Breville Bambino Plus Espresso Machine BES500BSS, Brushed Stainless Steel
Semi-Automatic Espresso Machines
Breville Bambino Plus Espresso Machine BES500BSS, Brushed Stainless Steel
$4.00
| Asin | B07JVD78TT |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 7.6"D x 12.5"W x 12.2"H |
| Weight | 11 pounds |
| Manufacturer | Breville |
llshen –
As a newbie coffee enthusiast, this was my first espresso machine. It was very easy to set up and get started. The color is gorgeous, and the footprint is small, which is great for people with limited counter space. The machine is overall fairly quiet and brews quickly, and the instructions are clear. My first two brews have been pretty good, so I’m excited to continue experimenting!
Bubble Metropolis –
I recently upgraded to the Breville Bambino Plus Espresso Machine, and I couldn’t be happier with my purchase. Here’s why this machine has exceeded my expectations:
Sleek Design: The brushed stainless steel finish gives the Bambino Plus a sleek and modern look that complements any kitchen decor. Its compact size also makes it perfect for smaller spaces without sacrificing performance.
User-Friendly Interface: The Bambino Plus features an intuitive interface with easy-to-use controls, making it ideal for both novice and experienced baristas alike. The buttons and dials are well-placed and responsive, allowing for precise customization of each shot.
Consistent Results: One of the standout features of the Bambino Plus is its ability to consistently deliver high-quality espresso with every brew. The pre-infusion function ensures even extraction, while the automatic steam wand creates velvety microfoam for perfect lattes and cappuccinos every time.
Quick Heat-Up Time: With its innovative ThermoJet heating system, the Bambino Plus reaches optimal brewing temperature in just 3 seconds, allowing me to enjoy my favorite espresso drinks without the wait.
Easy Maintenance: Cleaning and maintenance are a breeze with the Bambino Plus. The steam wand automatically purges after each use, and the removable drip tray and water tank make it easy to keep the machine clean and well-maintained.
Overall, the Breville Bambino Plus Espresso Machine is a game-changer for beginner espresso enthusiasts. Its combination of sleek design, user-friendly interface, consistent results, quick heat-up time, and easy maintenance make it a standout choice for home baristas. Whether you’re a coffee connoisseur or just starting your espresso journey, I highly recommend the Bambino Plus for an exceptional espresso experience.
Elizabeth –
I absolutely love my bambino plus by Breville!
First let me tell you that I ordered a Philips and that was too complicated and too many buttons/options plus I couldn’t even figure out how to get it to work! Then I ordered a jazzy. No way. Horrible piece of junk. Then my daughter said I have a juicer made by breville why don’t you try one of their machines? So I opted for the bambino plus. Well it does a beautiful job making my two to four capachinos a day! After a year of owning it I’ve become quite good at understanding beans/shots roasting dates the two main types of beans/ tampers /baskets etc. then I bought the breville grinder and what a great move! Both machines are awesome! Easy to use I’m going on two years now with bambino and one year with the grinder. Did I mention there’s no waiting for water to get hot? Lovely and when you’re ready you can buy a bottomless coffee portafilter with an Italian basket( ims) 14-18 gram and what a beautiful sight to see that rich crema flowing straight out into a honey colored thick stream into your clear glass coffee cup! I use Tony’s sugar bee espresso beans or roasters 7 beans hapuna espresso blend. Both have roasting dates and both are divine in taste(medium roast)if you want a stronger blend the upsetter by thanksgiving coffee is very nice! No bitterness but full and rich flavor. Oh I could talk about coffee all day and night! lol anyway bottom line is breville bambino plus ROCKS! Oh one more thing if you’re not so good at making milk froth this machine does it for you! The only negative thing I can think of is the learning of how to clean and descale was a bit confusing. My advice is to watch utube videos on how to do it and you’ll be fine:) thankyou for reading and remember to laugh every day 😊!
SPHW –
I’ve thought long and hard about how to articulate this review as clearly and truthfully as I can.
Ok, so I’m not predisposed to negative reviews but this overly expensive coffee machine is awful.
The most important part of this machine is the troubleshooting manual. Keep it to hand – you will need it!
The positives:
1. It will make a nice cup of coffee*
2. The cleaning capabilities for the wand are a good idea
The negatives:
1. True, it will make a nice cup of coffee…..IF
IF you use the EXACT amount of coffee in the filter basket
IF you don’t mind pressing the double cup 3 times to get a single espresso shot – even when you use the right amount and grind of coffee!
IF the coffee machine doesn’t randomly go into cleaning mode (which it does even before forcing a clean every 200 button presses)
IF you use ONLY the supplied milk jug. Using anything else causes the temperature sensor to fail, the steam will never stop and you milk will be boiled and overflow
IF the aforementioned milk jug is placed EXACTLY in the perfect position to get the best contact with the milk temperature sensor
2. As a practitioner of human centered design (making products intuitive and easy to use), I can tell you that this coffee machine is absolutely not easy to use. Too many failure modes, too many unintuitive error states and messages and good functionality ideas are executed poorly – example being the temperature sensor. It works but only IF you do 3 things perfectly first.
