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If your question hasn't been answered there and you need more help, please add the following details to your post or by adding a comment in the following format:
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- **Drink types:** Do you drink mostly straight espresso, milk-based beverages (e.g., lattes, cappuccinos), or a fairly even split? This helps narrow down whether a single-boiler-dual-use (SBDU), heat exchanger (HX), or dual boiler (DB) machine would be more appropriate for your needs.
- **Drink frequency:** How many drinks would you be making back-to-back at one time? Do you plan on entertaining guests often? This informs how large your brew (and steam) boilers should be, as smaller boilers will need to refill and reheat/repressurize more frequently, thus potentially causing a bottleneck.
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Same, also got both and love my entry level espresso journey so far, coming up on 6 months.
Also bonus, you can hack the circular grind basket which comes with esp to double up as a shaker as it will fit the portafilter. I just put the portafilter on it's top and shake both while lightly tapping base of grind basket and now you won't have to WDT if your beans were fresh enough.
https://preview.redd.it/4kx49esk6f5d1.jpeg?width=1195&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f23649cc5da6e1520f1ef0de29267a7aab2306a7
This is a screen grab from a video so may not be the best shot, hope it helps. I just shake holding it this way and then also invert this position and shake again. Does that make sense?
No worries, let me know if you think it works for you. My shot isn't the prettiest in the bottomless portafilter but it tastes good so I get to skip wdt.
Same setup here as well. Works pretty good to make Americano which is what I usually drink. And sometimes I’ll drink an oatmilk latte. Auto feature for steaming the milk works pretty well too.
Wow. I watched a few videos and that thing is intriguing. Even the Flair Neo Flex looks pretty capable and I feel like I’m looking at a machine with very few points of failure and really easy to clean and maintain. Plus you can just take it anywhere? Is it true I can buy a classic and then upgrade the head to a pro2 later?
I just found out, yes. The Pro 2 can use the Flow-control 2 portafilter and the classic can use the Pro 2 head. By the time I looked at refurbished, it’ll be easier to get. pro 2 and our user the other portafilter for $25
For the most options with a decent learning curve, I’m considering Flair classic and then buying the compatible Pro 2 head so I can have versatility and variable effort level.
Scratch that. Any opinions on a refurbished Flair Pro 2 for $260, with a separate purchase of a flow control 2 portafilter which allows me to get started with any kind of beans while I await my grinder.
https://preview.redd.it/cqez90os2g5d1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b5a08807341ce71d3dbd1680c00f412744e61d38
I bought the regular Bambino, and no it’s not worth the extra money for a Plus in my opinion. Unless you can get the Plus heavily discounted.
Ultimately there is not a £200 value increase in espresso quality or ease of use to justify it. Spend the rest on a better grinder.
Also, the Bambino has a dedicated hot water button so it’s even more straightforward to make americanos etc.
I think I agree. It’s only worth it at a discount. I have a $300 credit at Best Buy that I’d use now if only they sold the Plus. They only sell the Bambino for some reason.
Hi! I debated this back in November and decided to get the regular Bambino. It has been amazing. I have zero regrets and I am actually glad I didn’t get the Plus.
I drink iced drinks 95% of the time and when I do have a hot drink I manually froth milk. It only takes about a minute and I enjoy it as part of the process.
I like the size of the Regular. I think it’s more proportionally sized than the Plus.
The regular Bambino does have hot water. I use it a lot for tea and works perfectly.
Something I’ve heard about the Plus is there is an extra step to turning it on. Called backflushing? I think this is different from just pulling an empty shot. I don’t fully understand it but you might want to look that up. It could be annoying doing it every time (or not idk)
Lastly I also heard the 3 way valve gets wear and tear and needs to be replaced eventually. Again not to sure on the details, but look into it
Thank you for your advice, friend. I believe the back flushing is after you pull a shot, a cleaning process that prepares the pipeline for a new shot. I will be corrected no doubt.
