Head-to-head · Best Bread Machines

Breville Custom Loaf Bread Maker vs Zojirushi Home Bakery Virtuoso Plus Breadmaker (model # BB-PDC20BA)

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

Zojirushi Home Bakery Virtuoso Plus Breadmaker (model # BB-PDC20BA) comes out ahead by a clear margin (4.8 vs 3.8). Zojirushi Home Bakery Virtuoso Plus Breadmaker (model # BB-PDC20BA) is best for: Regular home bakers with counter space to spare who want consistent, sandwich-shaped 2-lb loaves. Read the strengths below before deciding.

Ranked #7 in Best Bread Machines

Breville Custom Loaf Bread Maker

3.8

2 sources$391.95as of Sep 25

The Breville Custom Loaf Bread Maker turns out high-quality bread with crispy crusts and a light crumb. Reviewers keep coming back to the automatic fruit and nut dispenser, along with how much of each recipe you can customize. TechGearLab called it a machine for recipe tinkerers, noting the included recipes give only average results. It's large and bulky enough to be a significant kitchen commitment, and the collapsible paddle is finicky and fragile. Serious bread makers who want customization more than convenience are the buyers.

Strengths

— Produces crispy-crust bread with light and fluffy crumb texture
— Features automatic fruit and nut dispenser that adds mix-ins at the perfect time
— Has a collapsible kneading blade that folds in before baking to allow dough expansion

Watch-outs

— Machine is bulky and takes up significant counter space

$391.95 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Bread Machines

Zojirushi Home Bakery Virtuoso Plus Breadmaker (model # BB-PDC20BA)

4.8

2 sourcesall derived$454as of Oct 11

The Zojirushi Home Bakery Virtuoso Plus Breadmaker (model # BB-PDC20BA) turns out consistent, fluffy loaves in under three hours, helped by dual kneading blades and a Crust Control setting that improves the bake. Reviewers point to the range of the 50-plus included recipes, which cover pizza dough and sourdough starter, and rate it well for sandwich loaves. It occasionally needs a manual dough punch-down and takes extra cleaning effort, but reviewers still call it a reliable machine for home bakers who want convenience and quality. Those who bake regularly and can spare the counter space are the fit.

Strengths

— Features dual kneading blades and an additional heater on the lid for thorough kneading and even baking
— Includes 50+ recipes in the included recipe book, with options for sandwich loaves, pizza dough, jam, and sourdough starter
— Crust Control setting allows users to choose light, medium, or dark crust on their loaf

Watch-outs

— Cleaning requires soaking the pan to loosen baked-on dough from the detachable paddles

$454 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Derived means the reviewer published no score, so one was inferred from their written verdict. Everything else is a number the publisher printed. How we rank.

How they stack up

Breville Custom Loaf Bread Maker

The Breville Custom Loaf Bread Maker has an automatic fruit and nut dispenser, where the Cuisinart CBK-110 Compact Automatic Bread Maker's entry says mix-ins may need adding by hand. It stores 9 custom settings and has a collapsible kneading blade. Like the Cuisinart Bread Machine CBK-200 it is described as bulky, and it costs more than either Cuisinart.

Zojirushi Home Bakery Virtuoso Plus Breadmaker (model # BB-PDC20BA)

The Zojirushi Home Bakery Virtuoso Plus Breadmaker has dual kneading blades and an extra heater in the lid, and its 13-hour delay timer is shorter than the 15-hour timer on the KBS MBF-016 2LB Bread Maker. Both list a 2-lb capacity. The Zojirushi costs far more than the KBS, and its entry notes an occasional manual punch-down of the dough.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Breville Custom Loaf Bread Maker	Zojirushi Home Bakery Virtuoso Plus Breadmaker (model # BB-PDC20BA)
Capacity	1.5-2 pound loaves	2-lb. loaf
Programs	9 custom settings	50+ recipes
Dimensions	16.4" x 9.6" x 13.3"	18 x 10-1/2 x 12-7/8 inches
Voltage	120 volts	120 volts
Material	Brushed Stainless Steel	Stainless Steel
Model	BBM800	BB-PDC20BA
Crust Options	light, medium, dark crust	light, medium, or dark crust
Pan Type	Non-stick bread pan with handle	larger, rectangular pan
Timer	13-hour delay start timer	13-hour delay timer
Wattage	—	120 volts / 700 watts

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