Customer Reviews

Zojirushi BBCCX20 Home Bakery Supreme Bread Machine

5 star:		(484)
4 star:		(119)
3 star:		(41)
2 star:		(29)
1 star:		(68)

 

 

This is my third bread machine. My first was the original Zojirushi, and the second was a Breadman. I still use both the Breadman and the Zojirushi BBCCX20. According to most baking sites I've seen, the Zo and the Breadman are the leading contenders in this category today, so here's my comparison:

- The Zo is more solidly built and has a stronger motor. It can handle stiffer doughs that literally stopped the motor on my Breadman.

- The Zo is much quieter than the Breadman. The pan in the Breadman clanks around in its clips and makes quite a racket during kneading.

- Unfortunately, the Zo has an annoying 15-second beep to signal the right time to add nuts or fruits. As far as I can tell, there is no way to turn off this feature. For me, this is a big deal, because I used to love to set up my bread machine to make bread during the night, giving me a wonderful hot loaf of bread for breakfast. With the 15-second beeper, which sounds a lot like an alarm clock, using the Zo BBCCX20 overnight simply isn't an option. I wish there were a way to turn it off.

- The double paddles on the Zo do a better job of mixing ingredients without the need for scraping down the sides of the pan.

- The Breadman is a much more flexible machine. It's "Pause" button let's you add 15 minutes at any point in the cycle. Without the ability to pause, the Zo sometimes starts baking before the loaf is fully proofed. With bread, where the length of the rise depends on so many factors, having the flexibility to pause during a cycle is very valuable. You can program custom cycles on the Zo, but that's only a solution if you know in advance that your loaf is going to take some extra proofing time.

- Crust control is better on the Breadman. Even set on "light" crust, the Zo tends to produce a dark crust with breads that have a lot of sugar.

- The Breadman has a small bin that automatically dispenses "add ins" (fruits, nuts, etc.) at the right point in the cycle. You just load it up at the beginning of the cycle and the "trap door" releases the goodies at the right time near the end of the kneading cycle.

In a nutshell: The Zo is a better built, more powerful, quieter bread machine. It's solid, reliable, and great for doughs that would stop a lesser machine. The Breadman, on the other hand, provides much greater flexibility to make changes to the cycle once you've started and to get the crust you like. It also has an automatic fruit/nut dispenser and no long, annoying beep. If Zojirushi and Breadman would combine the Zo's motor and mechanics with Breadman's control panel and programming, they'd have the perfect bread machine. As it is, you have to choose based on what's most important to you.

UPDATE 02-JAN-2010

I found a new bread machine that has replaced both the Zo BBCCX20 and the Breadman as my favorite machine. It's the Zojirushi "Mini" (BB-HAC10). It takes up half the counter space of the Zo BBCCX20 and makes a perfect size loaf for a small family. It still doesn't have the flexibility of the Breadman, but at least they shortened the "add ingredients" beep (which goes on for so long on the full-size Zo that I can't use it for overnight bread making). Other than the beep, the Zo Mini is the quietest bread machine I've found. I really like it. You can find a more complete review on the Zo Mini product page. Happy Baking!

After much agonizing, we (I) chose the Zo' breadmaker. We had the Breadman for five years until it gave out a month ago. Before that I hand made bread for ten years. I bought the Breadman as present for my wife (she called it a "football present") after I just became tired of making bread. The cathartic effects of kneading bread are way overblown, in my opinion. We came to rely on the bread machine, baking at least once a week. After the Breadman died a slightly early death, we originally were going to replace it with another Breadman. But, after consideration of how much bread we make, and more important, the kind of bread we make, we decided to look at other machines.

See, we bake mostly whole wheat breads and such breads are hard on a machine. That is why the two paddle set up of the Zo' was so attractive. While I know there is only one motor, I thought the two paddles could knead the tough dough better. So far (a week into it), the Zo' is working great.

As noted above, we thought long and hard because of the negative comments in this section, as well as the cost, which is twice the Breadman. None of those negative comments have proven true. One cause for the bad loaves complained of may be inexperience with these machines. Even with ten years of baking, we had quite a few problems with the Breadman, mostly because of poor recipe choices and sloppiness in measuring. You see, hand bread bakers do much by feel, so amounts of liquid and flour are flexible. Not so with the bread machine. As far as recipes, go get one book: The Bread Lover's Bread Machine Cookbook by Beth Hensperger. Her recipes are nearly foolproof.

My only concern about the Zo' is the set up of the pan. The Breadman has a high narrow pan, while the Zo' has lower pan, more like a traditional bread pan. While the Zo' pan makes it easier to slice the bread (a problem with larger loaves of the Breadman) the loaves can be a bit lopsided. The dough can sit to one side of pan. This is especially true of whole wheat loaves that are more stiff and less likely to "flow" to an even level in the pan. The problem can be addressed somewhat by checking the dough after the first knead and spreading it by hand in the pan.

Addition: Two years later this machine still works great. We use it at least three times a week, mostly with whole wheat bread, so it has been adequately tested. The only irritation is getting the bread out. Helps to keep the paddles clean inside and out. I use a pipe cleaner to clean the inside of the paddle.

