Breville Bambino Espresso Machine BES450BSS, Brushed Stainless Steel

There's a reason this is the most recommended espresso brand, and it's pretty obvious when you use even this beginner model for the first time. I'm obviously a beginner, and this espresso maker is extraordinarily easy to use. Had decent espresso by my fourth shot, and it is extraordinarily consistent as long as you give it consistent packs in the portafilter. The machine is extremely easy to clean, and the steamer very effective. The build quality is very high, and it looks really gorgeous. About the only note is that the portafilter is extremely, extremely tight: note that you don't need to get it past, say, 7 oclock, assuming 6oclock is the portafilter handle parallel with the unit sticking straight back at you (good luck if you try for 6 oclock or 5 oclock). For a basic, beginner espresso machine, I'm not sure what more you could want other than consistency, high build quality, and easy to use/clean. I'm not sure this would be the machine for you if you're more experienced or have expectations for lots of features and customization, but if you have experience you probably already know that. The tamp and portafilter it comes with are kinda garbage, but I guess they had to save money somewhere. Nonetheless, what it comes with is certainly serviceable especially for a novice like me, though I've already upgraded the tamp and will upgrade the portafilter as soon as I learn a little more about what I want.

Well, allow me to say, this is the first machine I have had since the 1980s was it and that one Hoovered. Finally tried a unit, one of the many seemingly all variants of the same 51mm units. I had to send it back because, while very nice at the price point I feel it (and they) are probably best - and aimed at - milk coffee drinks and not actually espresso. Some, seems all similar did, have something the Bambino lacks - more metal. In feel (if there is such a thing) they, or at least mine - felt substantially more robust. It felt actually like better quality. But I couldn't adjust the water and couldn't get enough coffee in the portafilter. Maybe, some other options would fit the 51mm unit. I couldn't confirm it. This unit has a lot of plastic in it including the group head. BUT! It can adjust/learn pump-run time (adjust the water volume indirectly). The temperature is non adjustable. But I don't think water temp (as long as it is very near boiling) is really a variable most home espresso drinkers would benefit from - especially the beginners and novices. With the thermocoil design I understand it has, it heats in like 3 literal seconds. Steam is good (but I drink simple espresso so I am honestly not much help in evaluating that part). The wand has good articulation. I do like that Breville is big enough that plenty of 54mm baskets, portafilters, screens and papers are available - including bottomless. While I do like the unit's function and it has everything I wanted, it does feel cheap for the value proposition. I don't think it will hold up well for the length of time I keep appliances. It might. But, I do worry that the fact it knows how long it has been powered up/plugged in - makes me wonder if Breville embedded a count-down timer to planned obsolescence. I hope not, but the manual is clear in disclosure that it's recording usage data. I added a picture of three pucks/cakes (whatever term you like) within the first 24hours of receipt. The two dark ones were with pre-ground 6 month old (or longer) coffee and the third was with Folgers Classic drip grind. Yes, I do wish the entire Breville line was built on a standard 58mm group head (I do prefer a thinner cake per dose). And I do worry if it has an internal count-down to death timer and if the plastic will hold up. Edit: (added a bottomless portafilter and IMS basket) They -- finally -- came today. While these are aftermarket non-Breville parts, I added a video of a shot. (Replaced that because it was a little dark - new video has a little spurt - welcome to aftermarket bottomless portafilters. It happens sometimes) I don't claim to be an expert since it's been 35, idk 40ish years since I have had an espresso machine. I'm just now re-learning how to do it (or learning this machine); but, since I detest coffee snobs who discourage much more than they impress, I wanted to share. No, I'm sure it's not "perfect" but with this machine you really have potential without having to sell a kidney to pay for it (oops, I hope that doesn't violate 'community standards'. I might add some other still pictures later if anyone cares. Not a knock on the OEM portafilter & basket but I do prefer the aftermarket rimless basket because it is possible to make a larger diameter and thinner puck (ceteris paribus). The coffee in the shot was Lavazza Crema e Aroma which I guess from the "use by" was 3 months old. And, yes I prefer some blend of robusto (anywhere between 1/3rd and 2/3rds). If you would like to try your hand at espresso without variable overload and/or no room to experiment, then this machine is a pretty good starter. Edit 2: I added a picture of the IMS basket (2 pucks). Why? Well, so you could compare to the first picture where the stock Breville rimmed basket was used. Really there are only about 2 point. The stock basket has a rim (grips inside the portafilter great) and because the walls have draft - the pucks pop out easy. The downside is, that same taper that turns loose of the post brew coffee is less forgiving on volume of coffee powder. A light dose is hard to tamp and a large one won't fit or gets up into the shower head they call it. The aftermarket I chose is rimless so it tamps better. Not having a taper/draft-walled, your puck can be thinner for the same dose and there are more holes. So, you get more variables to dial in. The downside is, the pucks will eject in their entirety, you just might need an extra whack. The combo of bottomless & basket seems to be a trade-off. I seem to get more Crema and a rare spurt (see the video). So far, spurts have been rare. It's no defect, just a tamp made by a human. THE REASON I added the aftermarket parts to the review isn't to hurt Breville or over criticise them, no quite the opposite. While a little cheaply built like the plastic group head and more expensive than a 51mm manual espresso machine, being slightly larger portafilter size (I wish it was 58mm) - it heats quickly, is semi automatic and you can always add accessories later if you want. Don't have to, but you can.

