There are several disadvantages of using a bread maker, including: 1. Upfront cost of the machine. 2. Homemade bread may go stale faster than store-bought bread. 3. Inability to make very large bread sizes. 4. Difficulty in making the perfect loaf of bread. 5. Fixed paddles that remain in the dough, which can affect the texture of the bread. 6. Slightly different results compared to handmade bread. 7. The machine can be bulky and noisy.