Best bread makers for home baking

Top pick: Zojirushi Home Bakery Virtuoso Plus. It's the machine most home bakers end up keeping: two kneading paddles and a heating element in the lid give an even, tall 2 lb loaf, and the 15 settings cover gluten-free, sourdough starter, jam and dough. The 4.9 rating from 276 owners backs it up.

Who the others suit:

• Zojirushi Home Bakery Supreme — the same brand's simpler, cheaper route to a 1.5–2 lb loaf; fewer programs, still excellent bread.
• Zojirushi Home Bakery Maestro — small households: a 1 lb loaf, compact footprint, same build quality.
• Cuisinart Convection — bakers who want convection baking and the most cooking functions.
• Hamilton Beach 2 lb — a solid everyday machine with 14 settings and a big owner base.
• Dash Everyday 1.5 lb — beginners and small kitchens; simple, light, easy to store.
• KITCHENARM 29-in-1 / VEVOR 19-in-1 / KeenZest 19-in-1 — budget-first buyers who want lots of programs and a 15-hour delay timer for fresh bread in the morning.

Buy the Zojirushi if you bake weekly; go budget if you're testing whether bread making sticks.