Just found this at TJ Maxx for 80 bucks, looked up the price online and freaked out and had to get it. It's my first espresso machine, so any tips on what coffee grinder or other accessories I should get?
by Colbyjacksteez
26 Comments
Tigmex
Score!
Thats maybe the best beginner Espresso Machine
Id recommend a DF54 or Eureka Mignon Zero 55s as a grinder.
Have fun!
Exciting-Ticket812
Well you saved a ton of money so don’t skimp on a good grinder. It all depends how deep in the rabbit hole you want to go. I have this same machine with Baratza Encore ESP and am happy with it. I use the grinder for everything from espresso to pour over. If you can afford a $5-600 grinder, do you. There’s just other things I’d rather spend my money on.
No_Loan_1695
That’s a crazy deal
UnplannedProofreader
Omg I’m so jealous!
chitownillinois
Post holiday final clearance at TJ Maxx/Marshalls can be insane. This is quite the score. Congrats, OP!
provenflipper
Amazing come up. I thought I got a good deal at $300
davis609
$80!!?? 😩😩😩 ( happy for you 😤)
PrestigiousAd9825
If you got this thing new for $80, that’s an insane steal.
*Common peripherals worth knowing/considering:*
**(EDIT: items have been marked with a key to make them easier to prioritize)**
~
**KEY:**
$ – Nice to have items that can further boost performance **(buy within 1-3 years if possible)**
$$ – Long-term essentials to level-up your setup **(buy within 6-12 months if possible)**
**$ Bar mat** – will help keep your counters clean of coffee residue and grounds, and will allow you to put all the rest of your equipment in one place.
**$$ Bottomless portafilter** – makes it way easier to see the quality of the shot you’ve dialed in.
**$$$ Single-walled basket** – a non-pressurized basket used to pull authentic espresso shots.
**$$$ Espresso scale** – you’ll want a scale to measure your shots with a built-in timer to see how slow/fast the espresso is flowing out of your machine. This will be the biggest clue as to whether you need to dial in coarser/finer grounds.
**$$ Spring-loaded tamper** – makes it easier to keep the tamp level so you flatten the grounds evenly.
**$$ WDT-tool** – will allow you to break up clumps in the grounds and evenly spread them through the basket.
**$ 54mm filter papers** – will remove excess grounds from the cup and filter out some of the more sour/bitter compounds from your shot.
**$ Spray bottle** – a little travel-sized spray bottle of distilled water will help break up static electricity in your grinder, allowing you to grind without making too much of a mess.
**$$$ Espresso cup** – It can be challenging to fit everything under the portafilter, so you want a dedicated, smaller cup (either glass or ceramic) that can directly take the shot for you. If you get something too big or made of the wrong material (especially plastic), it can ruin the taste.
**$$$ Backflush disk** – will come in handy when you need to clean the machine, it’s a little flat disk that pushes water/cleaning solution through the internal components.
*EDIT: Another commenter made me aware that the Bambino Plus apparently comes with a backflush disk and you will not have to purchase one of these separately.*
**$$ Puck screens** – acts like a shower for the water flow from your machine’s group head, evenly spreading it over the puck and further reducing the risk for channeling. Also helps keep the machine from corroding by protecting it from direct exposure to the coffee grounds.
**$$$ Cafiza** – A specialty cleaning powder designed to remove coffee oils/residue from your unit. Run a teaspoon of this through your machine using the backflush disk on a weekly basis, and don’t forget to change out/clean the water reservoir when you do. Be sure you get the cylinder of loose powder instead of the individual tablets too – those don’t break down as easily and you get way more product for your money.
**$$ Third Wave Water packets** – Hard water will destroy your machine from the inside out. You’ll want to get these packets and add one of them to a gallon of distilled water before filling your machine. It not only will extend the lifespan of your unit, but will also make your coffee taste better as well. Even if you don’t go this route, you will need to find a way to soften your water as traditional filters (Brita, Pur, etc.) don’t remove enough sediment to protect your machine from internal damage.
**$$ Descaling solution** – About four times a year, you’re going to want to use this product to remove any limescale, calcium, or magnesium that builds up in the machine. There are tutorials on how to do it on YouTube, but this is the most important thing you need to do to keep the machine running in the long term.
**$ Smart outlet** – This is completely optional, but I hooked up a smart outlet to my espresso machine and love what it’s done for my warmup cycle. Even with smaller machines like this, it’s recommended to let them warm up for 20-30 minutes to stabilize the internal temperature, so if you can turn on the machine remotely (say, before you even have to get out of bed), it can be a nice perk.
*Here’s a list of the grinders you should consider:*
**$50-$100** – *Turin H40 v2*
**$100-$200** – *Turin SK40*
**$200-$300** – *Varia VS3*
**$300-$400** – *Baratza Sette 270*
**$400-$500** – *Eureka Mignon Silenzio 55*
**$500-$600** – *Mahlkönig X54 or X64*
**$600+** – *Mazzer Mini or Eureka Atom*
If you’re concerned about the price ceiling on grinders, you should know that you’re better off investing here than in any other part of your setup (especially considering how much $$$ you were able to save on the machine). None of the other components really matter from a price point perspective, and you can get by pretty well without having to buy name-brand components for everything else. If you buy a grinder of solid build quality and maintain it well, it may even outlast your machine and grow with your setup as you buy nicer and nicer espresso equipment down the line.
