OT: Espresso machines

I have owned a La Spaziale S1 for many years.  It is a simple, long lasting machine that has everything you need for home use.  Very durable. 
 

I also roast my own coffee.  Have you tried a French press?  With fresh roasted coffee you get the best flavors from the  coffee bean oils.  These oils evaporate within two weeks after the roast and best enjoyed through a French press.  How deep do you want to go down the coffee rabbit hole?  😂

I can second the DeLonghi espresso machine in the reasonably-priced category.  I also have one of their dehumdifiers that has lasted much longer than Chinese-made ones.

I use a La Pavoni burr grinder to grind espresso beans.  It's loud, but works well.

I have used several "prosumer" machines over the last 25 years, a Rancilio Miss Sylvia HX to a Quick Mill Andreja Premium HX to an Olympia Maximatic (HX) to a LaMarzocco Linea Micra. The most compact with the best performance was the Olympia, it fits nicely on the counter beneath a normal kitchen cabinet with room enough to reach the top of the machine. The LaMarzocco has a similar height but is wider, but it also is a dual boiler and is self-filling from a tank. I can endorse the Olympia both for compactness and build quality. I have had mine 13 years and they are extremely reliable and also easily serviced with simple tools.

Agree with@photomax:

The number one mistake I see folks new to espresso is the focus on the actual espresso machine. The real deliberated focus needs to be on the grinder. A few years ago home baristas upgraded to expensive grinders that were designed for coffee shops. Lately the focus is on high performance “single dose” grinders with specific grinder burrs designed for specific results. A really good grinder is like the “source first” concept in audio. I cannot stress this enough: I would rather have a top level grinder and a so-so machine than the other way around.
 

Something like a Bambino Plus with automatic frothing and a Niche Zero (excellent workflow) would be a good match. For single boiler and long-term reliability - Profitec Go would be a good consideration, especially if you’re only doing occasional milk drinks. 

I wanted to +1 those who recommended the Baratza grinders.  I have a bargain version and the company is excellent to deal with and replacement parts are very reasonable not to mention the outstanding documentation they have posted in the past for difficult upgrades.