Breville Bambino Plus Automatic Espresso Machine, Black Truffle #BES500BTR1BCA1

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.

Better than I could have expected

After using a profession cimbali jr for over 20 years I was looking for a machine that would give me a great cappuccino without the extra challenge of a older machine which had a lot of quirks plus had to connect water and drain. The breville bambino seems to be the answer. Easy to use once you get the proper grinds and shots. Don’t rely on the presets. The coffee and milk is hot and the shots tasty. ECS is highly recommended. Easy to purchase and was in my house a week after order and I live across the country. Oh yes. ECS is a Canadian company. Could have purchased same price from Amazon. But why?

I know nothing about espresso. So this machine and a DF54 grinder are just perfect for this hoser. A friend dialed in both appliances for me and I bought a scale and funnel and will get a bottomless portafilter and WDT thingie soon. The Breville is plasticky and a bit fragile, so it won't stand up to hardcore usage but again, no problem for me. The auto milk steamer and auto purging are great additions to the Bambino. Would certainly buy again.

When dream comes true!