Photo: UnsplashOn paper, Breville's two compact machines look almost the same. They have the same heating system, the same portafilter and much the same footprint. The $200 gap between them comes down almost entirely to one feature: who steams the milk, you or the machine.
- Choose the Bambino ($299.95 list) if you drink espresso or Americanos, want to learn milk steaming, or need budget left for a grinder.
- Choose the Bambino Plus ($499.95 list) if most of your drinks are lattes or cappuccinos and you want hands-off milk.
Side by side
| Spec | Bambino (BES450) | Bambino Plus (BES500) |
|---|---|---|
| Heating | ThermoJet, ready in ~3 s | ThermoJet |
| Temperature control | Breville "precise temperature control" | PID |
| Portafilter | 54 mm, 18 g dose | 54 mm, 18 g dose |
| Pump / extraction | 15-bar pump; pre-infusion then 9-bar extraction | 15-bar pump |
| Milk | Manual steam wand | Automatic texturing (adjustable temp & froth) |
| Water tank | See manufacturer page | 1.9 L |
| Dimensions | 11.9 × 6.1 × 13.5 in | See manufacturer page |
| List price | $299.95 | $499.95 |
Specs and list prices are from breville.com, checked Oct 14, 2026. Where a cell says "see manufacturer page," we couldn't confirm the figure, so we left it out rather than guess.
What's the same
Both machines are built around the ThermoJet heater, which Breville says reaches extraction temperature in about three seconds and uses less energy than its older Thermoblock design. Both use a 54 mm portafilter dosed at 18 g, with single-wall and dual-wall baskets included, and both offer one-touch volumetric single and double shots. In the cup, Breville designs them to make the same espresso.
So if straight espresso is all you make, the Plus is mostly extra cost.
Same shot, different milk. The $200 question is whether you want to learn to steam.
What's different: the steam wand
Bambino: a manual wand. You control the stretch and the texture yourself. It takes practice, but it's the same skill a café barista uses, and it gives you full control for latte art.
Bambino Plus: automatic texturing. You put the jug on its sensor, pick a milk temperature and froth level, and the machine steams and stops on its own. You can still steam manually when you want to. For a busy household making several milk drinks a morning, that means less to get wrong and less to clean up after.
The grinder math
Neither machine has a built-in grinder, and a good grinder matters more to the shot than which Bambino you choose. Pair the Bambino with an espresso-capable grinder such as the Baratza Encore ESP ($199.95 list) and the combined list price is about the same as the Bambino Plus alone. If you don't already own a burr grinder, that's the strongest case for the cheaper machine. See our beginner grinder guide.
You drink espresso or Americanos, want to learn latte art, or are buying a grinder at the same time.
You drink mostly milk drinks, several people share the machine, or you already own a good grinder.
Who should look at something else?
If you want a grinder built in, Breville's Barista Express (BES870, $699.95 list) adds an integrated conical burr grinder and a manual steam wand. If you want one-button drinks with no learning curve, look at a super-automatic. Our super-automatic vs semi-automatic guide covers that choice. Both Bambinos also show up as refurbished stock from time to time. Read is a refurbished Breville worth it before you buy one.
Buying tip
These two machines often appear in seasonal sales. A discount on the Plus can shrink the $200 gap, which changes the math. Check how to tell if a sale is real, and watch the espresso under $500 board, where we're starting to track retailer prices.
FAQ
What is the main difference between the Bambino and Bambino Plus?
The steam wand. The Bambino has a manual wand. The Bambino Plus adds automatic milk texturing with adjustable milk temperature and froth level. Both use ThermoJet heating and a 54 mm portafilter.
Do the Bambino and Bambino Plus make the same espresso?
They share the same core espresso design according to Breville: ThermoJet heating, an 18 g dose in a 54 mm portafilter, and pre-infusion before extraction. If you mostly drink straight espresso, the extra cost of the Plus buys you little.
Which one is better for beginners?
For milk drinks, the Plus, because automatic texturing removes the hardest skill to learn. For espresso drinkers or anyone who wants to learn latte art, the Bambino, which leaves budget for a grinder.
