Sage Bambino or Sage Barista Express?

Our verdict

Today the difference is €196.73: the Sage Bambino costs €262.27, the Sage Barista Express €459.

Both are Sage portafilter machines with a 54 mm portafilter and a steam wand you work yourself. The big difference: the Barista Express has a built-in grinder with conical steel burrs and 16 settings, and the Bambino has no grinder. With the Bambino you therefore buy a separate grinder, or use pre-ground coffee.

In return the Bambino is much smaller: 19.5 cm wide and 31 cm high, against 31.8 cm wide and 40.4 cm high for the Express. It weighs 4.95 kg. The Bambino has ThermoJet heating, which Sage builds to reach temperature in a few seconds; the Express uses Thermocoil. Its water tank is smaller, though: 1.4 litres against 2 litres.

Upkeep is similar. On both, Sage asks you to replace the water filter after 3 months, and you clean and descale when the machine asks. Both carry a 2 year warranty. Because the portafilter is the same size, the same separate tamper fits both.

Our verdict: add the price of a good grinder to the Bambino before you compare, because without it the price gap gives a distorted picture. If you already own a grinder, or have little worktop space, the Bambino is the smarter buy. If you are starting from scratch and want one appliance that does it all, the Express is the simpler route.