Neretva 2.2LB 15-in-1 Bread Machine with Dual Heater and Auto Nut Dispenser

Why it's worth it

The Neretva is the only other machine here with heating elements at both the top and bottom of the pan, and it costs a small share of what our top pick does. You also get a ceramic pan, an automatic nut dispenser and a 2.2-pound capacity.

You get the even-browning feature without the flagship price. Dual heaters at the bottom and top of the pan are the single biggest quality difference in this category, and this is the cheap way in. The crust comes out consistent across the top, not just the sides. If you looked at our top pick and winced, start here instead.

The ceramic pan is a real draw if you've moved away from nonstick coatings. The pan and paddle are ceramic rather than PTFE-based, and they release the loaf without much coaxing. Plenty of people have swapped out their skillets and pots and assumed bread machines were a lost cause. They aren't. Cleanup is a rinse and a wipe, as long as you don't let dough dry in the shaft.

From our review of 9 bread machines, by David Sinclair, Managing Editor

What we like

• +You get the even-browning feature without the flagship price
• +The ceramic pan is a real draw if you've moved away from nonstick coatings
• +Fifteen programs stretch past bread
• +It's quiet and patient enough for overnight baking

What to know

• –The brand doesn't have decades of service history behind it
• –The 600-watt motor is adequate, not strong
• –Some of the fifteen programs overlap