I think the reason you get a cooler temp on the shot is because of the aluminum portafilter. I bought the stainless steel bottomless portafilter and a single wall basket and it improved a lot. The double wall basket is useless since I grind my own beans.
I've read from two separate sources that double-walled basket is more forgiving in the extraction, when you're using either pre-ground coffee or older beans. The single-walled is apparently best for freshly-ground, recently-roasted beans.
I’m trying to decide between a bambino and niche grinder or the barista pro. I had the pro and have been hearing the grind isn’t ideal, very hard to dial in for a newbie
I just bought the Bambino . It got 4 baskets included. The porta filter is kind of lightweight. And the Tamper is useles, too light. . The cupwarmer does not work. I am still trying to get good crema. Might send it back. 😢
Try to warm up the portafilter by pulling a fast shot while empty and wiping it dry. Second, always make sure you use fresh roasted coffee, i learned that those two things are what really get tons of crema
Just as a note, the European models of the Plus (they don't sell the regular Bambino here in the UK, so K can't confirm with that model) now come with both pressurised and none pressurised baskets :)
My goodness, I don't think these problems are insurmountable! My super automatic machine also "forces" you into a descale at the appropriate time, I appreciate the decision being taken out of my lazy hands, ha,ha! Use a small jug under the steam wand to collect that purging water and "problem" solved! Thanks for the video - my Bambino Plus is being shipped tomorrow!
@@CCCulture947 I am enjoying it! It is probably the easiest and cleanest espresso machine out of the four that I have owned.I always run a blank shot first to warm up the group head and the coffee cup. The steam wand on this machine is insane and makes great foam with very little effort. I do usually manual steam but sometimes use the automatic feature just for fun.
An amazing video! I have been watching your other videos with this machine and they are excellent. I completely agree with your points as I also have a Breville Bambino. Forgive me for the question as I am still a beginner, but what benefit is there in having a nonpressurized basket?
Thank you so much for the support! The best way that I can explain it is how the coffee comes out of the basket. Where a pressurized basket only has one tiny hole that when the coffee gets build enough pressure that will release the coffee. Usually this way is more forgiving, but also can hold the flavor of the espresso. Where unpressurized basket has a lot of tiny holes, that allows for a more even flow out. If you do it wrong though, it can make the shot either bitter or sour. Hoped that helped explain it a bit better.
Pressurized baskets are designed for preground coffee or if you grind too coarsely. The coffee won't be fine enough to build pressure because with a non pressurized basket the only thing that builds pressure is the coffee itself. If you have a nice grinder that can do espresso you'll want a non pressurized basket because it will make better tasting coffee.
@@CCCulture947 yes ,don't forget that they share the same pump, plus there is no machine that I know of that doesn't have to remove the water before using the steam.
Awesome Video! I used this machine for the first time today and pulled my first expresso shot of my life. I feel that I am not able to get a proper milk texture. Are you using a 2% or full - fat milk in your previous videos?? Do you really think that the milk frothing technique has some issues or its my technique which is incorrect??
Thank you! That sounds really exciting but i also use 2 percent milk, but the key to frothing is to hear a ripping sound but just leave it there and that sound should stop after 5 seconds. another to look for is the milk rolling on itself for about 35-40 seconds.
From the time u bought it!!!! when did it force u to do a descale of it,,,, My single serve Ninja coffee maker 60+ brews and needs cleaning that's once a month if ya use it twice a day,,,,,, I just run cleaning with water to turn off the cleaning light LOL!!!
In the machine not getting hot did you actually measure the temp? I know that my bambino gets very hot. The carafe is too hot to touch so I know it's over 150deg. Thanks for the review.
Breville must be listening: recent Bambino Plus products shipped include 4 baskets -- 1 and 2 cup pressurized and non-pressurized. (Not with the basic Bambino though.) They also added a feature to get hot water out of the steam wand for Americanos or tea. (I haven't tried this myself yet, but it may only work on the Plus.) That lack of hot water was a complaint that I have seen mentioned by a number of previous reviews and testers. Thanks for being candid about your issues!
@@CCCulture947 cool! Really didn't know they were just 6$ Your videos are really helpful with new info, makes me a better home barista everytime I watch it.
@@Panikulam I got one about 2 weeks ago from SeattleCoffeeGear, so in case you're in the US, check them out. It's a bit more expensive than on Breville's website (when they have them in stock, they gave me an ETA of mid-March), but still cheaper than Amazon scalpers.
How would you compare this machine to the Plus? I've been going back and forth on whether it's worth it for me to spend the extra bucks, but keep coming back to the Bambino, since I know from research and from your videos that I should be using those extra bucks to put toward the upgrades you've mentioned. I'm not usually this indecisive!
