If Joanna Gaines Says You Need A Bread Machine, Maybe You Need A Bread Machine

There was a time in the early '90s when it seemed like everyone's parents randomly owned a bread machine — that they pretty much never used. We'd all but forgotten about them, as trendy gadgets like the Instant Pot and high-tech blenders have taken over our kitchen routines. But it may be a new day for those miraculous appliances, as they just got the seal of approval of none other than Joanna Gaines.

"If you don’t have a bread machine, you should ask for one for Christmas," Gaines wrote on her Instagram Stories on Sunday. "The smell of fresh bread alone is worth it. #itshouldbeacandle.”

The former Fixer Upper host shared a photo of a risen loaf of bread in her machine, and we could almost smell it through our screen. Then, knowing exactly what our follow-up question would be, she posted a pic of the Breville BBM800XL Custom Loaf bread maker.

"For those of you asking, this is the machine I have," wrote the designer. "Had it for years and love it!"

Since she says she's had it for years, we can assume Gaines wasn't paid to endorse the product which People points out is available on Amazon for $250.

But before you choose to follow her advice, learn from the mistakes of your elders. You know, the ones who let those giant metal boxes take up space on the kitchen counter for years, silently reproaching them for never waking up the family with the smell of fresh-baked bread. You should know that while the machine does drastically reduce the number of steps it takes to make bread, you still have to work for it a little. Sometimes it's the planning involved in choosing recipes and buying ingredients that stops us from making things, not the prospect of having to knead dough and wait for it to rise.

The good news is that bread machines now do much more than the early versions — letting you also make things like pasta and jam. They're also a great way to make your own gluten-free options, because store-bought gluten-free bread can be so unsatisfactory. Also, you don't have to drop that TV host money for your own. Two of the top picks from the New York Times' Wirecutter reviews of breadmakers retail for less than $100.