We Tested the 5 Best Bread Machines for Home Kitchens

Our Favorite Bread Machine

Our favorite bread machine overall, the Zojirushi Home Bakery Virtuoso Plus, is on the pricey side, but it's worth it for a person who will use their bread maker with some frequency. It turns out gorgeous, evenly-cooked loaves with perfectly soft, golden crusts, and its versatile presets and delayed-start timer make it easy to set it and forget it. If you're looking for an equally versatile machine with a smaller footprint, we also loved the Zojirushi Home Bakery Mini.

How We Tested Bread Machines

After researching the different options on the market, we selected 21 bread machines (14 vertical and 7 horizontal) to evaluate in our lab. We tested — and then retested — our chosen models after researching and analyzing the overall functionality and features of each one. During our tests, we looked to discern which bread machines behaved optimally for the breadth of their settings, how intuitive the usage process was, and what the experience of cleaning was like. We used a combination of our own bread recipes and ones that came with the machines, and we focused on the performance consistency for both. 

In our first round of testing, we evaluated each bread machine by making classic white bread, looking for ease of release, a fluffy crumb, and a consistently golden crust color. We tracked how well, or not, the machines kneaded dough and how loud in volume they were when doing so. We also took into account what the overall experience of making bread would be like for various ability levels, from beginner to experienced baker. We made banana bread in each round of testing we performed and looked for the same qualities, but we also took note of whether the machines had an automatic add-in functionality.

Unlike our first round of testing, we added a sourdough test to our most recent lineup. Sourdough bread, with its fermented nature, is notoriously trickier to get right than a basic loaf of white bread, and it challenged some of the machines. After the sourdough was baked, we then analyzed everything from the texture of the crust to the size of the crumb. Once sliced, we tasted each loaf for red flags, like gumminess, in addition to desirable features, such as a tenderly chewy interior.  

Finally, we cleaned each machine according to the manufacturer's instructions, observing how much dough or baked bread was left behind on the paddles, whether there was any flour scattered throughout the machine, how difficult it was to take apart, and whether its parts were dishwasher-safe.

Factors to Consider

Vertical vs. Horizontal

Bread machines come in many shapes and sizes, however, they are usually oriented either vertically or horizontally. A horizontal machine will make the long loaves of bread most of us are accustomed to, and they are a great option if you have the space for them. They’re typically bulkier than vertical machines, which can make them more difficult to store. A vertical machine usually takes up less space, but the loaves it produces may be more short and square than what you're used to. It doesn't usually make much of a difference when it comes to taste, but it's something you might want to consider when shopping for your very own bread machine.

Machine Size and Capacity

Choosing the best bread maker is a matter of knowing yourself and your needs, like how big you need your loaves to be. Some machines only produce loaves of one size, whereas others allow you to produce various sizes. So, knowing how big (or small) you prefer your bread size is important. Loaf sizes can range anywhere from around 1 pound to 2.5 pounds. And as a rule, the bigger a loaf it can produce, the larger the bread machine is likely to be.

If you are short on counter space, you may want to look into a smaller model that you can easily store away in your kitchen cabinets. But if space is no object and you're a frequent baker, a bigger machine could stay out on your countertop with no problem. Your choice should be based on how many people the bread you’re making will feed, and how much storage space you have for a bread maker. 

Bake Settings and Features

Not all bread machines are created equal, and since home bakers want different things from their appliances, that may be okay. The machine that delivers 10, 1-pound gluten-free loaves a year may not be the same bread maker that makes the best 2-pound whole wheat loaf once a week. Are there specific automatic settings you’d prefer your bread maker to provide, or do you want to be able to tweak the kneading and baking period to meet the needs of your own recipes? These are all features to take into consideration when choosing the best bread machine for you.

If you want the option to make many different types of bread, as well as non-bread items, a machine with many different features is key. However, that’s less important if you’re okay to just focus on bread. Some machines come with pre-programmed settings that allow you to simply put in the ingredients and push a single button, while others are more suited to customizing your loaf. If those types of features are important to you, then you'll want to pay close attention to what settings your machine offers and whether or not they can be adjusted manually. Machines that have a range of customization options are a better bet if you’re picky about elements like your crust color.

Kneading Paddles

All bread machines have kneading paddles involved, as that’s how they perform the basic functions of mixing and kneading the dough. Some machines have only one paddle, while others (less commonly) have two paddles that work simultaneously. If you’re able to spare the storage space for a machine with two paddles, they usually provide the most even baking results possible. 

Cleaning and Storage

Lastly, how hard is it to clean the bread machine and all of its accouterments? Does it require disassembly, and are all of the pieces hand-wash only? These days, there are many bread machine models that come with dishwasher-safe parts; however, there are still plenty that don't offer that convenience. You should also consider which parts of the machine are removable and which ones aren't, as that will affect how thoroughly you can clean them.

Overall, we found bread machines quick and easy to clean. Most parts only require a quick wipe-down with a damp cloth, although there might be a few that require a bit of soaking if they're covered in sticky dough. Overall, knowing how much time and effort you wish to commit to cleaning your machine is important when looking to make an investment in a countertop bread machine.

Other Bread Machines We Tested

Strong Contenders

KBS Large 17-in-1 Bread Machine ($190 at Amazon)
We loved how easy this machine was to use, including its automatic add-in feature and its straightforward display and settings. However, due to the lackluster loaves it produced, we were not as impressed by its performance as we were by some of the other machines on this list.

Hamilton Beach Digital Bread Maker (Currently unavailable at Amazon)
Inexpensive and easy to use, we love this machine for beginner bakers. It has 12 settings and you can choose from three crust colors. Previously our best value pick, it has since been discontinued by the brand, so we can no longer include it in our list of top picks.

Breadman 2-Pound Professional Bread Maker (Currently unavailable at Amazon)
This machine is well-engineered, from its solid construction to its industrial, stainless steel design. But despite its luxury feel, we found that its performance was too inconsistent for it to rank higher on our list.

CUSIMAX 2-Pound Bread Maker (Currently unavailable at Amazon)
The CUSIMAX produced a great loaf of white bread, and we loved how easy its recipes were to follow. However, it seemed to struggle with other types of bread and didn't do a great job of fully incorporating the dry ingredients into our banana bread loaf.

Our Expertise

• Ariane Resnick is a special diet chef, certified nutritionist, and bestselling author. She has written for platforms such as Simply Recipes, The Spruce Eats, Allrecipes, Huffington Post, and Health, and, like most people, is a huge fan of homemade bread. She wrote this piece using data from our in-house lab tests.
• Food writer Christa Glennie also wrote this piece using our expert testers’ findings. She is a former restaurant professional and a passionate home cook. Her respect for simplicity and uncluttered counters fuels a desire to find and own well-designed, multi-purpose, best-in-class kitchen tools.
• Food writer Summer Rylander contributed to this piece as well. She is a food, cooking, and travel enthusiast who has been writing about food since 2018. She enjoys researching food history and learning about destinations through culinary traditions.