The More Affordable Breville Espresso Machine For Beginners Who Want Easy, High-Quality Brews

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Most coffee makers prioritize convenience, but espresso machines focus on the flavor and quality of the brew as the primary goals. Because they're composed of many intricate parts and rely on specific technology, espresso machines get quite pricey. Buying your first one can feel like a daunting investment, especially when you're still learning the ropes. When we took a closer look at the 12 best espresso machines for beginner enthusiasts, one that stood out for its relatively affordable price tag was the Breville Bambino Plus, priced at $499.95.

That's still a significant spend, but Breville is one of the best brands in the espresso game, and its appliances easily surpass $1,000. In our roundup, several Breville machines made the cut thanks to their uncomplicated controls that won't confuse complete beginners, and the Bambino Plus was the cheapest Breville coffee maker on the list.

It offers everything you'll ever need from an espresso machine. The portafilter holds up to 22 grams of grounds, so you can brew both a single and a double shot. The coffee is brewed with the industry standard nine-bar extraction, and there's an automatic steam wand for cafe-style drinks. Best of all, there are no complicated touch screens with a million functions that you might find in advanced espresso machines. Five straightforward physical buttons can do all the work. The only thing it doesn't have is an integrated grinder — you'll have to buy that separately.

The Breville Bambino Plus genuinely receives a lot of praise. "Punches way above its price, great machine," wrote somebody in a Reddit comment. Customers particularly love the speedy, three-second warmup and the overall quality of the brew. "Amazing, works perfectly and makes awesome espresso," shared an Amazon reviewer, later adding, "The temp [stays] hot, easy to clean, it's not noisy at all, and our family enjoys using it multiple times a day." Some folks even said that, should their Bambino Plus ever reach the end of its lifespan, they'll just pick up a new one.

There is something else worth noting about this espresso machine, especially if you're looking to get the best bang for your buck. The Bambino Plus is the sibling to the base Breville Bambino, which comes priced at $299.95 and is the cheapest home espresso machine in Breville's lineup. You might instinctively want to reach for it because of the low price, but if milk is a must-have in your coffee, the Bambino Plus is still a better choice for beginners and is worth the extra $200.

The regular Bambino doesn't have the automatic steam wand, and since beginners usually don't know how to use a milk frother like a barista, they greatly benefit from the automated function. As one customer shared on Reddit, "I bought the Bambino after researching for days (or weeks?!), only to return it a few days later with the conclusive realization that I wanted the Bambino Plus. Got the Bambino Plus and haven't looked back. I love it."