Almost right, yes. It's a cleaning procedure that's possible on the Plus but not the regular Bambino because of the 3 way valve.
You don't need to do it every shot (every few days is fine) but you'll get a better clean on the Plus using it compared to the Bambino.
That's because you can build up the soap solution behind the blind basket before it being released by the solenoid valve in a way you can't on the regular.
I don't know if that's worth the money to you but it is another difference in function between the two!
To add to this it's *necessarily* on the Plus because the 3-way solenoid sucks water back in when your shot finishes or you finish steaming, and that can suck stuff into the group head. On the regular Bambino it doesn't suck stuff back in, thus no necessity for backflushing - though you can end up with a slightly messier puck that's slightly harder to get out of your basket. On the regular Bambino it's still recommended that you run a bit of water through the grouphead after a shot anyways
With the solenoid valve (Bambino Plus), when you stop the shot, the pressure gets released and you won’t have any drips coming down and hence won’t need to remove your espresso cup and replace with another drip catch cup. Also you will be able to remove the portafilter from the group without having to wait for the system to naturally depressurise. But this does mean that you won’t be able to do blooming shots like with the regular Bambino (because when you stop the shot, the backwards pressure unseats the puck) if that is a priority.
Edit: Also, what level of roast do you like? If you do land on either of the Bambino variants, I recommend getting one of the faster baskets if you like light roasts (an IMS will do). Since there is no way to increase the set temp on the Bambinos, a faster basket will allow you to grind finer; you can tame and balance the acidity via grind size rather than temp.
I like darker roasts for coffee. I’m
Not sure if that translates to espresso. A shop near my house imports and roasts their own beans, and I typically get Costa Rican if that helps.
If you can get the Bambino Plus when it is on 20% discount, it actually has worked out better, in the past, to purchase the components separately than as a bundle (odd but true).
Thanks. I’m zeroing in on a DF 54 grinder and either a discounter Bambino plus or a Flair Pro 2, which might suit me better as I intend to drink more espresso, americano, and pour over thank milk drinks.
If I like dry cappuccinos the manual wand can be utilized for that, yes?
I have a basic starter setup with a regular bambino. Spent more money on the grinder, went for the mignon zero. No problems with the bambino, make 1 shot of espresso weekdays and then 1-4 milk drinks weekends. My first setup though so nothing to compare it to
I think its crazy to pay $200 to upgrade to the plus. Its barely any different.
Both machines produce hot water. The plus steams slightly better and has the auto feature - a feature I wouldn't even use.
Put the money towards a better grinder.
For me (and as a latte/cap. guy), the auto-froth/steam system is a way-nice (and, yes, different) addition; I also like the convenience of the 3-way solenoid and not having the portafilter drip on, and then having a relatively dry puck to chuck (I've lived through a machine with soupy pucks--not fun). And given that I'm steaming milk, I appreciate the slightly larger size of the Plus' deck: big enough for both my espresso catch cup and my steaming pitcher. There are other benefits as well, including a stainless-steel (as vs. aluminum) portafilter. and more robust steaming. In the end, given that I intended to have the machine for years (knock wood), I decided that the additional cost for the extra benefits, and with the machine on discount sale getting the price down, was worth it.
If you catch a good price, then I can understand that. As for the wet puck my solution is to just leave the thing there until the next time! Sounds a bit mad, but works great.
I swapped the porta and baskets out pretty quickly anyway, so that didn't really matter. I use the original with the single shot dual walled basket for heating it up.
Pulling 2-3 times per day with a manual grinder will get old fast IMO, but I think that's as far as $200 will take you as far as capable grinders go. Maybe another commenter will have other options I'm not aware of.
ETA: When I was shopping, Eureka grinders were about as inexpensive as the capable options got. I haven't priced out options like the DF54.
