Completely re-written and fully updated: our First Look at the Breville Bambino Plus espresso machine. It's longer than most full reviews. We cover the history of the machine, changes it has had, and its position in today's marketplace.

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#espressomachine #brevillebambinoplus #bambinoplus #coffeegeek

https://coffeegeek.com/reviews/firstlooks/breville-bambino-plus-first-look/

Out of the BoxBambino Plus

Before we even take the Breville Bambino Plus out of it’s box, let’s talk about the box at bit.

Breville’s main goal with this new machine was to produce the world’s smallest, full featured espresso machine for the home. With features stuffed inside that you couldn’t believe for such a small footprint. And Breville’s box really drives this point home: the main machine photos aren’t on the front, wide panel of the box, but on its sides, to emphasize the svelte nature of the machine. The front main panel has pictures of various espresso based beverages, and the back panel features some machine highlights.

The dimensions of the machine are 19cm wide (7.5″), 31cm tall (just over a foot), and 35cm deep (13.75″, not including the portafilter) front to back. That is tiny.

The Bambino Plus isn’t just tiny; it isn’t very heavy either: the entire shipping box (2x boxes) is just 7.5kg; the machine itself clocks in at 5.5kg (12.1lb). You notice this when starting to unpack.

One thing Breville has not done with this machine is upgrade the packaging since 2018. Today, just as back then, the Bambino Plus ships in a cocoon of styrofoam. We really want every product manufacturer in the specialty coffee space to move away from these environmentally unfriendly packing materials. Baratza, now owned by Breville, did so nearly half a decade ago. Even Rancilio ships their machines (the Silvia and Silvia Pro X) with recyclable, renewable materials. It’s time for Breville to do the same. 

Opening the box, you see Breville’s manual as well as a quick start guide. Removing the styrofoam forms, you find some of the extras the machine comes with: a single shot “dual wall” filter, the steel, fixed spout 54mm triple-bayonet portafilter (compatible with all Barista Express aftermarket portafilter tools and replacements) with the double shot, doublewall filter installed, Breville’s Razor tool for shaving the level of coffee in the filter baskets, the same 54mm steel and plastic tamper that the Barista Express comes with, and some cleaning tablets.

There is also a box containing a 500ml (16oz) steaming pitcher (a nice bonus that saves you $25), that is compatible with the Bambino Plus’ automated steaming system. Inside the pitcher are more items: the single and double standard filter baskets, a blind filter for backflushing the machine, some cleaning tablets, and a descaler powder for deep cleaning the machine.

Once you have the Bambino Plus unpacked and staged up, you notice right away the fit and finish on this, for a supposed “budget” espresso machine, is exceptional. It also follows Breville’s 2018 design language, which is very modern and polished (I’d say their 2021 and 2023 design language is even better). 

For instance: Breville loves their brushed stainless steel look, and the stock Bambino Plus does feature side panels with that look, but the backsplash and top cup tray are a mirror-polish steel, upping the “premium” look for the device. The backsplash is also angled, which means the mirror finish should give you a different angle to look at the shot pull dropping into your cups.

Looking around the machine the first time in 2018, I was struck by the tight fit and finish and just how tiny the machine is. Even today in 2024, it is still one of the smallest full featured machines on the market. The Bambino (non plus model) is even smaller, but doesn’t have the polish the Bambino Plus does. Since the Bambino Plus’ introduction, other brands like Smeg and Delonghi have tried to copy this machine’s size and “look”, but this one here is the original, and if I’m honest, way, way better put together than those copycat machines.

The next thing to stand out to my eye was the water reservoir which holds 1.9 litres of water. It has a nice solid “Breville Grip Ring” designed into it, easing the full removal of the water reservoir if you prefer filling it at the sink. When you remove the reservoir, you’ll note two things: first, underneath it is a hidden wand cleaning tool that has its own seat built into the machine; and second, there was some printing on the machine side of the water reservoir. All that printing is basically a “quick guide” to the machine’s maintenance, cleaning and operation. Again, super well thought out design.

The Bambino Plus in the US and Canada does not come with a water filter included (I wish it did). The Sage branded version of this machine in Europe and the UK does, as do select Asian market Bambino Plus machines. The reservoir is water filter compatible with Breville’s Claris water filter system.

Buy the Claris Filter Holder Kit direct from Breville ($8) and then buy some third party filters that are pretty cheap. I highly recommend using a filter system in every espresso machine, including the Bambino Plus.

The top of the Bambino Plus has a polished, beveled metal section to hold your cups (not sure if it actually works as a cup warmer though – more on that later). The sides and control area up front are Breville’s usual brushed metal finish (or annodized metal, or painted metal), but the front underneath the controls has a polished metal trim which again breaks just a bit from Breville’s previous design modus. On the bare metal bodied Bambino Plus machines (including black steel, brushed steel, and smoke steel models), the coloured trim is also metal; on the painted metal bodies, it is plastic.

Moving on to the main control area of the Bambino Plus, things are (mostly) straight forward. First, you might notice there’s no power button. There’s several reasons for this. First and foremost, this is not a standard big boiler, needs to warm up the water inside kind of machine, so Breville eschewed the power button on this unit: any of the three buttons up front will power the machine on. Another factor is that the machine doesn’t really “heat up” other parts, like the drip tray or even the grouphead. Third, and related, the instant on / instant steam ability of the machine means you just press a button up front, and a few seconds later, it can brew or steam.

