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Bread Machine Reviews

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In this review:
  1. Cheap Bread Machines, Best Bread Makers Review
  2. Bread Machine Reviews
  3. Discount Bread Machines Features Comparison Table
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Bread Makers Performance

According to bread machine reviews, all bread makers, whether cheap or high end, have their quirks. Keep in mind that users' experience with these machines varies, and the results may reflect the particular recipe, the accuracy of the measured ingredients, seemingly unrelated factors like the weather, and the machine itself.

So let's examine what kind of performance you can expect, foibles and all, based on the evidence we found.

Bread Makers Results.

Even though a cheap bread maker saves you the time and effort of mixing, kneading, and generally attending to the bread, it's still a huge disappointment if you end up with a loaf that's dense, burnt, or doughy. The Oster 5838, unfortunately, sometimes produces bread that fits those descriptors. Several bread machine reviews on Amazon and Epinions say the Oster 5838 produces sunken loaves with mealy, soggy, or raw insides and burnt or too-hard crusts on the outside. A bread machines review by experts at Breadinfo.com, however, says they were not able to replicate these problems. Users of the Breadman TR520 report similar issues, including burned and dry loaves, in bread machine reviews on the Target site.

The Sunbeam 5891 comes in for high praise, both because of its price and the bread it produces; bread machines reviews on Viewpoints, for example, like the dough setting for pizza and rolls, and an expert bread machines review on About.com says the “light” setting produces a soft, but well-browned bread and sweet breads slice neatly. Consumers posting bread machine reviews on Newegg about the Breadman TR875 express only positive comments about the finished product, but several gripe about receiving what appear to be refurbished units. Bread machines reviews on Cooking.com praise the dinner rolls and pizza dough churned out by the Breadman TR875, and Target shoppers are thoroughly pleased with the texture of the whole wheat and rye breads. Gluten-free and regular breads produced by the West Bend 41300 generate some tasty comments in bread maker reviews on Amazon, where users also mention the light, well-shaped results and uniform consistency. And a bread machine review on Epinions favorably notes the texture on a loaf of French bread (neither too hard nor too soft) and the crusts on a raisin bread, adding that the middle was cooked through on this large loaf. One satisfied user of the Cuisinart CBK-100 has stopped buying bread since purchasing the machine, according to a bread machines review on Amazon, and users of refurbished Cuisinart CBK-100's report on Overstock.com that the machine not only makes good bread, but is also easy to use.

Review continues below

High-altitude baking may be a challenge with cheap bread machines because the required recipe changes are often not possible given bread machines' preset modes. The West Bend 41300, with its custom mode, is one exception; after following the recommended adjustments in the instruction manual for the yeast and liquids in a wheat bread, one user gushes about the results in a West Bend 41300 review on the Walmart site. If you live in a high-altitude location, you might want to read through an article written by an expert from the College of Agriculture at the University of Wyoming, which offers suggestions on how to improve bread machine results at high altitudes.

Bread Makers Ease of Use

. When a bread machine works well, it's a set-and-forget operation. The West Bend 41300 is so simple to use, according to a bread makers review on Walmart, that a 10-year-old child has mastered the process. Unfortunately, cheap bread machines don't always work quite that well. One user reports in a bread machines review on the Walmart site, that the Breadman TR520 needs a lot of attention, such as pushing down the ingredients and regularly checking the consistency. And paddles can also be a problem. In addition to paddles occasionally getting stuck in loaves, a frequent complaint about the Oster 5838 is that its paddle does a poor job mixing add-in ingredients; users report in bread machines reviews on Goarticles.com that they often have to stop the machine and mix the extra ingredients by hand to ensure they're fully integrated.

Bread Machines Cleaning

. The two components in low-cost bread machines that need to be cleaned are the pans and the paddles. The West Bend 41300 gets high marks from a consumer posting a bread makers review on Epinions for featuring dishwasher-safe components. The components of the other bread machines we featured are hand-wash only. Most clean up easily, but sometimes the components require soaking and gentle scraping (do not use steel wool or other abrasives on non-stick pans).

Inexpensive Bread Machines Durability.

All machines experience wear and tear over time, and the part most likely to break on a cheap bread machine is the one that does the hard work: the paddle. The paddles on some brands, including Cuisinart, Sunbeam, Oster, and Breadman, are easily replaced; prices for individual paddles range from $3 or so for the Cuisinart to about $15 for the Breadman. Other brands require contacting the manufacturer directly.

In general, a good cheap bread machine will last for several years, even with frequent use. All machines we researched feature a one-year limited warranty, except for the Cuisinart CBK-100, which offers a three-year limited warranty. Although the Cuisinart warranty is longer, some users report on Amazon that Cuisinart's customer service is not always user-friendly.

Review continues below

Our Final Word. A bread machine is about baking bread - not necessarily pretty bread, and not the jam that goes on top of that bread - just bread. If you focus on finding a cheap bread maker without lots of extra functions, you should be able to find an affordable machine that reliably provides fresh-baked bread for years to come.

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Read user comments below

Best Cheap Bread machine

West Bend 41300
Gold Medal

West Bend 41300

 Able to make four different loaf sizes and featuring 11 different settings, such as basic, sweet, whole wheat, and jam, this reliable machine is an excellent choice for someone who wants the ability to make small or large loaves. The machine's only downfall isn't part of the machine at all, according to users, but the recipes in the manual that aren't always reliable. Read more »
Bread Machines Deals
Sunbeam 5891
Gold Medal

Sunbeam 5891

 An entry-level model that some self-proclaimed professional bakers praise, the Sunbeam 5891 features the traditional array of functions and crust settings, a non-stick loaf pan, and a 13-hour delay. Users are thrilled with the results and the price, but some carp about its bulky size, oddly-shaped loaves, and the inability to customize the cycles. Read more »
Bread Machines Deals

Good Cheap Bread Machines

Cuisinart CBK-100
Gold Medal

Cuisinart CBK-100

 Sleek-looking and featuring 12 different bread settings, a 13-hour start delay, and three loaf-size options, Cuisinart's foray into bread machines gets high points for the results of regular and gluten-free baking, but it beeps loudly and some users complain that the display is difficult to read. Read more »
Bread Machines Deals
Breadman TR875
Gold Medal

Breadman TR875

 The TR875 makes large, two-pound loaves and, like the Cuisinart CBK100, has a good track record in creating gluten-free breads. The 16 baking settings include rapid, whole-wheat, and pizza-dough, and the machine beeps when it's time to add ingredients that should be folded in. Some owners, however, received refurbished units instead of new without having been made aware of the difference, making the TR875 a better option to buy for yourself than as a gift. Read more »
Bread Machines Deals
 
 
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Don't Bother Cheap Breadmakers

Breadman TR520

One of the most inexpensive bread machines we found, the horizontal-loaf TR520 offers several options, including three different loaf sizes, a 13-hour delay function, and eight bread and dough settings, and will make a good loaf of bread cheaply. But problems abound: the display is difficult to read, and sunken or hard loaves are frequent occurrences. Read more »

Oster 5838 ExpressBake

This hit-or-miss machine offers 18 functions for breads and doughs, with a focus on its ExpressBake option, but only makes two-pound loaves. Reviews of the Oster 5838's quality are quite mixed; at times the machine works well, but consumers report a plague of fallen loaves. Read more »

 
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