Cheap Breville Bambino Espresso Machine BES450BSS, Brushed Stainless Steel

Cheap Breville Bambino Espresso Machine BES450BSS, Brushed Stainless Steel 

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Del
5.0 out of 5 stars It's a great starter machine (edited: w/bottomless portafilter & IMS 18-22)
Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2023
Color: Brushed Stainless SteelVerified Purchase

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Well, allow me to say, this is the first machine I have had since the 1980s was it and that one Hoovered. Finally tried a unit, one of the many seemingly all variants of the same 51mm units. I had to send it back because, while very nice at the price point I feel it (and they) are probably best - and aimed at - milk coffee drinks and not actually espresso.

Some, seems all similar did, have something the Bambino lacks - more metal. In feel (if there is such a thing) they, or at least mine - felt substantially more robust. It felt actually like better quality. But I couldn't adjust the water and couldn't get enough coffee in the portafilter. Maybe, some other options would fit the 51mm unit. I couldn't confirm it.

This unit has a lot of plastic in it including the group head. BUT! It can adjust/learn pump-run time (adjust the water volume indirectly). The temperature is non adjustable. But I don't think water temp (as long as it is very near boiling) is really a variable most home espresso drinkers would benefit from - especially the beginners and novices.
With the thermocoil design I understand it has, it heats in like 3 literal seconds. Steam is good (but I drink simple espresso so I am honestly not much help in evaluating that part). The wand has good articulation.

I do like that Breville is big enough that plenty of 54mm baskets, portafilters, screens and papers are available - including bottomless.

While I do like the unit's function and it has everything I wanted, it does feel cheap for the value proposition. I don't think it will hold up well for the length of time I keep appliances. It might. But, I do worry that the fact it knows how long it has been powered up/plugged in - makes me wonder if Breville embedded a count-down timer to planned obsolescence. I hope not, but the manual is clear in disclosure that it's recording usage data.

I added a picture of three pucks/cakes (whatever term you like) within the first 24hours of receipt. The two dark ones were with pre-ground 6 month old (or longer) coffee and the third was with Folgers Classic drip grind.

Yes, I do wish the entire Breville line was built on a standard 58mm group head (I do prefer a thinner cake per dose). And I do worry if it has an internal count-down to death timer and if the plastic will hold up.

Edit: (added a bottomless portafilter and IMS basket)
They -- finally -- came today. While these are aftermarket non-Breville parts, I added a video of a shot. (Replaced that because it was a little dark - new video has a little spurt - welcome to aftermarket bottomless portafilters. It happens sometimes)

I don't claim to be an expert since it's been 35, idk 40ish years since I have had an espresso machine. I'm just now re-learning how to do it (or learning this machine); but, since I detest coffee snobs who discourage much more than they impress, I wanted to share.

No, I'm sure it's not "perfect" but with this machine you really have potential without having to sell a kidney to pay for it (oops, I hope that doesn't violate 'community standards'.

I might add some other still pictures later if anyone cares. Not a knock on the OEM portafilter & basket but I do prefer the aftermarket rimless basket because it is possible to make a larger diameter and thinner puck (ceteris paribus).

The coffee in the shot was Lavazza Crema e Aroma which I guess from the "use by" was 3 months old. And, yes I prefer some blend of robusto (anywhere between 1/3rd and 2/3rds). If you would like to try your hand at espresso without variable overload and/or no room to experiment, then this machine is a pretty good starter.

Edit 2:
I added a picture of the IMS basket (2 pucks). Why? Well, so you could compare to the first picture where the stock Breville rimmed basket was used. Really there are only about 2 point. The stock basket has a rim (grips inside the portafilter great) and because the walls have draft - the pucks pop out easy. The downside is, that same taper that turns loose of the post brew coffee is less forgiving on volume of coffee powder. A light dose is hard to tamp and a large one won't fit or gets up into the shower head they call it.

The aftermarket I chose is rimless so it tamps better. Not having a taper/draft-walled, your puck can be thinner for the same dose and there are more holes. So, you get more variables to dial in. The downside is, the pucks will eject in their entirety, you just might need an extra whack.

The combo of bottomless & basket seems to be a trade-off. I seem to get more Crema and a rare spurt (see the video). So far, spurts have been rare. It's no defect, just a tamp made by a human.

THE REASON I added the aftermarket parts to the review isn't to hurt Breville or over criticise them, no quite the opposite. While a little cheaply built like the plastic group head and more expensive than a 51mm manual espresso machine, being slightly larger portafilter size (I wish it was 58mm) - it heats quickly, is semi automatic and you can always add accessories later if you want. Don't have to, but you can.
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CliffyPop
5.0 out of 5 stars Seems like perfectly fine espresso after a month of daily use
Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2022
Color: Brushed Stainless SteelVerified Purchase
I've made and drunk a lot of fine espresso via professional machines from California to Italy over decades, yet I've never owned any type of countertop espresso maker. I can't accept inferior espresso an assumed they were all mediocre at best. I read many reviews and articles on tiny machines and the Bambino consistently rates high so I took a chance.

