The 10 Best Bread Machines for 2022 – Reviews & Buyer’s guide

Bread is one food item that has been with man since the beginning of time. It has been traced back to as far back as 8000 BC in the Middle East, with Egypt being the main pioneer of its production. Over time, other nations adopted bread making and made their own versions of bread.

For millennia, breadmaking was very labor-intensive and time-consuming, and bakeries were packed full of workers.

The invention of the bread machine in the 1800s by Joseph Lee revolutionized bread handling and production. More bread could now be made quicker and required less manual effort. Since then, commercialization took place, bread machines evolved to become more efficient, and are now found in many homes.

Whether you are a home runner or a professional chef, when looking for a bread machine, you want the best your money can buy. With so many brands out there, however, you can get lost in the myriad of product ads that all claim to be the best.

Best Bread Machine for 2022 – Quick Look

(Click on the name of any bread machine to read its in-depth review)  

1. Hamilton Beach 29882 – Best Overall Bread Machine

First on our list is the Hamilton Beach 29882. This bread machine comes with a wealth of features that emphasize food variety, user convenience, and nutrition. When you want a product that can ‘do it all,’ this bread maker is just the one for you.

With a multi-setting option, you can make bread, amongst other variations, to your taste quickly. Precise controls and their automatic operation take all the effort from you, enabling efficient production with just a few clicks.

The accessories that come with this bread maker are designed to make clean-up as easy as possible and ensure an uninterrupted, fun baking experience.

Our In-Depth Review:

Hamilton Beach 29882 is built to take all the effort from you and significantly reduce the need for supervision. Its automatic baking function means all you have to do to bake tasty bread is pour in the ingredients, make the necessary settings, and hit the start button. This means you have more time to do other activities, while this bad boy quickly does the baking.

Precise control has never been easier, thanks to a featured digital display and an easy-to-use control module, you can make your bread turn out exactly how you want it to. A delay timer on this bread maker allows you to make modifications to the ingredients and start baking at a preset time.

Some of the settings include; Basic, French, Quick, Sweet, etc. Also included in the settings is a gluten-free baking option. When baking, it is easy to lose track of time or forget to put fruits and nuts in your bread. This bread maker comes with an audible alarm that signals when it’s time to put in these extra additions.

Ergonomic is one word for the Hamilton Beach 29882. The baking process occurs at high temperatures and can leave tough stains behind. The baking pan that comes with this bread maker is non-stick, meaning dirt will come off easily with just a wipe.

The pan is also dishwasher safe, enabling you to your baking utensils clean, easily, and quickly. This also comes with two kneading paddles, enabling uninterrupted baking with one paddle while cleaning the other. This extra paddle generally provides a perfect replacement, should one fall out of service.

All the components of the Hamilton Beach 29882 are housed in a lightweight plastic casing that makes for great product portability and mobility. Whether for indoor or outdoor baking, carrying it is as easy as it gets.

The plastic casing is also highly insulative, meaning contact with the body even during operation will not cause burns or scalding, great for when kids are around. It also minimizes the risk of electric shocks, should a current leak occur. It also comes with rubber feet that ensure a good grip on the work surface, minimizing slip.

Conclusion:

Hamilton Beach 29882 is a great bread machine built with features to foster food variety and user convenience. It is also reasonably priced and is a good buy if you want a handy, lightweight bread maker in your kitchen.

2. Sunbeam Bread Maker – With Digital Display

The Sunbeam Programmable Bread Maker is second on our list and is designed with just you in mind. From impressive baking capacity to ergonomic features, it enables you to bake efficiently and quickly, giving you more time to do the things you love with those you love.

Fit your baking right into your schedule with ease, using the programmable timer this bread maker comes with.

Aesthetic appeal and functionality are two features this product really drives home. With a multi-baking function backed by precision controls, this device embodies innovative, state-of-the-art bread baking.

Our In-Depth Review:

The Sunbeam Programmable Bread Maker is an impressive bread machine and comes with 12 pre-programmed baking options that enable GREAT variety. This is great if you enjoy trying out new food and experimenting with new ingredients. With a great 2 lb. bread loaf capacity, this stands as the ideal bread maker for picnics, households, and for when friends are around.

