Best bread machines in 2024

Who isn’t tempted by the smell of fresh bread? There’s nothing like the delicious aroma to tempt the taste buds. And if you invest in a bread machine, you’ll enjoy all the delights of a bakery without stepping outside your front door.

A bread machine ensures that every loaf is evenly browned and perfectly risen while removing the hard work of mixing, kneading and checking for a rise. 

But with so many brands and models on the market, it can be difficult to know which one is best for you. There are certain considerations to make before you make a purchase. For instance, what capacity bread tin is best for your needs? If you’re making bread for one to two people, a bread machine with a smaller capacity will be adequate. However, if you have a family of hungry mouths, you’ll want an appliance that can make a large loaf. 

You may also want to experiment with a bread machine that offers multiple settings, such as gluten-free options and other specialist bakes. If you want to add ingredients such as nuts and fruit to your dough at the optimum time, you’ll want to choose a bread machine with an automatic dispenser. 

Size will also be a consideration, as bread machines are bulky appliances and can take up a large proportion of your countertop. So think about where it will be stored. Price comes into the equation too. Bread machines can range from as little as $50 right up to $400, so weigh up exactly what features you will use frequently. 

We’ve selected some of the best bread machines to suit every kitchen, lifestyle and budget.

For a picture-perfect loaf every time, you can’t beat the Zojirushi Home Bakery Virtuoso Plus. Whether you opt for classic white or hearty whole wheat, it will come out with a rounded top, a crispy but not tough crust, and a tender crumb. The Virtuoso Plus is the best bread machine for sophisticated bakers as it has a setting for making a sourdough starter and another that allows you to program in your own recipes. Plus, you have a selection of 3 crust colors. When it’s the optimal time to add cranberries or walnuts, the machine beeps to remind you.  

The bright LCD display is easy to program and unlike those on other bread machines, it tells you what time your bread will be done, rather than how much time is left. That means you don’t have to do math in your head but rather see exactly when your pumpernickel will be ready to be slathered with butter. 

Depending on your bread making needs, the Zojirushi does come in at the top end, so if you are looking to make the occasional loaf or are new to bread making, you might prefer to invest in a less expensive model to start. 

If you’re looking for a beautifully designed machine with a lot of fancy features, you’ll love the Breville the Custom Loaf. It can make a loaf that’s up to 2 1/2 pounds, among the largest of any electric bread baker. It has 13 settings, including one for an extra-crusty loaf and another for gluten-free bread, making this one of the best bread machines around.

The Breville is pricey but has a lot of nice extras including some you won’t find on any other machine. There’s a dispenser that automatically adds the fruits, nuts, or chocolate chips so you can truly set and forget it, regardless of your recipe.  Although be warned, if you’re making a large loaf, the extra ingredients probably won’t fit into the compartment and will need to be added manually  —  but you will hear an beeping sound when the ingredients need to be added.

After it finishes kneading, the paddle folds down. That means you don’t have to extract it from your baked bread and there’s no crater in the bottom of your loaf. An interior light makes it convenient to see what’s going on inside the machine without opening the lid. It's a small feature, but it's brilliant, and will keep children entertained for hours! Like all Breville appliances, it has a plug that’s particularly easy to pull out of the socket. 

Although it’s budget friendly, the Hamilton Beach Artisan Dough & Bread Maker doesn’t skimp on settings, making it the best bread machine for budget-conscious shoppers. In addition to the typical settings including jam, cake, and gluten-free, it has some unusual ones. There’s  a cycle specifically for French bread and one for artisan dough that gives dough made with a sourdough starter an extra slow cool rise before you shape it yourself into a boule. And like virtually all models, you can set it to bake overnight; if you opt to sleep in, it will keep your bread warm. 

The Hamilton Beach has some timesaving features. When you haven’t planned ahead of time, it can whip up a loaf start to finish in under 2 hours on the Express setting. And clean-up is truly a breeze as you can chuck both the pan and the paddle in the dishwasher. Overall, it's easy to see why Artisan Dough & Bread Maker is one of the best bread machines. It's also neat and will look compact if kept on your worksurface.

