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Zojirushi Home Bakery Supreme Breadmaker
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Purchase options and add-ons
Color | Black |
Product Dimensions | 9.63"D x 17"W x 12.2"H |
Wattage | 700 watts |
Brand | Zojirushi |
Product Care Instructions | Hand Wash Only |
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About this item
- VERSATILE: Bakes a variety of breads, cakes and even meatloaf. Jam, dough and sourdough starter settings too.
- BEAUTIFUL LOAVES: Adjust the crust shade of the rectangular, 2-pound loaf to the golden shade of your preference
- CONVENIENT DESIGN: Easy-to-read LCD control panel and non-stick coating for easy bread removal and clean up
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This Item Zojirushi Home Bakery Supreme Breadmaker | Recommendations | dummy | dummy | dummy | dummy | |
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Price | -15% $319.95$319.95 List: $377.93 | $89.99$89.99 | $134.99$134.99 | -30% $139.99$139.99 List: $199.99 | $199.99$199.99 | $139.99$139.99 |
Delivery | Get it as soon as Sunday, Mar 31 | Get it as soon as Sunday, Mar 31 | Get it as soon as Sunday, Mar 31 | Get it as soon as Sunday, Mar 31 | Get it as soon as Sunday, Mar 31 | Get it as soon as Sunday, Mar 31 |
Customer Ratings | ||||||
Easy to clean | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.5 | — | 4.4 |
Easy to use | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 4.4 | — | 4.2 |
Flavor | — | 4.4 | 5.0 | 4.4 | — | 4.5 |
Timer function | 4.4 | 3.9 | — | — | — | 4.1 |
Sold By | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | southmanage | Neretva Home | Neretva Home | southmanage |
capacity | 2 pounds | 2 pounds | 3.5 pounds | 2 pounds | 2 pounds | 3.0 pounds, 2.0 pounds |
material | Stainless Steel | — | Plastic housing &Non-stick Metal Pan | Stainless Steel | Stainless Steel | Plastic |
number of programs | 10 | 12 | 15 | 20 | 15 | 14 |
voltage | 120 volts | — | 120 volts | 110 volts | 110 volts | — |
wattage | 700 watts | — | 850 watts | 565 watts | 850 watts | 750 watts |
care instructions | Hand Wash Only | Dishwasher Safe | Dishwasher Safe | Hand Wash Only | Hand Wash Only | Wipe with Dry Cloth |
weight | 19.5 pounds | — | — | 8.37 pounds | 8.37 pounds | — |
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Zojirushi Home Bakery Supreme 2-Pound-Loaf Breadmaker,
Robert
From the manufacturer
Zojirushi Home Bakery Supreme 2-Pound-Loaf Breadmaker
Simplify Baking with the BB-CEC20
Zojirushi makes baking easy, quick and foolproof with our versatile Home Bakery Supreme Breadmaker in two stunning styles. This breadmaker will bake a whole 2-pound loaf of bread, and has menu courses for a variety of other cooking needs. Can you image the mouth-watering aroma of fresh baked bread in your home every day? Now you can choose the style that best matches your décor. From cinnamon-raisin bread for breakfast to buttery dinner rolls or garlic bread sticks to serve with dinner, this countertop appliance makes it easy to create delicious bakery-style artisan bread right at home. It can even be used to make homemade meatloaf, strawberry jam, chocolate cake, and more.
Easy to Use
Choose from three crust shades -- light, medium, or dark -- and from 10 pre-programmed settings that consist of Basic, Basic Wheat, Basic Dough, Quick, Quick Wheat, Quick Dough, Jam, Cake, Sour Dough Starter, and Home Made. Best of all, the machine's timer can be set to delay the end of the baking cycle by up to 13 hours, which makes it possible to wake up to the smell of freshly baked, homemade bread in the morning or to come home to a warm loaf at the end of a long day at the office. The bread maker provides two blades for thorough dough kneading and a higher rise, a large viewing window, an "on" indicator light, a start/reset button, and a removable nonstick bread pan for easy cleaning. A double-ended teaspoon/tablespoon measuring spoon, an 8-ounce measuring cup, and a user manual with a variety of recipes come included.
Pre-programmed Baking Options
- Whole Wheat
- Jam
- Cake
- Home Made
- Dough
Bake a Variety of Recipes
It can even be used to make homemade meatloaf, strawberry jam, chocolate cake, and more. For a basic bread recipe, simply add in measured ingredients, close the lid, make a selection from the user-friendly LCD control panel, and the Home Bakery Supreme takes care of the rest--baking up a rectangular-shaped 2-pound loaf of bread to perfection.
