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SageThe Bambino Plus SES500BSS4GUK1

Espresso
Milk frother

£348.95View retailers

Test score

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Sage describes its Bambino Plus SES500BSS4GUK1 ground coffee machine as capable of ‘barista-quality performance’. It's a compact coffee maker with a brushed-steel finish and simple controls, including a handy automatic steam wand for fuss-free milk frothing. It's not cheap, but it could be worth it if it makes barista-grade coffee at home. Our full review reveals all, so read on to find out how it fared in our tough tests.

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cons

What's included?

What is it?
Does it make great espressos and cappuccinos?
How quick is it?
How easy is it to use and clean?
Is there anything else I should know?
Should I buy it?

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KEY TEST RESULTS
Speed of making an espresso
Ease of use

Jul 2023First reviewed by Which?
Sept 2018Released

The overall Which? test score is made up of the following star ratings, all determined by our rigorous lab tests.

How we test coffee machines

15 May 2025

Quality of espresso

Overall
Speed of making an espresso
Temperature of espresso

How we test quality of espresso

Our expert tasting panel rate the quality of espresso produced by the machine, taking into account the taste, aroma and appearance of the espresso. We also measure the temperature of the espresso and how quickly it's produced.

Ease of use

Overall
Instructions
Preparing the machine
Cleaning
Descaling

How we test ease of use

Our ease-of-use rating takes into account how simple the instructions are to understand and follow and how easy it is to prepare the machine for use. We also assess how straightforward the cleaning and descaling processes are.

Energy efficiency

How we test energy efficiency

We measure the amount of energy the coffee machine uses to heat up and make coffee. We also check how much energy it uses in standby mode.

Machine performance

How we test machine performance

We test how quickly the machine makes espresso, how hot the coffee is and how well it froths milk, if the coffee machine comes with a milk frothing system. For machines that can make two espressos at once, we also measure the volume and temperature of the coffee in each cup to see if you end up with two evenly matched espressos.

Quality of cappuccino

Overall
Milk frothing
Ease of using milk frother

How we test quality of cappuccino

If a coffee machine comes with a milk-frothing system, our panel rate the quality of cappuccino, taking into account the taste, aroma and appearance of the cappuccino, as well as how thick the froth is and how well it blends with the coffee. We also assess how easy it is to use and clean the milk frother.

Quietness

How we test quietness

Our expert lab testers subjectively rate how noisy each coffee machine is when preparing an espresso. This subjective assessment is paired with an objective measurement of the decibel level. A very quiet model will earn itself five stars, while a very noisy machine will only pick up one.

Personalisation

How we test personalisation

Our personalisation rating takes into account how customisable the settings on the coffee machine are so you can tailor drinks to meet your specific tastes. We assess if you can adjust the grind settings, temperature, coffee strength, amount of water dispensed, and whether you can set up profiles for separate users.

Features
Includes milk frother	Milk frother
Froth type	Automatic (fresh milk)
Water filter	Yes
Cup warmer	No
Smart control	No

General
Type	Espresso
Pressure (bar)	9
Colour	Silver
Trim colour	None
Ground coffee	Yes
Coffee beans	No
ESE pods	No
Height	30cm
Width	17cm
Depth	36cm
Weight	4.657kg
Length of power cord (cm)	100cm
Number of espressos	2
Water tank capacity	1.9 litres
Manufacturer guarantee	1-5 years
Manufacturer guarantee terms	Sage coffee machines have between a one and five year guarantee, depending on the model.
Review details	This coffee machine was assessed using our current test programme.

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