I'd suggest you take a look at an auto machine.. in that way, you can use whatever beans you want.

The pods work out to costing you $60 a kg when you determine how many coffee's you'd get out of a kg of beans in an auto machine.

Nespresso coffee's arent bad though, but I personally prefer the choice.

Manual machine is always better. That GEE machine isn't bad, but you will need a grinder.. and although the GEE has an electronic temp controller, it has a stainless boiler and runs a thermoblock for steam. Sunbeam Cafe Series would do the same thing and is $250 less, and generally you can get a free grinder via redemption (especially if you wait til Christmas sales).

Also, you can spend just that bit more and get something with a heat exchanger for steaming, rather than a thermoblock, and a brass boiler.