SATISFIED
After a month of use I'm satisfied with the results. According to reviews, the power and materials are sufficient to make decent espresso without the warmup time of big machines. It seems to work quite well so far. I like how it's computer controlled to ramp up steam and sustain for specific periods and temperature for optimal extraction from grounds (the amount of time steam is applied can be custom set too in its memory).

CLOSE COMPARISON
I suspect it's not quite as steamy and high enough pressure to match a massive, multi-thousand dollar coffee bar machine, but it's awfully close. I've used those machines and the difference in taste is negligible here. I can definitely make a satisfactory espresso or americano with the Bambino. Probably if you're a super aficionado or professional manufacturer, you might be spoiled enough to care. Regular folks will likely not notice.

STEAMED MILK
The steamed milk wand works well. It's about as powerful and simple to steam milk as any large machine. I’ve made fluffier steamed milk on pro machines but the Bambino does a good enough job.

HOT WATER
I thought I'd use the hot water feature more because I prefer americanos. I never use it though because it's too slow. The water gets hot enough but the stream is so thin that I have to stand there waiting too long. I just use an electric kettle instead. This was one reason I went with the first gen Bambino (the newer version doesn’t have a separate hot water spout). Now I kind of wish I went with the second gen since that seems to be more powerful.

SMALL FOOTPRINT
I also love how small the Bambino is. It sticks out pretty far but other wise length/width is surprisingly tiny. I can hardly believe how small it is and fits in even the tiniest kitchens.

AUTOMATED CLEANING
There's a convenient cleaning feature too where you put de-caking powder or vinegar/water in the reservoir and then run the cycle. It takes care of the process and flushing.

CUTENESS
You gotta love the name Bambino! It's cute and familiar just like the name suggests. It looks great too. It has a satisfying steel coffee machine style that’s both modern and traditional.

EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS
In short, Breville exceeds expectations with a solid machine utilizing thoughtful and useful design resulting in great coffee in a quick and convenient package. I can make a perfect cup of coffee in about 3 minutes, including a quick grind of beans. It's hard to put a price on that level of convenience and quality.

FUTURE DIY?
I notice some people on forums upgrading parts for better performance. Maybe after the warranty expires, I’ll try enhancement since it can use at least a bit more heat and pressure.
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Herbert
5.0 out of 5 stars Ignore naysayers, truly great machine
Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2024
Color: Brushed Stainless SteelVerified Purchase
Had this machine for 6+ months and it is really impressive for the money. The 3 second warmup is unbeatable. I do complement the machine with a 1zpresso JMAX espresso grinder and I cant overstate enough how much this contributes to my shot quality. I dose around 16g of coffee in my IMS basket, use RDT/WDT, and a puck screen for cleanliness/higher extraction. Most important factor is the coffee beans! Black cat from intelligentsia is a good place to start. I hold the double shot button manually every time for preinfusion and let go after the shot pulls 28g on my scale. End result is around 32+g within a 30 sec pull. Good espresso from a machine under 3 benjamins. The next best machines would be a modded gaggia pro or a profitec GO, for hundreds more. Although, they don’t come close to the bambino’s convenience. BTW, the included portafilter is cheap so I used a heavier bottomless 54mm from the get go.

Since there is no solenoid valve in this machine, the drip tray does not fill up very often. I find it is sufficient in size provided your blank shots go into a vessel/cup every time. The water tank is more than sufficient in its capacity and has a super convenient finger loop to quickly detach/reattach if you carry to fridge or sink.

Milk steaming is obviously not class leading but consistently does the job! The pump starts immediately at the push of a button and you are ready to steam within 10 seconds every time! The milk texture/microfoam this machine can produce is very capable in the right hands. Even I can make something resembling latte art(see pic).

If you make a lot of milk drinks, this machine is awesome! If you are looking for higher quality espresso shots, Id go for a Flair 58, modded Gaggia or Profitec GO. We are latte drinkers so I get my occasional espresso fix from local cafes sporting $30k lever pulls that I could never match at home.

