Checklist · 10 picks · 4 categories

bread machine

Edited by Zach · updated Oct 30, 2026 · How I pick

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Best Buy machine Cuisinart Compact Automatic Bread Maker Best for small kitchens that still want fresh loaves$100-150Shop on Amazon
Winning machine Zojirushi Home Bakery Supreme Breadmaker Best for picture-perfect loaves every week$300-500Shop on Amazon
Bread knife Mercer Culinary Millennia 10-Inch Bread Knife Best for slicing a fresh loaf without squashing it$15-25Shop on Amazon

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A bread machine is the lazy-genius way to wake up to fresh bread: dump in the ingredients, press a button, walk away.

America's Test Kitchen reviewed bread machines in 2026, and the three here span its recommended budget pick, its Best Buy and its overall winner. A great loaf deserves a knife that won't squash it, so ATK's top serrated bread knives are here too, plus ATK's top kitchen scales for weighing flour. BestReviews' bread box picks keep tomorrow's slices soft. Each card shows the drawback the testers called out. Start with a machine, a bread knife and a scale; a bread box can wait until you're baking every week.

Who this is not for. Skip this if you want to bake by hand with a starter and a Dutch oven; the Sourdough list has that gear.

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Estimates based on typical prices, checked Oct 30, 2026. Prices change; see the store for today's price.

The must-haves

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01 Bake

the first pick is the one I would start with

Compare these 3

Pick	Tier	Price	Best for	Evidence
Cuisinart Compact Automatic Bread Maker	mid	$100-150	small kitchens that still want fresh loaves	1 outlet
Zojirushi Home Bakery Supreme Breadmaker	splurge	$300-500	picture-perfect loaves every week	1 outlet
Hamilton Beach 2 Lb. Bread Maker	budget	$50-100	trying bread machine life on a small budget	1 outlet

Best bread machine

mid pick · 1-2 lb loaves

Cuisinart Compact Automatic Bread Maker

Best for small kitchens that still want fresh loaves

America's Test Kitchen's Best Buy bread machine: very easy to use, with mostly picture-perfect loaves that have an even crumb and a fluffy texture.

Heads up. Its smaller pan made a 2-lb whole wheat batch over-rise, though the white bread setting worked well

1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen best Buy bread machine.

$100-150

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splurge pick · 1.5-2 lb loaves

Zojirushi Home Bakery Supreme Breadmaker

Best for picture-perfect loaves every week

America's Test Kitchen's winning bread machine: picture-perfect loaves and an easy-to-use interface with lots of bread options.

Heads up. The crust often came out lighter than the medium setting picked

1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen winning bread machine.

$300-500

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budget pick · 1-2 lb loaves

Hamilton Beach 2 Lb. Bread Maker

Best for trying bread machine life on a small budget

America's Test Kitchen recommends it: easy to set up, and the darkest setting made an evenly browned, fluffy loaf.

Heads up. The pale setting browned unevenly, and the pan was hard to remove

1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen recommended bread machine.

$50-100

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02 Slice

Compare these 3

Pick	Tier	Price	Best for	Evidence
Mercer Culinary Millennia 10-Inch Bread Knife	budget	$15-25	slicing a fresh loaf without squashing it	1 outlet
Victorinox Swiss Army Fibrox Pro 10 1/4" Curved Bread Knife	mid	$50-100	a grippy bread knife for everyday slicing	1 outlet
MAC Superior Bread and Roast Slicer 10½"	splurge	$100-150	bread nerds who also carve roasts	1 outlet

Best bread knife

budget pick · 10 in

Mercer Culinary Millennia 10-Inch Bread Knife

Best for slicing a fresh loaf without squashing it

America's Test Kitchen's winning bread knife: the blade is long enough to span big loaves, and the long, rubbery handle is comfortable for hands of all sizes.

1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen winning bread knife.

$15-25

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mid pick · 10.25 in

Victorinox Swiss Army Fibrox Pro 10 1/4" Curved Bread Knife

Best for a grippy bread knife for everyday slicing

America's Test Kitchen recommends it: the textured plastic handle is easy to grip, and the blade slices and chops most foods well.

Heads up. Its short serrations don't bite into food quite as hard as other knives'

1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen recommended bread knife.

$50-100

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splurge pick · 10.5 in

MAC Superior Bread and Roast Slicer 10½"

Best for bread nerds who also carve roasts

America's Test Kitchen highly recommends it: a finely sharpened blade that slices almost everything with an especially buttery smoothness.

Heads up. Its rounded serrations sometimes skidded on crusty bread instead of biting in

1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen highly recommended bread knife.

$100-150

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03 Store

Best bread box

budget pick · Expandable

Progressive Adjustable Bread Keeper

Best for homemade loaves in odd shapes and sizes

A BestReviews top pick: an expandable keeper with adjustable air vents and a built-in cutting board, made for keeping homemade bread fresh.

Heads up. The cutting board is a bit small for big loaves, and the two-piece design can be a hassle to open and close

1 outlet. BestReviews top pick bread keeper.

$15-25

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mid pick · Holds 2+ loaves

Brabantia Rectangular Fall Front Bread Box

Best for a counter that looks put together

BestReviews' best of the best bread box: fingerprint-proof matte steel with a fall-front lid and magnetic seals.

Heads up. Feels a bit lightweight, and it's priced high for a bread box

1 outlet. BestReviews best of the best bread box.

$50-100

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04 Measure

Best kitchen scale

budget pick · Compact

Ozeri Pronto Digital Multifunction Kitchen Scale

Best for weighing flour for consistent loaves

America's Test Kitchen's Best Buy scale: accurate, simple and bright.

Heads up. No extras, a flimsier frame, and no removable platform for cleaning

1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen best Buy kitchen scale.

$15-25

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mid pick · Compact

OXO Good Grips 11 lb Food Scale with Pull-Out Display

Best for baking with big mixing bowls

America's Test Kitchen's winning scale: accurate, with a removable platform and a display that pulls out from under big bowls.

Heads up. Harder to clean around the display cord, and sometimes a gram or two off

1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen winning kitchen scale.

$50-100

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means three independent outlets recommend a pick, means one, and limited evidence means none has yet. I research these picks. I have not tested them myself. How I pick · Broken link, wrong price range or an outdated pick? Tell me

Questions people ask

How long does a bread machine take?

America's Test Kitchen says even the most basic loaves take about 3 hours from start to finish. The good news: almost all of that time is hands-off.

Which bread machine size makes sense?

Most machines make loaves up to 2 lb, and America's Test Kitchen points out that most store-bought loaves are 1 lb, so even the small ones go a long way. In its test, the compact Cuisinart's smaller pan let a 2-lb whole wheat batch over-rise, while its white bread setting worked well.

Does homemade bread need a special knife?

A long serrated bread knife helps. America's Test Kitchen's winner, the Mercer Culinary Millennia, is long enough to span large loaves and comfortable for hands of all sizes, and it's the cheapest knife here.

bread machine

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The must-haves