I'm an ex-professional-barista and now a home espresso enthusiast. Part of my job is to test out the best espresso machines — every model from the super-cheap and basic all the way up to $3,000 dual boilers and beyond — and I have an utter blast doing it.

But what's my favorite espresso machine? Probably the Breville Bambino Plus ($499). It's compact, intelligent, and brews delicious espresso. It's everything I would want in an espresso machine.

So when I tested out the $129 Casabrews 3700 Essential, I couldn't help but compare it to the Bambino Plus. To me, the 3700 Essential looks and behaves like a Bambino Plus duplicate, so I thought I'd swap out the machines and find out if the $370 savings are worth it.

Although its MSRP is $129, the 3700 Essential is often on sale for around $99.

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