what are the top rated espresso machines

I love espresso, and could not live without my machine.  there are three espresso machines that are rated the best according to consumer reports.  The Rancillo is rated the best, and for good reason.  Rancilio Silvia gets high marks for its espresso taste, features, ease of use and build quality.  The Nespresso works like any other high-quality pump-driven home espresso maker. And in a close third the Lello 1375 Ariete has many of the features you'd expect on a pricier machine. 

We use Lavazza Blue at work and it is the best. I cannot rave about it enough. All the coffee comes in pods and they are really fresh. The give you pods for cream, but you can also use fresh milk to make the espresso coffee. (we tried Lavazza and Flavia before we decided on Lavazza. Flavia has a lot more choices of flavors, but if you are a serious coffee drinker/espresso drinker, Lavazza beats Flavia hands down). Regarding pricing, if you contact Flavia, you can get the machine for free as long as you spend $150/month on the pods. It is a very good deal for work.