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Are you set on espresso? I don't think you'll find a machine out there that you can get a decent espresso from without a fair amount of trail and error (even once you get it, maintaining it is almost as much faff if you're only making 1 or 2 a day).
I'm not sure what their build quality is like these days, but I had a Gaggia Classic around 10 years ago which would be my recommendation for a first machine.
If ease of use is a priority, I'd be strongly considering filter (v60/Aeropress) instead.
What espresso makers do people use? New to this so want something easy to use, small footprint. Don't need anything fancy at this stage.