High end cassette decks on Ebay are not anywhere near as expensive as they once were. Also check Craigslist for a nice Nak or HK or something. My sister got a Grace Digital deck for Christmas and it is obviously not a quality deck. They just package the A/D with the deck to make you think you are getting something you actually need.
Put your money into a M-Audio 24/96 soundcard (about $100 on Ebay, also try yard sale on TS) and the best deck you can find off Craigslist in your budget. If you have 1000 tapes then it will be worth it.
For example, I pulled up an HK CD291 off Denver Craigslist in good condition for $35. This will be way better than any USB Cassette machine.
If you stick with your current deck, be sure to clean the heads well and often, and learn how to adjust the azimuth (usually a small screwdriver to the set screw under the head. You may need to pull the door off, then turn the screw while listening to a recording until the highs are dialed in.)