Depends on how you like your coffee.
If you like brew coffee, a thermometer and a French press is sufficient.
If you like lattes, espressos, and cappuccinos, those stronger flavour coffee. You will still need an espresso machine.
Of course, you don't need to spend on the most expensive brand to get a good shot. If you are drinking lattes, it's 70% milk. It's basically a milk drink.
You won't taste the delicate aromas from those speciality premium Arabica coffee, but can taste the bitter stings from the Robustas. So in some way, even cheap coffee can have an important role. In Italy, many serve cappuccinos with 70-80% robusta. Americans call them cutting cost, actual fact, not really. I've worked in both styles of cafes before, and i think a lot of Asian people prefer the robusta loaded lattes.You won't have coffee in light roast for a latte either.
10 years ago, i would had recommended the Single boilers.(Single boilers that froth and brew from real copper boiler, not from thermoblocs). Now heat exchangers are a lot more affordable and a lot more advance than before.
If you are a regular coffee drinker, i think it's still better to get a heat exchanger than the cheapest machine you get fr your nearest electro marts.
It has strong steaming power for frothing, much longer longevity, more consistent in the temperature, and has a lot of things you can go around to craft your coffee.
It is also able to froth and brew at the same time, and most can detect that your water level is low, such features are very precious. The convenience and consistency it brings, is gold.
