Turntables
When I first started DJ-ing I had two belt driven turntables at home to practice on, one with pitch control and one without. Needless to say, it wasn't a very impressive setup, but it did help me to learn to be gentle with the records when cueing up and adjusting the speed.
Now I use Technics 1210:s. In 1990 I bought the pair that I'm still using
and they are still going strong,
KNOCK ON WOOD... Some years later I purchased one more 1210 at a real bargain, to learn mixing using three decks. I would consider myself rather competent at mixing, but I'm no Mr Three Deck Wizard, like for example Carl Cox. Three decks are handy though, for dropping some effects or spicing up the beats a bit.
If you're planning on buying a pair of turntables and don't think you can afford a pair of brand new pair of Technics, consider buying a second hand pair. The 1200/1210's are so sturdy built there seldom are any major problems with a used one. You will most probably be more satisfied with a used Technics than with some brand new budget alternative. Things to look out for on are broken tone arms and faulty connection cables. The tone arm suspension should not be loose and you should be able to move the tone arm without any resistance. A broken tone arm could be expensive too fix, so check it out properly before you buy.
Some Technics related sites:
Technics, the manufacturer of the magic machine.
Backspin, The unofficial technics turntables pages.
1200/10 FAQ, classic page, DIY at own risk.
Massive - more DIY.