Let me start by saying this little stainless steel box has become my kitchen frenemy. The first time I used it, I naively tossed in all-purpose flour like a rookie—result? A sad, dense brick. Lesson learned: bread flour is non-negotiable.

The magic happens when you get it right. That moment when your cinnamon raisin bread finishes its 13-hour delayed bake at 7am? Heavenly aromas that beat any alarm clock. Though fair warning—the 'add-in' beep sounds like a construction drill and scared my cat off the counter twice.

Size-wise, it's perfect for small kitchens (I can finally stop playing Tetris with appliances). But here's the tea: that '2lb loaf' setting is pure fiction. Every attempt gave me a volcanic eruption of dough kissing the lid, leaving a crater-like hole straight out of a geology textbook. Stick to 1.5lb batches unless you enjoy bread sculptures.

Cleanup's mostly dreamy—the non-stick pan survives my dishwasher's 'destroy all food remnants' mode. Though sometimes dough plays hide-and-seek in the corners, requiring surgical-level scraping.

After three months of weekly use (and one panicked call to Cuisinart about a dented delivery), I've settled into a rhythm: 1lb whole wheat loaves on medium crust, occasional pizza dough nights, and accepting that this machine bakes better than my oven but won't replace artisanal bakeries. Worth it for the convenience, but keep your expectations... well-baked.