Second Addition (2-09): Over four years later, it still is working great. We still use it at least three times a week. I've recently starting using the custom settings, which are much easier to use than I thought.

Third Addition (8-09): This summer we needed to replace the pan. The little "C" clip that held one of the paddle stems underneath broke off. We bought a replacement pan from the manufacturer for $40 or $50. Otherwise, still going strong, being used two to four times a week.

Also, solved a mystery about collapsing loaves in the summer: too much moisture. Cutting back on the water/liquid just a bit (e.g. in the summer (when it is humid) avoided the collapsing loaf problem that has always plagued us.

Fourth Addition (1-12): Machine is still going strong. It has been used twice a week at least since purchase, with 80% of the breads being a whole wheat/white bread. We've gone through a couple of pans and sets of paddles. Highly recommended.

I finally purchased this machine after trying two other models; the Breadman TR555 and 2200C. My parents have had thier Zojirushi S-15 for almost 10 years with no problems and flawless bread. Desiring to enter the bread machine market with limited funds, I decided to try the Breadman TR555. It consistently burned the bread and revealed a "tougher" center. The 2200C was the biggest disappointment of all. Seeing all of the reviews for this machine as comparable to the ZO X20, I found myself with the ONLY two loaves of bread that were simply "duds" (did not rise properly and crust settings were useless) I had ever had out of a machine. Finally, I decided that Zojirushis could simply NOT be topped. I was right. This bread machine has worked wonderfully and reminds me of my parents machine from the early 90's. Mixing is complete and the Preheat function is an absolute MUST for proper ingredient preparation and yeast activity.

I have noticed that some have been critical of the pan and it's non-stick surface. They also claim that the pan warps. Here is a little bread machine advice: follow the directions for proper care! The new pan has the same non-stick coating that was used in my parents S-15 (1993)! It has not shown one defect in more than 10 years and hundreds of loaves. Do not use metal objects in the pan. This will prevent this kind of damage. Also, the directions clearly state to let the pan cool before soaking in water... this prevents the pan from warping, and (as mentioned before) has worked on the S-10 for over a decade. The new X20's pan is the same material (metal and coating) as the old 90's ZO models. It is simply in a different shape (horizontal). There is no defect with these pans... if you care for it as directed (and it's really only common sense) it will last for years.

Go with the top of the line.... Zojirushi X20!

I am new to the bread machine world and did a lot of research before buying this ZO X20 from Amazon. I could not believe how very easy it is to make bread in this machine and have the results come out so great. Another thing which greatly impressed me is the lack of mess and ease of cleaning. I had a difficult time making up my mind between the X20 and Breadman's TR4000. After determining that the TR4000 still only had one kneeder I went with the X20, even though the ZO people said they still used the same non stick, interior coating. After receiving the machine and using it several times I do not believe the coating will cause any problem, if treated as directed. I must say it was a great experience to wake up at 6AM to the oder of baking bread, the ultimate was having the fresh, warm bread with my coffee, even my husband was totally impressed. Every inch of this machine appears to be top quality.

This is the third bread machine I've owned. The first one was one of those old ones that looked like R2D2 with the glass dome. It walked off the counter one too many times. The next was a Breadman. The motor burned out after only a couple of years. I'd always heard that the Zojirushi's were the best, and the reviews were good on this one, so I bought it. It makes beautiful bread with great ease, and I like the more conventional shape of the loaf. However, it's made for a 2-pound loaf, and if you make a smaller one it's going to come out lopsided. Evidently with the two blades, one gets greedy and gets more dough on it than the other one. I don't mind the lopsided loaves for my personal use, but if you really want a beautiful loaf, make sure it's a 2-pounder.

*******April, 2005************


I have been using my Zo for 3 months now. I bake 2-3 loaves a week and have done some experimenting with recipes from other bread machine cookbooks. I've used the quick cycle successfully using Zo recipes which don't recommend the quick cycle by adding one or two extra tsp. of rapid yeast + 4 tsp. vital wheat gluten, and this works like a charm.

If you buy Challah (egg bread) from the food store as I used to every week, you won't ever want to again after trying Zo's "Butter-Rich Roll & Bread Dough" (under Dough Variations section of recipe book). I cut the amount of butter in half. Fresh Challah in 75 minutes (quick dough cycle of 45 minutes, braid the dough, then bake 25 minutes in oven at 375) or in 2 hrs. 15 minutes (basic dough 1:50 + 25 minutes at 375). Loaves will be higher when using the basic cycle. Truly the best tasting bread and great for french toast.

Another staple in our house is the Banana Oatmeal Bread from The Breadmachine Cookbook by Donna Rathmell German (her 1st book). I found that by doubling her 'medium' loaf recipe and adding 1 or 2 extra tsp. rapid yeast + 4 tsp. of vital wheat gluten, I can make this bread in just under 2 hours on the quick cycle.

