SageBambino Plus Review. An in depth look at the Sage / Breville Bambino Plus Espresso Machine.
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- čas přidán 13. 09. 2024
- This is a fairly in-depth review of the new Bambino plus from #Sage / #Breville.
By the way, if you're in the UK or Europe (including Ireland, Germany, France and most other countries in mainland Europe) see: coffeeblog.co....
The coffee used during this video is provided by Bluecoffeebox.com, and as I mention in the review, if you use the discount code CB999 at www.bluecoffee..., you'll get £8 off.
Please Note:
I made some errors in this first review - so after watching this one I'd recommend:
Update on the auto milk steaming (because I'm an idiot) : • Sage Breville Bambino ...
For an update on manual steaming (best method so far for the Bambino plus): • Steaming Perfect Milk ...
Pulling shots manually: • Sage/ Breville Bambino...
Purging the steam wand: • Sage / Breville Bambin...
Dual wall vs standard baskets test 1: • Breville / Sage Bambin...
Dual wall vs standard baskets test 2: • Breville / Sage Bambin...
Dual wall vs standard baskets test 3: • Sage Bambino Plus Revi...
Cleaning the Bambino Plus (descaling, cleaning cycle/backflush cycle): • Cleaning Sage / Brevil...
Why is my Bambino Plus winking at me? • Bambino Plus Lights Fl...
Steaming smaller amounts of milk with the Bambino Plus: • Steaming Smaller Amoun...
My new review of the Bambino Plus one year later: • Sage Bambino Plus / Br...
To read my blog post review, see: coffeeblog.co....
For my Sage smart grinder pro review: coffeeblog.co.u...
Links:
Bambino Plus from Amazon UK: amzn.to/3Nu4Wu6
Bambino Plus from Sage Appliances: breville.oie8....
Bambino Plus from Sage Appliances Europe (outside of UK):breville.oie8....
Bambino Plus from Breville Worldwide:breville.oie8....
Bambino Plus from John Lewis: john-lewis-and...
Freshly roasted high-quality coffee beans from The Coffeeworks (my website): cworks.co.uk (use discount code yt25 for 25% off your first order).
Coffee blog: coffeeblog.co.uk
Buy me a coffee: ko-fi.com/coff...
Current Gear:
Canon M6 Mark ii amzn.to/3zoczes (great now the firmware has been updated so I can film in 4k without it getting hotter than the sun).
Blue Ember Mic (now just used for voiceovers): amzn.to/3pT6WR1
RØDE VideoMic Pro (now used for main audio): amzn.to/3DV7xHg
Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen USB Audio Interface: amzn.to/3e3qwFn
Amaran 100D LED Video Light, 130W 5500K (Key light): amzn.to/3oQYrqY
Aputure Light Dome SE Softbox: amzn.to/3ESdHcJ
Neewer Bi-color 660 LED Video Light and Stand Kit (Fill light): amzn.to/35jUtwp
Neewer Portable 56 inch/142 cm Aluminium Camera Tripods (I have a few of these, very good value) amzn.to/3pPlCke
Cayer BV30L tripod with fluid head (mega tripod for the money!)
Please note, affiliate links included above.
By the way...If you're in the UK, and you're thinking of buying a Sage machine (any Sage machine, not only their coffee machines), join my mailing list at coffeeblog.co.uk and then drop me an email to see if I have a current discount code to share. I don't currently get Breville discounts, sorry, but I do sometimes have Sage Appliances UK discount codes to share.
Ta
Kev
See my latest video on the Bambino Plus, answering the question many have asked, about sour-tasting shots: czcams.com/video/bcMfUFQwY-g/video.html
Re the mask, this video was uploaded at the start of the first lock down in the UK, mask wearing was becoming a thing, and this was my deliberately OTT nod to the situation we were entering. For a more up to date version of this video see: czcams.com/video/LS-Mxd2yCqw/video.html
Right now (Oct 2021 - the Bambino Plus is about as rare as rocking horse droppings, they've been out of stock for a while - but the new "Bambino" is currently in stock in the UK, and I think this is possibly a better option for a lot of people, to find out why I think this go to coffeeblog.co.uk/bp and scroll down to "Update October 2021".
Also if you're a member of my "Brew Time" mailing list bit.ly/3mk7o9z - I'm able to share discount codes with you, when I have one - as I do sometimes have them from Sage Appliances UK, so just reply to my welcome email, and if I have an active discount code at the time you email me, I'll reply with it.
You may also find these helpful:
My new review of the Bambino Plus one year later: czcams.com/video/LS-Mxd2yCqw/video.html
Update on the auto milk steaming (because I'm an idiot) : czcams.com/video/P_g_l9wA-Xo/video.html
For an update on manual steaming (best method so far for the Bambino plus): czcams.com/video/4BT6Qkq0mBs/video.html
Pulling shots manually: czcams.com/video/t0K9k9z79lU/video.html
Purging the steam wand: czcams.com/video/8UUeub0r7XI/video.html
Dual wall vs standard baskets test 1: czcams.com/video/1loOy4UM3cc/video.html
Dual wall vs standard baskets test 2: czcams.com/video/xJBft9azgSg/video.html
Dual wall vs standard baskets test 3: czcams.com/video/ipv_0xLofyY/video.html
Cleaning the Bambino Plus (descaling, cleaning cycle/backflush cycle): czcams.com/video/WMnYMjJWKRU/video.html
Why is my Bambino Plus winking at me? czcams.com/video/zvw5NSNYk4Q/video.html
Steaming smaller amounts of milk with the Bambino Plus: czcams.com/video/XN8VE0dAu0c/video.html
Thank you so much for all these bambino plus videos! They realy helped me decide to get one myself :) I just pulled some shots, and wow, this machine is like Dark souls, meaning you gotta keep trying until you get the hang of it :) It's actually quite Hard I think, to get it right. But when you do, you'll get a realy realy good cup of coffey, and it leaves you with a real satisfying genuine barista feeling. Just awsome to have this at home!
i just baught the maschine and found your video. i feel like i know everything now about it! awesome video. good conclusions at the ande. keep it up!!
Thanks 👍😀
Really great video and your presentation is good in fact very relaxing watching you :)
I like that you come across as quite humble which only stregthens my belief that you are doing honest and truefull reviews. Well done!
Thanks Jerry, very kind of you to say! 😀👍
The dual wall filter basket is designed to give a similar shot of coffee even if you change grind size. For people who don’t know how to make a proper coffee. It actually says this in their instructions that come with it.
Yeah, dual wall baskets have their uses, one is an ash tray ;-).
This is THE best, in-depth, technical and practical review of this machine on youtube! Great stuff! BTW, I thought double wall only helps with temping accuracy not the grind size.
Thanks :-). The main thing about dual walled baskets is grind size, these baskets (also known as pressurised baskets) create the pressure in the basket by forcing the coffee through one tiny hole, which makes the grind size & other things like tamp pressure, less important. I'm not a fan of them, you'll never get as good tasting espresso via these baskets as with standard baskets. But, if you're using decent coffee beans to start with, they'll allow you to get OK shots of espresso with a lot less time and effort than with grinding your own and using standard baskets. So for people who're OK with OK, and want speed and convenience, then I can see the benefit of these kinds of baskets. For anyone who wants to aim for perfection though, just get hold of standard single walled baskets (you can get them directly from Sage/Breville for about £5/$10, when they actually have them in stock), and a capable grinder coffeeblog.co.uk/secure
@@Coffee_Kev thanks Kev, really appreciated!
I think this review is spot on and pretty much exactly my experience with this machine.
Thanks Keith, appreciate that :-).
The best coffee machine review I’ve ever seen!
Best review so far! Thank you so much for taking time. Super helpful!
Thanks Sinem :-)
Thanks for the review - I think the only film online that's giving us a real run-down of the bambino machine (and grinder). Super helpful.
I've owned the machine for a while, but not had a huge amount of success getting the perfect flat white. Since seeing this, I've bought the grinder, so I can control all the variables.
Ground at 14, 18g of coffee, coming out at 38, pre-infusion for 6/7 seconds first. And still it's tasting a little too bitter (and im now only comparing this to the coffees I buy in my favourite cafe)... WHAT NOW!?
Any guidance would be much appreciated - although I do appreciate you've gone through it all in the film already.
Thanks ever so much!
Hi, and thanks for your kind words, much appreciated :-). Generally speaking, I'd aim for about 1:2 ratio in around 28-32 seconds including the preinfusion time, but I'd also be led by taste, as you are doing. Just keep in mind too, though, re dosage, that the Sage baskets seem to be made for slightly higher dosage, they recommend 19g. So I'd probably go for 19g in the basket, to 38g espresso, in 28-32 seconds. I recommend James Hoffman's dialling in series when it comes to learning more about dialling in: czcams.com/video/lFwJF-_SUr0/video.html . Cheers :-).
