If you’ve ever pulled a warm loaf of bread out of your oven and thought, “I wish I could do this every day without babysitting dough,” a bread maker is basically your new favorite power tool just one that lives in the kitchen instead of the garage. Modern bread machines mix, knead, proof, and bake for you, turning pantry staples into picture-perfect loaves with almost no effort.
For this 2023 bread maker review, we looked at expert tests and buyer feedback from major U.S. outlets and retailers, then cross-checked details with in-depth reviews and brand specs to find the models that consistently rise (literally) to the top. The five picks below cover a range of budgets and kitchens, from compact machines for small spaces to feature-packed workhorses for serious bakers.
How to Choose the Right Bread Maker for Your Kitchen
Before you fall in love with a shiny new bread machine, it helps to understand which features actually matter in everyday use. Here are the key details to check on the box (or product page) before you buy.
Loaf Size and Pan Shape
Most full-size bread makers bake 1, 1.5, or 2-pound loaves. If you’re feeding a family or love making bread for guests, a 2-pound capacity is the sweet spot. Singles and couples might prefer a smaller machine so they aren’t drowning in carbs every time they bake.
Pan shape also matters. Horizontal pans with two kneading paddles tend to produce loaves that look like traditional sandwich bread and slice more neatly. Vertical pans are more compact and better for small counters, but the loaves can be taller and a little quirky in shape (still delicious, though).
Programs and Specialty Settings
At minimum, look for basic, whole-wheat, and dough settings. If you or someone in your household eats gluten-free, that dedicated GF cycle is a must. Many of the best bread makers now include programs for:
- Gluten-free and low-salt/low-sugar loaves
- Artisan and European-style bread
- Jam, cake, and even pizza or pasta dough
- Custom “homemade” cycles that let you tweak knead, rise, and bake times
These extra modes aren’t just marketing; they change how long the machine kneads and proofs the dough, which directly affects texture and flavor.
Controls, Timers, and Convenience Features
A clear control panel and readable display are more important than a dozen bells and whistles. Look for:
- Delay timer (often up to 13 hours) so you can load ingredients at night and wake up to fresh bread in the morning.
- Crust control (light, medium, dark) to match everyone’s preferences.
- Keep-warm mode that holds the loaf at serving temperature without over-baking.
- Add-ins alert or automatic fruit-and-nut dispenser so mix-ins don’t get pulverized at the wrong time.
Size, Noise, and Cleanup
Bread makers can be big some premium models are closer to a small microwave than a toaster. Measure your counter and cabinets before committing. Dual-paddle machines and heavy motors also mean more weight, which is fine if the appliance can live out permanently, but less fun if you plan to store it between bakes.
For cleanup, nonstick pans and removable paddles make life much easier. A darker, heavier pan usually promotes more even browning, while side handles and an easy-to-wipe stainless or painted exterior keep the machine looking decent even after flour explosions.
The 5 Best Bread Makers of 2023
1. Zojirushi Home Bakery Virtuoso Plus – Best Overall Bread Maker
If you want bakery-quality loaves with minimal tinkering, the Zojirushi Home Bakery Virtuoso Plus is the one to beat. Multiple expert tests and consumer reviews consistently rank it as the top bread machine thanks to its even baking, excellent mixing, and extremely reliable results.
This two-pound machine uses dual kneading paddles to handle dense doughs and mix ingredients thoroughly, a big reason it excels with whole-wheat and multigrain recipes. A second heater in the lid helps brown the top crust so the loaf looks as good as it tastes. The rectangular pan creates a loaf that looks like something from your favorite bakery, not a science experiment.
The Virtuoso Plus offers a deep menu of programs, including whole-wheat, multigrain, rapid cycles, gluten-free, and even options tailored for low-salt, low-sugar, and vegan recipes. You also get three fully customizable “Homemade” settings, allowing you to fine-tune knead, rise, and bake times for a signature house loaf.
The trade-offs? It’s big, heavy, and more expensive than most competitors. It also only makes 2-pound loaves, so very small households may find it overkill. But if your goal is consistently stellar bread and the machine will see regular use, this is the high-end pick that will keep you in warm slices for years.
2. Breville Custom Loaf – Best for Customization and Mix-Ins
Think of the Breville Custom Loaf as the “smart home” bread maker. It packs in techy features and user-friendly touches without losing sight of what matters most: great bread. Multiple reviewers highlight its automatic fruit and nut dispenser and unusually flexible programming as standout advantages.
The machine offers 13 automatic settings for everything from basic white bread to gluten-free loaves, dough, and jam. On top of that, there are nine custom programs where you can save your own recipes, including knead, rise, and bake times. If you like to experiment with different flours, hydrations, or enriched doughs, this level of control is a dream.
