If you’re thinking about a bread machine, this is the one to get. It’s not cheap, but you’ll definitely appreciate your investment over and over again.

Even experienced bakers will find this bread maker very useful what with its numerous pre-programmed settings and its removable bake pan with dual kneading blades.

Homeowners, meanwhile, will love its beautiful stainless steel design that can enhance the look of their countertops.

There are good things to like about the CEC20, such as:

• It has an extra heater on the lid that enables even baking of bread
• Multiple pre-programmed settings like basic bread, wheat bread, cake, jam, dough, among others.
• Large viewing window that allows users to take a peek at the bread or cake being baked
• An instructional manual comes along with the unit, as well as a DVD and recipe book. Other inclusions are measuring spoon, measuring cup, and removable bake pan.
• There’s an automatic alert that will tell you when to add in fruits and nuts in your jam.
• You also need not worry in case you forget to turn off the unit as it automatically shuts down after a couple minutes.
• It’s relatively easy to clean, thanks to its non-stick horizontal pan.
• You can create your own recipes with this bread maker as its customizable cycles will enable you to be as precise as possible.
• The kneaded dough ball has the tendency to end up on one side of the pan. This results to the bread ending up taller on one end compared to the other.

The CEC20 is far from perfect, however. Here are some cons of this unit:

• It’s big. With dimensions of 16.5 inches (width), 12 inches (height), and less than 10 inches (depth), this is one of the biggest bread makers in the market. You’d have to make room for the CEC20, simply put it.
• The beep is very loud. Worse, you can’t lower the volume settings.
• It doesn’t have a gluten-free option, unlike the PAC20.
• Many customers have complained that the CEC20 has the tendency to produce uneven loaf and cake, with the bottom crust usually dark and the top almost white.
• While the nonstick finish on the bin makes the unit easy to clean, it’s quite fragile.
• The recipe book included in the package lacks nutritional information.

The CEC20 may be expensive for a bread maker, but it is worth your money.

The bread machine has all the features you would expect from a modern bread maker. It’s easy to use, and maintenance won’t be a problem as well.

Like its two-pound bread maker cousin, the PAC20 is great for big families who love breads, cakes, and similar foods.  It’s an ideal kitchen companion for the homeowner who loves to make bread several times a week, as well as the budding baker who’s looking to improve his baking skills.

The PAC20 is basically an upgraded version of the CEC20. This probably explains why it is around 50 bucks more expensive than the CEC20.

There are plenty of things that make the PAC20 a hit among neophyte and experienced bakers alike, such as:

• It’s very versatile. Apart from making white bread and whole wheat bread, it can be used for kneading dough.
• It can help save time. Its dual kneading blades, which pull the dough ball from a side of the pan to another, resemble what bakers would do by hand. It is great for making baguettes, dinner rolls, and pizza. There’s less time and effort needed on the part of the user when it comes to kneading.
• It can bake a two pound, traditional rectangular shaped loaf.
• Its lid features a built-n heater that facilitates the even baking of bread, resulting to consistent texture and perfect crust.
• The timer can be adjusted so that the baking cycle will last up to 13 hours. This makes the machine perfect for homeowners who love to wake up to the smell of freshly baked bread in the morning. It would also let you add other ingredients like fruits or nuts, depending on your recipe.
• Its removable, nonstick bread pan is easy to clean.
• There are 10 pre-programmed settings and three crust options to choose from—light, medium, and dark. The machine can also remember up to three customizable settings.
• It has a gluten free setting, unlike its older cousin, the CEC20. This eliminates the hassle of trying to guess the right baking cycle for making gluten-free bread and pizza. Moreover, it has with gluten-free recipes that you can follow.

And considering that gluten-free food is very expensive, you can say that the PAC20 can give you more savings in the long run as you can make your own gluten-free bread.

• It’s user-friendly. The unit has an auto pause feature that you can use when you want to open the lid but don’t want to reset a cycle. It’s a great feature to have when you want to take a second look at the dough’s consistency, or just curious to look at the kneading process.

The LCD clock, meanwhile, let you see the time remaining before a cycle is completed as well as set up the timer.

The PAC20 may be getting a lot of rave reviews, but there are also issues that you may find bothersome with this unit. These include:

• It is very expensive. You might entertain second thoughts parting with your money once you realize that there are other cheaper bread makers in the market.
• While the recipe book included in the unit is of great help, it would have been better had Zojirushi added a nutritional info on the recipes.
• The unit beeps too long (around five minutes) after the cycle has ended. Worse, you can’t disable this option so you’ll have to endure the annoying beeps.
• The kneading blades aren’t exactly made of good quality. There are lots of consumer reviews indicating that these parts would wear out within a year or so. If there’s any consolation, it’s the fact that you can buy replacement parts from the manufacturer.
• With dimensions of 13 inches x 18 inches x 10.5 inches and a weight of 26 pounds, this bread maker is big. Like the CEC20, you need to make room for this appliance.

While the PAC20 is admittedly one of the most expensive bread makers today, you’ll definitely get your money’s worth with this unit.  You’ll likely recoup your investment in this unit later on because it would allow you to make your own bread, pizza, and other tasty treats.

However, the warranty doesn’t include non-electric or mechanical attachments as well as accessories of the unit. These include measuring cups, spoons, power cords, plugs, and inner cooking pans.

In case the manufacturer determines that the product is not defective or is outside of the warranty term, the firm will return the product to you at your expense.

While Zorijushi is a Japanese company, most of its bread machines are manufactured and made in China.

Zojirushi bread makers are available in the top retail stores, appliance centers, and supermarkets around the world. You can also buy one in online stores.

You won’t have any problems finding a Zojirushi bread maker as most of the top retail chains in the United States carry this brand.

Retail stores like Walmart and Home Depot sell Zojirushi bread machines. You can also find them these at supermarkets. These are the outlets you’d want to go to if you want to take a closer look at the brand’s various bread machines.

In Singapore, Zojirushi bread makers are available at all Best Denki outlets. These include stores at Bugis, Tampins; Orchard, Vivo City; Changi Airport Terminal 3; Marina Square Square, Jurong Point, Plaza Singapura; and Liang Court Meidiya Supermarket. Best Denki outlets are also located at Causeway Point, City Square, Compass Point; Orchard Point; Jurong East Mall, and Takashimaya Department Store.

In Malaysia, Zorijushi bread makers can be bought at some of the top retail stores and appliance centers.

In Canada, the bread machine is also available at retail stores, appliance centers, and supermarkets.

The Zojirushi brand is indeed one of the best in the world, as far as bread makers are concerned.

The brand’s two big units—the BB-CEC20, BB-PAC20- are excellent examples of how the Japanese firm has been able to set a high standard for all its competitors.

Sure, these bread makers may be more expensive compared to its competitors, but you can be assured that you are getting your money’s worth.

Think of it as a long term investment – you won’t have to worry about getting another bread machine anytime soon.