by john on October 3, 2011
Zojirushi BB-CEC20 has finally replaced its counterpart the BBCCX-20 (which was rated the best bread machine by consumersearch). This bread machine was built to be similar to its sister model. It makes perfect bread every time and is great for making gluten-free bread and pizza crust. I highly recommend this bread machine as it is now the best.
Zojirushi BB-CEC20 Home Bakery Supreme 2-Pound-Loaf Breadmaker
Loved the Shape
The very first thing that anyone would love about this bread machine is the shape of the loaf that it turns out. Since it sits on its long side, the bread comes out actually looking like it was oven-baked instead of that tall, weird thing with a rounded top.
Versatile, Convenient, and Makes Delicious Bread
You can program this bread maker for how long it takes each step so that the gluten-free loaf turns out perfect. Of course, you can also make whole wheat bread, meatloaf, jam, cake, cinnamon rolls or bread sticks! Just use one of the 10 pre-programmed cycles. This versatility means that anyone, whether a seasoned baker or a first timer, can find settings to fit themselves.
The best thing about having a bread machine that has delay timer is that you can have fresh bread for breakfast or tea every day, but not having to wake up early to bake it. In fact, if you overslept, the machine keeps the bread warm up to half an hour for you. I am so pleasantly surprised at this thoughtful feature!
At any other time, you can just put everything into the machine, and leave it to do its work while you have hours of free time to do whatever you want, which would have been used to mix, knead, wait for rising and punching dough, if you were doing it yourself. You also don’t have to heat up your kitchen with a big oven. And the bread made by this bread machine will be just as good as what you make yourself!
The two kneading paddles are wonderful. Anyone who bakes bread know that when you get delicious bread in the end most of the credit goes to the kneading process, and having two instead of one paddle means you can be sure to have a great loaf!
Cleaning Up
For the whole baking process, you will only need to clean up a few things afterward: the included measuring cup and spoon, and the baking pan. The pan is non-stick so bread slides out without leaving a trace. If you hate having a hole in your loaf and bits of bread on the paddle, try taking out the paddle when the dough has risen for the last time and before the baking begins.
Buy?
The ultimate question, should you buy? Well, I think at $220 the Zojirushi BB-CEC20 is maybe slightly expensive for some, but all the wonderful features and the lovely bread that it turns out make it worth the money spent. After all you’ll be saving money and staying healthy by eating homemade bread in the long run!
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by john on August 27, 2011
Best Basic Bread Machine
I like this one because it’s as no-frills as you can get. Just bake it and eat it. No muss, no fuss. 
Toastmaster TBR20H 2 lb Bread Machine Review
This Toastmaster TBR20H bread machine is one that I think even my 10-year old would be able to operate if I showed her how. It’s just so easy to use and puts all the guesswork out of which setting to choose and all that mumbo-jumbo. Like the Sunbeam, I really recommend this to amateur bakers because it’s really hard to go wrong with this one.
It has enough features to make a novice feel pretty happy, I think. 1.5 lbs capacity, 8 bread cycles, a keep warm cycle, an express cycle, and 13-hour delay. Plus, I like the huge viewing window, which helps you keep track of how your bread is turning out. And if you accidentally turn off its electricity supply, it has a backup battery, which will just make it continue where it left off. Is that neat or what?
Sometimes All You Need is a Basic
Because I’m a baker by profession, this model is a bit too basic for me. I like to experiment with cycles and settings and whatnot, but I do think that for those who are looking for something that won’t make them confused each time they want fresh bread in the morning, this is a pretty good purchase.
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by john on August 18, 2011
The simple wonder of bread making, made easier with automated bread machines, back in the days when hand kneading and ovens were the only way to make a good loaf of bread, an automated bread maker would have been considered wizardry, but not today as you can find quite a number of them, and cheap too.
A good example of a cheap but branded bread maker would be this large and not so in charge bread machine. Breadman TR875 has caused a lot of mixed reviews on Amazon, some love it and drop a generous amount of stars while swearing to never ever used anything else besides this, while others would prefer to tie it to a rock and toss it into the Hudson river. Well it will be hard to tell which of these reviews are true so I decided to take it on myself to do a review.
Breadman TR875
Gluten-free Bread
The first thing I noticed when I bought the bread maker is that it doesn’t look half bad, the stainless steel body and the display, all complemented by the black coloration, the design was really nice as well. After a few minutes of finding the perfect spot on my counter to maximize the “vista” of this maker I finally went through the manual, the moment I saw the Gluten free page my mind began to hover on one review which said it didn’t work well, so I decided to try it out first.
