Bambino

Maintenance

Essential

Descaler

Limescale is what most machines die of, and vinegar attacks the seals. A liquid descaler declared suitable for espresso machines does the same job as the maker’s own branded fluid, usually for less.

Milk

Essential

Milk jug

A stainless jug of around 600 ml is the difference between milk that froths and milk that boils. The shape of the spout decides whether you can pour anything with it.

Grinding

Essential

Coffee grinder

Without a grinder in the machine this is not an accessory but a second purchase. Budget something close to the machine itself — on pre-ground coffee no portafilter machine gives you what it can do.

Brewing

Recommended

Tamper and distributor (Sage)

The tamper Sage includes is light and plastic. A heavy one with a distributor gives a flatter bed and a more even extraction — the step that most often goes wrong when brewing by hand.

Brewing

Recommended

Knock box

The puck has to go somewhere, and the bin clogs with wet coffee within a week. A box with a rubber bar is quieter than it sounds.

Brewing

Can wait

Coffee scale

Dosing by eye is why the same machine tastes better on one day than the next. A scale accurate to a tenth of a gram, with a timer, turns pulling espresso into something repeatable.