One of the latest trends in the food industry is bread machines. These smart appliances are capable of producing award-winning loaves of bread in some 3-4 hours. If you are hesitant about buying your best bread machine for your kitchen, we bet you will make up your mind after reading the number of benefits that this appliance can provide:
- You can enjoy the freshly baked homemade bread - nothing beats this taste;
- You can control what you eat;
- It is easy to make bread at home – just press the button;
- It saves you tons of money in the long term.
*Notice: On mobile devices, scroll right to see entire table.
Product Name | Our Rating | Check Price |
|---|---|---|
Best Bread Machine | ||
Best Gluten Free Bread Machine | ||
How To Choose A Best Bread Machine?
Just like with any other purchase, you might feel the lack of information about the certain product or company. It is also possible that you are not really sure what you are looking for. In this section, we will guide you through the key moments of choosing the best bread machine.
How Often Do You Bake Bread?
In order to find that perfect bread maker for your kitchen, you need to answer the question:
If you did not bake bread yet, but you are just planning - answer the question: how often do you plan to bake bread?
If you bake/planning to bake bread every week – two times a month, go for a bread machine. If you think that you will be using the bread machine once a month or even rarer – there is no point of buying this appliance.
Consider The Bread Size
If you are still determined to buy a bread machine, the next point to think about is the size of the bread maker. How many servings do you need?
Usually a 1-pound loaf delivers about 8 slices, while a 2.5-pound loaf will get you about 20 slices. Consider the amount of bread you (and your family) usually eat and buy accordingly.
Is Bread Shape Important?
Is the shape of bread loaf important to you?
If you prefer your bread to be horizontal shape, just like the ones from the bakery or the store, you will need to make sure to purchase the model, which comes with two kneading paddles.
However, the most of the bread makers on the market come in the vertical shape – with one kneading paddle. These models are cheaper and smaller – they are perfect for those, who want to save up some counter space.
Bread Machine Settings
Prior to buying a bread machine, you need to know which settings you want to have in your future bread machine. If you want just to bake normal bread and you are not planning to use any sophisticated options, you can buy any simple model of a bread machine.
However, if you want to experiment with some fancy recipes or to prepare, let’s say, pizza dough, pasta dough or gluten-free bread, make sure to double check with the seller – some high-end bread makers are capable of preparing hundreds of things aside from simple loaf of bread.
What To Consider When Choosing Your Best Bread Machine?
Aside from the above mentioned factors, there are some characteristics of bread makers that you need to pay attention to before making a purchase. The points below will help you to narrow down your choice.
Baking Time
If you prefer to have your bread ready in a quick way, consider buying a model that features the Rapid Bake or the Fast Bake option. These are going to be appealing to someone who might have limited to time to cook. Just as the name suggests, these features are designed to speed up the process of the baking.
Removable Bread Pan
Another great option that is present in the majority of the bread makers is the detachable bread tin – this feature will come in handy when you will be cleaning your bread machine.
Moreover, removable bread pan with special handles will ease the process of removing the loaf from the bread machine – you can just remove the whole bread tin and let the loaf cool.
Kneading Paddles
Paddles are those little things on the bottom of the bread tin that are kneading the dough. Typically, bread makers come with a single paddle or with two paddles.
Some of the bread makers offer special kneading paddles for pasta in addition to those that are kneading the normal dough. In addition, machines with just one paddle might offer an additional (spare) paddle, too.
Here, the key moment to pay attention to is whether the paddles are removable. This is a very important factor since you would want to detach the paddles before the baking cycle. This is done in order to avoid having holes in your perfectly baked loaf. Some of the bread machines also have a signal feature to remove the paddles.
Delayed Timer
The delayed timer is a very popular and useful feature in bread makers. Some models offer timers that can be set 13 hours in front. If you would like to wake up and have the freshly baked loaf of bread for breakfast, just set the timer to cook the bread some hours before you wake up!
“Keep Warm” Option
Some of the bread machines have the option to keep your bread warm after it's cooked. How does a warm aromatic loaf of bread for dinner sound?
Programmable Options
The number of programmable options is another crucial thing to pay attention to when choosing the best bread machine. While not everyone is an expert with pre-programmed settings, a high-quality bread machine always comes with a great manual, where you can learn about all the functions in detail.
Alarm
Alarm in a bread machine is one of the most fundamental features. This option allows you to bake bread with some additives like berries or nuts. Thanks to this feature, you can add the desired extras just at the right time – the alarm signals you when the dough is ready for other ingredients to be added.
Noise
If your bread maker will wake you up at 4 AM with its kneading cycle noises, we bet you won’t be using this device often. Some of the cheap models tend to make too much noise due to the materials used in their construction.
You would want to turn your attention to the sturdiest high-quality bread machines, which won’t jump off the counter and jolt you out of bed.
Viewing Window
While viewing window has nothing to do with the efficiency of the bread maker, it is always interesting to watch your bread being made.
However, the viewing window also allows to monitor the baking process - you can always tell if the bread is cooking fine and the crust is coloring.
