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.
would be great to know your bean/roast level preferences, and a budget.
Of the Brevilles:
- Bambino/Plus
- Limited pre-infusion (8sec), temp stable-ish, good for medium-to-dark; might struggle with lighter roasts.
- Yes, the Plus has an automatic mode steamer, but you totes don't have to use it. Steaming is slow but not terrible.
- Heat-up time is spectacularly short.
- Base Bambino lacks a 3-way exhaust solenoid; so, your workflow slows down waiting for pressure to dissipate when you finish a shot -- but, you can do blooming shots which are handy for light roasts.
- Infuser
- IMHO, best bang for the buck espresso machine (if you like the spectrum of roast levels).
- Because it can do proper low-pressure (3bar) pre-infusion for as long as you damn well please (the entire 60sec duty cycle of the pump, if you want, effectively doing low-pressure turbo/soup shots). Great for light roasts, better in cup than my old Linea Mini which was a stupid flat-9 bar.
- Breville Dual Boiler
- I mean, yes? If you can swing it?
- All other Brevilles with integrated grinders
- just, no. None of the integrated grinders are worth the jank and eventual jams and failures.
Grinders:
- Baratza ESP (or Pro, but I haven't used this).
- Great burr (Etzinger), marginally better burr carrier/adjustment mecha/grind chamber; very usable for espresso, surprisingly un-terrible for filter.
- Will certainly beat the pants off of the blade grinders.
- DF64
- A great entry level grinder, because it is a towering achievement in low-cost manufacturing for a platform that can accommodate the plethora of 64mm burrs out there; which is a good space for exploration.
- You will likely appreciate it in comparison to the blade grinder you have at home, but as a former barista it will likely infuriate you with its clogging chute, weird alignment issues, and janky adjustment collar.
- Shardor 64mm
- Inexpensive, plastic knock-off of a Mazzer Super Jolly; also takes standard 64mm burrs.
- Low cost has the luxury of low expectations -- great platform to camp on while you decide what to save up for.
- Eureka anything
- Not worth the price. Terrible dial adjustment, proprietary burrs, antediluvian grind chamber and chute, designed to retain as much coffee as possible because, reasons.
uhm...that was a lot. i'll stop now. hope something is useful in there.
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
