Zojirushi Virtuoso Plus
BB-PDC20BA (black) / BB-PDC20WH (white)
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- Loaf Size Range
- 2 lb only
- Owner-Reported Lifespan
- 15 to 25+ years, still baking weekly
Why it ranks here. Ask any bread forum which machine to buy and this is the answer, usually followed by someone posting that theirs is twenty years old and still works perfectly. The dual paddles and heated lid give the most even, best-browned loaf of any machine here, a recent buyer from a cheaper Cuisinart says it is worth every penny and then some, and owners use it for pizza dough, bao buns, brioche and sourdough starter.
It is the most expensive machine here and only bakes a two-pound loaf. The trap is the two kneading paddles: if they are not lined up before you start the loaf comes out lopsided, and several owners baked crooked bread for years before a comment section told them why, because the manual does not warn you.
What owners like
- Twenty years of regular use
- Most even, best-browned loaf
- Dough, pizza, jam and starter
What owners complain about
- Most expensive, two-pound loaf only
- Misaligned paddles bake lopsided
“Oh my gosh. I didn’t even post an update! The Zojirushi is a dream machine. I have made four different breads and a batch of rolls so far. They were all perfect. It is worth every penny and then some. There is a reason why it is three times the price. Hubby calls it Godzilla due to the size and weight. I call it the best purchase I made in a long time.” — Reddit comment · u/jnortond · r/Breadit · 2022-11-29
14 positive · 2 mixed · 16 voices · ✓ all 16 linked to source
Read all 16 quotes (16 voices)
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I don’t have any complaints, other than maybe the worn out pan. Could replace that for $20 but haven’t bothered as it still works. It’s made the same bread the same way for over 20 years now! It’ll do fancier stuff like brioche as it has a cycle programmed in to let you add stuff like butter and eggs between kneading and rising. I usually just use it for sandwich bread, though.
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I have a Zojirushi virtuoso and love it. Don't like the sourdough recipes in the book so it took some trial and error to make a custom program for it. Pros: I make *all* the bread my family eats now. Cons: I never make boules anymore
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Oh my gosh. I didn’t even post an update! The Zojirushi is a dream machine. I have made four different breads and a batch of rolls so far. They were all perfect. It is worth every penny and then some. There is a reason why it is three times the price. Hubby calls it Godzilla due to the size and weight. I call it the best purchase I made in a long time.
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Thank you for the blade tip- I was getting lopsided bread and didn't know why.
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Have had my virtuoso for several years and never knew about the paddle orientation. My loaves mostly were lopsided but I lived with it. Great review😊
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The Zojirushi Breadmaker produces a mammoth size loaf of delicious bread. To maximize every last crumb I have a routine.
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I bought my Zojirushi bread machine from Craig List. I LOVE IT! We use it a lot.
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My zojirushi virtuoso plus is the beast of a machine! It makes a perfect loaf of bread every time!
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In a fit of rage I bought the big zojirushi a couple years ago. I only use it, on average, probably once a week, but having a bread maker in general has been great. Pizza dough, organic white bread, dough for bao buns, it makes it all great.
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My Zojirushi is 18 years old and still works perfectly. I use it a few times a month. I use it for mixing and proofing dough. I love it.
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Zojirushi- I got 2 from thrift store, less than $25 for both.
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Zojirushi bread is really really good! I had some tonight with stew. Looks like you have the same mini loaf one I do. I still make pizza dough, and boules, and italian loaves, but this is the go to for sandwich bread.
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I bought mine a month ago. It is one of life’s simple pleasures, and so satisfying to make food and really know what’s gone into it. And far easier than I’d imagined—especially if you bake by weight (put the bin on the scale, tare, add the first ingredient, tare again, etc etc. it’s far easier and less messy than having measuring cups, levelling them off, the excess spills somewhere, etc—all of which is very simple and yet produces just a bit of a mess each time.
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I love my Zojirushi Virtuoso machine. One thought/tip: to release the pan from the machine, grab both handles and pull towards you/the front of the machine. It releases much easier than pulling straight up!
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We love our Virtuoso and have been on a spree because we bought 4 drums of wheat berries at 40 lbs each so we bake at least 2 loaves per day. I really appreciate the tip about lining up the blades so the loaves don't come out lopsided. We had no recourse to that. Thanks so much!
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This bread maker gets used a lot more often than I initially thought it would. I most often use it to make doughs, for pizza, pasta and other baked goods. It's also helped me with sourdough starter and can make jam (though I haven't tried that yet).
