Side by Side Comparison of: Zojirushi vs Cuisinart

I have had this Zojirushi for just under 1 year now and still love it. I've had no problems whatsoever. It's a solidly built unit although it does take up quite a bit of counter space. It's also quite heavy. Initially I would put it away in the pantry when not it use but because of it's weight I decided just to leave it on our breakfast counter and only put it away when we have company. It's reasonably quiet. When I use the timer and set it to startup around 6:00 am I can hear it from my bedroom but only because I'm a light sleeper. I can watch tv in the family room open to the kitchen without a problem. It's easy to use and I love the variety of settings. I have yet to have a bread failure. There's only 2 of us in the household so I only make a small loaf about once a week; I tried the 2 pound size early on and it was too much for us to eat and wouldn't fit into the toaster. I expect to be using this unit for many more years.

Have owned it for a year now (thanks Prime day 2015) and you can pry it from my cold dead hands. I never ever buy bread anymore. Use the King Arthur Flour sourdough starter instructions and go wild.For anyone who lives at altitude in a dry climate (Denver) it can take some experimentation to get your sugar/flour/liquid/yeast ratios correct, and unfortunately that's something unique to location. Don't blame the machine, just add more liquid and less sugar and yeast and try again with cheap ingredients until you find your golden zone. Even my failed attempts tasted fine, they just weren't pretty. I generally add an egg to every batch of dough and that seems to do wonders. I also use instant yeast on the regular yeast setting (and reduce by about 1/2 tsp).I believe it is the University of Wyoming who produces a wonderful spreadsheet on baking at altitude, if you need more guidance.

I bought this on June 14, 2014. I use it a MINIMUM of 2 times a week and I could not be more pleased with every loaf or dough ball I pull out! I have not bought bread since I got the Zojirushi. I had a smaller model Zojirushi before and never had a problem with it but I wasn't crazy about the shape of the loaves. I wanted the loaves that I baked to be long and short like you buy in the store, not tall and so skinny you can only cut 3 or 4 slices from a loaf! This model fits the bill perfectly! As with all bread machines, you must be precise in your measurements and also consistent in the way you measure flour in particular. I have made jams, "cake" style breads like pumpkin and zucchini and banana. Everything I have tried has turned out fantastic! I have tried the same recipe with both "bread machine" or "rapid rise" yeast and with regular SAF and I prefer the SAF yeast results. It has been a long time since I used any of the "quick" bread settings due to my preferences. When I make any kind of pasta dish, I always use the machine to turn out a ball of focaccia bread dough and then I press it down onto a pizza pan or cookie sheet and cook it in my range!

I have had this machine for a while. Due to some personal problems, it has taken a while to "get to know" him/ her. First I would say that it is VERY helpful if you have knowledge about making bread by hand. I have found that some of the recipes (even directions) need a tiny bit more liquid to form a good dough so don't dump, start and ignore if you want great success. Second, the paddles may be hard to "seat". Make sure the paddles securely click down into place. When I neglected this, I found only one paddle was working so incomplete mixing. After working those things out, I have loved this machine and used some of the bread machine recipes from Amazon recommended books as well as recipes in the instructions. The instructions are good and if you question a book recipe, you can compare a similar one from factory directions. I cannot stress enough watching the initial mixing and kneading so that liquid may be added if necessary

Our trusty, 18-year-old Zo was still going strong when the non-stick coating began to peel. When no replacement parts could be found, we faced the inevitable and began to look for a worthy successor. After much research, other brands seemed to have serious issues we hadn't had with our old workhorse, despite its age (it was a hard act to follow!). Plunking down mega-bucks for the Virtuoso took much soul-searching, especially after so many negative reviews of its predecessor, but we checked Amazon's price daily and took the plunge when it went on sale, since it could be returned if it was a dud. Surprisingly, this machine actually has exceeded our expectations; even 100% whole wheat bread, which in the ancestor Zo could be iffy, is perfect. In both 2 lb. and 1.5 lb. loaves, the crust is just right - not tough or hard; the top is golden and even; every loaf/cake, complex or simple, has been almost freakishly flawless (true, you are paying for those double paddles and top heater, but do they ever make a difference!). In true Zo form, it's simple to use, very quiet and stable, and finished goodies slip right out with minimal holes and cleanup. Paddles remain in the pan, not the bread, and separate easily after briefly soaking the cooled pan in warm water. A "Shape" stage can be used to remove the dough to specially form it or remove the paddles before baking (the splines will remain, but the resulting holes will be much smaller without the paddles), and raising the lid will stop the machine temporarily without interfering with the program. Like older models, the initial "Rest" period warms ingredients as needed before mixing so no need to bring them to room temp first, but a cool new feature is the ability to bypass this stage if you don't need it, which shortens the overall time considerably. The "Add" signal also beeps for a longer period so you have less chance of missing it, which is easy to do if you're not nearby since it isn't very loud. Although the DVD manual provided is unintentionally comical and prim, and mind-numbingly redundant, it does have some useful info not included in the written manual. One consideration before buying would be your available space: since it bakes a horizontal loaf, this is a hefty machine with a footprint 18"w, 11"d, and with the lid raised, 20"h, plus space needed behind and at sides for vents. An extension cord will probably be needed unless parked directly in front of an outlet. Although we've only begun to tap its many talents, after over a month of frequent use (2 - 3 times/wk. for whole-grain breads w/nuts/fruit/seeds, banana bread, cakes, and pizza dough so far, and hopefully noodles soon), we're delighted with our new Zo and recommend it without reservation; we also appreciate Amazon's free shipping and right-on-time arrival before Christmas. Just an added note if you're new to bread makers (and to set straight some previous detractors' comments) - for best results with any machine, take the time to measure ingredients by weight rather than volume and add them in the order recommended in your machine's manual, since order can vary by manufacturer and doesn't necessarily match that listed in cookbook recipes. And if you need more reasons to think Zo, check out the King Arthur Flour website blog where they used one to cook almost every dish last Thanksgiving (except the turkey)!