I made a small 1-1/2 lbs mix and followed the recipe book by the letter (with a few reductions and increase here and there), after a few hours the bread was done, I did notice it was a little more wet than if I were to use my BBCCX20 from Zojirushi, but the bread was not chewy and it was ok.
Pretty Good Features for a Budget Bread Machine
Breadman TR875 comes with all the regulars that you were to expect from a bread maker, an LCD display, a paddle (of course), nonstick dough pan and a see through window, which I personally favor since I can take a look at the mixing and baking to assure myself that it’s doing fine.
The other functions that were available were all regular ones that you would find on other break makers, like pizza and French bread, the one I liked the most is the delay start which acts just like a slow cooker, only thing is it only turns on after the programmed amount of time has passes, I use this function the night before so my family can enjoy fresh bread in the morning, I set it for 6 hours at 11 and wake up at 7 for some freshly baked bread.
Almost anything can be done with this bread maker, quite surprising for something under $70 on Amazon, and another feature which I seldom use but appreciate would be the fruit and nut signal which lets me know when I need to pour in that cup of almonds and raisins.
Not Sure It’ll Last Long
However this bread maker is a little flimsy. I haven’t had any problem with the electronics but I would say if your Breadman wasn’t functioning properly then you may have a problem with the electronics, not a big surprise with something as digital and complicating as this. Another concern would be the paddle getting jammed, I have gone through my fair share of bread makers and yes I have had a few jammed, but this is entirely due to having flour getting caught up under the paddle and turning stiff.
So if you are looking for a cheap affordable and particularly fancy bread maker with a lot of functions then you can try your luck at buying the Breadman TR875, but be careful not to receive the refurbished ones as I cannot guarantee how they will turn out.
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by john on August 14, 2011
Best Big Bread Machine
This Panasonic SD YD250 Automatic Bread Machine makes the biggest loaves of the whole bunch! 2.5 lbs loaves of bread for breakfast, anyone? If you’re looking for a bread machine for your large family, then I do believe this is the bread machine for you.
Panasonic SD YD250
If you don’t want to make enormous loaves of bread all the time, well there are 3 settings of bread size that you can choose. You can also choose white, whole-wheat, multigrain, French or quickbread/cakes settings.
Quickbread is for bread that doesn’t require yeast, such as banana bread or gingerbread. And you know that everybody loves banana bread! But you don’t have the recipe? No fear. It comes with a 40-recipe booklet, which I’m sure will come in handy.
It Work For Me
I personally think that the 13-hour delay timer worked a charm. If you’re in the industry like I am and go to work to knead dough all day, you don’t want to do the same when you come home. So I put in all the ingredients for whatever bread I feel like eating tomorrow for breakfast, and when I wake up I can make delicious, nutritious sandwiches for my 3 kids, with no fuss at all!
Is Big Better?
There is one thing though. It’s a big machine. My kitchen is wonderfully spacious, but I know that not everyone has the luxury of a big kitchen, so before thinking of buying this Panasonic sd yd250 bread maker, remember that it’s 14 x 13.5 x 9 inches, which is pretty big for a bread machine. But if you do have the space, and you need huge loaves to feed your hungry brood every morning, well, this is the machine for you.
Further Product Detail Information
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by john on August 1, 2011
Best Value Bread Machine
This Sunbeam 5891is a pretty good model for its price. I always thought that the better bread machines always cost more than US$100, but the Sunbeam costs less, but is still feature-packed.
Sunbeam 5891 2-Pound Programmable Bread Machine Review
I couldn’t believe how cheap this bread machine was. But then again, as a baker myself, I personally wouldn’t go for the inexpensive model because I can afford better. However, if you’re new to bread making generally, and using a bread machine specifically, then I think you should give this model a try.
My only grouse with this Sunbeam 5891 is the included recipe booklet. Don’t use it! They put waaaay too much yeast in everything, resulting in sunken tops and uncooked bread. Look for other bread machine recipes online or buy a bread machine recipe book. With the interest in bread machines nowadays, these books won’t be hard to find. I myself have two because they make it so much easier to make bread.
The Bottom Line: To Buy, or not to Buy?
Give this machine a try if you’re an amateur or you think you’ll not be using your bread machine very much anyway. You’ll be very pleased at the price, and the results, because this baby has pretty good settings and features packed into the price.
Don’t buy it if… well, I can’t think of anything. Okay, maybe that it’s not exactly dishwasher safe. And the recipe booklet isn’t very good.