Other Features
- Nonstick coated baking pan for easy cleaning
- Sour Dough Starter function prepares a light sourdough starter in a little over 2 hours
- Quick baking cycle prepares breads in about 2 hours
- 13 hour delay timer
- Auto shut-off system for added safety
- Includes an easy-to-follow instruction DVD, manual and recipe booklet
- Includes an easy-to-follow instruction DVD, manual and recipe booklet
- 10-minute power failure back-up
- Bakes a large traditional rectangular shaped 2-lb. loaf
- Exclusive Home Made Menu function includes 3 memory settings
Pre-programmed Baking Options
Breads, cakes and other menu options are pre-programmed. In certain models, you can also program you.
Whole Wheat
The extended kneading time helps knead heavier flour such as whole wheat and rye flour thoroughly.
Jam
Don't sweat over the stove stirring the pot; the Home Bakery will do it for you automatically. Enjoy preservatives and additive free jam all year round.
Zojirushi's Home Bakery Supreme Features
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Inner Cooking PanThe bread maker provides two blades for thorough dough kneading and a higher rise that bakes a large traditional rectangular shaped 2 lb. loaf. |
User-friendly LCD control panelSelect from three crust shades, 10 pre-programmed settings, and set the time timer. |
Large Viewing windowThe Zojirushi Home Bakery Supreme features a large viewing window to watch the progess. |
Simplify Making Homemade Bread
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Use Fresh IngredientsFirst, prepare fresh ingredients. Quality of the finished bread will depend on ingredients used. Avoid mixing in old or stale ingredients. |
Attach BladesBlades are especially important parts of the breadmakers. Make sure the blades are properly attached. |
Measure IngredientsNext, measure ingredients accurately. The more accurate the measurements are, the better the finished bread will be. Rough measurements will result in a rough bread. |
Select CourseFinally, make sure to choose the right course setting. |
Product information
Color | Black |
---|---|
Product Dimensions | 9.63"D x 17"W x 12.2"H |
Wattage | 700 watts |
Brand | Zojirushi |
Product Care Instructions | Hand Wash Only |
Number of Programs | 10 |
Item Weight | 19.5 pounds |
Manufacturer | Zojirushi |
ASIN | B002XVUAOU |
Item model number | BB-CEC20 |
Batteries | 1 Product Specific batteries required. |
Customer Reviews |
4.5 out of 5 stars |
Best Sellers Rank | #34,412 in Kitchen & Dining (See Top 100 in Kitchen & Dining) #19 in Bread Machines |
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
Date First Available | May 5, 2003 |
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Product guides and documents
Product Description
Versatile automatic breadmaker Bread, cake, jam, meatloaf, dough settings and more Bakes traditional-shaped 2-pound loaves Quick bake setting - Ready to eat in about 2 hours Convenient 13 hour delay timer User-friendly LCD control panel Non-stick coating - Easy bread removal
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers like the quality, ease of use, performance, and cleanliness of the bread making machine. For example, they mention it produces very good bread, perfect pasta dough every time, and that the manual is extremely simple to read. That said, they disagree on value and size.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers like the quality of the bread making machine. They say it produces very good bread, perfect pasta dough every time, and amazing full loaves of bread. Customers also mention that the basic recipe has a good flavor, and the taste and texture of the Bread is excellent. They also say the recipe book is simple and comes out great. Overall, customers are happy with the quality and functionality of the product.
"...Loaves are a good shape for sandwiches. It produces very good bread with some wholemeal flour, but fully wholemeal loaves are still a bit heavy, but..." Read more
"...The two kneading paddles thoroughly develop the gluten and work the dough into a smooth, even textured ball so that I may shape the rolls or loaves..." Read more
"...It makes a large, fluffy loaf of bread that is cooked perfectly. No weird high spots or uneven cooking. I highly recommend this machine." Read more
"...Whether full recipe or a boxed quick bread it is always perfectly cooked and tasty. Purchased a replacement after 15 years of using the old one." Read more
Customers find the bread making machine ridiculously easy to use. They say the directions are straight forward, the manual is extremely simple to read, and the controls are clear and easy. Customers also mention that putting together a loaf is so easy that no matter how late it is or exhausted they are, they can do it. They also appreciate the video instructions and the fact that it is easy to pick up.
"...It works well and without drama. It's not cheap, but you get what you pay for here: a quality product which does what it's supposed to...." Read more
"...Delicious and easy!CLEAN, UNOBTRUSIVE APPEARANCE ON THE COUNTER..." Read more
"...My husband makes the bread and he loves it. It is easy to use and easy to clean. He loves how the paddles reverse while kneading...." Read more
"We had this brand for years and always worked fantastic. Easy to use, great instructions and the bread comes out consistently good...." Read more
Customers generally like the performance of the bread making machine. They say it works well, produces good results, and lends itself well to any kind of recipe. Some say that the bread tastes great and works better for sandwiches than most gluten-free options. They also say the results are uniform and perfect every time. Overall, most are satisfied with the performance and recommend it to others.