Across the control panel are five buttons three of them with indicator light rings, and two multi-stage indicator lights. The single shot button is on the left; next to it is the double shot button, and next to that is the steam start button. The Bambino Plus does not have a traditional steam knob; it is an all or nothing steamer. 

Next to the three big buttons are two vertical indicator lights: the lower one indicates the 3 different levels of froth the machine can generate. The upper one indicates the 3 different levels of milk heat it will steam milk to. Next to each of these lights are the buttons to change the setting levels for both functions.

The Bambino Plus does not use a lot of electricity when not in use, even when the display lights are powered on. The machine will go to “sleep” after about 10-15 minutes of inactivity; if you want to power it down before then, press the single shot and steam buttons at the same time (but why bother). 

About 18 months after the Bambino Plus was introduced without the ability to deliver hot water on demand, Breville added this functionality to every machine sold after 2019. It’s a bit janky though: first, extend the wand, then simultaneously press the single shot and froth level adjust buttons; when done right, hot water will start flowing out the steam wand. Do it wrong, and you might prematurely start your espresso shot by activating the single shot button. Still, it’s nice to have hot water.

Moving down the machine is the portafilter area and the steam wand connection.

The Bambino Plus is fully compatible with every accessory, filter basket, dosing tool, puck screen and dispersion screen made for the Breville Barista Express lineup, and there are literally thousands of devices out there for you to spend your money on.

The dispersion screen and plate is pretty much identical to the Barista Pro and Barista Touch machines. The bayonet mount is plastic, which long term may be an issue (talking years down the road). The good news is, aftermarket, higher quality dispersion screens are compatible with this model.

Where the machine is different is the portafilter. Breville basically has 3 different designs of 54mm portafilters in their inventory, and the Bambino Plus model is in the middle of the pack in terms of quality and features. Where the Barista line of portafilters are more “premium” with removable double spouts, long weighted handles with nice detailing (a brushed steel cap at the end of the handle, for example), the Bambino Plus PF is more basic in the handle design, shorter, and lighter. While it is also made of steel, the spouts are built into the metal of the portafilter, and are not removable. 

That said, at least it isn’t aluminum… any more. It was for a brief moment when the machine was first introduced, but they quickly changed to steel for the main material The Bambino (non Plus version) still comes with that aluminum portafilter to this day.

The steam wand, which will be covered more below, has only one direction of movement – directly out forward from the machine on an angle, or pushed back so it points straight down to the drip tray. It has a four hole (tight pattern) tip on it, which works great, though aftermarket tips are available and compatible.

The drip tray is where you really start to get hints that the Bambino Plus is a technologically advanced machine.

There is an unusual protrusion coming out from the machine’s main body on the right side of where the drip tray fits in. Indeed, the drip tray itself is designed to wrap around this protrusion. This is, of course, the steam pitcher temperature sensor, built right into the machine. It is designed to work with flat-bottom steel steaming pitchers, and thankfully Breville provides you with one.

When the the drip tray and drip cover are in place, it looks like it is part of the actual drip tray design, because of the tight tolerances Breville has achieved in the Bambino Plus. 

The sensor serves two purposes, one not so obvious. First, it actively reads the temperature of your steaming pitcher’s skin while milk is being automatically steamed by the machine. This is how the Bambino Plus can deliver auto-steamed milk to 3 different temperature settings; shutting off the steaming system once it approaches your preset temperature. The second purpose is to simply sense if the steaming pitcher is in place and in contact. If a steaming pitcher is not placed on it, when you activate the steam function on the machine, the machine enters “manual steaming mode” even if the wand is pointed down at the drip tray.

The drip tray itself is almost comically tiny. Get ready to empty it after almost every shot pull on the machine, due to it’s roughly 135-150ml capacity. Because the Bambino Plus has a 3 way solenoid pressure relief valve, it will flush out excess water after your shot pull to the tray. I feel Breville could have made this tray bigger through some design tweaking. There is a red float valve indicator to show you when the tray is full. You’ll see it pop up every double shot or two.

The drip tray cover is finished to Breville’s usual high standards, putting brands like La Marzocco and their “basic” drip tray covers (that they charge $100s of dollars for) to shame. I did notice that the Bambino (non Plus) model has a much cheaper drip tray cover when compared to the Bambino Plus, so the company spent some money here.

The steaming system and wand itself is a thing of beauty. I still can’t believe in 2018, they introduced this system on a machine you could buy for as little as $450. The most impressive thing is it produces genuine microfoam, automatically, for your attempts at latte art. It is also powerful (for the machine type), nearly instant starting after a shot pull (no waiting 75 seconds for the boiler to heat up to steam temperatures), and it even self-cleans after automatically steaming and frothing your milk (you still need to wipe the exterior of the wand).

You can also steam manually. Just extend the wand, press the steam button, and steam like you would on any other machine. The auto system is disabled for this, but it steams like a champ.