I’m a newbie, and just purchased the Breville version here in the US. Was using a Capresso grinder and Dual Wall Basket. Didn’t have great results, felt like i was getting very sour almost salty results. Underextracted. Tried to dial in, but no matter what I did the preinfusion 7-12 second range always worked but not great taste. Finally found a single wall, and felt like was getting better results. Then I purchased a Sette 270 grinder and immediately was staring to dial in with a lot more control and better results. I watched a few videos and found the debate of when to start timing, and move away from at first push of button to “after the first drop” and I am now getting way better results in timing and taste. 18.5 g in, 37 -41 g out, in about 25-27 seconds after the first drop. I notice you seem to be using more of a manual mode, cutting your shot off at a certain amount of time? I haven’t tried that yet. I’m weighing the dose and the shot during the brew, but keeping it on auto. Going to see if manual mode changes anything. The Razor seems to waste too much, and I found a cheap leveling tool that works much better. 19 g seems too high, 18.5 just about right. The wand works great for me, and practicing manually with the dish soap hack that some advise. No luck with the latter art yet! Well that’s been my experience. I would recommend this machine for what it does, but would caution about the dual wall basket. And like most say the grinder makes a difference. Happy brewing! Interested in feedback on timing the shot? Push of the button or after first drop? Cheers.
By the way, great videos!
Thanks Tom. Sorry missed this comment! Yeah, definitely better results to be had with a better. Yeah I pull the shot manually, see: czcams.com/video/t0K9k9z79lU/video.html
- this allows you to control the pre-infustion time too. The shot time should be from as soon as water is introduced to the puck, so the pre-infusion time is part of the total shot time, your 25-27 seconds is really 33-35 seconds including the pre-infusion which is about 7/8 seconds on auto - but that's not that far out, I'd usually aim for 28-32 seconds. You could try it manually and reduce the over all shot time slightly, which would mean adjusting the grind accordingly - but, if you're happy with the results you're getting, I can't see any reason to change. The razor ensures the perfect dose in the Breville/Sage baskets, or more importantly, the clearance between the top of the coffee and the shower screen - this seems of more importance with these machines, and Ireckon this is why they created the razor tool, although it also ensures a level surface. You don't have to waste that much, I usually waste maybe a gram or so, I grind about 20g then use the tool. Cheers :-)
I got the bambino and sette and the results are excellent. Now I need more whole espresso beans.
I've had (Breveille) Bambino + paired with Dose Control + grinder since pandemic and it is a great combination. I do find that pre-ground coffee doesn't work well in Bambino but the Dose Control allows you to grind the most heavenly powdery espresso and than it is perfect with Bambino. They both offer really good levels of user control o shot size, grind size, etc etc and are perfect for beginners and you'l love ease of use and the amazing auto milk foamer. I notice no dfiference between single and dual wall basket but it's nice to have 2 anyways.
Cheers Alex :-)
I thought it was just me! I came to the same conclusions that you did regarding the dual wall basket- rubbish! Even with pre- ground coffee the results were superior using the single wall basket and the pucks came out far easier. After viewing this, I am going to run a few more experiments with the temperature and foam levels when using the auto milk texturing. I am guessing that when you manually steam it does override any pre- selected temperature setting? The Bambino Plus is a good looking machine that doesn't take up a lot countertop real estate.It is a perfect machine for making coffees for company as it takes so little time to achieve a decent result and is fairly quiet to operate and easy to keep clean. The large water tank is a definite bonus.
I've watched the video and for so many attempts to make that perfect shot, adjusting the grind size, adjusting the amount of coffee in the porta filter and using the razor blade to level out the coffee. But what I observed during the process was not putting the right amount of tamp pressure on the ground coffee in the porta filter. I believe that the best tamp pressure is about 30 lbs. The tamp pressure is the missing ingredient to make a perfect shot. You can purchase a calibrated (30-lb) coffee tamper on-line. The handle is spring loaded such that the handle of the tamper will travel all the way down and stops letting you know that you have achieved the 30-lb pressure.
You do not really need to tamp coffee in a pressurised portafilter - that is the whole point of it. You only need to slightly compress it so that it has a flat surface. When using a standard basket you do indeed need to compress the coffee precisely.
Yeah tamp pressure, or more importantly tamp pressure consistency, is important if you're using the single walled, non pressurized baskets. If you're using the dual walled baskets, pressurized, tamp pressure doesn't matter, but I'd still assume that a level tamp matters, so all I'd focus on with the tamping with dual walled baskets is staying level. Cheers
Hi Kev, can you use ground coffee with the regular basket? You mentioned the pre-ground with the double wall basket is a bit naff. But what If you used pre-ground in the normal basket?
Cheers!
Dan
Thank you for an honest review. I bought the Bambino Plus yesterday, but I can't decide which grinder to get. I really wanted to buy the Sage Dose Control, but people tell me that it isn't good enough for an espresso. Instead they recommend me to get rid of the Bambino Plus or to buy a super expensive hand grinder. What is your opinion on this?
I'm also really confused about this. So many different opinions, most of them claiming it isn't possible to make an espresso without a 1000$ machine
Hi Nima, I got the exact same advice about 4 years ago when I started getting into home espresso - and I think it's wrong advice although usually given with the best intentions. I explain this in this post: bit.ly/36bXWN0 . The smart grinder pro or dose control pro are absolutely fine to get started with, and so is the bambino plus, with standard baskets, and decent, freshly roasted coffee. If you can afford to buy a Eurika Mignon or Niche Zero, or Eureka Atom and a heat exchanger or dual boiler E61 machine then great - but as a first home Barista setup in my humble opinion a sgp or dcp, and the Bambino, or duo temp pro, or gaggia classic, absolutely fine as a start. Cheers
@@SoMiAhSeh if you see this post I wrote a while back about this very issue bit.ly/36bXWN0 you'll see I received the exact same advice that you did, and I explain in this post why I believe this advice is wrong although info understand where the folks are coming from who are giving such advice.
Iberigal MC2
I have also heard from different sources that a good hand grinder (particularly one that's meant for espresso) will beat out a mediocre electric burr grinder any day, and is much less expensive. People speak highly of the Lido ET in particular. However, I have also heard that the grind matters less when you're using a more forgiving pressurized portafilter, like what the Bambino Plus machine has (it can be swapped out for a non pressured portafilter, but it doesn't come with one). It is frustrating getting conflicting info, but I guess people having different experiences indicates differing standards, levels of expertise, and personal preferences when it comes to espresso.
Hi mate,
Really useful video - was looking for ages for a review for the bambino plus and you’ve nailed it.
I use the sage grinder as well and a single wall basket (2 cups size) always. Have tried a few different coffee beans from roasters just trying to find the right one for me.
I usually do what you and James recommend in terms of dialling in the grinder. Usually aiming for a 1:2 ratio. However I had a couple of questions:
1. does it matter if you weigh the coffee beans before you put it into the grinder or just to weight them once they have been ground and tamped?
2. since I have owned the machine, I just press the 2 cup button and that’s it. But I noticed you hold the button down on the videos. Why is that?
3. do you ever use the singe wall basket 1 cup size for any of your coffees?
4. What milk setting on the machine would you recommend for achieving a good latte and a good cappuccino?
Keep up the amazing videos!
Hi Fawad. Thanks for the kind words :-).
1: it shouldn't make a great deal of difference either way, as you're using the smart grinder pro & from experience there's only a point of a gram or so in it with this grinder.
For anyone else reading this who has the same question with a different grinder, it'll depend on your grinder's dose consistency, so if you weigh in 18g and you get out quite a bit less than 18g, then you're probably going to want to weigh the ground beans.
One thing you do need to keep in mind though, is exchanged retention. Some coffee will be retained each time you grind (in all grinders, even with the Niche Zero czcams.com/video/xSNM91iQCig/video.html although it's so minimal that you don't need to purge), and some of it (not all) will come out on the next shot. So with most grinders you'll need to purge a few g of coffee each time you change grind size, and each time you use the grinder for the first time each morning or after a few hours of use, so you're not using some stale coffee. With the smart grinder pro I reckon the exchanged retention is around 2-3g, so when I'm using this grinder I purge a few g of coffee through the grinder each time I change the dial size, and the first time I grind each morning.
2: I didn't make that very clear in the video, apologies. I'll make another short update video about this. I'm pulling the shot manually, I'd always do it that way. To do this, press and hold the shot button for however long you want the pre-infusion to last (7 or 8 seconds for instance), then as soon as you let go of the button, the pressure will start ramping up and the shot will start to flow soon after. Press the flashing button again to stop the shot. The total shot time would include pre-infusion.
