I'll second the call for checking out smaller companies with Ender clones and similar like Sovol and Qidi; you can find refurbed models like Creality K1's for $200+ off if you're not averse.

Regarding slicer software, Ultimaker Cura is great for beginners, Orca Slicer has a slightly steeper learning curve but they both have their pros and cons such as different support generation algorithms, having an alternative when something doesn't seem to print right with one.