As far as Zo's customer service, I called them twice (once to order an extra bread pan and paddles and once for advice on using outside recipes). They were friendly and helpful. For instance, they suggested chopping oatmeal in a food processor before adding to the machine to get higher loaves.

Love it, love it, love it.



***********January, 2005*************


This is my second bread machine, my first being a DAK (aka R2D2). I narrowed my choices to the Zo and the Panasonic SDY250. Reasons for choosing the Zo:
- beautiful rectangular loaves
- 2 kneading blades
- backup for power failure
- overall shorter time to completion vs Panasonic
- easy to follow recipes provided with manual
- 3 programmable settings
- cake/quick bread setting
- 3 crust settings (light, medium, dark)
- whole wheat setting
- troubleshooting guide with correction instructions

Here are the recipes I've tried from the Zo manual. Each one came out absolutely perfect (taste, height, density, and aesthetics):

Sweet Bread - BASIC w/medium crust (3:30 hrs to completion)
Pumpernickel Bread- BASIC WHEAT w/medium crust (3:40 hrs)
100% Whole Wheat - QUICK WHEAT w/light crust (2:08 hrs)

They were all wonderful, but I was particulary pleased with the 100% whole wheat - and in just over 2 hours.

I highly recommend viewing product manuals which are available on manufacturers' websites. I found this extremely helpful in my comparison analysis. Check out www.Zojirushi.com as well as others you are considering.

It doesn't surprise me that sometimes an imperfect machine is produced. I found Amazon.com's return policy (30 days after delivery) to allow ample time to put my machine through the ringer. Other sellers may cost a bit less, but if their 30 day return policy begins after shipment - and I found several - you may not be afforded enough time to ensure your machine hasn't got problems.

If you are looking for more recipes to try, I really like The Bread Machine Cookbook I and II by Donna Rathmell German. You'll probably have to experiment a little with the ingredients. I tried the Banana Oatmeal recipe in my Zo with less than perfect results (loaf rose then sank a bit), though the bread was delicious. I will try tweaking the recipe based on troubleshooting recommendations at the back of the Zo manual.

I can't imagine any other bread machine outperforming the Zo.

I swore I'd never use a bread machine, but that was before I moved into a cabin with countertops that I haven't built yet.

I'm a darn good bread baker myself, but I'm very impressed by the quality - and "normal" shape - of the loaves from this machine. I grudgingly admit that I'll be happy not having to knead sticky dough for the medium term future.

The machine is very sturdy, with the usual excellent Japanese small appliance build, similar to Panasonic/National.

With regard to the non-stick coating: you should never wash the inside of a bread maker tray or high-end rice cooker pot with anything other than a damp cloth, moistened with detergent if necessary. Do not even think about putting these items in a dishwasher or in a sink with other dishes. Don't touch the inside with anything other than a plastic utensil.

I loved the bbccv20 model of the Zojirushi bread machine but have had it for many years. When this new one came out I was excited to step up and buy it because of the two homemade menu features. I am gluten intolerant (Celiac Diease) so I have to make my bread with different types of gluten free flour. I have owned several other bread machines in the past and they just did not get the gluten free bread right. Zojirushi's is incredible. The bread comes out wonderfully. It's easy to use the homemade menu feature and since you can store two recipes you can use your favorites. I like the non-stick pan and the shape. It's a great machine.

Having used this thing for two months now, I'm puzzled by some of the earlier reviews, which bordered on nasty. The machine makes superb bread; no "door stops" here. One problem may be that unsuccessful users cut corners, e.g., not measuring the ingredients properly or not telling the machine if the yeast is "quick" or "regular." Also, when using the timer, you shouldn't let the yeast touch the liquid; i.e., don't toss all the ingredients into the pan willy nilly; rather, make a small well in the flour and put the yeast in there. For lop-sided loaves, make sure your kitchen counter is level; if not, prop the machine up with a cutting board or magazine on the lower side. Finally, make sure the blades are pushed down and "locked" into the axels by turning them slightly. We have followed the directions (which aren't difficult) exactly, and have gotten really nice results every time. Our only suggestion is an automatic dispensing unit that would add raisins or other extra items at the right time automatically; as is, you can't use the timer to get raisin bread when you wake up in the a.m.; ahh, now wouldn't that be nice! Small detail; we're still happy, and this machine fully deserves 5 stars.

I have owned many different bread machines, and still do. The Zojirushi, the Panasonic and the Breadman Ultimate.
This Zojirushi is becoming my favorite!
It turns out great tasting, great looking loaves of bread every time.
And the sourdough starter cycle does wonders.
My only complaint is that the pan is not very nonstick. You have to shake it pretty hard to get the bread out. But big deal - as long as it comes out I'm happy!
As far as Zo's customer service, I've never had any trouble. I have called them to order spare parts for my rice cookers, and to order a spare pan for this bread machine in case I ever need it. By spare parts I mean just that - spare. I have not had any defects. I just like having a spare pan etc on hand in case one gets scratched. No trouble getting them on the phone, no trouble with my order.
I have absolutely no complaints. Zojirushi makes great, innovative products and you should not hesitate to get this machine.