Price: $299.95
(as of Oct 17, 2024 11:53:10 UTC - Details)

Breville Bambino Espresso Machine BES450BSS, Brushed Stainless Steel
Item Package Dimension: 23.18L x 20.90W x 12.19H inches
Item Package Weight - 30.19 Pounds
Item Package Quantity - 1
Product Type - COFFEE MAKER
Reviewer: CliffyPop
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Seems like perfectly fine espresso after a month of daily use
Review: I've made and drunk a lot of fine espresso via professional machines from California to Italy over decades, yet I've never owned any type of countertop espresso maker. I can't accept inferior espresso an assumed they were all mediocre at best. I read many reviews and articles on tiny machines and the Bambino consistently rates high so I took a chance.SATISFIEDAfter a month of use I'm satisfied with the results. According to reviews, the power and materials are sufficient to make decent espresso without the warmup time of big machines. It seems to work quite well so far. I like how it's computer controlled to ramp up steam and sustain for specific periods and temperature for optimal extraction from grounds (the amount of time steam is applied can be custom set too in its memory).CLOSE COMPARISONI suspect it's not quite as steamy and high enough pressure to match a massive, multi-thousand dollar coffee bar machine, but it's awfully close. I've used those machines and the difference in taste is negligible here. I can definitely make a satisfactory espresso or americano with the Bambino. Probably if you're a super aficionado or professional manufacturer, you might be spoiled enough to care. Regular folks will likely not notice.STEAMED MILKThe steamed milk wand works well. It's about as powerful and simple to steam milk as any large machine. I’ve made fluffier steamed milk on pro machines but the Bambino does a good enough job.HOT WATERI thought I'd use the hot water feature more because I prefer americanos. I never use it though because it's too slow. The water gets hot enough but the stream is so thin that I have to stand there waiting too long. I just use an electric kettle instead. This was one reason I went with the first gen Bambino (the newer version doesn’t have a separate hot water spout). Now I kind of wish I went with the second gen since that seems to be more powerful.SMALL FOOTPRINTI also love how small the Bambino is. It sticks out pretty far but other wise length/width is surprisingly tiny. I can hardly believe how small it is and fits in even the tiniest kitchens.AUTOMATED CLEANINGThere's a convenient cleaning feature too where you put de-caking powder or vinegar/water in the reservoir and then run the cycle. It takes care of the process and flushing.CUTENESSYou gotta love the name Bambino! It's cute and familiar just like the name suggests. It looks great too. It has a satisfying steel coffee machine style that’s both modern and traditional.EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONSIn short, Breville exceeds expectations with a solid machine utilizing thoughtful and useful design resulting in great coffee in a quick and convenient package. I can make a perfect cup of coffee in about 3 minutes, including a quick grind of beans. It's hard to put a price on that level of convenience and quality.FUTURE DIY
I notice some people on forums upgrading parts for better performance. Maybe after the warranty expires, I’ll try enhancement since it can use at least a bit more heat and pressure.

Reviewer: Goose
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Makes great espresso!
Review: To say that I was researching what espresso machine, would be the biggest understatement. I have zero experience making espresso's and I was stuck between considering an automatic one, vs one with manual controls, and I decided to purchase this product, and I am so glad I did!I started with a pre ground high quality espresso bean, and from the first cup, to my most recent cup, were perfect each and every time! This machine is great for those that want good espresso's and for the beginners like myself. This machine is so easy to use as in my case, the less is more thought process, yielded dividends! I keep the pre ground espresso in a seal tight vessel to keep freshness, and has been working wonderfully! The machine yielded great creama and the espresso quality was right where it needs to be. When tamping the portafilter, just ensure you get 30 pounds of pressure when using the tamper to ensure you get proper extraction.For the price one can pay for an espresso machine, this machine is built with quality in mind, and does not take up too much counterspace vs the other machines out there. With less going on, there are less issues. This product comes with everything you need including 4 total filters, portafilter, milk frother pitcher and very clear instructions. To clean this product is very easy and if you get stuck with something, there are plenty of videos online that you can refer to as this product gets a lot of positive reviews from other espresso critics. One of the biggest perks is that this product heats very quickly and the volume of espresso can be adjusted per the instructions, which is a big perk.The only, albeit small, downside, is that the frother wand does take time to get the milk up to temperature. The instructions state to froth until the frother pitcher is hot to the touch, but I could not keep my hands on it and when tested the milk was only 136 degrees, so depending on your tolerance of hot to the touch, just test out the milk temperature as you continue using it until you find the amount of time it takes for you to get the milk where you want it to be. The handle does not get hot so you can hold from there until you get to the temperature you want.Very happy with the investment I made choosing this product, and I know other beginners like myself will be very happy with it as well.

