If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
Best Overall
KBS Pro Stainless Steel Bread Machine
Best Upgrade
Zojirushi Home Bakery Virtuoso Plus
Best for a Basic Loaf
Panasonic Breadmaker SD-R2550
Best for Monitoring Your Bread
Breville The Custom Loaf Bread Maker
Keen to enjoy homemade bread but put off by all the kneading by hand, flouring, and yeast-starting that comes with it? Then using one of our tested bread makers that does the hard graft for you—like the KBS Pro ($150) or Zojirushi Home Bakery Virtuoso Plus ($400)—may just be your ticket to carb heaven. A great way to liven up a club sandwich or add heart to a hot soup, homemade, unprocessed bread not only tastes great but can be easily made in one of the latest bread makers in just a few simple steps.
With a good bread maker, you can produce a generously sized 1-pound basic tin loaf in around four hours from start to finish, which is ideal for slicing up and popping in one of our recommended toasters. Bread makers come with various settings for bread styles beyond your standard loaf too—with French, gluten-free, whole wheat, and sweet options such as banana and date loaf all just a “set and forget it until it’s ready” step away. Some bread machines also have settings for making pizza and pasta dough or fruit jam, which is great if you’re feeling even more adventurous in the kitchen.
“Time and temperature are essential in bread baking, and consistency is one of the biggest variances we face as bakers,” Peter Edris, head baker at New York’s artisan Frenchette Bakery, told WIRED when we asked him how he creates the perfect loaf. “If you want to make good bread, then you need to have the right equipment for the job—invest in a good scale, a good thermometer, and time everything.” Without a team of professional bakery staff on hand, we embraced the shortcut solution to domestic bliss and called in a range of the latest bread makers to test. Here we’ve highlighted our favorite designs, included tips on what to consider before you buy, and shared expert advice on how to get the best from your home bakes.
Power up with unlimited access to WIRED. Get best-in-class reporting that’s too important to ignore for just $2.50 $1 per month for 1 year. Includes unlimited digital access and exclusive subscriber-only content. Subscribe Today.
How Does a Bread Maker Work?
Bread makers are boxy in design with controls to the side of the opening where a bread pan sits. You simply load your ingredients for the bread recipe you want to follow and set it to run through the process—mixing and kneading the dough, letting it rise in its warm environment, and baking—all right inside the machine. Your standard bread recipe will include yeast, dry ingredients, fats, and water or liquids. Making sure your ingredients are loaded in the correct order is key to creating a well-risen loaf. We found that the order of ingredients differed depending on the bread maker’s recipe, so you should double-check this before you start—Breville suggests you load wet ingredients first, whereas the Panasonic model we tried suggested dry ingredients first, for example.
A collapsible kneading paddle inside should lower when the bread starts to bake; otherwise you’ll have to hook it out yourself when the bread is baked. An automatic dispenser can mix in other ingredients such as fruit, nuts, and seeds if needed, but don’t expect perfectly even results. Like Robert De Niro in Casino when he complains about the uneven number of blueberries in his muffin, you might be disappointed with this feature.
WIRED contributor Emily Peck is a journalist who’s been writing about food for 20 years. WIRED editor Kat Merck has been cooking and baking for almost 30 years and has line-edited and recipe-tested three bread cookbooks, including a James Beard Award winner.
With orders to eat freshly baked bread for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, we ignored our carb curfew and set about prepping loaves in the most popular bread makers we could find online. We made a standard white loaf inside each design and experimented with the extra settings where available. We rated each model on flexibility, performance, and convenience and assessed how tasty the results were.
What to Consider When Buying a Bread Maker
- Bread settings: Most bread makers offer a basic bread setting that lets you produce a standard 1-lb loaf (or 2 lbs in the case of the Zojirushi) in under four hours. You can often find a rapid setting for under two hours, but most bakers will confirm that patience is a virtue when it comes to producing quality results. You’ll also find more artisanal bread settings for recipes such as sourdough and French bread.
- Size and crust color: You can adjust the controls to get the perfect loaf size and crust color. This varies from model to model, averaging from a 1-lb loaf to anything up to 2.5 lbs.
- Timing: A delay-start timer is useful, as you can load your ingredients and set the bread maker to come on at a certain time—so you can wake up to fresh bread in the morning, for example. Some machines include a keep-warm setting that lasts up to an hour.
- Viewing window: If you want to be able to monitor your bread through the stages, choose a bread maker with a viewing window that allows you to see inside. Some designs such as the Breville bread maker also have a light that you can switch on and off as needed.
- Useful extras: Measuring your ingredients correctly is key to getting an expertly crafted loaf, so if you don’t have a separate weighing scale or measuring cup, look for a bread maker that comes with useful weighing accessories as part of the set. A measuring spoon for adding yeast tends to come as standard in the bread makers we tried, as does a quick-start recipe guide. Most models come with a separate recipe booklet or a recipe app to inspire you further.
- Nonstick coatings in your bread pan: Nonstick coatings aren’t generally considered a health risk unless they are significantly damaged or heated to extreme temperatures. (Most bread makers cook below 350 degrees Fahrenheit.) If you have any concerns about the nonstick coatings in your bread pan, look for those that are Teflon-, BPA- and PTFE-free for peace of mind.