2. The need for a cleaning cycle is too frequent. We are having to perform a cleaning cycle every 2 weeks! (And we aren’t coffee monsters!)
3. Water wastage. The wand cleaning wastes SO MUCH water to perform. It could be done using much less
4. The wand cleaning cycle is really messy. IF you position the drip tray in the PERFECT position, you might not have to clean your machine and own clothes from the spray back coming from the wand
5. The wand cleaner is difficult to find, and beware! The sharp pin cover comes off really easily when you are unscrewing the wand tip. Have a bandaid to hand!
In summary, can this machine make coffee? Yes BUT it isn’t easy to use, is highly temperamental and definitely NOT worth the money.
…really wish I could get my money back…
Y.S. –
My heat exchanger machine took at least 10 minutes to warm up. The Breville takes a few seconds. The coffee from this machine is not as hot as from the big machine, and you can’t adjust the brewing temperature on the Breville. Medium roasts tasted sour. Vienna roast tastes much better. I grind the coffee so that I get 35 seconds brew time. With a shorter time, the coffee started to taste sour. I run the machine once without a portafilter to warm up the brew head. Only then I brew the coffee.
The milk frother makes life easy and difficult. I had milk overspill many times when I used the supplied frothing jug. The solution was easy: use a bigger jug. Just make sure you get a stainless jug with a flat bottom (not concave), so it touches the temperature sensor that’s embedded in the drip tray. No more spills!
The worst thing about the machine is the drip tray. It’s tiny and you need to clean it practically after every drink, especially if using the frother. The machine purges the frother after each use, and the drip tray gets filled with diluted milk. I think there is room for aftermarket vendors to make a better drip tray.
Because of the ubiquity of Breville, there’s a huge aftermarket for portafilters, baskets, tampers etc. I got a bottomless portafilter and a spring loaded tamper. If you want to improve your machine, the first thing I would recommend is a better tamper. Mine was $12 and it works so much better than the original.
Finally, there’s a lot of technology in this machine for a relatively reasonable price, and it can make decent espresso and cappuccino drinks. But with a group head made of plastic, I just wonder how long it will last.
Stuart E. Schechter –
The Bambino indeed has a super-fast startup time for both making espresso and steaming milk. A machine that starts up quickly is much less harmful for the environment than one that you need to leave powered up over night, which most of the higher-end machines do.
While the Bambino does start up in 3 seconds, the instructions specify that run a single-cup cycle without the filter before actually starting to make your first shot. This is not going to slow you down if you start up your machine and hit the single shot button before grinding your beans, and the Bambino will be ready before you’ve finished tamping.
I love the materials and the ease with which the base slides off for cleaning and back on again. It’s got a deep tray for water so I haven’t had any spills carrying it over to my sink.
However, you should know before you buy that:
(1) There’s a good deal of necessary friction to overcome as the filter needs to lock in tight to be sealed under pressure, and the machine is so light that it will slide around your counter before accepting the filter. There’s no handle to grab, so the only way I’ve been able to make this work is by wrapping my arms around the whole (fortunately small) machine. Don’t welcome a Bambino into your home unless you’re prepared to give it two bear hugs for every espresso you drink. (It gets easier–see update below. A commenter suggested using olive oil as a lubricant, which seems sensible since water boils at 100C and olive oil doesn’t burn until ~190C.)
(2) When the steamer self-cleans the tip of the wand, the initial spray often hits the edges of the hole it’s supposed to land in. That initial spray contains milk that is being cleared, and the milk splatters. You’ll need to keep the towel you used to clean the wand handy to play defense, and prepare to clean up splatter that you miss. Hopefully in v2 the hole will be slightly bigger and the alignment more precise. (Aside from this, the self cleaning function is great.)
(3) The minimum amount of milk required to steam (the min line in the included steel milk jug) is a bit more than will fit in an 8oz mug, especially on the frothiest mode. Fortunately, I’ve not had any problems after filling a bit below the min line.
I’d definitely buy this again as all the flaws are manageable and I love the quality of the espresso it creates, the ease with which it does it, the ease of cleaning, and the petite size. Having originally eyed the Barista Express, I have no regrets about getting a smaller machine that’s easier to clean and starts up more quickly. If my grinder breaks, I can replace it without replacing my espresso maker, and vice versa. I also have no regrets about not getting a double boiler, as having two fast sequential steps (espresso and steam) is just as good as two slower parallel ones. If really I wanted to make multiple espressos faster, I’d get another filter unit so that I can grind one cup while another is brewing.
– – – – –
Update April 21 2020
After a few months the group head started locking in with less friction (but still makes a good seal), and so the bear hugs are now optional.
I recently had the chance to compare the Bambino with the Barista Express, which I bought as a gift for friends I stayed with for a week. The Barista Express is a more impressive looking machine, also worked beautifully, and when offered for less than the Bambino as it was in January, it might be a better value. The one feature I missed was the automated milk steaming on the Bambino. With the Bambino, I can start milk frothing and move to another task, but steaming is a strictly manual operation on the Express. While the Bambino has a manual option, if I wanted to steam manually, I confess that if I were steaming manually each morning, I’d much prefer the more spacious Express which provides a more ergonomic experience if steaming manually is important to you. The Bambino’s automatic steaming does a great job, so manual vs. automatic may simply be a matter of preference.
