I used to think that the ristretto would be a good machine ... until I bought one. Maybe it was that it was floor stock, but it really sucked - it leaked a lot while I was pulling a shot of espresso (using the same amount of coffee, grind, distribution and tamp), and the steam was more like a massive gush of super-heated water. Needless to say, I've moved on to sunnier fields ;D Maybe if you can find a gaggia carrezza, they sound like they doa good job, but may cost $100 more... But for the grinders - I used a solis 166 (a cheaper model, rebadged by delonghi) for 18 months, and it did a good job ... for 18 months. A rocky seems more durable, and would most definately give out a better quality of grinds. That said, I've heard lots of good things about the Solis Maestro Plus.
