Breville Bambino vs Breville Barista Pro

It'll be a pain in the butt if you don't like the ritual of it. If you don't want manual, it's probably around $600 for true quality espresso with a Breville Bambino and Eureka Notte or Sette 270. That will give you good shots and also has the milk frother if you ever want it. A good chunk of change though

My timeline was Nespresso -> Breville Barista Pro -> ECM Synchronika. Had to make sure this was something I was passionate about before the investment was made.

It's pretty easy after some practice and there's plenty of video tutorials so definitely give it a try. - Big water tank, easy to remove and fill - High clearance lets me easily fit my cup and scales directly under the portafilter - Simple to use. Dials and stuff would be cool but honestly so long as it pumps out adequate pressure and maintains a consistent temperature between shots, being able to monitor those variables is nice but redundant. Use a timer and cheap scales to dial-in shots, then taste, adjust grind/dose as needed, and you're all set

I received the Breville Barista Pro in the mail. The directions were easy to follow. Not a lot of steps to go through to put together. Also easy to use photos

But having already returned one machine (the pathetic De Longhi Dedica) I simply was too demoralized by the experience, and, so far, my friend and I have simply tried to adapt to the inferior Bambino. Perhaps we'll change our minds, but I honestly suspect that the problem with the Bambino, as probably with the De Longhi Dedica, is that smaller machines simply DO NOT WORK due to a basic design problem: they end up being structurally incapable of generating the kind of steam pressure required. At least, this is what I suspect. Perhaps far more expensive, smaller machines don't have this problem

I have the stainless steel version, and it looks sharp and well built. Breville is the only company I know that has the magnetic tamper holder underneath the top of the unit, and it's a nice touch. A place to put the tamper, and always know where it is. Also, the tamper is a nice metal one, rather than the thin, light plastic many other brands use

But if you like a great coffee in less than a minute then this device is for you. What ever you choose, make sure it has the heat sink technology this device has. You need a contestant temperature in 3sec , don’t get an older model that you have to wait 15 mins for the machine to heat up.

But, I’ve felt that temperature are the most critical part for a good espresso, and this machine does not work too well with that. Yes, It takes 3 seconds to heat but you have to flush some water first before gets the “ideal” temperature before start dialing your coffee (pieces needs to be hot, not only the boiler). And my recommendation with the grinder, use baby steps while adjusting your grind size. Otherwise you could get frustrated dialing your new coffee

That was after it operating presumably all day while I was away before I was able to notice it though. Only two things keep me from giving this one star. The features and the fact that it does, in fact, make a decent espresso- when it works. The automatic steam wand is excellent for beginners, but you will soon be left wanting to be more involved in that process

I compared this with the Barista Express and chose this one for a few reasons: - Improved heating elements over older generation machine (much faster) - 2 year warranty vs 1 year (a bit of comfort when spending so much) - More flexibility in grinder settings with more increments and customization - Not a whole lot more expensive for the added benefits ($100 more) Overall it's pretty easy to use. I don't get too crazy with my coffee so after I dialed things in how I like them I've pretty much left it the same. It's nice that you can customize the duration of your shots (I increased mine quite a bit) and have fine precision for grind settings. My favorite part of the machine is how quickly it steams and heats up

You can definitely find a less expensive unit, but you'll be compromising in key performance and construction areas, something I just wasn't willing to do. So, if you're looking for an aesthetically attractive, small-footprint, well-constructed machine that is simple to use and creates exceptional Espresso and Cappuccino, you will be truly pleased with this unit.

It’s also a well built machine and very solid. And it’s beautiful to look at - not over designed but definitely not a cheap look. I think this would look good in almost any home kitchen. I also appreciate that Williams-Sonoma carries ALL the colors, not just some