SKG Automatic Bread Machine 2lb Review

The SKG Automatic Bread Machine 2lb is a popular and reasonably priced bread maker that’s just hit the market.

Supremely beginner friendly while also blessed with a huge 19 different settings, this is a mid market bread machine that’s going to suit most families.

Especially families who love to chow down on a 2lb loaf.

Of course, there are a few minor issues with the machine that you should consider before you buy. We’re nothing if not critical! But don’t worry, we’ll get to the review shortly…

Let’s get down to it: here’s everything you need to know about the SKG Bread Maker 2lb.

SKG Automatic Bread Machine 2lb: In a Nutshell

• Weight: 11.8 lbs
• Dimensions: 15.7 x 14.3 x 11.7 inches
• Loaf Capacity: up to 2lb
• Settings: 19 programmable bake settings, 3 crust settings, and different sized loaf settings
• Timer: 15 hour delay timer, 1 hour automatic keep warm
• Stand-Out Feature: A massive 19 different programmable bake settings

Let’s take a tour around the features…

1. Menu settings
2. Loaf weight selection button (1, 1.5 or 2 lbs)
3. LCD screen
4. Crust color selection button
5. Start button
6. Ergonomic top-loading lid
7. Non-stick bread pan
8. Measuring cup
9. Measuring spoons

SKG Bread Maker 2lb: Features

19 Bake Settings (Including Gluten Free)

The SKG Bread Maker allows you to bake many types of breads, and makes it very easy to do so.

Besides having the ability to automatically make multiple types of bread, you can also customize the bread maker to have exactly the kind of bread you want, every time. This means that the machine will suit both someone who wants to ‘set it and forget it’, as well as the more experienced baker.

Here are the 19 settings to choose from:

1. Basic
2. Quick
3. Sweet
4. French
5. Whole Wheat
6. Rye
7. Potato
8. Beer Bread
9. Rice Bread
10. Gluten Free
11. Dessert
12. Mix
13. Dough
14. Knead
15. Cake
16. Jam
17. Yogurt
18. Bake

This is an extremely versatile machine. Needless to say, we love the gluten-free setting! And beer bread?

Sign us up.

You can bake cakes for a party or make fresh jam using your favorite fruits to give as a gift. All you have to do is set it and forget it.

Ergonomic Lid

We’ll talk more about the SKG bread maker 2lb‘s innovative design a bit later, but we have to mention the incredible ergonomic top-loading lid.

It’s super easy to handle and the viewing window means it’s no problem to watch your bread as it cooks.

The baking pan and its handle are non-stick, which means removing your bread and cleaning the equipment later are a breeze.

Delay Timer

The delay timer allows you to set the machine up to fifteen hours before you need the bread. Most bread makers only allow up to a 13 hour delay so this is definitely not to be sniffed at.

This means you can make bread according to your schedule, instead of having to schedule your day around it. You can set the machine at bedtime and have fresh bread in the morning, or set the machine in the morning and have fresh bread when you come back from work.

However, do beware: if you leave the bread in the maker too long after it has finished baking, it may begin to sweat. No one wants a sweaty loaf.

15 Minute Power Interruption Recovery

Trust us, there’s nothing more frustrating than getting almost all the way through a bake cycle and then having your power go out.

Cue a half-baked loaf.

Thankfully, the SKG Automatic Bread Machine 2lb comes equipped with a power interruption recovery system that will ensure the continuation of your bake cycle, as long as the power comes back on in 15 minutes.

3 Crust Settings

At the push of a button, you can have exactly the kind of crust you want on your bread. This includes a light, medium, or dark crusted loaf.

3 Loaf Sizes

You can customize exactly how large you want your loaf to be.

You can make a 1lb loaf if you’re baking just for yourself, a 1.5lb loaf if you’re baking for yourself and one other person, or a 2lb loaf if you’re baking for a family or a group of people.

Keep Warm Setting

If you’re not in your kitchen exactly as the bread finishes baking, the bread maker will keep your bread fresh and warm for up to an hour.

Recipes Are Included

If you’re a novice baker or are worried about having to find recipes, don’t worry. The bread machine comes with a set of 19 recipes perfectly designed to work with the bread maker. There’s a recipe for each bake setting, so you have a large variety of recipes to choose from.

Non-Skid Feet

If you’ve ever owned a bread machine that seemed to dance across your countertop during the mixing and kneading process, you’re going to be pretty thankful for the SKG bread maker‘s non-skid feet.

