The 8 Best Breadmakers
Updated by · How we research
Eight bread machines compared on loaf shape, consistency and pan coating. The Zojirushi Home Bakery Supreme BB-CEC20 leads for its even, bakery-shaped loaves. When users buy our independently chosen editorial selections, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
When a bread machine fails, it is usually a small part: the kneading paddle, the seal around its shaft or the pan's coating. That makes spare pans and paddles worth checking before you buy, alongside loaf shape and consistency. This guide is for home bakers who want fresh sandwich loaves, pizza dough or gluten-free bread without kneading by hand.
Editor's Notes
October 23, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Admin:
The Zojirushi Home Bakery Supreme takes the top spot. It bakes the traditional rectangular loaf with two paddles, its controls are simple, and it costs far less than the Zojirushi Virtuoso Plus, which stays in its new version with a ceramic pan free of PFAS. The Breville Custom Loaf and KBS Pro stay too, and the Hamilton Beach entry now points to its successor, the Hamilton Beach 29982.
The T-fal ActiBread, Crownful BM4406-UL, Cuisinart CBK-200 and the old Hamilton Beach 29882 are gone because they're no longer available. The Oster Expressbake went because of sunken tops and a lid that came off in a recent side-by-side test. We couldn't confirm a current price or stock for the Rozmoz BM8206 or the Zojirushi Mini, so they're out for now. New picks are the Cuisinart Compact CBK-110, the Panasonic SD-R2550 and the low-cost Elite Gourmet EBM8103B.
The ranking leans on America's Test Kitchen's 2026 bake-off of more than a dozen machines, Zojirushi's own parts lists, and baker forum threads about paddle shafts that seize after years of weekly loaves.
March 30, 2021:
This list still looked to be in pretty good shape, which made for a fairly forgiving round of updates, but we still found a couple of places to brush up on things.
To begin with, the SKG Automatic wasn’t available at the time of this writing, so went ahead and removed it, replacing it with the Crownful Automatic BM4406-UL, which, in addition to being an attractive appliance, also runs quite quietly, at about 65 decibels — which is around how loud a normal conversation is. One small drawback that comes with this one – as far as imperial purists will be concerned, anyhow – is that its included recipes use metric measurements, which can be a pain if your kitchen’s set up for the opposite system. If you like this one, though, don’t let that be a dealbreaker; a .PDF version of the unit's recipes, with imperial conversions, is available online.
The Sunbeam Programmable also seemed to be suffering from some availability issues, as we were only able to source it as a used option, and so we thought it best to eliminate it, as well. We replaced it with the Rozmoz BM8206, which can conjure up three crust colors and loaf sizes, and is equipped with 15 preset programs.
Once you’ve got your new bread maker all picked out, don’t stop there. We’ve also got lists of baskets, boxes, slicers and knives to help you manage your incoming, steady supply of freshly baked good.
January 21, 2020:
A breadmaker can come in handy when you want a fresh homemade loaf but don’t have the time to spend half a day in your kitchen making it. If you had one of these machines years ago and are in the market for a new one, they’ve come a long way -- you’ll be impressed by their high-tech features such as LCD touchscreens and express settings that can have you slicing into a hot loaf in under an hour. Many options, like the T-fal ActiBread, are compact enough so they won't compete too much for countertop space with your Instant Pot or your stand mixer.
Coming on board in this update is the KBS Pro Stainless Steel, which is made of attractive stainless steel with a bright backlit screen that shows your current settings, along with just a few easy-touch control buttons. The patented nonstick ceramic pan is designed to bake your bread evenly, and the detachable dispenser can release fruit or nuts into your dough automatically before the baking step begins. The tempered glass top window allows you to monitor your creation throughout the process. Like many, this one is equipped with a 15-hour delayed timer, so you can fill your ingredients before bed and wake up to a wonderful smelling, fresh baked breakfast. It also has a handy one-hour keep-warm function.
Our number one pick, the Zojirushi Home Bakery Supreme, has been updated with its newer, updated counterpart: the Zojirushi Home Bakery Virtuoso Plus, and one quality many love about this machine is that is produces standard, nine-by-five-inch loaves, rather than the taller, wider ones that are formed by many. This size is much more convenient when you want to pack sandwiches for work or school lunches. This machine produces consistent results every time, with bread that’s fluffy on the inside, with the perfect size and texture of crust. It’s even great for gluten-free bread, which can be tricky to make with a soft, spongy texture.
Leaving the list today is the Panasonic Automatic, which is unavailable at this time.
For safety’s sake, always unplug your breadmaker when you’re done using it, and keep children away from hot surfaces at all times. Allow metal parts to cool before you wash them.