As a hot water system, it delivers okay hot water; I measured it around 170F (75C), if you practically submerge the wand in the cup as you pour out 100ml for your americano. The button press to get hot water is the most annoying thing, but at least it has this functionality. Many machines at this price point do not.

Because this machine is very small, I was worried it would slide around the counter top quite a bit, but Breville put grippy feet on the base; it sticks almost like glue to most countertops, including wood. I have been testing the machine on a glass countertop, and it stays put even when forcing the portafilter into the lock position.

The reason why this machine is an “instant on / instant steam” design (taking 3-5 seconds for both to occur) is because it is the first machine Breville released with their patented Thermojet heating system. We know a lot more about this system today thanks to it being in a half dozen Breville machines, and tons of Youtube videos and such, but in 2018, no one knew about this system. 

Indeed, when they introduced it, I thought it was just a super-charged thermoblock system. That was a wrong assumption. I asked Breville’s Phil McKnight, President of Global Beverages for Breville, about it, back in 2018:

(We call it) a thin film flow through heating system. It's like a printed circuit that forms the element, with an enclosed water path bonded over the top of this substrate. (The result is) water heats up instantly, and more importantly, we can control the water temperature dynamically and in real time to within less than .2C of our optimum brewing temperatures.

Yeah, that’s not any normal kind of thermocoil heating system. It also draws a lot of power for very short bursts: it’s rated 1560W max draw, and for our full review, we will have full power numbers for how the Bambino Plus and the thermojet run. Suffice to say, this thing sips tiny amounts of energy during most of its time on your counter, taking giant gulps for very short periods when active.

As mentioned, when the machine first shipped in 2018 it only came with pressurized filter baskets, and for a very short period, an aluminum portafilter. By 2019, it did include non pressurized baskets, but I asked McKnight back in 2018 why they didn’t include them. For the sake of historical purposes, here’s what he said.

This machine is initially being pitched at consumers who probably are not going to go out and buy amazing coffees and have a grinder on their counter; so we opted for the pressurized basket that will deliver an espresso that is acceptable when using store bought pre-ground coffee. By having the pressurized baskets as an option, then if you recognise their benefit and you want to grind fresh, then you have the option and the ability to do this.

This is particularly interesting because of how the Bambino Plus has evolved, and how it is perceived in the world of specialty coffee today. This is often considered as the primo, top choice as an “entry point” machine for those wanting to get serious about espresso. Quite different from who Breville was initially pitching the machine to.

Before moving on to our Usage section, there are a few last details about the machine to cover.

The included tamper is also basic and serviceable; it gets the job done. It leaves the option open for buying a top quality aftermarket tamper, WDT system, or other kind of leveler for prepping your coffee. At least there’s a decent tamper included in the box, one that isn’t a super cheap plastic afterthought (kof kof Gaggia!)

The steam pitcher is nice quality, has level markers on it, and pours well for latte art. At 500ml (16oz) it’s a bit big (I prefer 300ml pitchers myself), but can build multiple drinks.

Under the water reservoir is a tiny multi tool for cleaning out the steam wand holes, or even removing the steam wand tip if you want for deeper cleaning.

The Razor tool is something Breville includes with all their non auto-dosing grinder and non grinder espresso machines, and is definitely one way to level your portafilter doses, if you want to use it. If you pair a grinder like the Breville Dose Control Pro (with the 1 second timer) up with the Bambino Plus, you will see benefit from the Razor, albeit with a bit of coffee loss. Here’s a short video on the Razor’s raison d’etre.

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Using theBambino Plus

A 2024 Update: A lot of what you’ll read below is from our 2018 First Look. It’s been updated where needed (references to more recent machines, updates the Bambino Plus has gotten, etc).

Before we even get into this, a reminder: this is not a review we’re publishing here. It’s a first look, based on initial impressions and first uses of the machine. Any conclusions or opinion I draw from this early look could completely change by the time we publish our full review on this machine.

That said, I can’t get over how tiny the Bambino Plus is, especially considering all it’s got under the hood. We’re talking PID controls. We’re talking about a completely unique thermojet heating system that has the machine ready to brew a shot 3 seconds after you turn it on! And we’re talking about the serious bad boy element of this machine: a fully automated and customizable auto milk frothing and steaming system that uses traditional elements like a steaming pitcher and steam wand.

First Time Power Up

The first time you power up the Bambino Plus, it goes through a flush system to prime and completely rinse the thermojet system. Make sure you have a full reservoir and have a bowl and the steaming pitcher handy.

Place a bowl under the portafilter spouts, and put the steaming pitcher on the tray with the steam wand sticking into it. Press any of the three main buttons on the Bambino Plus to power it on. The machine will go through an automated rinse and cleanout of the thermojet, running about 750ml through the grouphead and steam wand. Then it is ready to use.

Normal power up is achieved via pressing any of the three main buttons. The machine does a series of internal checks (verifying all the internals are in working order, there’s water in the reservoir, the machine isn’t at a stage where it needs a cleaning or descaling) then it is good to go. This only takes about 3 seconds.

Automated Functions

The machine is what is called an “automatic” in that you only have to press a button once and the Bambino Plus will brew either a single or double shot of espresso, ending the shot automatically. The machine is pre-programmed to brew a 30ml (1oz) single, and a 60ml (2oz) double, with a (roughly) 9 second pre-infuse mode. 

