5 Best Small Bread Machines
Bread machines are nothing short of magical. Pour in raw ingredients and out comes a loaf of bread within a few hours. No kneading, no preparation, and no baking – it’s all done automatically by one machine!
Bread machines are seen as an answer for people who want to bake bread but have zero experience in the kitchen.
It’s also a chance for people to enjoy new, healthy, and different ways to make bread without preservatives or harmful additives. It’s the art of baking but automated by a machine that controls each step precisely.
What are the best small bread machines? The best small bread machines are compact enough to sit on your countertop without taking up much space, produce the desired results reliably, and have several settings for different recipes.
Learn more about these wonderful loaf-makers below:
Why Bread Machines?
Bread machines are designed specifically to automate the entire baking process.
They come in different sizes but are almost always compact and can sit on any tabletop. They prepare the ingredients, knead the dough, and bake bread with zero human intervention, as the process is entirely controlled by an onboard computer.
Making bread is a wonderful and fulfilling art form, but it is quite time-consuming. Most non-bakers find themselves at a crossroads when it comes to bread.
They could either just buy store-bought bread without the specific health benefits that they need, or they can bake their own, which seems equally unlikely given that not many people know how to properly bake bread.
This is where bread machines come in. While some purists would cry foul, bread machines are life/time-savers for people who know nothing about baking. Making bread requires some amount of precision and you need to know a lot of specifics to get the most out of the loaf.
The truth is, bread-making is best handled by either professionals or automated machines.
For example, industry-scale operations widely use machines to bake and package bread for mass consumption. Production on that scale just doesn’t allow for human error and everything needs to be efficient.
Think of small bread machines as a miniaturized version of that industry-scale process, except you only get one perfectly baked loaf of bread every 3-4 hours.
Buyer’s Guide For Small Bread Machines
This buyer’s guide is designed to help novices and even professionals choose the best machine for their needs.
Whether you know how to bake bread or don’t have a clue on where to start, this guide will help you pick a machine that will do everything for you.
We have divided this guide into different sections. Each section will cover an important aspect or feature that an ideal bread machine must have.
Here are a few important aspects:
- Baking Options
- Size
- Portability
- Warranty
Once you understand what you want in your bread machine, you can choose one from our recommendations below if you’re looking for some of the best ones available online.
1. Baking Options
The number of presets available in a bread machine is extremely important. Most manufacturers will give up to 12 different baking options from typical white bread to multigrain bread, dry-fruit bread, French bread, pizza dough, and more.
Bread makers can also be used to make several types of dough. Some manufacturers will also provide an option to create pizza dough or even croissants.
These machines are highly specialized in dough-making, so you need to pick a bread machine that allows you to choose freely. Also, another optional but important feature is to have your own presets as well.
This means you can select a few settings to make a loaf of bread that you think is perfect for your needs and then save that setting so that you just have to press a button to make it in the future.
2. Size
Most small bread machines can make 500g, 750g, and 1kg bread loaves. These machines come in various sizes and with varying baking chambers as well.
We recommend going for a machine that can make up to 500g or 1kg of bread in the same machine. This will allow you to make bread without any wastage.
Most bread machines have a baking capacity of up to 2 pounds, which is more than enough for an average loaf of bread.
If you want more than that, then we suggest going for a larger machine, but for most people, a 1kg bread loaf is going to be enough for one day’s use. Of course, you could always make another loaf by repeating the baking process.
3. Portability
Most small bread machines weigh around 5-8KGs and are usually portable.
If you want a bread maker that you can take along with you, then we highly recommend that you pick a brand that offers all of the above features and a lightweight design.
Bread makers also come with detachable parts, but we would highly recommend that you go for a typical one-design machine since it is easier to manage and there is less of a chance of it breaking down due to wear and tear.
4. Warranty
Having no warranty is not a deal-breaker, but it should be an important aspect if you are looking for a long-term solution. Some brands will offer up to a 3-year limited warranty while others may offer just 1 year with lifetime support.
Of course, there will also be brands that do not offer any warranty and the purchase of these types of machines will come down to their cost, reviews, and the other factors that we have listed above.
Non-warranty products aren’t bad per se – it’s just that having a warranty on a machine with moving parts provides peace of mind for people who can’t afford to repair or replace the machine.
The Best Small Bread Machines
Now that you know what to look for in a small bread machine, it’s time you look at a few great options.
| Rank | Product | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Secura Bread Maker Machine | 19 menu settings, easy to use, and versatile |
| 2. | Hamilton Beach Bread Maker Machine | 12 baking settings, gluten-free bread |
| 3. | Cuisinart Bread Maker | Compact, 2-pound baking capacity |
| 4. | Briskind Compact Bread Maker | 19 settings, portable, 50 recipes included |
| 5. | CROWNFUL Automatic Bread Machine | Modern design, 2 liter capacity |
1. Secura Bread Maker Machine
With 19 menu settings, you can not only bake bread but prepare pizza dough and even yogurt or jams.
This bread maker comes with a baking capacity of 2.2 pounds, which is more than enough to feed a small family.
The best part about this bread maker is its versatility. You get all the required accessories and some measuring equipment as well.
Bake the perfect loaf every time and experiment with new ways of making bread at home with this smart bread-making machine.