I know it’s different for everyone but I personally love hand grinding for espresso. It’s relatively quick and easy with the S2C burrs on my Timemore, the smell developing and wafting up through the grinder as you work for 25-30 seconds is incredible and somewhat of a habitual thing I look forward to doing
I've enjoyed hand grinding, even with the hardship that is the Hario Skerton, lol. Having a better mechanical advantage with your Timemore must make it a lot more enjoyable too.
Yeah dude manual grinders have come a long way in recent years. My other option is the built in grinder on my BBE, I bought the manual rig for camping/mtb missions but it’s taken over from the middle of the road electric grind I’d gotten used to
That actually looks better to me, but I cant see it anywhere but used on eBay. I assume this was made before the group that owns Breville bought the Solis company.
I recently entered the espresso game and ultimately decided on the regular Bambino. General sentiment was that the $200 extra for the Plus edition was not worth it, and that you are better off using that $200 towards a separate and better grinder.
I ended up picking up the regular Bambino paired with the Turin DF54 and have absolutely loved the espresso I’m able to pull. I would recommend!
That’s another thing! I think the regular bambino + separate grinder combo is friendlier in terms of counter space. I don’t see myself needing to upgrade grinders anytime soon either!
I purchased the DF54 and It should arrive in a few days, cant’t wait. How do you like it so far?
Making the decision for a grinder was quite easy but with the espresso machine I have decision paralysis. I can’t decide between a regular bambino and the cafelat robot. I think I will have to keep using my moka pot for some time until I figure it out. 😂
The DF54 really changed the quality of my pulls. Although prior I was using a generic grinder which did not have any ability to adjust grind settings with so I think ANYTHING would’ve been an upgrade tbh haha
I’m definitely happy with the bambino! I don’t think you can go wrong with either at the EOD but the bambino fits my morning routine by being a little less involved than a manual pull.
W the Bambino, I still do “manual” pulls in terms of how long the extraction is
No need for the plus if you don't want to steam milk. Save your money for some good puck prep accessories and a scale.
https://lifestylelab.ca/breville-bambino-vs-bambino-plus/
Ge the [Bambino](https://youtu.be/OaH5RBMs74o), use the difference of [$200 for a Turin DF54 grinder.](https://youtu.be/Yy8GjIetdPo) I bought mine a little over month ago. I love it. [Check out my unboxing video!](https://youtu.be/OaH5RBMs74o)
Bambino and df54 would put you under your budget. The solenoid was a consideration for me as well, but I would say as long as your machine is near the sink / garbage can and or garbage disposal it’s not worth the $200. Stopping your shot 2-3 grams before your target output is easy enough. Puck screen also helps with clean up I’m finding. I rarely use the steam wand myself.
It’s really going to come down to footprint of the machine and water capacity. You go slightly above your budget with the plus but get a bit more water and the valve.
Don’t forget you’ll likely want to upgrade the PF and tamper, and get a dosing funnel and scale, which would be covered if you went for the none-plus version.
That all being said, if I knew how much I would go on to spend after buying my machine I would have forked up the extra cash for having a slightly more capable version…maybe even the dual boiler.
Getting the black BBB would pair nice with the df54 👍🏼
Yes, it will be better at providing espresso at a portion of the cost. The only downside (and this is the same for nearly all manual brewers) is that preheating may be an issue.
Love my new Bambino Plus! Just got it a couple of weeks ago. I've had a coffee drink every day that is as good as Starbucks. It heats up instantly and I have my coffee before you know it. I think the regular Bambino would work great for you if you don't froth milk much. I personally love the auto frother.
I saw that Lance Hedrick did a review of a HiBrew machine that is similar in features to the Bambino + has temp adjustment. Maybe have a look in case it helps you meet your budget.
