I would try it once.... fuck no! I bought ze wifey a bread maker... I was tired of her rotis and parathas.
Seriously, we use the bread maker ($50) every weekend. Cinnamon raisin bread, various nut breads, pizza dough, all excellent without any preservatives/additives used in commercial breads.
How well is the bread? I've tried baking bread a few times and it hasn't turned out. I can get a bread maker from my cousin (never uses it) and would prefer making my own over buying bread for toast.
We use King Arthur bread and whole wheat flours. Add ground up flax seed, which acts as an egg substitute and makes the bread nice a spongy, but not cakey. My wife uses web recipes, then tweaks by reducing the sugar/honey and adding soaked raisins or cranberries.
The breads are amazing. A third to half of the bread is given to my parents and grandma loves it. It will stay out for a couple of days, then wrap it in cling film and then a ZipLoc bag in the refrigerator. Take it out, slice. Toast or make paninis. Made breads with sunflower seeds, pumpking seeds, chopped walnuts, sliced almonds. Similar 1.5-2 lb loaves go for $4+ at the Publix supermarket bakery. More at Whole Foods or Fresh Market high-end supermarkets.
My friend, who recommended the bread maker, said his wife doesn't like the squarish loaves, so she lets the machine mix and do the 2 rises, then takes out the dough, reshapes into a loaf pan, and uses the oven to get the loaf bread shape for sandwiches.
We now eat less bread but no stabilizers/additives in it. I've used 2 week old bread from the fridge for french toast and it was amazing. Fuck the same old store bought shitty bread. I'm a convert!