3: I'd only ever usually use single wall baskets, but I've hardly ever used a single shot basket ;-), always seems a waste to me to only pull a single shot, always doubles for me.
4: I'd go middle temp and middle foam for latte (but check the temp you're getting, I get about 65C from middle temp usually which is what I'm after) and if you want thicker foam for cappuccino go for the highest foam setting.
See the short video I published the other day about this: czcams.com/video/P_g_l9wA-Xo/video.html
Cheers :-)
Kev,
Is it accurate to say
1 bar = flat white
2 bars = latte
3 bars = cappuccino?
Great video kev...been looking for an in-depth video review of this machine for some time. Quick question...you said you have a single wall basket with this machine...does this come in the box when purchased?
Hi Liam. The current stock come with single wall baskets as well as dual wall, so if you're buying directly from Sage/Breville, you should get both. If you're buying from a stockist, you'd need to double check with them if their stock has both or just dual wall. Cheers.
Kev, I've been reading ur blog for the past couple of weeks (love the detail you go into btw), and I'm trying to make an important decision in buying a coffee machine. I have a budget for about £350, and I've managed to find the bambino plus for £290 and the Delonghi Autentica for £350.
In your personal opinion, which would you choose, or have you got any other recommendations. My personal preferences are taste, ease of use and milk.
I dont mind the manual input of the sage bambino, but if the bean to cup delonghi provides better taste and features, I wouldn't mind forking out the extra funds for it. Sorry for the long winded question. Just really stuck in making a decision.
Been using mine for a few months now. Great machine, only thing I don’t like is the portafilter. I think that’s in scope for an upgrade and maybe an IMS basket.
I love your videos! Really really tempted to get the Bambino Plus and Smart Grinder Pro because of being home on lockdown the whole time.
Cheers :-). The dose control pro is worth looking at too, slightly cheaper, almost same grinder. See coffeeblog.co.uk/grinders for more suggestions.
@@Coffee_Kev Thanks a mill 👍 I think the only thing that's making me hesitate on the Bambino Plus and a good grinder is that, combined, the price gets close to the Sage Barista Express. What would be your thoughts on that? Thanks a mill for your reply, really appreciate it 😊 John
Actually, I'm reading all about it on your site now, which is fantastic I must say. I jumped the gun and didn't check first 😊
@@johnjames01 I'd recommend the Bambino & SGP or Dose Control Pro vs the Barista Express. See my Barista Express review: coffeeblog.co.uk/sbe .
The only issue with the BE is a lack of grind settings, which leads to restricted fine tuning when dialing in.
18 grind settings with the Barista Express, 30 with the Barista Pro amzn.to/3d2fGNx so that's less restricted, but quite a bit more money.
Stand along grinders like the SGP, Iberital MC2 or Eureka Mignon for instance will give you a lot more dialing in power than with an integrated grinder machine. Cheers
@@Coffee_Kev Excellent Kev, thank you very much 😊
my machine arrives tomorrow! this review has been really helpful and really sooo excited!
Thanks Catherine, let me know how you get on.
Loving it, but I’m struggling to get the flow rate and the ground keeps dripping out instead of a steady pour. Ive tried fiddling with the grind and using different coffee and changing the time on the extraction. Any suggestions would be good
@@catherinepunter5077 Are you using a grinder, or pre-gound?
ukcoffeeblog pre ground, I have caravan and Hej coffee and requested the grind for espresso
Great video. What grind time do you set on the Pro for the Bambino with the standard basket?
Cheers 👍 😀. I usually set the SGP to about one second per gram, it changes depending on the grind, but it's usually somewhere around 1 gram per second when in the espresso range, so if I'm dosing 18g I'll start at around 18g, weigh it, and then adjust it slightly from there, so if I get a bit too much I'll drop the grind time slightly. Cheers
That’s so useful: I’m thinking of buying the Bambino Plus, so was very pleased to find such an in-depth review. The scales you use clearly fit well on the drip tray: what make are they? (By the way, you get extra points for sounding like you’re from my neck of the woods!)
Thanks Maurice 👍😃 Scales are Brewista smart scale 2. Among the lowest cost of the decent espresso scales at about £90.
@@Coffee_Kev Thanks: appreciate that. I'll look into them.
I gave up trying to dial in my grind using the dual wall basket and bought single walled basket from breville. That worked much better and easily dialed in a 25 to 30 second shot.
I tend to use 19g of coffee in for 38g of espresso out.
Hi Joe, yeah you can't really dial in with dual walled baskets. I think we have to give them their due, they produce drinkable espresso (if using great quality freshly roasted coffee beans) with very little upfront investment and minimal ongoing investment (in terms of the time, effort and coffee required to dial in) but for anyone who wants to take their espresso quality to the next level, I think non pressured baskets and capable espresso grinder is a must. Cheers.
Thanks for this video, I picked up a refurb unit for 130 and having never had one before had been struggling a bit with micro foam but I guess that's because I'm going too hot. I've not got a grinder at the moment as I'm trying to find one that's affordable and not massive! So have been using preground. Mine didn't come with single wall just two double wall for 1/2 sized shots
Bargain!! Are you auto steaming or manual? I'm recording another video today doing more testing with the Auto steaming, as I think I was doing something wrong that ended up with the milk temp too high. Re the single wall baskets, they're only a fiver: buff.ly/34IL4NO. You need a grinder, will make a mahusive difference to your shots. Iberital MC2 would be my first choice for a budget grinder, if you're most interested in shot quality buff.ly/349ZlSv, £130 new, you can pick them up on eBay from about £60. It's a bit rough and ready, but a very capable espresso grinder for the money. If you want something a bit more refined, nicer to look at, more user friendly, the Sage Smart Grinder Pro buff.ly/2KhtwPr around £160 new, you can pick them up used from about £100. Very easy to use, very compact, fairly quiet. It's fine for espresso. If you want a slightly cheaper version, the Sage Dose Control Pro is basically the same grinder without the LCD amzn.to/3epDa06.
@@Coffee_Kev cheers for replying buddy. I've been doing auto but after watching you do it manually I've been trying to learn that, I don't think auto foams quite as nicely, though I also have no idea what I'm doing still so I'm not exactly consistent!
I've been looking at those sage grinder but I'll check the other one out too
@@mozzafella4513 no worries. Yeah I do think you can get better texture manually with some practice. I'll do a video guide on manually steaming with the Bambino, keep an eye out for it here. Cheers.
@@Coffee_Kev what an absolute babe. Cheers mate
One thing that wasn’t mentioned in the video, whilst auto-milk texturing, one should always ensure that the metal jug is stud on the temperature sensor, protruding into the drip tray. I don’t think that the jug was standing on the temperature sensor, hence the poorer results of auto milk texturing, observed in the video!
Haha, you have to watch part 2 for that. I realized the error of my ways and explained, in fact I created quite a few follow up videos correcting myself.
Thank you for spotting this and sharing - i was just about to scrap the 'plus' version and opt out of the auto steam - gonna watch pt2 now :)
Hi pal, cracking review. New home barista to be. Torn between this + sage pro grinder or the barista express. Loved the idea of the Italian boiler type machines but only really making a coffee for myself most of the time so thinking this is a good compromise. Any advice appreciated? Cheers and keep it up!
Actually Kev, read your replies elsewhere. Sounds like this + decent grinder is better vs the BE for maximum options (just a shame the bambino isn’t a bit heavier to stop it moving!). Maybe I’ll cut my teeth with this and when the machine gives up, treat myself to a workhorse that will last for years and will be easy to maintain. So much to learn! Cheers
Sorry for the delay Harry. Yeah, I'd always recommend a stand alone espresso machine and grinder vs. an integrated grinder machine. The BE is great, very clever machine, great to use, but there's no doubt at all that with the Bambino plus and the Smart Grinder Pro or another capable grinder, will produce better shots than you'll get with the Barista express, as you just can't dial in to the same degree with the Barista Express. Cheers, Kev.
I bought the Sage Bambino Plus and grinder thinking it would give me better shots than a Delonghi bean to cup. How wrong I was. The Delonghi is simply better, easier to use, consistent shots and a lot less messy too.
Thanks for the review, really helpful 🙂
Glad you found it helpful, cheers :-)
Great video, thanks! Which scale is that? I'm thinking of buying a bambino but the drip tray looks small and I don't think my scale would fit...
Thanks Jake :-). This is the Brewista smart scale 2. Cheers
I drink a piccolo coffee. Would you use the 1 cup setting for this machine? What basket would you recommend?
