Pavoni - Esperto Edotto (LPLESE01EU)

I love my LPE and after figuring it out it makes the best espresso I’ve ever had. If OP is looking to branch out a lever is a LOT of fun!

Go pavoni! mine is even older.

This is probably the best value for money setup you'll find for a machine and an electric grinder. I've got the CF64V (different model from the same company). A hand grinder such as 1zpresso will save a fair bit of money for excellent quality, but it depends on if you want to go to the extra effort. In the same way, a manual lever espresso machine will get you better espresso, but definitely a steeper learning curve. I went straight in for this with a second hand la pavoni from eBay, and got a service kit for it (not a difficult job to do). With a few upgrades, I'd say it's the best value machine with end game potential for most people, but definitely harder to master.

It really depends on what you're looking for, but for me personally, I can't see better value than my pre-mil La Pavoni. It doesn't bother me, but a lever machine, and figuring out temperature management might be too much hassle for some, so the "returns" on spending more for a more automatic machine might be better. For the grinder, I've just bought a CF64V which again hits that mark for me. It's one of the cheapest options for 64mm flat burrs, vertically oriented, with an ionizer. (and variable speed, if that matters to you). My old 1zpresso K-Max is still my filter grinder, and capable for espresso, but the CF is definitely an improvement for dialling in and ease of use. I did have to tighten up a few screws on it though (the adjustment knob was slipping for example) so if you want something that will just be perfect with no effort, it might be worth your while to spend a little more. Also the looks are somewhat... "subjective", but it looks fine where I have it.

Who are these guests? A traditional La Pavoni/Lever could be part of the Italian experience.

La pavoni. Mine was built in 1994

Rocket is where I will go, if I upgrade. My La Pavoni lever is unlikely to need a full replacement though.

Yes. Coming from a lever lover. The robot is fantastic, as is the flair pro, also love la pavoni in case I have someone else who wants milk.

Levers give you everything you want in a fancy high end machine like blooming shots, pressure control/water debit, temp control... etc. Downside is that unless you get a spring lever, most fully manual levers don't have boilers so no steaming without a separate device/machine. I love my flairs, my pico, but my La Pavoni really is nice, it's convenient to have the steam with it to make caps/lattes

You just need a second machine ;) I have a La Pavoni which heats up in about 7 minutes I use if I want an unexpected espresso late afternoon.

la pavoni. best machine ever. never once wanted to upgrade. 

i think you're insane (respectfully) la pavoni is way better than my robot

The Flair workflow is a pain, especially when making multiple drinks. I have one and a La Pavoni and the Flair only gets travel use. (Edit: Didn’t realize the 58 has a more “normal” workflow than the classic Flair). I bought my mom a Bambino Plus + Sette 5 years ago and she absolutely loves the setup. The machine hits a real sweet spot as a step up from a Nespresso, as the instant heat is EXTREMELY practical for exactly your use case (early morning pre-coffee caffeination), to the point where I’m shocked that nobody has really nailed that in the “step-up” machines. There are better grinder options today, and you have some choices with the machine (you can find a second-hand La Pavoni around that price range, or any of the options you listed). If I were to swap pieces of my setup for my mom’s, I’m fully confident I’d get a similar (or perhaps better) shot out of her machine with my grinder, but the gap between her Sette and my Mignon XL is serious (though the price sweet spot may be somewhere in the middle).