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Now more than ever, people are trying their hand at homemade bread. Considering some types of bread can take over 70 hours to produce, increased time at home is the only way most home cooks could even possibly pull a recipe like this off. Now that everyone is returning to work and the outside world, no one has time to babysit a delicate ball of dough. But what's a bread lover to do? Enter the bread machine. Bread machines can mix, knead, proof, and bake a great loaf of bread completely hands-free. All you have to do is add the ingredients and adjust the settings.

Homemade bread is healthier than store-bought due to the lack of preservatives, and some experts say that sourdough bread may be healthier than white bread due to probiotics. Many modern bread machines can make many different types of bread, from sourdough to cinnamon raisin. Don't fret gluten-free bakers — great gluten-free loaves can be made in most bread machines. Some models can even knead pasta dough and make jam. Depending on your goals, budget, and experience level, there is a bread machine out there for you. We've rounded up the best machines on the market for every kind of baker.

If you're looking for the highest-rated machine, period, look no further. This machine has a little bit of everything, from a solid capacity to a great range of features. According to the Zojirushi website, some of these features include dual kneading blades to ensure even mixing, 15 different bread and cooking settings (including jam and rapid bake), a viewing window on the lid so you can see the bread's progress, and a nonstick coated bread pan for easy cleaning. The coated loaf pan is wide and deep, and produces a solid loaf that looks just like any artisan loaf bread.

 The versatility of this machine makes it a favorite among reviewers, who say they can make evenly browned loaves with a great texture time and again. If you consider this bread machine, make sure to shop around. We found price differences of over $100 between various online retailers.

For some bread bakers, extra functions and features are simply not needed, and why pay more for what you don't need? This great model from Amazon Basics brings a great, simple machine at a super low price. That doesn't mean it's a one-trick pony, however. This machine has 14 settings, including a gluten-free and express option. You can choose from three crust colors (light, medium, and dark) and pre-set it up to 13 hours in advance. As one Youtube review states, the Amazon Basics machine excels at basic white and sandwich breads and is forgiving if you omit a tablespoon of something like honey.

A few reviewers say that the machine could be quieter, which may not be an issue for some users. The manual and the recipes it includes could be much better and more detailed, and it can be difficult to find replacement parts. The price more than makes up for some of the drawbacks, and at just $61.49 on Amazon, this is the cheapest bread machine on the market. For such a low price, you can still expect a surprisingly nice loaf of bread.

The best bread machines have an abundance of features and special functions, and no other models come close to the Breville. Those features come at a price, but if you love bread, this machine will more than pay for itself in no time. The sleek brushed-chrome exterior is beautiful for countertop storage but the model is overall compact enough to store in most kitchen cabinets. A handy "mix-in reservoir" will automatically add ingredients such as fruit or nuts at precisely the right time. The included manual is practically worth the cost of the machine, as it includes dozens of innovative and delicious recipes that are all specially designed to work perfectly in the Breville.

Even if you only have three minutes to put the ingredients together, you can still expect a beautiful loaf that no one would believe wasn't handmade. This machine not only produces great bread in the short term, but it can go the distance as well. One reviewer states that even after two years of consistent use, it still works as well as ever.

A good bread machine that can make bigger (2 1/2lb+) loaves of bread can be hard to find, and if you aim to make a 3lb loaf, there's really only one machine on the market. The West Bend bread machine has set itself apart from the rest of the market by being capable of producing up to 3lb loaves of high-quality bread. Along with this large capacity, the West Bend comes with the standard array of features, from 12 different bread settings to three levels of crust color.

While not as commonly purchased as some other models, reviewers appreciate the wide, traditional size and shape of the loaf (as compared to some bread machines that produce a tall vertical loaf). The wide shape accommodates two paddles and produces a more evenly mixed dough that doesn't need to be shaped by hand.

Even though most bread machines can make a full loaf start-to-finish in just a few hours, some busy people just don't have that kind of time. Luckily, Oster makes a model with an express setting that can churn out fresh bread in just less than an hour. The express setting can make 1.5 and 2-pound loaves in a few different flavors, such as white and honey whole wheat. This speed can come at a cost in terms of crust development, as one reviewer states, but for crust-haters and parents of crust-haters, this machine could be worth the trade-off.

The Oster comes with the standard range of features such as multiple bread type settings and crust color choices. This bread maker also has a handy signal at the end of mixing to let you know when it's time to add things like nuts or dried fruit, if your recipe requires it.

Giving up bread can be one of the biggest challenges of the gluten-free diet. Store-bought versions can be expensive and tricky to store. Luckily, some great gluten-free bread recipes are out there and a bread machine will make the process that much easier. The Cuisinart not only makes great-quality wheat bread, but it can also make perfect loaves of gluten-free bread and is highly recommended by professional gluten-free bakers. Jane Bonacci, author of "The Gluten-Free Bread Machine Cookbook," specifically recommends this machine over all others. It also comes with a handy recipe book that has dozens of recipes, including an assortment of gluten-free bread recipes that can be adapted to fit any taste.

While it is right in the middle of the road in terms of price (retailing at $129.95, via Cuisinart) affordability can be an issue for some, so look around for special deals, which pop up frequently.