The Cuisinart Compact Automatic Bread Maker takes up less space on your countertop because it’s taller than it is wide. You do, however, wind up with an unusually tall loaf that you may want to turn on its side to slice to get reasonably sized portions. So, if you're looking for a loaf to impress guests, it might not be what you're looking for, but for everyday use it's a good choice.

Even though it’s compact, this bread baker can still turn out a loaf that’s up to 2 pounds and it has a dozen settings including a special one for packaged mixes. You can control the color of your crust and when it’s the right time to add in the raisins, you’ll hear a reminder beep. 

In spite of its relatively low price, the Cuisinart is a beautifully designed brushed stainless-steel appliance. It has an interior light for checking progress without opening the lid to sneak a peek. You get a very thorough instruction manual plus a booklet with lots of appealing recipes. Add it all up and you have one of the best bread machines for the money.

No need for a giant machine if there’s only one or two of you sitting down at the dinner table. Zojirushi Home Bakery Mini Breadmaker makes an adorable cube-shaped loaf that won’t leave you with a lot of stale bread. In addition to a setting that allows you to adjust the color of your crust, it has a bread texture setting that lets you choose soft, regular, or firm. On the Zojirushi Mini Breadmaker, you will find fewer settings and there’s no gluten-free cycle. However, it does have a quick 2-hour setting if you want to bake on impulse.

The machine itself is small and lightweight, and even has a carrying handle to make it easy to stash away when you’re not using it. With its white plastic casing, it’s not a trophy appliance to dress up your counter top, but it's the best bread machine for small families. 

You can get a loaf of bread from the Oster 2 lb bread maker almost as quickly as if you drive to the store, which is one reason this appliance made our best bread machines list. Its Expressbake 1-hour setting is the fastest you’ll find on any machine. Oster does warn that loaves may come out denser and darker than you’re used to, but still you can have the pleasure of fresh-from-the-oven loaves without planning in advance.

There’s also a slightly longer 1 hour and 20 minute cycle and of course longer settings for breads and a variety of baked goods including white and whole wheat. You don’t get a gluten-free setting or settings for any other out of the ordinary bread types though. However, it does come with a 13-hour programmable baking timer, to give you the option to enjoy a fresh loaf first thing in the morning or when your return home. 

The Oster comes in basic white but is one of the cheapest machines on the market. But even at this price you get an LCD display that’s easy to program and a viewing window to take a peek at what's happening inside.

The new Sensio Bella 2lb Bread Maker gives you lots of flexibility at a super affordable price. In addition to 12 settings for all kinds of bread from basic white to whole wheat to gluten free, not to mention yogurt, jam and cake, you can vary the color of the crust, speed things up with a 2-hour cycle, and keep your freshly baked loaf warm for an hour.

The Bella has a few features you might not expect from such an inexpensive model. There’s an LCD screen for making your selections and a viewing window to check to see how your loaf is rising and baking. You get a little tool to help remove the paddle from the bottom of the loaf before slicing — this is a big help as paddles can sometimes be tricky to remove, especially if you've selected a thicker crust. As the pan is coated with a nonstick finish it is easy to clean by hand, but you can pop both it as well as the paddle in the top rack of the dishwasher, making it super convenient.

If your family goes through bread like gangbusters, you’ll want the West Bend 3 lb. Hi-Rise Bread Maker. It can make a jumbo 3lb loaf, the largest of any electric bread baker. And on those days, when only one or two are home for supper, you can make a petite 1 ½ pounder. This machine has two kneading arms, which the manufacturer claims makes for very thorough mixing, a lighter taste and a higher rise. The finished product is shaped like a traditional loaf, making it easy to slice. 

The West Bend is loaded with all of the features you expect on a bread machine, including  a dozen settings, crust color control and delay start. There is no express setting and some of the settings require up to 3 hours but the long time is a reflection of the size of loaf and may also help give a tender texture and a high rise. 

If you want to rely on your bread maker for all of the bread you eat, and you have a family, this model is certainly worth considering due to its large capacity.

