Breville Bambino vs Bambino Plus: The Ultimate Showdown!

These two espresso makers look alike but are quite different. Read this Breville Bambino vs Bambino Plus comparison to find out which one is best!


When it comes to Breville espresso machines, there are a few different models to choose from.


In this blog post, we will compare the Breville Bambino and the Breville Bambino Plus espresso machines. We will take a look at the design and build quality, the espresso and milk steaming performances, the number of features, the value for money, the ease of cleaning, and the number of accessories included with each machine.


Both bring third wave specialty coffee to your home at an affordable price. But, which one is right for you?


Let’s get the Breville Bambino vs Bambino Plus showdown started!

Build Quality and Design

The Breville Bambino and Breville Bambino Plus espresso machines both feature an attractive and compact design, making them perfect for any kitchen.

They look very similar, although, at the time of writing, the Bambino comes in one single color - brushed stainless steel. The Bambino Plus, on the other hand, comes in 9 different colors, including the Damson Blue, one of the nicest colors we’ve seen in any espresso machine.

In other words, the Bambino Plus has the advantage in design if you care about theming your kitchen.

Although the Bambino Plus is a compact espresso machine, it is larger. Measuring 7.7W x 12.6D x 12.2D inches (19.6W x 32.0D x 31.0H cm) compared to the regular Bambino model which measures 6.3W x 13.7D x 12.0D inches (16.0W x 34.8D x 30.5H cm).

The 1.4-inch width gain may not sound like a lot, but you need to account for space to have a coffee grinder. You should use freshly ground beans.  It would not be fair for the Bambino line-up to be exposed to pre-ground coffee.

This size difference translates to the water tank capacity. The Bambino Plus comes with a 64-oz (1.9 L) whereas the Bambino comes with a 47-oz (1.4 L) water tank. This is a significant difference, given the Bambino Plus is not that much larger.

When it comes to build quality, both Bambinos feature high quality stainless steel materials.

However, we were surprised that the drip tray of the more expensive Bambino Plus did not fit as snuggly. This is likely because of the milk system temperature sensor that sits on the drip tray.

Verdict - Build Quality and Design

The winner is the Bambino Plus because it comes with a larger water tank and 9 colors. Although the Bambino is smaller, this difference is minimal and could be offset by the type of grinder you choose.

Features

Both the Breville Bambino and Breville Bambino Plus come with similar features.

Despite being seemingly simple machines, they pack a lot of technology under their hood. Both machines come with:

• Breville's ThermoJet Heating System, which allows for an unheard-of heating time of 3 seconds.
  
  
• PID temperature control to ensure a precise brewing temperature.
  
  
• Low pressure pre-infusion
  
  
• A 15-bar Italian pump for a brewing pressure of 9 bars.
  
  
• 1 or 2 pre-set espresso shot volume and manual override for programmable shot volumes.
  
  
• Hot water dispenser via the steam wand.

We should note that the Bambino has an advantage when it comes to dispensing hot water.

It comes with a dedicated hot water button whereas the Bambino Plus does not. For the Bambino Plus, you need to press the "1 Cup" and "Milk Foam" buttons to activate hot water dispensing through the steam wand.

Another difference in features is the milk steaming system. The Breville Bambino Plus' is automatic or manual with 3 adjustable milk temperature and texture levels, whereas the Bambino only comes with a manual steam wand.

Verdict - Features

The winner is the Bambino Plus because it comes with automatic milk frothing and more customization options for your milk. The Bambino does have a slight advantage in the hot water department with its dedicated button. But both machines can dispense hot water via the steam wand.

Espresso Performance

We mentioned above that both the Bambino and Bambino Plus come with pre-infusion, a 15-bar Italian pump for a 9-bar extraction, PID temperature control, and pre-set or programmable shot volumes.

Something we have not mentioned yet is that both come with a 54-mm portafilter. The portafilter feels a bit cheap but fortunately is compatible with other 54-mm portafilters, including the ones from the Barista Lineup.

Both machines now include 2 single-wall and 2 dual-wall baskets for 1 or 2 espresso shots. Dual-baskets are preferable to extract the rich and complex flavors of espresso but are a bit less forgiving when it comes to puck preparation.

There are no differences when it comes to espresso performance. Both espresso makers are able to extract delicious espresso shots by simply pressing a few buttons.

Verdict - Espresso Performance

This is a tie. There is no difference between the Bambino and Bambino Plus when it comes to brewing espresso. Both models feature the same pump, ThermoJet PID controlled heating, pre-infusion, and the same portafilters. And yes, both models yield high espresso quality.

Milk Steaming System

When it comes to the milk steaming system, the Breville Bambino and Bambino Plus offer very different options.

The Breville Bambino espresso machine comes with a manual 1-hole steam wand. It swivels 360 degrees, a great option since you will be manually texturing milk. Naturally, the Bambino will require you to learn how to texture milk, and even if you got the skills, it will require you to put more effort into making that morning cappuccino - not something many people want to do upon waking up.

In contrast, the Bambino Plus uses an automatic milk frother with a 4-hole steam wand that can be programmed to 3 temperatures and milk textures.

The 4-hole steam wand also means a quicker steaming process.

