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Quick answer
The Breville Bambino and Bambino Plus make the same espresso. Breville says both heat up in about 3 seconds, start each shot with low-pressure pre-infusion, then brew at 9 bar through a 54 mm portafilter holding 18 g of coffee. The difference is milk: the Plus has an automatic steam wand with 3 temperatures and 3 textures that shuts off when the milk is ready, and a bigger water tank. Get the Bambino if you mostly drink espresso and americanos or want to learn to steam by hand, and the Plus if you make lattes most days and want them hands-off. Neither is on our counter, so this is a researched comparison.
Our picks at a glance
Espresso, americanos and learning to steam
Breville Bambino
Manual steam wand, slimmer body
Lattes most days, without the practice
Breville Bambino Plus
Automatic milk with 3 temperatures and 3 textures
Both sit in the middle of the beginner espresso range, and the Plus usually costs noticeably more. Use the Check price links for today’s prices.
Bambino vs Bambino Plus, side by side
| Bambino | Bambino Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Heat-up | About 3 seconds | About 3 seconds |
| The shot | Pre-infusion, then 9 bar | Pre-infusion, then 9 bar |
| Portafilter | 54 mm, 18 g dose | 54 mm, 18 g dose |
| Baskets | 1 and 2 cup, single and dual wall | 1 and 2 cup, single and dual wall |
| Steam wand | Manual | Automatic or manual |
| Milk jug | Included | 16 oz, sits on a temperature sensor |
| Water tank | About 1.4 L | About 1.9 L |
| Razor dosing tool | Not included | Included |
| Size | About 6 in wide, 13.5 in tall | About 7.5 in wide, 14.3 in tall |
The two machines, in short
01Breville Bambino: pick it for espresso and learning to steam
The Bambino is one of the smallest real espresso machines, roughly 6 inches wide, with one-touch buttons for a 1-cup shot, a 2-cup shot and steam. You steam milk yourself: aim the wand, stretch the milk until it’s warm and glossy, and stop by feel or with a thermometer. That takes some practice, but it’s also how you learn to pour latte art. Our guide to steaming milk at home walks through it.
If you mostly drink straight espresso, americanos or the odd cappuccino, the Bambino gives you the same shot as the Plus and leaves more of your budget for a grinder. The smaller tank means filling it a little more often.
02Breville Bambino Plus: pick it for easy lattes
The Plus is the same machine with a smarter steam wand. You pick one of 3 milk temperatures and one of 3 textures, from silky to foamy, set the 16 oz jug on the drip tray and press start. A sensor under the jug reads the milk, and the wand stops when it reaches your temperature, so you don’t have to watch it. You can still steam by hand when you want to practice.
It also holds more water, about 1.9 liters, and comes with Breville’s Razor tool, which trims the coffee in the basket to the same level every time. It’s a little wider and taller than the Bambino. In a house where two or three people make milk drinks, the automatic wand helps every latte come out the same.
Which one should you buy?
- You drink espresso or americanos, not much milk: Bambino. The Plus’s extra cost all goes to milk.
- You make lattes or cappuccinos most days and want them consistent from day one: Bambino Plus.
- You want to learn latte art: either, since the Plus steams by hand too, but the Bambino is the cheaper way to learn.
- Your counter is tight: Bambino, more than an inch narrower.
- Several people make milk drinks: Bambino Plus.
- Your budget is fixed: a Bambino and a good grinder will make better espresso than a Plus with a cheap one.
Still deciding between these and other machines? Our guide to the best beginner espresso machines compares them with the De’Longhi Dedica, Gaggia Classic Pro and Breville Barista Express.
What else you’ll need
- A grinder that can go fine. Neither machine grinds, and espresso needs a fine, even grind, about like table salt. We grind on a Baratza at home. The Baratza Encore ESP is the espresso-ready pick in our grinder guide, and the Timemore Chestnut C3 ESP Pro is the hand grinder with steps fine enough for it.
- A small scale. Weighing 18 g in and about 36 g out is the easiest way to repeat a good shot. Our coffee scale guide includes one with an espresso mode and auto timer.
- The right basket. Start with the dual wall baskets if you use pre-ground coffee, because they’re forgiving. Switch to the single wall baskets once you grind fresh, for more control and better crema.
If a shot runs fast and tastes sour, grind finer. If it drips slowly and tastes bitter, grind coarser. Our guide to espresso shots explains the timings.
How we compared them
We don’t own either machine. At home we make strong, espresso-style coffee on a moka pot and an original AeroPress, so every detail here comes from Breville’s US product pages and retailer listings we read in late October 2026, not from our own shots. We compared what affects the espresso (heat-up, pressure, portafilter and baskets), what affects milk, and the size, tank and extras. Where retailers disagree, as they do on tank size by an ounce or two, we give rounded figures.
Bambino vs Bambino Plus FAQ
What’s the difference between the Bambino and the Bambino Plus?
The Plus has an automatic steam wand with 3 milk temperatures and 3 textures that stops on its own, a bigger water tank (about 1.9 liters against 1.4), a Razor dosing tool and a slightly larger body. The espresso side is the same.
Is the Bambino Plus worth the extra money?
Yes if you make milk drinks most days and want them hands-off, or several people share the machine. If you mostly drink espresso or americanos, the standard Bambino makes the same shot for less.
Do they make the same espresso?
Breville describes the same brewing system on both: about 3 seconds to heat, low-pressure pre-infusion, a 9-bar shot and a 54 mm portafilter for 18 g. Your grinder and your beans will change the shot far more than the choice between them.
Can you steam milk by hand on the Bambino Plus?
Yes. It has a manual mode, so you can practice latte art and still use the automatic setting on busy mornings.
Which is better for a beginner?
Both are easy espresso machines to start on. Pick the Plus if milk is the part you’re nervous about, and the Bambino if you’d rather put the money into a better grinder.
Can I use pre-ground coffee in a Bambino?
Yes, with the dual wall baskets that come with both machines. They’re built for coffee that isn’t ground fresh or fine enough. You’ll get better shots from fresh beans ground in a burr grinder and the single wall baskets.
Does either Bambino come with a grinder?
No. If you want one machine that grinds and brews, look at the Breville Barista Express in our beginner espresso machine guide.
Pull a shot with Regions coffee
For either Bambino, try Espresso Sunrise, a medium-dark blend of Colombian and Ethiopian coffee with brown sugar, cocoa and a hint of dried fruit. Its page suggests 18 g in and about 36 g out in 25 to 30 seconds, the same 18 g dose Breville designs these baskets around, and it’s syrupy as a shot and cuts through milk in a latte. It’s listed as coming soon, and Notify me on its page will email you when it’s ready.
