Bread Machine Pros

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We’re Bread Machine Pros – experts on bread machines. On this site, you will find reviews to help you pick the best bread machine as well as other useful information about baking, cooking, and other kitchen products! We are the pioneers of in-depth bread maker reviews. At the time we started this site, there was virtually little to no information about bread machines online and we wanted to share our love for and knowledge of bread machines with the world. Bread machines are truly great! They’re one of those kitchen appliances that, when you know what they’re capable of, are a joy to have around the house. Why do we call ourselves pros? That’s because we have years of experience with them and have become quite familiar with them – which brands are reliable, what you should look for in a bread machine, what can you do with a bread machine other than bake bread, etc.

If you’re looking to buy a new bread machine, you can browse our reviews to help you find the right model. For those who already own a machine, you might find our tutorials, how-to’s, comparisons, and other articles informative. We can guarantee that after you read everything on our website, you will become a Bread Machine Pro yourself!

The Three Best Bread Machines Today

Unlike bread machines ten years ago, today’s machines have many settings. They don’t just make plain white bread. And they’re much more reliable. No need to break the bank when something needs fixing.

Making bread at home was once a time-consuming chore without bread machines. Often times, the bread doesn’t turn out the way we want it to. With bread machines, you can have the aroma of bread fill your house and eat delicious, fresh bread every day. No need to mix the ingredients, knead the dough, wait for it to rise, and keep an eye on your bread while it bakes. The bread machine will do everything for you.

>> Click here to compare the best bread machines for sale <<

Key Points: Choosing The Best Bread Machine

What should you look for when purchasing a bread machine? While some of us may look for design, colour, or other individual preferences, we think there are some key features unique to this kitchen appliance that are important to consider. To get you to start thinking about these, we list some common features below that you’ll definitely be considering before making your purchase. Please also take some time to read our comprehensive Bread Machine Buying Guide to get familiarized with all the important features.

• Bread size. Bread machines commonly make 1-pound, 1.5-pound, 2-pound, 2.5-pound, and 3-pound loaves. Keep in mind that you should eat machine-baked bread within 2 days of baking, unlike store-bought bread which can be kept for a week. So you’ll only need to buy a bread maker that makes just enough bread to last you for 2 days. A 2-pound loaf should be enough for a family of 4.

• Bread shape. Do you want a traditional rectangular loaf of bread, or something round or square? Or perhaps you want your bread to stand vertically long instead of horizontally long? Bread machines make all sorts of bread shapes, so you can pick and choose the right shape for you.

• Bread pan. Most bread machines have a removable bread pan with either single or dual kneading blades. Removable bread pans are common in today’s machines, but you might find ones that aren’t removable. Make sure you choose one that’s removable because if it doesn’t come out, it will be hard to clean. When choosing a type of bread pan with your bread machine, remember that aluminum bread pans make a lighter and thinner crust than machines with thick cast aluminum pans, which make darker and thicker crusts. You should also look for a pan that has a nonstick coating because without it, your dough will stick to the pan and not knead properly.

• Best reviews. Needless to say, people have different opinions on each bread machine model. But it’s important to also consider consumer reviews because these people have used the machine before and they may point out important information about the machines. Read reviews and see what people say about the machines you’re considering. We also encourage you to use our comparison chart and read reviews on Bread Machine Pros – we’ve put a lot of time and effort into writing all this!

• Replacement parts. Unfortunately, you will likely need to replace the kneading blades, bread pan, or both of these things down the road. Both these parts will suffer wear and tear and it’s just one of those things where nothing can be done. So this is something to keep in mind when you purchase a bread machine. Kneading blades come cheap, but replacement bread pans can be expensive. They normally cost around 30% of what you would pay for your bread machine. So if you are looking to purchase a machine that costs around $100, then you can expect to purchase a replacement bread pan that would cost around $30.

Best Bread Machines By Category

1. Best Affordable Bread Machine – Best for those with a tight budget.
2. Best Bread Machine for Gluten Free Bread – Best for baking delicious gluten-free bread.
3. Best Bread Machine Without Teflon – Does such a thing even exist?
4. Best Horizontal Bread Machine – Top picks that make a horizontal loaf.
5. Best Large Bread Machine – Great for large families.
6. Best Small Bread Machine – Great for singles, couples, and small households.