Hesitant or just want to hit the ground running? I’d start with the H40 and dial in your shots with that. Save up your money and invest in the best grinder you can whenever having to hand-grind gets too annoying to deal with. I personally have a Sette 270 and love it – it’s as loud as a jet engine, but the thing is a beast and Baratza customer service is still pretty great (yes, even after they were bought by Breville).
Lemme know if you have any questions – good luck and have fun!
spacepal
😭 im so jealous. Happy for u but it should’ve happened to me instead
wonkster42
Tamper
If you get nothing else, replace that cheap plastic tamper. It’s useless.
If you want to get serious, look into a decent grinder. Opinions will vary on this widely. Your budget and how serious you are about espresso will play a big part in that decision.
E.
Espresso scale is helpful too for measuring input and output. You don’t have to go crazy here. There should be some decent ones for under $15 USD that are small, have a timer feature and measure to .1 gram.
And fresh coffee is always a welcomed addition.
Use the double walled basket for pre ground coffee and the single wall for coffee you grind fresh
JaybieFromTheLB
Bought this as our starter espresso machine, it ended up staying years after.
alkrk
wow should be a price mistake! Lol lucky you!!! Should be 180 or even 280 at best.
SweetChrys
That’s a hella of a score
Colbyjacksteez
Thank you all for the suggestions! Not sure if it was mispriced or if an employee was trying to hook themselves up but I am stoked I have never gotten a deal like this before.
Caribchakita
I don’t see it..too bad, LUCKY for you
Resident-Concept3534
How? Open or return box?
Muhammad-The-Goat
Just checked my TJ Maxx and they had the Bambino (not the plus) for $250 🙃
HandOGawd
This machine and a decent grinder is all you need. An IMS basket, decent portafilter, tamp and digital scale and you are good.
Expert_Associate_742
What city
Knocksveal
What?! Where?! Very happy for you 🤬
Mizzo12
That’s a steal!!!
tooltool12
just payed 700$ for it (outside usa)
Soggy-Plan-6999
Some cafiza…..😀
315_Jessie
80.00 I would have bought 5 and sold 4 @ 200 each
admello
A grinder that costs 5-10x as much and the Bambino will treat you well! Used mine for about 3 years before upgrading.
FG910
Wooooow incredible deal, i payed 200 for mine and thought i lucked out lol
![[USA - TJ Maxx] Breville Bambino Plus for 80$](https://www.diningandcooking.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2pgnlelgw5eg1-scaled.jpeg "[USA – TJ Maxx] Breville Bambino Plus for 80$")
26 Comments
Score!
Thats maybe the best beginner Espresso Machine
Id recommend a DF54 or Eureka Mignon Zero 55s as a grinder.
Have fun!
Well you saved a ton of money so don’t skimp on a good grinder. It all depends how deep in the rabbit hole you want to go. I have this same machine with Baratza Encore ESP and am happy with it. I use the grinder for everything from espresso to pour over. If you can afford a $5-600 grinder, do you. There’s just other things I’d rather spend my money on.
That’s a crazy deal
Omg I’m so jealous!
Post holiday final clearance at TJ Maxx/Marshalls can be insane. This is quite the score. Congrats, OP!
Amazing come up. I thought I got a good deal at $300
$80!!?? 😩😩😩 ( happy for you 😤)
If you got this thing new for $80, that’s an insane steal.
*Common peripherals worth knowing/considering:*
**(EDIT: items have been marked with a key to make them easier to prioritize)**
~
**KEY:**
$ – Nice to have items that can further boost performance **(buy within 1-3 years if possible)**
$$ – Long-term essentials to level-up your setup **(buy within 6-12 months if possible)**
$$$ – Critical components worth immediate investment **(buy ASAP whenever you can)**
~
**$ Bar mat** – will help keep your counters clean of coffee residue and grounds, and will allow you to put all the rest of your equipment in one place.
**$$ Bottomless portafilter** – makes it way easier to see the quality of the shot you’ve dialed in.
**$$$ Single-walled basket** – a non-pressurized basket used to pull authentic espresso shots.
**$$$ Espresso scale** – you’ll want a scale to measure your shots with a built-in timer to see how slow/fast the espresso is flowing out of your machine. This will be the biggest clue as to whether you need to dial in coarser/finer grounds.
**$$ Spring-loaded tamper** – makes it easier to keep the tamp level so you flatten the grounds evenly.
**$$ WDT-tool** – will allow you to break up clumps in the grounds and evenly spread them through the basket.
**$ 54mm filter papers** – will remove excess grounds from the cup and filter out some of the more sour/bitter compounds from your shot.
