Bread machines are fine if you just want to make one loaf of bread, or if you are pressed for time and want to use the delay feature so you have bread when you get home from work. NOTE: Bread recipes using eggs or fresh milk (aka enriched) cannot be made with the delayed feature. The ingredients will spoil before the bread is made.
I had a machine but took it back because I didn't like the way it baked the bread. I make a lot of free-form loaves (Italian, pumpernickle, rye, challah, Easter bread, etc) and the machine only makes one style of bread. Also, most of my recipes make two loaves, and the machine only makes one every 3 hours or so.
You lose your flexibility with a machine, and you MUST be precise with your ingredients or your bread will not come out as expected. Some people with arthritis and other muscular/skeletal disabilities will use a bread machine to mix and knead their dough, and then bake the bread in loaf pans or shape free-form loaves. They do have their place in the kitchen for many people. Personally, I like my KitchenAid mixer.