Is Barista-grade coffee possible to make at home without barista-level experience? The long and short of it is yes, but not without plenty of practice. And we mean plenty.
The Sage Bambino is not a new machine, per say. It was first sold to the public circa 2019 and has had minor upgrades in the years since, with the Bambino Plus being released in 2021. The main difference between these two models is that the Bambino Plus has a slightly larger drip-tray, a temperature sensor and automatic function for extra-easy expert milk frothing.
The classic Sage Bambino and Plus models promise to provide the experience of third-wave specialty coffee from the comfort of your home. Let us explain exactly what this means with the help of Sage’s handy guide. Since coffee was first introduced on a global, commercial scale in 1690, it has undergone three major iterations – otherwise known as ‘waves’.
First wave coffee is exactly what we just described – the very first introduction of coffee into the global market. Second wave coffee came after a little bit of experience with the bitterly sweet and caffeinated substance across the globe. It is the Starbucks, Costa Coffee and Café Nero’s of the world – the ability to consume coffee readily and at a decent taste level with relative ease. Third wave, speciality coffee is about what coffee has become in the decades since, and what it has the power to be. It is about the culture of understanding and appreciating the entire process involved in its production, from the ground to your cup.
Now, if you’re the type of coffee-drinker who likes their one-shot skinny cap from Costa with truckloads of Sweet n’ Low just fine, this might not be the espresso machine for you. However, we urge you not to consider it a write-off in favour of a multi-function or pod machine just yet. Though the Sage Bambino offers the power to create speciality coffee, it is an intuitive, easy-to-use and value for money machine that could convert those with even the most convoluted of Starbucks orders.
A coffee lover with the likes of speciality coffee shops such as WatchHouse, Blank Street and Hagen at my doorstep, I put the standard Bambino model through its paces to see whether it’s worth the hype.
Buy now: Sage The Bambino Espresso Machine - £301.98, Amazon
Key specs
Dimensions: 19.5 (W) x 32 (D) x 31 cm (H)
Weight: 4.95kg
Power: 1300-1600 W
Items included: 54mm aluminium portafilter, plastic manual tamper, Single Wall 1 and 2 Cup Filter Baskets, Dual Wall 1 and 2 Cup Filter Baskets, 480ml Stainless Steel Milk Jug, ClaroSwiss Filter Holder, ClaroSwiss Water Filter Descale Powder, Cleaning Kit
Capacity: 1.4L water tank
User friendliness
The Bambino is incredibly simple to set-up. Not only does it come with a handy and not at all hefty manual, but it also has the option to view the set-up process on a smartphone app which is powered by AR called BILT.
Simply download the app on any compatible device and watch as you’re taken through a step-by-step, 3D model of the Bambino.
Design
The most impressive design features of the Sage Bambino include the 15 bar Italian pump, thermojet system and the incorporated PID temperature control.
The 15-bar pump refers to the maximum amount of pressure the machine is able to pump espresso. The reason the number is so high in the Bambino is due to the machine’s ability to pump with pre-pressure infusions, followed by a high pressure nine bar extraction to produce a creamy espresso with the perfect crema. The higher the bar, the more concentrated and richer the espresso shot will be - with the sweet spot being that all-important nine-bar pressure.
The most experienced coffee afficionados would prefer to have control over the pressure with a manual gauge system, but since the Bambino is supposed to offer perfect nine-bar pressure every time, we’ll let that slide.
Meanwhile, the innovative thermojet heating system is able to achieve the optimum extraction temperature in as little as three seconds, while using 32 per cent less energy than a standard thermoblock heating system.
PID Temperature Control simply refers to the Bambino’s ability to heat up to the perfect temperature. Like a built-in Goldilocks sensor, it ensures that the espresso shot is neither too hot nor too cold.
With a simple button control interface, the Bambino really makes it all about the coffee. More important than the machine itself is the ritual involved before clicking that portafilter into place.
The stainless-steel design certainly looks sleek, professional and expensive. However, it is a bit of a pain when it comes to fingerprints. Luckily the machine itself doesn’t have a particularly large stature, so it’s pretty easy to wipe down after each use.
Espresso quality
As briefly touched upon above, what really makes the Bambino and the coffee lover a perfect pairing is the fact that it really is all about that third-wave experience. The machine is a high-quality, high-functioning and pretty thing, but you’ve really got to put in the work to make that espresso the best it can possibly be.
If you’re willing to weigh your beans (ideally they will come in at precisely 18g if you’re using the Bambino), use a high-quality grinder and practice perfect extraction – the Bambino is a fantastic vehicle for barista-grade espresso at home.
Milk frothing ability
The steam wand was surprisingly easy to use, considering how intimidated I was by the whole idea of creating my very own silky microfoam. Thankfully, it was the screeching noise alone that jarred me, which was to be expected. The wand is long enough that frothing doesn’t feel cumbersome or difficult to froth and the steam starts up extremely quickly, so you won’t be waiting around for it to heat up.
However, my one qualm with the milk frothing function is that the start-up seems to spray a small amount of hot water before it starts to steam, which introduces more water to the milk than you’d normally get with a barista-grade machine in your standard coffee shops.
Nevertheless, with a little bit of practice and the help of the wonderfully helpful BILT app, I was creating perfectly hot and frothy milk in no time.
Cleaning
I particularly loved that the water tank comes with a built-in water filter as the standard, with a replacement needed after three months and costing around £23 for a three-pack.
Though the drip tray does fill up quite fast, it’s very simple to remove and clean. As previously mentioned, the stainless-steel surface marks easily – but the small footprint of the machine makes a simple wipe down easy to accomplish.
Verdict
The Bambino is all about perfecting your own Barista-grade skills, so that you can really get the most out the machine. If you’re a serial daily flat-whiter, you’re likely to save more in the long haul by investing in a Bambino, and monthly speciality coffee subscription services will keep you up to scratch with your caffeine fix.
Ultimately, this is a fantastic machine for a coffee lover who wants to do it themselves. It’s quick, easy to master, produces high quality espresso and a wonderfully silky microfoam.
Buy now: Sage The Bambino Espresso Machine - £301.98, Amazon