However, we managed to complete this task. For the purpose of convenience, we decided to break down the models into two groups:
Best Bread Machine
In this section, we will look into the actual bread machine models. Choosing the best bread machines for this list was challenging due to the myriad of amazing bread makers available on the market.
Breville BBM800XL Custom Loaf Bread Maker
This award-winning bread maker produces bread in four different sizes (1, 1.5, 2 and 2.5 pounds sized loafs), and it has three different settings for crust darkness. The bread machine from Breville features an automatic dispenser for adding fruits or nuts, so they get added to the dough at just the right time.
The kneading paddle in this Breville BBM800XL is collapsible. There is no need to remove the paddle before the baking cycle, as the paddle will fold to minimize the hole left in the loaf. The model also comes with the non-collapsible paddle for making jam. Some notable characteristics of this Breville BBM800XL:
- Automatic fruit and nut dispenser
- Unique collapsible kneading paddle
- Smart LCD screen with progress
- 13 automatic settings, 3 crust colors
- Loaf sizes include 1.0-pound, 1-1/2-pound, 2.0 pound and 2-1/2-pound
- 46 step by step recipes (basic, whole wheat, gluten free, crusty loaf, sweet, yeast free, dough, jam as well custom recipe charts)
Following on the great settings of this bread machine, it is necessary to mention its 13 automatic settings and 46 great step-by-step recipes for the huge variety of breads and other foods.
Source: chefsfirst.com
OUR RATING
With Breville BBM800XL, you can make basic white bread, whole wheat bread, gluten-free bread, crusty loaves, sweet bread, yeast-free baking, dough only, jam, and a number of other great things.
That’s not all! You can custom your own programs – Breville lets you get creative. In addition, this bread maker has a delay timer option, which is perfect for those, who love to eat freshly baked bread in the morning. Breville BBM800XL’s working process is very quiet, so you can bake your bread during the night.
When it comes to the intuitive controls, Breville bread machine definitely delivers. It has a smart LCD screen that features a progress indicator.
Breadman TR2500BC Ultimate Plus 2-Pound Convection Breadmaker
Our next candidate is an exclusive bread making machine by Breadman. Having all the baking options you can imagine, this outstanding bread maker is one of the most popular on the market.
Key highlighting features of the Breadman TR2500BC Ultimate Plus 2-Pound Convection Breadmaker:
- Convection baking
- Large viewing window
- Extra-large digital display
- 3 loaf sizes – 1, 1.5 & 2 lb.
- 3 crust shades – light, medium & dark
- 10-minute pause control
- Stylish stainless steel exterior
- Measuring cup & spoon included
- Recipes included
The Breadman TR2500BC Ultimate Plus 2-Pound Convection Breadmaker offers 16 pre-programmed baking options – including all the basic settings (basic, whole wheat, gluten free, crusty loaf, sweet, yeast free, dough) plus the extra options - like low-carb, gluten-free and Rapid Bake.
The Breadman TR2500BC Ultimate Plus 2-Pound Convection Breadmaker has the automatic fruit and nut dispenser for the convenient addition of the necessary ingredients – you don’t need to wait for the signal, the machine adds the desired components automatically.
Source: walmart.com
OUR RATING
The Breadman offers you the ability to design the bread making experience as per your taste thanks to its built-in feature to customize times in any baking function. The Save Your Faves Breadman function provides you with an opportunity to preprogram 5 personal recipes.
Besides, Breadman TR2500BC Ultimate Plus 2-Pound Convection Breadmaker offers such useful options as 24-hour delay bake timer, power failure protection system and 10-minute pause control to improve your bread making experience.
This bread machine can bake loaves in three different sizes – 1, 1.5 & 2 lb. Plus, you can make your bread with light, medium or dark crust. The model has a large viewing window, so it easy to monitor the process of baking!
The bread machine comes with the recipe book and the special measuring cup and spoon.
West Bend 41300 Hi-Rise Electronic Dual-Blade Breadmaker
This bread machine is perfect for those, who love the taste and aroma of fresh bread. The West Bend 41300 Hi-Rise Electronic Dual-Blade Breadmaker speaks high quality and durability. This model of a bread maker is known as one of the most reliable and popular when it comes to bread machines of a bigger caliber. Key characteristics of this product:
- Electronic dual-blade bread machine
- 4 horizontally shaped loaf sizes
- 11 pre-programmed settings;
- 3 crust shades;
- Digital control panel;
- 12-hour delay timer
- Measuring cup and spoon, knead-blade removal tool, and instructions with recipes included
If you are already baking bread in the oven, you will be surprised how easy it is to make the bread with this West Bend 41300 Hi-Rise Electronic Dual-Blade Breadmaker! The appliance does all the work for you – this professional bread maker can deliver four different sizes of loaves to your table (1 pound, 1-1/2 pounds, 2 pounds, and 2-1/2 pounds)
Source: walmart.com
OUR RATING
The model features two kneading paddles and it bakes horizontal bread loaves – just like those from the bakery. This well-built device can produce bread with 3 different crust shades – light, medium, and dark.
This highly customizable bread maker offers tons of unique features. With its 11 preprogrammed options, West Bend 41300 Hi-Rise Electronic Dual-Blade Breadmaker meets the highest standards of the market.