6 Expert Tips for Baking Bread
Erik Fabian, cofounder of Sourhouse specialty sourdough tools, shares his top baking tips
- Weigh your ingredients for the most consistent baking results. Flour changes in volume depending on the humidity level of your environment.
- Spend five minutes learning “baker’s math” and the related concept of hydration. That means using ratio-based formulas instead of recipes based on the total amount of flour in a bread. A dough formula with 65 percent hydration is the same whether it is 1,000 grams of flour with 650 grams of water or 500 grams of flour and 325 grams of water. Baker’s math empowers you to scale and invent new breads on the fly.
- Explore sourdough baking. It’s an easy and fun way to incorporate fermented foods into your diet. And it will unlock new worlds of flavor. Making a sourdough starter is a project that takes as little as seven days.
- Be kind to yourself and take pride in your bread. Your most mediocre loaf will be way better than anything you buy at the store wrapped in plastic.
- Bake bread with kids. Baking is one of the most fun ways to be in the kitchen with kids. They love mixing up ingredients and smooshing doughs into pizzas and rolling out bagels. It is a simple way to teach basic math as well.
- Always make an extra loaf and give it away. It will make you the most popular person on your block.
-
Photograph: Kat Merck
Best Overall
KBS Pro Stainless Steel Bread Machine
The KBS Pro is one of the best bread machine values out there. It’s truly got it all—a dizzying array of settings, different loaf-size options (1, 1.5, and 2 lbs), and an automatic fruit-and-nut dispenser—for half the cost of pricier models. Further, it’s one of the few bread machines to have a ceramic-coated pan free of potential PFOAs. I inherited this machine from my parents, who used it happily or without incident for several years. (Their kitchen could no longer accommodate the sizable counter footprint.)
There are 17 preset programs for jam, yogurt, and all manner of bread styles, from French and whole wheat to gluten-free, though none of the breads I tried turned out nearly as well as the standard white loaf. If you’re in the market for gluten-free or other specialty options, you might do better with a higher-end machine like the Zojirushi below. If you’re sticking with the basics, though, the KBS handles standard white and wheat loaves with aplomb. They end up oddly ball-shaped but have consistently excellent flavor and crumb, browned to the specifications of one of three browning presets. The machine also features a 15-hour timer delay in case users would like fresh bread in the mornings, plus an ample-sized viewing window to observe the dough rising or baking. The ceramic pan is also quite easy to clean. In fact, I have no complaints with this machine other than the stirring/kneading cycle’s being quite loud and potentially disruptive depending on where the machine is placed, measuring in at 56 decibels on my decibel meter. —Kat Merck
Dimensions: 16.1 x 11 x 15.7 inches Number of settings: 17 Useful extras: 3 loaf sizes, 3 crust colors Automatic dispenser (for fruit and nuts?): Yes Bread size: 1 lb, 1.5 lb, or 2 lb Delay start timer: Yes (15 hours) Wattage: 710 watts -
Photograph: Kat Merck
Best Upgrade
Zojirushi Home Bakery Virtuoso Plus
Japanese manufacturer Zojirushi is renowned for its rice cookers, so it’s not a surprise that it makes one of the most thoughtfully designed and user-friendly bread machines on the market. It’s a bit of a behemoth, but this is to accommodate two mixing paddles and two heaters to produce perfectly shaped 2-lb loaves. (Though keep in mind it only makes 2-lb loaves; if you have a smaller family or aren’t interested in freezing slices for future use, you may want to stick with a smaller machine.)
The included 35-page recipe book is especially detailed and easy to follow, including instructions for standard and specialty breads (gluten-free, sugar-free, salt-free, vegan); cakes; and doughs for pasta, bagels, doughnuts, and pizza. There’s even an option for making meatloaf in the machine. It’s practically a kitchen in a box—it even comes with a set of measuring cups and spoons. While the standard bread loaves are comparable to those baked in other machines, where the Zojirushi really shines are its doughs and specialty breads. I’ve been working my way through the recipe booklet and have yet to make a dud. I also especially like the machine’s ability to knead stiffer doughs (like bagels) that can be too much for a lighter-duty stand mixer, as well as its quiet operation—even the loudest kneading setting topped out at 43 decibels. —Kat Merck
Dimensions: 18 x 10.5 x 12.9 inches Number of settings: 15 Useful extras: Sourdough starter, dough, and custom memory settings; comes with measuring cups, measuring spoons, and a 50-page recipe book Automatic dispenser (for fruit and nuts?): No Bread size: 2 lb Delay start timer: Yes (13 hours) Wattage: 700 watts
-
Photograph: Emily Peck
Best for a Basic Loaf
Panasonic Breadmaker SD-R2550
Knowing that Panasonic brought out the first self-contained bread machine for home use in Japan in 1986, I had high hopes for this machine when making bread in it for the first time. Sadly, my first attempt was a complete flop. I loaded my ingredients and waited patiently for four hours for the basic-bread setting to produce the goods, only to find that it came out uncooked and in much the same form as I had loaded the ingredients. After a bit of troubleshooting, I realized I hadn’t put the bread pan in correctly. There’s a knack to it whereby you need to push down the bread pan, twist, and lock it into place before turning the machine on. My second attempt was much more successful, as it’s easy when you know how.
