The 12 Best Bread Makers, According To Reviews

Nothing says "cozy" like a kitchen bursting with the yeasty aroma of freshly baked bread. Just the thought of buttering warm bread and watching it melt and soak into every nook and cranny is enough to make your mouth water. Sure, you can toast any old bread, but it still can't compare to the sensory splendor that comes with a steaming slice of soft, pillowy bread fresh from the oven. 

While good quality bakery bread keeps getting more and more expensive, flour, yeast, salt, and sugar are still (relatively) affordable. But the process of mixing, kneading, proofing, and baking can take a full day or more, which is time that most of us don't have to spare. And since baking is more science than art, a single bread-baking mistake can cause all your hard work to fall flat.

Fortunately, there are dozens of bread makers on the market ready to take the labor out of the process. The perfect bread maker is versatile, easy to use, easy to clean, and, most importantly, it makes a great loaf of bread that rivals what you can get from your local bakery. Whether you want a simple European-style white bread, a hearty whole-grain, or a gluten-free loaf that's as light and fluffy as its glutinous predecessors, a countertop bread machine may be the time-saving appliance of your dreams. Here are some of the best bread makers that got rave reviews from real users.

Zojirushi has been making high-end kitchen products for over 100 years, and its Virtuoso Plus bread maker is about as good as it gets, short of upgrading to a professional appliance. The removable, non-stick baking pan holds up to a 2-pound loaf, which is great if you're feeding a crowd. The dual kneading blades guarantee your loaf will be perfectly mixed and kneaded, no babysitting required. The 13-hour delay timer means you can load your ingredients before you go to bed, and when you come home from work the next day, you'll be greeted with the heavenly aroma of freshly baked bread. And unlike most bread makers, which only heat from the bottom, the Zojirushi Virtuoso Plus has a second heating element in the lid, which reviewers say makes all the difference in achieving that gorgeous crispy top that usually only comes from baking in a conventional oven.

The machine features several pre-programmed settings, including "rapid white" and "rapid wheat," which can make a loaf from start to finish in under three hours. You can also make vegan, gluten-free, salt-free, and sugar-free breads that come out as light, fluffy, and golden as standard European-style loaves. It also has programs to take nearly all the legwork out of making cake, sourdough starter, dough for other baked goods like pizza, biscuits, and donuts, and even jam. Plus, when you find the perfect settings for your favorite recipes, you can save them in one of three programmable "homemade" memory settings, so you can make them again and again with just the press of a button.

Purchase the Zojirushi Home Bakery Virtuoso Plus on Amazon for $399.95.

Elite Gourmet specializes in making easy-to-use appliances for families who want to spend less time in the kitchen and more time together, and it's hit the nail on the head with this bread machine. If you've been browsing bread makers, you know they can cost a pretty penny, but this machine from Elite Gourmet is almost unbelievably budget-friendly yet still packs in many of the features you'd expect from a high-end machine.

It makes loaves in one of three sizes, so you can eat for days on a single loaf. Plus, it has settings for other homemade goodies, like cakes, jams, and even yogurt. The preset functions include programs for gluten-free loaves, quick breads, sweet breads, and even rice bread, so whatever you're in the mood for, you can make it in this machine. Reviewers say this Elite Gourmet bread maker has no learning curve, so you can pull it out of the box and start making delicious bread with fresh ingredients almost immediately. The recipe book is small but surprisingly complete, so if you want a perfect loaf, you can start there, but reviewers say they have no problems using their long-time favorite recipes in this machine.

Purchase the Elite Gourmet Programmable Bread Maker Machine on Amazon for $66.28.

Cuisinart is a household name in small appliances — chances are you have one in your home right now — and its compact bread maker machine certainly lives up to the brand name. This machine bakes giant 2-pound loaves vertically, so you can bake lots of bread without sacrificing a ton of counter space. The rectangular footprint is just over 11 inches wide and 10 inches deep, which reviewers say makes it perfect for folks with small kitchens. And, it's a steal for buyers on a budget, too.

The Cuisinart bread maker has 12 total programs, including bread, dough, jam, and cake, plus your choice of three crust shades — light, medium, and dark. If you're finicky about how dark you like your bread, you'll love the viewing window and interior light that lets you check up on your loaf as it bakes and pull it at just the right moment. Like many other machines, this one has audible beeps to tell you when to add your extras like nuts, dried fruit, etc., but it goes one step further with an additional beep to remind you to take out the kneading paddle to avoid baking it into your loaf. And if you get distracted, this machine will keep your bread warm for up to 60 minutes after baking, so you can enjoy that delicious fresh-baked loaf when you've got time to savor it.

