I got my first bread machine second-hand on eBay, for a fraction of the price of a new one. When that gave up the ghost I found a replacement machine even cheaper in a charity shop. It’s the sort of thing people buy or are given, and it ends up shoved in a cupboard. They are sold on cheaply, often hardly used.

I make a simple wholemeal loaf every week: bread flour, yeast, a little fat (oil or butter), a little salt. I leave it to bake overnight and wake to a wonderful smell. It’s better bread than supermarket stuff and works out cheaper, even using premium flours. I’m too lazy to go through all the kneading, proving etc; having a machine do it for me is perfect.