I would thoroughly recommend the dedica for an entry level machine. It's compact and about the same size as one of the larger style pod machines.

Depending on how handy you are feeling and if you want to advance/explore a bit further later down the line, there is a DIY mod that you can do to get a naked portafilter on the dedica. Link (lots of similar how to links) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnKdrpmVP-w and after this mod you have a machine which can deliver comparative espressos to ones 6x the price.

Keep in mind most of these makers use the same internals (pumps/heaters etc.) between each of their products and just have different visual aesthetics which vary with price.