Reviewer: TJG
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Great performance and value.
Review: We have been using this machine daily for several months brewing at least 4 cups per day. The machine is well made and very easy to use. It also looks good as countertop art. The coffee we have brewed has been excellent. Just take the time to learn how to properly prepare the ground coffee in the portafilter and you will have great tasting espresso.

Reviewer: Mizrain Romero
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Excelente cafetera para el hogar, da un café de excelentísima calidad, sin duda recomendado para la gente que es amante de una buena taza de cafe, fácil de usar y muy premium.

Reviewer: Kevin C.
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: I'm very happy with this machine. It isn't the best espresso maker but it is quite small and a very reasonable price. It will make you a decent cup of coffee, heats up fast and is easy to use.My only complaints are true nitpicks:1. You can't use the steam wand and make espresso at the same time. This is quite an annoying limitation on many Breville products but it is fairly justified on this small device with a tiny boiler. It would be nice but it isn't a deal breaker by any means.2. The steam pressure is a little low. Again, it would be nice to have a bit more juice available here but it is understandable, and by no means insufficient to make great steamed milk.3. The water tank is at the back. This is again something that is likely the best compromise for such a small machine. This tank-at-the back arrangement ensures that it uses up very little counter space, however it does have downsides. The biggest downside is that it is difficult to see the current water level. I generally need to pull it out a bit to check or lean in and push whatever is beside it on the counter out of the way. This is probably not much of an issue if you will have nothing next to it on one side as you can see the tank from both sides, but if you have it next to a wall and a grinder like I do it is a little annoying. The tank at the back makes filling it a little less convenient, you will typically have to pull it quite far out to fill the tank if you have a cupboard above it. However this also isn't a major issue as you don't need to fill it very often.Overall I am super impressed. At this budget and size it is a great set of tradeoffs. I doubt any of these minor downsides would be a significant problem for most users.

Reviewer: Michael
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Es pequeña pero muy práctica. Si pretendes comprarla para adentrarte al mundo del espresso, como en mi caso, te la recomiendo encarecidamente. Incluye 2 pares de filtros, uno para café molido grueso y otro para molido fino, por lo que podrías ahorrarte el tener que comprar un molino. En mi caso, decidí comprar un molino y el café que preparo es una maravilla. No soy un catador de café ni mucho menos así que para mí este producto es excelente.El único punto negativo, que no es propio del producto, es la cantidad de tiempo que toma preparar un café. A diferencia de una cafetera de goteo, esta requiere de un proceso más elavorado. Preparar un espresso podría considerarse un arte porque la molienda, el gramaje y el compactar adecuadamente son importantes para obtener un buen café. Si lo que quieres es tener un café medianamente bueno en pocos minutos, creo que te convendría más una cafetera automática.

Reviewer: Amazon Customer
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: This machine is great! Simple to use, and barely takes up any counter space. I noticed some reviews say the espresso is not hot enough, I have not had that issue.If I'm just having espresso the temperature is perfect, if I'm steaming milk you need to steam it long enough to ensure it doesn't cool your espresso down and give you a cold latte. Rule of thumb is keep steaming until the cup your steaming in is too hot to hold. (When steaming wrap your hands around the jug rather than holding the handle) your latte will be plenty hot guaranteed. I would highly recommend this machine for someone who's just starting to fiddle around with espresso or looking for a device that takes up minimal counter space. Can't go wrong especially when on sale

Reviewer: K
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: My partner and I use this thing multiple times a day. Had some trouble finding right grind size, now we mostly use pre ground espresso. Caffeine and decaf espresso both taste good. Steam wand is great. Quick to heat up, almost instant. Lets you know when to descale. Had an issue with steam wand leaking while shot was pouring, thankfully it happened just before warranty expired. Sent it in and got it fixed, didn't cost me anything, fairly quick return.