Its digital control panel lets you manage the whole baking process just by touching a couple of buttons. Moreover, in case you want to enjoy fresh warm bread when you come back home from work – you can use the delay timer function. This function allows you to set up the delay timer to start baking at any convenient time – up to 12 hours in advance.
The West Bend 41300 Hi-Rise Electronic Dual-Blade Breadmaker comes with the special measuring cup and spoon, knead-blade removal tool, and instructions with recipes.
Conclusion
Choosing the best bread machine out of the three presented models was quote hard –all of the candidates offer amazingly useful features and they are proved to provide the customer with the high-end bread baking experience.
Yet, we believe that the Breville BBM800XL Custom Loaf Bread Maker has all the chances to get the title of the Best Bread machine, thanks to its unbeatable unique features, one of which is the collapsible kneading paddle.
Best Gluten Free Bread Machine
Here are the best bread makers with gluten free option:
Zojirushi BB-PAC20 Home Bakery Virtuoso Breadmaker
The Zojirushi BB-PAC20 Home Bakery Virtuoso Breadmaker will take your baking to the next level – this bread machine is able to turn your dough into an amazingly tasty loaf of bread. This model of bread makers is highly favored by both experts and beginners of the baking world. The key characteristics of Zojirushi BB-PAC20 Home Bakery Virtuoso Breadmaker comprise:
- Dual kneading blades
- Quick baking cycle prepares bread in just 2-hours
- Includes a measuring cup and measuring spoon
- Additional heater on lid for evenly baked crust
- Baking cycles include Regular Basic, Quick Basic, Regular Wheat, Gluten Free, Regular Dough, Quick Dough, Jam, Cake, and Sourdough Starter
You can tell from the name, this Zojirushi BB-PAC20 Home Bakery Virtuoso Breadmaker is something unique! The device will deliver the hot bread loaves to your table in no time. Forget about buying the store bread with this Zojirushi Breadmaker, which offers you an opportunity to have freshly baked bread every day.
Source: kingarthurflour.com
OUR RATING
The Zojirushi BB-PAC20 Home Bakery Virtuoso Breadmaker features an innovative control panel that can be easily read and is very logical to use. As per the construction of the machine, the Zojirushi BB-PAC20 Home Bakery Virtuoso Breadmaker has a heater that is built into the lid, which makes sure that the crust of the loaf is evenly baked.
The bread machine from Zojirushi also has two handles on the baking pan to assist easy safe removal. The dual kneading paddles make sure that the dough is mixed properly, while you also can watch the whole kneading and baking process through the large viewing window.
One of the unique features of this Zojirushi BB-PAC20 Home Bakery Virtuoso Breadmaker is the quick bake cycle that will deliver a fresh loaf of bread to your table in just 2 hours. In addition to the above-mentioned advantages, this bread maker is known as one of the quietest models on the modern market.
Zojirushi BB-PAC20 Home Bakery Virtuoso Breadmaker’s baking cycles include Regular Basic, Quick Basic, Regular Wheat, Gluten Free, Regular Dough, Quick Dough, Jam, Cake, and Sourdough Starter.
Panasonic SD-YR2500 Bread Maker
Making bread has never been easier with this Panasonic SD-YD250 bread maker. This bread machine is designed to produce delicious bread without you having to put any effort – you just load in the ingredients and push the button. The Panasonic SD-YR2500 Bread Maker will mix, knead and bake your bread for you! Key features of this product:
- Settings for white, whole wheat, multigrain, French, gluten-free, quick bread and cakes
- Three loaf sizes, up to 2-1/2 lbs.
- “Bake Rapid” mode
- Automatic yeast/nut/fruit dispenser
- Includes recipes for 40 breads and doughs, plus baking tips
- 13-hour delay timer
This great appliance will make sure that your fruits or nuts will not get crushed during the kneading process – the machine will add the extras just in the right time automatically. In case you have a busy schedule – this Panasonic bread maker is just right for you. The device features a great delay timer option, which allows you to set the baking time 13 hours in front.
Source: panasonic.com
OUR RATING
What is more, this Panasonic SD-YR2500 Bread Maker is a very durable bread maker, while its bread pan is non-stick and very easy to clean. This bread maker is capable of producing loaves in 3 sizes – up to 2-1/2 pounds.
The basic settings of Panasonic SD-YR2500 Bread Maker include white, whole wheat, multigrain, French, gluten-free, quick bread and cakes.
This review about Panasonic SD-YR2500 Bread Maker would be a failure if we would not mention the ‘Rapid Bake’ mode – this bread maker can produce a fresh bread loaf in some 2 hours! The bread machine comes with 40 recipes and detailed instruction manual.
Conclusion
Now, when we have looked through the key features and characteristics of the two presented gluten-free bread makers, it is time to choose the best one.
Our choice fell on the Zojirushi BB-PAC20 Home Bakery Virtuoso Breadmaker. We were amazed by a number of extraordinary features this bread machine offers, including the unique heating element in the lid.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask them in the comments section below.
