Best Bread Machine Reviews

Reviews of all the top brands of Bread Maker and Machine

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Breville Bread Machine Reviews

May 16, 2013 / / 0 Comments

breville bread maker

Breville are a popular bread machine manufacturer and the UK’s favorite and the leading manufacturer of small kitchen appliances in the UK. In fact not a huge amount of the Breville bread machines are easy to get hold of in the USA, compared to the UK where there are a lot of these models on the market, Bread makers aren’t their number one selling item but certainly make up a fair chunk of their sales, and the Breville machines stand up next to the other models available.

A bit of trivia before we jump right in, Breville actually introduced the sandwich toaster to the world back in the 80’s, so I think we all owe them something…

Breville BBM800XL Custom Loaf Bread Maker

We may as well jump right in at the top end of Breville’s range, the BBM800XL is an amazing model which offers a huge amount of features and could rival any bread maker on the market. It has an exceptional, hi tech LCD screen and full display offering a progress indicator to tell you how far along your bread is. Other features include…

  • Automatic fruit and nut dispenser to incorporate added ingredients at the perfect time for the perfect loaf.
  • Unique collapsible kneading paddle which mixes together the ingredients and collapses before the bake phase to minimize the holes at the base.
  • Loaf sizes all the way up to 2.5 lb, most machines only offer up to around 2 lbs.
  • An amazing 46 step by step recipes for the most possible variation in your loaves.

This bread maker has it all, claiming to be the most intelligent model ever made. Extremely sophisticated when compared to most of the market and even though it costs a fair bit, this is a purchase that wont be regretted.

Breville Twin Paddle Bread Maker

The best selling model in Breville’s homeland, the UK. This machine is a little cheaper than the above, but it is again extremely sophisticated, retailing at around £100 which is roughly $150. Futuristic silicon handles to avoid burns when removing your loaf, 13 programmes in built with their very own ‘homemade’ option, allowing you to program your own recipes to ensure the loaf you love whenever you want. Comes with two paddles for the best kneading possible, 3 different loaf sizes up to 1.5 kg and a 13 hour timer to allow for fresh bread whenever you want it, come back from work or wake up in the morning to the smell of freshly baked bread.

This, as well as the rest of the Breville range, is a very easy to use and hi tech machine that offers the perfect loaf every time.

Bread Maker Prices – How Much is a Bread Maker?

May 12, 2013 / / 0 Comments

Bread makers aren’t the cheapest item you can buy for your kitchen, and as with any appliance the price you can pay for your bread machine might well vary quite a lot from the cheapest model on the market to the most expensive. This post has been created as a guide to the prices of bread machines and makers and how much you should be paying for the best fresh loaf in the comfort of your own home.

The Budget End Of the Market

There are always going to be a few models on the market designed for those of us shopping on a budget, the lowest end of bread maker prices offers some decent options with good loaves available at around the $100 mark down to $50 at the absolute cheapest. Don’t expect a bread maker you buy for this kind of price to be all singing and dancing, but it certainly will do the job, and lets not forget that if you’re spending a lot of money on supermarket and bakery bread then you might well be saving money by buying a bread machine and using your own ingredients to home bake your bread.

Recommended at this pricing point:

This Oster Bread Machine has many abilities you would probably expect to pay a lot more money for, and is available at a bargain price (at the time of writing it is around $70 on Amazon!) With up to a 2 lb capacity this can even feed large families and definitely gets the seal of approval on our bread machine reviews site.

Mid Range Bread Machines

The Mid-Range of bread machines offering more features than the absolute basic but still not the most amazing bread maker will probably cost between $100 and $175 – for this, expect to get more in the way of settings and options to add more interest and convenience to your bread baking experience, but don’t expect to get a machine that offers to do your laundry as well as cook your bread.

High End Bread Machines

We’re talking the best of the best on the market at around $175+ up to roughly $300 (you don’t see a great deal of bread makers over the 300 buck mark). These should definitely be of an extreme high quality and if you’re parting with this sort of cash you should expect an awful lot of features.

If you’re parting with this sort of cash for your bread machine, you should think about…

The Zojirushi virtuoso. A bread machine to make your jaw drop. Offers twin kneading blades, a quick bake cycle, loads of options for different kinds of breads, additional heater for browning your crust and loads of different modes for cooking jams and other baked goods too. You’ll even get the exceptional build quality of the Zojirushi brand.

Best Low Carb Bread Machine Recipes

May 5, 2013 / / 0 Comments

Low Carb diets are extremely popular in this day and age, whether you’re trying to shake off a few pounds or it is doctor advised. Traditionally, bread is very high in carbohydrates and quite starchy, which makes it pretty bad for a diet of this nature, fortunately you don’t have to use your bread machine to make a carb-packed loaf, you can suit your eating habits with the best low carb bread machine recipes as discussed in this article.