**$ Spray bottle** – a little travel-sized spray bottle of distilled water will help break up static electricity in your grinder, allowing you to grind without making too much of a mess.
**$$$ Espresso cup** – It can be challenging to fit everything under the portafilter, so you want a dedicated, smaller cup (either glass or ceramic) that can directly take the shot for you. If you get something too big or made of the wrong material (especially plastic), it can ruin the taste.
**$$$ Backflush disk** – will come in handy when you need to clean the machine, it’s a little flat disk that pushes water/cleaning solution through the internal components.
*EDIT: Another commenter made me aware that the Bambino Plus apparently comes with a backflush disk and you will not have to purchase one of these separately.*
**$$ Puck screens** – acts like a shower for the water flow from your machine’s group head, evenly spreading it over the puck and further reducing the risk for channeling. Also helps keep the machine from corroding by protecting it from direct exposure to the coffee grounds.
**$$$ Cafiza** – A specialty cleaning powder designed to remove coffee oils/residue from your unit. Run a teaspoon of this through your machine using the backflush disk on a weekly basis, and don’t forget to change out/clean the water reservoir when you do. Be sure you get the cylinder of loose powder instead of the individual tablets too – those don’t break down as easily and you get way more product for your money.
**$$ Third Wave Water packets** – Hard water will destroy your machine from the inside out. You’ll want to get these packets and add one of them to a gallon of distilled water before filling your machine. It not only will extend the lifespan of your unit, but will also make your coffee taste better as well. Even if you don’t go this route, you will need to find a way to soften your water as traditional filters (Brita, Pur, etc.) don’t remove enough sediment to protect your machine from internal damage.
**$$ Descaling solution** – About four times a year, you’re going to want to use this product to remove any limescale, calcium, or magnesium that builds up in the machine. There are tutorials on how to do it on YouTube, but this is the most important thing you need to do to keep the machine running in the long term.
**$ Smart outlet** – This is completely optional, but I hooked up a smart outlet to my espresso machine and love what it’s done for my warmup cycle. Even with smaller machines like this, it’s recommended to let them warm up for 20-30 minutes to stabilize the internal temperature, so if you can turn on the machine remotely (say, before you even have to get out of bed), it can be a nice perk.
*Here’s a list of the grinders you should consider:*
**$50-$100** – *Turin H40 v2*
**$100-$200** – *Turin SK40*
**$200-$300** – *Varia VS3*
**$300-$400** – *Baratza Sette 270*
**$400-$500** – *Eureka Mignon Silenzio 55*
**$500-$600** – *Mahlkönig X54 or X64*
**$600+** – *Mazzer Mini or Eureka Atom*
If you’re concerned about the price ceiling on grinders, you should know that you’re better off investing here than in any other part of your setup (especially considering how much $$$ you were able to save on the machine). None of the other components really matter from a price point perspective, and you can get by pretty well without having to buy name-brand components for everything else. If you buy a grinder of solid build quality and maintain it well, it may even outlast your machine and grow with your setup as you buy nicer and nicer espresso equipment down the line.
Hesitant or just want to hit the ground running? I’d start with the H40 and dial in your shots with that. Save up your money and invest in the best grinder you can whenever having to hand-grind gets too annoying to deal with. I personally have a Sette 270 and love it – it’s as loud as a jet engine, but the thing is a beast and Baratza customer service is still pretty great (yes, even after they were bought by Breville).
Lemme know if you have any questions – good luck and have fun!
😭 im so jealous. Happy for u but it should’ve happened to me instead
Tamper
If you get nothing else, replace that cheap plastic tamper. It’s useless.
If you want to get serious, look into a decent grinder. Opinions will vary on this widely. Your budget and how serious you are about espresso will play a big part in that decision.
E.
Espresso scale is helpful too for measuring input and output. You don’t have to go crazy here. There should be some decent ones for under $15 USD that are small, have a timer feature and measure to .1 gram.
And fresh coffee is always a welcomed addition.
Use the double walled basket for pre ground coffee and the single wall for coffee you grind fresh
Bought this as our starter espresso machine, it ended up staying years after.
wow should be a price mistake! Lol lucky you!!! Should be 180 or even 280 at best.
That’s a hella of a score
Thank you all for the suggestions! Not sure if it was mispriced or if an employee was trying to hook themselves up but I am stoked I have never gotten a deal like this before.
I don’t see it..too bad, LUCKY for you
How? Open or return box?
Just checked my TJ Maxx and they had the Bambino (not the plus) for $250 🙃
This machine and a decent grinder is all you need.
An IMS basket, decent portafilter, tamp and digital scale and you are good.
What city
What?! Where?! Very happy for you 🤬
That’s a steal!!!
just payed 700$ for it (outside usa)
Some cafiza…..😀
80.00 I would have bought 5 and sold 4 @ 200 each
A grinder that costs 5-10x as much and the Bambino will treat you well! Used mine for about 3 years before upgrading.
Wooooow incredible deal, i payed 200 for mine and thought i lucked out lol