Best bread makers for the way you use them

Bakers who like their familiar recipes and want to tune the cycle themselves get a two-paddle horizontal bread maker here.

Best forA horizontal loaf from a body that is not the largest

It bakes a one-pound loaf, adds ingredients automatically and saves three custom cycles. That suits you if you want variety without baking a large loaf you will be finishing later.

Best forAutomatic add-ins in small loaves

Plain daily loaves, dough and cake come out of this compact one-pound machine. Its smaller body helps when the appliance returns to a shelf after baking.

Best forA small loaf and limited storage space

Households that switch between small weekday loaves and larger batches get a flexible machine here. It saves nine custom cycles, and its kneading paddle folds before baking.

Best forRepeatable custom recipes in different loaf sizes

This compact vertical bread maker bakes one-pound loaves on weekdays and larger ones when needed. Its interior light means you can check progress through the window.

Best forOne simple machine for small and family loaves

This is the one to pick if fruit and nut bread is part of your routine and you like to adjust a recipe's cycle. Its vertical body stays narrow, and a fan circulates air while it bakes.

Best forAdjustable baking cycles plus automatic add-ins

For raisin bread and dough recipes, this machine can adjust rest and rise timing to room conditions, which makes it a useful pick. Separate manual modes let you knead or ferment without starting a full bread course.

Best forSeparate dough stages and ingredient add-ins

This suits bakers who change kneading and rising times and want a machine that is easy to lift. Alerts tell you when to add ingredients and when to take the paddle out.

Best forA lighter machine for custom recipes

A lower menu count does not have to mean giving up adjustable stages, because the current 19-program Handy includes a Homemade cycle. It makes a useful starter if you will use a few recipes repeatedly.

Best forA light starter with a custom cycle

If you are happy with preset recipes and adding fruit or nuts at the beep, this is a simple choice for standard loaves.

Best forPlain loaves with no custom programming

If you bake fruit or nut loaves and also want dough, rise-only or yogurt programs, this is a practical step up. Its dispenser holds up to half a cup of suitable add-ins.

Best forAutomatic mix-ins in small loaves

Without buying a large batch machine, this covers one-pound loaves, dough and occasional yogurt in a straightforward way.

Best forOccasional yogurt and smaller everyday loaves

For people who really go through a large loaf or freeze part of it, this is a horizontal machine with two paddles. Even its smallest selected loaf is two pounds.

Best forLarge horizontal loaves for sharing or freezing

This suits regular medium-sized loaves, provided you add extras yourself. Its smaller capacity is still 1.65 lb, which matters if you want fresh bread for one.

Best forManual add-ins in medium loaves

If you want fruit or nut bread without heading back to the kitchen for an add-in alert, the automatic dispenser is the upgrade that helps.

Best forA mid-size loaf with automatic add-ins

Look at the two-pound-plus minimum first, before deciding you need the extra capacity. The machine is for families who want a larger loaf and automatic fruit or nut additions together.

Best forAn automatic dispenser with large batches