I just recently purchased some lights from Moon sport and have been really impressed by them. They're a relatively unknown brand, but I found them because it's 2023 and I refuse to buy electronics without usb-c charging; they're one of the only bike light companies to offer it on all their products. I specifically went with their Rigel Pro 1000 model for a front light and Helix Pro 150 for a rear light. They're both exceptionally bright at full power and come with some neat features like intelligent on/off and fully adjustable brightness for every mode. All aluminum bodies make them feel substantial and high quality, plus heat dissipates easier than with plastic housings. The mounting systems are simple but well built and utilize the Garmin-style quick mount which I've never had before but are really handy for taking the lights on the go or inside to charge. I haven't had them long enough to speak about their longevity, but so far I'd highly recommend them (especially for the price compared to similar powerful lights). The only issue I've had was shipping took several weeks as the company is based in Hong Kong and anything ordered from their website ships from there (the US specific site does not have any stock currently).

As a fellow engineering guy I can definitely empathize! My previous (and first "real") machine was a La Pavoni Europiccola, and I still have a Picopresso which I use for travel. Manual lever machines really give you an appreciation for the mechanics involved with making espresso. In the end the repeatability of a semi-auto machine won me over though :P

Depends what you consider a fair bit of modding. In my opinion the only things you need to get high quality shots from a Gaggia are to adjust the OPV (dead simple) and install a PID (moderately involved). I've also added a dimmer switch for flow control and a pressure gauge on mine since both were incredibly easy. The Gagguino mod is more complicated than any of the above options since it requires soldering, but it lets you automate and profile all those variables. Either way, if you have the money and don't mind spending it on a $1k machine then that would probably be the better option since you get a warranty and higher end components. But if you want similar functionality on a budget then you can't beat ~$300 all-in for a used Gaggia and the basic mods.