We have a minicimbali machine and hardly ever use it, becomes too much of a PITA. Get yaself a Saeco Royal professional, bit of a step up from your current machine, twin boilers. If you keep an eye out you can get one around $500 on ebay then spend $100 getting it serviced.

One of the problems with the automated machines is it's easy to get lazy and not perfect the size of the grind, water temp and the tamp pressure etc.