Only after a year into ownership did I re-read the part of the manual that mentioned tool for cleaning the four holes in the steam wand, hidden under the water tank. It’s beautiful industrial design to embed useful but rarely-needed tools where nobody has to see them, but Breville was a little too successful in hiding from. Don’t miss it. I had been using a needle from a sewing kit.
When using the two-shot mode to make two small lattes, I found it helpful to have a 600ml (20oz) steaming pitcher so that I can steam enough milk for both. For shot glasses, I’ve come to greatly appreciate ones with spouts that help me cleanly pour the espresso shots into cup. I use these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GL55KSN.
I’ve now descaled a few times. Step 8 in the manual instructs that “once the descale solution has been used up, the descale mode will pause.” It will actually pause BEFORE all the descale solution has been used up. I believe you can just toss the remaining liquid left in your tank.
After my second descale, the machine started barely producing any espresso during a cycle. I tried another descale, with no luck. Then I tried the instructions under “reset factory espresso volume settings” at the bottom right of page 17 of the manual and everything suddenly worked like new.
LA_Shannon –
This little powerhouse of an Espresso maker just continues to impress. I was considering it’s pricier sibling the BES920XL but could not justify spending $1,600 on a coffee machine. When this one went on sale I thought at $400 it was worth a try. Am so glad we got this one. The coffee is excellent and the ease of use for this machine in amazing. Turn the machine on and it’s ready to brew in literally 3 seconds. No waiting for the boiler to come to pressure. And after it’s extracted the espresso, it is instantly ready to froth the milk. Again, no waiting for the boiler to adjust. And the preprogrammed milk frother does an excellent job, no need to hold the carafe at the right angle and keep the frothing tip just below the surface. The machine produces excellent frothed milk all on it’s own. Do yourself a favor and get one. You won’t be disappointed.
ASmith –
Small footprint is great for a machine with a pump that makes such great tasting espresso.
It’s ready to brew or steam in an instant. The auto froth feature works perfectly and isn’t any louder than frothing will necessarily be.
They ought to call it the Maialino and paint it pink from the cute little “oink-oink” noises the pump makes. 🥰
The lighter weight of it makes it necessary to brace the machine with one hand while removing the porta filtre with the other.
Reservoir is easy to refill, even without removing it from the machine (which is also an option) but be careful as the opening is flush with the top of the machine; if you’ve got demitasse or a tamper up there, they’re prone to falling in. Ask me how I know 🙄.
The auto-clean feature for the steam wand is nice in keeping it cleared out and, for idiot proof avoidance of a clogged wand, probably better to have than not, but it can be a little annoying because it clears automatically whenever you retract the wand back into operating position after removing the pitcher from a steam. If you forgot and put it right back down into the next pitcher, you’ll get flush water in your next milk 😜. Also, it tends to fill up the catch pan after a few uses. What I do is put my wipe rag over the grate of the catch pan before lowering the wand to flush so the rag soaks up the flush water and then I have a hot damp rag to wipe off the wand.
All in all, it’s a simple, compact, quality espresso machine.
7/23/24 edit: had to do the automated clean cycle and had my first encounter with breville’s weird support setup. Their own video was inaccurate on how to initiate the clean cycle (found the solution on Reddit) and there’s no way to provide them feedback on the info error without having a breville account to log in or taking time to call, neither of which I’m messing with. It’s a bit of a convenience fail. Sorry if that makes me a bit of a Princess Karen. Still an awesome machine.
Chris G –
I was “ruined” by drinking real coffee in Europe for an extended period. When I came home, drip coffee seemed watery and flavorless, Keurig (excuse for coffee), and mass-sold, expensive coffee in cardboard was no longer appealing to me.
Being the sole coffee drinker in the house, I didn’t want a fancy, expensive, fully automatic machine that took up a lot of counter space – the Bambino Plus was the machine I kept coming back to in my research as it seemed to fit the bill.
High quality, relatively popular, meets standards for good quality coffee, compact, and had most of the features I was looking for. I have not been disappointed. My Bambino Plus was a Christmas gift and paired with a Baratza Encore grinder. I pull 2-3 double shots per day and have been loving the quality and flavor of the coffee. Typically, Americanos, some Cappuccinos, and the occasional Mocha.
If I had any critique about the machine, the only things I would say is that the minimum volume of milk required for steaming/foaming still creates a fair amount of waste for a single-drinker household – I find myself tossing about 1/3 of the milk away each use. Beyond that, the only complaint I really have is the drip tray seems to leak onto the counter after just a few uses, while the indicator doesn’t really seem to indicate that it needs to be emptied – the remedy I’ve found for this is to empty after every use.
The Breville Bambino Plus is definitely a great first Espresso machine for anyone.
Christopher S. –
I love having the espresso maker. This machine brews espresso with the touch of a button. Great temperature controls for frother and gives you great options. Perfect fit on my countertop instead of another bulky machine, just a little bigger than my old drip machine. Easy, fast, and affordable smooth lattes at home!