The problem with buying direct from the US is that if you get caught by the customs (and with a thing of this size and value it is very likely that you will get caught) you have to pay UK VAT and a surcharge special to US stuff of certain types. I think they are resepctively 25% surcharge and definitely 17 1/2 VAT. If so the $1899, asuming an exchange rate of 1.899 (nearly but not quite right, used to simplify the sum) becomes GBP 1500, near enough.
Actually that is still quite a good price in the UK, so I might well try that.