To say that I was researching what espresso machine, would be the biggest understatement. I have zero experience making espresso's and I was stuck between considering an automatic one, vs one with manual controls, and I decided to purchase this product, and I am so glad I did! I started with a pre ground high quality espresso bean, and from the first cup, to my most recent cup, were perfect each and every time! This machine is great for those that want good espresso's and for the beginners like myself. This machine is so easy to use as in my case, the less is more thought process, yielded dividends! I keep the pre ground espresso in a seal tight vessel to keep freshness, and has been working wonderfully! The machine yielded great creama and the espresso quality was right where it needs to be. When tamping the portafilter, just ensure you get 30 pounds of pressure when using the tamper to ensure you get proper extraction. For the price one can pay for an espresso machine, this machine is built with quality in mind, and does not take up too much counterspace vs the other machines out there. With less going on, there are less issues. This product comes with everything you need including 4 total filters, portafilter, milk frother pitcher and very clear instructions. To clean this product is very easy and if you get stuck with something, there are plenty of videos online that you can refer to as this product gets a lot of positive reviews from other espresso critics. One of the biggest perks is that this product heats very quickly and the volume of espresso can be adjusted per the instructions, which is a big perk. The only, albeit small, downside, is that the frother wand does take time to get the milk up to temperature. The instructions state to froth until the frother pitcher is hot to the touch, but I could not keep my hands on it and when tested the milk was only 136 degrees, so depending on your tolerance of hot to the touch, just test out the milk temperature as you continue using it until you find the amount of time it takes for you to get the milk where you want it to be. The handle does not get hot so you can hold from there until you get to the temperature you want. Very happy with the investment I made choosing this product, and I know other beginners like myself will be very happy with it as well.

Only buy this if you want your time and money wasted. I purchased a brand new bambino espresso machine on Nov 29, received it on Dec 2, and noticed almost immediately that it wasn’t putting out water hot enough for espresso (something that appears to be a common issue with this machine), topping out at 143 degrees. I then spoke with Breville rep who was very kind and patient as she helped me trouble shoot my issue. When it was clear that nothing could be done on my end, she had me mail the machine in for repair. The turn-around on that was a handful of days, and I appreciated the expedited shipping. I had sent it back to them in its original box with the original styrofoam for safety, after which it was allegedly repaired, but when it was returned to me the machine was sans the original box; the machine was just loose in a cardboard box with some bubble wrap when it arrived back to me. That was not safe or secure in my opinion. Upon inspection of the “repaired” machine I found that the machine was putting out water exactly as cool as it was before sending it in for repair, topping out at 143 degrees. I spoke with the same rep again, who was again patient and kind, and she said that because the issue was not fixed that I would have to send the machine in yet again, and that they would be sending me a brand new machine in its place. They told me that I would have to put a 40% deposit on the machine to get it back expeditiously, or I woudk have to wait for them to receive the old machine before replacing it. That was on 12/19. I shipped it back to them the next day. By January 6th I still have yet to receive even a notification that they received my machine, though ups says it was delivered to them a week ago. It’s been weeks since I sent the machine back and I am disappointed to say that the machine has now been away from me for significantly longer than it was in my possession at any point. I got one automated response a couple weeks ago to an email I sent them detailing my issues, and only just received a message the other day from a real person who obviously did not read my email before responding saying “I hope and believe that you are enjoying your new machine!” I have written to that person twice since then asking for an update on my machine with no response. I’m very disappointed with the experience I’ve had with this company a their product. I understand that the holidays were upon us but the package not getting the same fast delivery time as the initial return do repair is unacceptable. I should not have had to pay a 40% deposit on a machine I already bought to get my issue resolved expeditiously. At the time of this review I do not know when to expect my espresso machine back or whether the new one will even work as expected when/it it does arrive. If you can afford it I would purchase an espresso machine elsewhere. This company seems committed to wasting their customers’ time.

I got this item for my husband for Christmas and we both love it. Since we were both baristas and have used a Breville before, I can’t speak to its ease of use for someone who’s never used an espresso machine. That being said, I wish there was a cheat sheet that came with the machine because I had really hard time remember what combination of buttons turns it on, cleans, or sets the espressos pull time. Once calibrated properly the espresso tastes great and creates nice crème. It feels pretty sturdy and well made. It definitely cleans up nicely. You will have to hold the machine down to the table when putting the portafilter in the machine but that’s only because it is such a uniquely compact machine. It’s also important to note that there are multiple filter baskets (the metal basket that the coffee goes into) two of which are for using the cleaning setting- not pulling espresso. The steam wand also has awesome steaming capability- it definitely reminds me of using a full sized machine like La Marzocco. I’ve been able to make some cute heart shaped latte art! This is definitely the best bang for your buck for any 2-4 cup a day households!

Great machine once we had trained ourselves. A very quick and consistent dispense of espresso and frothed milk with a clean-up process that is simple and fast. We would recommend this machine.

I love this little espresso maker; it is extremely easy to use. It heats up very quickly, which expedites the preparation of the drink. One of the best aspects of the machine is the small footprint, compared to a full-size machine. If you love espresso but want to save money and produce a higher-quality product, the Bambino will quickly pay for itself in saved money at the drive-through window. It produces a high-quality product and doesn't require a whole coffee shop's worth of accoutrements. I recently made a drink for my son, and he said, "This is way better than any Starbucks drink!" A genuine compliment from an adolescent. Things to know: There is no off switch. Once you stop using it, it will turn itself off, but to turn it on, press both of the espresso buttons at once (one cup and two cup buttons). The machine comes with four different sizes and types of filter baskets. Be aware that one of these baskets is already in the portafilter. I couldn't figure out how to fit the portafilter into the machine because it was not evident that one of the baskets was already in; that was maddening! It's extremely easy to use, and numerous videos are available online to guide you through the machine's operation.

Works great. Easy to clean. Machine feels sturdy. What you’d expect of a $250 espresso machine. Portafilter and tamper feel cheap, but doesn’t affect performance. I recommend purchasing a self leveling tamper anyway. I recommend this machine.