Thanks Raymond - thats quite a bit cheaper than buying Nespresso capsules - especially as there doesn't appear to be any 3rd party options at this point for the new "Vertuo" Capsules.
Are there any reccomended "Starter" Machines - I'm probably looking at spending up to £400
Full bean to cup?
Personally, I am not a fan of them because for me, coffee is like a little hobby so I like to control the little aspects of it so a Bean to Cup isn't my thing since I can't control anything in between. So I can only go by the recommendations from others. Like I said in my calculation with 18g per shot, I actually use 15g per shot, both to lower my personal caffeine intake and also that 20% saved in beans brings the cost down quite a bit. The only thing I needed to do is get a basket suited for 15g and pour shots for that weight. Everything still tastes great and I save money in the process.
James Hoffmann recently made a video comparing a few, He like the DeLonghi on the lower end, and I would trust him and that would be the one I go with.
Machines like the Sage BE is not really a bean to cup, it's more an expresso machine and grinder in the same shell but you still have to do all the work. If you are doing that, then you need to look into similar aspects in espresso making, such as baskets, tamping, retention, etc.
I am still very happy with the Gaggia and Niche combo. Another YouTuber compared the Gaggia with something 10x the cost and he picked the Gaggia after some simple mods like changing out the basket and the spring inside, both using the same Niche Grinder.
p.s. a Gaggia/Niche combo will set you back about £900.