How-to · Dialing in
How to dial in espresso with a Breville Bambino Plus
The Bambino Plus ships with a pressurized basket that masks extraction problems by forcing crema regardless of grind quality. Dialing in real espresso means swapping to the non-pressurized (single or double) baskets that also come in the box, and then treating the dial-in process like any other machine.
The wrinkle: the Bambino uses a 54mm portafilter, not the 58mm commercial standard. Aftermarket basket choice is narrower and most YouTube dial-in tutorials assume 58mm. The process below adjusts for the 54mm reality.
What you'll need
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Non-pressurized basket (single or double, 54mm)
These ship with the Bambino Plus in the accessory tray. If you have lost them, Breville sells a replacement set for $20.
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A grinder that can grind for espresso
The Baratza Encore ESP is a common pairing with the Bambino — its espresso step range matches the Bambino's needs.
Baratza Encore ESP · $199
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0.1 g scale
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WDT tool (optional but very helpful for 54mm baskets)
The 54mm baskets channel more easily than 58mm. A WDT tool reduces channeling almost completely.
Step-by-step
- Step 1
Swap to the non-pressurized basket
The Bambino Plus ships with two basket types: pressurized (single hole on the bottom, harder to see) and non-pressurized (visible mesh of holes). For real dialing in, use the non-pressurized double. Lock it into the portafilter — it sits in the same spring clip.
- Step 2
Set your target
Bambino-friendly target: 18 g in → 36 g out, 25-30 seconds. The Thermojet brings the boiler to temp in 3 seconds, so warm-up time is negligible — just flush a 50 ml water shot through the empty portafilter before dosing to bring the group head up to temperature.
- Step 3
Dose, distribute, tamp
Weigh 18.0 g into the basket. WDT-stir to break up clumps. Tamp level. Lock in. The 54mm basket is shallower than a 58mm — overdosing past 19 g leaves no headroom and you will damage the shower screen.
- Step 4
Press the 2-cup button and time the shot
The Bambino has volumetric programming but for dial-in use the manual mode: tap the 1- or 2-cup button to start, then tap again to stop when your scale hits 36 g. Note the time elapsed.
If the shot finishes in <22 seconds, grind finer 1 step on the grinder. If it is still dripping at 35 seconds with <30 g out, grind coarser 1 step.
- Step 5
Repeat until in the window, then taste
Within 25-30 seconds for 36 g, evaluate the taste. Sour → finer or higher dose. Bitter → coarser or lower dose. Bambino owners often land at a finer setting than the same beans need on a 58mm machine because the smaller basket extracts slightly less efficiently.
- Step 6
Save the recipe via volumetric mode (optional)
Once dialed in, you can program the Bambino's 2-cup button to stop at your preferred volume: hold the 2-cup button during a shot, release when the scale hits 36 g, and the machine remembers. This is volume-based, not weight-based, so it drifts as beans age — but it is convenient for daily use.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Trying to dial in with the pressurized basket — you cannot. The basket equalizes pressure and masks grind quality entirely. Switch to non-pressurized first.
- Overdosing past 19 g in a 54mm basket. The shower screen will leave a deep imprint in the puck and you risk bending the screen over time.
- Skipping the water flush before pulling — even with the Thermojet, the group head benefits from a 50 ml pre-flush to stabilize temperature.
- Comparing recipes to 58mm tutorials directly. The 54mm basket behaves differently; you may need a finer grind than equivalent 58mm settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
My Bambino Plus shots are pulling fast no matter how fine I grind — what is wrong?
Two common causes. First, check you are using the non-pressurized basket — the pressurized one always flows fast by design. Second, your grinder may not go fine enough. Many entry-level grinders (Baratza Encore base, OXO Brew) need the espresso-specific variant for the Bambino's fine grind requirement.
Why does my Bambino shot taste sour even at 30+ seconds?
Either under-extracted (grind too coarse, even though time looks right — try finer and shorter) or the beans are too light-roasted for the Bambino's boiler temperature ceiling. The Bambino brews at ~93°C max; very light roasts that need 96°C+ to fully extract can taste sour on it regardless of recipe.
Can I use bottomless portafilters on the Bambino?
Aftermarket 54mm bottomless portafilters exist (Crema-Coffee, IMS) but the Bambino's spring clip system limits how the portafilter sits. Check fit reviews before buying. Most Bambino owners stick with the stock portafilter and instead focus on basket and WDT improvements.
How often do I need to re-dial in?
Every time you open a new bag of beans, every ~10 days as the bag ages, and after any change to grinder maintenance (cleaning, new burrs). For a bag you have just opened, expect 2-3 shots to re-dial.
Last reviewed: . We update this guide when the manufacturer publishes new maintenance documentation or when community consensus on best practice shifts.