• Solis SL-90: Supposedly not a bad Swiss-made auto machine, and it’s got pressurized and non-pressurized filter baskets so newbs like us don’t suffer at the onset (but can theoretically ease into pulling a proper shot with a non-pressurized basket). Still, I hear it’s a generally mediocre machine — plus it doesn’t feature a 3-way solenoid valve.
• Breville 800ESXL: Cheap n’ pretty Aussie machine with high quality parts and a pressurized basket. Has to be modded to take non-pressurized baskets though, and even then generally seems to be thought of as a wolf in sheep’s clothing for budding coffee nerds. It’s a tempting buy, but it also doesn’t have a 3-way solenoid valve and I keep hearing “avoid!”
• Gaggia Classic: A very well respected machine, but supposedly prone to breaking down and no option for pressurized baskets. Bah.
• Rancilio Silvia: The most beloved consumer espresso machine and so, so pretty — but also difficult to master. I don’t necessarily trust us to get our tamps and grind just right, so my inclination is to go a little more user-friendly and sacrifice some of the sheer Rancilio awesomeness.

Your recommendations for a machine (hell, and grinder!) are much obliged. As you can tell, we’re looking at mid-range single-boiler consumer models.