You can program in both volumes if you prefer longer or shorter shots: the process is pretty easy. First, press and hold both the 1 and 2 cup shot buttons for 2 seconds; they will light up and flash. Then, if programming the single shot button, press it to start your extraction, and then press it again when you get the desired volume of espresso brewed. That new setting becomes your auto 1 cup brew setting.

You can also operate the machine in a quasi manual mode. Let’s say you want a double shot of espresso with a short preinfusion, but a larger volume of water used — maybe 75ml for the double shot. You’d do this by pressing and holding the double shot button as the machine starts preinfusing with lower pressure water. You can tell it’s going on because the pump is operating at a low setting. Once you’re satisfied with the amount of preinfusion (let’s say, 6 seconds’ worth), let go of the button, and the Bambino Plus ramps up to full 9BAR pressure to continue brewing the shot. When you get the desired amount of espresso, press the button again to end the shot.

The Portafilter is a bit tight these first uses, and takes some effort to crank over into the marked “Locked” position. It’s also cold if you power up the machine, so it makes sense to run a “flush shot” of just brewing water through a locked-in portafilter before loading it up with coffee; this will get the grouphead and portafilter nice and toasty and ready for espresso. If you’re brewing back to back shots, you only need to do this for the first one.

A word of warning here, following up from something in our unboxing section: the drip tray does not hold a lot of water. It will easily fill up with just one flushing shot to heat up the grouphead and portafilter, and one double shot pull. I like to rinse the portafilter after the shot is done (and the spent puck has been knocked out) which really overfills the drip tray. It’s one of the quirks of this machine you have to live with. 

As a side note, I know one CoffeeGeek member who has actually “plumbed” in the drip tray on his Bambino Plus so it automatically drains through a hose, going down through a hole he cut in his counter, to a T valve he installed on his sink drain pipe. That’s friggin’ dedication. It also voids the Bambino Plus warranty!

Pump and Features

Breville’s done a good job isolating the Ulka vibratory pump in this tiny machine: it’s not quiet by any stretch, but certainly not as loud as some of the other sub $600 espresso machines we’ve been testing the past five years. Just in a side by side test, it is about the same noise as a Barista Express’ pump. 

The Bambino Plus has a full pressure release system based around a 3 way solenoid valve, which for a long time was seen as a “premium” feature on machines in the $500 range. The non Plus Bambino does not have one, for example. This feature allows you to immediately remove the portafilter because any residual pressure at the end of the shot is released, via a dump of liquid to the drip tray.

Since 2019, the Bambino Plus can deliver hot water through the steam wand with a bit of a wonky double button press. You have to press the single shot button and froth level button at the same time. Get it wrong, and you’ll activate the single shot pull. The water comes out of the steam wand slow, but at around 170-175F (75-78C) as long as you hold the cup right up to the wand.

Transitioning between brewing and steaming is almost instantaneous, which is not only class leading at this price range, but pretty much exclusive to the Bambino Plus. 

Speaking of that steaming system…

Automated FrothingBambino Plus

Of course, the true genius of the Bambino Plus is its automated frothing and milk steaming system. It allows you to froth milk to three foam levels, and to three temperature levels. Breville doesn’t tell you the temperatures, instead calling them “warm, ideal, and hot”, but for the full review, I’ll detail the temperature ranges of each setting, along with how much actual foam is used with fresh 2% fat milk.

I’ll just get this out of the way quick: the innovative steam arm, without the need for external plastics, tubes or other things some Italian machines feature, called “cappuccinatores” or some other silly name, produces real microfoam. To three different levels. The lowest level creates latte levels of microfoam, producing about .5cm once settled in a 6 ounce cup. The middle level is good for cappuccinos, and the highest level produces a fair amount of microfoam, giving you dry cappuccino levels of foam.

What I especially like about the system is it can produce really good microfoam at a low temperature setting, high foam volume, from a relatively low amount of milk for use in macchiatos. Pourable microfoam. Or spoonable. Your choice.

Pouring latte art is a no brainer (well, if you have the skill — I keep losing it myself — to pour patterns). 

Breville has patented the technology inside their automated steaming wand system; several patents for several different designs in fact. The Oracle’s automated steaming system is very different, as it has a temperature sensor and other trickery built right into that machine’s wand. On the Bambino Plus (and more recent Barista machines like the Touch and Touch Impress), the temperature sensor is in the drip tray area, but the wand itself has mechanisms for automatically opening and closing air flow inside to create more or less microfoam. These are all engaged and used during automated frothing cycles, and disengaged for manual frothing and steaming.

Transition time is brilliant. Seriously, this is almost like having a dual boiler machine. The wait time for steam ready is around 3 seconds. A purge of wetness from the wand is advised: just have the wand pointing at the drip tray, press the steam button, let it run to dry steam, stop, and insert your milk-filled steaming pitcher. Roughly 10 seconds after pulling a double shot, this machine (with the optional steam wand purge) will be frothing and steaming milk. 

Steam power is pretty impressive. At the medium temperature setting, it will steam 180ml of milk (6oz) in around 40 seconds up to 65C.