This also cuts down the number of batches you have to make, meaning lower electricity costs and time saved. Fitting your baking right into your schedule has never been easier, thanks to an impressive 13-hour delay timer that comes with this. You get to easily pre-program your baking and have bread ready when you want it to be.

Like to keep a close eye on the baking process? A good portion of the lid of the baking compartment is made of transparent heat-resistant glass. This gives you a viewing window through which you can watch your baking in real-time, without having to open the lid.

All the great functions of the Sunbeam Programmable Bread Maker are the results of the well-designed control hub. Making settings and necessary adjustments are as easy as the click of a button. Backing this control system is a digital display that gives you precise data on current settings. Whether to want to make different bread types, adjust crust settings, or input bread weight, you have all the control at your fingertips.

A lightweight metal casing houses all the internal components of the Sunbeam Programmable Bread Maker. This makes for an overall lightweight bread maker that is resistant to impact. It also stands on rubber-coated feet designed to improve grip and minimize the risk of slippage.

Other great features of the Sunbeam Programmable Bread Maker include a recipe instruction book, great for novice chefs to make wonderful bread even on their first tries. A featured Express Bake cycle allows for continuous, uninterrupted baking, allowing loaves to be ready in less than an hour.

Conclusion:

The Sunbeam Programmable Bread Maker is a well-designed machine for both novice and veteran chefs. If you are looking for an affordable, medium-sized bread machine with good baking capacity, then this is just the one for you.

3. Zojirushi BB-PDC20BA  – Double Heating System

When talking of the big boys among bread machines, the Zojirushi BB-PDC20BA makes an impressive name for itself. It is built with features that emphasize impressive baking capacity, high food versatility, and great baking experience.

From a wide variety of baking courses to innovative heating and mixing systems, this bread maker stands at the frontline of modern, state of the at bread baking. A well-designed control module gives you the ability to make bread how you want and when you want.

The included accessories save you the need to purchase extra utensils and get to baking right away!

Our In-Depth Review:

The Zojirushi BB-PDC20BA stands out in the crowd of bread machines with its innovative double heating system. Most bread machines have a heating element placed under or around the baking pan. This bread maker, however, includes a second heater in the lid, creating even, smooth heating that will produce well-baked loaves, each and every time. Another great feature of this bread maker is the double-mixing blade system.

Unlike many other brands, this mini bakery uses two mixing blades for kneading dough. This makes for proper balance, minimizes vibration, and cuts down operation noise significantly.

This allows you to make bread exactly how you want it. Whether you are a vegetarian, just love to experiment with new recipes, are a novice, or are an experienced chef, this equips you with all you need to make tasty loaves quickly.

A special feature that comes with this mini bakery is its Homemade Course option. This allows you to customize the baking settings, store them in memory, and invoke them later to make bread that suits your taste.

The control hub on this device consists of easy-to-press buttons with a digital display that gives you precise information on the baking settings. Crust control, timer settings, course settings, cycle settings, and pausing the baking operations, are all granted to you via this control hub.

The delay timer on this bread maker is one of the features that sell it as just simply great. You get to pre-program when the baking starts and have fresh bread ready for breakfast or when you get back home from work. A large viewing window in the lid allows you to monitor the baking process in real-time and make necessary additions and adjustments as you see fit.

The accessories that come with the Zojirushi BB-PDC20BA remove the need to get extra baking utensils. It comes with a liquid measuring cup, nested measuring cups, a measuring spoon, and a recessed handle pair. With this, you get to bake the most delicious homemade loaves you have tasted, right away!

Conclusion:

The Zojirushi BB-PDC20BA is a great bread machine that comes with features designed for easy control, user convenience, and impressive variety. If you want a top-of-the-line mini bakery and are willing to spend some good money, then this bread maker is just for you.

4. Oster Expressbake – 2-Pound Loaf Bread Maker

The Oster Expressbake, a 2-Pound loaf bread maker is the fourth machine on our list and stands as the ideal mini bread maker for small to larger-scale baking needs.

Its automatic baking function has been designed to take all the effort from you, making baking as fun and creative as it needs to be.

Impressive versatility, portability, and precision controls enable you to have bread the way you want and when you want.

