Best turntable for easy setup and no maintenence?

Scheu Cello with rb250 arm for less than a grand landed from Germany. Uses same bearing as their much more expensive 80mm platter Premier model. Excellent motor and good cosmetics. this is not a kit as is the following table, though.

Bix turntable appears a good value, too.

or a rega p25

Got to agree with the Technics SL-1200 with KAB modded tonearm recommendation. Found a nice one used.
Easy to setup, but has refined features.
Am using a Dynavector 10x5 cartridge.
Added a Hagerman Cornet phono stage.
Have less than a grand into this total.
Sounds fantastic.
Yes I have heard Music Hall tables as well as Regas.
Have also heard a tweaked Teres.
The Technics does a great job and competes easily with the Music Halls and Regas.

Good luck. Get a decent phono stage and buy used.

Scheu, Teres, Nottingham from the commercial offerings, new or used. Lenco resto with custom plinth if you want to spend a LOT less money and get your hands dirty. see the "Building high-end tables...." thread.

The KAB modded 1200 will smoke any other deck in its price range--that's a no brainer. Why settle for glass, particle board or plastic?

About the KAB modded Stanton, I have one, but it's not for everybody. Although it has the midrange of a $1500 moving coil cartridge, it does not have the ultimate HF extension; everything done to the system that attenuates HF's will be extremely noticeable. Silver IC's should be used throughout. You would also need a phono stage capable of handling 75 KOhm loading. I had to have the resistors in my Monolithic phonostage changed. Dusty Vawter was very helpful giving me the necessary information, including circuit board diagrams. It's been worth it...