

I successfully made a few macchiatos and more than a dozen lattes during weeks of testing. The Bambino is also quite proficient at foaming milk, given its price tag.

Each shot had a pleasant aroma and subtle sweetness that showcased the beans' unique character and freshness in different ways, and a velvety texture that I'm yet to experience from an automatic espresso machine. While evaluating the machine, I used freshly ground beans from Lavazza, illy, and Joe Coffee. Another major contributor is an espresso extraction process pressure of 9 bars - the ideal setting for a perfect shot. I discovered two crucial factors behind its stellar performance, starting with a 54-millimeter portafilter - an industry standard with a long history of excellence. I put the product through its paces for over a month, making well over 100 shots with good taste and excellent crema.īeing a longtime espresso nerd, I scrutinized the Bambino's specs. On a scale from 1 to 10, with the latter being a $4 shot from a commercial-grade espresso machine at my local coffee shop, I'd give the Breville Bambino a solid 8. As a result, I am (and always will be) very particular about my espresso's look, smell, taste, and texture. Sweeteners have always been a “no” for me, too. I drink several a day, and, save for infrequent macchiato occasions, I never add milk to my beverage.
Bambino expresso machine manual#
The startup times of much pricier manual espresso machines I owned over the years measured in minutes and included a cacophony of huffing, puffing, and crackling noises - even my automatic espresso machine took longer to start up! What's the Espresso Like?īefore I dive into the quality of the Bambino's shots, you should know that espresso has been my obsession since the mid-2000s. Breville accomplished this by fitting the machine with a proprietary heating system dubbed ThermoJet. Performance-wise, the first thing that impressed me about the Bambino is that it only takes 3 seconds to heat up and get ready to make espresso shots. After testing it out, I recommend the app over the booklets because it's a bit more interactive and straightforward. You can also use the excellent BILT app (available for iOS and Android) to get in-depth knowledge about operating the machine, including instructions for setting it up and first-time use and tips for texturing milk and cleaning the product. The product has booklets to guide you through the entire process. Setting up the Bambino is a fast and intuitive process, even if you're a first-time espresso machine user.
