The 5 Best Bread Machines Top Rated Reviews of 2017
These days, we do what we can to save money and this includes trying to lower our food expenses. Being able to save at least a dollar or two on every loaf of bread you buy translates to over $100 in savings a year.
Besides the obvious money savings, bread machines allows you to have:
- Flexibility to bake fresh wholesome bread to serve to your family
- Be more healthy as you get to pre-screen the quality of the ingredients and you get to decide what ingredients to put in there.
- Save time on making pizza and pasta dough as these bread machines are multi-functional.
The number of brands that produce bread machines has also benefitted home bakers, as there are now more options to choose from.
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Baking Smart Contents
- The 5 Best Bread Machines Top Rated Reviews of 2017
- Top Rated Machines by Category
- Best Bread Maker without Teflon
- Best Bread Machine to Mix Dough
- Best Bread Machine for High Altitude
- Best Bread Machine for Beginners
- Best Bread Machine on a Budget
- Best Bread Machine with Horizontal Loaf
- Best Bread Machine with a Gluten-Free Cycle
- Best Bread Machine with Dough Cycle
- Best Bread Machine with Fruit and Nut Dispenser
- Best Places to Buy a Bread Machine
- The Bottom Line
Key Factors in Choosing a Bread Making Machine

While almost all brands will claim that a certain model they’re producing is the best, you should be a discerning shopper. There are several factors that you will have to consider when shopping for a bread maker such as:
- Design—choosing a bread machine with the right design can give you the freedom to bake almost any kind of bread that you desire. Is the control screen easy to read or understand? Is it easy to program? Is the shape of the pan good enough for you? These are some questions you have to ask yourself.
- Warranty—how long is the product’s warranty? Usually, manufacturers of bread machines guarantee their products from three months up to a year after purchase. You’d naturally want a product with an extensive warranty.On average, you can expect a bread making machine to last three years. Thus the longer the product warranty, the longer you can have peace of mind knowing that the unit can be repaired or replaced if there are any manufacturer defects.
- Timer—this is one of the functions that you should look for in a bread machine, especially if you’re the type of homemaker who’s busy at home. With a timer, you can set the machine to finish a cycle at the desired time. For example, you can set the machine to finish a baking cycle in the morning, just in time for breakfast.
- Bread pan sizes—sizes of bread pans usually range from 1 to 2 ½ pounds. A one pound loaf should be enough for eight slices, while a 1 ½ pound loaf will have 12 slices. A bread machine with a 2-pound loaf capacity will be able to produce 16 slices, while the biggest can make 20 slices. If you have a small family, a bread making unit that can produce 1 ½ pound of bread should suffice.
- Crust color – most bread machines today have a crust color selection that lets the user determine the brownness of the crust. It’s a nice feature to have especially for hands-on bakers.
- Power saver—power outages can happen anytime, thus it is good to have a power saver option. With this feature, the bread you are baking would be ‘saved’ in case of a power interruption. If power is restored within a certain period, the cycle will continue from where it left off. Some machines give you just 10 seconds to restore power; others up to 10 minutes.
- Price—you can get a bread machine for as low as $50 although the average price is around $200. While it is true that the most expensive bread machine usually has the most features;it is not always the best unit for you.
Now that we understand the key factors of a bread machine, we’re ready to find out what the best bread making machines are available on the market today.
The 5 Best Bread Machine to Buy (Right Now)

Best Bread Machine Review #1 –Zojirushi Bread Machine
This is widely considered the best brand of bread makers. After all, the company was one of the first to have come out with a bread maker having done so in 1988. In fact, many observers say that Zojirushi is the Ferrari of bread machines.
Special Design: Dual-blade rectangular-shaped
Country of Origin: Japan
Warranty: One year
Timer: Available and can be set 13 hours in advance
Bread Pan Sizes: 2-pound
Crust Color Setting: No
Power Failure Back-up: No
Keep Warm Setting: Yes
Price: $$$

Key benefits:
- It’s bread makers are known for being reliable and versatile.
- Zojirushi bread makers are also popular for having easy-to-follow controls and user guides, automatic settings, and contemporary designs.
If there’s a downside to buying a Zojirushi bread machine, then it would have to be the exorbitant price. Zojirushi bread making appliances are notoriously expensive; however, you can be assured of the build quality and performance.


