Apparently the answer to "Do we really need ANOTHER coffee maker".. is this:
The DeLonghi EC155 espresso maker was < $100, it has a 15 bar pump, a thermoblock heater and is ready to make the first morning espresso in ~ 3 minutes.
Takes about a minute or less for the next pour

Its pretty easy to make a great doubleshot with a thick layer of crema
I've been using LaVazza Crema de Gusto preground espresso