Good homemade sourdough bread should stay fresh for 2 or 3 weeks without any problem. I had sourdough loafs that were still good after 4 weeks. Pumpernickel can last for several months.
The main problem with baking machines is the way they heat the doe. The slow heating to baking temperature allows a lot of the liquid to evaporate. Baking in a preheated oven quickly creates a crust that seals the moisture in the loaf. The machines also do not let the doe rise long enough. I think that most of the machine fail to knead long enough. That does not allow the glue proteins to develop a proper structure in the bread. These are details but in the end youŽll taste the difference.
_________________________
If it isnŽt broken, it doesnŽt have enough features yet.