I have owned bread machines ever since about 1987 at a cost then of close to $600! Since then I have had just about every brand at one time or another. My favorites have been made by Panasonic and Zojirushi. In short you really do get what you pay for in quality and durability. This new "Zo" is heavy duty and makes a truly excellent and normal shaped loaf. I say normal as most make slightly odd shapes that are a little too wide or too tall. The added top heater solves the small flaw the previous Zo had and that was the top would have less color than the rest of the crust. I have had this machine about 2 weeks and have already made 10 loaves. All have come out perfectly including 100% whole wheat.Our favorite is a rich egg bread also know as Challah and here is my personal recipe:2 Beaten Eggs with water to equal 10 oz- or 10 oz water and 0.90 oz of powered whole eggs14.85 oz BY WEIGHT bread flour (I highly suggest King Arthur!)1.5 t Salt2 T Sugar1/3 stick of butter (2.66 T or just cut a stick in 3 parts)1.5 t Yeast (buy it in bulk here or at Costco as grocery store prices are insane)Optional: 2 drops of egg yellow food color (I suggest AmeriColor available here)Set the machine to the quick or normal cycle, light crust, and hit start. DO NOT use the timer as eggs are perishable.Enjoy :-)UPDATE: 04-10-2012The machine is still going strong and has now produced well over 100 loaves of delicious bread. The pan has held up nicely and shows virtually no wear. In short this is a winner.Update 03-24-15Can you believe the machine is still working well!?!!A few observations after many hundreds of loafs and years of use: The pan has aged as expected and should probably be replaced and the motor is making a little tiny squeak not. I may replace the machine but will just buy the same once again. I have more than gotten my money's worth on this Zo! You get what you pay for :-)

I don't know why some would complain about the bread results from this machine. I have baked bread manually and by machine for 30+ years and this gives great results without all the standing around. The 2 lb. loaf is too big to fit in anything I have, but the 1 1/2 lb. is easy to remove and finished just as it should be. To get the best bread from a machine, always weigh the flour - don't measure. And, whisk the dry ingredients a little. Adding the yeast to the dry ingredients is fine (if you're baking immediately). You can use all-purpose flour (I use it with spelt and it's delish), just add the appropriate amount of dough enhancer. This will result in a light, fluffy bread for sandwiches.
Oh, you can make a few pouches of dry ingredients for your favorite recipes (without the yeast) and store them in a large canister for easy bread making.

We bought this breadmaker over a year and a half ago and used it on a very very regular basis. We used it to the extent that the center post of the pan came loose and detached (we made a loaf of bread every 2-3 days in this machine). I was slightly disappointed at this, and when I looked in the manual for a replacement, saw the warranty. I made a phone call (the worst part was waiting for ten whole minutes....) and a new pan is being shipped out quick and easy. I would highly recommend this in every way. It works great!

I bought this solely for the gluten free setting and I have not been disappointed. As stated in the instructions, there is a burning smell for the first few uses but its not overpowering and it has no effect on the bread at all. I was a little confused at first becuz after choosing the gluten free setting, which is #5, I was not able to choose a crust color. I initially thought something was wrong with the machine but I have come to believe that's probably becuz on the gluten free setting, you can only get the bread done one way since it's so different than a regular gluten type bread. Gluten grains will form an actual dough in a bread machine or even when making by hand, whereas gluten free bread resembles a batter instead. If I were able to choose a darker crust setting for a gluten free bread, the rest of the bread would likely be tough or burnt. The crusts come out consistently light but my bread has turned out perfect each time with no doughiness or being undercooked in the center. This has made my gluten free life ever so much better as I have finally found and tweaked a good bread recipe that consistently gives me a full sized loaf that is airy and tender and more like artisan bread. The inner baking/mixing pan is very easy to put in and take out and cleans up in just a few seconds. I have had no problems with the bread sticking to the pain either and I do not spray or coat the pan with anything. I can't judge this breadmaker on all its other wonderful settings but for those who are gluten free and are looking for a good bread machine that works well on the gluten free setting, this is the one for you!

This bread machine will not disappoint if you measure and follow the directions. It is so easy to use, just push a button and you have delicious fresh bread.

I bought this bread machine to bake fresh gluten free bread. It is so easy to use with the gluten free setting and all of the recipes I have tried so far have come out perfectly. The gluten free bread I have made comes out much better than anything I have bought in the stores. It is so good that you can't even tell the bread is gluten free. Also saves a bunch of money since we have been baking about a loaf a week.

The machine has 12 different pre-set programs depending on the type of bread you are baking (including jam and dough). You select the crust type you want (light, med, dark) and the loaf size (1lb, 1.5lb, 2lb). Just throw the ingredients in the machine in the right order, select the settings, and the machine does the rest for you. You come back in 2-3 hours or so depending on the type of bread you are baking and the bread is done and ready to be freshly eaten. All you have to clean is the pan the bread bakes in and that is just a quick rinse out (nothing on it really).

I have been using Pamelas bread mix with it and there are so many different add its to make the bread exactly what you want.

I have also baked traditional bread that has come out excellent as well. The panettone I made this week was easier and came out much better than any panettone I have made using the traditional baking methods.

Tip: You MUST measure ingredients exactly. If you don't, your bread will not come out as good.

I really love this breadmaker. I have made about 200 loaves of bread in the last 16 months. Here are my tips for consistently making great bread:

1. Be exact with your measurements. Weigh out ingredients. Each cup of flour should weigh 120 grams.

2. The amount of liquid you need varies based on the humidity in the room. I usually add in one ounce less liquid than the recipe calls for and watch the dough kneading. This particular machine kneads initially for about 3-4 minutes, rests for a few minutes then kneads again. I wait until the first round of kneading is done, then check the consistency. If the dough is dry and hasn't formed into a ball, I add a spoonful of water and wait till it is kneaded for a minute, then reassess the dough. If the dough is wet (sticking to the sides, a pile of goo instead of a ball of dough), then add in bread flour one tablespoon at a time.

3. Use quality ingredients. I use King Arthur flours and buy yeast in bulk.

4. Add the ingredients in the order listed. Liquids first, then sugar/salt, then flour(s), then yeast. Don't let the salt touch the yeast.

5. Use vital wheat gluten in whole wheat breads. One tablespoon VWG per cup flour.

6. Use this book ([...]). Lots of great tips and recipes.

7. Try the pizza dough recipe from the recipe manual included with the breadmaker. I have several family members that now use that recipe for their dough after having my pizza.

8. I use the small setting for sweet breads, dinner breads, and breads for breakfast toast. I use the medium setting for sandwich bread. I have used the large setting, holy crap are those loaves big. Really too big to be useful.

9. The dark crusting setting is really only needed for the darkest of loaves.

10. Try to have your liquids at room temp. If they are too cold, the yeast will not be as active and the loaf will not rise as much.

11. A lot of recipes call for buttermilk as the liquid. If you have buttermilk around all the time, awesome! If you are like me, then use 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and add milk to make one cup. Let it sit for five minutes. Voila! Buttermilk.

12. As soon as your bread is done, take it out and let it sit for a moment on the counter. Five minutes max. Then use a silicone spatula around the sides of the loaf to help separate the loaf from the pan. It will still be hot, so use an oven mitt. Put the bread onto a cookie drying rack. Let the bread cool and breathe with space all around the loaf for 10-15 minutes before serving. If it sits in the machine or in the pan for too long, the moisture will make the loaf soggy and not as crisp.

13. Don't be afraid to experiment with recipes.

Have fun!

