If you basically like your bambino but just want a little more, I would say take a look at the Breville infuser, which is still available on Amazon for about US$600. Better build, better thermal stability, volumetric control, temperature control, hot water dispenser, 30-second heat up time…it ticks a lot of boxes.
I've had mine for a few months now, after upgrading from the Infuser after 6 or 7 years. It's the best machine you can get (that I know of) that can still be operated by someone who doesn't give a shit (my wife).
I would look for a used Breville/Sage Infuser! In my opinion, it is a superior machine to the Bambino series. Slightly heftier build, and takes a bit more countertop space, but has better thermal stability, and pre-infusion actually works quite well on it. It doesn't use the ultra-small-thermal-mass thick film heater that the bambino uses, but it still uses a nice block with fast heatup times (much faster than a boiler machine).
Whatever your budget is you should split it 50/50 between machine and grinder. I stepped up my budget to $1000 for my beginning set up and went with a Breville Infuser and Baratza Vario grinder. I was happy I did. It was better quality and allowed me to grow into it. It lasted many years until I was ready to go to Prosumer level.
My Breville Infuser does have the ability to control pre-infusion, actually. It‘s default is 5 seconds at low pressure but you can manually control it to 15 seconds.
I do know what you mean about tinkering less and less. When I first really started to get into coffee almost 20 years ago I was always tinkering, trying new brewers etc. These days, all those different pour overs etc. sit in a box in the basement. All I need is my Espro press, and Aeropress for camping. Brewed coffee is the majority of what we drink. I find it much more comforting in the mornings. Espresso drinks are mostly for weekend afternoons. Maybe a shot when I get home from work if I’m especially tired that day.
My biggest hesitation is the hot water spout. When I asked my brother about his Micra, he said the hot water comes out all sputtery and superheated because it’s connected to the steam boiler, not the brew boiler.
Top Espresso Machines on Reddit
1
Breville
Bambino Plus
77% positive of 1,081 users
Fast heat-up, easy for beginners; inconsistent shots, annoying cleaning.
ahasibrm