"...It works well and without drama. It's not cheap, but you get what you pay for here: a quality product which does what it's supposed to...." Read more
"...The Zoji still gives great results even though I don't measure my ingredients.EASY TO CLEAN..." Read more
"We had this brand for years and always worked fantastic. Easy to use, great instructions and the bread comes out consistently good...." Read more
"...One of the mixing blade/motor was not working. I cleaned it up, repackaged it, and it is going back...." Read more
Customers find the bread making machine easy to use and clean. They say the pan cleans like a dream, and the paddles are easy to remove. Customers also say the machine is less messy, making it easy to dump all the ingredients into the pan and have a loaf ready to eat in little time. They also appreciate that the pieces are easy for cleaning between uses.
"...EASY TO CLEANBefore each use, I pour a bit of canola or olive oil on the posts where the two paddles will be inserted...." Read more
"...My husband makes the bread and he loves it. It is easy to use and easy to clean. He loves how the paddles reverse while kneading...." Read more
"...Very easy to clean. If you can afford to spend a little more this is a very good bread maker." Read more
"...has two paddles to mix and knead your dough perfectly and it's a breeze to clean...." Read more
Customers like the noise of the bread making machine. They say it runs quietly, and there's no loud obnoxious beep. Some customers also mention that the machine produces a nice hollow sound when tapped. Overall, most are satisfied with the noise level of the product.
"...Comparisons. The Zojirushi is much, much quieter in operation. Very quiet, in fact, which is much appreciated...." Read more
"...So far this machine operates a lot more quietly and makes really nice bread...." Read more
"...I was pleasantly surprised. This was not a loud obnoxious beep as others have stated in their reviews...." Read more
"...It's relatively noiseless but the automatic kneading produces all sorts of clicks and whirring sounds..." Read more
Customers like the shape of the bread making machine. They mention that it makes nicely shaped loaves perfect for sandwiches. Some say that the bread is beautifully shaped and has a nice crust. Some customers also like that the loaves are more the traditional horizontal loaves instead of the taller ones. They also appreciate the flavor and texture of the loaf.
"...loaf than the Breadman Pro could do. The shape was better, it had a nice crust (I think it was the butter), and was more even within in terms of..." Read more
"...I don't know how Zoji has managed it but the loaf is beautifully shaped by the machine just before the final rise...." Read more
"...this machine makes a larger 2-lb loaf, and that the loaf is traditionally shaped for sandwiches and Panini...." Read more
"...Amazingly, it was the most perfectly domed horizontal bread I'd ever seen. Almost too perfect...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the value of the bread making machine. Some mention it's worth the price, while others say it'd be better off buying a cheaper one.
"...Quite obviously, the Zoji isn't cheap, but it is a great value. And value matters more to me in the long run...." Read more
"...(lowering the flour content by about 1/4 cup) and it came up OK, but uninspired...." Read more
"...I can’t recommend this enough! Well worth the money!!" Read more
"...I bought the white one. It was cheaper, plus I wanted to make a statement by buying an appliance that isn't stainless steel...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the size of the bread making machine. Some mention that it gives a true loaf size and shape, making a large, fluffy loaf of bread that is cooked perfectly. They appreciate that this machine makes a larger 2-lb loaf, and that the loaf is small and neat. However, others say that the loaves were unmanageably huge, 2lb loaves are ok, but are sometimes too big for the pan and rise and stick to the lid. They also mention that the self-program feature doesn't allow them to control the size.
"...It makes a large, fluffy loaf of bread that is cooked perfectly. No weird high spots or uneven cooking. I highly recommend this machine." Read more
"...The pan is long, rather flat, and just normal looking...." Read more
"...3. I have only used the timer function one time and my bread was HUGE!!! It over rose...." Read more
"...I love that it makes a big loaf of bread. The basic recipe has a good flavor. I can’t recommend this enough! Well worth the money!!" Read more
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The Zojirushi arrived very quickly and in good order. I washed the pan and paddles, set it up, and decided to try the Basic White loaf. Result: a really good loaf of bread. The best I've ever tasted? No, but very, very good!
Comparisons. The Zojirushi is much, much quieter in operation. Very quiet, in fact, which is much appreciated. I am careful with my measurements for bread, but I got this loaf as a far better 2 lb. loaf than the Breadman Pro could do. The shape was better, it had a nice crust (I think it was the butter), and was more even within in terms of texture and form. The two smaller paddles came out of the loaf very cleanly and left far less disturbance than in the Breadman Pro (which has one larger paddle). And the indentations were crusted, rather than torn bread.
