It depends what you’re looking for:
You can get quite high quality shots off the high-end compact cameras, namely the Powershot SX…HS cameras, which are phenomenal considering the size.
Even better, but bulkier and more professional looking, is the Powershot G1 X,( which I haven’t tested personally) which has this very large swivel display and lens. 14.3 megapixels is enough for most prosumers.
The EOS series is aimed at professionals, and so amounts to big, bulky feature-laden cameras. EOS cameras are DSLRs, so lenses can be switched.
As you said, you do not want any need for expertise, meaning you will just be using auto.
Go out and buy an SX 40 HS and don’t bother with anything higher.
Anything higher will not have a greatly significant impact if you’re using Auto anyway, unless you count shooting
in the dark, where the aperture is most important, and depth-of-field, where the aperture has a direct effect.
This jargon probably means nothing to you, so just don’t get anything higher.
The more complicated a camera is, the more a non-professional may push something and then:
“What are these lines on the screen?” “I can’t zoom out” “Why is everything blue-ish?” “Why do I smell smoke?”
and finally “Call the fire department!”.
Needless to say, don’t get something you do not intend to know to use.