Congratulations on graduating! I’d be happy to make some suggestions, and I’ll try to provide a little bit of the reasoning behind them so you can see if they match your/your girlfriend’s use case. I’m also going to make mostly entry level recommendations, but feel free to let me know if you’re looking for something more involved.
Filter CoffeeAs far as just the black filter coffee for you, I don’t think you’re going to get a better result from a machine than you would from a very basic pour over setup. You do not need a gooseneck kettle for these brewers, but they will really improve the experience. My personal favorite is the Hario V60, but it does have a bit of a learning curve as opposed to flat-bottom brewers like the Kalita Wave, Fellow Stagg [X] Dripper, or Blue Bottle Dripper. I would pick a conical (V60 or otherwise) if you wanted more clarity and complexity from your brews (greater separation of flavors in the coffee) and a flat-bottom brewer if you want a more rounded flavor and more consistency. These distinctions will only really matter if you start to get deeper into the rabbit hole, but it’s worth mentioning now. If you’re looking to splurge for a more aesthetic brewer, the Chemex is gorgeous, but also takes up a lot more space than the other brewers, which I like for their more compact size and ability to store them in a drawer. A slightly cheaper option that has a similar profile to the Chemex but a bit cheaper would be the Hario V60 Drip Coffee Decanter.
You could also consider getting something like the Hario Switch or Clever Dripper if you’re looking for something a bit easier. The big benefit of this route is that they’re extremely compatible with the standard kettles found in most homes. They’re like an in between of a pour over and a french press, and you could actually just use them as pour over brewers if you leave their draining mechanism open. It being an immersion brew makes it much more forgiving for good results, and also won’t be as dependent on a grinder. The Hario Switch uses V60 filters, which are relatively easy to find at coffee shops. The Clever Dripper uses the even more common Melitta #4 style filters, which you should be able to find in practically any grocery store. You really can’t go wrong with either one in my opinion, but I’m biased towards the V60 since I enjoy conical brewers so much.
Of course, you could always go for a for a french press, if you enjoy the thicker mouthfeel that this style of brew provides by virtue of not filtering quite so much out. However, I think the lack of a filter makes it a bit more troublesome to clean up, especially since coffee isn’t really ideal for the drain. I like being able to scoop out a filter and dump it into the compost for the garden.
Espresso MachinesSage/Breville Bambino Plus - $500/£400/530€ at time of commentingThis is probably the most easy recommendation that I could make for someone who is looking to just dip their toes into espresso. Sage/Breville did a lot right with this machine, and it’s actually the machine I got for my mother. It comes with both single and double walled baskets, so you can use them with pre-ground coffee if you do not have a grinder suitable for espresso. It’s got a decent amount of space between the drip tray and the group head, so you can fit even taller mugs down there. The steam wand is remarkable at the price point that it’s at, and the automatic milk steaming does a pretty decent job if you decide that you don’t want to learn to steam milk. You can control the temperature level and the amount of air introduced to the milk, so your gf can pick between cappuccinos, lattes, and flat whites depending on her mood. The boiler does some magic when it comes to warming up, which is great for mornings where you’re in a rush.
If I had to identify some shortcomings of the Bambino Plus, it’s gotta be the drip tray. It’s a really small drip tray, so you’ll be cleaning it out often. Further, the 53mm portafilter can feel a bit restrictive, even if it’s a great space saving measure for the countertop, it means you will not be able to fit as much into the basket. The manual shot mode does feel a bit tacked on, but it’s understandable for a beginner machine, and I don’t think you’d use it too much. I also would not recommend this machine if you plan on making a lot of drinks back to back. A shortcoming of the extremely quick boiler is that you’re probably putting a decent amount of strain on the part if you’re consistently making 5-6 drinks before giving it a bit of a break. I haven’t had the chance to open up my mother’s and take a look inside, so I also can’t speak to its repairability. It shouldn’t be too much of an issue though, as Sage/Breville is pretty good about out of warranty repairs in my own experience, so long as you’re willing to pay. Further, my mom has had it going on two years without any issues whatsoever.