The larger pan of the Zojirushi allows a 2 lb. loaf that is longer (about 1.5 inches) and so not as high as the Breadman Pro. It doesn't spill over the sides of the pan. The shape fits nicely into the bread cutting form we have, so we can slice it nicely. At present, sandwiches for all 5 of us for lunch consumes a whole loaf, less a couple of slices, so this longer loaf will allow us more slices per loaf. I had cut back to 1.5 lb loaves with the Breadman Pro, as the shape of the top of the 2 lb. loaves wasn't good for cutting and using for sandwiches, but these 2 lb. loaves will do us very nicely.
Still to be tested is whole wheat bread and various specialty recipes. But this good start is very promising. Will report back later.
June, 2011, Update. This machine is still amazing. It produces excellent raisin loaf, and the recipe for the custom Crusty French Bread can be run through the ordinary cycle with excellent results: it's my more common loaf. We've produced a loaf a day for most of the time we've had it, and it has worked very, very well. Loaves are a good shape for sandwiches. It produces very good bread with some wholemeal flour, but fully wholemeal loaves are still a bit heavy, but the family still eat them: I need to experiment more! Various other loaves from the recipe book have been great.
Points to watch. As noted in other reviews, you do need to get the paddles out when washing the pan, but the non-stick surface makes this easy. The non-stick material on the 6 rivet heads on the base of the pan seems a little less effective, and a little material may adhere to the spindles, but these are simple checks you washed it properly. I don't think I've had a time where a paddle has stayed in a loaf, as they seem to bake a crust around themselves. Wiping with your finger in a wet cloth after washing seems to clean it well enough.
The fact that there is a supporting website and spare parts is very comforting after the vacuum of support for our old Breadman Pro when it failed. I'd rather pay more and get longer life and support, as well as better bread. I don't think that the Zojirushi has produced a loaf one could call 'below average.' I am not sure why the people who couldn't get it to work had problems, but a little fine tuning can make a difference, e.g., I use a tiny fraction less yeast than the recipe for a better loaf.
In summary, an excellent piece of equipment that is a fixture in our kitchen. It works well and without drama. It's not cheap, but you get what you pay for here: a quality product which does what it's supposed to.
November, 2015, Update. Still working well, without any dramas. We had to cut back on bread, as two of the four people now living here can't have gluten, one of them seriously. So the breadmaker sat on a shelf for quite a while. But the arrival of gluten-free bread mixes (especially Bob's Red Mill) have revived the Zojirushi, and it didn't miss a beat. We now have three gluten-free styles (whole grain, white and raisin), which produce great bread. I tend to add extra yeast to help them rise a bit quicker in the available time, and the resulting loaves are greatly appreciated.
I am very glad I bought this machine. It has been flawless and is so easy to use, and produces great bread. Would that all kitchen appliances were so well made and work so well. Six or more stars, if that were possible!
May, 2019, Update. It's still going strong. I just made a gluten-free loaf yesterday and a regular loaf today, and both turned out very well. Several years ago I bought a pair of new paddles, as the original ones were starting to lose their coating and bread was sticking to them. That was quick and easy and we have since settled back into a regular routine with bread without any drama or concerns.
This has turned out to be an excellent investment. Far better bread than any previous bread maker we've used, and trouble-free operation. It's simply an impressive product that I am very happy I bought.
I have been using this Zoji daily for a month and am very pleased. I have 4 decades of home bread baking experience and have tired of the kneading process, although I still love shaping loaves and rolls and pizza crusts. Before I made this purchase, I researched breadmakers and bread machines everywhere I could--in books, on websites about breadmaking and flours, at Amazon (where the reviews are always the most enlightening), at retailers online, and in brick & mortar stores. Analysis of the qualities of this Zoji led me to make this purchase and I was lucky enough to make my decision when the price was as right as it was going to get. Quite obviously, the Zoji isn't cheap, but it is a great value. And value matters more to me in the long run.
QUALITIES THAT SOLD ME: HORIZONTAL BREAD PAN, 2 KNEADING PADDLES, GREAT TEMPERATURE CONTROL
The main qualities of this Zoji that finally convinced me were the longer, more horizontal bread pan, the two kneading paddles, and the detail about temperatures and times for each phase of the Zoji process (these are available in the Zoji manual on their website). I have to admit I was also influenced by the King Arthur Flour blog and several related posts I ran across (google "king arthur flour zojirushi test kitchen" for some fascinating observations). What you get with the Zoji is a machine designed by people who know what they're doing in terms of gluten development, temperature control, and rising times.