The dispenser drops mix-ins at the right moment in the kneading cycle so they stay intact and evenly distributed ideal for raisin bread, seeded loaves, or nut-studded breakfast bread. The large viewing window, interior light, and intuitive controls make it easy to check progress without lifting the lid and losing heat.
Downsides: it’s pricey, fairly large, and heavier than average. If you just want simple sandwich bread once in a while, this may be more machine than you need. But for adventurous bakers or anyone who wants the bread maker equivalent of a high-end range, the Breville Custom Loaf is a top-tier pick.
3. Cuisinart Compact Automatic (CBK-110) – Best for Small Kitchens
Need homemade bread but don’t have sprawling countertops? The Cuisinart CBK-110 Compact Automatic Bread Maker is designed for exactly that scenario. It uses a vertical pan to shrink the footprint, so it takes up about as much space as a large toaster while still turning out up to 2-pound loaves.
Despite its smaller size, the CBK-110 comes with 12 preprogrammed menu options, multiple crust colors, and loaf sizes from 1 to 2 pounds. It can handle gluten-free recipes, artisan breads, and even jam, and it includes a 13-hour delay-start timer so you can set it and forget it.
Reviewers appreciate the straightforward controls and the fact that Cuisinart still provides a physical recipe booklet instead of forcing you to hunt for PDFs. The vertical pan does mean a taller loaf that looks different from standard bakery bread, but the crumb is typically soft, moist, and great for slicing once cooled.
If your kitchen is more “cozy apartment galley” than “sprawling farmhouse,” this Cuisinart model delivers excellent value and versatility without hogging precious counter real estate.
4. Hamilton Beach HomeBaker 29882 – Best Budget Starter Machine
If you’re bread-curious but not ready to splurge, the Hamilton Beach HomeBaker 29882 has long been a popular entry-level option. Reviewers often note that it’s very affordable, easy to use, and surprisingly capable for the price.
This model typically includes 12 programs, loaf sizes up to 2 pounds, a gluten-free setting, and an audible reminder to add fruits or nuts at the right time. For basic sandwich loaves, everyday white bread, and pizza dough, it does the job with minimal fuss.
However, tests and user feedback agree that its bread quality is “good enough” rather than spectacular. Some reviewers mention uneven browning and a louder motor compared with higher-end machines. It’s the bread-maker equivalent of a dependable starter drill: not the prettiest or most powerful tool in the shed, but it gets you into the game.
If you’re not sure how often you’ll use a bread machine or you’re shopping on a tight budget, the HomeBaker 29882 is an excellent stepping-stone model. If you catch the homemade-bread bug, you can always upgrade later to a Virtuoso or Custom Loaf.
5. Neretva Bread Maker – Best Stylish, Feature-Rich Value Pick
Most bread machines look like small stainless-steel refrigerators. The Neretva 15-in-1 bread maker is the rare exception: it pairs a retro-inspired exterior with a serious set of features, including a built-in fruit and nut dispenser, multiple loaf sizes, and a range of preprogrammed cycles.
Recent reviews highlight its combination of sturdy build, consistent bread quality, and attractive design that doesn’t clash with stylish kitchens. You still get the practical essentials delay timer, crust color control, LCD display, and a nonstick, easy-clean pan but in a package that won’t look out of place next to your favorite espresso machine.
While it doesn’t quite match the ultra-custom programming of Breville or the legendary consistency of Zojirushi, Neretva’s machine delivers strong everyday performance at a mid-range price. If aesthetics matter as much as fresh bread and you want an all-rounder that can keep up with family baking, this is a compelling pick.
Tips for Getting Bakery-Quality Bread from Any Machine
Buying a good bread maker is only half the story. These simple habits can dramatically improve your results, no matter which model you choose.
Measure Like a Baker, Not Like a Cowboy
With bread machines, even small shifts in flour or liquid can change texture. Use the “spoon and level” method for flour (don’t scoop directly from the bag) or, better yet, use a kitchen scale for consistent results. If the dough looks dry and ragged during kneading, add water a teaspoon at a time; if it’s slumping and sticky, sprinkle in a bit more flour.
Watch the First Knead
For most recipes, you only need to supervise the first 5–10 minutes of mixing. Open the lid (if the manual allows), check that the ingredients are fully incorporated, and look for a smooth, elastic ball of dough. This quick check helps you correct issues early instead of discovering a dense loaf at dinner time.
Match Programs to Flour Types
Whole-wheat, rye, and multigrain flours need longer hydration and rise times than standard bread flour. That’s why dedicated whole-grain or “European” programs exist they adjust the timing to give heavier doughs a chance to relax and proof properly. If you’re experimenting with these flours on a basic setting, expect denser loaves until you tweak hydration or timing using custom programs.