The Bambino Plus even does an automated purge of the steam wand and system after you’re done. It’s activated automatically when you put the steam wand into the down position. It will perform it for both automatic frothing and manual frothing modes. You can also manually activate the purge function by pressing and holding the steam button for a few seconds.

Espresso QualityBambino Plus

When Breville first shipped the Bambino Plus with only the double wall pressurized filter baskets. I was disappointed. In fact, it covered a major section of this First Look. I even went so far as to tell McKnight it was the machine’s biggest mistake. Other early reviews said the same thing.

So lo and behold, within a few months of that review, Breville came to their senses and started including the standard single wall traditional baskets with the machine. This was a game change for the Bambino Plus, turning from an “introduction machine at home for those who want cafe-quality espresso without much fuss” to a true contender of the best bang for the buck, best shot producing machine on the market under $500.

Of course, things could be even better for the Bambino Plus, but it’s not bad on the espresso front. It is a PID controlled machine, so that means you won’t be fussing around with wild-swings in boiler temperatures, like a Gaggia Classic or Rancilio Silvia provide. The downside is, the PID isn’t programmable: you get one stable temperature, and that temperature is 200F at the grouphead. Great for a lot of coffee types, but too hot if you love extra dark roasts.

On the box and in their literature, Breville claims you can get 18-22g in their double baskets.

No. Way. In. Hell. is that possible. I’ve tried. The double basket is most comfortable with about 17.5g inside. You could buy bigger aftermarket 54mm baskets to get bigger doses, but it won’t happen with the stock one. But that’s okay. 17.5g is fine to play with, and you could go even less if you want to be more like the Italians and have less caffeine.

The other big achilles heel for the Bambino Plus is the grouphead is ice cold (okay, not ice, but room temperature cold) unless you run a lot of flushing shots through it. You should run at least one full double blank shot with the portafilter in place to warm things up. We’re only brewing 30 to 60ml of liquid here, and all that metal in the portafilter and grouphead will leech off temperature from those small volumes. Back to back shot pulls don’t need this flush after the first shot, but if you want your espresso to be top shelf, do it anyway.

Breville tuned the OPV inside to produce around 9BAR at the grouphead; it previously did up to 12BAR. This is a welcome change. I know why manufacturers want their OPVs higher (to compensate for poor grinders / coffee ground too fine / etc), but if the goal is the best shot possible, 12BAR is too much pressure if you nailed the grind.

Paired with an exceptional grinder (I mean, look below – I currently have the Bambino Plus paired with a $700 Rancilio Stile grinder!) the Bambino Plus will produce 4 and 5 star espresso shots. All day long. Just deal with the machine’s quirks, enjoy the rapid on and transition times, and you’ll love the output. In the full review, I’ll have more details on the workflow, and whether or not an aftermarket chopped portafilter is a must have for this machine (hint: it is).

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ConclusionBambino Plus

The Breville Bambino Plus had an interesting introduction, intended from the get go to be Breville’s “entry point machine for people who don’t want to fuss too much” to get ‘cafe-calibre espresso based drinks’ in the home. You can see that in the 2018 quotes from Phil McKnight, above.

Instead, it has morphed into quite literally the best espresso machine you can buy today under $500, if all the pundits (myself included) are to be believed. The fit and finish alone put it on its own level. The features are completely unmatched. I’ve seen Delonghi try to match this machine and they don’t have a hope with their hobbled-together auto frothing systems. Even Gaggia is trying, by including their automated milk frothing systems in on a bundle with the just-released $250 Gaggia Espresso Evolution machine, bumping the price to $325 (first look coming soon).

This machine has a ton going for it, from the range of colours available (our current favourite is the Sea Salt White model, though the Damsel Blue one is quite nice too), to the excellent PID stabiity, instant on / instant steam ability, programmable volumetric shot pull buttons, automated preinfusion that can be manually controlled in manual shot mode, 3 way solenoid valve, and the addition of hot water ability.

The Bambino Plus also comes with a ton of accessories, in the box: four filter baskets, a tamper, a steaming pitcher, cleaning tablets, a descaler, a Razor tool, and even a tool for cleaning and maintaining the steam wand. Missing is a water filter, but the Claris Filter Holder Kit direct from Breville ($8) works with this machine, and you can buy some relatively cheap third party filters.

Don’t forget the range and width of aftermarket accessories available for this machine thanks to the compatibility with the Breville Barista lineup. Want the nice white chopped portafilter we featured in the Rancilio Stile / Bambino Plus photo above? It’s just $20. Of for just $4 more, get that portaiflter with a tamper that doubles as a WDT device! 

Pair this machine up with a capable grinder, and you will have excellent espresso for years to come, with no muss, no fuss microfoam steamed milk automatically, but also a system designed to let you manually froth milk to improve your barista skills. Breville even pairs the Bambino Plus up with a Baratza Encore ESP grinder in a $50 off bundle deal, if you want a great one-two punch with one purchase.

Lastly, a note. I feel a bit chintzy cheeky republishing a First Look on a machine that I’ve pulled literally thousands of shots on, and first published an article on nearly 6 years ago. But this isn’t about me and my experience with the machine. It’s about presenting our readers good intel, via a First Look, on a very important espresso machine in the consumer marketplace. Initially I just wanted to reprint our 2018 First Look, but so much has changed, both in the marketplace and with this machine, a complete re-write was necessary.