VERSATILE MACHINE TAKES THE PROCESS TO COMPLETION WITH FLYING COLORS
The Zoji is perfect for me. The two kneading paddles thoroughly develop the gluten and work the dough into a smooth, even textured ball so that I may shape the rolls or loaves myself. Or I can let the machine do ALL the work. I don't know how Zoji has managed it but the loaf is beautifully shaped by the machine just before the final rise. I often open the lid at that point and sneak in with a knife to make some slashes across the top of the loaf to give the bread a more handmade look, but I don't have to do this. The Zoji, unlike any breadmaker I've tried before, is perfectly capable of taking the breadmaking process from start to finish all by itself while still turning out an exquisite product. It is a tremendous time-saver. You really can set it and forget it.
BETTER FLAVOR DEVELOPMENT THAN HANDMADE!
The thorough kneading and three rises that the Zoji gives the dough make the flavor of the finished bread richer and more complex. The controlled temperatures at each phase of the breadmaking process lead to a beautifully-textured loaf. The recipes that are included are wonderful. But I have to admit that I prefer to use my own combinations of kefir, eggs, less salt, whole wheat flour, and yeast. The Zoji still gives great results even though I don't measure my ingredients.
EASY TO CLEAN
Before each use, I pour a bit of canola or olive oil on the posts where the two paddles will be inserted. Then I place the paddles on the posts and pour in a bit more oil. I am careful to keep the amount of oil to a minimum so that the bread does not get oily. I then reduce the fat in the recipe by the amount I used to pre-oil the paddles and posts. By doing this step first before I add any other ingredients to the bread pan, I find that the loaf slips effortlessly from the pan, the paddles slip easily off their posts, and nothing requires washing. A quick wipe with a moist cloth is all that is required for clean-up. When I made bread by hand, there was a lot more washing to do at the end. Now instead of washing dishes, I get to sit down and enjoy a slice of hot, crusty, steamy bread. Delicious and easy!
CLEAN, UNOBTRUSIVE APPEARANCE ON THE COUNTER
The Zoji is also a very good-looking countertop kitchen appliance. Since I use mine so often, I never put it away. The fact that the breadmaker is so handsome is just one more quality in its favor.
ONE IMPERFECTION: THE TOP CRUST DOES NOT BROWN ENOUGH ON ANY SETTING
My only complaint is that the top crust does not brown as nicely as I'd prefer. But this is a minor problem. The bread tastes GREAT. The top crust is acceptable although not perfect and could be corrected with a few moments under a broiler. The flavor and texture of the bread are just outstanding.
FIVE STARS ANYWAY!
I would like to have given 5 stars, but I think the Zoji designers really ought to be motivated to tweak their awesome bread machine so that it is absolutely perfect. Aw what the heck, the Zoji is so great, I'm giving it 5 stars anyway!!!
Top reviews from other countries
baguette bread maker) and had a close look at pretty much every model available at Sears, Canadian Tire, Walmart, Costco and Zellers (Cuisinart, B&D, West Bend and so on). Most bread maker models had a remarkably low quality with poor design, disgusting appearance, cheap knobs falling out or in, poor coating, sharp edges, aluminum or plastic transmissions and even plastic kneading blades (!). Before Tefal, I also bought the famous Kitchen Aid mixer, quite advanced, expensive and powerful (600 Wt) model, but, surprisingly, it could not prepare whole wheat dough properly, the process was quite messy, aluminum hook etc., so I returned it back to the store. In between, I was making bread manually. Thus, my impression is that for making bread and moderate amounts of dough, a good bread maker seems to be the best choice.
To my experience, the main problem with more or less decent bread makers, like Horizontal Philips or Tefal baguette, is that even though the bread maker itself still works fine, the companies are no longer supplying spare parts, particularly bread pans and paddles. So after a while, usually when the bread pan starts leaking in a year or two, the whole machine becomes almost useless.
Thus, having spare parts was a big plus for considering Zojirushi. Yet another was composing custom programs. The price... Well, Tefal cost $199 ($149 on sale) when I bought it, Horizontal Philips was $149. Zojirushi cost $214, now it costs $189. There is some difference indeed, but Zojirushi design is far superiour.
Now some of my impressions.
First of all, the Zojirushi unit is very well balanced and is NOT moving during kneading. Most other bread makers I tried, except Tefal baguette, tended to move (which means a good chance of falling off the shelf or table, running into something, falling into the kitchen sink filled with water and dishes, plugging themselves out and so on).
The Zojirushi is quiet. In fact, this is probably the least noisy bread maker I have used.
