Have a Brikka and use it a lot. Crema better than with a standard stovetop pot but it does need a bit of 'breaking in' and not being washed (only rinsed) in order to build up a layer of coffee oils on the inside.
Not sure it's better than a decent machine, but as I've been told I can't have a machine... A few people have said that Brikka coffee is a bit stronger than that made by other methods. Not sure how much credence to give that.
Andy
Bought a reasonable grinder (Iberital MC2) recently to replace a dying Krups one, and that's made a big difference. It's lovely after the setup faffing when you finally achieve a cup of crema 
Now moved onto a different coffee though and that seems to require a different grind. On the Krups that was simple but this thing is so precise it takes a while to do.
I've been told I can't have a machine...
Eh? Are you 12?
Eh? Are you 12?
No. You've not met Mrs RBIT.
Andy
They make OK strong coffee. Not life-changing. OK tho.
Ivan - the grinder is a step up (it is a burr grinder and not a chopper isn't it?) - going to roasting is something else. Si - roasting is done in very controlled steps - the good stuff is 'popped' twice carefully. You really need a hot air roaster to get it right.
I've been told I can't have a machine...
I empathise - divorce papers were nearly served when I declared the new pavoni would be sitting on the kitchen worktop henceforth. In a tiny kitchen they (and their bessie mate, the grinder) take up a lot of space, especially if you have no interest in coffee and see them as a waste of space.
I went for the cowards approach and just bought it without telling her and then tuned out the fallout. If I'd had the grown up conversation prior to purchase I'd have lost - I knows it.
Hmmmm, think I'll leave the home roasting thing for now - looks a step to far for me.
Going to give stove top method a go & see where that leads.
My coffee machine is a cheap one so not in the Gaggia league.
Also gonna get a grinder although roasting is a bit of a step to far for me 
Cheers all
si
I lived in Italy for 2 years and nearly every home has a stovetop.
Not one family I knew ground their own. No rush.
An Aeropress is a great thing, makes better espresso than a Bialetti stove top IMO. Not had much crema out of it yet but still tweaking grind/temperature/pressure. Good for when i'm not at home with my Silvia.
Ivan, you don't need to spend a lot on home roasting. I used a Popcorn roaster quite successfully (before buying a Gene Cafe roaster). DIY heatguns are also pretty good, I believe. Lots of information at:
http://www.sweetmarias.com/index.php
and
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