Its aesthetic appeal makes it the ideal mini bakery to add to your kitchen, without worries of a mismatch.

Our In-Depth Review:

At the heart of the Oster Bread Maker is a 650 Watt element that provides all the heat evenly and quickly bakes dough. All this power gives it the ability to handle bread loaves over a wide range of sizes, and bake them thoroughly. An impressive 2 lb. loaf capacity makes it highly adaptable to larger consumption. Whether for a picnic or when you have friends and family over, baking as much bread as you want comes easy.

The lid and baking pan on the bread maker is coated with a non-stick material, meaning clean-up after baking is as easy as it gets. A viewing window embedded in the lid allows you to monitor the baking process visually, without having to open it up. Need to add mix-ins at a particular time? No need to try and keep time.

This bread maker comes with an audible alarm that is sure to call you to attention when it’s time to add fruits and nuts to your dough.

The Oster Bread Maker boasts high food versatility, thanks to a 12-setting baking option that allows you to make different types of bread with different ingredients. Control the crust from light to medium and finally dark, as you please. As a millennial, doing things at the right time, and planning out strategic schedules are essential to daily productivity.

It allows you to fit baking right into your schedule, helping you do the mixing, kneading, and baking while you’re asleep or away from home. In the end, you wake up or come back home to a tasty loaf ready to please your taste buds.

Precision control is what makes for modern devices and gadgets, and the Oster Bread Maker does not falter in this aspect. All you want and need to do on this bread machine is all in your power, thanks to a control hub that consists of intuitive button control and an LCD display.

This user-friendly interface makes it very easy to operate for the best results every time. The Oster Bread Maker also comes with a measuring cup and spoon, allowing you to start your baking as soon as possible! An extra kneading paddle allows for continuous operation while the other is being cleaned or out of service.

Conclusion:

The Oster Bread Maker is well built mini bread machine and comes with a host of features that emphasize impressive performance, portability, and food versatility. If you want a lightweight bread machine with impressive baking capacity, without breaking the bank, then this bread maker is just for you.

5. Zojirushi BB-HAC10 – With Rubber Feet

Another great product from the company, the Zojirushi BB-HAC10, is a mini bread maker that combines well-designed features into a handy compact unit.

This programmable bread machine allows you to seamlessly bake tasty loaves of bread and is the ideal bread maker for single homeowners or small households.

Have bread, cakes, and dough, ready when you want it to be, irrespective of how tight your schedule gets.

What’s more? This bread maker makes clean-up after baking as easy as it gets and comes with a beautiful design that will right into your kitchen.

Our In-Depth Review:

The Zojirushi BB-HAC10 is built with a 1 lb. maximum baking capacity, making it the ideal bread machine for small households, to enjoy delicious loaves of well-baked bread. Its automatic function eliminates all the effort of mixing, kneading, and baking. All you have to do is pour in the ingredients, choose your preferred setting, and click on the start button.

It comes with eight baking settings that give you a wide variety to choose from; basic bread, French bread, cookie/pasta dough, and even baking cakes and jam, etc. A crust control setting allows you to tinker with how the final baked bread looks and feels, between light, medium, and dark.

It also comes with a non-stick baking pan and kneading paddle, making clean-up after baking as easy as possible. No need to battle with tough stains or char. Just a little soap, or some minutes in the dishwasher, and they are ready for the next baking. Keep a close eye on the baking as it happens, through a transparent viewing window in the lid. This allows you to monitor your bread without having to turn off the machine and open it.

Having bread ready exactly when you want it to, is one of the qualities that make modern bread machines stand out, and this bread maker embodies that quality well. A delay timer keeps the ingredients on hold until exactly when you have pre-programmed the baking to start, enabling you to plan your meals to fit into your schedule.

All the automatic functions and programmable settings on the Zojirushi BB-HAC10 are all thanks to a precision control system that allows you to produce a huge variety of flour products, exactly how you want them to turn out. An easy-to-read LCD digital display backed by button controls allows you to make settings quickly and set the delay timer up to the minute for more precise planning.

Conclusion:

The Zojirushi BB-HAC10 is a compact, mini bread machine that is a good buy for single home runners or small households, who are willing to spend extra for a portable and handy bread maker from a well-known brand.