Look for our full review this summer, fingers crossed!

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#b30000 #bambinoPlus #Breville #brevilleBambinoPlus #Espresso #espressoMachine #FFFFFF

Yesterday I wrote that the Bambino Plus still doesn't come with a water filter, even in its latest iteration.

Turns out that is true (along with the Bambino) for the North American variants of the machine. The Sage Bambino and Bambino Plus, along with some select Asian market Breville Bambino and Bambino Plus machines, do come with a water filter included.

I'd like to see Breville add this to the N. American variants.

#breville #bambino #bambinoplus #waterfilter

For the entire time I’ve run CoffeeGeek, this is one of the top questions from our readers and members, and via social media. It’s even more common than “hey, have you heard of that cat poop coffee?” or “what’s the best coffee in the world”.

What is the best espresso machine of all time, for consumers? 

The answer, of course, is entirely subjective. Based as much on opinion and personal preferences as it is on technology, ability and reliability of the machine. Because of this, I usually try to avoid answering this question, often deflecting it or redirecting the conversation to what’s really important in a home espresso setup (the grinder).

The Speedster

If I were put on the spot, my go to answer for a long time was always the same: the Kees van der Westen Speedster. Not only is that machine capable of producing five star espresso shots all day long, but it actually makes you feel kind of awesome while you’re doing it. You feel part of the process, but the machine’s unique ability and engineering deliver the goods as well. It is the true ultimate in a hand crafted, unique and individual espresso machine with character to spare.

After owning the machine for a few months, I paired it up with a Verslab M3 grinder. This may be a boast, but I knew I was pulling better shots on the Speedster and Versalab than the finalist baristas at the World Barista Championship were doing in competition. This wasn’t because of my own skill. It’s because I had an espresso machine better than the WBC machine of the era. Ditto on the grinder. They were that good together.

You don’t see a lot of influencers online talking about the Speedster because, to be honest, Kees don’t got time for influencers. He very rarely sends out test machines for people to try and blog or youtube about. I suppose if Hoff asked him, he’d send him one (Jim does own a KvdW machine, just not a Speedster).

I owned and used a Speedster for a decade (yup, I bought one of the first ones ever sold in North America), and that gave me the background and experience to label it the best machine of all time. But there is a caveat. Not only is the Speedster obscenely expensive (landed cost in the US is around $15–$16K now, incl taxes and shipping); it is one of the most expensive machines to own and maintain in a home environment.

In my 10 years of ownership, I spent, on service and maintenance, more than what I paid for the machine initially. A lot of stuff on that machine broke down and needed replacing, from the SSRs to the PIDs, and most of the 7(!!!) Parker solenoids. I even had to replace the preinfusion piston assembly at one point.

And therein lies the rub. If you factor in literally everything about an espresso machine, including initial cost, ability, mechanics, reputation, features, build quality, how it makes you feel operating it, and operational cost, maintenance and service, well, the Speedster is not the best espresso machine in the world.

To this day, it pains me to say that. I sold the machine three years ago, and I still miss it. A lot.

The La Marzocco GS3

Then there’s the La Marzocco GS3, which would normally be my very close second choice as the best in home espresso machine in the world after the Speedster. But sadly, when all things are factored in, it too is not the best machine you can buy today.

The GS3 is an absolutely landmark, ground breaking, standards setting machine. It was the first machine developed (not sold, but developed) with PID controls. It was the first true dual boiler machine to run on 110V with no real compromises. It was the first successful home machine to have a rotary pump running on a 110V setup.

The GS3 also has La Mazocco’s unique saturated group design (KvdW machines sort of copy it, to be fair). The steam ability is off the chart. It had the ability to run on an economy mode (which still seemed like full power) on 110V 15A, but if you plugged it into a 110V 20A circuit (most kitchens have this), it would go into full throttle mode. 

And it produces absolutely amazing, super consistent and temperature stable shots of espresso. All day long.

I was involved in the development of the GS3 machine; indeed, I still own one of the late prototype versions. It’s sitting on a workbench in our basement, and I still fire it up once in a while. Here’s what it looks like:

I’m on my third production La Marzocco GS3, and it sits in our kitchen as I type this.

Third? Yup, because like the Speedster, the GS3 is finicky, had some early build issues, and continues to be a machine that requires a lot of expensive service. Let me walk you through my own history with the GS3.

I bought, at a discounted price, a very early production unit back in 2007 (no, La Marzocco did not give me a free one, despite me being involved in the development); that machine lasted about 4 years with me spending about $2,000 on service calls on it past the one year initial warranty. It was a problem machine with a lot of early build quality issues.

La Marzocco USA agreed to swap it for a paddle version around 2011 (which wasn’t available in 2007) though I was charged a one time $1,000 premium to get the GS3 MP variant. That unit also turned out to be really bad (basically a dud, but I won’t go into all its issues with leaks, failing parts, pressure issues, etc), so La Marzocco swapped that one for another model in 2014-2015, provided I drove the dud one down to Seattle, to pick up the new unit to bring back to Vancouver.

