The Zojirushi Virtuoso Plus is the favorite of our Kitchen Appliances and Technology Lab. With 15 different settings (including gluten-free and vegan), your family has so many options to get their ideal loaf of bread. There are even two rapid bake settings that can make white and whole wheat loaves in just two and a half hours. It has a built-in delayed start timer for up to 13 hours, and the machine displays the actual time (rather than time left) when your loaf will be done.
Hamilton Beach's machine comes at a much nicer price than most other bread makers, so it's a smart option if you'd like to try your hand at making bread, but aren't sure you'll be doing it on the regular. This model features an LCD display, timer, and multiple options so you get the perfect loaf. Just pop the ingredients in, pick one of the 14 pre-set cycles (including gluten-free!), then patiently wait for your freshly-baked bread.
Hamilton Beach's machine comes at a much nicer price than most other bread makers, so it's a smart option if you'd like to try your hand at making bread but aren't sure you'll be doing it on the regular. This model features an LCD display, timer, and multiple options so you get the perfect loaf. Just pop the ingredients in, pick one of the 14 pre-set cycles, then patiently wait for your freshly-baked bread.
T-fal's ActiBread is another solid pick, especially for beginners, since it's so easy to use. Its digital LCD screen, indicator light, and automatic keep warm make it easy to select from 15 different options and make the right type of bread. You can make three different loaf sizes (ranging from one to two pounds) and you get to choose between light, medium, and dark crusts — a.k.a. it's perfect for picky kids. There's even an option to make pasta. Score!
If you're ready to get fancy with your bread making, you need this Breville custom bread maker that lets you get creative with what you mix into your loaves. The automatic fruit and nut dispenser releases ingredients at the exact right moment during the knead phase so that they're evenly incorporated into the dough. Another cool feature? You can use this to make jam!
Amina is a product review writer and editor who worked as an editorial assistant in the Good Housekeeping Institute from 2018 to 2020, writing original content based on GH Lab experts' product testing and analysis. Amina graduated from Montclair State University with a B.A. in communication studies and journalism.
Betty Gold is an experienced food writer and editor who worked at Good Housekeeping from 2013 to 2019. As the former Senior Editor & Product Analyst in the Kitchen Appliances Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute, she tested and wrote about pretty much every type of cooking tool and food-related item on the market.
Sienna is a Deputy Editor at Hearst, where she oversees coverage of style, beauty, lifestyle, and more. She lives in California with her husband and two littles.
