Dubbed the "Just For Dinner Bread Maker", the West Bend 41077 makes an excellent, if smallish, loaf for parties of 2 or 4.

This inexpensive little machine is perfect for folks living alone and have occasional company. It produces a loaf of bread in record time, just 45 minutes. This, of course, requires fast rising yeast, which can be a bit more expensive than regular yeast.

The fact is that the "Just for Dinner Bread Maker" does exactly what it says it will do and does it well. But this also means that it is not as diverse as most other models. Although you can cook a variety of breads, you do not have options such as determining crust color or making quick breads or jams, etc.

The loaf is oval, which is attractive, but it is on the small side, measuring about 3 1/2 by 5 1/2 and about 4 to 5 inches tall. There is no manual cycle and unfortunately no delay timer, so you can't wake in the morning to piping hot bread.

The manual is thorough and packed with excellent recipes. Because of the few options the control panel is intuitively easy to use. The pan is easy to clean, but there have been some complaints about the single paddle getting stuck in the bread, although we did not experience this problem ourselves.

This is an excellent machine for those looking for small loaves, "just for dinner". If you are looking for flexibility and bigger loaves, try a bigger bread machine. The West Bend 41077 is affordably priced at under $50.00. It can be purchased through Amazon.com.