My advice would be to head on down to your local tobacco shop (look for someplace that has a good selection of pipes and pipe tobacco) and see if they have any used or imperfect pipes. If not, get a couple of corncobs - they run less than $10. This way you can look and feel the pipe first hand and ask the owner for some suggestions. This option is much better than trying for a used pipe on eBay, especially a cheap Dunhill. Ebay is good once you know what to look for, but for the newbie, it's basically like a box of chocolates ... ya never know what you're gonna get.
It's true that the tobacco will flavor the pipe over time - especially the heavier blends. For just starting out, I'd recommend 2 or 3 pipes at most, a soft flame lighter, a tamper, some pipe cleaners and a mix of tobacco blends. Most shops will have a selection of inexpensive "house blends", so get a mild Virginia, an English blend, a cigar blend (if they have one), something with Perique and perhaps a flavored aromatic (like Captain Black). Smoke the Virginias + Perique blends in one pipe and the English + aromatics in another.
Buy no more than an ounce or two of each. You can keep them in ziplock bags - but I'd also suggest putting the bags inside tupperware to keep the aromas contained. No need for added humidification (don't put them in your cigar humi), they should be fine for a couple of weeks while you see if pipe smoking is something you want to pursue.
Lastly, have the shop owner show you how to load and light the pipe. Hopefully they have some experience.