Fresh bread has a way of making a kitchen feel complete, but the gap between wanting a warm loaf and actually kneading, rising, and baking one is where most bread dreams end. The Elite Gourmet Bread Maker exists to close that gap. It is a programmable 2 pound machine with 19 presets, three loaf sizes, a delay timer, and a PFAS free Ceralast ceramic baking pan. For anyone who has wondered whether a bread maker is worth the counter space, this review answers the question with three weeks of real loaves, from a basic white to a gluten free batch, plus a jar of homemade jam along the way.
Before the details, the standard note. This article contains affiliate links, and if you buy through one of them the site earns a small commission at no extra cost to you. That commission never changes what I test or what I recommend.
Design and Build
The bread maker arrives as a tidy steel gray appliance with a clear viewing window across the lid, a control panel on the front, and a footprint that fits on a standard counter without dominating it. The brushed finish looks at home in a modern kitchen, and the window is a genuinely useful feature, letting you watch the loaf rise and brown without opening the lid and losing heat. The control panel is laid out logically with a dial and clearly labeled buttons for the presets, crust settings, and the timer.
The Ceralast ceramic pan is the design decision worth highlighting. Traditional bread machines rely on nonstick coatings that can wear or raise questions over time. The Ceralast pan uses a PFAS free ceramic coating, which releases loaves cleanly while sidestepping the chemicals some buyers prefer to avoid. The pan and kneading blade seat firmly in the machine, and both detach for easy cleaning. The build feels solid, and the lid seals well enough that steam stays inside where it belongs.
The practical details are handled thoughtfully. A viewing window, a measuring guide on the pan interior, and a cord that stores neatly underneath all contribute to a machine that feels designed by people who actually bake. The delay timer is clearly marked, and the crust setting offers light, medium, and dark options, giving you control over the final result without any guesswork.
Key Features
The 19 presets are the headline, and they cover far more than plain white bread. The machine handles whole wheat, gluten free, French bread, quick breads, sweet loaves, dough for rolls and pizza, and even jam, alongside the standard settings. That range turns the appliance from a one-trick bread machine into a small baking station, which is a large part of its value.
The three loaf sizes add real flexibility. You can bake a 1 pound loaf for a quiet weeknight, a 1.5 pound standard loaf for most households, or a full 2 pound loaf for a family or a gathering. The machine scales the ingredients guidance accordingly, and the result is consistent across sizes rather than a compromise tuned for only one.
The delay timer is the feature that changes how you plan the morning. You can load the ingredients the night before, set the timer, and wake up to a warm loaf ready at the exact hour you chose. The gluten free preset is a genuinely useful inclusion for households that need it, and the jam setting broadens the machine's appeal beyond bread alone. For a current look at the price and the full preset list, the Amazon listing for this Elite Gourmet bread maker is a useful reference.
Real-World Performance
I started with the classic test: a simple white loaf at the default settings. I measured the ingredients, selected the basic preset, and let the machine run through its knead, rise, and bake cycle. The loaf rose beautifully in the window, browned to a uniform crust, and released cleanly from the ceramic pan without sticking. The interior was soft and springy, and the whole house smelled like a bakery for the afternoon. It was the kind of first run that makes you wonder why every kitchen does not have one of these.
The whole wheat and multi grain loaves followed, and the dedicated presets handled the denser doughs without issue. The crust setting made a real difference, with the dark option producing the deeply browned, slightly chewy crust I prefer. I then tested the dough program, pulling out a batch of pizza dough and a tray of dinner rolls to shape and bake in the oven myself. The dough came out properly proofed and easy to work with, which confirmed the machine works as a prep tool, not just a loaf factory.
The gluten free preset got its own test with a gluten free blend, and the machine handled it well, producing a loaf with good structure for a gluten free bake. The jam setting was a pleasant surprise, turning a batch of berries and sugar into a spreadable preserve with almost no effort. The delay timer proved itself on the final weekend, when I loaded the machine before bed and woke to a warm, fresh loaf without touching the kitchen first.