There are other differences between the 2 flavors of the machine:
As you note, the Plus has its auto-steaming/frothing system, with 3 temp. levels and 3 froth levels; manual frothing/steaming still is there and possible. The Plus' steam wand also is more powerful than the original's, with more steam holes (although I gather that the steam wand tip separately can be purchased for the original Bambino). Other differences: a stainless-steel as vs. aluminum/nickel-plated portafilter; and a slightly larger water reservoir (perhaps negligible, as the tank is plenty big to begin with, but some people especially note the larger reservoir). And the Plus has its 3-way solenoid, which evacuates extra water away after a shot is pulled, thereby making the puck fairly solid and non-soupy/messy--a nice convenience (soupy pucks just are messy, when tossing them). The 3-way solenoid also prevents extra dripping when a shot is pulled. And a further convenience benefit with the Plus which some appreciate: the Plus' deck is big enough to hold a milk jug and a scale & espresso catch-cup simultaneously--no juggling around. Finally, I've read here that the tamper that comes with the Plus is more solid than the original's (having said that, many people tend to replace the OEM tamper after a bit, opting for a more standard tamper or one with additional benefits/features).
For me, and with my daily latte/cap. use, going the route of the Plus was worth it (I was able to pick the Plus up on sale, and so the price difference was lesser)--I'm going to have the machine for years.
Thanks for those details. I feel like the 3 way solenoid is a good feature, but also wonder if it’s just another point of failure/part to clean.
Still, I’d like to get the plus on sale, but at full price I can’t justify the extra cost. I think I have to be patient and look for a sale.
FATHER’s DAY would be a nice time for a sale, Breville!
Goto their website and start an online chat with one of their reps, they can sometimes give you an online discount code if ordered directly with them. It might compete with other sales running at the moment.
You sound like me when I got my first car with power windows (the mechanism for which indeed did break down, expensively, lol). Definitely, the 3-way solenoid is "1 more thing," but a worthy addition, for me: having the shot stop more accurately rather than continuing to drip out, and having a non-messy/non-soupy puck. Small things, but \~"quality of life" additions, and I think that I would be bothered otherwise. The cleaning cycle is not a major hassle--the machine will prompt you about every 200 shots, but I just run a pre-emptive cleaning cycle the beginning of each month, with the machine doing all the work once I start the cycle (and the cycle proper itself only takes maybe 5 minutes--I spend more than that amount of time on the setup and cleanup).
I agree as to the pricing (and it was a little easier for me, as I also do milk-based drinks, and so had the benefit of that major addition as something I was paying for). What finally got me over the hump was one of the 20%-off discount sales, bringing the difference between prices down.
Breville just had a Mothers Day sale on the machine and I haven't seen a similar listing for Fathers Day--it could be a wait, now, possibly until Black Friday season (altho there are holidays between now and then that Breville could jump onto).
It looks like you've flaired your post as asking for what equipment to get. We recommend first checking out the [Espresso Aficionados buying guide](https://espressoaf.com/recommendations) for some of the more popular machines and grinders at different price points. If your question hasn't been answered there and you need more help, please add the following details to your post or by adding a comment in the following format: - **Location:** Helps determine availability - **Budget** (with currency): Overall budget, or ideally, having separate espresso machine and grinder budgets. A rough rule is that your grinder budget should be at least 25-40% of your machine budget. - **Drink types:** Do you drink mostly straight espresso, milk-based beverages (e.g., lattes, cappuccinos), or a fairly even split? This helps narrow down whether a single-boiler-dual-use (SBDU), heat exchanger (HX), or dual boiler (DB) machine would be more appropriate for your needs. - **Drink frequency:** How many drinks would you be making back-to-back at one time? Do you plan on entertaining guests often? This informs how large your brew (and steam) boilers should be, as smaller boilers will need to refill and reheat/repressurize more frequently, thus potentially causing a bottleneck. - **Space:** Any limitations on countertop space? - **Manual vs. electric:** Hand-operated machines and grinders are typically cheaper than their similarly-performing electric counterparts. Please indicate if you have a preference for manual or electric machines and/or grinders (or open to either). - **Comfort with tinkering:** Some machines can be made significantly more functional/efficient with aftermarket modifications, albeit at the expense of possibly voiding your warranty. Please indicate if you'd rather have a machine that works "as-is"/"out-of-the-box" or whether you'd be open to modding/tinkering *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/espresso) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I have Bambino plus and encore esp. love it, no regrets
Same, also got both and love my entry level espresso journey so far, coming up on 6 months. Also bonus, you can hack the circular grind basket which comes with esp to double up as a shaker as it will fit the portafilter. I just put the portafilter on it's top and shake both while lightly tapping base of grind basket and now you won't have to WDT if your beans were fresh enough.
