Portafilter machines · review
Ready in three seconds, 7.5 inches wide, and it textures milk automatically to a temperature you choose. The one espresso machine that suits a small kitchen without pretending grind does not matter.
Where we land on it The machine to buy when the grinder budget is already spoken for.
Most compact espresso machines are compromised in the way that matters: they are small because the boiler is small, so they are slow, weak at steam, or both. The Bambino Plus is small for a different reason. There is no boiler at all.
A thermojet heats water as it flows, which means the machine reaches brew temperature in about three seconds from cold. In practice that changes how you use it. There is no waiting, no warm-up ritual, no deciding you cannot be bothered because it takes five minutes. You switch it on, and by the time the portafilter is loaded it is ready.
The automatic milk texturing is the other surprise. It is not a frother bolted on: it is a real steam wand with a temperature probe, and it stops at the temperature you selected having produced glossy, pourable microfoam. Most people cannot do this by hand for the first two months. You can also turn it off entirely and learn properly, which is the right long-term answer.
The honest limitation is that there is no grinder, and this machine will expose a bad one immediately. With non-pressurized 54 mm (2.13 in) baskets, grind consistency decides everything, and pairing this with a supermarket blade grinder produces worse coffee than a capsule machine. Budget for the machine and the grinder together, or buy the Barista Express instead.
| Portafilter | 54 mm (2.13 in) |
|---|---|
| Heating | Thermojet, ≈ 3 s |
| Milk | Automatic texturing, 3 temperatures |
| Width | 19 cm (7.5 in) |
| Water tank | 1.9 L |
The Barista Express includes a grinder and costs less than the two bought apart, which is why it is the usual first machine. The Bambino Plus has no grinder, heats far faster and takes up much less room, and its automatic milk texturing is better than what most people achieve by hand. Buy the Express if you want one box; buy the Bambino plus a proper grinder if you want better coffee for similar money.
Yes, unusually. Unlike frothers it uses a real steam wand and a temperature probe, so the result is pourable microfoam rather than stiff foam sitting on hot milk. You can also switch it off and texture by hand once you have learned.
8.4/ 10
The machine to buy when the grinder budget is already spoken for.
A reference exists on these Amazon stores: France, Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, United States. Listed is not the same as in stock — availability changes daily.
Details checked on October 30, 2026.
Someone who already owns a grinder, or is buying one, and has no space.
Specifications: the manufacturer sheet for coffee equipment and the matching Amazon product page. Prices and availability: Keepa. Every figure on this page names its source.
54 mm (2.13 in) portafilter · built-in conical burr · 2 L tank
Machine and grinder in one box, at a price that undercuts buying them separately. The compromises are real — 54 mm (2.13 in) basket, single boiler, a grinder you will outgrow — but nothing else takes a beginner this far this cheaply.
Best for: Your first portafilter machine, if you want one purchase rather than a project.
51 mm (2.01 in) portafilter · 15 cm (5.9 in) wide · pressurized baskets
About six inches wide, heats in forty seconds, and makes a decent drink at an entry price. It ships with pressurized baskets that fake crema from any grind — which is exactly why it works for beginners and why it stalls after a year.
Best for: A tiny kitchen, a first espresso machine, or a second machine for an office.
51 mm (2.01 in) · built-in conical grinder · manual wand
De'Longhi's answer to the Barista Express, with a tidier grinder-to-portafilter workflow and better temperature control. Worth comparing directly rather than assuming Breville wins by default.
Best for: A first serious espresso setup where one appliance has to do everything.
