The best bread maker for your kitchen
Not only does homemade bread taste better, it’s great to be able to make your own loaves when you can’t get to the store. Baking bread, however, can be a hassle — unless you have a quality bread maker to simplify the process.
With a bread maker, you just add the ingredients, adjust the settings as appropriate, press “start,” and in a matter of hours, you’ll have freshly baked bread. We’ve researched the latest advances to bring you the best bread makers.
What you need to know before buying a bread maker
There’s no point in buying a bread maker if the loaves it makes aren’t big enough to feed your family for even a day, so always check the loaf size. The majority of bread makers on the market today produce two-pound loaves, which are about the size of average store-bought loaves. However, you can find smaller models for those who don’t eat much bread or slightly bigger models for large families.
All decent bread makers should feature at least a handful of preset programs for different types of bread, such as white, whole grain, and gluten-free. You should also get to choose between light, medium, and dark crust colors, according to your preference. It’s nice to have the option to knead and prove dough without baking it, plus the ability to add mix-ins, like seeds or dried fruit, after the first rise. Bread makers are designed to make your life simpler, so they should be easy to use, with clearly marked programs and buttons for things like crust color.
With most bread makers, the kneading paddles stay in place during baking, which gives you a small yet annoying hole in your finished loaves. To avoid this, look for models with collapsible kneading paddles or ones that allow you to remove the paddles before baking.
You can find some basic bread makers for less than $50, while the most high-tech models can cost over $500.
Best bread maker FAQ
Q. Are bread makers easy to clean?
A. Most bread makers have removable nonstick pans and kneading paddles, so it’s easy to take them out of the machine to clean them. Although many manufacturers state their loaf pans and paddles are dishwasher-safe, the nonstick coating will last longer if you wash them by hand with a nonscratch sponge or cloth.
Q. How long does it take a bread maker to produce a cooked loaf?
A. Sometimes you’re prepared to wait, but other times you want your bread ready as quickly as possible. You can find bread makers with rapid settings that produce a loaf in around two to two-and-a-half hours. Standard settings, however, tend to take between three and five hours, depending on the proofing and baking times for the setting you’re using.
Best bread makers
Top bread maker
What you need to know: This stellar bread machine offers a wide range of features.
What you’ll love: It comes preloaded with 15 customized programs, including those for sugarless options, which most other bread makers lack. The dual-paddle design ensures bread is kneaded evenly.
What you should consider: Some users had difficulty navigating the controls.
Top bread maker for the money
KITCHENARM 29-in-1 SMART Bread Machine
What you need to know: This affordable model boasts a lot of features and bread options for the money.
What you’ll love: It has 29 automatic programs and 21 bread recipes. It also has cake, jam and yogurt options. It allows you to save custom settings. It has three loaf sizes and three crust color options.
What you should consider: The menu requires scrolling through all 29 options, which can be time-consuming.
Worth checking out
KBS Pro Stainless Steel Bread Machine
What you need to know: This bread machine provides all the features people love for making bread at home.
What you’ll love: It has 17 preset baking programs and a large capacity. It also has a 15-hour delay timer. It’s also very quiet. The detachable fruit and nut dispenser deposits add-ins into the dough as needed.
What you should consider: The learning curve is a bit steep.
Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.
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