There are 20 preset modes here (the latest SKYR2550 UK version has 31), although I was happy with just four as my go-to, including the basic option, a French, brioche, and the sourdough setting. The set comes with useful accessories such as a specific spoon and cup to make a sourdough starter. With three loaf sizes, three crust color settings, and a fruit-and-nut dispenser, it is flexible. Unlike the shiny LCD display of the Breville (reviewed below), the control panel on this model is basic, and there’s no viewing window to snoop in on your bread. But simplicity works well here. The machine is easy to navigate, looks stylish on the countertop, and produces great results.
Dimensions: 14.3 x 16 x 9.9 inches Number of settings: 20 Useful extras: 3 crust colors, 3 size options, measuring cup, spoon, sourdough cup and spoon Automatic dispenser (for fruit and nuts?): Yes Bread size: “medium,” “large,” and “extra large” up to 2 lbs Delay start timer: No Wattage: 550 watts -
Photograph: Emily Peck
Best for Monitoring Your Bread
Breville The Custom Loaf Bread Maker
With its signature brushed stainless-steel finish, this Breville bread maker (known as Sage in the UK) looks professional. It comes with a smart LCD display that looks far more high-tech than any of the other bread maker displays we’ve seen in our roundup and is also easy to navigate. It comes with nine custom settings so you can create and store your favorites, plus 12 preset modes for baking bread such as whole wheat or gluten-free.
It also has an automatic fruit-and-nut dispenser on top and a viewing window complete with light that allows you to easily monitor the bread as the collapsible paddle mixes and kneads and the bread rises. There is a lot of information in the “quick-start” manual. I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, but I found it gave me far more information than I needed for a quick start. I really enjoyed using this machine, although it did get quite noisy and shook a little while it was ramping up the paddle—measuring 61.6 decibels at one point. Unfortunately, it didn’t come with a measuring spoon or cup in the box, so I had to use my own. I found the control panel simple to use and was able to flick between three crust colors and choose from four bread sizes from 1 lb to 2.7 lbs. My white bread, rye, and whole-wheat loaves all came out perfectly square and nicely crusty with light and fluffy centers.
Dimensions: 13.3 x 16.4 x 9.6 inches Number of settings: 12 preset modes and 9 custom settings Useful extras: 4 loaf sizes, 3 crust colors Automatic dispenser (for fruit and nuts?): Yes Bread size: Four sizes up to 2.5 lbs Delay start timer: Yes Wattage: 830 watts
-
Photograph: Emily Peck
Best for Oven-Baked Bread
KitchenAid Bread Bowl with Baking Lid
If you’ve already got a KitchenAid 4.5- or 5-quart tilt-head Stand Mixer, you may want to invest in this stylish ceramic mixing bowl to go with it and bake your own bread in the oven. It makes sense to add to what you’ve got rather than buy a completely new appliance, after all. I love how stylish the cream ceramic bowl looks against the dusky green finish of the KitchenAid Evergreen Stand Mixer (7/10, WIRED Review), as reviewed in detail by WIRED editor Kat Merck. Its ceramic material seems a whole lot more sturdy than the walnut finish of the Evergreen, too, as the walnut finish can’t be chilled or soaked.
This KitchenAid ceramic bowl can be used to mix, knead, proof your dough, and bake a loaf all in the one bowl. I love how easy it was to transfer the bowl directly from the stand to the oven. It comes with a lid to trap in steam while you bake, and the ceramic is designed to retain heat so you get a nice, evenly baked loaf with a crispy crust. It fit neatly in my oven and can make a 1.5-lb round loaf. I love the way the lid doubles up as a presentation tray, so I could turn it upside down to decant and serve—this made for less washing up too, which is always a win in my books.
5 More Breadmakers We’d Like to Try
SAKI Bread Maker Machine for $165: This Saki bread maker comes with double kneading paddles that help to create an even texture. It has three bread sizes and can make a large 3-lb loaf in its BPA-, Teflon-, and PTFE-free nonstick ceramic pan.
Euhomy Bread Maker Machine for $130: With its stylish stainless-steel finish and LCD display control panel, this bread maker is easy to control and will blend in well with a contemporary kitchen. It has 13 preset programs, including modes for making an ultra-fast bake or yogurt.
Elite Gourmet EBM8103M Programmable Bread Maker for $74: The cool mint shade of this compact bread maker will add a pop of color to your worktop. It comes with a decent set of accessories, including a measuring cup, spoon, and metal hook for lifting out the kneading blade.
Courant 2 Lbs Automatic Bread Maker for $130: One of the more compact designs online, this bread maker has a good number of up to 15 preset programs and a 15-hour delay timer so you can wake up to freshly baked bread in the morning.
Cuisinart Bread Maker Machine for $100: A great price for a neat stainless-steel bread maker, this compact machine has a lid with a viewing window and up to 12 preset programs.