But generally, it’s a pretty good bread machine.
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West Bend 41300 Hi-Rise
You know you’ve got a superb bread maker when the bread turns out looking golden-brown lovely, smelling reminiscently of childhood, and tasting just right. And you know you’ve got a bargain when that bread machine doesn’t cost more than $85.
West Bend 41300 Hi-Rise Electronic Dual-Blade Breadmaker
The West Bend 41300 Hi-Rise is that bread machine. It is not the high end Zojirushi, nor is it a popular Breadman, but it produces tasty horizontal loaves and a great many baking options at an affordable price, and that’s what is important.
It is also simple to use – just measure the ingredients into the pan, press button and go do other stuff while it bakes the bread for you. The dual blades kneads ever so well, the dough rises beautifully for light and fluffy bread, and it beeps when it’s time to add fruits and nuts.
Basically all bread machines need you to add in fruits and nuts later on, except for the really high end ones that have a seed dispenser.
Despite the price, this bread machine is made with quality and doesn’t jitter or walk on the countertop while it kneads, but remember to place it on a firm and solid surface. The dough doesn’t stick on the sides as well, making it a breeze to clean.
A tip for the new user: break in your West Bend 41300 Hi-Rise by running the bake cycle once before you bake any bread. This is to remove any stink from the new machine.
The West Bend 41300 Hi-Rise Electronic Dual-Blade Breadmaker has great value for money. It’ll soon pay for itself by saving you all that money buying bread and ordering pizza.
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Zojirushi has really been a great company to supply kitchens worldwide with the ability to make fresh bread through their array of automated bread makers. I trust only them to provide me with perfect gluten free bread, and now it seems that they have made a mini size bread maker especially for small families and those who do not consume bread as a staple during their meals.
Zojirushi BB-HAC10 Bread Machine Review
A little heads up for those who are so used to Zojirushi, especially the fully programmable models because the Zojirushi BB-HAC10 does not have those in depth programming, so toss aside all that sophisticated timing for something more simple; a delay timer. Now do keep in mind this bread maker was never intended to bake for a large family, instead it would be put to better use by apartment dwellers or loners who happen to enjoy making their own bread.
Using this Bread Machine
Well I’d say I would use this if I didn’t have to make at least 2 lbs of bread for a single session, but this works very well when I’m too lazy to get my larger and more versatile bread makers out, not that this tiny one is not versatile enough (no programming? Oh no!). So anyway, just like you would any other bread maker, you place in the ingredients in, yeast powder and liquids, but no fruit, and if you are using the delay start you should never ever use dairy, asking why would be like asking what happens if you were to leave milk out on the counter for more than 20 minutes.
The buttons here are all labeled respectively, so just choose what type of bread you are making and the LCD display will show the always present countdown and temperature, nothing to worry about since you can’t change any of that.
This bread machine has all the regular things you would expect, the only difference would be the size of bread you can produce, this little dough puncher can whip out a maximum of 1pound, cake or bread, whichever you fancy. The regular dough maker functions like pizza and cookie are ever present (I rarely use them but I guess it’s a bonus). The quick bake cycle produces a fantastic loaf in just less than 2 hours, not as fast as others but I can say that there is no compromise in the texture or taste.
Nice Size, Not so Nice Looks
Now with all that aside let’s take a look at the cosmetic details of this bread maker. A big and obvious win would be the size, it’s small and so compact that you could store it, display it and even use it in one spot. A big bummer about the looks is that it has none, it plain white just like other zojirushi, but due to its size it seems very plain and unappealing, I didn’t like the way the edges would make it look like something round. The see through window on top is nothing to be surprised with, but it actually makes it look rather cute, if the unit did not have this I would have thought it was not too far from being a revolting sight. It also comes with a carrying handle.
The kneading paddle and the baking pan are both nonstick, the build is fairly secure but it would still be safe to clean under the paddle to prevent buildup.
For the end of the review I would say that I am satisfied with this Zojirushi BB-HAC10 bread maker, its small and it bakes just as well as anyone could. I would give this to a pair of newlyweds or when my kids are old enough to have a place of their own.
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A basic and inexpensive bread maker that works, is how I would describe the Breadman TR520. If you’re looking for a first bread machine that is affordable and not a fuss to use, this is the one.
Breadman TR520 Programmable Bread Maker
At only $50, this bread machine is good for the price. It has the Fast Bake option, perfect for those who never bothered to make homemade bread because it simply takes far too long. Now you just put in the ingredients, press a button, and get fresh bread in an hour!
