Steve Pope wrote:
>
> Any idea what I should buy among currently available
> models?

Here's a classic essay on the general subject,
Jack Denver's reply to a newbie on alt.coffee:

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.c...e=source&hl=en

It doesn't recommend any current models, but
it tells you the basics toward understanding
what an espresso machine really is. There
is a great deal of misunderstanding on that
subject.

This is probably the all-time best essay
on the subject of buying your first espresso
machine ever posted to alt.coffee.