One Zojirushi model that you may want to consider is the BB-CEC20 Home Bakery Supreme.
Most online reviews by consumers who have actually used it rank it as the best from the Japanese firm. It features different specialty settings, like jam maker and homemade function that lets users program three baking cycles according to their specifications.
Most customer reviews agree the BB-CEC20 produces bread, dough, and other tasty treats that are superior in taste and texture. Many also love the fact that it produces a horizontal loaf, which produces a real bread look when sliced. Horizontal bread loaf also is better suited for sandwiches compared to the vertical bread loaf.
The BB-HAC10 is a smaller bread maker which can bake a 1 pound loaf of bread. It can make a bread in as short as two hours, although its timer can also be delayed up to 13 hours.
The third in the trio of Zojirushi bread maker models today is the PAC20, which is similar to the CEC20 but lacks a gluten-free setting.
See the latest pricing here.
Read more about the Zojirushi bread maker here.
Best Bread Machine Review #2 – Panasonic Bread Machine
Like Zojirushi, Panasonic is one of the most reputable makers of bread making appliances. In fact, the Japanese firm is credited for coming up with the very first bread maker having done so in 1986, or two years before Zojirushi came up with its own.

Special Design: Bread machine with YeastPro yeast dispenser
Country of Origin: China
Warranty: One year limited warranty
Timer: 13-hour delay
Bread Pan Sizes: 3 loaf sizes up to 2.5 pounds (Medium / Large / Extra-Large)
Crust Color Setting: Light to dark crust color
Power Failure Back-up: Yes
Keep Warm Setting: Yes
Price: $$$


For budget-conscious shoppers, Panasonic is the brand that combines excellent design, good build quality, and more importantly, an affordable price. The latter is arguably what separates Panasonic from Zojirushi.
However, most Panasonic models that are well-rated by actual consumers or owners are imported from Japan. This can make sourcing quite a problem, although you can always check websites like Amazon.com. Another concern is the fact that Japanese imported appliances can be difficult to understand or manipulate for most people.
See the latest pricing here.
Read more about the Panasonic Bread Machine here.
Best Bread Machine Review #3 – Sunbeam Bread Machine
Like Panasonic, Sunbeam is a brand that is known for its reasonably priced bread makers. But unlike the Japanese brand, Sunbeam isn’t as well known. Thus looking for a Sunbeam bread making machine may prove to be tough, especially when you shop for one at a brick and mortar store.
Special Design: Bread machine with YeastPro yeast dispenser
Country of Origin: Florida, USA
Warranty: One year limited warranty
Timer: 13-hour Delay timer available
Bread Pan Sizes: 2-pound
Crust Color Setting: Yes – light, medium and dark
Power Failure Back-up: No
Keep Warm Setting: Yes
Price: $$$



One particular Sunbeam bread maker that is getting a lot of love from homemakers is the Sunbeam 5891 2-Pound programmable bread maker.
It’s a small bread making appliance that is ideal for singles, newly-married couples, and small families. It can make 1 to 2-pound loaves of bread. It features three crust color selections, 12 cooking functions, and a 13-hour delay timer.
See the latest pricing here.
Best Bread Machine Review #4 – Breadman TR2500BC Bread Machine
Breadman is another trusted maker of bread making appliances. It is under the Spectrum Brans umbrella which also includes other popular brands like Russell Hobbs. In terms of pricing, Breadman is also a bit more expensive compared to Sunbeam and Panasonic. Pricing is pretty much reasonable because of its appliances having state-of-the-art features.