I did that. And since then, that 2015 MP GS3 machine has seen about $2,400 in service maintenance, and a one time $2,000 cost to upgrade it to the new Strada pressure control paddle group (which comes standard with the current GS3 MP models). All told, my ownership of a La Marzocco GS3 has cost me an initial investment of $6,800 (that’s $10K in todays’ dollars), and another $7,500+ in service, maintenance and upgrades.

In good faith, I cannot ‘proclaim’ a $7,500-$9,000 machine as the best in the world in the consumer espresso space if the maintenance, service, and parts prices end up costing as much as the initial machine purchase inside of a decade. I mean, La Marzocco charges $400 just for the drip tray pan on the GS3 (which is just plastic wrapped with thin steel, and a few screw on lock claps). And $250 for the drip tray cover! Don’t ask what the replacement tray for the Speedster costs: you cannot afford it.

As a side note, I suggested to La Marzocco, way back in 2004 when I was involved in the development, that they include an AppleCare+ like package for GS3 owners. Pay a yearly fee (I suggested $150 back then, though I guess $250 today would be more appropriate), and get unlimited service and support on the machine. Caveat is, owners can only buy into it within the first year of ownership, then keep paying it every year to stay in the program.

I feel this would make La Marzocco a ton of money, but also save SOME GS3 owners from a lot of repair, maintenance, and service costs. Of course, La Marzocco did not do this. Perhaps because they were aware of the service LM GS3s require a few years down the road.

But I digress. We were talking about the Best Espresso Machines in the World.

The Best Espresso Machine Today

If we are to pick the best espresso machine in the world, every factor about the machine is equally important. I listed most in the Speedster section above, but to reiterate, it includes: the quality of the materials and parts used in the machine; the build quality; the usability factors; the featureset overall; the noise it makes; the machine’s aesthetics; how it makes you feel in ownership; and of course the drinks it outputs. Equally important are the various cost of ownership categories: bang for buck, service costs, after sales service and support from the vendor or manufacturer, parts costs down the road, and resale value. 

With all these factors in mind, there’s two machines that I think stand out as the best machines in the world, in the consumer espresso space.

One is the Lelit Bianca V3 espresso machine. The other may surprise you. It’s the Breville Bambino Plus.

The Lelit Bianca V3: The Best Espresso Machine of All Time

We are midway through our full review process on the Lelit Bianca, and every single day I become more and more impressed with this $3,000 machine. I don’t like the phrase “end game” and how it is so casually used in coffee influencer circles, but I recently learned something about the Lelit product lineup as a whole, and the Bianca in particular that have pushed it over the top into what I think is a true end game machine. 

First of all, pretty much everything the La Marzocco GS3 paddle group machine can do, the Bianca can do in a package costing almost 2/3rds less. And even more so. The Bianca has three independent pressure modification systems on it; two are programmed automatic modes, and the third is a completely manual control. The Bianca’s PID system isn’t as granular as the GS3 is (which can go down to 0.3F adjustments), but it is smarter and more modern than the GS3. The Bianca, like the GS3, can be plumbed in, and attaching this machine to your home water line increases the ways you can play with pressure profiling, more so than the GS3 allows.

Then there’s what comes with the machine. The only thing missing is a steam pitcher, a scale, and cups. The Bianca comes with wood accents and parts and knobs and feet (that can cost you up to $500 more on the GS3); it comes with the complete direct plumbed in parts (so does the GS3); it comes with four IMS filter baskets. It comes with two portafilters: the beautiful spouted model, and a chopped unit (the GS3 comes with only one PF). The Bianca also comes with a very high end tamper, matched to your machine’s wood accents (La Marzocco gives a stock tamper with the GS3; fancy matched wood is extra).

To get a similar package with all the extras when buying a La Marzocco GS3, you would spend about $10,250 ($9,500 plus another $750 for the extra stuff), making the Bianca close to 1/4 the cost.

Things I learned about Lelit this year really push the Bianca to the top. You may know that Breville bought Lelit recently. Starting in January, they revoked the (previous) sole importer’s exclusive control over the brand in the USA, and are now directly handling distribution, sales, service and support. Even better, they are migrating Lelit’s after sales service and support to the Baratza team (which Breville also owns), and bringing Baratza’s parts availability and pricing system to Lelit. 

That means if you buy a Lelit machine today or in the future, you will get Baratza style after sales service, support, and parts pricing. Absolute game changer. LM may charge you $250 for a drip tray cover, but if you want a new one for your Bianca, my guess is you’ll probably pay a fraction of that cost for it. New solenoid valve? Cost plus small handling charge. I bet they’ll even have new body panels available for the machine, at a very reasonable cost.

And one more thing happened. With most companies of high end espresso machines, the painted or limited edition colours are a premium price on top of the base models. La Marzocco charges $450 for custom colour choices on the GS3 (plus another $500 if you want upgraded side panels). Lelit was that way with the Bianca: the base steel unit was $3,000, and the premium white or black models were $200 more.

Breville decided to make them all $3,000 as of January of this year. (they also reduced the price on all other Lelit espresso machines, sold through their website).