2 lb low carb bread recipe

This has been designed for those of us making larger loaves (2 lb) but can be adapted to the smaller settings on your bread machine too.

Ingredients:

1 cup water
2 medium sized eggs
2 tablespoons margarine
4 tablespoons of sweetener (not sugar, this will not help low carb diets!)
1/2 cup ground Flax seeds
1.5 Cups gluten wheat flour (Bran and Starch removed)
2 tablespoons dried yeast
salt to taste

Preparation Instructions:

Depending largely on your bread machine, simply choose the most suitable setting, combine the ingredients and hit go! If you have one of the better bread makers this will be a really simple process. If you have a crust setting I’d suggest putting it on light for the best taste, though this is of course down to preference. Cooking outside of a bread machine? Add the ingredients in the following order; Water – Eggs – Marge – Sweetener – Flax Seeds – Vital Wheat Gluten and don’t forget to make a well for your yeast before adding it.

A Little Variation?

As with a lot of breads there is a lot you can do to add variation, try adding some granary seeds for an interesting flavor and texture or go more adventurous with some jalapenos for a bit of spice.

Recommended Bread Machine

The make of Bread machine I recommend for this particular type of bread is the Zojirushi, they’re so versatile and have a couple of settings that will bake this bread perfectly, plus a lot of their models have those really clever “fruit and nut compartments” so you can add interesting extras to your bread.

Benefits of this Recipe?

Well it wont send your blood sugars through the roof for one, which is good not only for diabetics or people with other ailments but for everyone. Many people have also had great success with low carb diets so this can be a way to aid your weight loss without having to give up the bread we all crave!

Cuisinart Bread Maker Reviews

April 27, 2013 / / 0 Comments

Cuisinart are one of the most successful and widespread manufacturers of bread machines and other small kitchen appliances. Famed for their food processors, this US based company formed in the 1970s are always innovating releasing new items to help out in the kitchen, and Steve Jobs even claimed that their food processor was inspiration for the design of one of his first models of Apple computers.

The Cuisinart Bread Maker range is distinctive in looks with its slick silver metallic designs which look almost futuristic, and they offer models from the lower end of the market at around $80 to up to about $200 for their more luxury makers, but how do they fare compared to other manufacturers? We explore all in this list of Cuisinart bread maker reviews.

Cuisinart CBK-100 Review

Lets kick off then with the best selling model from the range on Amazon, the CBK-100. Why is it their best selling model? Well, it is probably as much to do with the pricing point than anything as this comes in at under the $100 mark, making it a very good value maker. Features include:

  • 12 menu options for different kinds of bread
  • 3 crust settings to allow for personal preference
  • Viewing window so you can watch your bread during the process
  • Stay cool handles to avoid burns
  • Delay start timer up to 13 hours
  • Modes to bake 1 lb, 1.5 lb and 2 lb loaves

There aren’t many bread machines on the market that will offer better features at a better price and the stylish look will suit modern and more old fashioned kitchens. I strongly recommend this bread maker.

CBK-200

You’ve guessed it, the next model up from the CBK-100, with a bunch of extra features, a little more expensive as you would expect but again it certainly isn’t a lot of money considering what you get.

  • Convection fan to aid timing and ensure the perfect loaf every time
  • Sixteen programmable modes including Low Carb and Gluten Free modes for specialist baking
  • Three loaf settings and three sizes meaning over 100 inbuilt variations of bread loaves
  • Back up power so that your loaf will complete even if the power cuts off.

A bit more of a luxury model both in looks, features and price! An exceptionally good bread machine to rival any on the market, plus not over the top in terms of price.

BMKR-200PC

The originally named BMKR range is a compact version of the Cuisinart range, still with the silver look, this bread machine is in all honesty virtually the same as the CBK-100, just a ‘compact’ version, which means it will suit smaller kitchens a bit better and still bake a great loaf up to 2 lbs. A few less features than its counterpart but still makes a good solid loaf for a great price!

Conclusion

These are the three main models in the Cuisinart range, all of which will make a great loaf and look amazing in almost any kitchen. They truly are one of the best brands when it comes to kitchen appliances and they live up to their name with these bread machines.

Top Rated Bread Machines on Online Retailers

April 24, 2013 / / 0 Comments

As you probably already know, buying a bread machine can be a difficult business, and knowing where to invest your hard earned cash in order to end up with the best loaf isn’t easy, fortunately online retailers such as Amazon usually provide a rating system, which we have delved into and explored so that you don’t have to. Here, we list the top rated bread machines based on their rating systems (Amazon’s 5 stars etc.) So you can get some idea of the most popular and well received makers on the market today.

