Why we love it
The Barista Express is the machine everyone recommends and the Pro is what it should have been. Same idea — grinder and espresso machine in one body — but with the ThermoJet system from the Bambino, so it reaches extraction temperature in three seconds instead of waiting on a thermocoil, and it switches from espresso to steam instantly rather than making you pause between the shot and the milk. PID regulation holds the brew temperature to within 2°C, which is the difference between a machine that is consistent and one that is consistent once it has warmed up. The integrated grinder doses straight into the portafilter and is genuinely good, if not the equal of a $200 standalone. What you are buying at around $825 is the all-in-one convenience without the Express’s two real compromises.
Pros
- ThermoJet heat-up in 3 seconds, and no wait between shot and steam
- PID holds brew temperature within 2°C
- Integrated conical burr grinder doses into the portafilter
- Low-pressure pre-infusion for a more even extraction
- One body, one plug — the whole setup in a moderate footprint
Cons
- $140 more than the Barista Express for heating and PID
- Built-in grinder can’t be upgraded or serviced separately
- 54mm portafilter, not the 58mm commercial size
- Manual steam wand — milk texturing is a skill you still have to learn