Yes, piccolo would usually be a single shot, so if I was doing that and making one at a time, I'd use the single basket. I wouldn't use the set buttons though, personally, I always do it manually, see: czcams.com/video/t0K9k9z79lU/video.html
Hi Kev, really appreciate the videos and purchased the sage bambino last week myself. I noticed you have a Sage smart grinder with the machine and was wondering if you would be doing a video covering this anymore? I currently have a Delonghi KG89 and I am planning on upgrading.
Thanks :-). I've not done a video on the smart grinder yet, but I will do. In the meantime here are some posts that might help: buff.ly/2KhtwPr buff.ly/2Pt3R8n
@@Coffee_Kev sorry only just seen this! Thank you for the further videos. I was getting confused when trying to do manual shots and doing the preinfusion times. I didn't realise that that started the shot as well as set the time for the pressure
I saw some people using a non pressurized basket + a classic portafilter with the bambino plus. Where can I find one for the bambino plus? I don't wanna use a pressurized one and this portafilter as the holes distribute not equally to two espresso cups. Thank you and great review.
Greetings from Germany.
Thanks :-). Yeah you can get the portafilter for the Barista Pro from Sage/Breville: breville.oie8.net/5ogV3, and you can get the standard baskets from them too (I don't think the portafilter comes with the basket) breville.oie8.net/oMVPO
Thanks Kev, got the same grinder and my Duo Temp Pro has bitten the dust - never took espresso too seriously (ground a lot for my v60) but ordered a Bambino Plus largely down to your review/s. Appreciate your in depth videos and hoping to push on with mastering the espresso art!
Thanks for your kind words Andrew!
How long did your duo temp last? Are you happy with the bambino after using the duo temp?
@@frapp31 think I had it around 4 years, it was before I really got the coffee 'bug' so didn't put it to best use. Ended up with lots of calcification due to not descaling and didn't work properly so I sold it for cheap
Do you think it would be possible to heat up cold water in the milk jug instead of milk, and then make yourself an Americano? Would using the steam wand impair the flavour in any way compared to using hot water from a kettle? I'm looking for a machine for a camper build and space is a premium. I will have a diesel cooker, but it takes about 30 minutes from startup to boil water, so hoped this might be a good solution.
Sorry for the delay! Yes this would work, I've tried it. I was about to say that it seems a long way around it, but actually it's probably quicker doing this than boiling a kettle, so you're onto something here! :-).
Here you go :-) czcams.com/video/65btfijvRSs/video.html
Thanks for the in-depth review. I bought one of these machines just recently. However - how do you manage to get 19 or 20 grams of coffee in the (standard) double basket? I'm grinding for espresso (as best I can using a Hario mini-mill), but I find that the razor takes off quite a lot - and I only end up with around 16g, even after tamping quite firmly. If I try to squeeze more in by tamping down harder, I almost choke the basket. Any ideas?
Hi :-). If you fill basket, then knock the portafilter on the worktop a couple of times, to better distribute the grinds, then tamp, and then use the razor tool, you should be somewhere around 19g with the sage baskets if you're grinding fine enough. If you're not getting close to this, it could be that you're not grinding fine enough - you won't get quite the same weight in the basket at a more coarse grind. Not all coffee weighs exactly the same though, so I wouldn't be too worried about the weight, the razor tool should ensure the dose is right, and then if the flow rate is too fast, go finer, if it's too slow go more coarse. I'd recommend James Hoffman's series on dialing in: czcams.com/video/lFwJF-_SUr0/video.html
@@Coffee_Kev Top Tips. Thanks for the reply!
@@busload_uk No worries :-)
thanks mate so glad I found this video, i have the exact same setup but also struggled with the shot coming through too quick on the single wall basket....was using 16g shots on size 12 grind, but looks like i should give 20g a go to get the brewing times up!...
Have you tried using the razor tool? I'd give it a go at 19g, or use the razor tool. You'll be around the right dose for the basket then, so then you just need to dial in with the grind size. Let me know how you get on.
ukcoffeeblog I will be in touch! Still not having much luck since this post!...might do a little video of my process for your critique!
@@perrogrande yeah send us a vid
@@Coffee_Kev My bambino finally arrived after a 6 week delay, during which time I watched and rewatched your videos and blogs. Thanks very much. I had it in mind to use 15g-16g to give 30-32g shot (I wanted to be able to drink more, but smaller, cups). The above comment suggests that 16g is too little for the large standard basket due to flow rate. Could this be countered by using smaller grind to decrease the flow? And, based upon the reduced volume would you be looking at early to mid 20s for the brew time as a guide? Thanks again
Great video, thanks! could you please guid me ? between this machine (sage bambino plus) and Gaggia Classic pro which one you suggest ?
Hi Nima.
In a nutshell, the Bambino is made mainly mainly with user friendliness and features in mind - while the classic is made to be a durable, dependable workhorse.
If you were looking at buying a car, you could look at something like a land rover defender, a real utility machine, not as pretty, not as user friendly or as feature heavy as more modern cars - but far more dependable over the long term, and a vehicle like the defender would be still going strong in decades if well maintained. It's a similar thing with the Sage Bambino vs the Gaggia Classic 2019.
The Bambino is cheaper, it's more beginner friendly, easier to use, slightly faster heat up time, faster when it comes to going from brew temp to steam temp and back. It's light weight, small & portable. It has some great features, like the 3 second heat up time & auto steaming.
The Bambino is great to use, really fun little machine to use and super easy.
The only downsides of the bambino when using it, is being so light weight you do have to keep hold of it when inserting the portafilter, to stop it moving, but that's just something you get used to. Also the tiny drip tray is a bit of a pain, but again you get used to having to regularly empty it.
The classic is quite a bit more substantial, it's still not a big or heavy machine, but it's heavier than the Bambino, it won't move on the kitchen surface when you insert the portafilter, and the drip tray is a nicer size.
The classic will steam your milk faster, but the bambino will be steam ready quicker, so there's not a great deal in it. The Bambino is easier to learn to texture milk with, it's a slightly slower process so you have a bit more time to correct.
The classic is capable of better espresso quality, but only if you invest in a much more capable (and expensive) grinder. If you used both machines with the Sage smart grinder pro, you'd get very similar espresso quality, but if you paired the classic pro with a Niche Zero for instance, I'd expect better espresso quality than you'd get with the Bambino regardless of the grinder it's paired with.
The main pro for the classic really is how reliable they are. Once the 2 year warranty runs out on something like the Bambino (and similar with other low cost home espresso machines) it's usually not financially viable to repair them if they fail. The Classic on the other hand, they're fairly inexpensive to maintain and repair, and there are plenty of classics now still going strong that are 10 years old or older - my original classic is 17 years old and has no issues.
Thanks
Kev
@@Coffee_Kev Dear Kev, Thank you so much for your time and your very good guidance .
@@nima708 no problem 👍😃
Hi bought the machine,it’s excellent.For someone who’s not investing in a grinder but buying from local coffee shop you grinds a bad for me what canister would you recommend to seal it in please?
Hi Conor, tightvac, airscape, coffee gator, or any other airtight container will be fine 👍
@@Coffee_Kev Thanks a Million 👍🏼.Do you know where I’d get a porta filter funnel that’s fits for Sage so I don’t lose as much coffee when pouring or are they worth it?
Would my baratza encore be ok with this machine?
This might be a stupid question from a layman, but could I use Illy ESE servings with this machine? Let's say for an "easier" coffee during a busy working day at home? Or for when family comes over? If these are not compatible by default, would there be a way to do it with 3rd party accessories? Thanks!
Hi Alexis. Not stupid at all. Yeah you can use pods with the Bambino plus, just with the single dual walled basket I believe.
I'm still quite new to all this, and having copied you and got the Brewista Smart Scale 2, there's still something that I'm unsure about. Let's say that I'm aiming to double the weight of the input in the output in 28 seconds (let's suppose for an example that I'm aiming for 38 grams out). When do I press the shot button for the second time: when the scales hit 38 grams? If I do that, the flow of course doesn't stop immediately, so I'll overshoot. Is that OK? Or do I stop the shot a few grams before, in the hope that I end up with 38 grams in the cup in total? And, relatedly, when do I stop the timer? When I repress the button to stop the shot, or when I actually have 38 grams in my cup?
Hey there, did you take the plastic thing out of the portafilter? I don't like the idea of plastic I guess it's so the coffee doesn't cool down too much. But I would do blind shots to heat up portafilter....
I've not taken the plastic out, but if I were going to use this as my espresso machine going forward I'd get hold of the al metal portafilter for the Barista Express/Barista Pro. Cheers.
@@Coffee_Kev Thanks Kev! the machine arrives on Wednesday so I'll see how I get on.... keep up the good work :)
Hey, great review. In your opinion.... if you had the option to buy a sage batista express or a sage bambino plus with a grinder - what would you go for an why?