West Bend 2 lb Bread Maker

The West Bend that makes the list is one straight from the cheaper end of the market, but clearly represents good value for money with a near top rating online, this machine is retailing at around $80 at the time of writing and is described as versatile, high quality and of course excellent value for money. Features include 12 bread modes, timer function for fresh bread whenever you want it and crust selection. Nothing particularly outlandish about this machine but a good quality loaf every time and a simple to use interface.

Panasonic SD-YD 250 Bread Machine

I have already reviewed the SD-YD250 here on the site, it is a high quality bread machine and one of the most talked about models on the market. It stands to reason as this excellent machine with tons of features is one of Amazon’s best sellers, and highest rating machines. Features include settings for a large variety of breads, recipe book for 40 different loaves, three different sizes available to the user and a delay timer for the perfect meal timing. It is a little more expensive than the previous model but it does still represent value as it has a huge amount of features and is extremely well reviewed.

Zojirushi BB-HAC10 Mini Breadmaker

This is a cross between gadget and bread machine! A mini maker made by Zojirushi to add to their extensive and brilliant range. At the time of writing it is amazon’s top rated bread machine and it also does a whole range of other stuff including helping you making jams, breads (of course), cakes and other types of dough. It only makes up to a 1 lb loaf, as you may expect from a mini machine. It may seem a little on the expensive side considering the size but its extra features more than make up for that! A top machine from the ever reliable Zojirushi.

Oster CKSTBRTW20 Expressbake Breadmaker

The Expressbake from Oster is probably one of the greatest bread machines purely based on the ease of use! It makes bread in no time and has 9 modes as well as three crust types, not to mention it even bakes up to a two pound loaf which means bread for all the family, not bad for one of the cheapest models of bread machine mentioned here on the site. It is programmable and has a super easy LCD screen to make things even easier. This truly is a highly recommended machine with ratings from consumers to match. I give the Oster a 10/10.

The Best Gluten Free Bread Machine

April 19, 2013 / / 0 Comments

Gluten restricted diets shouldn’t mean you can’t enjoy beautiful bread straight out of the bread machine, and fortunately bread maker manufacturers have tagged on to this and made machines either specifically for, or with a capacity for, gluten free bread. We’re going to talk about the best gluten free bread machine models here.

What to consider when buying?

Mixing

The process of mixing a gluten free bread will be very different, and more difficult than a bread containing gluten, which will be far more elastic and easy to mix, and can be handled with a single paddle. Sometimes a single paddle will be enough for your recipe and depending on the build quality it might be designed with gluten free in mind, but in general the double paddled models of Bread makers will do a thorough job in the mixing process and provide the best loaf.

Custom Cycles Help

Lots of bread machines now come with the ability to customize the cycles, and as your bread recipes will vary from loaf to loaf you may well be looking for more control, as well as knowing the differences in the texture, consistency and cooking time in your recipes. A custom cycle will be immensely helpful when picking your bread machine.

Single Rise

Other, gluten-containing breads will rise a few times in the process, but the bread we’re going to be making only needs to rise once. This means that a Gluten cycle on the machine will account for this in terms of the time needed, and so should you if you are creating custom cycles or baking your own bread recipes.

Makes and Models

Cuisinart CBK-100

This Cuisinart model is exceptional for the price and although only single paddle, it is a quality maker for those looking to bake bread with no gluten. Their gluten mode is one of the key features and selling points of this appliance, their product description reads; “One in approximately 100 people has an allergy or sensitivity to gluten. Since gluten is found in most flours used in traditional bread making, the ingredients to create gluten free breads are unique. While they are “yeast breads”, the doughs are generally wet and have a batter-like consistency. It is also important not over-mix or over-knead gluten free doughs. There is only one rise, and due to the high moisture content, baking time is increased. Mix-ins must be added at the very beginning of the cycle with other basic ingredients.” Which shows you how excellently this machine caters for those of us with sensitivities or allergies.

Zojirushi BBCCX20

The other model I recommend quite strongly is the Zojirushi BBCCX20 – a brilliant, deluxe bread machine with loads of great features, this also has a great gluten free mode and caters for your needs as an allergy sufferer excellently. The advantage this has over the model already mentioned is that the machine has two paddles which will greatly improve the mixing process that single paddles can often struggle with.

Check out my recommended gluten free bread recipes here.

