Glorious smells could be filling your home in just a couple hours with the Zojirushi BB-PAC20 automatic breadmaker. Many bakers cringe when they hear people talking about bread making machines spitting out those odd looking round loaves. The bread usually tastes great, but seems a little strange compared to the traditional loaf shape. The Zojirushi BB-PAC20 produces at traditional loaf of bread without all of the mess, effort, and in less time. Be forewarned, Zojirushi calls this machine the Home Bakery Virtuoso and for good reasons.
Zojirushi BB-PAC20 Breadmaker Main Features
- Rectangular Loaf Pan
- Dual Kneading Blades
- Multi-Sided Baking
- Easy to Use Controls with Timed Start Control
- Cook Books, Instructions, and More
Rectangular Loaf Pan for Traditional Loaves and More
The first feature which interests most people looking for a breadmaker is BB-PAC20’s rectangular loaf pan. The pan allows you to make a 2 pound loaf of bread which is perfectly shaped, not some odd looking round loaf. The rectangular pan adds a few benefits, too.
The Zojirushi BB-PAC20 can be used for cooking a wide variety of other foods which cannot be done in many other breadmakers. This includes items like meat loaf, loaf cakes, and even making fresh jam for your fresh bread. It is highly versatile in use.
Dual Kneading Blades for Efficient Mixing
Bread makers which produce the round loaves in a vertical position have it easy. They can knead the bread with ease with a single set of kneading blades. The Zojirushi Home Bakery Virtuoso BB-PAC20 uses dual kneading blades to make sure the bread is thoroughly mixed and kneaded from edge to edge in the rectangular cooking pan.
Multi-Sided Baking
The Zojirushi breadmaking machine has an amazingly fast baking cycle of only two hours. This is due to heating elements surrounding the baking chamber to give even heat which penetrates and bakes the bread quickly producing a delicious loaf of bread.
One of the most important parts of homemade bread is the crispy upper crust. It needs to be slightly thicker in crustiness and flavor than the rest of the loaf to make the perfect load of homemade bread. Zojirushi placed an extra heating element in the lid of the BB-PAC20 to make sure the bread is baked to perfection.
Easy to Use Controls with Timed Start Control
Zojirushi has programmed 3 memory settings into the BB-PAC20 which can be used for the recipes in the included recipe book, or your own special recipes. This makes getting bread baked very simple. You just choose one of the 3 presets and let the breadmaker take over.
For finer control you can program your settings using the easy to use touch pad and LCD display. The breadmaker includes a built-in LCD clock to help you keep track of time as you wait for your fresh bread to be ready. You can even setup the breadmaker with up to a 13 hour delay. Imagine putting in all the ingredients at 9PM and then waking up in the morning and walking into the kitchen just as your loaf of bread is finished baking. Your breakfast time may never be the same.
Cook Books, Instructions, and More
Have you ever been frustrated trying to understand what a little instruction book is trying to tell you? This is not a worry with the Zojirushi BB-PAC20 breadmaker. You will find a cookbook, printed manual, and an instructional DVD you can watch all included in the package. This combination makes the Zojirushi BB-PAC20 an ideal choice for people getting their first bread.
Dimensions and Weight
At first glance at a picture online you will probably feel like the BB-PAC20 Breadmaker from Zojirushi is big. This is one time the images are a bit deceptive. The size is a compact 18” wide, 10.5 inches deep and only 13 inches tall. The breadmaker can comfortably sit on a small space on your kitchen counter ready for everyday use.
Additional Features
There are a few additional features which need to be mentioned. The bread pan is equipped with two handles to make it safe and easy to remove. The pan is coated with a non-stick surface which allows the bread to almost fall out of the pan when finished.
A feature which you are sure to enjoy is the small viewing window. Instead of being frustrated with wondering how the progress is going, you can take a quick peek.
Included Accessories
The following items are included in the box to make getting started easy:
- Measuring Cup
- Measuring Spoon
- Instruction Manual and DVD
- Recipe Guide (Includes recipes for gluten free breads, traditional breads, cakes, and even jam.)
- Sourdough Starter (Yes, Zojirushi actually provides you with the starter for creating your own sourdough bread; just remember to follow instructions so you can keep some starter always available.)
Optional Items
This is something which you might find a little unusual on a great quality bread machine. There are zero optional items offered on the Zojirushi BB-PAC20 bread maker. You can order a variety of replacement parts like the measuring cup, spoon, kneading blades, or baking pan, but it is unlikely you will need them.
Pros of the BB-PAC20 from Zojirushi
This is an excellent quality bread maker. It makes a beautiful 2-pound loaf of bread in the traditional loaf shape we all love to see. With the lid warmer you get a superior upper crust when compared to many other bread making machines. The system is easy to use with the push button controls.
Cons of the Home Bakery Virtuoso
The only con for the Zojirushi BB-PAC20 bread machine which has come to our attention is a slight limitation on the second and third bread rising cycles. You can set your first rise time to be up to 12 hours in duration, but the next two rises are limited to only 2 hours in duration. This is rarely a limitation for most bakers, but can be limiting if you are working with low yeast bread recipes.
Consumer Ratings
The Zojirushi BB-PAC20 receives some very high marks from users on Amazon and other shopping sites. At the time of writing it has no major complaint except one, which was the result of defective machine.
Price
The Zojirushi BB-PAC20 is available at several online retailers for around $280 at the time of writing. The price can vary from week to week, so it is wise to check the current pricing before before making your purchase decision.
Conclusion
The Zojirushi BB-PAC20 is a great bread maker at a reasonable price. This bread maker is targeted to people who love to bake bread and do it often. You might find the bread maker a little high priced if you are planning to use it only on rare occasions. This is a durable, efficient bread machine which can handle nearly all of your bread making desires.
