Quote Originally Posted by WayneJ View Post
Gaggia Classic
I grew up in a house with a La Pavoni, but my wife and I are not espresso freaks. We have a Gaggia Classic, and aside from needing to be torn down to bare bones in the first two months of ownership, it's excellent. (Honestly, it's far more predictable and tolerant than any La Pavoni I've ever used...)

We also have a decent Breville conical burr grinder, but I think we could have done better on that front. There's definitely some truth to the idea that one needs to spend a fair sum on the the grinder, especially if one spends a fair sum on the machine itself.