These keep the machine in one place on your counter, rather than vibrating its way around your kitchen.

SKG Automatic Bread Maker 2lb: Review

The Positives

A Huge Number of Settings

We know we’ve talked about this already, but can we get a “HELL YEAH” for the 19 settings this bad boy has on offer?!

Most bread machines, even those at the more premium priced end, come with a maximum of 12 or 13 settings, but we’re really spoilt with the SKG bread maker’s 19.

From gluten free and French to more unusual settings like yogurt and beer bread, you can really experiment far and wide with this machine.

Beginner Friendly

Though the manual is not the clearest, this bread maker is very easy to figure out.

As soon as you’ve poured in your ingredients, it’s simply the case of choosing your settings and pressing start.

Want to add fruit and nuts? You can with a click? Want to delay baking? Just as easy.

It’s hard to go wrong with the SKG Automatic Bread Maker, which is great for newbie bakers.

But Also Good for More Experienced Bakers

While it’s easy to use, it’s also easy to experiment with your own recipes away from those in the SKG manual.

Unfortunately, there’s no customized programs that you can set and save yourself — that’s usually reserved for more premium machines like the Zojirushi and Breville.

But you can use the mix, dough, knead and bake settings as you please.

Good Quality Loaves

One of the most important things to consider before buying a bread maker is the quality of the loaves it produces.

Thankfully, the SKG Automatic Bread Maker 2lb certainly delivers on this front.

Loaves are appropriately tall and easy to slice and toast. The bread pan has been designed in such a way that ensures an evenly baked loaf every time, and while it may not have the beautiful crust coloration that the more expensive machines can produce, it’s clear that it makes some damn tasty bread.

It Looks Good

One of the things we don’t like about most mid-market bread makers is that they usually look pretty dated. Not something that you’d be proud to have out on your countertop.

But the SKG bread maker is definitely a good looking machine. It’s got a sleek silver and gray color scheme, a reasonably large viewing window and an easy to read settings list.

It’s also small in size and lightweight — around 12 lbs — so you can store it easily.

It Runs Quietly

Despite being so small and light, it actually runs pretty quietly and doesn’t dance around your countertop either, thanks to its non-skid feet.

It definitely shouldn’t wake you up if you’ve used the delay timer overnight.

The Negatives

The Manual isn’t Detailed Enough

The instruction booklet that comes with the SKG Automatic Bread Maker 2lb is vague at the best of times.

Thank goodness the machine itself is so easy to use because inexperienced bakers would be scratching their heads on how to use it otherwise.

We find this time and time again with more budget bread makers: why don’t these companies spend a little more money on a detailed manual with good recipes that can really show you how to use the machine to its full potential?

Annoying.

Thankfully, SKG’s customer service is pretty top notch and they offer free lifetime consultation for customers and a 1 month free trial for Amazon customers. If you have any problems with this machine, we suggest going straight to them, or online, rather than consulting the manual.

The Keep Warm Setting is a Little Hit and Miss

The SKG bread maker’s ‘keep warm’ setting isn’t as effective as we’d truly like.

While it’s meant to keep loaves warm and toasty for up to an hour after the completion of the baking cycle, we found that keeping the loaf in there for anything over half an hour was destined to cause a bit of a soggy crust, which was a bit of a disappointment.

There’s No Fruit and Nut Dispenser

Although you can select a setting which will beep at the optimal time to add in your mix-ins, there’s no automatic fruit and nut dispenser on the SKG Automatic Bread Maker 2lb.

This means that the machine isn’t quite as ‘set it and forget it’ as we’d like, although it’s not too much of a hardship.

Overall Verdict

As you can probably tell, we really like the SKG bread maker 2lb and consider it excellent value for money.

Not only is it entirely beginner friendly, but more experienced bakers will get some serious mileage out of it as well — and the gluten free gang are bound to love it too!

At its mid market price point, there are a few ways in which it can’t compete with the best and most expensive bread machines — for instance, the lack of fruit and nut dispenser and the almost redundant ‘keep warm’ setting — but it’s hard to tear yourself away from the 19 settings and high quality loaves that it can actually produce.

SKG Automatic Bread Maker 2lb: Tutorials

We love a good bread machine tutorial and so here are a couple of unusual recipes for the SKG bread maker:

Where to Buy the SKG Bread Maker

The SKG Automatic Bread Maker 2lb is a newly launched product and right now is only available on the official SKG website and, of course, Amazon.

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Have you tried the SKG Automatic Bread Maker 2lb yet?