6. Cuisinart CBK-200 – Convection Bread Maker

Cuisinart is one brand that has consistently delivered amazing home products, and this bread maker certainly does not fall short.

Introducing the Cuisinart CBK-200, this convection bread machine takes home baking to the next level with innovative features that emphasize great food versatility, uniform heating, and chef assistance.

All these features are designed to ensure the best-looking and most tasty loaves every time.

Even more impressive is its reliability to pick up from it stopped after a brief power outage, without the need to reprogram it.

Our In-Depth Review:

The Cuisinart CBK-200 comes with an impressive 2 lb. baking capacity that makes it highly adaptable for both small and large-scale baking needs. Having friends or family around, this machine will bake quickly and in bulk to feed all hungry mouths. One of the special features of this bread maker is its very versatile baking options.

Low-carb and gluten-free options make it the ideal choice for health-sensitive baking. What’s more? It has all it takes to handle dough for pizza, and pasta, and also bake cakes.

The Cuisinart CBK-200 stands out with its innovative convective heating system. Most other bread machines use heating elements placed under or around the baking pan, and many times suffer from uneven baking. The convective system in it forces the hot air through the whole baking chamber, allowing for an excellent, properly textured, and thoroughly baked loaf.

When it’s time to add mix-ins or knead the mixed dough by hand, for a more homemade feel, it will let you know with an audible alarm you are sure not going to miss.

All the internal components of this mini bakery are housed in a lightweight, tough stainless steel casing. This contributes to its overall portability and ensures its impact and shock resistance.

Curiosity is a basic instinct of every chef, and it nurtures that side of us. A viewing window allows you to keep an eye on what’s happening in the chamber. So whether you are trying to check for proper forming, or just enjoy watching the mixing or baking process, you can do all that without having to open the lid.

The casing also features welded carrying handles that allow you to move this bread maker to wherever it needs to be. Rubber feet also ensure a good grip on the floor and minimize swaying during the mixing or kneading process.

Having fresh bread ready exactly when you need it is one of the qualities of the Cuisinart CBK-200. It comes with a delay timer that allows you to pre-program when the baking starts to fit right into your schedule. Wake up or come back from work to the lovely aroma of freshly-baked loaves that will surely please your taste buds. Should a power failure occur, it is reliable to retain its baking memory for up to 15 minutes and pick up right from where it stopped when electricity is restored.

Conclusion:

The Cuisinart CBK-200 bread machine comes with a host of features that emphasize great baking capacity and uniform heating. It is indeed a great buy if you want a heavy-duty bread maker to add to your kitchen without spending a fortune.

7. KBS Pro – Stainless Steel Bread Machine

Seventh on our list is the KBS Pro Stainless Steel Bread Machine. The amazing features that come with it secure its place as one of the best on the market.

From a super user-friendly control interface and hands-off baking to impressive capacity and ergonomic features, this bread maker embodies state-of-the-art bread baking.

Built for aesthetic appeal and superb functionality, this appliance will fit nicely into your kitchen, and not just for show, but also make sumptuous bread loaves each and every time.

Our In-Depth Review:

The KBS Pro Bread Machine is designed with your convenience in mind. All the mixing, kneading, and baking effort are taken from you. The high temperatures in the oven are sufficient to fuse char and dough particles to conventional baking pans, but not this one. The unique, non-stick ceramic baking pan that comes with it is patented by the company and enables easy cleaning like never before.

One thing that makes the KBS Pro Bread Machine stand out from others is its control hub. User convenience is continually emphasized this bread maker comes with touch buttons that allow seamless control with the lightest tap. Precise control is achievable, thanks to a digital display that gives you real-time data on the settings and helps you navigate quickly. The delay timer on it allows you to pre-plan meals to fit right into your schedule.

And an automatic warming function backs the delay timer, ensuring your bread or cake stays warm after baking. This is a great feature if, for instance, you wake up late, come back late from work, or have to step out urgently.

What’s great about the KBS Pro Bread Machine is its variable loaf capacity. From as little as 1lb. loaves to as heavy as 2.2 lb. loaves, this bread maker is a great fit for both small and larger households. Baking versatility is the hallmark of modern mini bakeries, and it still stands impressive.

