Bread makers can definitely be a good idea. But you have to be dedicated to it!

We got a breadmaker once and I used the bread for sandwiches at work - my boss confidently predicted that:

• I'd have about a fortnight of nice bread from the new bread maker, followed by
  

• a fortnight of bread with loads of disgusting seeds and flavours in it, followed by
  

• 48 weeks of Hovis