Breville Bambino Review:
Ideal for the Budget or Space Conscious

Most espresso machines at this price make you choose: convenience or quality. The cheap ones are easy to use but the espresso is forgettable. The ones that actually produce good coffee usually require some skill and investment to get there. The Breville Bambino sits in genuinely rare territory: it does both.

The Bambino is compact enough to fit almost anywhere and packed with features you’d normally pay twice as much for. With a good grinder and a bit of workflow knowledge, it produces complex, full-bodied espresso with real depth and character. The honest caveat is that the grinder is non-negotiable: pre-ground coffee and the Bambino is a frustrating combination. Buy it as part of a proper setup, and it’s one of the best things you can do for your morning coffee at this budget.

We’ve been using the Bambino for months now, the size makes it the ideal machine for us to use daily in our kitchen. Hundreds of espressos and gallons of milk have passed through the little machine so we’re feeling very confident we know what it’s like to own one.

✅ Buy the Breville Bambino if:

• You want to learn to pull genuine espresso shots at home on a budget. The Bambino is honest with you: it requires involvement on the grind and prep side, and rewards that involvement with high quality espresso.
• Counter space is a real constraint. At 6.25″ wide, this is one of the most compact proper espresso machines available. You’re not compromising on quality to get that footprint.
• You’re willing to pair it with a good grinder. We use the 1Zpresso J Max manual grinder, which combined with the Bambino still comes in well under the price of a mid-range all-in-one machine, and beats most of them for espresso quality.
• You want to make both espresso and milk drinks. The steam wand is capable, powerful, and with a thermometer you’ll be making good textured milk within a few weeks.

❌ Skip it if:

• You want to use pre-ground coffee. This machine will work, but it won’t shine. Freshly ground coffee is what unlocks the Bambino’s potential.
• You want auto milk steaming. The Bambino Plus handles that for an extra $200. If you’d rather not learn the steam wand, the Plus is the smarter buy.
• You want drink variety without any involvement. Four buttons, no presets, no touchscreen: the Bambino is a focused tool, not a drinks machine.

1. ThermoJet Heating: Instant On, Instant Steam

Three seconds from pressing the brew button to being ready to pull a shot, and under 15 seconds to transition from brewing to steaming. That speed means you don’t have to think about espresso or milk first, the way you would on most single-boiler machines.

The dedicated hot water button adds to this: genuinely hot water at around 185-190°F on demand for Americanos, tea, or warming your cup, all without touching the steam wand.

2. PID Temperature Control and Adjustable Pre-Infusion

The machine monitors and maintains precise brewing temperature throughout extraction, giving you consistent, repeatable shots. Before full pressure kicks in, it wets the puck at low pressure first, which leads to more even extraction, better crema, and more prominent aromatics in the cup.

You can also control the pre-infusion duration manually by pressing and holding the shot button, releasing when you want full pressure to begin. Not something you see on machines at this price.

3. 54mm Portafilter with Both Basket Types

A recent update means both single-wall and dual-wall baskets are included in the box: the dual-wall is forgiving and useful early on, while the single-wall is where the real espresso quality comes from.

The 54mm portafilter is also compatible with the full Breville Barista line of accessories, so chopped portafilters, bottomless baskets, and tamper upgrades all fit as you continue your espresso journey.

4. Manual Steam Wand

The steam wand rotates 360 degrees and produces enough steam to fully swirl and incorporate milk in the pitcher, giving you that glossy surface finish that means the microfoam is ready to pour.

The single-hole tip gives you more time to find your wand position during aeration, which makes learning easier. You can also upgrade to a multi-hole tip later on if you want to.

The ThermoJet heats the water to the right temperature almost instantly, but the rest of the machine, the grouphead, portafilter, and baskets, starts cold. A shot pulled immediately will be noticeably sour and lukewarm. The fix is simple: run one or two blank shots (no coffee, just hot water through the portafilter) before your first proper shot. Run some hot water from the dedicated button into your cup at the same time to warm it. Two minutes, and everything is at the right temperature.

After that, the day-to-day process is:

• Run one or two blank shots to pre-heat the grouphead and portafilter
• Use the hot water button to warm your cup
• Grind your dose and transfer into the portafilter
• Distribute evenly and tamp firmly
• Lock the portafilter into the group head (hold the machine, it’s light)
• Press single or double: the machine extracts to your programmed volume and stops
• Press the steam button, wait a few seconds for the wand to be ready
• Steam your milk and pour

Reprogramming the shot volumes is worth doing early: press both buttons together until they flash, then press the shot button you want to reprogram, let it run until you hit your desired output, and press again to save. It’s volume-based, not timer-based, which is a meaningful difference. Once set, it stays set.