I think it comes down to your preferences. I had the same issue when deciding. It depends whether you would like the automatic milk frothing or doing it manually, and also need to use hot water since only the regular bambino can do it for things like americanos.
@@CCCulture947 This is not true, on the Bambino plus you can press down the single shot button and the milk froth button at the same time and you get water from the steam wand.
I got it off of Amazon but sadly they do not sell it on there anymore but you can still get it directly from there website just google crema coffee products 👌
one thing that i do not like about my bambino is that my stock portafilter leaks. so I have to put it on it's side on top of my knock box so it drains before i knock the puck out. the basket sometimes also remains in the group head itself, as it it pops out the the portafilter.
I just got the gaggia classic $599 currently and it’s a great machine. The bambino I had wouldn’t froth or heat the milk for more than 15 secs so I took in for repair under warranty but they refused to repair saying not covered due to lack of maintenance. I descaled it three times in 18 months. Somehow they reckon there was dry milk in the solenoid.
Great video! I bought the same Bambino a couple months ago and I have all the same complaints. I noticed that with the unpressurized / bottomless filter, the shots are even colder now - it doesn’t seem to retain heat as well as the pressurized, which is frustrating. And since I descaled I am getting more inconsistent shots. A bit disappointed, I had high hopes for this machine, but not sure how it’ll work out long-term.
For me, I also do a single shot to warm it up and then pull a double shot of espresso, and it entered descale mode after about a month. The manual even says that once it enters descale mode and starts blinking, you can press any button to postpone it and that you can then keep brewing, however, I found that to not be true haha. I couldn't do anything until I actually descaled.
@@CCCulture947 ok good ya I think I'm on my 4th or 5th as well since boxing day which is a bit shocking I thought. However I also purge the machine after my shot is pulled so the count is 3 times every use. Thanks for replying!
After one week I sent my Sage Bambino back. The steam produced a watery milk and so a diluted latte macchiato and also the pucks were watery. No success. I bought a much cheaper machine that doesn't have these failures.
@@janvanrooij6178 Wow-- that's great. Would you mind telling me what specific DeLonghi you bought? I'm wondering if I'd be satisfied with something cheaper
I also have some of those same complaints about my Bambino! I just unboxed mine and started using it. I was dismayed to find out that the portafilter is plastic! Really?!!! I mean, for $300 you would think that they would give you a better portafilter! I also discovered that the tamper is plastic!!! What a piece of crap! Did you notice how lightweight the machine is? Does your machine move when you go to insert or remove the portafilter? Mine does! If it wasn’t for the watery pucks, I would’ve kept my other machine. Much nicer portafilter and tamper, plus the single and double baskets so you could brew either fresh or pre-ground. It also didn’t wobble all over the place! That’s my gripe and I’m sticking to it!
I think the reason you get a cooler temp on the shot is because of the aluminum portafilter. I bought the stainless steel bottomless portafilter and a single wall basket and it improved a lot. The double wall basket is useless since I grind my own beans.
Word. It is pressurized, so you will get the crema for ground coffee was the idea. Buy a new portafilter, you are correct.
I've read from two separate sources that double-walled basket is more forgiving in the extraction, when you're using either pre-ground coffee or older beans. The single-walled is apparently best for freshly-ground, recently-roasted beans.
Very nicely done! One tip that might help with the heat, even for pro machines: always pre-heat the coffee cup.
Thanks. Most of the time I end up using an ember mug, but I should remember to do that with my regular one
I got my machine from BBB a few months ago and it came with unpressurized baskets and milk pitcher now☺️
I’m trying to decide between a bambino and niche grinder or the barista pro. I had the pro and have been hearing the grind isn’t ideal, very hard to dial in for a newbie
I just bought the Bambino . It got 4 baskets included. The porta filter is kind of lightweight. And the Tamper is useles, too light. . The cupwarmer does not work. I am still trying to get good crema. Might send it back. 😢
Try to warm up the portafilter by pulling a fast shot while empty and wiping it dry. Second, always make sure you use fresh roasted coffee, i learned that those two things are what really get tons of crema
Just as a note, the European models of the Plus (they don't sell the regular Bambino here in the UK, so K can't confirm with that model) now come with both pressurised and none pressurised baskets :)
I have heard that before and sadly I think it is a big oversight to making this machine great
My goodness, I don't think these problems are insurmountable! My super automatic machine also "forces" you into a descale at the appropriate time, I appreciate the decision being taken out of my lazy hands, ha,ha! Use a small jug under the steam wand to collect that purging water and "problem" solved! Thanks for the video - my Bambino Plus is being shipped tomorrow!
Thank you! Enjoy your bambino!
