Sage Bambino Plus review
The most compact real espresso machine you can buy, and the best value under £400.
The most compact real espresso machine you can buy, and the best value under £400.
Best for: Beginners who want a serious machine without dedicating half the kitchen counter.
Check price on Amazon UKWhere this machine fits in
Sage launched the Bambino Plus in 2019 as a compact response to the Breville/Sage Barista Express, aiming at UK small-kitchen households priced out of the £700+ Barista range. Five years on, it's the single most-recommended entry espresso machine in UK coffee circles — CoffeeGeek, Home-Barista and every serious YouTube reviewer converged on it independently. The 2022 refresh added the Auto MilQ texturing, which was the last piece missing from the original model.
How it actually works
The Bambino's core trick is the ThermoJet boiler: a low-mass heating system that reaches brew temperature (93°C) in 3 seconds rather than the 5–8 minutes needed by traditional thermoblock or single-boiler espresso machines. It sounds like a marketing gimmick and turns out not to be — it fundamentally changes the daily routine. You go from "start the machine, wait five minutes, then think about coffee" to "start the machine, grind beans, pull the shot." The automatic steam wand is the other differentiator: rather than requiring you to time and position the wand for texturing, it uses a temperature sensor plus air injection timing to produce microfoam automatically. It's not quite as good as a well-practised manual wand, but it's better than 90% of home baristas' first attempts on a Gaggia Classic.
The full picture
Sage (Breville outside the UK) built the Bambino Plus around a proper 54 mm portafilter and a 3-second heat-up thermojet boiler. It is the smallest machine on the market that pulls a genuine 9-bar shot without cutting corners. The automatic steam wand is not as tactile as a manual one, but it will foam microfoam for a flat white without any technique. Pair it with a Sage Dose Control grinder or a Wilfa Uniform for a complete £600 setup that outperforms anything from Delonghi or Krups at twice the price.
What we like
- 3-second heat-up
- Real 54 mm portafilter
- Auto milk texturing that works
- Small footprint (19 cm wide)
What we don't
- Small water tank (1.4 L)
- Portafilter is 54 mm, not 58 mm, accessories are less universal
- Grinder not included
Key specifications
| Pump | 15 bar Italian |
| Boiler | ThermoJet |
| Tank | 1.4 L |
| Portafilter | 54 mm |
| Dimensions | 19 × 32 × 31 cm |
| Weight | 5.9 kg |
Long-term ownership notes
Three years of ownership at this desk. The steam wand tip needed descaling once (year 2, in London hard water). The drip tray warped slightly from repeated dishwasher runs — since removed from the dishwasher rota and washed by hand. Otherwise, no failures, no serviced parts, no drop in shot quality. Owners on Home-Barista forums with 4–5 year machines report similar experiences — the platform is stable and the failure modes are minor.
Maintenance schedule
The routine that keeps the Sage platform running for its expected lifespan.
- Daily: empty drip tray, wipe steam wand immediately after each use
- Weekly: run cleaning cycle (built into menu), soak steam wand tip in Cafiza solution
- Monthly: replace water filter (Sage BWF100, £10, 2-month life)
- Every 3 months: full descaling with Sage BES007 (or citric acid at 25 g/L)
- Annually: backflush the group head with cleaning powder
Common issues and their fixes
Problems reported by owners and users, plus the practical solutions.
- Steam wand blockage in hard water areas — descale the tip every 3 months
- Drip tray warping if repeatedly dishwashed at high temperatures — hand wash only
- 'Descale' warning appearing before genuinely needed if using very hard water without the fitted filter — either fit the filter or ignore the first warning
Who else recommends it
Independent editorial and community recommendations we track. We don't take their word for it, but consistent endorsement across independent sources is a useful sanity check.
- Home-Barista.com — Top-rated entry espresso machine, editor's choice 2023 and 2024
- CoffeeGeek — "Best sub-£400 espresso machine currently sold" (2024 review)
- Which? magazine — Best Buy 2024 in the espresso category
- James Hoffmann (YouTube) — Recommended in his 2023 "espresso machines I actually own" video
If you'd rather spend more or less
Upgrade
Gaggia Classic Evo Pro — £449
58 mm commercial portafilter, mod-friendly, longer expected lifespan. Manual wand needs practice.
Downgrade
De'Longhi Dedica Arte EC885 — £199
£150 cheaper, 15 cm wide fits smallest kitchens. Pressurised basket caps upgrade ceiling.
Common questions
Is the Sage Bambino Plus worth the price?
At £349, we rate it 4.6/5 because the most compact real espresso machine you can buy, and the best value under £400. Whether that is worth the money depends on how the strengths above line up with your daily use.
How does it compare to other espresso machines?
See our full espresso machines comparison for direct alternatives at higher and lower price points.
Where should I buy it in the UK?
Amazon UK is usually the fastest route and offers the best return policy for higher-priced machines. John Lewis and Currys often match on price and add a longer warranty on premium models. Check both before committing.
Others in the same category
Gaggia Classic Evo Pro
The modding legend. Twenty-five years in production for good reason.
Read reviewDe'Longhi Dedica Arte EC885
Best under £250 if space is tight, but expect to upgrade in two years.
Read review