Description
What This Listing Covers
This is the Breville Bambino Plus in Damson Blue, model BES500DBL1BUS1. It is the same machine as the Black Truffle listing elsewhere in this catalog, and the difference between the two pages is how much detail was entered. This one publishes a full included components list, which makes it the more useful of the two to read before buying.
The machine is a compact pump espresso maker with an automatic steam wand. It takes ground coffee in a portafilter, so a grinder is needed unless pre ground espresso coffee is bought. Buyers who want grinding built into the same body should look at the Breville Barista Touch, and those comparing compact machines can see the alternatives in the semi-automatic espresso machines category.
What Actually Comes in the Box
The included components list is worth reading in full: a 54mm tamper, the Razor precision dosing tool, a 16 fluid ounce stainless steel milk jug, single wall and dual wall filter baskets in one and two cup sizes, a cleaning tool and a cleaning disc.
Four baskets is the important part. Dual wall baskets are pressurized and forgiving of grind that is not quite right, which is why they suit pre ground coffee. Single wall baskets give more control and demand a dialed in grind. Supplying both, in both one and two cup sizes, means the machine works from day one on supermarket coffee and still has room to grow when a grinder arrives.
The Razor tool trims the dose to a set height so the puck is level and consistent, and the cleaning disc is used for backflushing, which is the maintenance routine that keeps a group head working. A proper stainless milk jug rather than a plastic frothing cup is the other signal of intent.
Pre Infusion and Milk Texturing
Breville’s copy describes low pressure pre infusion, where water wets the coffee gently before full pressure is applied. The reasoning is sound: hitting a dry puck with nine bars immediately can channel water through weak spots, and a gentle soak lets the bed settle and swell first, which produces a more even extraction.
The steam wand is automatic, meaning the machine decides when the milk is textured rather than the user judging by sound and touch. That produces consistent results from the first day and removes the main skill barrier to a decent cappuccino. It also removes the control that a manual wand gives, which some buyers will regret and most will not.
The copy also claims a three second heat up through the ThermoJet system. That figure appears nowhere in the specification table, so it should be read as a manufacturer claim rather than a published specification. No pump pressure, water tank capacity or wattage is published either.
Single Wall Versus Dual Wall Baskets
The four baskets in the box represent two different ways of making espresso and it is worth understanding which is which. A dual wall basket has a second layer with a small hole in it, which creates back pressure regardless of how the coffee is ground or tamped. That produces a shot with crema from almost any coffee, including pre ground supermarket espresso, and it is very hard to get badly wrong.
A single wall basket has no such help. The resistance comes entirely from the coffee bed, which means the grind, the dose and the tamp all have to be right or the shot runs too fast and tastes thin, or too slow and tastes harsh. In exchange, a correctly dialed single wall shot is substantially better than anything a pressurized basket produces. The sensible path is to start on dual wall while learning, then move to single wall once a grinder is in the kitchen, which is exactly why Breville supplies both.
Highlights
- Four filter baskets supplied, single wall and dual wall in one and two cup sizes.
- 54mm tamper, Razor dosing tool, cleaning tool and cleaning disc included.
- 16 ounce stainless steel milk jug rather than a plastic cup.
- Automatic steam wand producing consistent milk texture.
- Low pressure pre infusion described in Breville’s listing copy.
- Compact at 7.5 inches wide for a machine with a steam wand.
- Runs on 120 volt household power.
Things To Consider
The specification table lists the operation mode as Manual on this page and Fully Automatic on the sibling listing for the same machine, which is a good illustration of why the specification fields in this catalog should be read with judgment rather than trusted outright.
The genuine cost of ownership is a grinder. An espresso machine without one is limited to pre ground coffee in pressurized baskets, which works but does not use what the machine can do. A burr grinder capable of espresso grind is a substantial second purchase, and anyone budgeting for this machine should budget for that too.
Depth is the physical constraint at 14.25 inches, which is most of a standard counter, and a steam wand needs clearance beside the machine to swing out with a jug under it. No wattage is published, so the circuit load cannot be assessed, and an espresso machine draws hard while heating. Households that want a pot of filter coffee rather than shots should look at the coffee machines category, and those who want espresso style drinks with no technique at all should consider a capsule machine such as the Nespresso Creatista Plus.
Who Should Buy It and Who Should Skip It
This suits a household that drinks milk based espresso drinks daily, has or intends to buy a grinder, and wants the milk handled consistently rather than skillfully. The accessory set is unusually complete, which means fewer additional purchases in the first month than most espresso machines require.
Skip it if nobody will clean the steam wand after every use, if you will not buy a grinder, or if you drink filter coffee. Skip it too if counter depth is under about 15 inches. Anyone who wants to learn manual milk texturing should look for a machine with a manual wand rather than an automatic one, and anyone brewing for a group should look at a carafe machine such as the Technivorm Moccamaster KBGV Select.