@@CCCulture947 I am enjoying it! It is probably the easiest and cleanest espresso machine out of the four that I have owned.I always run a blank shot first to warm up the group head and the coffee cup. The steam wand on this machine is insane and makes great foam with very little effort. I do usually manual steam but sometimes use the automatic feature just for fun.
Can you please provide the link for that basket. I need to change mine also
Thank you
I originally got mine from Amazon which is unfortunately no longer there but you can grab it on crema’s website
An amazing video! I have been watching your other videos with this machine and they are excellent. I completely agree with your points as I also have a Breville Bambino. Forgive me for the question as I am still a beginner, but what benefit is there in having a nonpressurized basket?
Thank you so much for the support! The best way that I can explain it is how the coffee comes out of the basket. Where a pressurized basket only has one tiny hole that when the coffee gets build enough pressure that will release the coffee. Usually this way is more forgiving, but also can hold the flavor of the espresso. Where unpressurized basket has a lot of tiny holes, that allows for a more even flow out. If you do it wrong though, it can make the shot either bitter or sour. Hoped that helped explain it a bit better.
@@CCCulture947 Ahh, that makes sense! Thank you for your reply!
Pressurized baskets are designed for preground coffee or if you grind too coarsely. The coffee won't be fine enough to build pressure because with a non pressurized basket the only thing that builds pressure is the coffee itself.
If you have a nice grinder that can do espresso you'll want a non pressurized basket because it will make better tasting coffee.
I think the water is just to purge before you steam your milk. It's an automatic function.
I think it’s just the built in condensation but every machine suffers this
@@CCCulture947 yes ,don't forget that they share the same pump, plus there is no machine that I know of that doesn't have to remove the water before using the steam.
I'm waiting on my Sage Bambino so I'l curious to see if they did something different with the machine in the meantime. When did you buy yours?
hi, great video I am an espresso over and I looking for an espresso machine around the same prime as a bambino, but with more quality, any suggestion?
I think that Bambino hits the price bracket the best but the gaggia classic is also a solid buy
thanks, very informative. think i'll stick to aeropress for the americanos!
Awesome Video! I used this machine for the first time today and pulled my first expresso shot of my life. I feel that I am not able to get a proper milk texture. Are you using a 2% or full - fat milk in your previous videos?? Do you really think that the milk frothing technique has some issues or its my technique which is incorrect??
Thank you! That sounds really exciting but i also use 2 percent milk, but the key to frothing is to hear a ripping sound but just leave it there and that sound should stop after 5 seconds. another to look for is the milk rolling on itself for about 35-40 seconds.
@@CCCulture947 Thanks for your response. I would really appreciate if you can upload a video on the technique of frothing milk on bambino.
@@bhavikparekh2044 I can actually try to make that the emphasis in my next video :)
From the time u bought it!!!! when did it force u to do a descale of it,,,, My single serve Ninja coffee maker 60+ brews and needs cleaning that's once a month if ya use it twice a day,,,,,, I just run cleaning with water to turn off the cleaning light LOL!!!
Why does the Bambino does not have a BackFlush cleaning process and just a descaler peocess?
Guess it’s part of the affordability aspect
In the machine not getting hot did you actually measure the temp? I know that my bambino gets very hot. The carafe is too hot to touch so I know it's over 150deg. Thanks for the review.
Breville must be listening: recent Bambino Plus products shipped include 4 baskets -- 1 and 2 cup pressurized and non-pressurized. (Not with the basic Bambino though.)
They also added a feature to get hot water out of the steam wand for Americanos or tea. (I haven't tried this myself yet, but it may only work on the Plus.) That lack of hot water was a complaint that I have seen mentioned by a number of previous reviews and testers.
Thanks for being candid about your issues!
They did not have to, but I’m glad they did
Hey thank you for the video.
What does a non pressurized basket do to your espresso. I thought pressurized ones are easier to make and better quality.
They are definitely more forgiving for someone who is starting. If you want to get better quality overall, non pressurized is the way to go 👍🏽
@@CCCulture947 cool! Really didn't know they were just 6$
Your videos are really helpful with new info, makes me a better home barista everytime I watch it.
Yeah hopefully they are back in stock on breville's website. Thank you it means a lot to hear that, and good luck with everything!
@@Panikulam I got one about 2 weeks ago from SeattleCoffeeGear, so in case you're in the US, check them out. It's a bit more expensive than on Breville's website (when they have them in stock, they gave me an ETA of mid-March), but still cheaper than Amazon scalpers.
@@iriedreadlock awesome, thank you
Great granite countertops
Great for hiding all of the coffee mess ;)
Right now I all drink is iced lattes so hot coffees don’t really matter for me. Also it’s blazing hot outside lol
How would you compare this machine to the Plus?
