It's Time to Dust Off Your Bread Maker—Here's Why (2024)

Updated: Sep. 11, 2023

With a handy bread machine, you can make homemade bread and other dough-based dishes in just a few hours.

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We’re all about the ’90s coming back in the kitchen. This means blue and white Corningware, farmhouse-inspired decor and, yes, the bread machine! But if you ask our Test Kitchen, these gadgets are always in style. Here’s why you’ll want to dust yours off—or invest in a new one.

What can a bread machine do?

Bread makers are an all-in-one appliance. To make bread, add your ingredients and select the program for your recipe; from there, the machine will mix, knead, proof and bake the bread. It’s really that simple.

You can also use a bread machine for more specific tasks or portions of your favorite bread recipe.

Mixing and Kneading

The paddle inside a bread maker is designed to fully incorporate ingredients. This goes for basic bread recipes as well as ones with added flavors or mix-ins. In fact, many newer models come with a chute and alert you when to add in those extras. This feature is especially handy when making recipes like our Test Kitchen’s favorite panettone.

Bread makers will also knead the bread dough for you so it’s just the right texture. It works the same way a dough hook does when you use a stand mixer to knead dough.

Proofing

Getting the right proof on your bread can be tricky—especially when you’re kitchen isn’t particularly warm or humid (musts for the yeast inside the bread). A bread machine will gently heat the dough so it gets the right lift.

Custom Bakes

Some bread recipes are more challenging than others. Breads that use whole wheat, rye or other nontraditional flour can be tricky to get just right in terms of kneading and proofing. Bread machines make creating these loaves so simple. Most models come with a whole-grain loaf preset.

You’ll also find that some bread machines have settings for other popular bread styles like rustic loaves with a crusty exterior, sourdough or even banana bread! You can even use a bread machine to make pizza dough.

Time

Bread machines are an asset for busy folks. Instead of lingering in the kitchen all morning to mix, knead, proof, shape, proof (again) and bake, a bread machine tackles all that for you. With a bread machine, you can have fresh bread with only a few minutes of hands-on time.

Plus, many models have settings that allow you to schedule your bakes to start when you see fit. That means you can set up this gadget to have a loaf of bread ready the same time you’re pulling dinner out of the oven.

The Best Bread Machines You Can Buy

Our Test Kitchen knows that bread machines are incredibly useful—when you choose the right one. That’s why our pros put 10 different models to the test. In the end, these models got our pros’ stamp of approval.

Get Started with These Bread Machine Recipes

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Soft Oatmeal BreadWhen you get your first bread machine, start off with a simple all-purpose recipe like this oatmeal bread. It's similar to a classic white bread but has a little extra texture thanks to the oats. Use it for sandwiches or to make toast in the morning.

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Soft Garlic Breadsticks Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Soft Garlic BreadsticksLove Olive Garden breadsticks? Who doesn't! This recipe is so similar to the restaurant's and it's a breeze to put together. Use your bread machine to knead the dough—the hardest part of bread-making.

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Golden Honey Pan RollsNo family dinner is complete without a side of rolls. Instead of relying on a store-bought package, you can make your own with ease. This recipe relies on a bread machine to do all the work. In fact, once you master this recipe, it's just as easy as making an extra run to the store (and way more delicious).

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Seeded Whole Grain LoafTypically, whole grain breads are more challenging to make. Using nontraditional flours can make kneading and proofing less straightforward. However, the bread machine allows you to make a more challenging loaf with ease.

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Taste of Home

Garlic Herb Bubble LoafWho doesn't love a good tear-and-share bread? This tempting bubble loaf dough is made all in the machine, then individual pieces of dough are dipped in butter and herbs to create a loaf everyone will be happy to tear to pieces.

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Flavorful Herb BreadThis bread is herbaceous and perfect for serving with simple suppers—like a hearty soup or stew. While it might sound more complicated, this bread is really a basic white loaf with lots of tasty herbs mixed in to amp up the flavor. While it is tasty, know that if you have leftovers, it's easy to freeze bread.

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Mini Maple Cinnamon RollsNope, bread machines aren't just for basic loaves. Use your machine to make homey cinnamon rolls. These mini buns are perfect to make for a brunch for friends or overnight guests. This recipe is also one of our favorite bread machine recipes of all time.

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Bread Machine Naan Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Bread Machine NaanWhen you start cooking Indian food at home, you'll want to spend your time focusing on getting the right spice blends and flavors for your tikka masala and chicken korma. While you work on those mains, you can have homemade naan working in the bread machine. All you have to do is take the dough out of the appliance and quickly bake it in a skillet.

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Pumpkin BreadI keep my freezer stocked for our harvest crew with home-baked goodies like this deliciously spicy, easy pumpkin bread recipe. —Joyce Jackson, Bridgetown, Nova Scotia

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Pecan Raisin BreadTo make this bread, you'll need a bag of bread flour. This type of flour gives the bread more structure and a perfectly chewy texture. And don't worry about having that bag in your pantry. There are lots of recipes that use this common bread ingredient.

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Bread Machine Pumpkin Monkey BreadThere's nothing wrong with making shortcut monkey bread with biscuits from a can. But if you want to level up (while still keeping the process easy), make monkey bread right in your bread machine.