Special Honors
Zojirushi Store Zojirushi sells its bread machines directly, along with replacement pans, kneading blades and other parts for current models. Since the pan and paddle are the parts that wear out, it's worth knowing where to find them before a loaf sticks for good. store.zojirushi.com
King Arthur Baking Baker's Hotline The Vermont flour company runs a free hotline where staff bakers answer questions by phone, chat and email. It's a good place to troubleshoot a sunken or dense loaf, adapt a recipe for a bread machine, or work out a gluten-free blend. kingarthurbaking.com
ProBake For home bakers whose hobby is turning into a business, ProBake sells commercial ovens, mixers, proofers and dough dividers, from light-duty gear for a small shop up to full production lines. probake.com
Loaf Shape, Paddles And Consistency
Windows tend to fog during baking, so don't count on watching every stage.
Start with the loaf you want. Zojirushi's horizontal pans use two paddles and bake a long, rectangular loaf that slices like store-bought sandwich bread. Most other machines use a tall pan with one paddle, which gives a taller, squarish loaf and a single hole in the bottom. Both make good bread; it's a matter of what fits your toaster and your lunches.
Consistency matters more than the number of programs. In America's Test Kitchen's 2026 test, some machines baked a fine loaf one day and a sunken one the next, while the two-paddle Zojirushi models turned out even loaves again and again. A heater in the lid also helped: the Virtuoso Plus hit the chosen crust shade every time. Everything Kitchens saw the reverse on the Breville Custom Loaf, which heats only from below and browned unevenly.
Dispensers and windows are nice extras. A dispenser drops in fruit, nuts or seeds at the right time so they don't get pulverized. Windows tend to fog during baking, so don't count on watching every stage.
What Wears Out, And How To Make It Last
No lab has run these machines for years, so durability comes from owners. Their reports keep pointing at the same small parts: the kneading paddle, the shaft it sits on, the seal around that shaft and the pan's coating. One baker on The Fresh Loaf found the shaft on a five-year-old Zojirushi seized, most likely because a worn seal let flour and water seep in. Soaking the pan freed it.
That's why spare parts matter. Zojirushi sells replacement pans and blades for its current machines through its own store, including the Home Bakery Supreme and the Virtuoso Plus. Many budget brands don't list spare pans at all, which turns a worn pan into a reason to replace the whole machine. Warranties are short across the board, usually one year.
To stretch a machine's life, soak the pan in warm water for about 10 minutes before prying out a stuck paddle, use only wooden or silicone tools in the pan, and never pour water into the machine itself. Unplug it, wipe the inside, and leave the lid open to dry.
Space, Safety And Everyday Use
These machines take more room than most people expect. Tom's Guide advises leaving space above for the lid to open and around the sides for venting, and notes that some machines creep across the counter while kneading. Put yours on a flat, sturdy spot away from the edge. The outer case and lid get hot during baking, so keep small children clear.
Add ingredients in the order your manual gives. Most want liquids first and yeast last, kept away from the salt and water until the cycle starts. If you use the delay timer, skip milk, eggs, cheese and other perishables, since they'll sit at room temperature for hours.
Raw dough isn't safe to taste. The FDA warns that raw flour can carry E. coli and Salmonella, so don't eat raw dough, wash the pan and paddle after use, and keep kids from snacking on it. If you'd rather avoid PTFE nonstick coatings, look for a ceramic pan whose maker states it's free of PFAS.
How we researched this
We compared 20 current bread machines, read the maker spec pages for the finalists, weighed four independent kitchen tests, studied owner reports on paddles, shafts and pans, and checked every brand against the CPSC recall database. Updated October 23, 2026 by Ezvid Wiki Admin.
Sources (10)
- America's Test Kitchen: The Best Bread Machines
- Tom's Guide: The best bread machines
- Everything Kitchens: 3 best bread makers compared
- Reviewed: The best bread machines
- Zojirushi: Home Bakery Supreme BB-CEC20
- Zojirushi: Home Bakery Virtuoso Plus BB-PPC20
- Breville: the Custom Loaf
- The Fresh Loaf: Zojirushi bread machine shaft stuck
- FDA: Handling flour safely
- CPSC SaferProducts.gov recall search
Frequently asked questions
What is the most durable bread maker?
No long-term lab study exists. Owners report Zojirushi machines lasting many years of weekly use, and Zojirushi sells replacement pans and blades, so the parts that wear out can be swapped. On any machine, the paddle, its shaft seal and the pan coating usually fail first.
Which bread maker brands are best?
Zojirushi has the strongest record in independent tests. Cuisinart and Hamilton Beach make well-reviewed lower-cost machines, Panasonic is known for its sensors and dispensers, and Breville for large loaves. Many low-cost brands have little independent testing behind them.
How long does a bread machine take to bake a loaf?
A basic white loaf takes about three hours from start to finish. Rapid cycles are faster: Zojirushi lists about two and a half hours for a rapid white loaf on the Virtuoso Plus.
Can I make gluten-free bread in a bread machine?
Yes, most machines have a gluten-free cycle that mixes without a second knead. Results vary, so use a recipe written for bread machines and a flour blend made for yeast bread.
Are bread maker pans PFAS-free?
Most pans use a PTFE nonstick coating. Zojirushi's Virtuoso Plus BB-PPC20 has a ceramic pan the maker says is free of PFAS, and some low-cost brands sell ceramic-coated pans, though those claims come from the sellers.
