I have a Jura Capresso model that is not made now. In fact, we had one and bought another so DH has one at his office now. I think we bought the first one 7 or 8 years ago (?) and he second one about 3 years ago. The older one was sent in once for service after we got the second one for a super cleaning and make wonderful. Other than cleaning and replacing the filter regularly (and it tells you what to do and when), that's it. Just add water and beans. We use it daily and it gets a workout anytime we have people over -- the family and friends toy. ;-) If you get one, you can get the water filters on Amazon in a buy 3 get 4 special from time to time and I bought the cleaning tablets in a small jar there for much cheaper than the bubble card packaging I had been buying. There is a milk container available, but I just pour half a mug of milk, steam it and then add coffee. DH drinks espresso, so we don't really need it. There are two settings on the frother -- one you control when it shuts off and one that is measured and you can change the setting. We bought both of our refurbished from Whole Latte Love and Aabree (one each -- they are now under common ownership, I understand). We had a hard time with the initial purchase price, but they have paid for themselves over and over -- not that I would buy coffee out daily and sometimes several times daily, but if I did..... We bought the second one also refurbished because I especially liked the height of the adjustable brew head that allows me to steam my milk in a tall mug. The newer models at the time either didn't adjust at all or not as much. I could have justified spending more then, but what I wanted wasn't new any more. I've heard good things about Saeco and Gaggia too. We looked at them when we had the semiautomatic before these.

If you want to save some dollars on a first machine, consider a refurbished one. Take a look at the ones on Whole Latte Love or Abbree Coffee. I understand they are under common ownership now -- I've bought from both of them and both of our espresso machines (DH took one to the office) were bought refurbished. I have no hesitation recommending them for retail, best price or helpful service. When we bought ours, Gaggia was one of the brands they were recommending. I can't remember the reason (might have been the adjustable brewing head that let DH brew into an espresso cup and me into a tall mug), but we went with Jura-Capresso. You would probably be happy with either brand, but do check out the refurbished ones. Here is a link that might be useful: Refurbished Models

I'll throw in one more option for your consideration: a manual (aka lever) espresso machine. These come in two types: spring-loaded, where you use a lever to cock a spring and then let the spring do the work, or fully manual, where you use the lever itself to create the water pressure. My Gaggia Factory machine is the latter type, as is the La Pavoni Europiccola. Examples of spring-loaded machines include the Elektra Microcasa a Leva, and the Ponte Vecchio Export and Lusso machines. First the downsides: (1) learning curve. You will spend longer learning to use the machine than you will with an electric pump. (2) Dinner party suitability. With my Gaggia Factory, I can only pull 3-4 shots in a row before the machine needs to be shut down and allowed to cool off. For dinner parties I make a pot of French Press. (The newer -- but more expensive -- Gaggia Achille model avoids this problem). (3) Consistency. With a fully manual model, your arm will not be able to achieve the consistency of an electric pump. As a result, you will probably always see some minor variability in the result. This can be either a source of interest or annoyance depending on your perspective. Now the upsides. (1) size. The pump driven machines discussed above are 10-17 inches wide and can weight 30-80 lbs. As a a general rule, the machines get larger and heavier as you move from low end to high end. In a cafe or large kitchen that may not be an issue, but in a smaller kitchen you may want to give up that much counter space. By contrast, my Gaggia Factory lever machine is 7 inches wide at the base and weights about 10 lbs. I keep mine on the counter but it could easily be slid into an appliance garage or even moved into a cabinet when not in use. (2) heating time. Despite manufacturers claims of fast heating, all of the better pump driven machines take at least 30-60 minutes to fully heat up to a stable temperature. As a result, most people either leave them on 24x7, or put them on timers so they're heated when they wake up. By contrast, my Gaggia Factory lever machine is ready to go from a cold start in less than 10 minutes. (3) steaming wait time. Unless you spend $1000 or more on a heat-exchange or dual-boiler machine, you'll have to wait several minutes between pulling a shot and steaming milk. Lever machines let you steam immediately after pulling the shot. (4) complexity. A pump machine is a complex machine, and requires a cleaning and maintenance regime to keep it in working order. A lever machine has far fewer parts, and the maintenance is much simpler. With minimal care, these machines can last many decades. (5) cost. Pump machines start as low as $200 but prices rise quickly as quality improves. The pro-style machines (heat-exchange, E-61 group) start at over $1000. Lever machines range in price from about $600 to $1200, though used machines at much lower prices frequently turn up on ebay or craigslist (I paid $200 for mine). Right now, wholelattelove is currently selling the Factory for just over $400 until they run out (it is a discontinued model but most spare parts are interchangeable with the La Pavoni Europiccola which is still in production). Compare this to the Rancilio Silvia pump machine at $600 which takes up more room, takes longer to heat up, and makes you wait before it's ready to steam. Lever machines are not for everyone, but depending on your needs and priorities, they may be worth considering. If you want to learn more, there are forums dedicated to lever machines at both home-barista.com and coffeegeek.com.

I have a Dacor plumbed coffee system and it is wonderful. I think it is more attractive than the Miele or Fagor, and it has an automatic milk frother. You simply place a quart container of milk into the slide out compartment on the left insert the milk hose, and when you press the latte button you get frothed milk with your espress--no need to stand there holding a cup under a frothing stick. It also makes wonderful chocolate milk for the kids. In addition, it has a slide out compartment on the right that keeps cups warm and an instant hot water dispenser. They have a wonderful self-cleaning filtration system that comes with the unit also (or you can buy it without it). Lastly, it has an adjustable dispenser that fits taller cups and some mugs.They cost around $3500, but I see them on ebay frequently for under $2000. THe plumbed model I have is CM24P-1 with filtration & flushing system. Here is a link that might be useful: CM24P-1