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Sour Cream Chive BreadChives and sour cream are a classic combo. Impress your family when you slice into this loaf at dinnertime. It's an easy yeasted bread you'll make over and over.

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Pepperoni Cheese BreadWhen it comes to homemade bread, can it get any tastier than a pizza-flavored bread? This loaf is made like a regular bread machine loaf, but with cheese and pepperoni added in at the end.

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Bread Machine PanettoneMany holiday bread recipes can be pretty complicated. With this Italian panettone, you can get those holiday flavors easily. Make the dough right in the bread machine and fill it with candied and dried fruit. It's simple and oh-so tasty.

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It's Time to Dust Off Your Bread Maker—Here's Why (2024)

FAQs

What is the meaning of bread maker of the house? ›

someone who bakes bread or cake. synonyms: baker. type of: skilled worker, skilled workman, trained worker. a worker who has acquired special skills.

When should I take the paddle off my bread machine? ›

Tip 3: To prevent big rips and holes in the bottom of your loaf, take the paddles out of the bucket before the loaf bakes, just before its final rise.

Why did bread machines lose popularity? ›

Some attribute the demise of the bread machine to the fact that cooks were just disappointed by their results. Lara Pizzorno, the author of Bread Machine Baking, chalked it up to food snobs who regarded the machine as “the electric equivalent of The Bridges of Madison County” in a 1996 article in The New York Times.

How to clean the inside of a bread maker? ›

Body and lid should be wiped clean with a damp cloth. Use only mild liquid detergent. For baked-on materials, use a non scratch scourer and detergent on the interior. Do not use cleansers, steel wool pads, or other abrasive materials.

What does bread symbolize in the Bible? ›

Bread is also a gift from God: when Moses fed his people in the desert with food which fell from heaven, and during the last supper, when bread became the body of Christ. When Jesus multiplied the bread to feed the crowd, bread became a sign of sharing. It also symbolised the Word of God which nourished the crowds.

Can you open bread machine while kneading? ›

Speaking of adjusting, one common bread machine mistake is thinking the appliance is like a pressure cooker or blender and cannot be opened once it's on. Think again—it's actually a good idea to flip that lid and peek at the dough, especially about 10 minutes into the kneading stage.

Should you remove bread from bread machine pan immediately? ›

Our top tips for using a bread machine are;

When the baking cycle is finished, remove the baking pan from the machine immediately to avoid condensation.

Can you open a bread machine while rising? ›

We don't recommend poking the dough as it rises, and you shouldn't open the top when your machine is in its second rise or baking cycle, but before that, feel free to get familiar with your dough, and how your machine works with it; that's how you'll learn.

Is it cheaper to buy bread or make it in a bread machine? ›

Making bread from a machine is marginally cheaper than buying it, as long as you eat bread frequently enough to offset the cost of the appliance. Specifically, I see this as an investment that's smart for households that go through bread quickly, like large families or homes with multiple roommates.

What is the best flour for a bread maker? ›

Nelstrops traditional wholemeal flour is the perfect whole grain flour to use in your bread machine. Whether you are looking to bake good bread or rolls, by hand or in a bread machine, this is a perfect choice.

Why is my breadmaker bread so dense and heavy? ›

Older machines can slowly fail and have trouble controlling the baking temperature, properly mixing/kneading ingredients and/or regulating the time needed for mixing/kneading/baking. These problems can results in overly dense bread machine breads, undercooked breads, bread collapses, etc.

Should I spray my bread machine pan? ›

Breadman Bread Maker, Stainless Steel

A: Before putting any of your ingredients into the pan spray it with a vegetable spray such as Pam.

What oil is best for a bread machine? ›

To oil the bread spindle shaft, Bread Machine Digest recommends ONLY using either 3-in-1 oil, or sewing machine oil. Do not use any other oil types on the spindle shaft and be sure to read all the information on the oil packaging before using.

Why did my bread sink in the middle in my bread maker? ›

The wrong bread machine setting was used.

Different settings have different time lengths for mixing, kneading & baking. The wrong setting may give the dough too much time to rise (so the dough rises higher than expected). This may result in the dough collapsing in on itself.

What is the meaning of the bread house? ›

The name Bread House in itself is a translation of the name of the city Bethlehem which in ancient Jewish means “House (beit) of Bread (lehem)”.

What does it mean to be the bread maker of the family? ›

Key Takeaways. A breadwinner is a person in a household who brings in the lion's share of income and thus supports the family financially. In the past, the breadwinner referred mainly to a single-income family where the other spouse remained at home. Today, breadwinners can be women or men, or both together.

What is the meaning of bread machine? ›

A bread making machine or breadmaker is a home appliance for baking bread. It consists of a bread pan (or "tin"), at the bottom of which are one or more built-in paddles, mounted in the center of a small special-purpose oven.

What does baking bread symbolize? ›

Bread is not associated only with spirituality and the afterlife, however. Even in antiquity the production of bread was associated with procreation. The process of loading, baking, and unloading the oven parallels copulation, pregnancy, and childbirth.

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