Using a Bread Machine

In this section we’d like to share some useful tips on using your bread machine and baking bread. Also, check out our How To Use A Bread Machine 10-step guide to learn how to operate a bread machine from start to finish.

• Follow the instructions. You’ll generally be adding liquids first before adding dry ingredients to your bread machine, but each bread machine operates a little differently. So it’s really important to follow the exact instructions in the manual that comes with your bread maker. Baking bread is like a science project. If you mix things in the wrong order, your bread won’t turn out great. Our tip: No matter what machine you use, make sure the yeast is separate from the liquid until your machine starts to mix everything together so that fermentation time isn’t thrown off.

• Before first use, clean it. Like any new product, there may be an odor or dust left behind from manufacturing or storage. When it comes to something you’ll ingest, you’ll want to clean it first before using. Before baking your first bread, run your bread machine for an hour with a cup of water and the lid open. This will help remove any smell and dirt left from manufacturing so that it doesn’t end up on your first loaf of bread.

• Make sure ingredients are at room temperature. Actually, some bread machines have a resting period at the beginning to allow the ingredients to come to room temperature before kneading. After you press “start”, the machine will just wait. However, some don’t. So you’ll want to prepare your ingredients ahead of time before starting your machine. Water, flour, eggs, and butter – make sure they’re all at room temperature.

• Remove kneading blade. For most bread machines, the kneading blade ends up getting stuck to the bottom of the baked bread since the bread bakes in the same area as it is kneaded. Some people may not like this because once you take it out, the bread has an unappealing hole at the bottom. Since most machines have a removable kneading blade, you can take it out once the kneading is done. Some machines even beep to let you know that the kneading cycle is finished for the exact purpose of taking the blade out, so you might want to look for this feature when buying a bread machine.

• Cool bread immediately. Although most bread machines have a “keep warm” function, we generally don’t recommend leaving it inside the machine if you don’t have to. This will change the texture of the bread. The optimal texture and colour is achieved once the bread is done baking. When your cycle is finished, try to be around to remove your bread from the machine and place it on a cooling rack to cool off. Don’t slice it immediately after baking because cooling it allows water molecules to escape, leaving the bread moist inside and not “spongy”.

• Clean pan by hand. It would be tempting to throw the removable baking pan into the dishwasher, but we recommend cleaning it by hand with a sponge and mild soap. You won’t want to damage with nonstick surface with anything abrasive because the next time you use it, your bread will end up sticking!

Why Should I Buy a Bread Machine?

Of course, most people buy bread machines to make bread. They may be tired of the taste of store-bought bread, they may want to control what ingredients they use in their breads, or they may want to save money (gluten-free products are expensive!). However, bread machines aren’t only for baking breads.

For instance, all bread machines have a “dough” setting that allows you to mix, knead, and ferment dough. This is good for people who want to make dough without getting messy. You might make dough for pizza, pie, cookies, croissants, and cake and then bake it in your oven. (The “bake” setting is the one where the machine will do everything from mixing, kneading, rising, and baking bread.)

Bread machines can also replace many appliances. Let’s say you want to make cake. Since most bread makers have a “cake” setting, you can use it to make cake from scratch. It replaces the stand mixer, hand mixer, and oven. And it does a really good job too. If you live in a small home and have always wanted to bake stuff but don’t have the space to buy all the different appliances, a bread machine is a really versatile tool to have.

With bread machines, you can make many other awesome foods. We’ve mentioned dough and cake already, but most bread machines can make jam too. The bread machines we like the most is the Panasonic (Made in Japan) models – they can make really neat Japanese foods including mochi, udon, brioche, steamed bread, red bean bread, and “melon pan”.

Does “New” Matter?

People often ask us something like, “This machine was released 10 years ago. Is it still a good choice?” We understand where this is coming from. Whether it’s your computer or smartphone, it always seems like whenever you purchase a new gadget, it’s already obsolete. Like, what do you mean I can’t play 4K on this TV? I just bought it!

Luckily, this isn’t something you have to worry about with bread machines. In fact, if you see a bread machine that was released a long time and is still selling today, rather than being discontinued, you should purchase that one. It shows you that the product works. Otherwise, manufacturers would have stopped making it a long time ago and tried to replace it with something else. Keep in mind that bread baking is bread baking…it hasn’t changed in thousands of years and there is no “4K” in the bread world. That’s why, unlike computers and smartphones, bread machines don’t get released every year because there would be nothing “new” about it. Significant changes, if any, come every 5 to 10 or more years. So basically…no, “new” does not matter. On the other hand, “old” does! We always see newly released bread machines incapable of baking bread as good as the “tried and tested” models. So there you go!