May give it fewer or more stars as I use it more but I have to say (after using it twice) -- 1. sturdy, high quality construction, unlike the $89 breadmakers I've seen in big box stores. 2. My first 2 loaves were perfect (one gluten free and one basic). 3. Easy to use and very intuitive buttons.

My mom and I spent 5 days comparing the reviews and articles on the Zojirushi BB-PAC20 and Breville BBM800XL. We finally ended up comparing both models side by side because a friend has the Breville. For us, it ultimately boiled down to these key features:Zojirishi:+Longer loaf tub (makes a more normal sized loaf like you'd buy at the store+Heating element in the lid for consistent and even browning all aroundBreville:+4 loaf sizes+Nut dispenserPICTURE DESCRIPTIONS: First loaf we baked was white bread (regular speed, medium crust). I could have shaped it more evenly so it wasn't taller in the middle. Notice how small the holes are since I removed the paddles. The loaf in plastic wrap is wheat bread from the grocery store. Also compare it to a mostly eaten white bread made from the Breville. See how the top is much lighter than the sides? The Breville doesn't have a top heating element. Second bread we made was olive bread from an online recipe. I shaped this one better, also the recipe called for 2 tsp yeast instead of 2.5. Again I compared it to the size of a regular bread from the grocery store (half the bread is missing from the plastic bag).Neutral points:+Breville has a much nicer user interface. Pretty surprising Zojirushi has an interface that looks like it's from the early 2000s. But ultimately, our decision is going to be purely about bread quality.+Zojirushi allows you to create 3 custom profiles in which you can adjust the timings for each phase (Rest->Knead->Shape->Rise1->Rise2-Rise3->Bake->Keep Warm) whereas the Breville allows you to create 9 custom profiles and adjust the timings AND temperature for each phase (Knead 1->Knead 2->Rise 1->Rise 2->Rise 3->Keep Warm).We realized we didn't care too much about the number of custom profiles, because for most bread, the tried and tested standard settings provided by both machines are already sufficient.+The Zojirushi has a "Shape" option where it will beep before the first rise phase and give you an hour to open the lid, take the dough out and shape it with your hands so it looks nice and even, put it back and then close the machine. Don't recall the Breville having this specific feature, but realized it doesn't matter because the ideal shape time is right after the last punch down phase. More on that later.+The Zojirushi has 2 paddles and the Breville has one. The number of paddles isn't specifically a benefit in either machine's favor. It is more of a result of each machine's tub shape. The Breville is narrower and taller, and the Zojirushi is shorter and long. I think that the tub shape goes in favor of the Zojirushi, as I mentioned earlier.+Breville has foldable paddles. Don't really care, because we remove the paddles before the final rise even on the Zojirushi, so the holes are super small (1 centimeter diameter)+The Zojirushi has much sturdier build quality, whereas the Breville is made of thin, unpolished brushed aluminum. As others have noted, it dents very easily. In fact, our Breville arrived with a dent in it. Again, not too big a deal. Ultimately which one makes better bread?+Breville looks more modern and sleek. Zojirushi looks like a typical appliance.+Zojirushi makes less noise. At its loudest, it has the deep droning sound of a washing machine. Breville makes a banging noise as the paddles spin..which is pretty loud.+Zojirushi says it can be used for meatloaf and sourdough starter, Breville has a yeast free option or something...personally I don't care, plus you can probably customize settings on the Breville to make those work. (Just look up online instruction manuals from either companies to see what their timings are for each setting, and you can custom program that timing into the other machine)+Breville has a light you can turn on when peeking through the viewing window. I use my phone's flashlight when using the Zojirushi (though you can kinda see what's going on without it)+The nut dispenser was a pretty awesome get sure in favor of the Breville, but I want to point out that the Zojirushi will beep when it's time to add those ingredients. The automation is missing from the Zojirushi. So this isn't a neutral point - it's a big win for the Breville. But I wanted to point out the beeping of the Zojirushi as an FYI.+The Breville's marketing material goes out of its way to mention the punch down phase, but in fact not machines have this. Right before Rise 2 and Rise 3, the paddle (s) spins slowly a bunch of times in order to let trapped air escape out of the dough.+The Breville has 2 programmable knead phases. The Zojirushi has 1. I don't understand what this is about...They both knead for the appropriate amount of time, so maybe the Breville just let's you get more detailed about the process if you want? If both bake great bread, then I really don't care either way.+The Zojirushi has an optional rest phase in which it allows all your ingredients to come to room tepremature for optimal baking. Don't recall the Breville has this. On both machines, you can always skip a step if you want (on the Breville, you hold down the start button, on the Zojirushi you hold down the up and down buttons on Select Course, if I recall correctly...it's in the manual)Okay, so what was our verdict?Well, it ultimately came down purely to bread quality, and here the Zojirushi is the winner. Just check out the pictures I uploaded. The browning is ridiculously consistent on all sides of the bread. Not overly chewy on one end of another. I have to attribute this to the Zojirushi's heating element in the lid, since I suspect the Breville ends up heating the sides and bottom longer in order to give the top a sufficient amount of browning.The Zojirushi also has a spectacular loaf size. The first time around, it was a bit high. But check out the olive bread we made on the second try...compared to a regular loaf you'd buy at a store, the size is spot on. I put a ruler next to the white bread pics so you can see. However, the white bread was our absolute first loaf we tried, and we could've done one or two things to make it as perfectly formed as the olive bread (see below).Loaf size was an important factor for us, because we want regular sized slices that fit in our toaster. With the Breville, you might be able to achieve these sizes by using a lower bread loaf setting and adjusting the amount of ingredients. But you'll end up with less bread. While we really liked the ability to choose multiple bread sizes with the Breville, we liked that the Zojirushi makes a standard looking loaf right out of the box. And we found out that the recipe book does show you how to make 1.5lb sized loaves of wheat bread and some others.So how did we make the perfect looking bread you'll see in the pics?Tips:1) Read the instruction manual precisely and/or watch the first part of the DVD (liquids first, dry things second, make a little pocket for the yeast, and be EXACT for the ingredient measurements)2) SHAPE YOUR DOUGH AND REMOVE PADDLES: Use the instruction manual to identify when the last punch down phase will begin. For the white bread regular setting, this should be 55 minutes after the Knead phase ends. The knead phase was 19 minutes and the Rest 30...so that means you should set an alarm to get back to your machine 1 hour and 44 minutes after pressing the start button. At that time, you will hear the paddles making one rotation every few seconds. It does this about 15 times. As soon as it stops doing this, it means the final rise phase will begin. Open the machine (it automatically pauses where it is in the process), and take the dough out with your hands. Put it on a table or mat or something (maybe parchment paper that is lubricated with olive oil - that's what I did), and roll the dough a bit and shape it with your hands so it looks nice and smooth. Better is if you shape it to look like a rectangle that will fit the tub perfectly, and flatten it a bit so it has an even night all the way. Then, remove the paddles (they are slippery so use something that has a good grip to pull them out). Put your loaf back in so it takes the full space of the tub, maybe pat it down one last time, and close the machine. Your bread will have a great shape.+Bonus tip: one of the reviewers mentioned putting your paddles in the same orientation before putting in the ingredients. Not sure if it helped, but I definitely did this. I pointed both my paddles in the 6 o'clock position.The first recipe we used was the Basic White Bread Regular (meaning we used active dry yeast instead of fast/instant yeast). Medium crust setting, except we left it in for 5 minutes extra after it was done to let it brown more.The second recipe we used is some southern olive bread recipe I googled in which they happened to use a Zojirushi as well! I used the dark crust setting and took it out immediately. Here's the "Kalamata Olive Bread Recipe from Southernfood/Aboutfood : http://southernfood.about.com/od/breadmachine/r/r70412a.htmDon't forget to let your bread sit for 30 minutes before slicing!Bottom line: The Zojirushi's even browning and standard loaf size make me feel it makes an overall better bread loaf. Check out the pics!After seeing the modern look, cool interface, and more granular programmable control of the Breville (e.g. temperature control) I want to take one star away from this machine. I may not use all those features, but maybe I would! But c'mon - it's the 21st century. Great looking user interfaces should be standard.

