The Breville Bambino Plus has been an awesome upgrade from my old Nespresso machine. I was a bit nervous about moving into the world of real espresso, but this machine makes the process surprisingly easy and not intimidating at all. The learning curve has actually been fun—not stressful—and I’ve been enjoying experimenting with it every day.
Don’t stress about getting the “perfect” shot right away. If you’re watching online videos, just remember those people have done this hundreds of times. Even with a shot that isn’t perfectly dialed in, the taste is already far better than anything I ever got from a Nespresso pod. In fact, I had a grinder issue the first week and had to use pre-ground coffee, and it still blew my Nespresso out of the water.
Speaking of grinders—this is the one area where you really want to make a solid investment. My multi-purpose grinder (Fellow Opus) couldn’t handle espresso, so I ended up buying a new one specifically for that. It’s worth spending $400–$600 if you want a grinder that can deliver consistent espresso-quality results for years.
As for choosing between the Bambino and Bambino Plus—go with the Plus, especially if your mornings are busy. The automatic milk steaming feature is a huge time saver. It might not be perfect for latte art, but if you just want a solid cup of coffee to start your day, this is the way to go.
Overall, I’m really enjoying the Bambino Plus. It heats up in 3 seconds, steams milk quickly and consistently, and produces espresso that’s just as good (if not better) than many local coffee shops. ECS Coffee shipped it fast to Vancouver, BC, and the packaging was solid. No complaints—just great coffee.