The unit is decently designed. It fits nicely under the kitchen shelves. The lead does NOT tend to fall onto your fingers when you open the bread maker. By the way, Tefal baguette rack fits well into Zojirushi, too.
Zojirushi remembers not only the last program used, but also its modifications, like preheat on or off, which is convenient. In other bread makers, browsing through beeping menus every time the unit is on seems a bit annoying.
Quality of dough and bread is good even for standard programs and an average "Selection" or "Compliments" flour from Food Basic or Price Chopper. The crust is NOT too dark if "light" is chosen. The loaf is NOT too heavy. I think the problems other folks have reported (the crust was too dark or uneven, bread much higher on one side, too hard etc.) were mostly due to their recipes or measuring errors, - if their units are not lemons, of course. Mine is apparently not. That custom programming allows to bake beautiful loafs, perfect, absolutely fantastic.
To illustrate what can be achieved by using the breadmaker's custom programming, I have added some images to the "Customer Images" section. They clearly show a good performance of the machine even in preparing some of the healthiest and best tasting (but also most demanding) types of bread, including old Russian style rye sour dough bread and whole wheat sore dough bread.
Recipe book and the instructional DVD are nice to have, even though I am mostly using my own recipes.
The paddles are made in such a way that they do not stick inside the loaf - a really nice feature that I have not seen in any other bread maker.
Cleaning the pan is exceptionally easy comparing to the other brands. Just soak for half an hour or so in warm water, the blades are going off easily.
Now some potentially weak points. The bread pan will probably need a replacement in a year or two - but this is true for any bread maker I have seen. A stainless steel pan and paddles, by the way, would make the breadmaker even more attractive. There are no additional side supports for the bread pan (thus the bottom mount experiences higher loads), - but, on the other hand, it makes the pan insertion and removal more convenient.
Nice looking, well designed, convenient, reliable, fool-proof. In summary, this is the best bread maker I have ever had.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ After a while ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
December 2, 2012, more than a year after my happy purchase. As I expected, the bread pan and the paddles proved to be the weakest point of the bread maker. After I paid a ridiculously high cost of the replacement pan and paddles (around $110), I found that the replacement blades themselves, like the original ones, are also being heavily worn during mixing, especially at their upper part, from inside the hole. Since they are made of aluminum, it results in releasing of toxic aluminum into the food, which is not acceptable.
I could only wish both the pan and the paddles were made of a less toxic material. In the meantime, I simply took off the blades. Now I am mixing the dough manually in a ceramic bowl (it takes about 5 minutes), then I put the dough in the pan with the blades removed and launch a simple custom program (say, 20 min preheat, 2 hrs to 2 hrs 30 min rise and 1 hr 10 min bake). Thus, no mixing, no toxic metal release in my food and no wearing of the precious bread pan. By the way, it seems that release of aluminum into the food is a common problem for all bread makers, since the pan and paddles are made of aluminum and are wearing out while mixing the dough. Since aluminum is heavily used in food industry, commercially available bread is probably contaminated with aluminum, too. Fortunately, the design and programming of the Zojirushi bread maker was flexible enough, so I could circumvent the aluminum problem. For that custom program, the machine also allows to set the crust control. I noticed that after the brief manual mixing, the bread rises less than after the machine mixing, which may sometimes be even advantageous. The texture and taste are also different, but very good, too.
Reviewed in Canada on June 12, 2011
baguette bread maker) and had a close look at pretty much every model available at Sears, Canadian Tire, Walmart, Costco and Zellers (Cuisinart, B&D, West Bend and so on). Most bread maker models had a remarkably low quality with poor design, disgusting appearance, cheap knobs falling out or in, poor coating, sharp edges, aluminum or plastic transmissions and even plastic kneading blades (!). Before Tefal, I also bought the famous Kitchen Aid mixer, quite advanced, expensive and powerful (600 Wt) model, but, surprisingly, it could not prepare whole wheat dough properly, the process was quite messy, aluminum hook etc., so I returned it back to the store. In between, I was making bread manually. Thus, my impression is that for making bread and moderate amounts of dough, a good bread maker seems to be the best choice.
To my experience, the main problem with more or less decent bread makers, like Horizontal Philips or Tefal baguette, is that even though the bread maker itself still works fine, the companies are no longer supplying spare parts, particularly bread pans and paddles. So after a while, usually when the bread pan starts leaking in a year or two, the whole machine becomes almost useless.
Thus, having spare parts was a big plus for considering Zojirushi. Yet another was composing custom programs. The price... Well, Tefal cost $199 ($149 on sale) when I bought it, Horizontal Philips was $149. Zojirushi cost $214, now it costs $189. There is some difference indeed, but Zojirushi design is far superiour.
