Is the Zojirushi Home Bakery Supreme Worth It?
Based on tests by America's Test Kitchen (Aug 2026). How we score
Save $239Depends. Cuisinart Compact for most people.
Amazon prices as of Sep 30, 2:51 AM EDT (details)
Why
America's Test Kitchen's winning bread machine "was easy to use and consistently baked gorgeous, even-crumbed loaves of bread," with two paddles and "traditional, rectangular-shaped loaves." Its one weak spot was "crust shade, which often came out a bit lighter than the setting we selected (medium)." ATK's Best Buy, the Cuisinart Compact, rated higher for performance at about a third of the price, but its smaller, cube-shaped pan sometimes overflowed with 2-pound loaves on long-proof settings. Splurge if you bake 2-pound loaves or want sandwich-shaped slices; save if you bake smaller loaves and don't mind taller, squarer slices.
Cheaper alternatives, scored against the Zojirushi Supreme
Compact Automatic Bread Maker
From 1 tester: America's Test Kitchen
From 1 tester: America's Test Kitchen
America's Test Kitchen's Best Buy, rated Highly Recommended: "Most of the time, it produced picture-perfect loaves that had an even crumb and a pleasantly fluffy texture." Its pan is smaller and more cube-shaped, so 2-pound loaves can overflow on long-proof settings: "A 2-pound batch of dough rose too much on the whole wheat setting." "If you don't mind playing around with the settings for 2-pound loaves, this affordable machine is a great option." ATK didn't test long-term durability, and the listing doesn't state a warranty.
| Criterion | Zojirushi Supreme | Cuisinart Compact |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | 2.5/3 | 3/3 |
| Ease of use | 3/3 | 2.5/3 |
From America's Test Kitchen: The Best Bread Machines (updated Aug. 17, 2026)
Sources: America's Test Kitchen: The Best Bread Machines (updated Aug. 17, 2026), Manufacturer specs via Amazon listing
2 lb Digital Bread Maker, Black
From 1 tester: America's Test Kitchen
From 1 tester: America's Test Kitchen
Rated Recommended by America's Test Kitchen, with the same performance score as the Zojirushi and a lower one for ease of use. "The darkest setting baked the most appealing bread, with evenly browned crust all over and a fluffy, pillowy crumb," but "The pale setting was a bit too pale, with uneven browning." The pan "was a bit hard to remove." ATK didn't test long-term durability, and the listing doesn't state a warranty.
| Criterion | Zojirushi Supreme | Hamilton Beach 29982 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | 2.5/3 | 2.5/3 |
| Ease of use | 3/3 | 2.5/3 |
From America's Test Kitchen: The Best Bread Machines (updated Aug. 17, 2026)
Sources: America's Test Kitchen: The Best Bread Machines (updated Aug. 17, 2026), Manufacturer specs via Amazon listing
Common questions
Is the Zojirushi bread machine worth it?
America's Test Kitchen's winner bakes consistently even, rectangular 2-pound loaves and was easy to use. ATK's Best Buy, the Cuisinart Compact, rated even higher for performance for about a third of the price, but its cube-shaped pan makes taller loaves and sometimes overflowed with 2-pound batches.
Sources: America's Test Kitchen: The Best Bread Machines (updated Aug. 17, 2026), Manufacturer specs via Amazon listing
