KBS Pro 710W 2.2LB Bread Maker, Stainless Steel 17-in-1 Smart Bread Machine with Healthy Ceramic Pan, Automatic Nut Dispenser, Tempered Glass Touch Panel, 3 Crust Colors, 15H Timer &Keep-Warm, Recipes

Why it's worth it

The KBS Pro packs 17 programs, a 710-watt motor, an automatic nut dispenser and a 15-hour timer into a machine that costs a small fraction of the top pick. Its ceramic-coated pan and paddle avoid the nonstick coatings some buyers want to skip.

On paper this machine gives up almost nothing to units costing several times as much. Seventeen automatic programs plus a custom setting, three crust shades, a 2.2-pound capacity, a 15-hour delay timer and keep-warm. CNN Underscored's side-by-side comparison of nine machines rated its loaves good or very good in nine of ten consecutive bakes and gave it the highest value score in its tier.

The 710-watt motor is the spec that matters most at this price. Whole-grain and gluten-free doughs are stiff, and underpowered machines struggle to develop them. That extra wattage over the common 600-watt baseline is why dense doughs come out better here than on most budget machines.

From our review of 6 bread machines, by David Sinclair, Managing Editor

What we like

• +On paper this machine gives up almost nothing to units costing several times as much
• +The 710-watt motor is the spec that matters most at this price
• +You get an automatic nut and fruit dispenser — something the far pricier Zojirushi skips
• +It's the most popular machine in this guide by a distance, which cuts both ways but does mean recipes, troubleshooting threads…

What to know

• –Build quality doesn't match the Japanese machines
• –Results are less consistent on specialty loaves