Now some of my impressions.
First of all, the Zojirushi unit is very well balanced and is NOT moving during kneading. Most other bread makers I tried, except Tefal baguette, tended to move (which means a good chance of falling off the shelf or table, running into something, falling into the kitchen sink filled with water and dishes, plugging themselves out and so on).
The Zojirushi is quiet. In fact, this is probably the least noisy bread maker I have used.
The unit is decently designed. It fits nicely under the kitchen shelves. The lead does NOT tend to fall onto your fingers when you open the bread maker. By the way, Tefal baguette rack fits well into Zojirushi, too.
Zojirushi remembers not only the last program used, but also its modifications, like preheat on or off, which is convenient. In other bread makers, browsing through beeping menus every time the unit is on seems a bit annoying.
Quality of dough and bread is good even for standard programs and an average "Selection" or "Compliments" flour from Food Basic or Price Chopper. The crust is NOT too dark if "light" is chosen. The loaf is NOT too heavy. I think the problems other folks have reported (the crust was too dark or uneven, bread much higher on one side, too hard etc.) were mostly due to their recipes or measuring errors, - if their units are not lemons, of course. Mine is apparently not. That custom programming allows to bake beautiful loafs, perfect, absolutely fantastic.
To illustrate what can be achieved by using the breadmaker's custom programming, I have added some images to the "Customer Images" section. They clearly show a good performance of the machine even in preparing some of the healthiest and best tasting (but also most demanding) types of bread, including old Russian style rye sour dough bread and whole wheat sore dough bread.
Recipe book and the instructional DVD are nice to have, even though I am mostly using my own recipes.
The paddles are made in such a way that they do not stick inside the loaf - a really nice feature that I have not seen in any other bread maker.
Cleaning the pan is exceptionally easy comparing to the other brands. Just soak for half an hour or so in warm water, the blades are going off easily.
Now some potentially weak points. The bread pan will probably need a replacement in a year or two - but this is true for any bread maker I have seen. A stainless steel pan and paddles, by the way, would make the breadmaker even more attractive. There are no additional side supports for the bread pan (thus the bottom mount experiences higher loads), - but, on the other hand, it makes the pan insertion and removal more convenient.
Nice looking, well designed, convenient, reliable, fool-proof. In summary, this is the best bread maker I have ever had.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ After a while ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
December 2, 2012, more than a year after my happy purchase. As I expected, the bread pan and the paddles proved to be the weakest point of the bread maker. After I paid a ridiculously high cost of the replacement pan and paddles (around $110), I found that the replacement blades themselves, like the original ones, are also being heavily worn during mixing, especially at their upper part, from inside the hole. Since they are made of aluminum, it results in releasing of toxic aluminum into the food, which is not acceptable.
I could only wish both the pan and the paddles were made of a less toxic material. In the meantime, I simply took off the blades. Now I am mixing the dough manually in a ceramic bowl (it takes about 5 minutes), then I put the dough in the pan with the blades removed and launch a simple custom program (say, 20 min preheat, 2 hrs to 2 hrs 30 min rise and 1 hr 10 min bake). Thus, no mixing, no toxic metal release in my food and no wearing of the precious bread pan. By the way, it seems that release of aluminum into the food is a common problem for all bread makers, since the pan and paddles are made of aluminum and are wearing out while mixing the dough. Since aluminum is heavily used in food industry, commercially available bread is probably contaminated with aluminum, too. Fortunately, the design and programming of the Zojirushi bread maker was flexible enough, so I could circumvent the aluminum problem. For that custom program, the machine also allows to set the crust control. I noticed that after the brief manual mixing, the bread rises less than after the machine mixing, which may sometimes be even advantageous. The texture and taste are also different, but very good, too.
Key advantages:
-- Makes delicious bread every single time.
-- Makes a normal shaped loaf and can also make smaller loaves (although it is better at the standard size).
-- Quite easy to use.
-- Easy to order and find replacement parts (forget this with cheap breadmakers)
-- High build quality overall.
-- Good recipe book that comes with it that explains things very well.
-- Is heavy and so does not move around the counter or seem unstable.
Disadvantages
-- Can be a bit noisier than I'd like.
-- Looks like it was teleported here from 1997.
-- Expensive.
-- Is big and takes up a lot of space on the counter.
These machines are not cheap, so it might be a good idea to figure out if you are really serious about making bread before buying this machine. The cheaper machines (e.g. Hamilton Beach) are far below the Zojurushis in terms of build quality but actually work fine for straightforward items like white bread, and you can probably buy them for next to nothing, either new or used.