Thanks :-). Definitely Bambino plus and separate grinder. Simply because you're limited for grinding range and fine grinding adjustments with the Barista Express with its 18 grind settings. Smart grinder pro or dose control pro give 60 grind settings, even better with a more dedicated espresso grinder like the Eureka Mignon.
With pressurized filter the time in which the coffee is delivered doesn't matter. It will always run faster than with normal filters. With pressurized you just adjust the fineness of the grind based solely on taste.
That's interesting, thanks - I didn't consider whether flow rate actually matters with pressurised baskets. Didn't taste great either with the pressured baskets although maybe not as bad as I expected. Thanks
omg those grinders are so cute
Hi, I’ve just bought this machine and it has the 2 baskets. I don’t have my own grinder. Ive bought Crosby Coffee coffee ground for espresso, can I use the single wall basket? And is the dual wall for off the shelf ground coffee?
Great review ..Would you recommend the SAGE bambino over the Creatista? Deciding between the two..
Thanks Anna. Depends whether you want Nespresso or espresso, if you want true espresso then definitely Bambino. Cheers.
hi Kev ,sorry if this is a stupid question ,but why has this machine not got a 15 bar pressure ,i've looked at a lot of machines and they all mention this 15 bar thing ,some even 19 bar ,thanks
Not a stupid question :-). In short, the cheapest home espresso machines tend to boast 15 bars of pressure, but it's not a good thing, 9 bars is widely accepted as perfect pressure for espresso. The reason the cheaper machines have 15 bars is probably because it requires cheaper components to achieve a higher pressure than it does to achieve a lower pressure, and it could also be connected to the fact that these machines are usually designed to work with pressured baskets for pre ground coffee. Cheers.
Hi Mate, loved your review of the machine, probably the most comprehensive one out there of this machine. I have a similar setup so I want to ask you few questions. When you were dialing in the espresso did you include the pre-infusion time in the total extraction time as well, also did you play around with the infusion time? Do you normally use double shot basket for your milk coffees or single shot? How much quantity of coffee you use for single shot basket? Sorry to bombard you with so many questions :) Have a good day cheers.
Thanks Fahad :-). Yeah when I'm timing I time right from when I press the button, so it includes any preinfusion. If I was using a prosumer or commercial machine with true preinfusion at line pressure, then I might play around with preinfusion, but otherwise I don't tend to. I only ever use double baskets, pulling a single shot always seems a waste to me ;-). I'd usually use 18g in a double basket, but the Sage machines tend to need a bit more, around 19-20g I find. Cheers.
ukcoffeeblog thanks so much for your reply, I agree using single shot basket does look like a waste. I am also struggling with the equal pour from each spout of portafilter, most of the time coffee flows more from left spout. I am using a coffee distributer in hope to fix this issue. Have you also encountered something similar?
@@fahadzahid5827 my pleasure :-). Are you using the Bambino plus or another machine? Spout distribution issues are most likely to be due to a blockage in one of the spouts, or something else to do with with the portafilter. I do notice this occasionally with other espresso machines, and usually it's just a bit of a blockage in one of the spouts, and a bit of cleaning required. Cheers.
ukcoffeeblog Ive got the same machine as yours, here in Australia its called Breville Bambino Plus. It doesnt look like a blockage issue as I can see through it.
@@fahadzahid5827 Hmm, you using standard baskets or dual wall? Does it do the same every time, or it differs from shot to shot?
Hi Sir, what your opinion about using delonghi K97 grinder with bambino plus is this grinder work with it or you are suggest other brand .
thanks a lot
The De'Longhi grinder doesn't grind fine enough out of the box, and it's a bit of a pain to dose the portafilter, really this grinder needs quite a bit of modding for espresso, including getting the burrs closer together and extending the grinds chute out and bypassing the grounds box. The sage dose control pro, smart grinder pro or Iberital MC2 are much better grinders, or if you have a bigger budget, Eureka Mignon or Niche Zero. For more see see www.coffeeblog.co.uk/grinders.
@@Coffee_Kev thanks again bro Any suggestion for other reasonable price grinders or the delonghi K79 will be fine for person like me because I am a beginner and I am going to buy thr bambino plus what you think? sorry to interrupt
Thanks for the review.
Thank you for this. I’ve watched at least twice, been trying to decide between the Bambino and the Barista Express. Really really want the B.E. but my tiny kitchen leads me towards the Bambino (plus a posh grinder in due time when I can afford it!) 😝 Thank you for the reassuring review, especially now I know I can do some things manually when I want to, and I do!
P.S. Can we start a James Hoffman Fan Club?! I’m a bit obsessed 😂🤣
Thanks ':-). Personally, overall I'd go Bambino and separate grinder. You'll have better shot potential that way. The BE has it's benefits, for example it's a heavier machine so it doesn't move on the worktop when locking and unlocking the portafilter as the really light Bambino does, but as with all integrated grinder machines, you're limited by the lack of grind settings. Haha, me too - I've just bought his Christmas jumper, you seen it? czcams.com/video/QjIvN8mlK9Y/video.html Cheers
@@Coffee_Kev Haha, yes it’s ACE! I’ve the body type of a potato so I wouldn’t suit the jumper but I still want it so badly 😂🤣
@@neoreoscar27 haha 🤣🤣
I'm very upset after seeing this. I just bought myself a bambino pro in the US and I didn't get standard baskets, only pressurized baskets. How rude. Breville doesn't think much of us.
That being said, it was a very comprehensive review and quiet a pleasure to watch. Great job.
Thanks Gary :-)
Hi Gary. It's not just a US vs Europe thing, it's a fairly recent update that the newer stock of the Bambino plus comes with standard baskets as well as dual walled. I think this is the same in the states, but don't quote me on that. Cheers, Kev.
@@Coffee_Kev and it's probably still the same price and the only ones who suffer are those of us that don't have any other option but to buy our own standard baskets. I think I'm going to look elsewhere for them.
I think the milk may have gotten got too hot because the jug doesn't look like its sitting correctly on the temperature sensor on the base.
Yes you're absolutely right! See:czcams.com/video/P_g_l9wA-Xo/video.html
@@Coffee_Kev ahhh, covered in the old part 2 :-)
Looks like you didn't had the jug too far forward so base wasn't on the little metal button temp sensor which could be why your milk was so hot.
Hi Joe, yes you're right. I'm an idiot 😂. I created a follow up video to declare my stupidity 🤣👍
@@Coffee_Kev lol I did exactly the same thing when I first got mine 😁
I got a refund for my dead bambino as the retailer had none in stock to replace it and for some reason couldn't get it repaired, which they took nearly 2 months to realise.
It looks like they've been really popular and are very hard to find in stock (thanks COVID-19!), though some shops are taking back orders.
Even machines like the Silvia and gaggia classic pro are hard to find now, but still a few available. Bearing in mind I'm coming from a bambino, which would you recommend as an upgrade out of these two?
I think I would go for casa v which seems like a good machine from the reviews I've seen, but unfortunately isn't available here. I could import one from Australia, but then the whole worry about local support for issues in warranty period comes to mind.
@@Coffee_Kev love your channel by the way!
I binged a bunch of your videos after watching this one ;)
Great video thanks! I have the same machine, however I find the drip tray a bit of a nightmare! So small and seems to be covered in water on the underside whatever I do, did you find a similar problem?
Thanks George :-). Yeah the drip tray isn't huge, you do need to keep on top of it, and I think by the time the red floaty thing is popping up to remind you to empty it, it's already just starting to leak slightly at the back. I should have mentioned this in the video review, I'll put it in the blog post review which is about to be published at coffeeblog.co.uk. Cheers.
ukcoffeeblog yeah! Although i am really pleased with it it’s so good! Thanks
Cheers George, yeah I do think it's a great little machine. I wonder whether the drip tray could be modded with a waste line? hmm, will have to do a bit of research!
ukcoffeeblog I thought something similar but then I get annoyed as it should be perfect anyways haha!
@@georgepayne9506 I thought about a drain but because it also purged milk there from steaming I think I need to rinse the tray daily anyway. If you don't do milk I think it would be pretty easy to do though.
Hi, I am started seeing the limitation of my Cuisinart DB-8 grinder. Here is what I did :-
1. Grinder is set at the finest level.
2. Coffee powder 18 grams, dual basket.
3. I don't have a distributor, will try to get one soon.
Results:-
1. 65ml or 2.2 oz of extracted coffee. Compare to the recommended standard, the right amount of espresso should be 36ml.
2. Total brewed time is 24 seconds starting from the button is pressed and stopped at 24 seconds.
Unfortunately I can't make it finer due to the grinder limitation. I am thinking to increase the dose from 18 to 19g, what is your thought on this? Is there any other means to overcoming my limitation?