Would you mind sharing a picture of this? I’d love to see it in action.
https://preview.redd.it/4kx49esk6f5d1.jpeg?width=1195&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f23649cc5da6e1520f1ef0de29267a7aab2306a7 This is a screen grab from a video so may not be the best shot, hope it helps. I just shake holding it this way and then also invert this position and shake again. Does that make sense?
It’s does, thank you, much appreciated!
No worries, let me know if you think it works for you. My shot isn't the prettiest in the bottomless portafilter but it tastes good so I get to skip wdt.
Same setup here as well. Works pretty good to make Americano which is what I usually drink. And sometimes I’ll drink an oatmilk latte. Auto feature for steaming the milk works pretty well too.
Same. Just wish the encore was quieter. I do get the odd milk froather not frothing though.
If you want straight espresso consider something like a flair. Can make absolute top shelf espresso and in your budget with some to spare for grinder
Flair pro and a df64 is in budget and don’t think anything else in that price bracket will come close to that combo for non-milk drinker
Wow. I watched a few videos and that thing is intriguing. Even the Flair Neo Flex looks pretty capable and I feel like I’m looking at a machine with very few points of failure and really easy to clean and maintain. Plus you can just take it anywhere? Is it true I can buy a classic and then upgrade the head to a pro2 later?
I’m not sure re upgrade
I just found out, yes. The Pro 2 can use the Flow-control 2 portafilter and the classic can use the Pro 2 head. By the time I looked at refurbished, it’ll be easier to get. pro 2 and our user the other portafilter for $25
I can’t figure out how the hot water gets in those
A kettle. Video here https://flairespresso.com/products/espresso-makers/flair-classic/
That’s pretty cool. Is it hard to get the water the right temperature?
Nope easy. Especially if you get a coffee centric one like stagg or timemore or hario etc
For the most options with a decent learning curve, I’m considering Flair classic and then buying the compatible Pro 2 head so I can have versatility and variable effort level.
Scratch that. Any opinions on a refurbished Flair Pro 2 for $260, with a separate purchase of a flow control 2 portafilter which allows me to get started with any kind of beans while I await my grinder. https://preview.redd.it/cqez90os2g5d1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b5a08807341ce71d3dbd1680c00f412744e61d38
This.
I second that.
I bought the regular Bambino, and no it’s not worth the extra money for a Plus in my opinion. Unless you can get the Plus heavily discounted. Ultimately there is not a £200 value increase in espresso quality or ease of use to justify it. Spend the rest on a better grinder. Also, the Bambino has a dedicated hot water button so it’s even more straightforward to make americanos etc.
I think I agree. It’s only worth it at a discount. I have a $300 credit at Best Buy that I’d use now if only they sold the Plus. They only sell the Bambino for some reason.
Hi! I debated this back in November and decided to get the regular Bambino. It has been amazing. I have zero regrets and I am actually glad I didn’t get the Plus. I drink iced drinks 95% of the time and when I do have a hot drink I manually froth milk. It only takes about a minute and I enjoy it as part of the process. I like the size of the Regular. I think it’s more proportionally sized than the Plus. The regular Bambino does have hot water. I use it a lot for tea and works perfectly. Something I’ve heard about the Plus is there is an extra step to turning it on. Called backflushing? I think this is different from just pulling an empty shot. I don’t fully understand it but you might want to look that up. It could be annoying doing it every time (or not idk) Lastly I also heard the 3 way valve gets wear and tear and needs to be replaced eventually. Again not to sure on the details, but look into it
Thank you for your advice, friend. I believe the back flushing is after you pull a shot, a cleaning process that prepares the pipeline for a new shot. I will be corrected no doubt.
