A good tip for bread machines is that a lot of people buy them but then don’t like them, so you can get good secondhand ones cheaply. I love my bread machine - it was about £120 new, but I got it in a charity shop for £10.
The difference between my Zojirushi and the Black and Decker we had prior is indescribable.
My home made bread suddenly wasn't dry from the middle down and would last without losing freshness for a whole day extra. With the same ingredients.
It's absolutely worth it to buy a quality bread maker.