They're all the same ... at that point in the market, the only real differences are buttons, knobs, body shape. They all use the same thermoblock, grouphead, portafilter and pressurised baskets. They're ok as beginner machines - there's not much to them, but they need lots of TLC to keep producing drinkable espresso. That, and they tend to brew really cool, so the drinkable espresso is comparetively sour. Try eating a lemon, and you're close. That said, once you nail milk frothing and getting super-shiny microfoam, they make very nice cappas/lattes/flat whites. The sour espresso combined with sweet silky milk makes a really nice milk drink! The em6900 looks nice ... enough said elsewhere about that machine though.