To get the thread back on track before it becomes a hot topic candidate; almost any of the machines in the price range specified will make good espresso if the user has the skills. Best is a nigh impossible determination to make, given the inevitable favoritism and prejudices which come into play when advocating for one's own machine. After all, it's only natural to prefer something one has, especially if there's nothing to compare it to.
I doubt that most users/owners have the mechanical or engineering background necessary to evaluate the hardware aspect of selecting the best built espresso machine. So it seems the only thing left to them is to evaluate the ease of use and quality of shot produced. But again, how many users/owners have the breadth of experience to say conclusively that their machine is the best shot maker?
What you get are recommendations of machines; filtered by one's understanding, or lack of understanding, of the other machines available in the same price and use categories. This filtering of context is understandable; most will only speak of what they know of first hand, or have heard about from trusted sources. Or, you get those who recommend something only when they can prosper from the recommendation.
I'd prefer to see someone simply say that their setup makes excellent coffee, by their standards. That way, if five people said brand A made good coffee and three said brand B made good coffee, the prospective buyer would have a tangible measure of quality.