Bread Machine Rye Bread

April 15, 2013 / / 0 Comments

Rye bread is eaten all around the world, popular in America and in much of Europe. It is really healthy and looks like a superfood compared to some other types of bread, plus it is tasty with its strong flavor and rich body. There are many different percentages of flour and rye that can be used in the recipe and the fact that this foodstuff has spread and evolved all around the world means that there are loads of variations out there caused by the dish evolving in different ways, but I am here to try and bring you the best bread machine rye bread recipe that will make sure you can get beautiful fresh Rye bread straight from your model of bread maker.

The ingredients I use are as follows:

1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1.5 tablespoons molasses
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1.5 cups rye flour
1 cup bread flour
1-1/2 teaspoons dry yeast

Now in order to make you may have to follow the specifics of your bread maker, following the instructions in your manual or for a specific rye setting if you have one!

The recipe has been laid out for you above in the order in which the ingredients should go in. Usually you will simply need to give it a quick stir to avoid the ingredients congealing and making sure the machine doesn’t miss anything and then setting its cycle and going for a cup of tea or taking a break!

When you return at the end of the cycle the bread will be ready and hopefully made to your preferences. If you have a crust setting I would suggest that you go for a softer, lighter crust with a bread that will already be a little less smooth than other types anyway. Once finished, leave to cool on a rack or leave on a ‘keep warm’ bread machine setting before serving warm for the most delicious rye bread.

Serving suggestions:

  • Warm with butter spread on top
  • Rye Bread sandwiches
  • Rye Bread toasted with sun dried tomatoes and other toppings such as goats cheese and drizzled with olive oil.
  • In stuffing, Rye bread can help make a beautiful chicken or turkey stuffing
  • Croutons. If your rye bread is starting to get stale and you could do with using it up they make great croutons for a salad or even to pop into your soup.

Oster Bread Machine Reviews

April 9, 2013 / / 0 Comments

Oster is a bread machine manufacturer and maker of small appliances, originally called the John Oster Manufacturing Company. They were acquired by Sunbeam in 1960 and still manufacture their range under the Oster brand. In this article I am going to do an oster bread machine review, meaning the Sunbeam branded machines are not included, but the Sunbeam machines are reviewed elsewhere on the site.

The two machines we will be talking about are the Oster 5838 2-pound Expressbake Breadmaker and the Oster CKSTBRTW20 2-Pound Expressbake Breadmaker – the main Osters currently on the market. The range offers great quality at a great price, as these are some of the cheapest machines on the market, but do they stand the test of the consumer? How do these machines stack up when it comes to loaf quality, and is the rich history of the Oster bread machine still going today?

Oster CKSTBRTW20 review

I’m going to start with the CKSTBRTW20 (that’s a bit of a mouthful, especially compared to the 5838) which is a sub $100 machine, which is the very cheap end of the market, but is it a cheap loaf?

Features of the  CKSTBRTW20

  • 9 baking settings with three crust setting.
  • Up to a 2 lb loaf, suitable for gatherings and large families.
  • Programmable for up to 13 hours meaning you can return from work or wake up in the morning to a loaf of your favorite bread.
  • Expressbake setting for a loaf under an hour.
  • LCD display for ease of use.

The machine is exceptionally reviewed on Amazon, and considering the price tag has a great range of features. Quotes from the reviews section include “exceptional loaf for the price” and “would purchase again in a heartbeat”. Currently selling for just $70, this machine is punching well above its weight at a rating of around 4.5 out of 5 – you’ll struggle to find a better or more reliable machine even if you spend double the price, more features perhaps but a better loaf? You’ll struggle.

Oster 5838 Review

This is another machine you can buy for mere double figures, in fact available as cheaply as $50 on the Amazon marketplace at the time of writing this. Still a great bread machine in spite of its tiny price tag.

  • 13 hour delay timer with an amazing 1 hour ‘keep warm’ feature for a nice hot loaf  even after the cooking has finished.
  • 8 settings including doughs and jams as wello as breads
  • Nonstick aluminum bread pan and kneading paddle included
  • 2 lb loaf in under an hour

This machine falls a little short of its predecessor with an average customer rating of 3.5, however don’t let that make you think this is a poor machine, as it is available for such a reasonable price and will still make a solid loaf of bread, though for higher quality I would recommend the CKSTBRTW20.

Conclusion

The Oster bread machines available are an exceptional range, even though there are just two of them currently available, Oster know what they’re doing when it comes to the kitchen appliance market and bread machines are no different, if you’re looking for a great, quick bread machine at an affordable price, Oster is your answer.

Breadman Reviews

April 1, 2013 / / 0 Comments

Today I’m going to focus on the Breadman manufacturer and their wide range of bread machines, reviewing their numerous models and the capabilities of them as well as the brand and make as a whole.