Further Reading From Our Blog

1. The ingredients you’ll need to bake bread – A list of the basic ingredients.
2. 9 healthy (and delicious!) bread machine recipes – These are some of our favorites.
3. What is bread machine yeast? – Everything you need to know about this essential ingredient.
4. All-purpose or bread flour? – Which one should you use?
5. How to make keto bread – Learn how to bake low-carb bread.

Top Bread Machine Models Reviewed & Rated

Quick Summary Reviews – Top Models

No time to go through every review? Need to pick up a gift for someone immediately? Then this section is for you. Use these summary reviews of only the top models to get a good overview of each bread machine and make a good purchase:

Bread Machine Review #1 – Panasonic SD-BMT2000

Loaf sizes: 1.5 pound, 2 pound

Crust settings: Light, medium, dark

Yeast dispenser? Yes

Fruit/Nut dispenser? Yes

Delay timer? Yes

Pros: Makes everything and does it well! It has programs to make Japanese treats like udon, mocha, and melon pan. The bread is spectacular – unlike anything you’ve tasted. It comes out like typical Japanese bread – light and fluffy.

Cons: No out of box English manual, since this machine is from Japan. It was not made for the North American market. You will need to scour the Internet for a translation or an English manual from one of Panasonic’s bread machines from other regions that have similar functions to this one, or know how to read Japanese.

Special note: Even though this product is from Japan, we didn’t purchase a voltage converter, although other people have. This is because in North America, the voltage and frequency is 120V and 60Hz respectively. In Japan the voltage and frequency is 100V and 50Hz/60Hz. And the voltage and frequency on this bread maker is 100V and 50Hz/60Hz. When manufacturers make electronics, the industry standard is to design them to run above a particular voltage as a safety measure. So if something is designed to be used at 100V, by the time it goes through the hands of the engineer and the parts supplier, it would pick up at least an extra 20% margin of voltage, or 120V. So considering the proximity between Japanese and North American voltage and the way electronics are made, we didn’t feel we needed a converter. Similar to all electronics, though, we do recommend that you unplug it when not in use to avoid damaging power surges from lightning or power outages. If you’re uncomfortable with not using a voltage converter, by all means buy one. Our opinion is that it’s overkill to get a voltage converter if you are going to use it in North America. If you are in Europe or somewhere where the voltage is 230V, you’ll need one that’s for sure. Different sport altogether! And the Japanese plug fits North American plugs. You definitely don’t need an adapter.

Bread Machine Review #2 – Zojirushi BB-PDC20

Loaf sizes: 2 pounds

Crust settings: Light, medium, dark

Yeast dispenser? No

Fruit/Nut dispenser? No

Delay timer? Yes

Pros: Handles gluten-free recipes particularly well. Its gluten-free bread tastes like regular bread and way better than the stores. There are also courses for vegan bread, salt-free bread, sugar-free bread, and multigrain bread. It has two kneading paddles and a heater on the lid, which helps the dough knead well and the bread brown evenly on top. It will wait for your ingredients to reach the right temperature for optimal baking. We think it’s the absolute best machine you can get outside Japan in terms of bread quality. (The Zojirushi BB-PDC20 is the newer model of Zojirushi’s bestselling BB-PAC20 bread machine.)

Cons: It doesn’t have a fruit and nut dispenser, so you have to listen to the signal to add those. Also, there is no yeast dispenser, so make sure you add your ingredients in the order as instructed to get the perfect bread.

Bread Machine Review #3 – Breville BBM800XL

Loaf sizes: 1 pound, 1.5 pound, 2 pound, 2.5 pound

Crust settings: Light, medium, dark

Yeast dispenser? No

Fruit/Nut dispenser? Yes

Delay timer? Yes

Pros: Makes four different loaf sizes. Good for small and large families. It has a modern design, a nice screen, and a viewing window with a light. The automatic fruit and nut dispenser is a handy tool to have so you don’t have to wait around for a signal to add these ingredients.

Cons: Because of the material of the body, the machine may dent. So please be careful if you’re going to carry/move it around. It doesn’t do anything to the quality of the bread. But aesthetically, dents are kind of annoying to look at.

