As an ex-barista and now professional espresso machine reviewer, I get my hands on a lot of the best espresso machines. I've reviewed $99 machines, $200 machines, $800 machines, all the way up to $3,000 machines (yes, the Breville Oracle Dual Boiler is three grand.)
But what is the one thing none of these machines have managed to do? Earn my perfect 5-star rating, that's what.
Enter the Breville Bambino. At first glance, an unassuming little thing, just 6.3 inches wide, weighing just 11 pounds. Yet as soon as I put this teeny machine in the ring, I realized I'd underestimated it. The Breville Bambino is a heavyweight espresso machine, capable of brewing barista-quality shots and steaming silky smooth milk without breaking a sweat — or getting its teeth knocked out.
Instant K.O.
A PID controller is a nifty piece of tech inside your machine that controls the temperature of the water as it flows through the coffee.
I wrote a hefty 2,000+ word review on the Breville Bambino, and that was after reigning myself in. I could easily spend 5k words waxing lyrical about this monstrously talented machine.
For the sake of your poor thumbs (imagine scrolling through 5,000 words), I'll keep it brief.
Like all other machines under Breville's belt, the Bambino has a PID controller. A PID controller is a nifty piece of tech inside your machine that controls the temperature of the water as it flows through the coffee. This temperature is factory-set to 200°F, which is within the ideal range of 200°F-212°F for espresso extraction.
Other, more expensive machines like the Smeg EMC02 have a customizable PID controller, but that privilege can set you back nearly $2,000.
And another feature you might be surprised to see on a cheap machine? Customizable pre-infusion time. This is where low-pressure water seeps through the grounds for up to ten seconds, before the machine ramps up the pressure and extracts the espresso. Pre-infusion can dramatically alter the taste and bring out more nuanced flavors.
Considering the Bambino is a comparatively measly $299, these are majorly impressive features to have. Just look at this delicious espresso shot I made on the Bambino.
I guzzled that shot. If I don't mix my espresso with milk or water, you know it's delicious. And I drank it raw. It tasted complex, layered, yet balanced, with top notes of florals and juicy citrus and a well-rounded, toasty, malty flavor at the back end. Utterly delectable.
But espresso isn't the only thing this machine can do. It can also steam a mean milk. As an ex-barista with three-and-a-half years of slinging shots and steaming milk behind me, I long for the domestic machines that'll get me pouring latte art like I'm still behind that bar.
The Bambino is one of them. Not only can you switch between espresso and milk in under four seconds, but it also boasts a crazy powerful steam wand. I was able to get the all-important 'vortex', resulting in shiny, melted-ice-cream texture milk. This photo shows an oat milk latte, which is trickier to steam than dairy.
Although not my most aesthetic pour, you can see the texture of the milk clearly. It's soft and weighty but without being stiff. This latte tasted as good as it looks.
Oh, and like Breville's pricier machines, the Bambino comes with the iconic angled spout jug, which means it's easier to pour barista-quality latte art.
Enter the opponents
Thanks to its features, the Bambino is head and shoulders above the rest of the rather bloated beginner-friendly espresso machine crowd.
The Breville Bambino does what many other espresso machines try and fail to accomplish: Barista-quality coffee at budget pricing.
Although I know $299 sounds like a lot of money — it is a lot of money — if you're familiar with the price of espresso machines, it's actually incredibly reasonable. If you want a high-quality compact espresso machine, you're looking at around $500 for the Breville Bambino Plus or the Gaggia Classic.
I've tested the $129 Casabrews 3700 Essential, which, in my mind, is a clear Bambino dupe, right down to the layout of the buttons. I've also tested the $299 Casabrews 5418 Pro, which is more like a Bambino Plus-level dupe.
Both machines are good, but neither breaks into "I would buy this for myself" territory. This is due to a plethora of reasons: no single-walled portafilter accessory, frustrating forced boiler purging, and flimsy accessories.
This is where the Bambino shines. You can tell it's made for coffee enthusiasts and beginners alike. As I mentioned earlier, you get tons of high-end, coffee-snob-worthy features for your $299. You get customizable pre-infusion time, a PID controller, and a barista-quality steam wand.
Thanks to these features, the Bambino is head and shoulders above the rest of the rather bloated beginner-friendly espresso machine crowd.
If you're willing to spend a bit more — or having a built-in grinder is a non-negotiable — then you sacrifice some of these features for the convenience.
I utterly adored the De'Longhi La Specialista Arte Evo, and it's the best-value bean-to-cup on the market right now. But it stumbles where the Bambino excels: the steam wand. Although powerful, all of De'Longhi's La Specialista range suffers from the same inflexible steam wand, which means I wouldn't really want to buy one for myself.
The La Specialista range also lacks a PID controller, which is an essential feature if you want a reliable, high-quality espresso machine that'll pull consistent shots.
On top of that, the coffee snob crowd would berate me in the comments if I didn't tell you that built-in grinders are inherently inferior to standalone grinders. It's true, but some people just want the added convenience of a built-in grinder.
The Bambino's biggest competitor is kind of... itself? Breville also makes the $499 Bambino Plus, which is my personal espresso machine. I'd recommend splurging on the $500 model if you want a four-hole steam wand more than you want two hundred smackaroos left spare, but if you want to spend as little as possible, it's gotta be the Bambino. It's a perfect espresso machine.
I challenge you to show me another model that can do more for less.
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