*I never descale this machine and never will, only filtered water goes in the tank. My last Breville Infuser machine lasted 5+ years but ultimately died after a routine descale. It’s a personal decision that other coffee connoisseurs have also affirmed in regard to descaling a bambino.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect
Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2024
Color: Brushed Stainless SteelVerified Purchase
Absolutely perfect little machine. Sleek aesthetics, easy operation, pulls great shots, steams microfoam no problem. As a former barista, I researched budget espresso machine options exhaustively and personally I wouldn’t go a tier lower than this. If you are picky about espresso, this is the amount of performance and quality level you’re going to want, while still being simple to operate and unfussy for daily use.

Buy a spring loaded tamper, but otherwise it’s great out of the box. FYI a milk pitcher is included, I didn’t realize that and ordered a separate one.
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M.S.
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent espresso machine
Reviewed in the United States on June 16, 2023
Color: Brushed Stainless SteelVerified Purchase
I purchased a Breville Bambino espresso maker to replace a 14 year old, fully manual espresso maker that had stopped working. Initially I was leery of getting an automatic espresso maker that has pre-programed 1 or 2 cup extracts. But in this price range, that’s pretty much one’s only option. On the other hand, I’m extremely pleased with the ease of operation, the taste of the espresso extracts and the excellent foaming of milk for cappuccino. Also I am impressed with the quality of the machine and its small footprint. However, initially I could never get the perfect espresso with the single wall filters, only with the double wall filters using the aluminum portafilter shipped with the Bambino. The resolution for this and my suggestion for those who prefer to use more technique in making their espresso, is to buy the Breville stainless steel 54 mm portafilter (part no. SP0027237). I first removed the plastic insert in this SS portafilter (see my review of this product). With the SS portafilter and the single wall 2 cup filter, the espresso is perfect. The portafilter replacement is pricey, but worth it. My only other issue with Breville is under Specific Instructions for the Bambino on page 4 of the instruction book. It is recommended to only use cold means/tapwater and not use highly filtered demineralized or distilled water. Agreed distilled water is not optimal for espresso extraction because of its high purity. However, as a career chemist, with over 45 years of experience, the use of tapwater is not optimal for any type of extraction as unwanted minerals in the tap water, which vary widely based on geography, can affect the taste of the espresso. Therefore demineralized water, which is can be obtained from today’s refrigerators is the ideal choice. The optimum taste of the espresso is obtained with purified water, which is applied with heat under pressure. Yet, I realize it’s a manufacturer’s goal is to have us buy their descaling product which you are forced to use by the programming in the Bambino. Overall I’m very pleased and impressed with the Bambino.
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Joseph Goedecke
5.0 out of 5 stars Best Mid Level Latte Machine
Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2024
Color: Brushed Stainless SteelVerified Purchase
I've had several Delonghi ECP espresso machines over the years. These cost about $150 and work reasonably well. After splurging and buying the Breville Bambino, I'll never go back.

The Breville Bambino features the 3 second heatup, which drastically improves heating consistency, time it takes to make a latte or espresso. This single feature of improved temperature control significantly improves Crema and milk frothing. Ever read reviews of frothing milk to a paint like consistency and doing latte art? Well you're easily ready with this machine. The whirlpool of milk this thing creates will blow you away with the powerful steam wand.

I was between this and the Breville Bambino Plus. The only real difference between the Plus model is the auto milk frothing (which takes all the fun out of it), some slightly nicer accessories (the tamper on this model is just plastic, but works just fine!), and it has a 3-way valve so when you stop your espresso flow there are no drips (anyone looking at a mid level machine will not have any quality impact over the few drips that happen on this base model).

All in all, save $200 over the Bambino Plus model and welcome to Coffee shop level lattes and espresso.
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Kiki
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing!
Reviewed in the United States on May 16, 2024
Color: Brushed Stainless SteelVerified Purchase
My partner loves this machine, it gets used daily. This machine is fast, easy and quiet. Rated one of the best espresso machines to own and it lives up to that!
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Campbell Penland
5.0 out of 5 stars Super simple for beginner use
Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2024
Color: Brushed Stainless SteelVerified Purchase
I have used this every single day for over a year, and I love it! Simple to learn about and easy to use. Makes a perfect shot of espresso every time.
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Zachary
5.0 out of 5 stars Best Investment!
Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2024
Color: Brushed Stainless SteelVerified Purchase
If I would have bought this years ago, I would have saved hundreds of dollars. After using this machine with Kimbo espresso, I don't stop at Starbucks or any other local coffee shop. I much prefer my own lattes now.
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Don H.
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing
Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2024
Color: Brushed Stainless SteelVerified Purchase
Never having used an expresso machine before my wife purchased a different brand for me for Christmas, and it was terrible, so we returned it and after some research chose the Bremble Bambino. What a difference. Easy to use supper consistent froth. I have recommended this expresso machine to everyone and my daughter and sister both now have their own. No issues and we have used ours every day for months.
Get one you won't be disappointed.