After years of store-bought bread, this machine turned me into a home baker overnight. That first whiff of freshly baked whole-wheat bread at 6 AM (thanks to the delay timer) was life-changing.

The 'French bread' setting gives my baguettes that perfect crackly crust I could never achieve manually. Pro tip: Use the viewing window to watch the dough rise like a science experiment - it's weirdly satisfying.

I never expected to use the jam function until my strawberry surplus emergency. Two hours later? Heavenly homemade jam with zero scorching (looking at you, stovetop method). The non-stick pan makes cleanup shockingly easy - just wipe and go.

The AC motor is quieter than my coffee grinder but powerful enough to handle my experimental rye-whole wheat hybrid dough. That wavy kneading blade really does mimic hand-kneading - my sourdough has never been this airy.

Minor gripe: I wish the LCD showed which knead/rise cycle it's on for those recipes requiring mid-process additions. But at this price point with 22 functions? Still feels like I robbed the appliance store.

Currently obsessed with the 1LB gluten-free cake setting - perfect single-layer cakes every time. Next mission: conquering udon noodles because why not?