for much longer.

We read mixed reviews of the Oster 5838 Express Bake (*est. $70) . Editors at Breadinfo.com say it delivers a fine loaf in just 58 minutes, but with just one paddle, it occasionally chokes on raisins and other heavy ingredients. We read several accounts of brick-like and sunken loaves. Owners say you should be prepared to experiment with the amount of liquid and yeast in order to strike the perfect balance between soggy loaves and tough crusts.

Overall, if you want a simple breadmaker, the Sunbeam 5891 looks like the best choice in its price range, and it has a few extra cycles not commonly found in similarly-priced models. The West Bend breadmaker is also good, but hard to find.

Important Features: Bread machines

The following is the essence of what the reviews say about picking a bread machine:

• Consider how many people you want to serve. A one-pound loaf yields about eight slices; a 2.5-pound loaf yields about 20 slices.

• Experts prefer horizontal baking to vertical baking. If you want a loaf that looks like store-bought, choose a machine that bakes horizontally. Otherwise, vertical loaves taste just as good.

• Decide which features you will use. Fully-programmable machines can cost as much as $250. You can get a machine that bakes up fresh, high-quality bread for less than $100, but you’ll have to give up some features.

• A delay timer lets you wake up to fresh-baked bread. Many bread machines have 13-hour timers.

• Choose a small machine if you want to bake bread in under an hour. Larger machines set to quick-bake cycles can turn out dense bread. Small machines can bake a small, soft loaf in 45 minutes or an hour.

• Many machines need to be operated empty once or twice to burn off manufacturing oils. Some manufacturers fail to mention this in their operating manual. If it isn't noted in your manual, call the customer service department to find out if it’s necessary.

Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our
All The Reviews Reviewed chart.

# of Picks	Model (with Retailer Links)	Details from Amazon.com
5	Zojirushi BBCC-X20 (*est. $200)	details
2	Zojirushi BB-HAC10 Home Bakery Mini (*est. $180)	details
2	Breadman Ultimate TR-2200C (Discontinued)	-
2	Breadman TR875 (*est. $80)	details
2	Panasonic SD-YD250 (*est. $130)	details
2	West Bend 41077 Just For Dinner (*est. $95)	details
1 each	Cuisinart CBK-200 , Sunbeam 5891

Reviewers prefer Zojirushi BBCC-X20 overall as the best breadmaker. The newer Zojirushi BB-HAC10 Home Bakery Mini is a more compact machine that makes only one-pound loaves, but it's nearly as expensive as the full-size Zojirushi breadmaker. If you don’t want to spend so much, the Panasonic SD-Y250 gets especially good reviews for being easy to use. It doesn't have custom cycles, a jam cycle or dual paddles, but many say these small inconveniences are outweighed by the lower price. We found good reviews for the smaller Breadman TR875, which has a snazzy stainless steel look. The West Bend Just for Dinner breadmaker is also a favorite of owners, but this model is now very hard to find. Instead, we included the Sunbeam 5891 in Fast Answers. This budget machine nonetheless has a long list of features, along with good reviews for bread quality and ease of use.

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