Want to enjoy freshly baked bread at home? The best bread machines make the bread-making process super simple, since they have preprogrammed settings to bake specific types of bread (like white, wheat, or sometimes even gluten-free) with ease. They will also allow you to choose how dark you like your crust, and often have other helpful features like a built-in delayed timer.
When purchasing a bread machine, you’ll notice that most standard machines can make a 2-pound loaf, which is about the size that you’d get in a store. However, if you don't need quite as much bread, some machines can make smaller loaves, around 1 or 1.5 pounds. Make sure your machine can make loaves big (or small) enough to meet the needs of your household.
In addition to a delayed timer (which is a standard feature), some machines have extra features that are worth considering. If you plan on making gluten-free bread, look for a machine that has a specific setting for this, since gluten-free bread usually requires more kneading. If you’re frequently in a time crunch, some machines have settings that allow you to make the bread much more quickly (about in an hour or so). Finally, if you like your bread loaded with nuts, seeds, or even dried fruit, some bread makers have a setting that automatically mixes these ingredients into your loaf at the optimum part of the baking process.
Ready to get baking? Reviewers on Amazon say that these three bread machines make delicious bread with ease.
We only recommend products we love and that we think you will, too. We may receive a portion of sales from products purchased from this article, which was written by our Commerce team.
1
The Overall Best Bread Machine
This Oster bread machine is a total fan favorite on Amazon, boasting a solid 4.3-star rating with 4,700 and growing reviews. Reviewers love that they can use this machine to make a bunch of different types of bread (up to 2-pound loaves), and the process is so incredibly simple, too. Load the ingredients, and select from the 12 different bread settings and three crust settings. Before you know it, you'll have a delicious loaf of bread that's ready for your enjoyment. If you want to add fruit and nuts, the machine will alert you when it is time to do so, but you'll have to do it manually.
If you’re in a hurry, the express bake feature on this machine can make a 1.5-pound loaf in under an hour. And if you’d rather add the ingredients in advance and wait to bake your bread, the delay timer allows you to set the machine to bake up to 13 hours later.
The bread machine comes with a measuring cup, spoon, and kneading paddle. The only downside of this pick? There is no setting for gluten-free bread, so if you’re intending on making that, you should go with one of the two other picks instead.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: "I don't write too many reviews, but I wanted to write one for this bread machine. I am really not a baker at all! I don't have too much success when I try to bake things. This bread machine is so easy to use and the bread is unbelievably delicious. I still can't believe that I can put in five ingredients, press a button, and a couple of hours later I have a delicious loaf of bread."
2
A Budget-Friendly Pick That Makes Gluten-Free Bread
If you want the option to make gluten-free loaves, you should definitely get your hands on this Hamilton Beach bread maker, which has a setting that is designed specifically for making that type of bread. Beyond that, though, this pick has plenty of features that are worth paying attention to. The 11 other settings allow you to make a range of different bread types, and you can also choose from a light, medium, or dark crust on your bread. If you want to manually add fruit and nuts, the machine will audibly alert you when it's time to do so. The bread maker produces up to 2-pound loaves, and when you’re done, you can stick the pan in the dishwasher for easy cleaning.
Other features of this pick include a delay timer (up to 13 hours), and an express setting that allows you to make a 1.5-pound loaf in under an hour using quick-rise yeast. Amazon reviewers are certainly impressed with this pick; they give it a solid 4.2-star rating after more than 4,100 reviews.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: "This is the appliance I never knew I needed! [...] I am blown away. I have been baking most of my husband's bread for several years. He has celiacs disease and must have a gluten free diet. This bread maker has a gluten free setting which works awesome. I've made loaf after loaf and they've all come out great! And it's so easy. I just have to dump my ingredients in and walk away. It's never been so easy."
3
A Bread Machine Loaded With Features
This bread machine from KBS is packed with features that make the bread-making process super simple. The machine has a whopping 17 different programs to choose from, including soft bread, quick bread, and gluten-free bread. And best yet — the machine has a detachable fruit and nut dispenser that automatically releases the ingredients at the perfect time. It also has settings for light, medium, or dark crust, and loaf capacities of 1, 1.5, or 2.2 pounds.
The bread machine has a 15-hour delay timer and a 1 hour "keep warm" timer, too, so you'll be able to enjoy warm bread for longer — and who doesn't want that?
The machine itself is super sleek-looking thanks to being made from stainless steel, and it comes with a 2-year replacement warranty for all parts and accessories.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: "I love the KBS bread maker. So far, very reliable and easy to understand the programming. Every household, gluten free or not, deserves a bread maker, and this one is great! Nothing better than a house overflowing with the smells of fresh baked bread. So easy my kids can make bread—it only takes about 5-10 minutes to put the ingredients in and voila...amazing warm bread for the whole family."
