1
Breville
Bambino Plus
77% positive of 1,087 users
Fast heat-up, easy for beginners; inconsistent shots, annoying cleaning.
X1 Gen 1 (Aluminium Boiler)
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Sentiment score70% positive
14
1
5
Last updated: Jun 30, 2026
Reddit Reviews
20 of 20 reviews
brodyqatFrancis Francis X1 espresso machine. They retailed new for about $900, 20 years ago. It's a tank, I can't believe it's still chugging along. Pictured with this morning's espresso in a cup I made. :)
call_me_tankI had a gen 1 Francis Francis X1 with an aluminium boiler. The heating element died in 2020. When I opened it up to diagnose the problem I found a manufacturing date stamp of 1998. Spare parts for my model were not available so I had to let got of it. It made me some awesome cups of coffee. If yours has a brass boiler you're in a better position if something breaks.
Charlesinrichmondyeah, looking cool was their best quality, I don't miss mine.
Confident-Ant-3763I used to have this as well.
Fit-Nectarine5047I have this but in chrome! Found it on facebook marketplace 😂
glennis_pnkrckI got a pink one off ebay a dozen years ago! Love it.
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Rankings by Use Case
Best for Fast morning workflows
Ranked #1
Breville - Bambino Plus
Busy professionals or parents who need high-quality caffeine quickly without a lengthy 'ritual.'
See rankings → Best for Hosting and entertaining
Ranked #1
ECM - Synchronika II
Users who frequently make multiple drinks for guests or large families and need high throughput.
See rankings → Best for Light roast specialty coffee
Ranked #1
Lelit - Bianca
Enthusiasts who enjoy 'Third Wave' coffee and want to extract complex, fruity, and floral notes.
See rankings → Best for Long-term repairability
Ranked #1
Gaggia - Classic Pro E24
'Buy It For Life' (BIFL) consumers who want a durable machine that can be maintained for decades.
See rankings → Best for Milk-based drinks
Ranked #1
Breville - Bambino Plus
Users who primarily drink lattes, cappuccinos, and flat whites and want cafe-standard microfoam.
See rankings → Best for Minimal effort brewing
Ranked #1
Breville - Bambino Plus
Users who want quality espresso with minimal manual effort — whether transitioning from pod machines, new to espresso, or simply uninterested in the barista hobby.
See rankings → 