I bought this in September 2014, and it worked beautifully for almost two years and about 150 loaves. Then it started making unhealthy-sounding noises during the kneading cycle, and also started leaving stray dough under the kneading blades, making cleanup more difficult. It was still well worth the price, but I had hoped that it would last longer. I considered buying another one, but instead I plan to buy a mixer to prepare the dough, and will use the breadmaker just to bake it.

I purchased this Zojirushi BB-PAC20 Home Bakery Virtuoso on sale. I have used it a few times, I made dough and bread loaves with it and so far I am very happy with it.Why I love it:The "homemade" or programmable mode allows you to enter your own program so you can experiment with any recipes you find online.Tip:- because there are two paddles in the machine, sometimes the dough can form two lumps that are uneven in size. If you want an even loaf, remove the dough and reshape just before the final rise.- if you don't want your loaf to have the two big holes on the bottom, remove the paddles just before final rise. You will still get two small holes from the axles but much smaller.

very good and well made. Just getting the hang or rather the rise of it. I may revise the stars and update after more usage. I make ABSOLUTELY sure that the paddles are fully seated as instructed in the users manual. Nevertheless, I am concerned that the loose fit of the paddles may cause failure of the paddles. The fit of the paddle of my previous, early BreadMan, machine was better and never failed in any way. A little oil on the shaft will help with removing snug paddles, but may be moot on this machine.This Zoji has lots of functionality and flexibility. I like being able to make my own programs. Whole wheat banana nut yeast bread with Ener-g egg replacer and Sunsweet easy bake oil replacement needs its own program.Read, understand and save the instructions.

When my 15 year old Zo finally gave out, I ordered this one as I knew I wanted another Zojirushi, I've owned five different bread machines over the years, and the Zo is the best. This one is bigger and heavier than my older Zo, but that was no big deal. I like the handles on the bread pan, huge improvement. I usually do the dough cycle for all my bread, and then shape it and bake it in a regular bread pan in the oven. It appears they have changed the stabilizing temperature on this model. It is now 91 degrees, up from 84 degrees on my older model. It's too warm. Over proofs the dough. I've had to play around with the homemade cycle to try to compensate for that. At least it has the ability to custom set your own cycles. Very good manual; explains everything clearly. Lots of recipes.

Have used this for 3 months. No defects have appeared. Have some minor issues. Really hard to see the display! It is not backlit, and certain indications are almost too far to the edge of the display to read easily. The loaf size is almost too large, whether making 1lb., 1.5lb., or 2lb. loaves.
I have a problem with the bread deflating more than I would like it to. That seems to occur some time during the bake cycle. Have yet to ascertain if that is my fault or just some anomaly due to thermal shock, or the ingredients I am using, or the season of the year.
I really appreciate the ability to remove the mixer paddle prior to the bake cycle! Makes a much neater loaf. So far, the seal/shaft bearing are holding up nicely. Looking forward to cooler weather, when I will bake the loaf in my oven and in a more suitable shaped pan.
Still happy that I bought it, but I want to connect with a bit more hands-on bread making, too.

This product performed as expected, and I can't find any inconsistencies in the description on Amazon. If you follow the recipes that come in the little user's manual, you can make quality bread with little effort. There is no complex assembly with this model, and you can be making bread in a matter of minutes. I have no complaints about the quality of the components. The non-stick baking surface works well and is easy to clean. The controls are simple and easy to use.

Keep in mind that all you will get in the box is the machine. You will need to buy a bag of bread flour and a jar of yeast at a minimum.

My chief complaint is the size of the loaf is odd. If you are slathering your fresh baked bread with butter and eating it alone, it is wonderful. It does not translate well into a sandwich size. The loaf is short and fat, resulting in a small number of very large slices. If you slice each slice again from top to bottom, the resulting pieces are slightly narrower than a slice of "supermarket" bread.

The book that comes with the machine has some good recipes, but these are few. I suggest that if you are really serious about baking with your machine, then you find a good bread machine cookbook and learn to adapt recipes to the machine.

I have 2 other bread machines, a Zo being one, but wanted this machine for my condo. So far I made pizza dough and a rapid bake white bread. I don't think I'd use the rapid bake anymore as its only for 1 hr. It came out, but what loaf of bread can be made in 1 hr? My Zo has a quick loaf which is for 2 hrs. The other thing I don't like is the instruction book. The recipes are great, but no where can I find the timing for each cycle like mix, knead, rise, bake and how long various breads should take. Other bread machine manuals all give this information. Am I missing something?

After reading Amazon reviews on various competitor brands, I've decided to go with this model. It's cheap, and has most functions you would want.
One thing I cannot stress enough is how loud this machine is. It is VERY VERY LOUD (and there is no way to turn off the beeps).
Don't even consider buying this if you have a small apartment and planning to make overnight breads.
Other than that, it makes great bread and easy to operate.
After two weeks of usage, the beeps got me so annoyed, I've decided to open it up and de-solder (disconnect) the buzzer from the electronic board. It took 5 minutes and now my machine is peacefully mute.
If you want to do this yourself, it involves taking out 5 screws and using a soldering iron to heat up the contacts of the buzzer (circular thingy that is located on the top right corner of the PCB) and pushing it out of the board.

