dirtyharriet, the trick is to put the ingredients in the pan in the correct order and in precisely the right quantities.
With my breadmaker it is yeast, flour, salt/sugar/oil, water. I use oil instead of butter because it's easier to measure out. I use digital scales for the flour because they're dead easy. You have to use the right kind of flour, of course.
My basic recipe is one-and-a-quarter measures of quick-action yeast, 400g brown flour, 100g white flour, 1 measure of salt, 2 measures of sugar, 25ml of maize oil and 320ml water. I sling them in in that order and press a couple of buttons. 4 hours later the cooking sequence starts and a beautiful fresh bread spell starts to waft around the kitchen. Another hour and the bleeper goes - tip out the bread and it's difficult to stop yourself cutting a slice!
The machine has a timer so you can put everything in at night and wake up to the smell of fresly-baked bread.
I can get all the ingredients together, put them in and programme the breadmaker in less than 5 minutes. How easy is that?