Use the Delay Timer Wisely
Delay timers are magical: load ingredients at night, wake up to fresh bread. But they work best with recipes that don’t include perishable add-ins like eggs, cheese, or fresh fruit. Use dry yeast, keep salt away from the yeast in the pan when loading, and avoid ingredients that might spoil at room temperature for hours.
Don’t Skip the Cool-Down
When the cycle finishes, remove the loaf from the pan and let it cool on a rack for at least 30–60 minutes before slicing. This helps set the crumb and prevents gummy slices. It’s hard to wait the smell is pure torture but your sandwiches will thank you.
Extra Tips & Real-Life Bread Machine Experiences
Once you start using a bread maker regularly, you realize it’s more than a gadget it becomes part of your household rhythm. Here are some practical, lived-in insights that don’t always make it into spec sheets and comparison charts.
How a Bread Maker Changes Weeknight Dinners
With a capable machine like the Zojirushi Virtuoso Plus or Breville Custom Loaf on the counter, it’s surprisingly easy to build bread into your routine without feeling like you’re taking on a new hobby. Toss ingredients into the pan, hit “basic,” and by the time you’ve finished cooking soup or roasting chicken, you’ve got a fragrant loaf resting on a rack. Suddenly leftovers feel less sad when they’re served with thick slices of fresh bread instead of store-bought rolls.
Even budget models like the Hamilton Beach HomeBaker can make weeknights smoother. Many users lean on these machines primarily for dough: pizza night, burger buns, or cinnamon rolls. The machine handles the messy part mixing and kneading while you do the fun part of shaping and baking in your oven for a crispier crust.
Discovering Your Household’s “House Loaf”
Most people eventually land on a favorite recipe the “house loaf” that always disappears first. Maybe it’s a slightly sweet white sandwich bread for kids’ lunches or a hearty multigrain loaf for avocado toast. Machines with customizable programs, like the Zojirushi and Breville, make it easy to refine that one recipe until it’s just right: a little more rise time here, a slightly darker crust there.
Over time, you’ll tweak flour blends, swap in honey for sugar, or throw in a handful of seeds. The beauty of a bread maker is consistency: once you find the formula you love, the machine will reproduce it again and again with almost no effort.
The Reality of Size, Storage, and Noise
Here’s the part reviewers are brutally honest about: big machines are, well, big. The Virtuoso Plus and Breville Custom Loaf both take up serious counter space and are heavy enough that lugging them in and out of a cabinet gets old fast. If you’re in a small apartment or share kitchen space, a compact model like the Cuisinart CBK-110 or a smaller Hamilton Beach may integrate better into your life you’ll actually use a machine that’s easy to store and move.
Noise is another real-world factor. All bread makers make some racket while kneading, but budget models tend to be louder and vibrate more. If your kitchen shares a wall with a bedroom and you love using the delay timer overnight, investing in a higher-end machine can mean fewer complaints from whoever is trying to sleep next door.
Cleaning and Maintenance: The Hidden Deal-Breaker
Nothing kills enthusiasm like a fussy cleanup routine. Thankfully, most modern bread makers use nonstick pans and removable paddles. You’ll still need to wipe stray flour and crumbs from the interior and clear the lid window occasionally, but a quick rinse of the pan and paddle in warm, soapy water is usually enough.
Higher-end machines also tend to have better-designed pans and paddles that release more easily, which can mean fewer torn loaves and smaller “paddle craters” in the bottom of your bread. Budget models might need a little more patience: a quick rest out of the pan before unmolding and gently loosening the paddle from the bottom goes a long way.
Why a Bread Maker Is Still Worth It in 2023 (and Beyond)
It’s fair to ask: with great supermarket bread, do you really need a dedicated bread machine? If you care about ingredients, timing, or texture, the answer is often yes. You control the salt, sugar, fats, and flours; you can avoid preservatives; and you can schedule baking around your life instead of racing to knead and proof dough by hand.
More importantly, a bread maker makes fresh bread feel normal, not like a special-occasion project. Whether you’re upgrading to a premium machine like the Zojirushi Virtuoso Plus or starting with a budget-friendly Hamilton Beach, the right bread maker quietly turns everyday meals into something warmer, more fragrant, and a lot more satisfying.
Conclusion: Which Bread Maker Should You Choose?
If you want the best of the best and have the budget and counter space, the Zojirushi Home Bakery Virtuoso Plus remains the top all-around pick for performance, flexibility, and consistency. For tinkerers and mix-in enthusiasts, the Breville Custom Loaf offers unmatched customization and that handy automatic dispenser.
Smaller kitchens and first-time buyers will be well served by the Cuisinart CBK-110 or Hamilton Beach HomeBaker 29882, while design-minded bakers may gravitate toward the Neretva for its balance of style and features. Whichever model you choose, you’re only a few button presses away from making your home smell like a neighborhood bakery no advanced baking skills required.