**UPDATE**

I have been using this machine almost daily for the past 6 months. I grind my own hard white winter wheat grains to make whole wheat bread, and the loaves are light and fluffy. I use the pasta setting to initially mix the ingredients, then turn it to the white bread setting to knead and bake. I don't even need to use extra gluten with the whole wheat.
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I read through the reviews for a few top-rated bread makers, and ended up picking this one. My primary reason was the ability to remove the paddle before the bread bakes. My first loaf of bread came out perfectly! (Moist and chewy, with a nice crust.) I've followed some of the recipes in the included booklet exactly, and had great results. Until now, I always made bread by hand, but it takes so much time and attention to make a good loaf. I have been using store-brand all purpose flour and it works fine, but I've been careful to use exact measurements.

I haven't had it long enough to determine the reliability, but for now, I'm quite pleased. I really like being able to "set it and forget it," and have a nice, fresh loaf of bread waiting when it's done.

The bread pan is removable to add ingredients, then it is easily locked into place in the bread maker. The nonstick pan is very easy to clean. One thing I didn't consider is that I can't use the machine for back-to-back projects, though. It needs time to cool down before starting a new cycle.

I didn't give the machine five stars because of the loaf shape. It is sort of loaf-like, but a 2-lb loaf produces monstrous slices! That's not really a problem; I can make a smaller loaf and just run the machine daily if necessary. In all, I'm very happy with my choice!

Product works well, and makes great bread, We have used ours for about 6 months. 3 stars because a maintenance parts are over priced. A replacement non-stick pan is $80-$100 (without the blades!) and replacement blades are about $20 a set. Looking closely at how the blades are designed, I can't help but think that these were intentionally designed to wear out after a certain amount of use.In my case we make bread every few days and they lasted about 6 months. The blades are pushed on to a D-Shaft in the fancy pan, the shaft seems fine but the hole in the blade rounds out over time and then spins freely on the shaft so the unit is no longer able function. I know others with the same machine and other Zojirushi models and they have the same problem, so if you like this unit just keep an extra set of blades on hand and be careful not to scratch the non-stick coating on your pan (especially when trying to get the non-functional but stuck-on blades off the D-shafts),

The bread maker works great but the kneading blades are impossible to remove for cleaning.Zojirushi BB-PAC20 Home Bakery Virtuoso Breadmaker with Gluten Free Menu setting

Very nice machine with a flaw. One of the blades is very difficult to remove for cleaning. I have arthritis and I had to take pain reliever for my fingers after fighting to remove the blade to clean stuck dough. I had the machine for two months but I had to return it because it makes it difficult for me to work (typing) after trying to remove the blade. I really did like it though. Too bad.

Makes a good loaf of bread. Unfortunately, the nonstick coating on the rather loose-fitting kneading paddles wears off and ends up in your bread. Replacement paddles run $8-10 each. Zojirushi part number 8-BBP-P070. Our unit is less than 10 months, used about once a week, and we already need to replace paddles. Very frustrating for a supposedly well engineered machine at this price point.

It is Okay but I expected a little bit more for $300. I used to have Panasonic similar to this one Panasonic Home Bakery 36menu (With Rice Cake,udon Nioodle and Pasta Maker) Loaf Type Brown Sd-bmt1001-t and was pretty happy with it because it had *automatic* dispensers for yeast and nuts and the user interface was fairly intuitive.Now with Zojirushi I have to live with few minor but still annoying issues: - Because there is no auto-dispenser I have to maintain the order of ingredients. According to instruction I put liquid first, then add everything, then dig a small hole in the flour to put yeast. I need to be careful (!) to have some dry flour on the top. This is annoying! - The interface is simple but surprisingly counter intuitive: some genius of design placed mode names in circular order around display. - As I selected the mode it goes into the resting state. After a while it beeps loudly to indicate that I need to come and put nuts or raising or whatever. Seriously, I would better have auto-dispenser than those useless top window! - As the baking is finished I usually want to put out two rotary blades to clean them out but they are always stuck. It is really hard to take them out and it annoys me.Apart from issues mentioned it seems to be a product of good quality. It is not flimsy. It works fine. It has a timer that you can set to a specific time (e.g. at 8:00 am) So, I cannot say it is a waste of money. It is a nice product, maybe a bit overpriced.

While this is the best breadmaker I have owned to date, I have run into a few issues that I thought I should share. The most serious issue deals with some sort of defect. After about a dozen loaves of bread, the kneading cycle produces a loud squeak that sounds like the machine is tearing itself apart. I called Zojirushi customer service and they had me run a test cycle that skips the initial rest. We ran the cycle with the bread pan in the machine and with it removed. The noise appears to be present when the bread pan is in the machine. The machine is only weeks old and is under warranty, so Zojirushi is sending me a new bread pan, but I have concerns that it is not just the bread pan and is really a defective unit, or that I will be going through bread pans on a regular basis. I will update this review with the results of my customer service experience and the outcome.The other issues I am having deal with the provided recipes. I have found that I cannot follow them to the letter. I always have to add more water then they call for and have gotten used to rushing over to the machine once I hear it thumping and slowly adding more water until the dough looks like it is the right consistency. Our home is of average humidity (we humidify during the winter and run A/C during the summer), so I do not feel like my flour is unusually dry. Many of the negative reviews on this site mention "lopsided loaves", which I have found means the dough is too dry. I imagine they are also following the recipes and having the same results I am. Another negative review that was posted here talks about whole wheat loaves and how bad they are coming out. While I find that your "basic white loaf" using bread flour comes out fantastic, the healthier wheat loaves are coming out hard on the bottom and dry and I have tried different flours and blends. They are usually inedible by day 2 and almost impossible to cut through at the bottom. I am not sure why I am having such disappointing results following the healthier recipes from their manual. Also, if I follow their recipes exactly using recommended ingredients and their provided measuring cup, the "basic white loaf" will often rise to the point that it hits the top of the breadmaker, but I have to admit, even though it is a loafzilla, it tastes amazing.Based on the number of people complaining about similar issues, I wonder if Zojirushi really tested the provided recipes with this exact machine or if they lifted them from the manual of another of their models. Granted, I can experiment with the ratios, etc. to tune my experience and I admit that this is part of the fun, but I am concerned that I will not get a anything but a "basic white loaf" out of the machine that tastes good and has a good texture. Stay tuned...

How do I ask a question??? To me, the booklet is worthless. I do not understand with all the dang beeping going on when I am supposed to take my dough out when using the dough cycle. I want to take the dough out, remove the paddle, shape into the loaf, let it rise once and then bake in the oven. How long does this take? I've used the Breadman until I wore the thing out. LOVED IT! Why oh why did I purchase the Cuisinart? You can't even ask a question on the website. I am so disappointed. I used to make tons of bread and always took a fresh loaf to visit people, parties, cookouts, etc. Everyone was thrilled and so pleased. Now everyone asks what happened.

