For a really good espresso you need the kind of machine that costs £££ and you find in Italian restaurants (who might just sell you a take out.
A second best is a bean to cup machine, but you need to buy coffee beans.
For cheaper options have a look at Tassimo and Nespresso, | have a Bosch tassimo machine, part of my reasoning was that one of the few coffees I find palatable is costa and you can get costa pods.
Recycling the pods is a bit hit and miss.
If you just want a filter coffee you can get he drip filter machines for about £10, Argos put one on offer for £5 every so often. If you go down this route get one with a reusable filter, otherwise you will be buying filter papers.
Once I got my machine I ordered a mixed selection of pods from Amazon to see which I liked.
I have a 3 monthly delivery from Amazon of costa americano which is a cheaper way to buy the pods.
Argos have some tassimo machines for just under £30.00, ta pack of pods is about £5 but tassimo have some offer where you can get £20 coffee for free.
I really thought mine would only be used by guests, but I have been converted.