Baking bread is an intimidating feat, especially for those who aren’t well-versed in the kitchen. With the help of a bread machine, however, even the most novice of bakers can bust out a masterpiece. When shopping for the perfect bread machine, decide which skill level of baker you are, and how many frills you need on your machine. Then it’s as easy as loading some dough, pressing a few buttons, and enjoying the smell of fresh-baked bread throughout your home.
Beginner
Even if you’ve never baked bread before, a machine can help you from start to finish in as few as three steps. Hamilton Beach
With a low-level investment, you get a lot of return on a beginner bread machine. It’s hard to mess up the three easy steps. Simply put the ingredients inside the machine, choose the bread cycle, and hit “start.” If you’re able to find a unit with a dishwasher safe pan and kneading paddles (which make cleanup a breeze), you can make life even more easier on yourself.
Intermediate
More programs to choose from allows you to create more bread varieties. KBS
When you’re ready to step up your bread baking game, head for a machine that offers more options for types of bread to make. Because it’s important for some people to avoid gluten, modern machines feature gluten-free options, so you can prepare something for nearly anyone’s tastes or dietary needs. And if you like to elevate your recipes by adding nuts, the option to use a detachable fruit nut dispenser is something you’ll love.
Advanced
The great thing about a bread machine is it’s able to cook a loaf evenly around all sides of the dough, eliminating burned or possibly undercooked portions. Zojirushi
Why knead with one blade when you can have two? Two is always better than one and a machine that has double kneading blades ensures your bread is as advanced as your baking skills. A dual-heating system is a feature you’ll also want to consider because it helps the bread bake and brown evenly. What more could you ask for than a perfect loaf of bread in less than 2 ½ hours? Yes, please.