Thank you
Hi Callum. If you're using the pressurized basket, I'd recommend focusing on the volume rather than the shot time. There's really nothing you can do about the flow rate with pressured/dual walled baskets, I'd suggest just going by the taste, and tweaking the ratio (dry ground coffee beans in to espresso out) accordingly. You can try tweaking the grind a bit too, but it's unlikely that anything other than the quality of the beans, and the ratio (strength) is going to have a particularly noticeable impact on the cup when using a pressured basket.
If you want more control over shot quality, then you can get hold of a single walled (non pressurized) basket when they're back in stock with Sage/Breville (presuming that you have the Bambino plus?) but keep in mind that to get better results with a standard basket, you'll more than likely need to upgrade the grinder, as well as investing some time (and some coffee beans) each time in dialing in, tweaking the grind.
Pressured portafilters are good for giving OK tasting espresso with minimal up front investment in gear, and minimal ongoing investment when it comes to the time and coffee invested in getting the shot right.
You can definitely get a better shot with a non pressurized basket, but it's not as simple as just swapping the basket, standard baskets require a more capable grinder (and not just grind size, but particle uniformity also comes into it, and the ability to finely tune the grind) and dialing in with each bag of coffee beans.
I hope this helps.
Cheers,
Kev
ukcoffeeblog thanks Kev. Very well summarized. You had brought up some very good points, i will consider the option with better grinder.
Thank you again!
Hi Kev! Just got my Bambino Plus 2 days ago... and I was wondering if it's normal for the double shot option to yield 38-40g (I used 19g of coffee for extraction). Is that normal? I was hoping for it to be at least 60g -- is there a way to achieve that using my Smart Grinder Pro for my grounds? Thanks!
Hi Violet, yeah 40g of espresso from approx 19g is roughly a 1:2 extraction, fairly standard, but if you wanted closer to 1:3, 60g out, just pull a manual shot and stop it at 60g, or reprogram the double shot button accordingly. Cheers, Kev
Hi ukcoffeeblog, I just bought this machine. I really wanna like it but the portafilter seems really really tight. Is this normal and does it loosen up over time?
Hi Maria,
There should be some resistance, but if you're really struggling to lock it in I'd get in contact with Sage/Breville in case there's an issue with the PF or with the machine. Cheers
I just bought one of these because of this review - You should be on commission lad!
Is it easy to put the porta filter in? Or do you have to almost hug the machine?
@@arleneisabela31 yeah there is a bit of machine hugging going on ;-), not that it's particularly hard to do, but the machine is fairly light so there can be some movement when you're locking the PF in. Cheers.
Haha, cheers :-)
Great video pal. Where did you get your standard baskets from?
Thanks :-). They come with the machine now as standard, so this one was in the box - but you can get them from Sage / Breville: www.breville.com/us/en/parts-accessories/parts/sp0001518.html
ukcoffeeblog Top man. Thanks fella
@@dylanmo9939 no worries :-)
This was such a great review and led me to purchase this machine I do love it but find my coffee weak? If I don't have a grinder and wish to use pre grounded coffee, please can you tell me if I should or should not use the dual wall? I am clearly getting a bit confused #FirstTimer
HI Stephanie, if you're using pre-ground coffee you need to use the dual walled baskets. Cheers, Kev.
I have the Bambino and generally use 18g @ 12 with my double wall basket. Where can I purchase a single wall basket ?
Hi Phil, usually you can get them directly from Sage/Breville, but they're out of stock at the moment I believe.
The flow rate in mine is so inconsistent regardless of how I adjust the grind size. Sometimes I’ll get 32g in 28 to 30 seconds, but other times the device will produce 48g to 50g in the same time. Am I doing something incorrectly??
Using standard baskets or dual walled?
@@Coffee_Kev
Using a double shot Amazon basket with a bottomless portafilter
hi, would you recommend the bambino over the sage duo temp? thanks
Hi, I've not tried the duo temp pro, but from what I know about the two machines, given that the duo temp pro is only maybe £20 cheaper, personally I'd go for the Bambino for faster warm up and faster transition from espresso to steam. Cheers.
Thanks for the videos.. they are great. What's your thoughts on using standard single wall baskets with that portafilter? Would it improve if the plastic insert is removed?
I've had no problem using the standard baskets with the portafilter, but I'm not keen on the plastic, I'd probably upgrade the portafilter to the Barista Express / Barista Pro portafilter.
Great video! I've ordered this machine, I've also ordered the single wall basket but until that arrives I may have to use double wall. Just wondering what weight of espresso did you end up with when you used 20(ish) grams of freshly ground coffee at grind setting 14? Just trying to figure out what brew ratio the machine can handle. Thanks 🙂
Thanks Philip. I always double up, so from 18 I'd be expecting 36g in approx 28-32 seconds. From 20 I'd be looking for 40g out. I'd highly recommend James Hoffman's 2 part vid on dialing in, by the way czcams.com/video/lFwJF-_SUr0/video.html
Hi, the plastic at the bottom of the portefilter. I'm guessing when using the standard basket with fresh grounds, it's not really needed, but does it need to be there for ready ground and dual wall basket? In other words, can I take it out? I feel like it makes the flow a bit messy.
Hi Robyn, I've heard many people remove it. From what I can gather it's just for insulation, and removing it doesn't make much difference. Cheers.
When you say standard basket, is that a pressurised basket?
Hi Joe. No when I say standard basket I mean a normal basket, not pressured. 👍
Hi Kev, to echo other comments, a great video, very enjoyable. I am a newbie home barrista, so I'm learning everyday. I have difficulty dialing in my espressos at the moment, I'll use an 18oz dose 14 grind, get a 36-38oz shot, but the brew time can vary between 15 and 30 secs. The result is often bitter even though dose and shot are consistent. Not sure where I'm going wrong? Keep safe. Keep up the great work!
Hi Stuart, thanks for the comment and the kind words :-). I'd highly recommend James Hoffman's video series on dialing in: czcams.com/video/lFwJF-_SUr0/video.html It's difficult to suggest what might be happening here, but if it's the same coffee, the same grind, same dose, the only thing I can think is tamp, but I wouldn't have thought a difference in tamp pressure could result in such a big difference in brew time. Are these different results happening back to back, so you pull one shot, then pull another one straight after and you get the wildly different results - or is it hours apart? If it's the latter, for instance one shot is early aft and the next shot is the next morning - are you purging coffee through the grinder first? If not, this could be contributing to the issue, because if you don't purge a few g of coffee through the grinder before you use it for the first time after a period of time, such as first thing in the morning, the first shot you pull will be made using a small percentage of stale coffee from the day before. It's also important to remember to purge some coffee each time you change the grind size when dialing in.
Are you using the Bambino Plus, and the Sage smart grinder pro?
Hi Stuart,
Are you using fresh coffee and grinding yourself at home? This makes a huge difference, also I would avoid buying coffee from the supermarket instead try find a local roaster. I hope this helps and as Kev suggests watch as much James Hoffman as you can, he's a great teacher.
@@Coffee_Kev Hi Kev, thanks for replying. I'm using the same Sage grinder and Bambino set up as your review vid, but using the Bambino auto 2 cup setting rather than manual (I'll get the confidence to give that a try). I think I've resolved 80% of the issues, basically poor and inconsistent tamping and too dark a roast for my tastes. I'm now using a Union organic roast until a new order arrives. 18g dose is giving between 32-36 g espresso in about 25secs (including the pre-infusion, , which is bang on 10-12 secs until the extraction starts to pour - as per the sage guide). I have been watching lots of James Hoffman's videos too. Thanks again, and keep well! we need more videos!
@@magee26 Hi Simon, thank you for replying too. I grind at home, and use a Sage pro grinder. I'm using Union wholebeans at the moment as they are about the best tasting of the supermarket available brands to my tastes. The beans I posted about above were not good, too dark a roast for me, and were way too bitter. Things have levelled a bit with practice, and I'm doing the 'salami' test that James recommends and recording the results. Thanks again, appreciated.
@@stuartturner6178 the one thing I can suggest to improve your coffee, is to source your coffee beans from a small batch roastery instead of supermarket. Even with a quality brand like Union, you'll get fresher roasted beans by buying direct from the roaster - and at the moment with the Covid-19 situation, many roasters are still going & selling online. For a directory of all (or, nearly all, I may have missed a few) UK coffee roasters, see: buff.ly/3bjLZpN . Also, subscriptions are brilliant for coffee, I use 5 at present ;-) buff.ly/2A80uMt.