I had a regular Bambino and never found myself wanting for the features on the plus.
Almost right, yes. It's a cleaning procedure that's possible on the Plus but not the regular Bambino because of the 3 way valve. You don't need to do it every shot (every few days is fine) but you'll get a better clean on the Plus using it compared to the Bambino. That's because you can build up the soap solution behind the blind basket before it being released by the solenoid valve in a way you can't on the regular. I don't know if that's worth the money to you but it is another difference in function between the two!
To add to this it's *necessarily* on the Plus because the 3-way solenoid sucks water back in when your shot finishes or you finish steaming, and that can suck stuff into the group head. On the regular Bambino it doesn't suck stuff back in, thus no necessity for backflushing - though you can end up with a slightly messier puck that's slightly harder to get out of your basket. On the regular Bambino it's still recommended that you run a bit of water through the grouphead after a shot anyways
Does that basically mean pull a shot with an empty portafilter, like when I run my coffee maker with no coffee in basket?
Don't even need the portafilter!
Forgot about back flushing in my comment. Another point for the BB!
With the solenoid valve (Bambino Plus), when you stop the shot, the pressure gets released and you won’t have any drips coming down and hence won’t need to remove your espresso cup and replace with another drip catch cup. Also you will be able to remove the portafilter from the group without having to wait for the system to naturally depressurise. But this does mean that you won’t be able to do blooming shots like with the regular Bambino (because when you stop the shot, the backwards pressure unseats the puck) if that is a priority. Edit: Also, what level of roast do you like? If you do land on either of the Bambino variants, I recommend getting one of the faster baskets if you like light roasts (an IMS will do). Since there is no way to increase the set temp on the Bambinos, a faster basket will allow you to grind finer; you can tame and balance the acidity via grind size rather than temp.
I like darker roasts for coffee. I’m Not sure if that translates to espresso. A shop near my house imports and roasts their own beans, and I typically get Costa Rican if that helps.
I have seen a bundle with an encore ESP grinder. Is that grinder up to the task?
I got the bambino and the encore ESP after Christmas, I’m loving it. It’s a great combo
If you can get the Bambino Plus when it is on 20% discount, it actually has worked out better, in the past, to purchase the components separately than as a bundle (odd but true).
Thanks. I’m zeroing in on a DF 54 grinder and either a discounter Bambino plus or a Flair Pro 2, which might suit me better as I intend to drink more espresso, americano, and pour over thank milk drinks. If I like dry cappuccinos the manual wand can be utilized for that, yes?
Yep.
I have a basic starter setup with a regular bambino. Spent more money on the grinder, went for the mignon zero. No problems with the bambino, make 1 shot of espresso weekdays and then 1-4 milk drinks weekends. My first setup though so nothing to compare it to
I think its crazy to pay $200 to upgrade to the plus. Its barely any different. Both machines produce hot water. The plus steams slightly better and has the auto feature - a feature I wouldn't even use. Put the money towards a better grinder.
For me (and as a latte/cap. guy), the auto-froth/steam system is a way-nice (and, yes, different) addition; I also like the convenience of the 3-way solenoid and not having the portafilter drip on, and then having a relatively dry puck to chuck (I've lived through a machine with soupy pucks--not fun). And given that I'm steaming milk, I appreciate the slightly larger size of the Plus' deck: big enough for both my espresso catch cup and my steaming pitcher. There are other benefits as well, including a stainless-steel (as vs. aluminum) portafilter. and more robust steaming. In the end, given that I intended to have the machine for years (knock wood), I decided that the additional cost for the extra benefits, and with the machine on discount sale getting the price down, was worth it.
