We also don’t love the removable water tank compared with sleeker designs such as those you’d find on machines including the Gaggia Classic Pro, but that’s more a matter of preference than a true deficiency. If you prefer a different brewing technique for other beans, grind sizes or coffee styles, you’ll have to finagle that manually.
#EXPRESSO MACHINE PLUS#
The main downside of the Bambino Plus is that you can only have one customized preset for a single and double shot. The settings for the automatic milk frother aren’t as robust as what you’d find on more expensive systems like Breville’s Barista Pro, and not as good as using a stand-alone frother, but you get a decent range of three options for both temperature and foam levels and it’s delivered in under a minute with minimal extra work required. Being able to manually specify times for either is critical to ensuring that you’re getting consistent results once you’ve dialed in your process, which includes figuring out the perfect grind size for your coffee beans, the exact ratio of ground coffee to brewed beverage you want and the precise number of seconds the Bambino Plus should be extracting (typically around 25 to 30 seconds). Most importantly, the Bambino Plus’s settings for pre-infusions (the amount of time the machine runs a little water through the “puck” of coffee in your portafilter) and shot volume (how much ends up in your cup) can be customized for both single and double shots. This includes a reasonably sized 54-millimeter portafilter for single and double shots a built-in Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) temperature controller to regulate water temperature for precise, consistent brewing a proprietary “ThermoJet” system that makes the Bambino Plus ready to brew seconds after you hit the power button and an automatic milk frother. Of all the espresso machines we researched, the Bambino Plus contains the essentials every amateur barista needs and won’t monopolize your kitchen counter.
With its relatively low price in the category, you’ll have plenty of extra cash to spend on an amazing coffee grinder that, alongside the Bambino Plus, will give you even better results than all-in-one systems that cost twice as much (or more).
#EXPRESSO MACHINE PRO#
However, if you’re looking for a true all-in-one unit that can do it all, the Breville Barista Touch and Breville Barista Pro are solid systems that cost about as much as you should spend if this is your first foray into all-in-one espresso systems.
#EXPRESSO MACHINE MANUAL#
Similarly, the gorgeous Gaggia Classic Pro -an entirely manual machine that needs one important DIY upgrade-can give you incredible results, as long as you’re willing to work for them.
The Bambino Plus will also require you to have (or purchase) a stand-alone grinder, a setup all the experts we talked to recommended.
Once you’ve done that, you’ll have a handcrafted beverage to enjoy, and you can always keep tinkering. To get the best result from the machines we recommend, you need to find the right grind size for your beans ensure that you’re getting the perfect brew ratio and time for that roast and if you’re using milk, make sure it’s frothing at the right consistency and speed for whatever drink you’re making. While you can buy fully automatic espresso machines that work at the push of a button, they cost significantly more and remove that human element. The best espresso machines, like Breville’s Bambino Plus, excel by keeping your pulls as consistent as possible and minimizing the busywork once you’ve learned the art of the espresso. Unlike drip coffee makers, which cost a few hundred dollars at most and do all of the work for you, espresso makers under $1,000 require more active involvement for many people, that hands-on action is part of their appeal. A cappuccino, latte or even just a straight shot of espresso can be an excellent start to your morning or provide those much-needed midday boosts.
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