Sage the Bambino Plus Espresso Machine, Coffee Machine with Milk Frother, SES500BTR - Black Truffle

Product Information

In the 1970s, Breville achieved a milestone thanks to their toaster’s immense success. Then, decade after decade, Breville became a world-class appliances manufacturer. That said, the Bambino Plus also produces very decent results using pre-ground coffee and the dual-walled basket. Whichever method you opt for you’ll find that the extractions are very consistent and much easier to achieve than when using most other standard espresso machines. Automatically purging the heat system as water passes through each element, temperature is further stabilised

Digital Temperature Control (PID) delivers water at precisely the right temperature, ensuring optimal espresso extraction That said, the results are great for both machines. And, in terms of speed and convenience, they are ready to make espresso in seconds. Considering that most commercial and prosumer espresso machines take minutes to prepare, this is quite a feat. Overall, most regular tasks with both machines are straightforward. Both have removable water tanks, which makes filling them easier. The steam wands are easy to use, as well. And the cleaning process is straightforward for both. The automatic steam wand allows you to adjust the milk temperature and texture to suit your taste. Delivering quality micro-foam that enhances the flavour of the coffee and is essential for creating latte art.Coffee connoisseurs will scoff at machines like the Bambino Plus. Admittedly, it’s not what we’d recommend for people who’ve already honed their skills on a cheaper fully manual machine. But, just as its high-end Touch models brought manual espresso excellence within the reach of less experienced home baristas, Sage now wants to encourage everyone to take the manual espresso plunge. There’s a hefty-feeling portafilter (this is where the ground coffee goes) and, unlike its rivals, Sage bundles the Bambino Plus with a stainless steel milk jug, a coffee tamper, and its own “Razor” tool for gauging how much coffee to use, so you don’t need to splash out on accessories. It’s also nice to see a water filter supplied as standard. This slots into the bottom of the water tank and makes sure your espressos are scale-free. According to most users, both the Breville Bambino and the Bambino Plus deliver good shots without having barista skills or experience. On the contrary, Breville made these machines to cater to beginners and offer a smooth espresso-making experience.

Breville Bambino Plus has a hands-free automatic frothing wand. The plain Bambino requires manual handling. Taste was spot on, with my Fairtrade Peruvian beans (roasted two days before) delivering a smooth and rich-tasting shot. Overall flavour was perhaps a touch more bitter than the same beans used on the high-end Dual Boiler, but that’s a pro-level coffee machine that costs far more. This is great news for people who hate waiting around, but it does have some downsides. Here, you press the button and the steam wand immediately starts to spit hot water out as steam builds up inside. If you don’t want the water in your milk – and you don’t – then you need to aim the wand at the hole in the drip tray, wait for the steam to start spraying through, press the button again to stop the flow and then press it again once the steam wand is safely in your milk jug. Next on our testing agenda was to see how well the steam wand worked. We chose to opt for the medium texture setting on the Bambino Plus, and the medium heat setting. We used the automatic setting, and placed the milk jug on the sensor so that the machine would know when the milk had reached the desired temperature. The noise level when the steam wand was in action was even lower than when we were making espresso, reaching 51 decibels while the milk was frothing. When we added the milk to our coffee, it retained a velvety texture that lasted all the way down our drink as we sipped it. Effectively, with the right beans and grind size, The Bambino Plus can hold its own against the best. Milk drink qualityThere are now only four buttons on the front, one fewer than the Bambino Plus. You can press the single or double shot buttons to power the machine on, and the two buttons alongside select the steam or hot water functions. You don’t get the automatic milk texturing features from the Plus, though, hence the missing button.

If you're looking for a pain-free espresso, and are happy to pay a little extra to ensure high quality every time, you'll be right at home with the Breville Bambino Plus. The same is true even if you're a beginner who wants to learn and experiment, with the default temperature settings yielding a smooth extraction process straight out the box, ample instructions on grind sizes and which baskets fit each one, and an automatic milk frothing system.With its single-walled baskets, the Sage The Bambino Plus proved that it could take a fine grind from a high-end coffee grinder: the same one that I use with my Sage The Dual Boiler. The only slight issue is that the design of the group handle meant that it wouldn’t fit under the grinder. I had to first dispense the coffee grounds into a cup and then transfer to the filter basket. Low pressure pre-infusion gradually increases pressure at the start and helps ensure all the flavours are drawn out evenly during the extraction for a balanced tasting cup.