Compare the best bread makers

Making your own bread from scratch produces delicious results, but can take a lot of time and effort.

After you pour your ingredients into the tin, the bread maker uses a paddle to combine the ingredients and knead the dough. It then lets the dough proof and rise before baking.

Compare top bread makers

Name	Price (USD)	Programmable	Dimmensions (H x W x D)	Weight (lbs)	Purchase
Hamilton Beach 2 lb Digital Bread Maker	$179.95	Yes	10.43 x 14.13 x 12.20 inches	11.86 pounds	Shop now
Hamilton Beach 29885	$149.99	Yes	16.00 x 10.00 x 10.00 inches	10.00 pounds	Shop now
Zojirushi BB-CEC20 Home Bakery Supreme	$390	Yes	12.81 x 13.56 x 18.88 inches	19.91 pounds	Shop now
Automatic Bread Machine	$241.99	Yes	436 x 316 x 41 2mm	13.4 lbs	Shop now

What types are available?

When shopping for a bread maker, compare products from a host of well-known kitchen appliance manufacturers, including:

To put this in perspective, a 500-gram loaf will usually make eight slices. Some bread makers only offer one loaf size — for example, a 500-gram machine — but most offer multiple loaf sizes.

The key is to consider how many people you’re cooking for and how much bread you plan to eat, and then choosing a machine that suits your needs.

How to compare bread makers

To ensure you choose the best bread maker for your needs, think about the type of baking you’ll be doing and how much money you want to spend. Consider these features:

• Ease of use

  Are all the options on the machine’s control panel presented in an easy-to-understand format? The Internet is home to plenty of user complaints about needlessly confusing and complicated bread maker instruction manuals, so check out some customer reviews to see if this could be an issue.

• Settings

  The range of preprogrammed settings varies between models and may include settings for:

  • White, whole grain, sourdough, gluten-free and French bread
  • Cooking to light, medium or dark crust
  • Preparing pizza dough, pasta dough, cakes and jam
  • Warming your bread so it’s ready to serve
  • Rapid baking for when you need a loaf baked in a hurry

  Generally speaking, the more programmable options a machine has, the more expensive it will be. Many models also allow you to create custom settings so you can save your own personal preferences and recipes.

• Cooking time

  The standard baking process takes between three and five hours on most models. You may also want to check whether the machine has a rapid baking cycle for when you need your bread made as quickly as possible. This may make it possible to prepare a loaf in under an hour, but it won’t taste as good as a loaf treated to the full baking process.

• Kneading paddles

  Kneading paddles mix the ingredients together and knead the dough. Bread makers generally have one or two paddles. Single-paddle machines are usually cheaper, but you may find that a machine with two paddles offers more consistent mixing.

  Some bread makers allow you to remove the kneading paddle before baking, while other paddles remain in the machine and leave a small hole in the bottom of your loaf. Some machines also have collapsible paddles.

• Automated ingredient dispensers

  More advanced bread makers feature automatic dispensers that can add ingredients like yeast, fruit and nuts at a preprogrammed time during the cooking cycle. If this feature isn’t available, you’ll need to add extra ingredients to the dough by hand — some machines will stop and beep when it’s time to do so.

• Delay timer

  Most models feature a timer that allows you to delay the start of the cooking process by up to 15 hours so you can ensure your bread is ready at the perfect time, such as when you first wake up in the morning.

• Viewing window

  A viewing window lets you check on the progress of your bread.

Feet

Nonslip feet can prevent a bread maker moving around when kneading.

Noise

Mixing ingredients and kneading dough can be a noisy process, and cheap, poorly-built machines tend to rattle when in use. If you’re planning on running your bread maker overnight, check customer reviews to make sure a machine isn’t overly loud.

Power interruption protection

If there’s a brief power outage, some bread makers are capable of waiting 10 to 15 minutes — or up to an hour in some cases — and then resuming baking when the power comes back on.

Cleaning

Does the loaf tin have a non-stick coating to make it easier to clean? Can you remove the kneading paddles for more convenient washing? What about the fruit and nut dispenser?

Recipe booklet

It’s hardly a deal-maker or -breaker, but some models come with a range of recipes for you to try out.

Dimensions

Consider the dimensions of each unit to work out how much space it will eat up on your countertop or in your kitchen cupboards. In terms of weight, most bread makers tip the scales in the 10- to 20-pound range.

Warranty

Check the length of the warranty — most bread makers come with a one- or two-year warranty — and exactly what it covers.

Price

For $80 to $150, you can get an entry-level bread maker that produces impressive results. However, if you want more control over your baking and the ability to prepare a much wider range of breads and dishes, you could spend anywhere from $200 to $500.

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Bottom line

While bread makers aren’t ideal for all home cooks and kitchens, they’re a useful purchase for anyone who loves freshly-baked bread.

Frequently asked questions

• How long does a bread maker take?

  On average, bread makers take around three hours to make one loaf. But this will depend on the size of the loaf, the recipe and the specific model.

• How do you keep homemade bread from drying out?

  It’s best to eat homemade bread shortly after you bake it. If this isn’t possible, freeze it to preserve its freshness longer.

• Why is homemade bread so dense?

  Too much flour can cause bread to become very dense. Be sure to follow the recipe, or tweak it to achieve the desired texture and softness.