Manual Method

Puck prep has turned into a ritual with more steps and more steps every time I look. Three steps. Grind into…

The accessory market has convinced people that espresso needs a ton of equipment and a methodical morning…

When you pull your portafilter off the group head after a shot that was off, look down into it. If there’s a…

New bag of beans, machine just came on, and you pull the first shot to see where you’re at. It runs fast.…

Somebody on a forum tells you their grind setting and you go set your grinder to that number. Same bag of…

Two machines on the counter. One cost $2,500. One cost $300. Same beans out of the same bag. Same grind…

The Oracle died earlier this year. No warning. Just stopped. Drove to Target. Grabbed a Bambino. $300.…

Espresso works in ranges. You find yours and it’s great for a while. Then sometimes gradually something…

The Bambino applies low-pressure water before ramping up to full extraction pressure. This is pre-infusion.…

25-30 seconds is in almost every espresso post you see on social media. It’s also incomplete to the point of…

The Bambino’s ThermoJet heats water to brewing temperature in 3 seconds. Impressive. The catch: ThermoJet…

Been to a lot of restaurants with serious espresso setups. $30,000 machines. Beautiful grinders. The whole…

Coffee starts flowing and many people wait. They want to see the basket empty out. By the time they kill the…

The Bambino ships with a plastic tamper. Small, lightweight, awkward grip. It doesn’t seat properly in the…

The shot starts dark. Thick, concentrated drips. The best stuff comes first. Rich extraction right out of…

Same beans. Same grind. Same tamp. Monday was great. Tuesday was off. Espresso has invisible variables.…

Out of the box the Bambino stops your shot at a preset volume. You push the button, the machine decides when…

WDT tool. Distribution tool. Leveling tool. Puck screen. Calibrated tamper with a built-in scale. Five…

Bambino owners. Look inside your portafilter right now. Black plastic disc sitting inside. Breville includes…

Most Moka pot bitterness comes from one mistake made before extraction even starts. Cold water goes in the…

The first 15 seconds of a shot tell you whether to keep going or kill it. Choke: nothing coming out or a…

Social media turned espresso into a science project. Every gram has to be exact. Every shot timed to the…

The Bambino ships with two types of baskets. It’s easy to get stuck using the wrong one. Dual wall baskets…

First shot of the day is off. You didn’t change anything from yesterday. Same grind, same beans, same…