I have tried nearly every espresso maker and coffee on the market, and have never been able to truly recreate the espressos you get at nearly any café in France or Italy. I've owned very expensive machines and brought espresso back from Europe, but no dice.
A few years ago I was staying at a Waldorf property, and they had a Nespresso machine in the hotel room. I made a cup the first morning, and was so pleasantly surprised. Wonderful, smooth espresso that was foamy and didn't have the bitter after-taste of all machines/beans I'd tried in the US.
Nespresso machines can be a little pricey, however you are able to buy refillable pods now, so you do not have to worry that it will only use Nespresso-brand coffees. If you do go that route, the coffee itself is easily purchased directly from the manufacturer's website, and arrives within 2 days, in my experience. There are always promotions, so you can generally find a reasonable price.
The machine itself has a very narrow profile on my countertop. The only negative is that it is very deep (i.e. with the back against the wall, it still sticks out further than most of my other small electrics.) Make sure you look at the dimensions in the description, so you're not surprised.
All in all, a fantastic purchase. Several months after buying the CitiZ, I bought a milk frother/steamer from Nespresso. Between the two gadgets, hands down the best cappuccino I have had "Stateside"!