Zojirushi Home Bakery Virtuoso Plus

It ranks #1 (S tier) on our consolidated bread makers board, drawn from 9 independent outlets.

Anyone who bakes bread regularly and wants the machine they buy once. It is the only S tier bread maker on our board, with build quality and durability praised by users, a brand known for longevity and an advanced kneading and proofing system that consistently produces high-quality loaves. If you want the same kind of loaf for less, the Zojirushi Home Bakery Maestro (BB-PDC20BA) in B tier shares the advanced kneading and crust control. If precise temperature control and a custom program matter more than brand reputation, the Breville Custom Loaf Bread Maker - BBM800BSS in A tier is the closest rival.

Longer than most. Reviewers and owners praise its build quality and durability, and Zojirushi as a brand is known for longevity. The board lists no cons and no failure reports for it. The wear parts on any bread maker are the pan coating and the paddles, so hand wash them to get the full life out of the machine.

Buy the Zojirushi Home Bakery Virtuoso Plus. The Zojirushi Home Bakery Virtuoso is the older model and sits in C tier, still rated for strong loaves and proven durability, but the Plus is the current version with the advanced kneading and proofing system that earned it S tier. The older model only makes sense if you find it at a large discount.

It bakes a two pound rectangular loaf in a horizontal pan with two kneading paddles, so slices come out the shape of shop bread. That size suits a household of four. It also takes up more counter length than a vertical single-paddle machine, so measure the space first.

Hand wash the pan and both paddles in warm soapy water once they cool, and never put them in the dishwasher. Soak stuck paddles rather than prying them off. Wipe the chamber and lid window with a damp cloth when crumbs build up. Keep the machine body dry.