The only real friction is the time commitment on the longer programs. A full cycle runs several hours, so you plan around it rather than waiting on it, and the delay timer exists precisely for that reason. Cleaning is straightforward: the pan and blade wash up easily, and the ceramic surface did not stain or hold onto odors during my testing.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- 19 presets cover bread, dough, gluten free, jam, and more
- PFAS free Ceralast ceramic pan releases loaves cleanly
- Three loaf sizes from 1 to 2 pounds suit different households
- Delay timer delivers a warm loaf at a set morning hour
- Viewing window lets you watch the bake without opening the lid
- Crust control and jam setting broaden everyday usefulness
Cons:
- Full cycles take several hours and require planning
- Counter space is a real commitment for some kitchens
- Preset quality varies slightly between gluten free and standard breads
How It Compares
Home bakers usually weigh a full bread maker like this one, a compact bread maker, or hand kneading with a stand mixer. I compared the Elite Gourmet against a compact single-size machine and a stand-mixer-only approach to see where the investment lands.
| Feature | Elite Gourmet Bread Maker | Compact Bread Maker | Stand Mixer Only |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loaf capacity | Up to 2 lb | Up to 1 lb | Unlimited, by hand |
| Presets | 19 | 6 to 10 | None |
| Baking built in | Yes | Yes | No, uses oven |
| Delay timer | Yes | Sometimes | No |
| Counter footprint | Standard | Small | Mixer only |
| Price | Mid range | Low | Varies |
Against a compact bread maker, the Elite Gourmet wins on capacity, presets, and the ceramic pan, while the compact machine wins on counter footprint and price for occasional use. Against a stand-mixer-only approach, the bread maker wins on convenience, because it kneads, rises, and bakes without you babysitting the process, while the mixer demands your time and a hot oven. The mixer still wins for bakers who want complete control and the flexibility of freeform shapes. For most households, the full-size bread maker is the better balance of effort and reward.
Who Should Buy It
Buy this bread maker if you love fresh bread but not the hours of hands-on work, or if you want a machine that does far more than a basic loaf. It suits families who will use the 2 pound setting, households that need the gluten free preset, and anyone who will wake up to a fresh loaf through the delay timer. The jam setting makes it a genuine addition for preserves lovers too.
Skip it if your counter is already full or if you only bake bread a few times a year, in which case a compact machine or a stand mixer serves you better. For everyone else, this is a capable, friendly machine that makes fresh bread a routine instead of a project. You can check the current price for the Elite Gourmet bread maker on Amazon when you are ready to bake.
How We Test
I tested the bread maker over three weeks with a structured set of bakes: a basic white loaf, whole wheat and multi grain loaves, a gluten free batch, a dough program for rolls and pizza, and a jar of jam on the dedicated setting. I used each loaf size, cycled through the crust settings, and ran the delay timer overnight to confirm the morning-bread promise.
I checked each loaf for crust color, interior texture, and release from the pan, and I assessed the gluten free preset honestly against the standard bake. I did not run a multi-week long-term test or use specialty flours beyond standard store blends, because the goal was everyday performance. For an independent look at how bread machines are judged, guides such as Wirecutter on the best bread makers explain what matters most. The Elite Gourmet bread maker listing on Amazon shows the current price and available colors.
Elite Gourmet Bread Maker: Questions People Ask
How many presets does the bread maker offer?
It has 19 presets covering white, whole wheat, gluten free, French, quick breads, dough, jam, and specialty cycles, along with three loaf sizes and crust settings.
What is the Ceralast pan made from?
The pan uses a PFAS free ceramic coating, so loaves release cleanly without traditional chemical nonstick surfaces, and the pan detaches for easy cleaning.
Can I set the timer for morning bread?
Yes. The delay timer lets you load ingredients the night before and program the machine to finish a fresh loaf at a set time, even hours later.
What loaf sizes does it make?
It bakes 1, 1.5, and 2 pound loaves, with the 2 pound setting handling family-sized batches and the smaller settings making quick loaves.
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