Bread Makers

Landers :

I have owned this bread machine since May 2004. It has been used approximately once each week. Sometime in the late summer/fall of 2005, the pan needed to be replaced because the interior non-stick coating was peeling off and falling into the dough. The cost for a replacement pan is $55 + s/h. A customer service rep @ Zojirushi was kind enough to send me a replacement for free. By April 2008, the non-stick coating on the kneading blades were peeling badly (and had been for several months) and had to be replaced for a cost of $12 + S/H. About 6 mos ago, the unit started to bake unevenly. The pan is now again in need of replacement, and the paddles that I purchased 13 months ago are peeling badly. I called customer service to ask how long the paddles should last before peeling. Of course, I got a very non-comittal answer of “it depends”. I was told that every 1-2 years was quite normal. The machine worked great when it was newer, but the parts are pretty expensive to keep replacing each year.

Cutler:

After having terrible problems with three or four different brands of bread machines (the kneading paddles leaked oil and/or got stuck so they wouldn’t even turn, or the bread wouldn’t get done or wouldn’t come out of the pan…), I tried a Hitachi bread machine and was extremely satisfied. Unfortunately, when I needed a replacement machine, I found that Hitachi was no longer selling bread machines–they recommended Zojirushi on their website. I had never heard of Zojirushi, but purchased a machine (model BBCC-V20)from Amazon.com (free shipping!) in 2003. This machine has been the best machine I’ve ever had (and I’ve been through MANY!) I can’t vouch for all the fancy cycles (like jam, cake, etc.) because I only wanted to use the bread and the dough cycles, but the machine has hung on through thick and thin and LOTS of use. I especially liked that the timing function even worked when I was using the dough setting (unlike my previous bread machines). In the past few months I noticed what I thought were little flecks of teflon from the paddles ending up in the bread…today I noticed a HOLE in one of the kneading paddles, so I guess it was actually flecks of metal… So why, you are asking, do I give this machine 5 stars? It’s given me 5 years of almost non-stop use, and I guess I just wore the kneading paddle out. The 5 stars is because I’ve never had a bread machine come even CLOSE to 5 years. (And the kneading blades still turn fine and never leaked oil, and the bread is always done just right–nothing at all wrong with the machine except for the hole in the paddle.) So, 5 stars–one for each year of use!

Agop :

The Zojirushi-V20 is the third bread machine that I’ve owned and it is by far the BEST! Unlike my first bread machine, it makes nice traditional shaped rectangular loaves (not round ones that look like you baked them in a coffee can!). And unlike my second breadmachine, the Zojirushi is built to last, making loaf after loaf, day in and day out, with no smoking or strange noises coming from the motor. The V20 is easy to use, has multiple pre-programmed settings plus gives you the option to program in your own recipe times. The preheat function is also a nice touch, my first machine didn’t have a preheat cycle and everything had to sit out on the counter until it came to room temperature before you could start. My favorite function is the timer function though! Want fresh bread for breakfast or dinner, you can program the Zojirushi to bake your bread and have it ready to eat when you are. You can even bake cakes and make jam in it if you want. In fact the very first jar of jam I ever made was in my Zojirushi! Want a simple but delicious dessert for dinner, pour in any cake mix and have the Zojirushi bake a pound cake like loaf that you can top with fresh sliced fruit!

If you are looking to buy your first bread machine, I urge you to spend the extra money and buy the best machine on the market, it will more than pay for itself over the years. And if the pleasure of eating fresh homemade bread (really-there is nothing like it available at the supermarket) isn’t enough of a reward think of the health benefits of providing whole grain goodness for you and your family.

If my bread machine ever breaks (unlikely unless I drop it) I will not hesitate to buy another Zojirushi because once you’ve used the best, there is no going back. I have read other reviews where people have had trouble with rusting or warped pans and chipped or rusting paddles but I haven’t had any trouble with mine at all and I use it at least once a week. I always hand wash my pan and paddles and dry them right away and I never “soak” them but I’ve never found a need to “soak” them anyway and I’ve made everything from bread to dough to cakes to jam in mine.

Parr :

Next to my electronic rice cooker, this is about the coolest kitchen appliance I’ve ever used, because it saves me enormous amounts of time that can be better spent elsewhere. Everything is automated. The only thing you must do in order to get a fresh loaf is add the ingredients in the prescribed manner, enter the appropriate settings with the controls, and wait. The non-stick pan makes serving and cleaning very easy.

So far, I’ve had not a single botched loaf, just a whole lot of fresh, tasty bread that costs a quarter as much to make than to buy. There are plenty of recipes included in the instruction manual that work satisfactorily, but you might want to get a decent bread machine cookbook that focuses on higher-quality ingredients to get “truly excellent” rather than the “merely good” bread you get with the Zojirushi recipes.

Maddocks :

I just love to make bread with this mini bread maker.

The quick cycle takes only 2 hrs and you have a delicious loaf
of bread. I make Cinnamon Raisin Bread but I substitute dried
cranberries for the raisins. yumyum.

I would recommend this machine to anyone. It is so simple to use and is soo quite when making bread.

Paul Rowell

Deverian :

Purchased this for a Gift with 2 day shipping in Mid December. GOODMANS would deliver sometime in mid January. Co advised thru e-mail. CANCELED ORDER.Would not do business with again, EVER!!!!!

Nottingham :

Don’t worry about Joyce’s review. She must not realize that this is a review on the item, not some other shipping company. Zojirushi’s product has nothing to do with her 1 star.

Ottaviano :

A few years ago, I started grinding my own wheat with a Nutrimill (it’s great!) and I bought this bread maker for $200 upon many recommendations that it can handle dough made with fresh ground whole wheat. It can indeed make it into dough, but it does a horrible job baking it. So, basically, I spent $200 for a mixer–not a bread baker. It made me very sad, because the Zojirushi is touted as the best one for the job. I wish I had just bought the Bosch Mixer at the time instead.

For white bread it does a great job, but unfortunately, that isn’t what I bought it for!