However, if you know that you will use your breadmaker a lot, this is a great machine.
I always have to "break in" my new machines but this time I just used my tried and true family favourite--I do think it's the Canadian flour thing that gets me in trouble when I try the recipes included with the machines. Have also made beautiful bagel dough, and the overnight timer works perfectly. (With other machines the temp has been wrong by morning but the preheat on the Zojirushi seems to make a difference.) I do find the crust a bit light for my taste, but it's not a deal-breaker, and that just seems to be me, judging by the other reviews.
I loved that it didn't stink up my house the first time I used it--I expected to throw out the first loaf, just wanted to do a bake and burn off the chemicals. However, the smell during the first cycle was hardly noticable and we've enjoyed the bread from that first loaf. I left the blades in the first time, and was really pleased that they came out without leaving a huge rip in the bottom of the loaf. Generally though I watch the cycle and remove the blades after the final knead.
If you haven't used a horizontal machine, it's so worth it to have a normal-shaped loaf, especially if you plan to feed a family regularly rather than just make an occasional loaf.
It was expensive, but honestly, why spend so much more for the stainless one? The white one was a relative bargain.
Note I've been using it for a couple of weeks now. I hope it lasts, but if it doesn't I will try to get replacement parts and keep going. (I got a replacement part for my old TFal and have it in reserve--getting parts always takes forever and I get impatient waiting--so this time I have a backup if I have to replace anything on this one.)
Editing 5 months in...still loving this machine, absolutely no issues with it. It's quiet and reliable. My favourite bread machine so far. I can see that the paddles might wear, there is a little wobble starting to show in the way they fit, but I did see replacement paddles somewhere...
I purchased the Zojirushi after a lot of research. My previous bread machine was a refurbished Regal model that lasted over ten years. The Zojirushi came up as the premium model with good reviews on many sites. I picked it because it seemed reliable, I liked the rectangular loaf pan, and it had lots of options.
General Observations:
Counter footprint is okay – not overwhelming, but not really "space saving" either. Machine looks nice and sleek, a bit like a large lunchbucket. It's heavy, so I keep it on the counter. It's not a small appliance but the shape is narrower than my old breadmaker so I'm happy.
I don't bother with the room temperature thing where you have all the ingredients sit in the pan so they get to the same room temperature. It takes a little figuring to turn it off, but once it's off, it stays off. Otherwise, the bread would take almost 4 hours to make.
Advance setting (future bread timer) has screwed up once or twice and baked unmixed bread. I'm not sure that I can blame this on the machine, though.
I've never put the pan in the dishwasher. Doesn't need it – it cleans up quickly.
I'm able to "read" dough and don't bother too much with the exact proportions or how the ingredients have to be layered. I throw them in any which way and it always works. However, for delayed baking, I tend to follow directions exactly and have had some misses.
Pros:
Loaf pan is awesome. I've NEVER had a loaf stick or break when removing it from the pan. Bread comes out smoothly each and every time with a few shakes. I can't say enough about this feature – it's probably the most important part because it's the everyday convenience.
Dual paddles, yay! And they have never needed to be pried out of the loaf. Not once.
Excellent directions. Clear, colorful, easy.
Never had a loaf over-rise and flood the container, which happened a lot with the old one. The capacity of this one seems perfect.
Cleans up like a dream. Rinse a few times, done.
Dough setting has always made perfect dough.
Predictable and easy to watch whether you have the window or the lunchbucket-like roof open while you're monitoring the consistency of the dough, which I recommend you do.
Consumes less electricity than my old model (doesn't trip my circuit).
Cons:
It's complex – almost too many settings to cycle through, but the directions are excellent.
No small (1 lb or 1.5 lb) loaf setting. However, I've ignored the directions and made smaller loaves and they seem to be okay.
Jam setting really doesn't work, but I am not an expert and suspect jam just has to be made on a stove.
Not as fast as my old Regal – about three and a half hours instead of the usual 2:15 I was used to, but bigger loaves.
The 2 hour "speed setting" makes pretty crappy bread. Don't use it.
Loaves come out slightly uneven as others have observed but this really doesn't bother me.
The coating on the upper corners of the pan is cracking slightly – kind of like a wrinkle? -after a year's use. This does bother me.
Conclusion: was it worth the extra $? I am not sure. I know that I am absolutely in love with the loaf pan and the structure. The thing that used to drive me nuts with my old breadmaker was how hard it was to get the bread out. I would easily pay $ for the dual-paddle loaf pan but, in retrospect, I wish I'd gotten a smaller machine with the ability to make faster/smaller breads. But only if it has this loaf pan.
Anyway, so far, so good. It is easy to use so it gets a lot of use.