After less than a year, my bread machine committed suicide. I put in my ingredients as usual, and left the machine on the counter as usual, to do its' thing. Ten minutes later, I heard a huge CRASH. I ran downstairs to find that my machine took a leap off the counter. The lid broke off at the hinges and apparently flew across the room (bread dough as well). Although it technically still runs, the lid is irreparable, making it pointless. I really enjoyed the machine up until the last month of its life when it begin to be a little more noisy and started shaking when mixing/kneading. I am now in the market for a new bread maker and I'm afraid I will not buy another one of these. R.I.P Beloved Bread Maker :-(.

I have been using the quick bake feature and can have a loaf of bread in about an hour. I am still learning its quirks. Last night it walked off my counter and bent a bit. I think I can still use it. I like the dough setting and can use it to make oven finished bread. I am going to use it for as long as it works ok but I might have to set it on the floor.

I have tried numerous recipes for bread in this machine. I'm not wowed. It works best on the dough cycle and then taking it out and baking it in my oven. That is very disappointing. I have a great mixer, so I could have saved myself the money for this expensive bread mixer/kneader. Ugh. None of the bread makes a good risen loaf one would expect and that I remember from making years ago in a much cheaper machine. I thought I was upgrading to this one - not the case.

This is a very nice sturdy breadmaker and the bread is very good that comes out of it. My only complaint is that the display window is so dark I cannot read it to make selections without shining a flashlight on it. I expect more from Cuisinart; they need to make that display lighted for this price. I also cannot seem to make the crust darker even though I'm choosing the darkest setting. More experimentation might be needed.

I have never owned a bread maker before, but have made it by hand without a machine. In spite of all the amazing reviews, we felt this product really fell short. We baked 4 loaves before deciding to return it. Every one turned out heavy and dough-y. When we bit into a piece, sometimes we would get a bite that seemed really salty, and sometimes it seemed like there was so salt. So maybe the mixing mechanism was off. We also tried different brands of yeast and different types of flour, and followed the recipes and directions exactly. Maybe we just got one that was defective, but the quality of bread this machine turned out for us was pretty poor.

this would be a 5 star product if not for the paddle wear. I bought it from a store where I can return it.After a little more than a year, with about 2-3 breads a week, we encountered the exact same issue as others on here with the paddle wear. I might try the screw fix. Other than that it's a good machine.They should send free blades. But what concerns me is eating that metal that comes from the blades...Update: 12/31/15I just checked my order and I bought it in March and the paddles wore out in November, that's 8 months.I tried the screw fix, but that did not last long. Blades are made from soft aluminium.Probably I'll just go and exchange the entire machine at the store just because of this. I like it and it served us well. Not sure what to think about the aluminium shavings in the bread though..

The recipes are disappointing, though the bread loaf did all it was supposed to do the first time I made some.. It didn't smell or taste as bread should when it's baking. I'm experimenting with other recipes. Sometimes the bread is lopsided, all the dough piling up on one side.

I have owned Zojirushi bread machines ever since they produced the first 2-pound loaf machine many years ago; this is my 6th machine. I LOVE them, and actually wear them out because I use them so much (well, I gave one to my daughter because she really wanted one). I bake three to four loaves of bread per week, so I am very familiar with Zoes. This is the worst machine I have owned, however. It produces the ugliest shaped loaf I have ever seen come out of a bread machine. It twists the loaf quite badly before the final rise, and I wind up with a badly mis-shapen, "gnarly" loaf. I have started using the dough setting so that I can shape the loaf myself and bake it in the oven. I am using the very same recipes that I have used for years. I am wondering if it is because of the newly-shaped blades? Needless to say, I am most unhappy with this situation. I wish I could trade my model straight-across for the slightly less expensive model similar to the one I had before. I'm not certain of the new number, but it is (or was) sold on Amazon.

I was so excited when I received my machine. The first problem I encountered was therecipes in the manual do not have enough water/liquid. The next problem occurred afterthe baking cycle. The machine gives off a bad odor from the bottom of the bread pan.The odor gets baked into the bread. Metallic/machine type taste - awful. I was hopingit would bake off after a few loaves. 10 loaves later the smell is as strong as thefirst time. Tried scrubbing and washing the pan and inside of machine. Didn't work.Contacted the company and they sent me a replacement bread pan. The new one had thesame problem. The machine itself did a wonderful job mixing/baking. The loaves lookedbeautiful but had that taste. The company was very accommodating when contacted by e-mail.I never was able to get through by phone. If you have one of these, smell the bottom ofthe bread-pan after a bake. Any amount of odor is not good for your health. It willleach into the bread. Very thankful Amazon is so wonderful to deal with.

I was very excited about this breadmaker because of all the 5 star reviews by Gluten Free bakers. I also read all the 1 star reviews, so I was aware that there were quality control concerns. I've been baking regular and gluten free bread for many years and understand the importance of measuring and ingredient temperature. I followed Zo's Brown Rice GF recipe to the letter with fresh ingredients, and both of my loaves came out with very white tops and medium sides and bottoms, using the light crust setting. Both also had "boobs" on top on opposite ends. In my second effort, I followed several suggestions for this issue in the comments on the 1-star reviews. No luck. Two things lead me too believe that I have one of the lemons cited in the reviews. The bread temperature was only 175 at the end of the bake cycle and I had to leave it in for 10 minutes to get it close to 200 (probably causing the medium sides/bottoms). My home temperature is 80 with airconditioning on so little humidity. The second issue is that the top of this machine only gets warm during the bake cycle. There is absolutely no reason I'd have to use a potholder, as the manual warns. So this to me points to a defective top heater. I'm not going to waste any more expensive ingredients trying for a different result.I really wish this machine had worked for me like it has for so many others. I'm giving it an extra star because the GF bread, although way too dense, tastes GREAT, unlike most rice-based breads. As a note to others who have defective machines: If you purchased it through Amazon, you have 30 days to return or exchange it at Amazon's expense. They even give you the option of a UPS pickup. So don't keep it as an expensive paperweight. You can't go wrong if you bought it from Amazon!

I love to make homemade bread. Until now, I had been making it by hand. My husband bought me this bread maker in an attempt to do me a favor. While I appreciate the thought, I would rather just make it by hand. I don't know if this is true of all bread machines, but the bread was no where near as good as hand made. I followed the recipe exactly per the included instruction/recipe booklet to make white bread. On medium crust setting, the bread was so tough everywhere but the very center. Texture aside, the taste was super bland. It really didn't have a flavor at all. It was also so crumbly, I couldn't even salvage it for sandwich bread. I will try to find other recipes, but I was sorely disappointed.