The Cuisinart CBK-200 2lb Convection Bread Maker makes the list because it offers 16 settings. All of the basic programs you would expect are included, such as white, whole wheat and gluten free as well as rapid settings. But, there are several specialty options too, such as French/Italian, low carb, pizza dough, artisan dough and sweet breads. It also comes with 3 loaf size options, 1, 1.5 or 2lbs, and 3 crust color options, giving you extensive customization.

This bread machine features a unique convection design, which Cuisinart claims will circulate the air for superior crust color and texture. It doesn’t disappoint, producing loaves with good rise, shape and thick crusts, which can be where bread machines fall short. It even alerts you when to ‘Mix-in’ fruit and nuts or when you can take the dough out to shape yourself, should you choose. It’s on the noisy side, but it’s the best choice for those wanting to bake an assortment of loaves and are keen to experiment beyond the standard loaf.

How to choose the right bread machine for you

Machine size: Bread machines are bigger than you think, so checking you’ve got the space for it is imperative. Check the dimensions before you buy and measure out where you plan to sit it — remember, you will need to factor for opening the lid on top and space is needed around the machine for it to vent. It’s good practice to leave some space in front too because some machines can ‘walk’ while they knead and you don’t want it to end up on the floor. 

Loaf size: Don’t go straight for the biggest loaf size on the market. The bigger you go, the more space the machine will take up, so you could end up storing more than necessary. On top of this, you will likely waste a lot of bread if you can’t finish the loaves. Remember, there’s no preservatives in homemade bread, so it will expire quickly. If you want an idea for size — a one-pound loaf should provide eight slices, and an extra half pound will give you another four slices. 

Baking too much bread is just one of the 8 bread maker mistakes you never knew you were making. Stuck between using a bread machine vs oven? We've got the answer. 

When to replace your bread machines

Warranties for bread machines vary from one to three years, though how long your machine lasts will depend on how often you use it. You may be offered an extended warranty but we don't recommend them, as the cost of lifetime repairs are likely to be less than the cost of the warranty itself.  

If all of a sudden your bread is not coming out correctly, the problem may be related to the recipe, the ingredients, or even the temperature and humidity. It’s most likely not a problem with the machine itself. The owner’s manual or a reputable cookbook should be able to help you troubleshoot and achieve better results. To keep the paddle kneading properly, you should also make sure that both it and the area around it are thoroughly clean, so that baked-on gunk isn’t preventing it from moving. 

An acrid smell could be caused by burnt bits in the bottom of the machine, so be sure to clean under the loaf pan after every bake. If the control panel doesn’t operate correctly, the lid doesn’t close securely, or the machine simply doesn’t operate, you need to take your machine to a professional or replace it. A repair quote of more than half the price of a new bread machine is an indication that it’s time to buy a replacement.  

Features to look out for

The first thing to consider is the overall size of the bread machine. Smaller machines will take up less countertop space and will be easier to store, but this will limit the size of your loaves. That said, there are some bread machines which can produce larger loaves without taking up too much space, so pay attention to the dimensions and loaf size. If you want the largest the market has to offer, some bread machines can produce a whopping 3lb loaf. 

Gluten-free settings are widely available in bread machines now, so dietary requirements can’t hold you back from enjoying a fresh loaf. Alternative settings are also growing in popularity, including sourdough, pizza dough and sweet loaves. This versatility is great if you want to be more adventurous with your bread machine. 

If you’re baking for a picky family, then a bread machine with crust tone settings and variable size options might also be useful. This means you can better control the resulting loaf and bake exactly as much as you want. Another useful feature which has started to appear on more premium models is an automatic fruit and nut dispenser. This will dispense fruit and nuts once the machine has finished kneading so they’re baked into your loaf — a delicious addition!  

How we tested

Our guide for the best bread machines were based on extensive, consumer report research and online reviews. We rated things like power and how well each machine performed for various settings. In addition, we looked at how user-friendly and practical it was to use, design, capacity and number of extra features. 

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