Special Design: Programable machine with horizontal loaves
Country of Origin: China
Warranty: Two-year Limited warranty
Timer: 24-hour delay
Bread Pan Sizes: 1, 1.5 and 2-pound horizontal loaves
Crust Color Setting: Yes (includes convection bake for crispier crust)
Power Failure Back-up: Yes – 7-minutes
Keep Warm Setting: Yes – 60 minutes
Price: $$$


One model from Breadman that you might want to try is the BK2000B. Apart from its stylish black frame that can garner attention from any visitor, it features 14 baking functions and a 15-hour delay timer. It can make 2 ½ pound loaves, making it right for a big family.
Breadman also produces bread makers with a convection fan that can result in a crisper crust. It’s bread makers also have an automatic fruit and nut dispenser as well as a gluten-free setting.
See the latest pricing here.
Best Bread Machine Review #5 – Oster Bread Machine

Oster bread machine is one of those brands that don’t get a lot of hype, but still make quality and reasonably priced products. One example is the CKSTBRTW20 that can produce two-pound loaves of breads, with 12 baking settings and 3 crust settings to choose from.
One thing you’ll love about the said model is how fast it can bake a bread. It can do the job in less than an hour. Thus, if you’re the type of homemaker who wants bread quick, then the TW20 from Oster is a good pick.
Read more about the Oster bread machine here.
Top Rated Machines by Category
To further identify the best bread maker according to your needs, here are some bread making machines that you may want to include in your list:

Best Bread Maker without Teflon
More than 10 years ago, reports surfaced that a pan or any kitchen appliance coated with Teflon may release toxic gasses when it is overheated. Teflon is a trademark of DuPont. But health agencies, up to this day, insist that more research is needed to determine the potential risks to humans of an overheated Teflon pan or bread maker.
But it’s better to be safe than sorry, right? Hence, if you’re concerned about the potential health risks of Teflon-coated bread makers, there are alternatives that you can choose.
Perhaps the best bread making machine without Teflon is the Panasonic SD-RD250. It’s a pretty big bread maker that can bake 1.5 and 2.5-pound loaves of bread. It features five baking options and three crust selection settings.
Like most Panasonic products, the RD250 is reasonably priced. Another good feature of this appliance is its automatic fruit and nut dispenser.
Best Bread Machine to Mix Dough
Zojirushi is a brand that produces bread makers that mix the dough. There’s the HAC10 which can produce 1 pound loaves of bread, and the CEC20 that can also produce 2.5 pounds of bread loaves. But there’s no denying that the ZojirushiBB-PAC20 is the best of the three when it comes to mixing the dough.
For one, it has dual kneading blades that allow it to knead the dough thoroughly. Some critics point out that it’s a bit noisy when kneading dough, although that is something to be expected from most bread makers.

Best Bread Machine for High Altitude

Do you live in an area that is 3,000 feet about sea level, like Denver? If so, then you might know how difficult it is to bake in high altitude areas. Low pressure from high altitude can lead to lower boiling points while ingredients like liquid tend to evaporate faster.
While there’s no bread machine that is specifically built for high altitude baking, you can compensate by doing certain tricks. One is to increase the amount of water to the recipe you’re following. An increase of 2 to 4 tablespoons per cup should suffice.
In case the bread rises too high, you can lessen the amount of yeast by 1/8 for every teaspoon. Or you can lessen the amount of sugar by 1 to 2 teaspoons.
Best Bread Machine for Beginners