This has a gluten free cycle, but it's not very satisfactory. If this is the main reason you are choosing this machine, you may want to look into a different breadmaker. For most cycles the machine lets you choose loaf size and crust darkness, but those choices are not available for the gluten free cycle. You are stuck with whatever it is -- they're not telling. My gluten free recipes all make different sized loaves, but there no My bread does not come out baked well. One side of the loaf is always doughy and under- cooked. The rest of the crust is just barely brown. Some gluten-free loaves come out very doughy. I've read that you need to finish off loaves from this machine in the oven, but I would prefer not to do that. I will return it in hopes of finding a machine that does the whole project.

I was excited to buy this over a year ago. However, after the new wore off I realized what I didn't like about this product. The beeps for adding nuts are annoying for anyone who doesn't intend to add them since it can't be quieted. The non-stick coating was too easily removed with my bread. The worst was that the pan must be replaced within a year because it will leak a black oil onto your counter surface or inside your machine. If you're not careful to keep it clean it will cook and harden. Eventually the paddle knob will become too loose too make the pan of any use. The replacement is too expensive. This happened to a friend just after she recommended the machine. I bought it and it happened to mine as well.
Dissatisfied with it's life span. Disappointed in my choice.

This is my second bread machine. I am very disappointed. The bread doesn't rise enough. I'm hoping I just got a bad batch of yeast. Out of about ten loaves I've only been happy with maybe two. I read the reviews and was hoping I made a great decision. Unfortunately I didn't.

I purchased this breadmaker to replace my broken Sunbeam. I have made about 10 loaves for my large family with it in the last week or so and I've not been able to get a decent whole wheat loaf from the recipes in the booklet. The loaves I've made are incredibly dense and rock-hard. I've tried a different brand of yeast, cutting the whole wheat flour in half and replacing the half with bread flour (I've never used bread flour before, so I thought maybe that was it), trying all three different loaf sizes, adding vital wheat gluten, and double and triple checking the temperature of my water (and other ingredients). Plus I am very careful about putting the ingredients into the machine in the correct order (I've been making bread machine bread for many years, so I know how important that is). I have always used King Arthur Flours because they are non-bromated (bromide is a known carginogen). The KAF whole wheat flour has a protein content of 14% so it should rise really well - especially with the addition of VWG. I did have success making a all white flour fluffy Italian loaf, but I am perplexed and dismayed with my results with a WW loaf (that's basically all we eat). At this point, I am ready to throw out the recipe book and try getting my recipes online. If I don't have any success, I'll have to consider whether I should get another Sunbeam because we had fabulous WW bread for many years with it.

After 6 months the bread fails to rise. We changed the flour, we changed the yeast, with changed the quantities of the products used, it just seems that the problem is in the machine.

If I could give this machine zero stars, I absolutely would. I did a lot of research before I bought this machine (I bought it in 2013). My parents had two of them in a row and the last one is still going strong (both were older models). So, after my research and seeing my parents' working so well, I determined this would be an excellent purchase. As soon as I got it, I put it to work. I tried lots of different breads. I tried the cakes. I tried the dough. It worked wonderfully. The loaves were beautiful, tall, and rose evenly and were golden. The bread could not be beat. We used it regularly. And then tragedy struck. In 2014, the machine started making a terrible noise, like the gears were grinding or slipping. But it still made lovely bread, so I kept using it. About the middle of last year, it still made the horrible noise and it started creating lopsided loaves, like they weren't getting kneaded enough or at all on one side. I read the reviews on here and figured it must be the paddles since that was a common complaint. So I ordered new paddles at $30. I popped the new ones in and started a loaf going. I wasted $30. It didn't fix anything. I contacted customer support and they suggested the paddles. I told them I had new paddles. Then they told me that one of the common problems is the belt goes bad and that I would have to pay to send it to them and they would charge me to fix it and then charge me shipping back to me. It was too expensive to do that. So now I have a $300 piece of metal sitting on my counter that makes me feel sad every time I look at it. After I asked around at my local Japanese market, they told me that any Zojirushi product made in China is terrible. And how true this is! Don't buy this machine. I am sure there is something else out there that is cheaper and longer lasting. I am now looking for a different brand. I will never be able to trust Zojirushi again. Not after taking my $300 and not being at all helpful at fixing a common problem. I am very disappointed.

Dear Amazon,I have been looking forward to receiving my Zojirushi. However, I was quite upset to see that accessories (measuring spoon) was not in my package. Worse yet, I am afraid this had been opened previously, not sure if it had been used. This is such an expensive purchase and not easy to pack again and send back. I really do not know what else to say, losing a customer's trust is really worth all these?Thanks,Selim

Updates, nine months later: still using it once or twice every week. Love the taste and smell of home-made bread. Tried some cake recipes, made doughnut and pizza dough a couple of times, came out alright (not my thing, but go ahead if it's yours). I go for the plain bread recipe (flour, water, oil, bit of sugar, bit of salt, and yeast). Easy to clean the baking tray, just let sit with some lukewarm water to loosen up the paddles and then gently wash with a bit of detergent. Rinse carefully so water does not reach the nuts and bolts on the pan's bottom, on the outside.Here are the issues: as of a month or two ago, I have to use "dark crust" setting because "normal crust" gives me bread comes just shy of not fully baked (very, very light color). "Light crust" tastes raw. Sometimes it gets very noisy while kneading the bread dough, the whole countertop vibrates. And it started to rust inside, even though I keep it very clean (regular maintenance with a wet paper towel, if dough sticks to the window; nothing else ever happens, because I don't use it for cooking). Worst thing, though, is some of the screws up top are completely rusted; and the bottom is full of rust stains I can't clean for fear of damaging the coils. Guess I'm going to have to use the warranty because I don't think I'm ok with baking bread in a rusty enclosure.Down to 1 star now because a $250 appliance should be good for more than 9 months.Initial review, right after purchase.Pro: Excellent device for making bread just the way you like it. My family expressed an interest in transitioning to whole wheat (for which you absolutely need to buy gluten flour); however, it tastes much better with a combination of 2/3 whole wheat and 1/3 cake flour, and I reduced sugar to 1-2 spoonfuls. Also, replaced butter with regular vegetable oil. Tried many of the cake recipes, works great. Definitely a good investment, bypassed all preservatives and I have the certainty of fresh, top-quality bread whenever I need it. Recipe book is easy to use, feel free to modify amounts of salt/sugar/nuts etc. according to taste. Keep proportions for flour/water etc.Con: delay start function should allow you to have fresh bread by the time you wake up. Problem is, the machine gets loud when kneading and 'punching' so I don't like to do that. If in use during 'awake' household time, it doesn't bother anyone. You do whatever works for you.

