Usually manual coffee making can be just as good or better than a machine, or at least much cheaper for the same quality. You can make very very good coffee with a $40 pour-over or french press.

French press doesn't really have a machine equivalent that I can think of though, it's sort of in its own category of coffee.

IMO a good burr grinder is good to have no matter how you make your coffee. If you don't already buy whole beans they're much fresher, and if you do but use a blade grinder the burr grinders do a better more consistent job at it.