Bread Machine Review #4 – Zojirushi BB-SSC10

Loaf sizes: 1 pound

Crust settings: Medium and dark

Yeast dispenser? No

Fruit/Nut dispenser? Yes

Delay timer? Yes

Pros: A great choice for singles, couples and small families. This bread machine has plenty of pre-programmed and customizable settings where you can set your own knead, rise, and bake times. It also has an auto-add dispenser for dried fruit, nuts, and seeds.  

Cons: It only has two crust settings – medium and dark – so if you enjoy “light” crusts, this could be a problem  for you.

Bread Machine Review #5 – Zojirushi BB-CEC20

Loaf sizes: 2 pound

Crust settings: Light, medium, dark

Yeast dispenser? No

Fruit/Nut dispenser? No

Delay timer? Yes

Pros: Has dual paddles and handles gluten-free recipes well. Basically, it’s very similar to the BB-PAC20 but it doesn’t have the lid heater. It does come in white or black and sometimes you can pick it up for significantly cheaper than the BB-PAC20 though.

Cons: Like the BB-PAC20 it doesn’t have a fruit and nut or yeast dispenser.

Bread Machine Review #6 – Panasonic SD-YD250

Loaf sizes: 1.5 pound, 2 pound, 2.5 pound

Crust settings: Light, medium, dark

Yeast dispenser? Yes

Fruit/Nut dispenser? No

Delay timer? Yes

Pros: You can make 3 different loaf sizes. It is one of the few machines that make a 2.5 pound loaf, so it is ideal for larger families. The automatic yeast dispenser is a foolproof solution to accidentally activating the yeast at the wrong time.

Cons: It’s not as heavy as the other machines. Heavy is a good thing because there’s lots of movement inside bread machines and you don’t want yours to walk off the counter.

Bread Machine Review #7 – Cuisinart CBK-200

Loaf sizes: 1 pound, 1.5 pound, 2 pound

Crust settings: Light, medium, dark

Yeast dispenser? No

Fruit/Nut dispenser? No

Delay timer? Yes

Pros: Price. You can get this bread machine for under $100. Bread quality is good especially considering the price you pay. Plus there is the option to make 3 different loaf sizes.

Cons: Despite being a “convection” bread maker, which is supposed to help the loaf of bread brown evenly, the top of the loaves tend to come out lighter than the sides.

Bread Machine Review #8 – Oster CKSTBRTW20

Loaf sizes: 1.5 pound, 2 pound

Crust settings: Light, medium, dark

Yeast dispenser? No

Fruit/Nut dispenser? No

Delay timer? Yes

Pros: A very affordable unit. Possibly the cheapest bread machine on the market that makes great bread. It does a decent job with gluten-free bread too. You’ll definitely be saving lots of money using this bread maker versus buying bread from the store.

Cons: It’s a no-frills product. Sometimes the bread can turn out lopsided, depending on how the machine is feeling that day. It’s definitely not as consistent as Zoji or Panasonic machines.

Bread Machine Review #9 – T-fal PF311

Loaf sizes: 1 pound, 1.5 pound, 2 pound

Crust settings: Light, medium, dark

Yeast dispenser? No

Fruit/Nut dispenser? No

Delay timer? Yes

Pros: This is a solid bread machine that doesn’t break the bank. It is great for baking French bread and gluten-free bread in particular.

Cons: The crusts tend to turn out quite thick.

Best Bread Machine for Europe (220V-240V)

If you live in Europe and are looking for a bread machine (aka machine à pain, macchina del pane or brotbackautomat) you probably won’t be able to find the ones we’ve mentioned above because they are made for the North American or Japanese market. However, you can still find some of the best bread makers right in Europe. You should be able to find these bread machines in most countries: France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, etc. And sharing the same voltage they work right out of the box no matter where you live.

If you live in the UK, though, you have to be a little more careful. Some of these bread machines have a different plug than the UK and you would have to buy an adapter to use them.

Another thing to be careful about is the language. Machines generally have labels in English, but we noticed that a few bread machines have labels in other languages such as French. To make life easier, try to purchase your bread maker inside your own country of residence (including local vs. global online shops) or confirm that the bread machine you purchase is in a language that you can read.  