This is unequivocally the choice that I would make for a total beginner to espresso who wants to feel a bit like a barista as well as have some room for growth as they improve. You can opt for the cheaper Bambino without sacrificing much at all, mostly just the automatic steaming capabilities, but I think that learning to texture milk does take a bit of work. However, if your gf is fine with dedicating some time to learning to steam milk, opting for the regular Bambino as opposed to the Bambino Plus is a good way to save some money as well.
*Gaggia Classic Pro - $500/£430-500/€479 New (Prices will vary if you can find a used one)*This is the machine that I would recommend if you either don’t mind or think that you would like tinkering around with an espresso machine. One big perk of these machines is that they really are completely user serviceable, so you can find a fixer upper on secondhand sites or thrift stores and completely restore it. You can pretty consistently find these machines in working condition for 100-200 $/£/€ online. There’s a dedicated Gaggia community with plenty of guides for every repair that you could possibly make. The interior of the Gaggia even has room for upgrades if you feel up to it, and the community is constantly developing mods to improve the capability of this entry level device. The Gaggia was my first espresso machine, and I was the third owner of a decade old machine when I got my hands on it. I had it for two years before upgrading, and handed it down to my cousin who is still using it to this day. I think that if it weren’t for the Gaggia, I would not have the bravery to tinker with machines like I do now. I’m by no means trained in any sort of mechanical or electrical field, and I was able to use the guides to figure out how to rewire, repair, and modify my Gaggia. It gave me a great understanding and appreciation for the inner workings of an espresso machine, and I’m extremely grateful for the experience. Like the Bambino, it comes with single and double-walled baskets.
However, this machine is definitely not without its shortcomings, and since I’m intimately familiar with them, it might sound like I’m being a bit harsh on the Gaggia. I wouldn’t say that this machine isn’t beginner friendly, but you will not get as good a result as you would from the Bambino right out of the box (unless you’re much more of a natural than I am). It only has a manual shot mode, so you’ll have to stop the shot on your own after determining that the size is right. This isn’t an issue if you have a scale to weigh your shots or if you’re good at judging volume if that’s how you choose to do it, but the use of a scale makes another issue apparent. The drip tray is very spacious, which is lovely, but that comes at the cost of being able to fit taller diner style mugs under the group head. I know that you can buy aftermarket drip trays that give more room for mugs, and some people have designed their own, so this issue can be dealt with. If you get an older secondhand Gaggia, I would go so far as to say that the older panarello-style steam wand is unusable. It’s a mere $10 to replace it with a Rancilio Silvia v2 style steam wand, but it’s worth noting that it’s something you may end up needing to do. The steam wand is also not as powerful as the Sage/Breville Bambino’s steam wand. It is capable of steaming milk to a nice glossy texture, but it’s definitely more challenging than premium machines. The included tamp is also nearly unusable. The shape is awkward and the weight makes it even worse to use. I would recommend getting almost any other 58mm tamp for it.
If you do choose to get a Gaggia, there is a clear separation between older models and newer models (I believe “new” means anything past 2018). Gaggia released a revamped version of the Gaggia Classic Pro, with more options for color and an improved steam wand. However, this came at the cost of a change in how the OPV springs work. If you wanted to change the pressure of the newer Gaggia classics, you would have to purchase springs online to replace them. When I modified my pressure, I simply used a hex tool after opening it up. I would happily get a Gaggia again, but that’s because I really value the repairability, and I know parts are available for me to do my own repairs
Final ThoughtsI’m brushing up on the character limit, so I’ll try to round off my comment cleanly, but feel free to ask any further questions or request clarification/elaboration. I personally would not buy a superautomatic machine unless I had a very large budget. Cheaper espresso machines with built in grinders that promise to do it all are generally not very capable. They do not actually reach 15 bars of pressure (which is way too much anyways) and they will not texture milk nicely or grind coffee well. If you want milk drinks on a budget (relatively speaking), look into the semiautos I recommended or others. If those are too expensive, please let me know and I can try to think of suitable alternatives :)