I'm loving your videos. I have the Bambino & Smart Grinder Pro with single wall baskets too. I'm having difficulty getting any extraction... Using 18g, tamping lightly, trying with razor tool also... I'm making my grind size bigger, but when I go up to a size that does extract (18) I get sour coffee. I'd appreciate your help. Have tried various beans and the double wall work okay with supermarket coffee...
@Bs Ds thanks for your response. I'll keep trying to get my grind right... I got this to use fresh beans, so won't be buying supermarket variety...
Thanks for the kind words :-). I wouldn't aim for 18g with Sage baskets, I'd use the razor tool after tamping to get the dose right, and you'll probably find you're at around 19g. I'd recommend James Hoffman's series on dialling in: czcams.com/video/lFwJF-_SUr0/video.html
what scales do you use in this video?
Really great, informative review. You've helped me pull the trigger on one of these. Thank you! Just wondering what scales you're using? Are they Hario? currently have a large scale that probably won't fit on the tray of the Bambino.
Thanks for the kind words :-). I'm using the Brewista Smart scale 2: amzn.to/2TFLkrA .
Thanks for making this review, it's really helpful! I've been trying to problem solve with this machine, but I'ma beginner and honestly finding it hard to problem solve with my set-up as it is... I have likely a few key problems so not sure where to start to minimise waste/expense. Sorry to add to the many queries here but hope you can help!
I'm using the bambino plus - but currently only have a Delonghi blade grinder (KG49) Basically my 19g of bean, only made ~ 25g coffee on pre-set 2 cup (with the dual-wall) and it was really bad, really sour. The time was about 25s from when I pressed the button, yet it doesn't seem to be dripping out like it would if it was super fine.
I'm wondering where to start with fixing this.
Wondering if the coffee itself is the problem (raost?) so wondering if a) I try an espresso grind pre-ground until I can get a better grinder or b) what I should be trying with my current grinder given it does not have the finest control for grind size; or if there's other solutions I could try.
Hi Luke. I'd try pulling the shot manually, see: czcams.com/video/t0K9k9z79lU/video.html - and I'd aim for roughly 1:2 extraction in about 28-32 seconds, so from 19g of ground coffee to 38g of espresso.
I doubt you're ever going to get great results with a blade grinder to be honest, as you just can't control the grind size well enough. See buff.ly/2Pt3R8n for some suggestions.
You're not going to get great results with pre-ground, either. You need to be able to dial in, which means to keep adjusting the grind until you're getting the desired extraction, as it'll change with each coffee you try.
Hope this helps.
@@Coffee_Kev This is great, thanks so much! I did try a few 'hacks' for using the blade grinder, and then manually pulling the shot. It helped, but not greatly! So I think the grinder is the way forward as you suggest.
Happy to see the Krups grinders on your list - as lucky me, a friend said I could have theirs!
@@Coffee_Kev Thanks again for your help! An unfortunate update is that I'm using the Krups Expert GVX231 from my friend, but still getting 1:2 ratio in about 23-25 seconds on finest grind (including pre-infusion). I'm actually getting better results from a pre-ground I bought from a local store - it's not terrible, but it's not great!
I'm guessing the answer is going to come back to getting a better grinder 😂 ...
On another note - the Sage/Breville website seems to only sell a one-cup single wall filter currently. I think you mention in a comment below you have a contact with them, and just wondering if you know if they do sell a two-cup single wall filter anywhere for this machine?
@@cethyn Yeah this will be the grinder. The Krups Expert isn't quite capable of fine enough for espresso, the similarly priced De'Longhi KG79 is the same but with that there are loads of guides on modding it to bring the burrs closer together for finer grinding. I can't find any info on modding the Krups in the same way, although I've got hold of both of these grinders, and they look to me like they've been built at the same factory, so I would assume the same mod would work. I'd recommend an Iberital MC2, Sage/Breville dose control pro or smart grinder pro or Eureka Mignon. See coffeeblog.co.uk/best-budget-electric-burr-coffee-grinders-in-the-uk/
hi, what is the best espresso settings in the sage grinder (Weight, grinding thickness, etc.) for a single shot espresso for the bambino? thanks alot, shay
In terms of dose, I'd always use the razor tool to determine that, it'll get you the perfect dose in either basket. In terms of grind size, you'll just need to dial in until you're getting the desired extraction. See: czcams.com/video/lFwJF-_SUr0/video.html Cheers, Kev.
Thanks for the review, Kev! When I use the Bambino, my espresso shot is cold as soon at it gets our of the machine. I use pre-ground coffee with the pressurized basket, but I also have issues with the brewing - I think the grind is too fine, as the coffee drips slowly and struggles to get out of the portafilter. The shot also contains much less than it is supposed to, even though I make double shots. What am I doing wrong? Please help me :-)
Hi :-).
If the shot is cold, and the machine is getting choked by pre-ground coffee, I would assume there's a fault. It's very unusual to be able to choke a machine with pre-ground coffee.
Re the shot temp, are you running some water through the portafilter when the machine first heats up? I'd run a shot or two of water through to warm the group, the portafilter, and also have this going into your cup to warm that up at the same time.
If you're doing this and it's still cold, and if it's getting choked with pre-ground, I'd get onto Sage/Breville, could be a fault.
Are you going to explain the single / dual wall basket please?
Thanks Dave. I'll include this in the next update - there's an explanation in my blog post review coffeeblog.co.uk/sage-bambino-plus-review/ Basically, the dual wall baskets are Sage/Breville's answer to pressurised baskets. They're made to use with pre-ground coffee, and to help users to get better results with grinders that don't quite grind fine enough for espresso. I'm not a fan of pressured baskets, or these dual walled baskets from Sage. I'd highly recommend using the standard baskets, and a capable grinder. They're now shipping with both standard and dual wall baskets (with the newest stock) and I'd recommend using the dual walled baskets as little frisbees for a bit of indoor lock-down sport.
ukcoffeeblog checked out prices today. Seem to fluctuate wildly!
@@DavePawson Yeah, RRP is £399, Sage Appliances had them on offer for £299 but looks like that's ended now. Best price I can find it at the moment is: amzn.to/2LU1ni3
Here you go, explanation of dual wall & single wall baskets along with a new more fair test of the two. czcams.com/video/1loOy4UM3cc/video.html
Thanks for the video!
How hard it is lock and unlock the portafilter? I am having so much trouble with it. How much strength do you have to put on it?
You're welcome :-). Shouldn't be that difficult, there should be a bit of tension but it shouldn't be all that difficult. Is it hard to do it when empty also or just when you have coffee in the basket?
@@Coffee_Kev it is easier to do it when it is empty but harder than I would expect. Anyway, I will return it because the steam wand is misaligned and it splashes in the metal lid when it rinses. After I return it and get a new one, I will post a reply here sharing If the new one is also hard to lock the portafilter.
@@fkupper yeah sounds like a problem machine, was probably made on a Friday afternoon! Hopefully your replacement is perfect 🤞
@@Coffee_Kev The new one works flawlessly =)
@@fkupper So did mine, for 7 whole months...
Are these just pressurized baskets? for beginners?
They're pressurized baskets yes. I would argue that they're not for beginners as such - if you're a beginner home barista you really need to be starting out with standard baskets and a capable grinder - in my humble opinion. They're basically for using pre ground coffee or grinders not capable of grinding fine enough for espresso.
Hiya. I bought this machine in January of this year (2020) but it came with only the dual walled baskets. Any idea where i could find the standard baskets? Fantastic review fyi!!
Thanks for the kind words 😃👍. If you go to the sage or breville website, depending on your location, click accessories, select the Bambino, you'll see the standard baskets, they're still out of stock I think but if you click the box to be notified when they're back in, then check your inbox and approve - you'll get an email when they come back in. I'd act quick when you get that email as I think they may go back out of stock quickly again. Cheers, Kev.
I am using Breville Bambino BES500. When I switch on machine, the 1 Cup & 2 Cup light show alternately flashing, therefore I follow instruction book doing cleaning cycle.After cleaning cycle finish, the light still show alternately flashing and not sure why this light appear again. Can some one help me on this. Your information is very much appreciated.
I've spoken to my contact at sage, who has sent me this reply: This is most likely due to an interruption in the cleaning cycle (which takes around 6 minutes) as there is no screen it's sometimes hard to know at which stage the unit is at.
For anything like this I'd recommend they contact Sage/Breville customer support via our websites based on country of purchase. They'll be able to walk through trouble shooting but more importantly replace/repair the machine if this doesn't work.
press the steam button to clear this error message
also no need to use the cleaning tablets for a cleaning cycle if machine hasn't been used much.
