Linea Micra

I have a Micra and it's far from my first machine. Shitty Krups > Shitty DeLonghi > Gaggia Classic > Silvia > Appartamento > Micra, over the course of about 20 years.

I had a ton of electrical issues with mine. It was constantly tripping the high temp sensors even after rewiring it. I was swapping out pressure stats like it was going out of style. The machine was a fight for a long time, but once I got it in good consistent working order I couldn’t get rid of it fast enough. My dad has an Appartamento that has been bulletproof. I had also always wanted a LM Machine based on the cafe heritage and the Micra came out shortly before bonus season for me so I took the plunge.

Micra hands down! If you change your mind or upgrade resale will still be great!

I think it’s a no brainer- White Micra / Allground Sense combo. Close to budget, both great quality and built to last. White Zerno Z1 if stuck on single dosing but I’d personally only have GBW as my main grinder.

Don't get a GS3 AV. It's a waste of money and will not give you any better espresso than a Mini or Micra.

Avoid 4 if you care about easy repairability. I personally don't like anything too high-tech. I own a Mini with the BBW scale, and even that annoys me since I have to use their app to modify the target weights. I agree with a lot of the comments about getting a lever machine - that's going to be my next upgrade after the Mini - but since you're not looking for lever machines, the Micra, Mini or ECM Sync II are all great options.

Buy what appeals to you. I went with the Decent because of what it offers me. I had an E61 dual boiler with flow control that I kitted out with a bluetooth pressure sensor and bluetooth scale so I could log all shot data on BeanConqueror. In the end I just wanted a machine that gave me all the data to learn. That said I would not buy another E61 machine. I just find heating around 2 liters of water every time I wanted to make coffee and having a large chunk of ground head metal that was acting like a heat sink constantly very wasteful. The Decent with its heat on demand thermoblocks just appeals to me more. Some love the E61 aesthetic and tactile workflow. I get the appeal of it. There is something about being more engaged in the process than pressing a button. But I find the other aspects of automation more appealing even though I understand the need for more engagement. If you can afford the Micra and mainly only make milk drinks go get it. It's iconic and there is something to be said about that.

I’m not sure how the sensor would fail how you’re describing, it’s not a specific component. If the minis and micra don’t detect water it’s almost always an issue with a poor wire crimp on the plug or more likely home customers putting in distilled water “cause it’s cheaper” On commercial machines the level sensor probe (and temperature probes for that matter) just get scaled up or corrode out in this part of the world. Unsure what it’s like in your part of the world.