Breadman claim to be America’s top brand of bread makers since 2001. In their relatively brief history they have developed a wide range of bestselling products. In their own words:

“Whether you’re just getting started in bread making or you’ve been baking for years, Breadman has the right appliances and tools you need to become your own specialty bakery. It’s like having a fully stocked baker’s rack right in your kitchen. We work to bring the best in home baking technology and innovation into your home, so you can be confident that the best bakery in town is your kitchen.”

Their range does have all the bases covered in terms of budget, offering machines on the cheap, available under $100, all the way up to the top end of the market. Their more affordable models do not lack in quality, though, and have some solid features that make them a popular choice for kitchens everywhere. An example of a cheap model would be the TR520, available for around $60 on Amazon.com:

The TR520 has 8 modes of bread making as well as three crust types, and a capacity of up to 2 lb, which is big enough to make a large loaf that will keep a family happy. It also has a delay function and loads of recipes to make experimental bread for you and yours. For an affordable machine this does not skimp on features and you certainly get an awful lot of bang for your buck.

The mid range of Breadman machines are at around the $100 mark, which is still a good price for a quality bread maker. This is an example of their standard machine.

With a brilliant 16 features, three sizes and as you would expect all of the features of the 520 model, this is a more elaborate version with a nice LCD display for the easiest baking experience possible.  As well as all of that, this model comes with an incredible 300+ recipes that are pre-programmed, so you’ll never get bored of your bread, and it won’t be difficult to get variation into your diet. Also comes with a fruit, nut and herb dispenser for all those added extras.

The top end range of Breadman machines still represent value for money, though they don’t break the bank compared to some other manufacturers.

The TR2700 still doesn’t break the $200 mark, but offers huge luxury with over 100 baking modes! In their own words, the features are:

  • Nonstick baking pan; digital display; 24-hour delay timer; 1-hour keep-warm cycle
  • 100+ baking options; 16 settings including low carb and gluten free; crust color control
  • Automatic fruit and nut dispenser; viewing window; convection fan for excellent results

As you can see, this is a really excellent machine with a huge amount of features – the total bread machine!

Conclusion of Breadman Reviews

Breadman aren’t the oldest company in the bread machine game, but they certainly are among the best, offering exceptional value for money in both their value models and luxury. Excellently reviewed, with a great customer service and guarantees on their machines, you can’t go wrong with a Breadman bread machine.

Sunbeam 5891 Bread Machine Review

March 28, 2013 / / 0 Comments


Having already featured a short Sunbeam 5891 review in a previous post about the best cheap bread machines, I decided it deserved a more detailed review! This bread machine is available well below $100 and is therefore extremely affordable. You might think that for the price, you’re getting a more ‘budget’ range of bread machine, and though this is not one of the more expensive models with super duper features like walking your dog for you, if you’re looking for simple but varied family loaves, look no further than the Sunbeam 5891.

12 Settings

One thing we all look for in our bread machines is a variety of settings to allow for multiple breads, so that we can always offer a varied selection and don’t get bored of the same bread every day. The settings offered are:

  • Basic
  • French
  • Whole Wheat
  • French
  • Sweet
  • Expressbake 1.5 lb
  • Expressbake 2 lb
  • Dough
  • Jam
  • Cake
  • Sandwich
  • Bake

As well as this, there are three crust choices, so you can choose the color you like on the finish of your bread.

Easy to Use

The Sunbeam 5891 is extremely easy to use with an LCD interface that makes bread making simple for even the most amateur of bread maker! Clearly labeled buttons and no confusing added extras mean you get it right every time and won’t have to spend ages reading the manual to be sure you’re getting the bread you’re looking for. Not only is it easy to use, the non stick bread pan makes it easy to clean, too, so you won’t waste time and effort scrubbing.

Expressbake

In a hurry? This is one of the cheapest bread machines to offer an expressbake mode that means you can make bread in next to no time, under an hour in fact, which is incredibly fast! Those of us who aren’t organised enough to plan hours and hours ahead should still be able to enjoy bread too.

Included Recipes

A handy booklet means you get a load of recipes included with your Sunbeam 5891 and can have a lot of different types of bread with recipes tailor made for your own machine!

Delay Bake

What is better than the smell of fresh bread in the morning or when you walk through the door? I love the delay settings on bread machines, and this is offered on the sunbeam, so you can set your machine up to 13 hours ahead, go to bed or off to work and prepare to wake up to the smell of a bakery.

Conclusion

The amount of features and added extras mean this bread machine is a real bargain at under $100, and I would recommend it to those looking for a more affordable model. A well reviewed, long lasting maker that may even pay for itself in time.

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