I've been going back and forth on whether it's worth it for me to spend the extra bucks, but keep coming back to the Bambino, since I know from research and from your videos that I should be using those extra bucks to put toward the upgrades you've mentioned. I'm not usually this indecisive!
I think it comes down to your preferences. I had the same issue when deciding. It depends whether you would like the automatic milk frothing or doing it manually, and also need to use hot water since only the regular bambino can do it for things like americanos.
@@CCCulture947 This is not true, on the Bambino plus you can press down the single shot button and the milk froth button at the same time and you get water from the steam wand.
@@CCCulture947you can do a water shot through the steam arm with a couple of button punches
Where did you get the bottomless filter?
I got it off of Amazon but sadly they do not sell it on there anymore but you can still get it directly from there website just google crema coffee products 👌
@Charlie’s CoffeeCulture thank you. And awesome videos!
Can you link the portafilter you purchased.
www.cremacoffeepro.com/products/54mm-bottomless-portafilter
Hope you like it as much as I do!
@@CCCulture947 Thank you!
one thing that i do not like about my bambino is that my stock portafilter leaks.
so I have to put it on it's side on top of my knock box so it drains before i knock the puck out.
the basket sometimes also remains in the group head itself, as it it pops out the the portafilter.
Tamping is optional with pressurized bazkets
Just do it!
What’s in centigrade?
I believe it is 94
So what is the best machine for say double the price
I just got the gaggia classic $599 currently and it’s a great machine. The bambino I had wouldn’t froth or heat the milk for more than 15 secs so I took in for repair under warranty but they refused to repair saying not covered due to lack of maintenance. I descaled it three times in 18 months. Somehow they reckon there was dry milk in the solenoid.
A highly underrated machine at that budget to also consider would be the lelit Anna 2
Great video! I bought the same Bambino a couple months ago and I have all the same complaints. I noticed that with the unpressurized / bottomless filter, the shots are even colder now - it doesn’t seem to retain heat as well as the pressurized, which is frustrating. And since I descaled I am getting more inconsistent shots. A bit disappointed, I had high hopes for this machine, but not sure how it’ll work out long-term.
Yeah unfortunately it does have its shortcomings but I find it still a great value at this price point personally .
I have this machine. My steam wand does not spit out water like that.
I got it when it was still new to the market, so i'm sure it has new product quirks lol
I'm curious, how many times have you had to descale your machine?
For me, I also do a single shot to warm it up and then pull a double shot of espresso, and it entered descale mode after about a month. The manual even says that once it enters descale mode and starts blinking, you can press any button to postpone it and that you can then keep brewing, however, I found that to not be true haha. I couldn't do anything until I actually descaled.
I think I am on my third, about to be fourth time, to descale the machine in the span of three months.
@@CCCulture947 ok good ya I think I'm on my 4th or 5th as well since boxing day which is a bit shocking I thought. However I also purge the machine after my shot is pulled so the count is 3 times every use. Thanks for replying!
@@iriedreadlock it's the worst when you pull a shot and then go to steam your milk but it wants to descale 🙃 can't seem to bypass it either.
On the basis of your video, I'd be more inclined to buy the Bambino Plus....several of your complaints are addressed...
After one week I sent my Sage Bambino back. The steam produced a watery milk and so a diluted latte macchiato and also the pucks were watery. No success. I bought a much cheaper machine that doesn't have these failures.
What did you buy?
@@LM-mq2pj Sage Bambino. It's a beautiful machine but the steam has too much water.
@@janvanrooij6178 Thanks, but I meant what did you buy to replace your Sage Bambino (you said you bought a cheaper machine)
@@LM-mq2pj Yes I bought a simple Delonghi coffeemachine for less than 100 Euro. That needs no expensive waterfilter as the Bambino does.
@@janvanrooij6178 Wow-- that's great. Would you mind telling me what specific DeLonghi you bought? I'm wondering if I'd be satisfied with something cheaper
I humbly disagree.
I respect that
I also have some of those same complaints about my Bambino! I just unboxed mine and started using it. I was dismayed to find out that the portafilter is plastic! Really?!!! I mean, for $300 you would think that they would give you a better portafilter! I also discovered that the tamper is plastic!!! What a piece of crap! Did you notice how lightweight the machine is? Does your machine move when you go to insert or remove the portafilter? Mine does! If it wasn’t for the watery pucks, I would’ve kept my other machine. Much nicer portafilter and tamper, plus the single and double baskets so you could brew either fresh or pre-ground. It also didn’t wobble all over the place! That’s my gripe and I’m sticking to it!
This is not the Bambino Plus. Plus is better 😋
What specifically do you like better about the Plus?