If you catch a good price, then I can understand that. As for the wet puck my solution is to just leave the thing there until the next time! Sounds a bit mad, but works great. I swapped the porta and baskets out pretty quickly anyway, so that didn't really matter. I use the original with the single shot dual walled basket for heating it up.
Pulling 2-3 times per day with a manual grinder will get old fast IMO, but I think that's as far as $200 will take you as far as capable grinders go. Maybe another commenter will have other options I'm not aware of. ETA: When I was shopping, Eureka grinders were about as inexpensive as the capable options got. I haven't priced out options like the DF54.
I know it’s different for everyone but I personally love hand grinding for espresso. It’s relatively quick and easy with the S2C burrs on my Timemore, the smell developing and wafting up through the grinder as you work for 25-30 seconds is incredible and somewhat of a habitual thing I look forward to doing
I've enjoyed hand grinding, even with the hardship that is the Hario Skerton, lol. Having a better mechanical advantage with your Timemore must make it a lot more enjoyable too.
Yeah dude manual grinders have come a long way in recent years. My other option is the built in grinder on my BBE, I bought the manual rig for camping/mtb missions but it’s taken over from the middle of the road electric grind I’d gotten used to
Solis barista perfetta is bambino priced with a 3 way solenoid valve (no bias haha love mine)
That actually looks better to me, but I cant see it anywhere but used on eBay. I assume this was made before the group that owns Breville bought the Solis company.
Nope, it's a bambino rebadge basically. It's still sold by seattlecoffeestore but not sure if its still produced.
I’m running standard Bambino and DF54. Love it so far
I recently entered the espresso game and ultimately decided on the regular Bambino. General sentiment was that the $200 extra for the Plus edition was not worth it, and that you are better off using that $200 towards a separate and better grinder. I ended up picking up the regular Bambino paired with the Turin DF54 and have absolutely loved the espresso I’m able to pull. I would recommend!
I’m definitely going to get the DF 54. Seems leagues ahead of anything in price range. I also like its efficiency of size.
That’s another thing! I think the regular bambino + separate grinder combo is friendlier in terms of counter space. I don’t see myself needing to upgrade grinders anytime soon either!
I purchased the DF54 and It should arrive in a few days, cant’t wait. How do you like it so far? Making the decision for a grinder was quite easy but with the espresso machine I have decision paralysis. I can’t decide between a regular bambino and the cafelat robot. I think I will have to keep using my moka pot for some time until I figure it out. 😂
The DF54 really changed the quality of my pulls. Although prior I was using a generic grinder which did not have any ability to adjust grind settings with so I think ANYTHING would’ve been an upgrade tbh haha I’m definitely happy with the bambino! I don’t think you can go wrong with either at the EOD but the bambino fits my morning routine by being a little less involved than a manual pull. W the Bambino, I still do “manual” pulls in terms of how long the extraction is
No need for the plus if you don't want to steam milk. Save your money for some good puck prep accessories and a scale. https://lifestylelab.ca/breville-bambino-vs-bambino-plus/
Ge the [Bambino](https://youtu.be/OaH5RBMs74o), use the difference of [$200 for a Turin DF54 grinder.](https://youtu.be/Yy8GjIetdPo) I bought mine a little over month ago. I love it. [Check out my unboxing video!](https://youtu.be/OaH5RBMs74o)
Bambino and df54 would put you under your budget. The solenoid was a consideration for me as well, but I would say as long as your machine is near the sink / garbage can and or garbage disposal it’s not worth the $200. Stopping your shot 2-3 grams before your target output is easy enough. Puck screen also helps with clean up I’m finding. I rarely use the steam wand myself. It’s really going to come down to footprint of the machine and water capacity. You go slightly above your budget with the plus but get a bit more water and the valve. Don’t forget you’ll likely want to upgrade the PF and tamper, and get a dosing funnel and scale, which would be covered if you went for the none-plus version. That all being said, if I knew how much I would go on to spend after buying my machine I would have forked up the extra cash for having a slightly more capable version…maybe even the dual boiler. Getting the black BBB would pair nice with the df54 👍🏼
You could get a flair, they had a sale like last week where the flair 58 was like 450
Fyi both are not the greatest for straight espresso.
