(checked 2026-10-10)
A small, quiet machine that bakes excellent 1-pound loaves. Testers balk at paying about $300 for small loaves, and it has no gluten-free or whole wheat setting.
Top complaints
- Pricey for tiny loaves
Wirecutter's biggest hang-up is the roughly $300 price for a machine that only makes small loaves. Food & Wine says the small step up to a larger, full-featured Zojirushi is worth it.
Source: Wirecutter, Food & Wine - No gluten-free or whole wheat setting
Wirecutter notes it lacks gluten-free and whole wheat settings and performed only on par with cheaper machines in those tests.
Source: Wirecutter - Pan wear and occasional bad loaves
Amazon's summary says some owners report the inner pan wearing out after about 100 uses. Serious Eats got one lumpy, under-risen loaf (the retest was fine) and found it slow to incorporate dry ingredients.
What owners love
- Excellent small loaves
Wirecutter got fluffy, evenly baked bread with a nice crust. Serious Eats praised soft, tender crumbs, and The Spruce Eats found loaves well baked, nicely domed and easy to release.
- Small, light and portable
Serious Eats says it was the smallest machine tested and lightweight; The Spruce Eats likes the carrying handle.
Source: Serious Eats, The Spruce Eats - Quiet and easy to clean
The Spruce Eats and Amazon owners say it runs quietly; Amazon owners also say it's easy to clean and saves money at the grocery store.
- You need gluten-free or whole wheat settings
- You want full-size loaves
- You're on a budget
- One- or two-person households
- Small kitchens
- Quiet operation
Scores (tap for why)
What experts say
- Serious Eats: Best for small kitchens: light and portable with soft, tender loaves; one loaf came out lumpy before a successful retest.
- The Spruce Eats: Best for mini loaves: quiet, with excellent small loaves, but only one size.
- Wirecutter (NYT): Worth considering for small loaves, but about $300 is a lot, and gluten-free and whole wheat results were only average.