One specific annoyance: there’s no 3-way solenoid valve, which means the puck is still under some pressure when the shot finishes. Remove the portafilter immediately, and you’ll get a wet, messy puck. Wait a minute, or wait until after you’ve steamed your milk, and the problem disappears.

This isn’t straightforward if you’ve never done it before, and it takes time. But in the end, it’s 100% worth it.

Our Breville Bambino Settings

We use the 1Zpresso J Max manual grinder at setting 1.3.2, double unpressurized basket, default brew temperature. From there, we were hitting 36g of espresso in 28 seconds consistently. This was using medium-dark roast single-origin beans. The espresso at those settings was everything the machine is capable of: complex and full-bodied with real brightness, and a layered flavour of chocolate and dried fruit that lingered well.

We started at grinding finer than that, 1.2, which is right in the middle of the suggested espresso range for our grinder, but found the shots were too slow and quite bitter. It took us maybe 8 espressos before we got the perfect shot we were after.

We also tested with the dual-wall pressurized basket as a comparison. The espresso was still good, but obviously of lower quality. Flatter, less complex, without the crema development of the unpressurized basket. The pressurized basket is useful to get confident pulling shots, but move to the standard basket as soon as you’ve found a grind setting that works.

The Bambino has no integrated grinder, which means the quality of your grind is entirely on you. Freshly ground coffee produces the crema, aromatics, and complexity that make the results worth the effort.

Pre-ground coffee, by the time it reaches your portafilter, has lost most of its CO2 and aromatics and works against everything the machine’s pre-infusion system is trying to do.

Our 1Zpresso J-Max has been replaced with the even better J-Ultra, perfect for espresso. Paired with the Bambino, you’re still under $500 for the full setup, and the espresso quality exceeds what most machines under $1000 will produce. For an electric option, the Breville Smart Grinder Pro is a natural fit and adds convenience without compromising grind quality.

The Looks

Understated is the polite way to describe it. The Bambino doesn’t try to be anything other than what it is: a small, clean machine in brushed stainless steel with four buttons and nothing else. No touchscreen, no pressure gauge, no display. If your kitchen is already busy, it has the decency to stay out of the way.

A relative rarity from Breville, as it isn’t available in other colors. We don’t mind as we boring and love a brushed stainless steel machine, but something to consider if that won’t work with your aesthetic.

At 6.25″ wide by 13.5″ deep by 12″ tall, it genuinely does fit in spaces where other machines won’t. For anyone who’s resigned themselves to doing without an espresso machine because of counter space, the Bambino is worth measuring up.

The Build

Solid in the places that matter: the stainless steel body, grouphead, and internals feel like they’ll last.

Less solid in the places where they’ve tried to save money for a lower price point: the portafilter is aluminum rather than stainless steel (the box claims otherwise, which is an error worth knowing about), and the drip tray cover is thinner than you’d get on the Bambino Plus. Neither affects performance, but it’s always good to know these things.

The machine is genuinely very light. That means you’ll need to use your other hand to hold it steady when locking the portafilter in, which becomes a habit quickly but does catch people out at first.

The 47oz (1.4l) water tank is fine for a couple of people, but it doesn’t have a low water sensor, so you’ll need to check it yourself rather than rely on the machine to warn you. We just fill it each morning, to be honest, not a big issue.

There’s a reason most Breville machines have been fitted with a low water sensor since, running the pump dry isn’t good for it.

On longevity, Breville machines have a strong track record. With regular descaling and basic maintenance, it should comfortably last 5 years, and plenty of first-generation Bambinos are still in daily use. The 2-year warranty is also better than most machines at this price

At our dialled-in settings, the Bambino consistently produced complex, full-bodied espresso with real brightness and a chocolate and dried fruit character that we’d be pleased with from a machine costing three times as much. The PID temperature control and pre-infusion combination is doing great work: shots are consistent, extraction is even, and the crema is luscious.

Once we got our settings nailed down the consistency was impressive, even when pulling a few shots in a row. We only had around a 2-second deviation on extraction time; it ran a little slower, pulling 3rd and 4th shots. This is not a professional machine so we wouldn’t expect it to handle crazy volume without some variation.