Purchase the Cuisinart Bread Maker Machine on Amazon for $99.95.

The Dash Everyday bread machine has a slightly smaller capacity than other bread machines at this price point, topping out at 1.5 pounds, but what little it lacks in capacity, it more than makes up for in features. It has 12 preset programs for a variety of bread types, jams, and cakes, including a gluten-free setting and a 13-hour delay timer that allows you to set it and forget it — whether you want to come home to a steaming hot loaf or wake up to fresh cinnamon bread in the morning.

But what really sets the Dash bread maker apart from others is the automatic ingredient dispenser. Plenty of bread machines beep to tell you when to add your extras, but this one dispenses them right on time for a truly hands-off bread-making experience. The stainless steel exterior is accented by one of three decor-friendly colors — black, white, or aqua — making this a more stylish appliance than a lot of the others on this list, too.

Reviewers rave about this product, saying it's super user-friendly, though some admit they struggled with figuring out how to get to all the functions from the few buttons on the display. But it's also surprisingly quiet, easy to clean, and at just under $100, the price point makes the learning curve worth it.

Purchase the Dash Everyday Stainless Steel Bread Maker on Amazon for $99.99.

Amazon Basics brand is a killer brand for budget-friendly home essentials, often at lower prices than even big box stores can offer. This programmable bread maker is one of the few cooking appliances sold by the Amazon Basics brand, and reviewers say it's every bit as good as a $200 machine. It features 14 preset programs, including one for making light, fluffy, gluten-free loaves, a "homemade" setting for programming your own cycles for your favorite recipes, and an "express" setting that can make a loaf in just 90 minutes. And it does more than just bread; two of the presets are dedicated to making jam and yogurt.

It comes in two colors — black and white — and while it may not be as stylish as more expensive models, reviewers consistently say it's a great value for the price. At under $70, the money you'll save over buying similar-quality loaves at the store will quickly add up to this machine that practically pays for itself. The main complaint reviewers have is that the kneading cycle is noisy, but we can stand a little noise to get a quality bread maker machine for half the price of comparable units.

Purchase the Amazon Basics Programmable Bread Maker on Amazon for $67.49.

Hamilton Beach is one of those brands that's in practically every kitchen — if you don't have one item from the brand in your house, there's a really good chance your grandmother did. This bread machine, with a 2-pound capacity, is exactly the kind of product Hamilton Beach is known for; it's user-friendly, reliable, and affordable. It has 12 preset programs, including the usual suspects like sweet bread, quick breads, and gluten-free bread, and one very unique setting — roasting nuts. Do this before you mix up your bread dough, and when the machine beeps, you can add your own freshly toasted nuts to your homemade bread recipes.

Reviewers say the Hamilton Beach bread maker is perfect for novice home bakers – as long as you avoid the most common bread maker mistakes. It's easy to use right out of the box, and as long as you use recipes designed for bread machines, it's hard to go wrong. The only real downside is that it can be noisy during the mixing and kneading cycles, but reviewers say it's still quiet enough to have a conversation, even when you're standing right next to it. It's also a small price to pay, given the exceptional value of this machine. Plus, the bread pan is dishwasher-safe, so clean-up is a breeze — which is always a plus.

Purchase the Hamilton Beach Bread Maker Machine on Amazon for $89.99.

You've almost certainly heard of the maker of this bread machine, though you may not realize it. Culinary Chef is the small appliance arm of the Frigidaire brand — which is known for offering durable appliances to its customers. This machine makes loaves up to 2 pounds and has 15 pre-programmed cycles, including whole grain, cake, and gluten-free bread.

The Culinary Chef bread maker is also loaded with features that you would expect on more expensive machines. It has a 15-hour programmable timer so you can start your bread the day before, as well as a one-hour warming cycle to keep that fresh loaf nice and toasty until you're ready to pull it from the machine and cut into it (even if you're not technically supposed to slice it while it's hot). Plus, the gorgeous red stainless steel makes it one of the most attractive machines on this list. Reviewers say it's very quiet, the non-stick bowl is easy to clean, and overall, it's a great value for the money.

Purchase the Culinary Chef Bread Maker Machine on Amazon for $99.99.

The Euhomy brand is probably best known for its nugget ice makers, but this affordable 2-pound bread machine certainly keeps up with the hype of its cooler sibling. Like most modern household bread makers, this one has three crust settings — light, medium, and dark — and three sizes ranging from 1 to 2 pounds. It's slightly unique in that it doesn't have a dedicated gluten-free mode — the basic mode can be adapted for gluten-free doughs. Instead, it has not one but two "ultra-fast" settings to go from scratch ingredients to freshly baked bread in record time.