2. Hamilton Beach Bread Maker Machine
This bread machine makes the perfect gluten-free bread loaves without fail. You get 12 menu settings that you can use to tweak how the loaf looks and tastes.
Make dough and even bake cakes in this all-in-one bread maker.
It’s perfect for making 1kg loaves and you get to choose the nutritional value of each loaf you bake in this machine.
It is designed to last, and the brand also provides a warranty of up to 5 years.
3. Cuisinart Bread Maker
If design and space are very important for you, then this amazing bread-making machine by Cuisinart will definitely be a great purchase.
It’s designed to be compact yet fully functional with 12 baking options, a delay timer, and lots of customization options as well.
It’s the answer to all your baking needs, as this machine will not only just bake bread, but it will also bake cakes, pizza dough, and more.
Cuisinart is also providing a limited 3-year warranty so that you can use this machine without worry for a long time. Its design is robust and is made using high-quality, food-safe materials so that you get a healthy and perfect loaf of bread every time.
4. Briskind Compact Bread Maker
This bread-making machine does it all. While most machines have more or less the same features, this one provides a holistic package with a compact design.
This machine is designed to be portable with a simple easy-to-carry design.
It weighs just over 7 pounds and has a baking capacity of 1.5 pounds, which should be enough for most people. This bread maker also comes with up to 19 different baking options.
Make multiple types of bread, jams, and even cakes in this one machine. You may also use the included 50-recipe book to expand your bread-making skill even further.
5. CROWNFUL Automatic Bread Machine
This bread machine covers all the aspects that we have discussed in our buyer’s guide above.
It has 12 programmable presets, has a 2-liter capacity, is portable, and is specifically designed to fit in a modern kitchen.
If you are looking for a great 1-year warranty-covered bread machine, then look no further than Crownful’s Black Automatic Bread maker. Make bread, cakes, doughs, and more with just this machine.
It also features an LCD screen for easy function viewing and an audible reminder so that you can add fruits and nuts to the bread at the right time.
How Bread Machines Work And How To Use One
These machines come in a small, portable, table-top chassis that houses all the electronic parts and machinery required to bake bread.
Typically, most bread machines have a lot of baking options when it comes to bread making. For example, you can set the color of the crust, the type of bread, and other particulars just by using the controls provided on the machine.
Bread machines work in different stages. Once you have all your desired settings, you can just pour in all the wet and dry ingredients into the baking chamber inside the machine.
The chamber is a tin-like bucket that mixes, prepares, kneads, and bakes the bread – all in one place. To begin, pick a simple bread recipe and add all the ingredients to the baking chamber.
The usual ingredients include:
- Bread flour or strong flour (with a higher percentage of gluten)
- Salt
- Sugar
- Yeast
- Oil
- Eggs
- Warm water
In some bread machines, you may even add more ingredients halfway through the dough-making process. These additions can be dry fruits, seeds, nuts, chocolate chips, jellies, and more.
Once all the dry and wet ingredients have been added to the chamber, you can close the lid and press the start button. The machine will do the rest and provide you with a perfectly baked loaf of bread within 3-4 hours.
The machine will first allow the yeast to be activated using sugar and warm water. Once that is done, it will start the mixing process. A removable mixer at the bottom of the baking chamber will mix everything and start forming the dough.
The machine will then allow the dough to rest and rise. It will continue mixing and then start to knead the dough within the chamber. Once the dough has been kneaded, it will be allowed to rest and rise again.
The machine will automatically detect every stage of the dough with the help of specialized sensors. These sensors will provide details like consistency, moisture, temperature, and the general status of the mixture.
An onboard computer will continually check and adjust the dough as needed and when all the conditions are right, it will automatically start the baking process. Once done, the machine will beep and you will have a beautiful, perfectly baked loaf of bread.
Take out the baking chamber using baking gloves and carefully lift the dough out of it. Place the dough in a wire rack until cool – and that’s it!
You can even set a timer for the bread machine so that you get a fresh loaf of bread every morning. This is the beauty of bread machines. They are smart, automated, and will always provide a great loaf of bread whenever you need it.
What Kinds Of Bread Can You Make?
Bread machines are not limited to just one type of bread. They can virtually bake any type of bread and will also provide several options that you can choose from.
Remember, the better the ingredients, the better the bread will be. Some models will also allow you to add raisins or other dry fruit before the baking process, so you can also enhance the nutritional profile of the bread.
Some common options are:
- White bread
- Whole wheat bread
- Multi-grain bread
- French bread
Of course, these options vary from one machine to another so you will need to choose what type of machine you want for all your bread needs.
If you are ready to purchase a bread machine for your home, then it would be wise to follow our buyer’s guide above that is designed to help you pick the best product for all your needs.
Final Thoughts
Bread makers are a great way to make effortless bread at home with just household ingredients. No longer do you have to rely on store-bought bread. Make nutritious and even gluten-free bread with your own recipe.
Our recommendations above cater to every type of bread lover. Whether you like naan bread, banana bread, white bread, or more – these bread machines can do it all.
We have also included a few highly specialized machines on our list which you can use to make yogurt and jams too.
Remember, the best bread machine will be the one that fits all your needs. While most have the same features, they have at least one differing function or feature that may make all the difference when it comes to your specific needs!
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