If I was going to recommend a solid machine that wasn't in the GS3 price range it would definitely be the Rocket R58. My father has ran one for the better part of the last decade and it hasn't missed a beat. It's a pretty machine with a more classic look and it performs just fine with dual boilers. I've used it often, whenever I visit and I do enjoy the feedback of running levers and knobs.
You surely get the point by now, but a quality grinder will do more for your cup than a machine. You need to spend on something that not only gives you the ability to dial a bean in, but also has tight enough tolerances to give you repeatability in the cup.
I wouldn't hesitate to spend 50-75% on a grinder of the amount that I did on a espresso machine.