It comes with 17 pre-programmed baking options that span different bread types. This makes it a great mini bakery for people in different parts of the world. You can also adjust the crust level from light on one end, to medium, and dark on the other end.

The KBS pro bread machine is great on both the inside and outside. While it comes with great internal features and functionality, it is equally well-designed on the exterior. Housed in a lightweight, dent-resistant stainless steel body, it is lightweight and impact resistant.

The lid is made of tempered glass that provides mechanical protection and aesthetic appeal to fit, right on your kitchen cabinet. A viewing window in the lid allows you visual access to monitor the baking process in real-time, and make judgment calls whenever may need be.

This bread machine also comes with valuable accessories that are sure to save you the trip to the grocery store. They include; a measuring cup, a measuring, a baking pan hook, the mix-in dispenser, and a stirring rod.

Conclusion:

The KBS Pro Bread Machine is a well-designed mini bakery and comes at a good price. If you need a handy, unique mini bakery, with a modern look and controls, then this bread maker is a must-have.

8. T-fal 7211001527 – With Crust Control

The T-fal 7211001527 is a well-designed bread machine that comes with impressive power and functionality in a compact unit. A lightweight, solid casing, a host of ergonomic features, and automated controls are brag points on this bread maker that truly make it top of the line.

Baking has long evolved from hours of manual effort in mixing and kneading. Just measure the ingredients, choose your desired settings, and hit the start button.

Before long, your kitchen will be filled with the sweet aroma of well-baked bread that will get your taste buds tingling and definitely not disappoint them!

Our In-Depth Review:

All the baking power of this bread maker comes from a 700 Watts heating element. This impressive power is sufficient to thoroughly bake bread, cakes, etc. evenly. The adjustable baking capacity on it makes it highly adaptable to both small and larger households. So whether you are baking for yourself and a few people, or are going all the way with family and friends, the 1, 1.5, and 2.0-pound loaf settings will come in handy.

Whether you like light colors or darker shades, the crust control feature allows you to adjust your bread skin texture as you want. This ensures bread that is not only delicious but also tantalizing to look at.

Precision controls are what make modern mini bakeries stand out from their predecessors. All the functions of this device are under your control, thanks to an advanced module on top. Easy-to-click buttons backed with a digital display give you all the control at your fingertips. This machine will handle mixing, kneading, and baking without any needed input from you.

The delay timer it comes with allows you to pre-program just when the baking starts, allowing you to pre-plan your meals, no matter how tight your schedule gets. After baking is done, you may forget or have to get somewhere quickly. No worries. This machine will keep your loaf warm and ever-ready automatically until you take it out.

The T-fal 7211001527 is an impressively lightweight mini bakery, thanks to its low-density, yet high-strength stainless steel and plastic body. What’s more? You can also keep a close eye on the baking process through a tempered glass viewing window in the lid. Its bakes easily, but also cleans easily.

The baking pan is non-stick, meaning no need to spend precious effort and time scrubbing to get rid of particles. Just a little wipe or a few minutes in the dishwasher, and it’s ready for your next bake.

All you need to begin baking right away are included with this device; a measuring cup and spoon, a kneading paddle, a baking panhandle, and a recipe book for the absolute beginner chef.

Conclusion:

T-fal 7211001527 is a bread machine that comes with a ton of amazing features that foster quick, easy, and fresh baking. It is indeed a good buy if you are willing to spend a bit extra for a highly adaptable bread maker and don’t mind 16 inches of height.

9. Breville BBM800XL – With Multiple Features

Breville is one company that makes reputable products, and this bread maker sustains the trend. The Breville bbm800xl is the ninth bread machine on our list and comes with amazing features that make it stand as one of the best machines on the market.

When it comes to raw power and functionality, this titan stands at the top. Its impressive size makes it the ideal bread maker for large households.

All its functions are designed with just your convenience in mind, taking as much baking effort as possible from you, and making for a hands-free experience.