But what stands out most about the Euhomy bread maker is that it features an automatic ingredient dispenser. This uncommon feature loads via a drawer on the front of the machine and pops open at just the right moment to mix in your favorite add-ins so you can set your machine and walk away knowing your mix-ins will be perfectly incorporated. This is made even easier by the 13-hour delay timer and one-hour warmer, so you can have piping hot bread as often as you like, no matter how busy you are. And even if the power flickers, your bread will keep baking just fine, thanks to the impressive 15-minute power outage memory function that picks up where you left off.

Purchase the Euhomy Bread Maker Machine on Amazon for $109.

If your family goes through a lot of bread, even the larger, 2-pound bread machines might get worked to death trying to keep up with the demand. But this West Bend Hi-Rise bread maker is up to the challenge. This monster of a machine makes massive 3-pound horizontal bread loaves, and the dual kneading blades make sure every morsel gets perfectly mixed. It has fewer presets than a lot of the machines on this list, mainly because it's lacking the "extras" like jam and yogurt settings that some machines offer, but it is a bread machine, after all. So, as long as it does that, who are we to complain?

And according to reviewers, it really does make great bread, even at high altitudes. It's easy to use — just dump in your ingredients, start it up, and wait for the magic to happen. It's also not too loud and easy to clean with just a damp cloth. It may not be ideal for small kitchens, though, as the larger loaf size and horizontal orientation give it a larger footprint than most standard machines.

Purchase the West Bend Hi-Rise Bread Maker Machine on Amazon for $209.21.

With a brand like Breville, you know it's going to be a workhorse of a machine — and you know you're going to pay what it's worth. Although it's best known for its professional-quality home espresso machines, Breville has made an equally stellar bread machine. It bakes four loaf sizes ranging from 1 to 2.5 pounds with three doneness levels. The machine also has several preset bread programs to choose from, nine custom settings, and dedicated cycles for pizza dough, pasta dough, and jam.

And, it has plenty of luxury features to justify its higher price point, too. It has an automated fruit and nut dispenser, 13-hour delay start function, 60-minute keep warm cycle, and an unbelievable 60-minute backup power to keep your bread maker running even if your power goes out. The surprisingly small feature that really stands out, though, is the collapsible kneading paddle. Unlike most bread machines that bake the paddle into the bread, leaving a hole in the bottom of the loaf, the Breville collapsible paddle folds down flat after kneading, leaving a much smaller dent in the bread bottom.

Yes, it's at the high end of the price range for consumer bread machines, but reviewers say it's absolutely worth it. It makes delicious loaves consistently, time after time, and even the recipe book is outstanding, with unexpected recipes like milk and honey bread. If you love the idea of having homemade bread every day but you've been burned by bread makers before, this Breville machine might be just the upgrade you're looking for.

Purchase the Breville Bread Maker on Amazon for $299.95.

Razorri may not be as famous as some of the other brand names on this list, but its bread machine certainly incorporates many of the features you would see in those big brand machines and more at a much lower price point. This 2-pound capacity bread maker has a whopping 25 preset programs with unexpected options like purple bread, sticky rice, stir fry, and even rice wine.

As for convenience features, it has a 15-hour delay timer, 60-minute keep warm cycle, and 10-minute power outage memory feature. Reviewers say the bread from this machine comes out incredibly yummy, and it's super easy to load up your favorite ingredients, start the machine, and go about your day without any need to micromanage the process. A handful of reviewers did mention that their machine malfunctioned, but that customer support was responsive and helpful. And since models with similar functionality are double the price, it's a risk we're willing to take. 

Purchase the Razorri Bread Maker Machine on Amazon for $95.99.

This Kitchenarm bread maker has a lot more going for it than meets the eye. It's a 29-in-1 machine — meaning it has more presets than any other model on this list. Of the lot, 21 are bread options (including keto, brioche, and ciabatta), plus jam, yogurt, pasta, and even a ferment program. It stores your most recent settings for the next time you bake, so if you find yourself baking the same favorite recipe over and over again, you can add your ingredients and start baking with just one touch.

Reviewers are absolutely in love with this machine, raving about its broad versatility, ease of use, attractive design, and small footprint. In fact, it's hard to find anything to complain about with the Kitchenarm bread maker. It's a great choice for beginner bakers and experienced bread machine pros alike.

Purchase the Kitchenarm 29-in-1 Smart Bread Machine on Amazon for $114.97.

We chose the best bread makers on this list based on their versatility, ease of use and cleaning, bread quality, and features. To develop this list, we searched Amazon to find models with the highest average ratings and limited our list to those with 50 ratings or more. These models were selected from a wide range of brands and prices ranging from under $70 to $400 to accommodate nearly any budget.