First of all, I totally agree, it's the best machine as far as I'm concerned. I've had numerous others and two of these and will never buy another brand. I have the best luck with it and it does so much more than bread. First of all make sure you are layering the ingredients in the pan in the order of the book. Wet first, then all dry with yeast on top. Make sure your yeast is good. You can always proof your yeast before putting it in the machine just in case your temp isn't right for that part of the process. This machine heats up the liquid to the right temp for the yeast. King Arther web site has lots of tips and recipes for this machine. I hope it gets better. Also try using the Better for Bread Flour or King Arthur's flour, it has the right amount of gluten in it to make it better.