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@mooks
Coming to this one a bit late I know, but I've just had an americano and a double espresso so am tweaking ever so slightly...
As far as I'm aware, you can't get crema using a stovetop. You can get the right temperature but you don't get the same pressure as you would using a proper espresso maker. I think Bialetti make a stovetop with a noggin on the spout, which actually will give crema (it builds up the pressure and then 'fwoosh' it all comes out in a bit of a dramatic explosion - see link YouTube - Bialetti Brikka Espresso
) but it isn't quite the same.
I managed to get a Gaggia Cubika on eBay a few weeks ago for £35 and it's made a real difference - consistent crema, better flavour and the frother works well. It's a bit of a faff, and there's a lot of 'science' involved, but you get much better results than the stovetop.
I did have a look at the Pavoni a few months ago, but that's a terrifying contraption - far too much to go wrong and I have visions of blowing up my kitchen in an explosion of coffee, water and metal shrapnel...