Comments on: Breville the Bambino Plus Espresso Machine with Auto Milk Frother, Espresso Maker with Seconds Heat Up, Cappuccino & Latte Machine for Home, BES500DBL, Damson Blue

By: Carmen

Carmen — Wed, 25 Dec 2024 23:58:34 +0000

Great machine!
I purchased an espresso machine for my husband for Father’s Day 2023. During that first year of use we needed to replace parts on it 3 times and have the unit replace. Needless to say we tossed that and moved to Breville. Please don’t waste your time with others. Breville can be pricey but it is an affordable option for a quality espresso machine if you are serious about espresso. We love this machine. The auto frother option is great for me (my husband is the aficionado who takes his a little more seriously and froths using a thermometer). We have not had issues with the steamer clogging like some reviewers stated. We wipe the want down after each use and the spout self cleans after use (we put a small cup under it to allow the water to discharge). I use non-dairy milk (soy and oat) and have not had issues with the heat level of the steaming. The first time the machine told us it needed cleaning we were unsure what was happening. Read the manual folks, it is clearly spelled out lol :). It has a clean me mode and. descaling mode. We use RO water so the machine has not had any buildup. We are very happy with this machine.

By: PMJ

PMJ — Wed, 25 Dec 2024 23:58:34 +0000

Compact and easy to use machine with some odd quirks
I am a complete beginner when it comes to preparing Espresso coffee, so I needed a machine that would handhold me through the process and deliver reliable tasty lattes and capuccionos with the occasional americano. We cannot drink caffeinated coffee to so buy decaffienated beans and grind them in a Breville grinder.Out results have been very good with very clear instructions on how to prepare the grind, tamp down the grind and make sure we are getting the correct extraction time. The milk foamer is very clever and seems to work most of the time. I am not yet experienced enough to do manual foaming but the automated process seems to work well. We like it hot and a lot of foam.The downsides have the been the odd time that something goes wrong and you have to perform some process to clean or reset the machine. In these circumstances the instructions are not helpful as they do not give you an index based on what the lights are doing. You have to read through the text and eventually find what the particular combination of lights mean. We have had to purge the system twice and the milk wand seems to get blocked despite our efforts to keep it clean. However I once changed the delivery volume for single and double shot (I have no idea how I did this) and I needed to reset it back to default. I ended up in descale mode which does not appear to have an abort mode, so I had to waste a lot of water as it completed the descale mode before I could go in and try the reset process for the delivery volume for the 2 shot sizes. Also I had no idea what amount of water was needed so it overflowed and spilled water everywhere. Tedious. So in conclusion:Pros:1. Compact and well made.2. Delivers consistent coffee.3. Milk foaming is good and works well.4. Great for an inexperienced barista such as myself.Cons:1. Instructions poor when things go wroing (various flashing lights etc.)2. Delivery volume reset process seems prone to error (I am a computer engineer so am familiar with pressing combinations of keys to get things to happen but I had a lot of trouble getting it to reset).3. Milk wand is prone to blocking and I became quite familiar with removing the nozzle, cleaning it and then purging.4. No reset (that I could find) once it is in the descale mode.5. No overall reset to factory default that we could find. Once it is in a particular mode you seem to need to ensure that you complete whatever it thinks you are doing.Overall a great entry level machine and produces a great cup of coffee.

By: Gerry Pez

Gerry Pez — Wed, 25 Dec 2024 23:58:34 +0000

Fantastic value
I returned an expensive espresso maker because I find the Bambino to make better espresso more efficiently. Combine it with a good grinder (ex niche, df54, df64) and you can make high quality espresso. While I didnât think Iâd be using the automated frother I do because I can clean up during milk frothing. I can make an excellent cappuccino in minutes. Tip: get a bottomless portafilter, donât use the low quality ones that comes with this.

By: Prescott T.

Prescott T. — Wed, 25 Dec 2024 23:58:34 +0000

One MAJOR Problem!!
Full disclosure, this machine works fine in every way, except one major one. And this problem is so major that I would not recommend it. The machine requires a cleaning cycle way too frequently. It forces you to do the cleaning cycle before you can use it again. It always happens at an inconvenient time. Itâs not quick and easy, itâs a hassle, and it gets in the way of me having my morning espresso. I would definitely not buy this machine again.

By: EC

EC — Wed, 25 Dec 2024 23:58:34 +0000

Great little Machine
We have had our Bambino for about 3 months and it saves us $9 whenever we want a cappuccino and they taste as good as when we have a barista make one. Highly recommend if you want an easy to use espresso machine.

By: DJS

DJS — Wed, 25 Dec 2024 23:58:34 +0000

Pleasantly surprised
I bought this as an upgrade to my regular Bambino – been using it for almost a year. Itâs nice to be able to do other things while the steamer froths my milk automatically. Being able to control the texture and temperature of the milk is a plus. Itâs hard to believe how fast this unit turns on and pulls a shot of espresso.The downside is the dreaded flashing lights, which mean that you wonât get your morning cuppa until you flush or clean, depending in the flashing code. Bummer! I should never have to de-scale my unit, since I make my own distilled water and use nothing else, but the machine doesnât recognize that. Fortunately, I still have my older Bambino, and can use it until Iâm in the mood to interpret the flashing light code and perform the required maintenance.Overall I find that the Plus is worth the extra money over the regular Bambino, but I would never buy either unit unless it were in sale. Sales are frequent enough that they are worth waiting for.

By: Amazon Customer

Amazon Customer — Wed, 25 Dec 2024 23:58:34 +0000

Hit’s way above its weight
This sub 500 dollar espresso machine hits way above its weight. It will produce a very good shot of espresso and (manually) allow you to create great microfoam for milk drinks. Great for a starter machine or those with limited kitchen / counter space who want a decent machine in a small footprint.

By: Whistler ski

Whistler ski — Wed, 25 Dec 2024 23:58:34 +0000

Espresso customized with setup interactive video
I read the reviews and lots of people had good things to say. What no one mentioned was the ability to adjust the volume of water on both your single and double shot espressos. This was a big bonus as I like a bit larger cappuccino. I set it to the maximum temperature and awesome results. Plus I like the height clearance that I can take my espresso straight into my “standard” coffee mug!