End-Game Budget Machine? - Upgrade for H10a [<$500]

Hi all, I currently have a HiBrew H10a paired with a D40+ grinder, which have done pretty well overall. However, I believe the H10a has a few issues that I'd like to improve on.

1. For most of my roasts, the best shots are pulled in the "red" pressure zone, which frequently results in the machine automatically stopping the pull, and I have to manually press the start button 5-6 times until I reach the correct yield.
2. There is a lot of water/pressure retained above the puck after pulling a shot, which makes back-to-back shots for guests or a party very difficult.
3. Inconsistency: It just seems like the machine isn't strong enough to consistently push through finer grinds to get that sweet sweet crema.

What machine would you guys recommend as a budget "end-game" machine(<500USD)? Gaggia Evo Pro? Gemilai Owl? HiBrew H10P?