Zojirushi BB-CEC20 Bread Machine Review
The Zojirushi BB-CEC20 (also known as the Home Bakery Supreme) is a delightful bread making machine.
While it is marketed and sold as a bread maker, the machine can carry out different forms of baking. You can use the machine to bake cinnamon rolls, cakes, jams, meatloaves, croissants, and even garlic bread. The kitchen machine is also ideal for baking a wide range of daily gourmet items, appetizers, and snacks.
Overview of the Zojirushi BB-CEC20
The features of the Zojirushi BB-CEC20 include:
- Homemade menu option
- Provision for three memories
- Clear LCD
- Twin blades to knead the dough
- Easily removable nonstick baking pan
- Standard sized measuring spoons
- Measuring cup with a capacity of 8 oz.
- Can bake up to 2 lbs. of bread at a time
- Available in black and white
- Runs on 120 Volts or 700 Watts
Overall Design
The Zojirushi BB CEC-20 measures 17 x 12 ¼ x 8 ½ inches. This large bread machine can produce full-size 2-pound loaves, similar to those you see in the supermarket.
But all that bulk, the appliance is relatively lightweight: 17 lbs. You can easily move it to the kitchen or store it away if you don’t have space on the counter. However, the machine is heavy enough to remain stable while you’re adding ingredients, inserting or removing the pan, setting the time and temperature, etc.
The Zojirushi bread maker comes in white, black and gray. It doesn’t have the nice retro feel that some appliances have.
The unit has a large lid that provides plenty of room to operate. On the lid, there is a wide glass window from where you can monitor the baking process.
The Home Bakery Supreme package also comes with an 8-ounce measuring cup and a double-ended teaspoon/tablespoon measuring tool. These items won’t make or break your purchase decision but are nice add-ons to the fine bread machine.
Strong Dual Kneading Blades
This bread maker is packed with helpful functions and controls that make producing loaves at home easy for anyone.
The dual kneading blades on the base of the pan keep the longer-than-usual, commercial-size dough stirred exactly as it’s supposed to be. The paddles are also strong, thanks to a well-made, dual-belt pulley system. A double batch of whole wheat might stress a lesser machine.
The BB-CEC20 blends everything well without getting bogged down. No worries about poorly mixed gluten here. Stretch the mixed but unbaked dough after a few minutes of kneading and you’ll see for yourself; it pulls wide without breaking.
The blades are made of a durable, non-stick material that’s easy to clean. The material looks and feels like Teflon but is actually PTFE. That’s the compound that makes up Teflon, but the latter is a brand name of DuPont. You can find out the differences between Teflon and PTFE here.
13-hour Delay Timer
Despite its large size, the BB-CEC20 can produce a fully-baked loaf in about two hours using the Quick Baking Cycle setting. You don’t have to start baking right away, though, thanks to an easy-to-set 13-hour Delay Timer.
There’s also an Auto-Shutoff feature to ensure nothing goes wrong as the bread maker operates while you’re away from home.
The unit also has a rubber gasket between the pan and paddle-drive shaft bearing. The gasket prevents crumbs from getting inside the bearing.
9 Pre-Programmed + 3 Custom Menu Settings
The Control Panel is not only easy to use but also to reach and operate. The angled design of the top makes the button pad ergonomic and the LCD display easy to read.
The Home Bakery Supreme lets you bake a wide variety of bread and dessert styles, even without knowing the proper time for each one. You can bake white or wheat bread, sourdough starter, cake, and several more goods.
The BB-CEC20 also does a fine job if you want to make cinnamon rolls, croissant, and lots of other items not on the menu.
You can even create three of your own pre-set baking options on the menu by specifying the pre-heat and baking times. In short, you can control every aspect of the bread making process.
However, with 9 pre-programmed settings and three different crust options you’re not likely to need to set things manually very often.
Zojirushi BB CEC20 Manual, DVD and Recipe Booklet
The Zojirushi bread maker comes with an Instructional DVD on how to use it. There is also a manual with more comprehensive information about the bread maker.
The manual is easy to follow and has lots of useful baking tips for newbie chefs. Make sure you check the bread recipes in the manual, which include Italian Herb, Gluten-Free Brown Rice, Cheese and Onion, jam, Russian Kulich, and many more.
The manual also has customer care contact information.
Pros
- Bakes a 2-lbs. loaf of bread in only two hours.
- Has a delay timer with a 13-hour time limit.
- An auto turn-off option for safety purposes
- Shipped with an instructional video and manual
- Comes with a recipe book
- Different menu settings, including bread dough, white bread, sourdough, wheat bread, cakes, shortbread and jams.
- Three crust options for baking your bread to perfection
- Stainless steel body for a scratch-free look.
Cons
- Quite expensive compared to other bread makers in its class.
- Once bought, the bread maker cannot be replaced.
Zojirushi BB-CEC20 Review
The Home Bakery Supreme (BB-CEC20) from Zojirushi may not be the most stylish bread maker machine around but it has several superior features. A sturdy motor/drive system, a large baking pan, and a flexible menu system are some of its strong points.
Considering the features and advantages of the Home Bakery Supreme Bread, there is no doubt that this is an excellent bread machine. The unit’s reliability, performance and convenience will make you crave the aroma of freshly baked bread in your home.