Our In-Depth Review:

The Breville bbm800xl is one machine built for power. A powerful 830 Watts heating element provides all the baking powder to make efficient preparation of bread and cakes of all sizes. A special feature that comes with this bread maker is its four loaf size settings. Unlike most bread machines that are limited to three sizes, it provides awesome adaptability with 1-pound, 1-and-a-half-pound, 2-pound, and 2-and-a-half-pound settings. So whether making loaves for just you or many mouths, this machine is up to the task.

The kneading paddle is also collapsible and will retract before baking starts to reduce the impression on the bottom of the bread.

The control hub of this device is its major selling point. It consists of smooth, round dials for adjusting the settings, and a beautiful lighted LCD display that helps you navigate the different options. On the LCD screen is a host of readings, including; the countdown time remaining, the crust setting, size, and knead progress. It also comes with an audible alarm to signal you when the loaf is done and allows you to make modifications quickly, whenever needed.

The 13 baking options offered by the Breville bbm800xl make it the perfect bread machine for just about anyone. Great for people in different parts of the world or who like to experiment with new recipes, it allows for quick baking of bread with different ingredients. Crust control settings allow you to determine how your loaf will turn out. From light to medium to dark, it’s all in your power.

An included recipe book makes a great match for novice bakers who want to try out something new. The instructions are easy to follow and will yield fantastic results, every time.

The Breville bbm800xl comes in a lightweight, tough stainless steel casing that provides support and protection for all its internal components. It contributes to the overall portability of this bread maker and is dent-resistant.

It also comes with a viewing window in the lid that allows you a real-time assessment of the baking process without having to open the lid and waste heat. The rubber-coated feet provide the necessary solid footing by maintaining an impressive grip on your cabinet or tile surface and minimizing the risk of falling.

Conclusion:

The Breville bbm800xl is a top-of-the-line bread maker that sports a unique design, impressive power, and great functionality features. While you should be prepared to dish out some good money to purchase it, it sure is certainly worth it.

10. SKG 2LB – With 19 Pre Sets

Last on your list of bread machines is the SKG 2LB Automatic Programmable Machine. We have seen a wide variety of products and this bread maker closes with a nice bang. Built for impressive functionality and food versatility, it is the ideal option for home bread baking.

Precision controls allow you to make bread exactly how you want it, and when you want it. It also comes with a host of ergonomic features that emphasize user convenience both before, during, and after baking.

An icon of aesthetic appeal, this will fit right into your kitchen.

Our In-Depth Review:

The SKG 2LB Automatic Programmable Machine stands out with an impressive 19 bread settings, making for a highly versatile unit for just about anyone in any part of the world. So if you enjoy trying out new bread recipes, this bread maker has been designed just for you. It supports three loaf sizes that allow it to be used for light 1 lb. baking heavier 2 lb. baking for larger households and 1.5 lb. for somewhere in between. Tweak how your bread will look using the crust settings that give you options of light, medium, and dark crusts.

This gives you the ability to make intuitive decisions if need be on modifications to the settings without losing gathered heat in the baking chamber.

A precision control hub is at the heart of this bread maker and serves as the portal to relay your commands. A soft button control module features easy-to-click buttons to allow you to make the necessary settings. An LCD display allows you to navigate the settings options and choose what you want. On hitting the start button, the effort is taken from you, and delicious bread will be ready in under two hours.

A lightweight stainless steel casing houses all the internal components and provides the necessary protection and support. The body is dent and impact-proof, meaning it will still remain in optimum working condition should it accidentally drop from a small height. The casing sits on rubber-coated feet for improved grip. This ensures that it remains grounded even during mixing and kneading, minimizing the risk of slippage and falling.

Baking delicious bread is one thing, but doing so at your convenience is another. The SKG 2LB Automatic Programmable Machine comes with a delay timer that allows you to pre-set the time baking commences, allowing you to fit your meals right into your schedules. Nothing beats waking up or coming back from a hectic day at work to a delicious, steamy loaf. An auto-warming feature ensures the loaf stays steamy, even after the baking is done until you take it out.

A very great feature is its power failure backup system. The electronic circuit is designed to retain the baking information for up to 15 minutes after a power failure, allowing it to pick up right from where it stopped, without having to reset it again.

Conclusion:

The SKG 2LB Automatic Programmable Machine is the perfect bread maker for both small and large households. Fairly priced and highly functional, it is a great buy if you want a bread maker that can easily make many types of bread with optimum convenience.