Regarding the 'Paddle Waddle' wear issue of the Zojirushi.The letter from Zojirushi (manufacturer or some rep) responding to the complainants posted on http://www.saferproducts.gov/ViewIncident/1339046 about eating.aluminum and the engineered failure points of their bread machine.This bread machine has generated NUMEROUS complaints about the Eating Aluminum question and the Paddle Waddle wear failures common to this device. Such a well engineered product EXCEPT for the paddles and the torque delivery system. There is, in my opinion, an engineered failure point in this part of the mechanism. The flats on the shafts, that take the brunt of the beating during the kneading process, are minimally adequate. The play (looseness) between the shaft and the paddle tube body promotes the "stripping" or wearing down of the 'bridge' material that is meant to drive the blades through the bread dough. I am looking at a 'brand new out of the box' device and see that this will fail in the near future. The play creates a brief acceleration of the harder shaft impacting the softer aluminum type material of the paddle body (sorry) each time the paddles change direction, resulting in an impact into the paddle's minimal bridge (locking notch) material. There are a number of simple solutions to this problem but Sojirushi states that it will not fix this problem.There is a letter from the Zojirushi manufacturer (or some rep) responding to the complainants posted on http://www.saferproducts.gov/ViewIncident/1339046.What I got out of their statement is the following (in a nutshell):1. It is not a problem to *eat aluminum every day.2. Their machine is destined to fail regularly due to the wear and tear of the paddle design.3. It is your fault if it does because you used too heavy a mixture in the bread dough.4. We will not fix this.Opinions of family and friends to Sojirushi:. . . 1. Ingesting aluminum: Your statement that adults eat 7-9 mg of aluminum DAILY is misleading and a bad excuse for your irresponsibility, in my opinion. Most producers of the antiperspirants, antacids, cosmetics, have eliminated and/or found safer substitutions to aluminum in their products. People who are taking control of their health and the food their families eat DO NOT WANT TO BE EATING ALUMINUM. It has been linked to dementia and Alzheimer's as well as other issues. You site statistics for 'adults' but not children, known to be more sensitive to toxins during their development. Fix the paddle waddle Soji and you will essentially fix the aluminum eating issue!. . . 2. This is not rocket science. Making a paddle that will last is something that many of the lower priced bread machine market has mastered a long time ago. My current machine is 5 years in use three times a week and still works perfectly (we are tired of the tall breads). There are numerous ways to avoid the sticking issues other than your paddle waddle solution. Just do it!. . . 3. Are you saying that your machine has limitations to making healthier whole grain or nutrient dense breads because it will quicken the failure points of your mechanism? So your machines are only good for making light white bread or we will pay the constant price of repairs? I can buy white bread in my local local markets for less than what it costs me to make my own. Where is your logic?. . . 4. Bleeding your brand is not smart. Fix the problem. Don't be a Kodak in a changing world. I will return my machine till these issues are addressed. I do like your machine but what good is a luxury car that is unsafe and breaks down all the time? I will not feed my family, friends or myself a daily dose of aluminum to accumulate in my tissues and trust that these oxides and toxins will not be a problem. I also have a issue with your company's decision to extract an additional 'usage tax' with your engineered device failures. There are many other bread machines at a fraction of the cost (I can buy 4 or 5 others to your 1) or go to your direct competitor, Breville, if I want to spend this kind of money.*Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), and also state that the average adult American eats 7-9 mg of aluminum per day.

My Breadman Ultra died a few days ago and, thanks to all the reviews left by Amazon customers, I chose the Zojirushi Virtuoso. I just got my Zojirushi Virtuoso today and baked my first loaf of bread in it. This machine has two paddles which mix the ingredients quickly into a dough. It has many different settings to allow you to get creative and try new things. Because I grind my own wheat to make bread, it can get a bit heavy. At least it did in my old Breadman. However, I put the wheat bread setting on the "quick" setting and crossed my fingers. It came out perfectly. Unlike the Breadman, the Virtuoso had a crust that was not soggy. In fact, it came out looking like I had baked it in my oven. The crust was crisp everywhere - sides, top, and bottom. The texture was wonderful, too. THAT ALL CHANGED WITHIN TWO MONTHS OF USE. After six weeks of use, now it doesn't rise like it should and the loaves are like bricks. I use the same ingredients. I even weigh my flour. The yeast is the same. NOTHING has changed in the way I use it. But, I cannot return the item because it has been two months. I am disappointed with Amazon and will probably buy from a retail store in the future. Anyway, please take a moment to read all the 1-star customer ratings. When I first got this machine, it was perfect so I rated it high. But now that I've used it, I don't want anyone to be as disappointed as I am. You shouldn't have to pay a very high price for features but get very poor quality. BE CAREFUL. STEER CLEAR.

Turned it on for the first time and it didn't work. The spindle wouldn't turn. I think it had sat around the box so long that the bearings must have rusted. If not they have bigger issues. I bought it because it had the features that I wanted. I sent it back and purchesed a different brand. If something dosen't work right out of the box, Then it is nothing but junk!!

I think this product does not work do well. The kneading paddle is too short to mix the flour and the rest of the ingredients inside well enough. Not sure about the rest of the people or did I did something wrong. The recipes are useless and none of my baking successful, either the ingredients not mix well enough or the instructions for the recipe are useless.

Well this was purchased for my daughter for Christmas. She used it once and it worked fine. Used it a 2nd time and although it sounds like it's kneading but nothing is actually happening so the ingredients aren't mixed. Troubleshooted and tried again.... it worked for 1 minute, then quit. Wanted to return it to Amazon but missed the date because it wasn't tried out till now. :-( Gonna have to try to replace with Cuisinart. NOTE..always try things out while they are still under the Amazon return period!

Purchased this bread maker and returned it one day later. Two attempts to make the simplest recipe failed miserably. Used fresh ingredients and followed Cuisinart's recipe to the letter both times. In the first attempt, the risen dough cascaded over the interior canister and baked onto the exterior (non-nonstick) finish and then imploded. Second attempt was the same recipe, but slightly smaller mixture; it didn't spill over the sides, but it did implode before baking. Made for a good bread bowl, but I was wanting a loaf of bread. The owner's manual blames the owner for any misadventures - room too hot or too cold, ambient air to humid or too dry, ingredients not fresh, blah, blah, blah. I've had less expensive bread makers in the past that worked wonderfully the first and every time. Naively thought a Cuisinart product would live up to its reputation. Not so. Stay away from this one. Go to the bakery instead.

I have worn out three bread makers since they first came on the market so I make lots of bread! Since getting this one I made three loaves & none of them good. They are coarse, gummy, dry & fall. I am very unhappy with it & planned to do a return but with the holidays I discovered this morning my 30 days was up yesterday. My Ingredients are all fresh so I had to feel like it was the machine. Sorry but I certainly can't recommend it.