Is it worth it to buy a bread machine?
There are many reasons why you should invest in a good bread machine, some of the reasons are; it lowers the cost of producing your bread by half, you can customize your recipe and add healthier ingredients and lastly, you can cook in batches so that your family gets a week-long supply of fresh bread. Making that choice can be difficult, but before committing to buy a bread machine, you should answer the following questions.
Why do you want to buy a bread machine?
The most obvious reason is to bake bread. Some people buy a bread machine so that they can try out new interesting recipes on their own like Gluten-free bread recipe. Or maybe some of you are just tired of buying bread from the store. You should be having more than one reason for buying a bread machine for you to make optimal use of the bread machine.
How often do you bake?
The frequency of baking is an important consideration when buying a bread machine, if you bake frequently, then you must be tired of mixing and kneading the dough. This process increases the urgency to get a bread machine which does all this process for you in addition to the baking.
How busy are you?
For those who have a busy schedule and you still need to bake bread for your family for breakfast, you need to invest in a good bread machine. Some bread machines come with delay timers which you can set overnight and wake up to the smell of freshly baked bread without any hassle. Other models come with rapid settings that bake bread in n hour or less.
What is your budget?
The prices of bread machines vary depending on the quality and also the features. There are lowly priced bread machines of inferior quality, and also premium models with lots of automatic features. Your budget will determine if you can afford it or not. In this article, we will discuss some budget-friendly bread machines which will give you value for your money in the long run.
Our Picks
We all expect bread machines to bake better bread than what you can bake yourself. Otherwise, what’s the point of buying it? To help you make the right decision when purchasing a bread machine, we included this section of some of our top picks, their features and also the price. This information will help you pick a model with the right features and at a budget-friendly price.
Our Criteria
We came up with two or three bread machines on Amazon which are priced differently. We had to read other bread machine reviews and also cookbooks when narrowing down the recommended bread machines. You can also read this cookbook for more information on our selection criteria, “The Bread Lovers Bread Machine Cookbook.”
Kneading and Baking
Good bread machines knead the dough evenly with no patches of flour at the very ends of the bread pan. That means that the paddle should be thorough. The baking temperatures should also be even, making the bread turn golden brown in medium heat setting.
Loaf Shape
Don’t go for bread machines with a single paddle as they produce oddly shaped bread because the bread pan has to be taller. Opt for bread machines with two paddles as they do a great job when kneading and shaping the dough.
Durability
Choose a bread machine with a strong motor, to prevent stalling when kneading the dough. Every bread machine wears out after some time but the durability of each machine varies.
Capacity and Settings
Some bread machines come with 15 or more different settings and dough cycles. Also, check the capacity and go for bread machines with a 2-pound loaf capacity. You can bake two loaves at once, saving you on energy bills and also time.
Our Top Picks
These are some of our bread machine top picks.
Premium Pick
Zojirushi Home Bakery Virtuosso Plus
- Various healthy course settings include Multigrain, Whole Wheat, Rapid Whole Wheat, Gluten Free, Salt Free, Sugar Free and Vegan
- Double Kneading Blades thoroughly knead dough for superior results; Dual heaters on the bottom and lid of the bread maker promote even baking and browning
- Rapid courses allow you to bake a loaf of white or whole wheat bread in just 2 hours and 25 minutes
- Large, easy-to-read LCD display with convenient key code on lid simplifies course selection; RAPID SETTING: Use Rapid setting to have your loaf ready to eat in under two and a half hours
- Electrical Rating 120 volts / 700 watts.Cord Length:39 inch
Last update on 2024-04-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Why we like it; we found the Zojirushi bread machine to be sturdy and it also makes standard shaped loaves measuring 9*5 inches. This feature is unique to the Zojirushi bread machine. It is a reliable machine. It comes with 14 programs and you can customize your recipe using this bread machine. Zojirushi bread machine costs around $338, making it an expensive but worthy investment. If you can’t afford it, we have more budget-friendly picks below.
Budget-Friendly Pick
T-fal Actibread Bread Machine
- Gluten free bread maker with 15 programmable settings: Gluten free salty, gluten free sweet, gluten free cake, rapid whole wheat, whole wheat, salt free, super rapid, rapid sweet bread, french, sweet, cooking, dough, cake, jam, and pasta
- 3 loaf sizes (1, 1.5, or 2 pounds); 3 crust settings (light, medium, or dark); 700 watts of power
- Digital LCD display with indicator light; Delay start upto 15 hours; Automatic keep warm
- Brushed stainless steel housing with black accents; Top loading lid with display window; nonstick coated inner pan and handle for easy cleaning
- Includes measuring cup and spoon, hook, kneading blade, and recipe book with 25 recipes
Last update on 2024-04-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Why we like it; the T-fal is a good bread machine since it bakes and kneads well. Plus most people can afford the price tag of around $90. The only setback is that the loaves are oddly shaped due to the tall design of the bread pan. One good feature on the T-fal is that you can make Gluten-free bread.
Exotic Foods Pick
Panasonic Home Bakery 1 loaf type white SD-MT3-W Japan Import
Last update on 2024-04-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Why we like it: you can customize your recipe to any length, as it comes with an automatic fruit and nut dispenser to add ingredients like yeast, dried fruits, and raisins to your dough. It can bake Japanese bread-like Brioche, Mochi, and Red bean bread. If you like trying out new recipes, go for this bread maker.
Best Cheap Pick
Hamilton Beach 29882 2-Pound Bread Machine
- FRESH HOMEMADE BREAD IN 3 EASY STEPS: Just add your ingredients to the bread machine, select the cycle and press start.
- YOU CONTROL THE INGREDIENTS & NUTRITIONAL CONTENT: Prepare healthy loaves of bread without preservatives or trans fat using this Hamilton Beach breadmaker.
- VERSATILE WITH 12 CYCLES: Make dough, bake cake, or make delicious mouth-watering loaves of fresh baked bread. Cycles include basic, French, gluten-free, quick bread (no yeast), sweet, 1.5 lb express, 2.0 lb express, dough, jam, cake, whole grain and bake.
- GREAT FOR DOUGH PREP: Prepare a variety of yeast doughs in the breadmaker machine for dinner rolls, pizza crusts, cinnamon buns and more, then bake in a conventional oven.
- MAKE BREAD THE WAY YOU LIKE IT: Choose to make either 1.5 lb. or 2 lb. loaves, and select from 3 crust settings for light, medium or dark crust. Easy cleanup
Last update on 2024-04-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Why we like it; it comes with multiple programs and settings that allow you to make different types of dough and bread. It has a price tag of around $59, which is a good bargain for those features. At this price, you have no reason not to get yourself a bread machine.
Bottom-Line
Instead of buying specialty bread from the store, why not invest in a good bread machine? Some models even go for less than $60 making them good investments. Baking your bread is cheaper than buying it from the store. The decision to buy a bread machine rests entirely on what you are looking for and why? We hope this information was helpful in your search for a good bread machine.
