Thank you guys, this is very helpful.
We are planning to make bread quite often, and it will have to be gluten-free (my gf just found out to be celiac); a bread making machine will bring some time saving, less clutter in the kitchen, less chances of gluten-contamination. So, while we are already making bread in the oven every now and then, a machine still seems to me a good thing to have.

I'll look into Panasonic, then! Thanks again.