Bread Machine – Buyer’s Guide

What is a bread machine?

Bread is a very popular staple food eaten in more than 50% of the different cultures in the world. This popular meal is mostly produced in large quantities for commercial purposes, but the Bread maker has created a new narrative around the production of bread. This game-changer- bread maker has created avenues for the meal to be created within the home and consumed in very fresh conditions.

A bread-making machine or what is called the bread maker is a home appliance that runs the production of bread from mixing to baking within a compact space. The appliance is a portable prosumer appliance that helps consumers double as a producer.

The bread maker was designed with an inbuilt bread pan that doubles as the mixing bowl, positioned midway through the bread maker just above the electric motor and oven; a control panel for inputting settings, usually at the top of the machine for ease of use; electric motors to control the built-in paddle(s) for mixing and kneading; the oven which is usually always at the bottom of the appliance; and finally the lid on top of the bread maker which usually has a hollow- the steam vent through which steam escapes and is made from glass to enable the user monitor the baking progress. The bread maker is the ultimate option for small quantities, of homemade bread.

Bread-making machines are not recent, but the present upgrades to the recent models are increasing their chances of use and acceptance in the market. It is a great feat that you are deciding to join the move too.

Note that while most bread makers can make varieties of bread, some bread makers are what you’ll call specialists. They deal in the production of just one type or very few. Talking about types of bread makers, there are a lot of them given the product they produce.

There is the vertical bread maker that features just one kneading paddle. The pan is vertically-shaped and so the bread baked comes out vertically shaped too.
The Horizontal bread maker just like the vertical produces horizontally-shaped bread because of the positioning of the pan but has two kneading paddles. The bread here looks like what you’ll buy in the market.

The small bread maker is bread maker is designed for minimalist kitchen spaces. They produce bread for a maximum of two people.
The large Bread maker you can already guess is the opposite of the small bread maker. It can produce 3 lb loaves of bread for a large family of six people at a go. Some large breadmakers even have double pans.

Lastly is the specialist bread maker. They are designed to bake a particular type of bread. An example is the gluten-free bread maker. It is designed for people with healthy bread-eating culture.

The settings of the bread maker allow for just gluten-free bread.

How Does a Bread machine work?

Now that you understand exhaustively what a bread machine is, I’m sure you can definitely spot one when you see it in the market or in a friend’s kitchen. Let’s get going to see how the machine actually works.

There is no big deal to the operation of the bread machine. Since the bread machine is a home appliance and produces in very little quantity, it cuts out a lot of complexity posed by mills. It is compact and combines the process of mixing, kneading rising and baking in one and does this in no time.

The bread machine is started with a switch. But before it comes on, it is important that you get the tin (pan) out of the machine, clean it, measure the ingredients, and pour in your recipe with the liquids first.

Once all the ingredients are in, you can then return the tin back into the machine, fix it in the kneading paddle, input the baking settings on the control panel, and close the lid. This is all you are expected to do, nowhere is how the machine works afterward.

The machine having gotten unmixed ingredients will first get to the mixing and kneading part of the job. The electric motor comes on, controlling the movement of the kneading paddle(s). At this point, you’ll hear subtle noises of the motor, and the paddle against the dough. You can view this process as it unfolds if your machine has a glass lid. The kneading process takes a bit of time depending on the quantity and content of the recipe. Once the kneading is done, the machine goes a bit quiet. Now is the time for the kneaded dough to rise.

At the rising stage, the air vent is opened up to allow for air to come into the pan to aid rising. Note that only a few bread machines have air vents. The temperature within the machine becomes warmer for fast-rising.

This usually doesn’t take more than an hour, before the noise of kneading comes up again, but now it for a shorter while.

From the second kneading process, the oven takes over. More heat is turned on and you can begin to see steam ooze out of the steam vent on the lid.

With this, the baking process begins and in little or no time, the kitchen will get consumed by the aroma of baking bread. The bread machine bakes according to the instructions you give via the electronic control pan. Once the machine is done, the steam and noise will come to a halt and it automatically powers off. At this point, you should get the bread out of the machine and leave it to cool off for about 30 minutes before eating.