For $3,000, you are getting an incredibly advanced, extremely high end, generational machine that is absolutely state of the art. It isn’t perfect (we noticed more than a few things we’d like to see updated in the Bianca, which I’ll save for our review). But in terms of ability, engineering, robustness, parts used, features available, consistency in the cup, steaming ability, recovery times, pressure controls, accessories included, technology inside, parts availability, maintenance costs (yes, all of this), there is literally not a better machine available today for the home espresso enthusiast. 

Unless of course $3,000 is just an unfathomable number for you for a home espresso machine.

Which brings us to…

The Breville Bambino Plus: The Best Espresso Machine of All Time

I know, crazy right? But when you think about it, for about $450 or less, (sometimes way less), the Breville Bambino Plus gives you a machine with the following:

• PID stable temperature controls (200F, non changeable) at the grouphead
• instant on ability, meaning you can pull a shot 3 seconds after turning on the machine
• instant steam ability, meaning you can start frothing milk about 3-4 seconds after turning the machine on, or after completing a shot pull
• automatic milk frothing ability via its early version of the MilQ system Breville keeps evolving. It produces authentic, high quality microfoam, completely hands off
• can still steam manually with the machine (and it’s powerful)
• full 9 bar at the grouphead thanks to a tuned OPV valve
• 3 way solenoid pressure relief after shot
• volumetric shot controls with preinfusion as well as a manual brew mode
• Extremely low power draw overall thanks to its heating system design
• hot water delivery built in (a surprising number of machines under $1000 do not have this, including the Profitec Go, or Turin Legato)
• Lots of parts available for the machine from Breville at very economical prices. The water reservoir, last I checked, is $35
• Can be serviced / modified by end user (OPV valve, dimmer mod, pump replacement, etc.
• Minimal scale issues (there’s no boiler to scale up). 

Sure, the Bambino Plus has plenty of issues (the cup tray never heats up, the drip tray is pitifully tiny, the grouphead doesn’t heat up, necessitating a couple of blank flushes before a shot pull), but when you factor in the machine’s ability, consistency between shot pulls, instant on ability, steaming ability, temperature stability, parts availability and the absolute massive bang for the buck it delivers…

This is a candidate for the best espresso machine of all time. Because you could easily spend double the amount, buying a Profitec (Go), or Lelit (Victoria), as just two examples, and not get better espresso. You’ll get more robust, less plastic machines, but they also don’t have the technology the Bambino Plus does. I’d argue both machines don’t even steam nearly as well as the Bambino Plus does, automatically.

At the standard $500 price point, this is an excellent machine. If you can get it on sale for $450 or less, it is “the best” by a stretch in this price range.

Best is Subjective but Price / Service Must be a Factor

As you can guess, this is all subjective. I’m sure my picks for the best espresso machines in the world won’t match what others pick. I always feel dollars play a very important part of the equation. 

I owned two of the machines that most pundits would pick as the best consumer espresso machines ever made (and continue to own one of them). I absolutely loved working on the Speedster. It made me feel very different from how I feel pulling a shot on a Bambino Plus. But that machine was a serious financial black hole. The GS3 is as well. 

Time will tell if the Lelit stands up to decades and decades of use where the overall service and maintenance is under $150 a year, averaged out over a decade or two. I think that’s a reasonable price to pay. Think of it as the strata fees you’d pay for a condo. The news I heard about Lelit going forward, following the Baratza after sales service model really pushed it over the top for me. 

This is also why I haven’t mentioned the Decent Espresso machine yet. Many would pick that as the epitome – the toppermost of the poppermost – in espresso machines. I cannot. Though it is clearly one of the most advanced espresso machines you can buy today, it is also the most complex espresso machine available today. A gazillion parts inside, all needing to function correctly for the machine to work at full potential. 

Decent is a tiny, almost cottage industry company. I’d make the guess that La Marzocco sells more GS3s in a year than Decent has sold in their lifetime. Service and support is really good, right now, but if the company dissolves down the road, owners of Decent machines might be left with an extremely expensive brick at some point.

For that main reason, and the potential for the machine to be an even more expensive money pit than a Speedster or GS3, I cannot consider it as the best machine you should buy. 

Lelit is a massive company by comparison, and has a nationwide (in the US) service and support infrastructure being built right now, which will be as good as the service in Europe already is. They also have 35 years of sales and support to stand on.

And the Bambino Plus? I dare you to find another machine anywhere near its price point with its ability and tech inside. If it’s not the best espresso machine of all time, it’s certainly the best bang for the buck machine that’s ever existed. And for many, that also makes it the best, overall.

https://coffeegeek.com/opinions/state-of-coffee/the-best-espresso-machine/

#bambinoPlus #best #espressoMachine #laMarzocco #lelit #lelitBianca #speedster

Coffee Kev updated his review for the Bambino Plus from Breville, one of two "entry point" espresso machines from Breville that you'll find people like me... and everyone really... recommend the most.

cc @espresso #espresso #bambinoplus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aIJAY3SJuU

Not sure how I missed this a month or two ago, but CoffeeKev compared the Gaggia Classic Evo Pro to the Breville Bambino Plus #espresso machine, and it's like... A REALLY GOOD comparison between the two.

The machines compete on price point, but are two extremely different approaches to home espresso. Kev does a great job of breaking down the differences.

#gaggia #breville #bambinoplus #classicevopro

https://youtu.be/RlaJYPnUTBo