Without further ado, here are the best bread machines in Europe today:

Best EU Bread Machine #1 – Panasonic SD-ZB2512KXE

Loaf sizes: 400 g, 500 g, 600 g

Crust settings: Light, medium, dark

Yeast dispenser? Yes

Fruit/Nut dispenser? Yes

Delay timer? Yes

Pros: The best bread maker in Europe currently goes to the Panasonic SD-ZB2512KXE. This bread machine has 33 programs including one for gluten-free bread. It focuses particularly on baking sourdough treats, which could be a plus for some people. There are “Rustic Artisan”, “Rustic Sourdough” and “Rustic Scone” bake settings, as well as dough settings to combine sourdough to bake in the oven. It comes with accessories to bake sourdough bread too. You get 2 sourdough cups, a measuring spoon, and a sourdough starter spoon. The bread machine features both a yeast and fruit/nut dispenser to release these ingredients at the optimal time. The loaves are consistent and tasty, and the machine is not too noisy.

Cons: Because the body is made out of metal it is more prone to denting than a plastic shell. And sometimes it gets hot from baking so you have to be careful when it’s on. Sometimes the kneading paddles are difficult to remove.

Best EU Bread Machine #2 – Moulinex OW240E30

Loaf sizes: 500 g, 750 g, 1 kg

Crust settings: Light, medium, dark

Yeast dispenser? No

Fruit/Nut dispenser? No

Delay timer? Yes

Pros: This is a great machine for gluten-free baking. It comes with 3 gluten-free programs: gluten-free bread, sweet gluten-free bread, and gluten-free cake. There are a total of 20 pre-programmed settings. The booklet has 28 recipes that are simple, easy-to-understand, and varied. This bread maker is compact but makes a bread loaf as big as 1 kg.

Cons: There aren’t many negative things to say about this bread maker. It’s a basic model but it will handle the job for most people. Perhaps the usability could be improved by having a yeast and fruit/nut dispenser as well as a window to see what’s happening inside the machine.

Best EU Bread Machine #3 – Unold Backmeister Edel 68456

Loaf sizes: 500 g, 750 g, 1 kg

Crust settings: Light, medium, dark

Yeast dispenser? No

Fruit/Nut dispenser? No

Delay timer? Yes

Pros: This bread machine has a large viewing window and a delay timer programmable up to 15 hours (compared to 13 hours on most machines). But perhaps its most appealing feature is the ceramic baking pan. The pan is coated with a proprietary sol-gel, non-stick coating claiming to be made without PTFE. This coating is called Fusion. While most bread machine pans are PTFE-safe, it’s nice to see companies continually work on improving them and trying to make them even safer. You get large loaves with this machine so it would be ideal for larger families.

Cons: As far as we know the labeling on this bread maker is in German. But the manual is written in most European languages including Czech, Dutch, French, Italian, Polish, Spanish and of course English. Also, there are only 16 pre-programmed modes. So it’s not a fancy machine but will cover the basics like basic bread, whole grain bread, jam, and dough.

Best EU Bread Machine #4 – Panasonic SD-ZB2502BXC (For UK)

Loaf sizes: 400 g, 500 g, 600 g

Crust settings: Light, medium, dark

Yeast dispenser? Yes

Fruit/Nut dispenser? Yes

Delay timer? Yes

Pros: This bread machine is basically the UK model of the Panasonic SD-ZB2512KXE. The one difference is that it has 27 programs instead of 33. It doesn’t have dedicated programs for baking “rustic” and sourdough treats. But it does have a gluten-free program. This UK model has both a yeast and fruit/nut dispenser too. And just like the Panasonic SD-ZB2512KXE the loaves are consistent and delicious.

Cons: The body is made out of metal so it is more prone to denting and tends to get hot when baking.

Best EU Bread Machine #5 – Morphy Richards 48281 (For UK)

Loaf sizes: 1 pound, 1.5 pound, 2 pound

Crust settings: Light, medium, dark

Yeast dispenser? No

Fruit/Nut dispenser? No

Delay timer? Yes

Pros: For busy folks, this bread maker is able to bake a 2-pound loaf in under 50 minutes with its “fastbake” setting. It’s an inexpensive bread maker that bakes better bread the most stores. It is comparable to the Oster CKSTBRTW20 – a no-frills, simple to use bread machine.

Cons: Consistency is its major fault. Occasionally the dough doesn’t cook properly. If you need something more reliable we recommend the Panasonic SD-ZB2502BXC.

Last updated: February 2021