We really enjoyed the coffee in Italy and are now considering buying a home machine. Does any one have wisdom regarding the various models out there? We cant buy a very expensive model but are seeking a low price or moderate price machine.
Thanks

Check out:
www.coffeegeek.com

and especially:
http://www.coffeegeek.com/guides/how...spressomachine

A wonderful resource for selecting espresso machines (and coffee) is www.singleservecoffee.com

If you're looking for an inexpensive model, have a look at the Senseo! We got "hooked" on European coffee on our first trip (Switzerland) and have owned several expensive espresso machines over the years. We don't really care about steamed milk (just use 1/2 & 1/2), and found the steamers more trouble than they're worth. The Senseo makes a cup with nice creama (though some refer to it as "faux creama", but we think it's just fine). We prefer the Maxwell House pods, but I think they've been discontinued. There are many brands of coffee pods that work in this machine.

We seriously considered a Nespresso (loved the one in the apartment in Paris), but the coffee is expensive and we like the Senseo just fine.

We have the Unico Splendor - it's a commercial quality machine and makes the best expressos etc. Just today we had friend who is a barista over. He said it the best machine he has ever used in a home.
Not cheap but we had three disappointing machines before. Only buy from a specialist - never a department store. Ours was calibrated by the distributor befroe we brought it home.

http://tinyurl.com/22pbff

I highly recommend the Bialetti espresso pot sold in Bed,Bath&Beyond and made in Italy. We had a capuccino machine and found it to be too much work to clean up,even if you only made espreesso. The Bialetti is a stove-top pot and cost less than $50.00,is easy to clean up,and makes perfect espresso every time. Be sure to use an expresso
coffee ground such as Cafe'Bustelo or Cafe'Pilon.

Remember that it's the coffee beans you choose that make good espresso, not just the machine.

I have a Gaggia Classic, grind my own beans, and buy them as fresh as possible. You don't have to spend a fortune to make good espresso. Even inexpensive stove top espresso makers like those in http://tinyurl.com/2bza2r will make a good cup.

Part of the fun is trying different beans, just as a wine buff would sample different vintages.

Genie, we cross-posted. Great minds think alike!

I would agree completely with Genie
http://www.bialetti.com/
Bialetti is just one maker but they are the simplest, easiest to use type to begin with - admittedly no capuccino function.
I found one that was electric if you are so inclined (great for work).

http://www.slate.com/id/2110848/

The Senseo isn't an espresso machine, and you are reliant on coffee pads. To my taste they make a rather weak cup of coffee, but then I'm an esspresso fan.
Choose a machine that allows you to use coffee not pads or pods - they get very expensive per serving and you are limited in the coffees you can try. I grind my own beans which I buy from a local roaster. Some machines have a grinder built in, mine a cheap DeLonghi one doesn't, so I have a seperate grinder. I'm saving up for a better machine.
My son was given (!) a really funky Francis Francis X1 machine - just because his name is Francis.