If you’re just starting out in your baking career, or you consider yourself a hobbyist who would like to improve your baking skills, there are certain things you want from a bread maker.
One, you naturally want it easy to operate. Two, it should be affordable.
The Oster CKSTBRTW20 has those two qualities and more.
This unit sells for less than $100, so you will likely not hesitate to buy it given its low price. Second, it is easy to use that the learning curve will likely be short for you. There’s an LCD display on this unit that lets you monitor the cycle, along with the large viewing window.
This unit has all the baking settings to help you get started. It has 12 cooking modes. There’s a six-minute function that can enable the machine to pick up where it left off in case of a power outage. But you’ll have to start again in case the power interruption lasts more than six minutes.
“You get what you pay for” applies in this unit as it doesn’t have the bells and whistles of other bread makers. The design is a bit bland, too.
Still, you can count on this piece of equipment to make 1 pound, 1.5 pounds, and 2 pounds of loaves. It can bake bread, fast too, as its expressbake setting can do so in less than an hour.
Best Bread Machine on a Budget
The Sunbeam 5891 programmable bread maker would have to be the best unit for people who are on a budget. For less than $70, you can already be the proud owner of this cheap bread machine which surprisingly works well despite its low price.
Many customer testimonials can attest to how great of a catch this bread maker is. Setting up is a breeze, and the instructions are very easy to follow. It can make 1 ½ pound and 2-pound loaves of bread. You can also choose from 12 bread settings and three crust controls. And you can make vertical loaves with this appliance.
The unit measures around 14 x 19 x 13.5 inches and has a one-year limited warranty.

Best Bread Machine with Horizontal Loaf

If the orientation of the loaf is important to you and you prefer a horizontal loaf instead of a vertical one, then the Zojirushi PAC20 is the best choice. As mentioned earlier, the PAC20 is arguably the best from the Japanese brand. When it comes to making horizontal loaves, nothing can match up with this appliance.
While there are many bread makers that can produce horizontal loaves, the PAC 20 gets high marks for its heater on the lid. This is responsible for producing a perfectly crusted, horizontal loaf.
Best Bread Machine with a Gluten-Free Cycle

Again, the PAC 20 of Zojirushi is the best bread machine that has a specialized setting for gluten free food. The said setting spares owners from the hassle of figuring out which baking cycle to use for gluten free bread and other tasty treats. Plus, the recipe book contains gluten free recipes.
Best Bread Machine with Dough Cycle

The Panasonic SD-YD250 is a hard worker you will love to have in the kitchen. You can choose from the dough selections- pizza, rolls, and raisins. It doesn’t produce as much noise as other units when it is kneading dough.
It can bake a medium and extra large loaf of bread in its nonstick baking pan. There are three crust controls, allowing you to choose from light, medium, or dark crust. You can also set the timer to end after 13 hours. The fastest that the YD250 can bake a cake is under two hours.
This machine can produce 1.5, 2, and 2.5-pound loaves, which makes it an excellent choice for larger families.
One thing you’ll like about this machine is the addition of the automatic yeast dispenser that further makes it convenient to use. Simply add the ingredients to the unit and it will take care of the kneading, rising, and baking.
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Best Bread Machine with Fruit and Nut Dispenser

In choosing a bread machine with fruit and nut dispenser, you’d like to get one that can automatically mix these ingredients. The price, too, should be affordable enough.
The Panasonic RD250 has those two qualities and more. Its automatic fruit and nut dispenser makes it convenient and easy to integrate nuts, raisins, and seeds into the dough. You’ll also love the fact that it is a lot cheaper than other bread machines with fruit and nut dispenser.
There are only five modes in this bread machine. You can choose from a medium or extra large loaf size. Crust color may vary from light to dark. You can also set the delay timer for up to 13 hours.
Best Places to Buy a Bread Machine
The traditional brick and mortar store remains a good choice for buying a bread machine. By buying at a retail store, you can get a closer look at the bread making appliance that you are interested in. This would allow you to inspect the product and even get instructions from the sales guys how to properly operate the bread maker.
Most of the top brands like Zojirushi and Panasonic are available at major retail chains like Walmart. Thus, there shouldn’t be any problem at all in buying a bread machine.
However, buying online is not a bad choice, either. One, you don’t have to leave the comforts of home as the item will be shipped directly to your place. Second, you can get more savings if you look for coupons or discount codes. Third, there are tons of online reviews about bread makers that it is unlikely there isn’t one regarding the model you’re eyeing.
Amazon is perhaps the best place to buy a bread maker online.

The Bottom Line
Now that you have an idea on which bread machine to get depending on your needs, what are you waiting for? Get a bread machine today!




