I'm a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Is there anything better than the smell of freshly baked bread? I think not. Well, maybe the taste. Bread machines help you make fresh loaves from home and they taste so much better than what you buy from the store. Here we’ll be going over the best bread machine and comparing three top brands: Oster vs Hamilton Beach vs Zojirushi.
Which bread maker is best? Let’s look together.
Oster Bread Machines
Oster kitchen appliances have been around for a long time. They make blenders, toasters, waffle makers and much more. They currently offer one bread machine model: the Oster Expressbake. Let’s dive into it.
Oster ExpressBake Bread Machine
The ExpressBake is a large bread machine that can bake a 2lb loaf in less than an hour. It comes with 12 different bread settings (quick, dough, whole wheat, French, etc) along with three crust settings (from light to dark). This uses 650 watts of power to bake your custom loaf.
Speaking of making a custom loaf, the ExpressBake makes it easy to bake bread. Simply add your ingredients, wait for it to allow you to add anything special (nuts, fruit, spices, etc), and it does all the kneading, rising, and baking for you. This also happens to be a great bread machine for pizza dough.
The LCD screen is large and easy to use. There’s also a 13 hour programmable timer so you can start baking whenever you want. Along with the machine itself you also get a measuring cup, spoon, and kneading paddle.
Hamilton Beach Bread Machines
Hamilton Beach has a fantastic reputation for making great kitchen appliances and it shows with the Hamilton Beach bread makers. Their model has many settings, cooks large 2lb loaves, and is easy on the wallet.
Hamilton Beach Digital Bread Maker
The Hamilton Beach bread machine fires back with a great model of its own. Much like Oster, Hamilton Beach currently only has one model, but our bread machine review didn’t disappoint. This also has 12 settings for various breads like French, sweet breads, quick breads without yeast, and whole grain. This is also one of the best bread machines for gluten-free breads. There are express settings for both 1.5lb and 2lb loaves.
What about crust settings? Don’t worry, you can choose between light, medium, or dark. The large display allows you to input your selection and even set a delay timer for cooking later in the day. The large pan is nonstick and dishwasher safe and you can even make custom loaves by adding ingredients, selecting the proper cycle, and pushing start.
Want to make more than just bread? Don’t worry, this bread maker also makes cakes, pizza dough, croissants, and flatbreads. Just push the setting, add the ingredients, and wait for your fresh bread, pastry, dough, or jam to be finished.
Zojirushi Bread Makers
The Zojirushi bread maker models are premium units with unique features you won’t find with many other machines. We’ll cover the two top Zojirushi bread machine models so you can see what makes this company so special.
Zojirushi Home Bakery Virtuoso Plus
This is easily the best bread maker when it comes to making specialty breads. It can make common breads like whole wheat and basic, but it can also do gluten-free, sugar-free, and it’s even a bread maker for vegan bread. Rapid settings allow 2lb loaves to finish in just 2.5 hours.
There are double kneading blades along with two heaters to fast kneading and baking. Plus, this provides even heating and browning. The large LCD screen is easy to see and you’ll have no problem inputting your selection. There’s also a 13-hour delay timer, so set the ingredients whenever you have a moment, set the timer, and enjoy fresh bread whenever you want.
Want to make more than bread? The Zojirushi bread maker can also make cake, dough, jam, and there’s the “homemade course” setting. This lets you make pasta, cinnamon rolls, gluten-free dinner rolls, and so much more. Be sure to check the Zojirushi bread maker recipes guide for more info.
Zojirushi Home Bakery Supreme
This Zojirushi bread machine is nearly identical to the Virtuoso Plus but at a better price. You can bake 2lb loaves with three crust settings and 10 pre-programmed settings for a variety of breads. Choose between wheat, basic, dough, quick breads, sourdough, and more. You can also make homemade cakes, jams, and custom doughs.
The large LCD panel ensures you can easily control the bread machine, and the delay timer lets you set a baking time up to 13 hours in advance. Double kneading blades thoroughly mix and knead dough, allowing it to reach its full taste potential.
If you want the best homemade bread ever, then Zojirushi machines are exactly what you’re looking for. They’re the best bread machine models available.
What Bread Machine is Best?
What is the best bread maker? It all depends on what you’re looking for. Each brand brings something different to the table.
When it comes to Oster vs Hamilton Beach bread machines, Oster has the advantage in terms of speed. It’s the fastest bread maker here. While Zojirushi has more features, in terms of Oster vs Zojirushi bread makers, Oster is more comfortable on the wallet and still the faster model out of the two.
With Hamilton Beach vs Oster bread makers, Hamilton Beach has more features, bread options, and it does a somewhat better job of letting loaves rise. In terms of Hamilton Beach vs Zojirushi bread machines, Hamilton Beach is more affordable and has nearly as many features.
For those who want professional results, Zojirushi is the best. With Zojirushi vs Oster bread machines, Zojirushi has many more features and can create unique loaves like vegan, gluten-free, and sugar-free. With Zojirushi vs Hamilton Beach bread makers, while Hamilton Beach can make gluten-free bread, Zojirushi still has more options and more even browning.
Final Thoughts
Which is the best bread maker? It all comes down to what you need. If you want speed, then Oster is your best bet. If you want a good in-between with speed and features, then Hamilton Beach is the right one for you. If you want professional results and unique bread types, then Zojirushi is worth its price.
Bread Machine Buying Guide
Looking for a bread maker buying guide? Don’t worry, we’ll show you exactly what to look for when buying one of these appliances.
- Loaf Size: Most models can cook 2lb loaves, but sometimes you want something bigger or smaller. Check to see which sizes the model can cook.
- Features: What type of bread do you want? Most can make basic types like white, whole wheat, and so on. But what if you want gluten-free, or vegan? Check to see all the types of breads you can cook. You’ll also want to check for crust options.
- Rising/Baking Time: Some machines cook slower while others are super fast. A two-hour baking time is about standard, so remember that when picking a machine.
- Viewing Window: This is a good feature because it lets you view the loaf and see if there are any problems. You don’t want to find out the loaf is burning or never started cooking.
- Control Panel: You’ll want a control panel with good buttons and a bright, easily viewable screen.
- Delay Timer: This is another handy feature that allows you to put in the ingredients and start cooking when you need it. You can set everything in the morning and enjoy fresh bread the moment you’re home from work.