Proper fed up. Ordered the Bambino Plus direct from Sage, and it arrived yesterday with dual wall baskets only, despite its being advertised on their site as having single wall baskets too. I’ve contacted them obviously. Another thing I wanted to ask you, though. The provided baskets don’t quite sit flush in the portafilter. There’s a tiny gap between the lip of the basket and the portafilter, no matter how much I try to push it home, and there is no snap when you insert the basket. Is that normal? I notice the portafilter is very stiff when you insert it in the group head, and I think this may be why. Any tips?
What’s more, at the end of pulling a shot (or just putting water through the portafilter), there’s always a slight explosive ‘pop’. Can’t help but think that’s not normal.
An update. Sage have got back in touch, but only blithely to tell me they have no double-shot single-wall baskets in stock. And yet the information for their machine on the website, from where I ordered it, says it comes with a one-shot and a two-shot single-wall basket (as well as the double-wall baskets). They have neither apologised nor given me any indication about how long it will be until they have any in stock, and there was no explanation of their lack when the machine arrived. Got to say, not impressed with their way of doing things here.
Sorry missed this Maurice. Yeah there is a tiny gap, just about enough to get your fingernail under. Yeah it is a fairly tight fit when locking the portafilter into the group.
That's annoying! You bought it directly from Sage Appliances? I'd tweet them, companies tend to pay more attention when it's done via social media for everyone else to see. If you bought it at the time that they were advertising both baskets and it didn't come with both baskets, then they owe you standard baskets.
@@Coffee_Kev Thanks Kev. Yeah, direct from Sage Appliances. I’ve asked them to confirm they owe me single-wall baskets given I’ve already paid for them. They simply haven’t replied. Don’t have any of the social media stuff on principle, so can’t Tweet them, but that’s good advice nonetheless! And I have of course bought a two-shot single-wall basket from eBay in the meantime!
I've just got this machine but not sure if the standard extraction time for the double shot is long enough. I notice you are manually setting the time. What time do.you use compared to the standard setting?
As a rule of thumb I aim for about 1:2 in 28-32 seconds, so from 19g in the basket I'd be looking for around 38g of espresso to pour in 28-32 seconds. There's a lot more to dialing in than that though, it's more about learning to be guided by taste rather than purely relying on recipe and brew ratio. I'd highly recommend James Hoffman's dialing in video series: czcams.com/video/lFwJF-_SUr0/video.html
@@Coffee_Kev Thanks! The standard machine setting for a double shot seems to stop after about 15 - 20 seconds but the flow doesn't look too quick. I'm only getting about 30-40ml. Is it likely I'm using too fine a grind or tamping too hard? If I run the double shot with no porta filter it finishes after about 15 seconds, is this normal or do I need to increase the standard extraction time?
@@pid1 It's more than likely in the grind than anything else - but personally I wouldn't use the volumetric settings. I'd use scales and pull the shot manually.
To do this, press and hold the shot button for how ever long you want the preinfusion to last, as soon as you take your finger off the button, it'll start ramping up the pressure & continue to pull the shot, press the flashing button again when you're ready to stop the shot.
I'd recommend around 7 or 8 seconds pre-infusion time, but whatever you do, do the same each time.
The shot time should be from when you first press the button, so it includes the low pressure pre-infusion.
Weigh your ground coffee, and then aim to roughly double the dry weight in around 28-32 seconds in total including pre-infusion. If you're getting around 1:2 (around 38g out from 19g) much quicker than 28 seconds, go finer with the grind - if you have the opposite problem and it's flowing too slowly, adjust the grind to make it more course. If you don't currently have scales but you have an espresso measuring glass, I'd use the razor tool and assume it's about 19g, but you'll get more precise results with scales.
@@Coffee_Kev thanks so much, really appreciate your help
@@pid1 No worries :-)
Why the subtitles over the coffee machine? Can't see it!
You must have turned on subtitles by mistake, just click the cc button 👍
Hi, I just bought a sage bambino plus and I wanted to ask why is that when i turned on my machine all the buttons are not ON except for the one cup button. And when i tried to extract it came a cold espresso. And i tried to reset it and i was able to extract a hot espresso and steamed a milk but then i turned off again and then turn it on then it was back to not lighting the buttons except for the one cup button. Hope u can help me with this. Thanks
Sorry for the delayed reply. Did you contact Sage/Breville? Sounds like a faulty machine
Did anyone get an answer on this? I bought my Bambino 2 weeks ago and had the same problem from the outset. The only way to use the machine is to perform a full reset every time. I’m living with it for now, but am thinking I will have to put query in to Sage.
Can you explain how it warms up in 3 seconds?
It's got a special coil that the water is pumped through vs having a lot of water be hot in a boiler.
I got the machine and it's awesome
Yeah it's their new ThermoJet, instead of using a standard thermoblock or thermocoil to heat the water, they developed their own "ThermoJet" which is ready to produce the required brew temp in 3 seconds, and which goes from there to steam, and back again, almost instantly.
@@Coffee_Kev interesting!
When you say standard basket and dual wall basket is this the same as single and double shot filters?
Hi Brian, I'm talking about standard baskets vs pressured baskets, Sage/Breville version of pressured baskets are known as dual walled baskets. Cheers
ukcoffeeblog nice 1 thanks for your help 👍
Where are you from in the UK? Sounds like Ned Stark's accent
Ned Stark, hahaha. I'm from a little place called Macclesfield.
I've got the same machine and grinder and for some reason I'm on grid setting 6 and I can only fit 16g in the double single wall basket yet you're managing much more than that on a much coarser gring. Can't figure out what I'm doing wrong.
I’m in the same weird boat. For me if I use his grind of #14 it chokes my machine… I have to use #17??? There’s sooo much variation…. Could it be down to the beans I wonder?
@@MegaSuperAnTz It's very odd. I've used a few beans but i'm usually grinding on the 7/6 setting. If I used 17 grind it would be far too coarse.
@@thementalblock odd one ain’t it. I read a few forum posts and it’s so varied. Some folks were up in the 20s and I seen some as low as 4.
Guess as long as the shot tastes good then can’t complain.
Ehat geinder so you think would go well with this machine?
Sage dose control pro or smart grinder pro - or Iberital MC2. coffeeblog.co.uk/grinders
Best grinding setting?
Depends, both on the grinder and on the coffee beans. You'll need to dial in, with each different bag of beans you use. On the smart grinder pro I usually start at around 14 and dial in from there. For more on dialing in see James Hoffman's series: czcams.com/video/lFwJF-_SUr0/video.html
I bought the bambino last year. It was faulty and they replaced it. That machine was also faulty. No replacement forthcoming now though promised mid Dec 2020. Shipping issues due to brexit i suspect but no solution from Sage. ABSOLUTELY APPALLING CUSTOMER SERVICE
That's no good! What's the fault if you don't mind me asking? Have Sage support been in touch? Cheers
@@Coffee_Kev cleaning lights always flashing despite going through the cleaning cycle. Replacement machine was DOA...
Lovely video, Kev, very thorough and informative. I only use the K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid) method of coffee making myself... Which is why I stick to a cafetiere, most other methods strike me as too much faff.
I look forward to the next blog-post/video from you.
Regards to you and your loved ones.
Thanks :-). I was exactly the same up until a few years back, mainly brewing at home via cafetiere, in fact my first ever blog post at coffeeblog.co.uk was a review of a new cafetiere I'd been given for my birthday. But then I stumbled into the rabbit hole of other brew methods and home espresso... Cheers :-)
Just ordered one! Let’s hope I get the single wall baskets! 🤞
You should do, the new units are shipping with both, I'm told.
ukcoffeeblog I just received it! Not included in Spain, but still very happy about this! 🔥
@@ukt481 Ah OK, you can get them from Sage for a fiver.
I cannot get the volume (double shot) I see in your (great) video. Any ideas? I've already experimented with different grinds (have a separate burr grinder). I get very little espresso each time and certainly not 50 grams as I see in your video. Can you OR ANYONE READING THIS please advise any tips or tricks? I'm considering a warranty claim as I think my unit may be faulty, but before I do that I thought I'd reach out to people to see if I'm simply not doing something right.
My unit is new. It is the US version (same thing as Sage): Breville Bambino Plus BES500
Thank you so much...
-Ian in San Diego
Hi Ian. Sorry, missed this comment. I'm not getting 50g, I'm aiming for 1:2, so it's usually 19g of ground coffee to 38g of espresso, and I aim for a shot time of 28-32 seconds.
In terms of the volume, this could just mean you need to re-set the volume, this is really simple to do, just press both buttons together until they blink, then press the button you want to re-set (single or double shot) and press it again once you have the desired volume, you've now re-set the volume. Or you can just pull the shots manually each time: czcams.com/video/t0K9k9z79lU/video.html
If then you find the espresso is flowing too slowly, you need to take the grind more coarse. If you find it's flowing too quickly, you need to grind finer.
Cheers, Kev.
pid?