Who needs a bread machine?

A bread machine is meant for people who enjoy making their own food. Bread is a flexible meal that can be made into any flavor, texture, shape, or size. For people who love the magic that can be created with bread and do not want to limit their taste buds to the few varieties in the market, or do not have the resources to search for these scarce, and expensive bread types, the bread machine is for you.

Another category of people for whom the bread machine was made is people who only enjoy taking freshly made bread. Sometimes you do not just trust the taste of bread in the market or its shelf life, and making bread for your family is not so much of a big deal to you.

Another category of people who should get the bread machine is novice bakers who are still in the process of learning to bake and cannot run the cost of getting industrial bread mills and equipment yet.

But in general, the machine is made for every home, to put you in the place of a producer, to produce all the bread variants that your hands are itching to make, and your buds dying to try.

Features to consider when choosing a bread machine

There are a thousand and one different bread machines in the market, your choice of which to buy should be informed by the following factors:

The size

This is depending on why you are buying the machine in the first place. If you intend to bake for a large family or are hosting a get-together of more than five people then the large machine with 3- Ib bread capacity will be fine, but if the goal is to bake for a smaller group then the small to a medium-sized machine producing between 1 to 2- Ib bread capacity is just fine.

The available commands on the control panel

The ability of a bread maker to produce variety is dependent on the available commands on the electronic panel. Before you buy, ask questions about the capabilities of the machine and read the manual too.

The average time it takes to bake

Some machines bake faster than others. Some very modern bread makers bake in less than an hour, while others will need three hours to bake. Look out for machines that will help optimize your time.

Extra features available

Asides from basic baking features, some bread machines offer other features like the inbuilt memory to help them keep working for a few minutes after a power seizure, some other machines have delayed start outs where you can load the machine with the mixtures and set a time for it to begin baking. This is useful for over-the-night baking, so the bread is ready at the perfect time without inspection from you.

There’s the ‘keep warm’ feature that some bread maker models have. Just look out for these features.

Machine type

Be sure you are getting what you need. Choose between a specialist or a multipurpose bread machine.

The outer case

Invest in bread makers whose outer case is able to withstand heat and makes it safe for the bread maker to be handled while it is working.

Other things you can make in a bread maker

Yea, bread makers can make other things asides from bread, though not all bread makers can. But there is a long list of other things that can be made with a bread maker, some of them are:

• Dough for pizza and pancakes
• Jam
• Pasta dough
• Casserole
• Japanese rice cake
• Fruit Or Vegetable Butters
• Cakes
• Rice dishes
• Delicious Tomato Sauce.

What bread capacity should I look for

When choosing a bread maker be concerned about the size of the pan. To be on the safe side, get a bread maker with 2 –an lb bread capacity. It is a medium-sized bread capacity and will produce enough for at least three people.

Advantages of using a bread machine

There are over a hundred reasons to buy and use the home appliance, few of the important ones are succinctly listed here. Get mesmerized by the extra quality of life that you’ll gain with having a bread machine.

• You get to rid your body of stale-looking bread with your bread machine.
• Enjoy the luxury of having hot bread, eggs, and beverage. Nothing beats this as a good start to your day.
• You get to control your food intake, especially for people with allergies or particular health conditions.
• It is convenient. No messy spills, no need for manual kneading. Just the right quantity and right programming with the push of a button.
• It is cheaper to make than buy.
• You get to enjoy varieties of bread.

Tips for getting the best out of a bread machine

• You could try adding Vinegar to your home-baked bread. What this does is act as a preservative, to keep your bread fresh for a longer period. At the end of preparing the bread, the taste of the vinegar would have been lost on the bread, and only the acid will be left as a preservative.
• To achieve soft-textured bread, you can add milk, buttermilk, or yogurt to your mix.
• Not all bread makers work the same way, they all have features that are peculiar to them, so before you start using the bread maker, study the user manual to know the limitations and strengths of the model you bought.
• If you are trying out a new recipe that requires that you have milk in the bread, do not program the bread machine on a long mixing cycle, it could affect the outcome of the bread.

FAq’s related to the bread machines

If you need more info, have a look at these other great bread maker buying guides by The Spruce Eats, Food Network, and Food & Wine.