But if you are a perfectionist, maybe it’s a good idea to pause the machine when the dough is punched down and remove the paddle, so that it doesn’t make a big hole in your baked bread later on.
The Breadman TR520 is not as quiet as most, especially during kneading because that step uses quite a bit of energy, but one reviewer suggests scraping the sides of the pan and adding a little extra water during kneading to eliminate that problem.
It walks on the countertop when kneading too, so you might want to place it real deep in so that it doesn’t fall off.
The Breadman TR520 only has pre-programmed cycles, no custom options, so not good for the real experienced bakers who want to try out their own modes. I recommend this for beginners, and it is good enough for many different recipes, such as basic white bread, honey wheat bread, herb bread, seed bread and pizza dough.
It’s hard to go wrong at that price, and the bulk of good reviews are convincing. If you don’t mind the little quirks, get the Breadman TR520 Programmable Bread Maker.
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by john on February 16, 2011
UPDATE: This bread machine is now discontinued and replaced by the Zojirushi BB-CEC20. Read my Zojirushi BB-CEC20 review here.
I have checked out a lot of bread machines, but by far this one – Zojirushi BBCCX20 is the best one. It has all the features I would ever look for in my bread machine, plus it’s so good that I can make other kinds of food as well, such as meatloaf, jam, cakes and cinnamon rolls!
Zojirushi BBCCX20
Zojirushi BBCCX20 – Best Bread Machine
It is a pretty big bread machine and can make a nicely shaped 2 lbs rectangular loaf of bread. What I like about this deluxe bread machine is that I can use it to bake bread for everyday and there are automatic settings but you can also customize the controls. During my test run, the 3-recipe memory function came in pretty handy because when I wanted to make a loaf of my favorite French pan d’espices, or French spiced bread, I didn’t have to go looking for the recipe all over again:)
Although it is pretty expensive, you do get what you pay for. In this case: easy baking healthy bread everyday! And tons of settings and tons of features, which will make many a loaf of yummy bread. There is a 3-stage crust control that helps you get exactly the kind of buttery crust you look for in a good loaf of bread.
The Proof of the Pudding is in the Eating
They always say that the proof of the pudding is in the eating. And I think that with bread, it’s the same! Bread from this bread machine tasted great and I tried out some recipes from the included recipe book, which totally helped me in my decision.
I know it’s pricey then most other bread machines, but this is definitely one of the best bread machine that I have ever use. If you genuinely intend to use a bread machine frequently or almost everyday, then this is the one to get! You will be glad that you did because it’s well worth the extra money. I have use many bread machine and if you had used some other cheaper machine in the past and want one that works for sure, work for everyday and bake beautifully, look no further.
Like many other satisfied customers, I would totally recommend this Zojirushi BBCCX20 because it’s simply the best! I’m totally digging mine:)
Further Information
Well, you can check out more review in amazon here – Zojirushi BBCCX20 Bread Machine
. And of course, I think you can always get very good deal and fast delivery from Amazon too.
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Zojirushi BB-CEC20
by john on October 31, 2010
For those of you who want a totally hands free bread machine, this is probably it. The Breadman BK1060S is great for those who are really too busy to even add fruits and nuts to the bread.
Breadman BK1060S 2-Pound Professional Bread Maker
Fully Automated
Most people don’t like the big hole that is left in the bread by the paddle, so they like bread machines that beep to tell you to remove the paddle in mid cycle. This bread machine not only has a collapsible paddle that leaves only a small hole in the bread, it also has an automatic fruit and nut dispenser, so you practically don’t have to do anything after putting in the ingredients and setting the cycle.
The Pros and Cons
Speaking of cycles, this bread machine does have a few special cycles besides the regular bread and sweet bread, like quick cycle, jam cycle and gluten free cycle. You can bake a cake with the quick cycle that uses baking soda or baking powder.
The shiny stainless steel exterior of the Breadman BK1060S 2-Pound Professional Bread Maker looks nice compared to the usual plastic exteriors so many bread machines have, but a couple of reviewers have also mentioned that the aluminum is thin and shows surface flaw easily.
The sides of this bread machine does get hot when it bakes, but what do you expect with a metal exterior? Be sure to keep it out of reach of small children and tell everyone else not to touch it while it’s operating.
This bread machine can be programmed to start baking later but a couple of users have exclaimed that the noise is loud enough to wake you up.
Breadman BK1060S 2-Pound Professional Bread Maker is not the best out there but it is an affordable bread machine for the really busy people who’d still like to bake their own.
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