Bread machines?

I have never used a bread machine but I understand they make a decent loaf of bread. The whole tactile experience is what I find most appealing about making bread by hand. It does require a time committment though and if you just want to enjoy a fresh baked loaf at the end of a long day at work, I suppose a bread machine will let you do that.

I cannot recommend a particular model but I would suggest getting one that will give you the option of stopping the process before the loaf bakes. Por que? Because, if you ever get the urge to be creative, you can take the proofed dough out of the machine and shape it to something other than the square loaf you get out of the tin - like a ciabatta or baguette for example.

Jock

Dorothy81 if you can do the bread by hand I would.I have one and their a pain to deal with. Of course you may like yours if you get it. I just do not prefer them. Good Luck....

Yeah, they work as advertised Dorothy, I use one from time to time here to make bread, even though there's the World's Greatest French Boulangerie (TM) just round the corner.
You have to follow the recipes pretty carefully, in particular the order in which you put in the ingredients - normally, wet stuff plus salt, then the flour, then the yeast. If you're doing it for the next morning make a little well on top of the flour and put the yeast in there - the idea is to keep it well away from the salt, which will kill it and stop it working.
I use it to make pizza dough sometimes, and also for making small quantities (half a kilo/one pound of fruit) of jam at a time, which it does very well.

Yeah I guess they are ok if you like them or can use them.I guess in your case it might be better for you. Sounds that way anyway. Good Luck...