
Breville
Bambino Plus
Fast heat-up, easy for beginners; inconsistent shots, annoying cleaning.

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which LM we are talking about here? I only ever used the Micra for extended period of time and it's worth it, everything feels easy and consitent, it's very nice and powerful machine. I used my friend's Leva X a couple times, that thing is interesting and can pull absolutely lovely shots with light to very light beans, plus it is a beauty. All I'm saying is, if you can afford a LM machine, go for it, it'd be worthwhile
Agree with this. You still need a good grinder and learn good puck prep but you WILL get consistent shots with the LM.
Everyone is telling you to get a bean to cup machine, but I think it depends a lot on your company and who works there. I work at a big tech company, and we have plenty of manual Simonellis and LMs which seem very popular. I think there are instructions available for people to learn how to use them. That said, we also have bean-to-cup machines for people who don’t want to learn to manually pull shots.
I try to buy myself gifts to celebrate milestones so that they mean something extra to me. Got my first espresso machine (Lelit Mara X) when I graduated college. Got my LM when I bought my first house. 100% worth it.
I started with a Barista Pro and leveled up to a La Marzocco.
https://preview.redd.it/i99orcugfh8g1.jpeg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=50740c06066328000afcf4e739e0fb18ee173c43 Hoping the picture would increase my credibility when I say this. Having a La Marzocco in no way saves you money. Between heating the machine, water, maintenance, etc. You'll be lucky to break even after 5-7 years. With that said, it is a single joy of my life; I wake up every day looking forward to pulling a shot. I made a deal with my wife for the next 10 years; she doesn't need to get me anything, no birthday, anniversary, Christmas, etc. Let's say that's a great deal. I'm a picky person to get gifts for, and this saves her and me time and effort. Best of luck with your decision.

Breville
Bambino Plus
Fast heat-up, easy for beginners; inconsistent shots, annoying cleaning.

Cafelat
Robot Series
Manual, durable, exceptional espresso; no milk, effort for multiple shots.

Gaggia
Classic Pro E24
Mod-friendly workhorse, great espresso with mods; weak steam, poor temp.

Lelit
Bianca
Precise flow control, dual boiler; long heat-up, average build quality.

DeLonghi
Stilosa Series
Budget-friendly, moddable; flimsy build, needs upgrades for good espresso.

Ranked #1
Breville - Bambino Plus

Ranked #1
ECM - Synchronika II

Ranked #1
Lelit - Bianca

Ranked #1
Gaggia - Classic Pro E24

Ranked #1
Breville - Bambino Plus

Ranked #1
Breville - Bambino Plus