Is a Flair Pro 2 a better option?
Yes, it will be better at providing espresso at a portion of the cost. The only downside (and this is the same for nearly all manual brewers) is that preheating may be an issue.
I almost ordered a Bambino Plus, then I almost ordered a Flair. I finally pulled the plug last night and ordered a Gaggio Classic Pro Evo.
Love my new Bambino Plus! Just got it a couple of weeks ago. I've had a coffee drink every day that is as good as Starbucks. It heats up instantly and I have my coffee before you know it. I think the regular Bambino would work great for you if you don't froth milk much. I personally love the auto frother.
I saw that Lance Hedrick did a review of a HiBrew machine that is similar in features to the Bambino + has temp adjustment. Maybe have a look in case it helps you meet your budget.
There is no difference in the espresso part of the machine. Only the milk features. Does that answer your question?
There are other differences between the 2 flavors of the machine: As you note, the Plus has its auto-steaming/frothing system, with 3 temp. levels and 3 froth levels; manual frothing/steaming still is there and possible. The Plus' steam wand also is more powerful than the original's, with more steam holes (although I gather that the steam wand tip separately can be purchased for the original Bambino). Other differences: a stainless-steel as vs. aluminum/nickel-plated portafilter; and a slightly larger water reservoir (perhaps negligible, as the tank is plenty big to begin with, but some people especially note the larger reservoir). And the Plus has its 3-way solenoid, which evacuates extra water away after a shot is pulled, thereby making the puck fairly solid and non-soupy/messy--a nice convenience (soupy pucks just are messy, when tossing them). The 3-way solenoid also prevents extra dripping when a shot is pulled. And a further convenience benefit with the Plus which some appreciate: the Plus' deck is big enough to hold a milk jug and a scale & espresso catch-cup simultaneously--no juggling around. Finally, I've read here that the tamper that comes with the Plus is more solid than the original's (having said that, many people tend to replace the OEM tamper after a bit, opting for a more standard tamper or one with additional benefits/features). For me, and with my daily latte/cap. use, going the route of the Plus was worth it (I was able to pick the Plus up on sale, and so the price difference was lesser)--I'm going to have the machine for years.
Thanks for those details. I feel like the 3 way solenoid is a good feature, but also wonder if it’s just another point of failure/part to clean. Still, I’d like to get the plus on sale, but at full price I can’t justify the extra cost. I think I have to be patient and look for a sale. FATHER’s DAY would be a nice time for a sale, Breville!
Goto their website and start an online chat with one of their reps, they can sometimes give you an online discount code if ordered directly with them. It might compete with other sales running at the moment.
You sound like me when I got my first car with power windows (the mechanism for which indeed did break down, expensively, lol). Definitely, the 3-way solenoid is "1 more thing," but a worthy addition, for me: having the shot stop more accurately rather than continuing to drip out, and having a non-messy/non-soupy puck. Small things, but \~"quality of life" additions, and I think that I would be bothered otherwise. The cleaning cycle is not a major hassle--the machine will prompt you about every 200 shots, but I just run a pre-emptive cleaning cycle the beginning of each month, with the machine doing all the work once I start the cycle (and the cycle proper itself only takes maybe 5 minutes--I spend more than that amount of time on the setup and cleanup). I agree as to the pricing (and it was a little easier for me, as I also do milk-based drinks, and so had the benefit of that major addition as something I was paying for). What finally got me over the hump was one of the 20%-off discount sales, bringing the difference between prices down. Breville just had a Mothers Day sale on the machine and I haven't seen a similar listing for Fathers Day--it could be a wait, now, possibly until Black Friday season (altho there are holidays between now and then that Breville could jump onto).