I'm a pour over geek, so my high end espresso machine plans have really been de-prioritized. The Reddit coffee forum is pretty fantastic for info, though. Former world barista champ Matt Perger also has a site that has solid info, baristahustle.com. Sprudge is an industry resource with a boatload of info and may be worth checking out.

If money weren't an object and if I were to prioritize a great espresso machine, I'd jump right on the La Marzocco Linea Mini. Hell, if money weren't an object I'd get one just to have on the counter because it's beautiful.

What are you using for a grinder?

Edit: Just saw that you were also asking about a grinder. The Baratza Sette has been getting good reviews for espresso, not so much for drip & pour over. I've seen some mixed reviews in there also, though. I will say that Baratza's customer service is top notch and parts are readily available for rebuilds & repair. From what I gather, there's not a better espresso grinder new at the price point.