Best Bread Maker to Buy For Sourdough

There is no better smell in your kitchen than that of freshly baked bread. If you are a fan of sourdough bread, you can make the best recipes using the best bread maker for sourdough. When it comes to bread preparation, there are numerous options, and sourdough bread is just one of them. The best way to make the best sourdough bread is to invest in the best bread machine for the job.

If you have never baked your own bread at home, the process can seem overwhelming at first. However, a bread maker is the best way to make the process a breeze as you join the world of freshly baked bread at home.

Here are the three best bread makers for sourdough.

Breadman 2 lb Professional Bread Maker

The Breadman BK1050S bread maker comes equipped with 14 bake settings that include an artisan dough preparation setting. If you prefer to use a dough prepping machine, you can prepare your dough using this setting and bake it in the oven if you prefer oven-baked bread. For the artisan dough to be fully developed, the process takes 5 hours and 15 minutes on this machine.

With the Breadman BK1050S, you can bake up to three loaf sizes in three crust colors, and the machine comes equipped with a 15-hour delay time. Since artisan bread does not have a baking cycle, the loaf size and crust color options are not active during dough preparation.

This bread machine also comes with a collapsible kneading paddle with the flexibility to maintain an upright position through the mixing and kneading process. Once this process is complete, the paddle adjusts to face the opposite direction before the baking starts.

Other features on this bread machine include an automatic fruit and nut dispenser, useful if you will be baking raisin bread overnight, and a rectangular baking pan with the capacity to bake 1, 1.5, and 2-pound loaves of bread. There is nothing not to love about this artisan bread machine.

Cuisinart CBK-200 Convection Bread Maker

The Cuisinart CBK-200 bread maker comes equipped with up to 16 preset baking selections. To bake artisan bread in this machine, you simply need to select the artisan dough setting. Once engaged, the Cuisinart bread maker automatically prepares the dough through a series of slow rise cycles. This is how it ensures the bread tastes great and gets a wonderful texture. An alarm sound 4 hours and 39 minutes into the program signals you to add nuts or seeds to the dough.

The Cuisinart CBK-200 artisan dough cycle takes 5 hours and 5 minutes to complete. After that, you can remove the bread dough, shape it as you like, and bake it in your oven.

Other features that come with the Cuisinart CBK-200 include a 12-hour delay timer, a nonstick loaf pan with one kneading blade, and a convection fan. It also has a 15-minute pause button, useful if you prefer taking out the dough and knead it by hand or when you want the bread to rise a little longer.

Hamilton Beach Bread Maker Machine Artisan and Gluten-Free

The Hamilton Beach bread maker comes with a 14-menu program, which includes Rising, Dough, Cake, Gluten-Free, and Artisan Dough. With this bread machine, you can choose from three crust colors to bake any one of the three loaf sizes possible.

The Hamilton Beach 29885 is one of the bread makers in the market with an artisan dough option. With this bread machine, you can mix and knead the dough for 5 hours and 5 minutes before baking. This gives the dough enough time to develop and rise before baking. Once well developed, you can remove the dough, shape it, and leave it to rise some more before baking it.

FAQs for making sourdough bread in a bread maker

What is sourdough?

This is a type of bread made by fermenting the dough using food-grade bacteria and wild yeast. This combination is what gives the bread the sour taste, enabling it to maintain its natural qualities. To make this bread, you need to add the bacteria in the water and flour mix. This results in a sour-tasting bread free from the chemicals that come with the normal bread.

Apart from the amazing taste of sour bread and the health benefits it offers, it is also incredibly easy to digest because it produces lactic acid, making the nutrients in the bread easier to absorb.

Can I use a bread maker to make sour bread?

If you own a bread maker, you may be wondering whether it can make sourdough. The type of machine model you have determines whether it is capable of perfectly mixing sourdough. For sourdough, the mix requires a longer time to rise, which is not a feature offered by most bread makers. Therefore, it becomes difficult to make sourdough with just any bread machine. You need to choose a bread maker with a sourdough option to be able to prepare sough bread using a bread maker.

Generally, the best bread maker for sourdough is one that comes with an adjustable rise cycle that can be adjusted mid-cycle.

Why should I use a bread maker for sourdough?

To get the best sour bread results, it is always advisable to mix the ingredients using a sourdough maker. This ensures the bread is given enough rise time, thereby eliminating the trial and error period that is common with most failed attempts of making sour bread.

With a quality sourdough bread maker, you enjoy an array of dough preparation and kneading options, making the preparation process easier. You also get to set a timer for the dough to rise, giving you control of the sourdough preparation process.

Which is the most important feature in a sourdough bread maker?

Sourdough bread is all about timing, and this is why a timer function is important in a sourdough bread maker. This ensures the bread dough is given enough time to rise and develop for the perfect artisan bread. A timer also ensures that you have fresh artisan bread baked when you need to.

Bottom line

Homemade bread is healthier, tastier, and more nutritious compared to store-bought bread. There is no better feeling than being able to make the perfect sourdough bread at home. With any of the three recommended bread makers in this article, you will be able to make the best sourdough bread for the whole family.