The ceiling depends on your grinder. With a quality burr grinder and fresh beans, the results are excellent. With pre-ground or a cheap blade grinder, the machine exposes you quickly. Budget for the grinder when you budget for this machine, and the total investment makes complete sense.

Really, a full setup is required. You need good beans, a tamper, a good grinder, and an accurate coffee scale to really get that quality from the Bambino.

This super hot steam means no water gets into your milk, and it’s also very powerful. This is critical for getting the right milk texture for latte art or creating foam for cappuccinos.

We’ve used plenty of steam wands over the years, so we were comfortable within the first couple of sessions. If you haven’t used a manual wand before, you’ll want to pick up a milk thermometer and expect a week or two of practice before results become consistent. Aim for 140-150°F (60-65°C) and focus on getting the milk swirling well during the aeration phase.

The ceiling, once you’re comfortable, is genuinely high. The ThermoJet produces powerful steam and the wand articulates freely, giving you control over angle and positioning. Proper microfoam for latte art is achievable with practice. It’s a single-hole tip, which is slower than the 3-hole wand on the Bambino Plus, but more forgiving for anyone still learning.

We’ve made good latte art from this machine, and it surprised a few people who assumed a $300 machine couldn’t do it

The puck knocks out cleanly from the portafilter, and the basket rinses easily. The most important habit is the steam wand: dried milk is stubborn, and the wand is much easier to maintain if you purge it and wipe it down immediately after each use.

Daily: Wipe and purge the steam wand immediately after use. Rinse the portafilter basket. Empty and rinse the drip tray. Quick rinse of the grouphead.

Weekly: Run a blank backflush cycle with water (no blind filter included, but a simple cleaning disc works). Wipe down the exterior and drip tray cover.

Periodic: Descale when the machine prompts you, roughly every 2-3 months, depending on your water hardness. A packet of descaling powder is included in the box. Takes around 20-30 minutes. Set a recurring reminder rather than waiting for the machine to tell you: coming downstairs to a descale warning on a Monday morning is avoidable.

The Bambino Plus

The natural upgrade, and worth it if milk drinks are a big part of your routine. The Plus adds an auto-frothing system with three temperature and three texture levels, a 3-hole steam wand for faster manual steaming, and a 68oz water tank with a low water sensor. The espresso side is identical to the Bambino.

Whether $200 more is worth it comes down entirely to the milk question. If you’re making flat whites or lattes daily and don’t want to learn a manual steam wand, the Plus makes your mornings significantly easier. If you’re mainly pulling espresso shots, or you’re happy to learn the manual wand, save the money and buy a better grinder with it.

For a full blow-by-blow account of this battle you can check out our Breville Bambino vs Bambino Plus article.

Breville Bambino vs DeLonghi Dedica Duo

The Dedica Duo is the same price and a similar footprint, so it deserves a straight comparison. The Duo adds a cold brew setting, which the Bambino doesn’t have. Big for anyone who loves an iced coffee.

Honestly though, the espresso side doesn’t keep up. The Bambino’s PID, pre-infusion control, and volumetric programming give it a clear edge in shot consistency and quality. The Dedica Duo’s grind-to-cup workflow is less flexible, and the results showed it in side-by-side testing.

The milk wand is also seriously below the Bambino. It’s near impossible to get good microfoam for flat whites or cappuccinos. Latte art really isn’t on the cards so anyone who loves a milk drink is better off with the Bambino.

It requires a good grinder and a small amount of workflow knowledge, but in return, it gives you espresso quality that most people won’t believe came from a $300 machine. The steam wand is capable of genuinely impressive microfoam once you’re comfortable with it, and the compact footprint means almost any kitchen can accommodate it.

If you take one thing away from this: the blank shot pre-heat is not optional if you want good results. Run two blank shots through the grouphead before your first espresso each day, use the hot water button to warm your cup at the same time, and the Bambino will reward you with shots that make the routine entirely worth it.

Psst… this machine goes on sale regularly and has been seen for as low as $199. If you spot it below $250, it’s an exceptional buy.
Check the current Bambino price

Matt Woodburn-Simmonds

Matt's coffee obsession started in 2006 when working as a Barista. A tendency to turn up to work hungover kickstarted his coffee journey which quickly turned into a love affair. As he moved on to work as a Restaurant Manager and Sommelier, the obsession continued to grow. Now, his passion is helping others to enjoy better coffee at home.