The Bambino Plus steaming wand can also be used in manual mode; however, it's not as easy to use as the Bambino because it only goes up and down - the Bambino Plus steam wand does not swivel 360 degrees.

Verdict - Milk Steaming System

The winner is the Bambino Plus. This should be a fairly obvious one - the Bambino Plus comes with a manual or automatic 4-hole steam wand that is programmable to 3 temperatures and milk textures. The Bambino comes with a manual 1-hole steam wand.

Ease of Use

One of the strengths of the Bambino line-up is how intuitive they are.

Both Breville espresso machines come with a no-fuss user interface. It consists of a control panel with buttons that are clearly labeled with icons, and with flashing lights to indicate the status of the machine.

The most significant difference you will notice when it comes to using the Bambino over the Bambino Plus is the milk texturing.

If you like to wake up with a daily cappuccino, the manual milk steaming of the Bambino might be a turn off. To even begin to use it, you will need to learn about milk texturing.

As we noted, the Bambino Plus has an automatic milk steaming system - so all you need to do is press a few buttons, and voila - you have the perfect milk froth for your milky coffee drink!

We should note though, that the base Bambino has a slight advantage if you like to drink Americanos. It comes with a dedicated hot water button whereas with the Bambino Plus you need to press the "1 Cup" and "Milk Foam" buttons.

Verdict - Ease of Use

The winner is the Bambino Plus. Making milky coffee drinks only requires pressing a few buttons, whereas with the Bambino the process is more manual and requires more time. Plus, you will need to learn how to texture the perfect micro-foam before you even begin to use it.

Cleaning and Maintenance

Cleaning and maintaining both the Breville Bambino and Bambino Plus is extremely easy thanks to the simple and practical design of these semi-automatic espresso machines.

Both machines use flashing lights (for example, the 1 Cup and 2 Cup alternately flashing) to tell you they need descaling or cleaning.

However, there are some differences when it comes to cleaning and maintaining the Bambino Plus over the Bambino:

• The Bambino has a single combined cleaning/descaling cycle whereas the Bambino Plus has a separate cleaning and descaling cycle.
  
  
• The Bambino's steam wand needs to be manually purged after every use, by pressing and holding the steam button for 3 seconds. The Bambino Plus has an automatic purge - the steam wand purge is automatically initiated when you lower the steam wand after using it.
  
  
• The water tank capacity in the Bambino Plus is 17 oz (400 mL) larger, which means less time emptying and refilling the water tank and less jockeying during cleaning cycles.

Verdict - Cleaning and Maintenance

The winner is the Bambino Plus. It comes with a cleaning program (that uses cleaning disks) and a descaling program (that uses descaling liquid). The Bambino only comes with a single descaling/cleaning program that uses descaling liquid. The Bambino Plus has a steam wand auto-purge whereas the Bambino's is manually purged.

Accessories

No knockboxes are included with either machine.

I'm putting this in bold because it's a pet peeve of mine. How are we supposed to get the spent puck out of the portafilter? By hitting the garbage can or with our bare hands? If you care as much as I do, then you can buy the knockbox separately from Amazon, see below:

Besides this oversight, both the Bambino and Bambino Plus come with all the necessary accessories you need to make espresso and other coffee drinks.

Both Bambinos come with:

• Two single wall filters (for 1 or 2 shots)
• Two double wall filters (for 1 or 2 shots).
• A stainless steel milk jug
• A 54 mm tamper
• A steam wand cleaning tool
• Descaling powder

In addition, the Bambino Plus includes:

• The Razor precision trimming tool
• A cleaning disk for the portafilter
• Espresso cleaning tablets

We should note that the tamper that comes with the Bambino Plus is made of metal whereas the tamper that comes with the Bambino is made of plastic.

Verdict - Accessories

The winner is the Bambino Plus. It comes with more accessories than the Bambino, including the Razor precision trimming tool. In addition, the Bambino Plus tamper is of higher quality being made of metal, whereas the Bambino tamper is made of plastic.

Value for Money

This might be a controversial topic because the features someone values might be seen as gimmicks by someone else.

Also, a less expensive product does not necessarily mean it is of better value.

At the time of writing, the Bambino Plus costs about $150 more than Bambino. For this additional cost, you get:

• An improved steam wand (4 holes vs 1 hole).
  
  
• An automatic milk steam wand programmable to 3 textures and temperatures.
  
  
• A greater selection of colors (9 for the Bambino Plus and 1 for the Bambino).
  
  
• More robust cleaning and maintenance programs with steam wand auto-purge.
  
  
• A slightly larger design but with a larger water tank that is 7 oz (400 mL) larger.
  
  
• A 2-year Limited Product Warranty instead of 1 Year Limited Product Warranty

Are the above features worth $150?

Our opinion is that: Yes - they are definitely worth it.

Especially if you are not a morning person. Manually texturing your milk in the morning might seem like a daunting task if you just woke up and need coffee ASAP.

The convenience of automatic steaming will prove very useful and convenient for the majority of people.

Of course, if you don't care about milk and only drink espresso or Americanos, then getting the regular Bambino makes more sense. It's just that the majority of the consumers are not purists, myself included.

Verdict - Value

The winner is Bambino Plus. You get better value for your money since it provides many features that help make the milk steaming process easier and of higher quality. The warranty period is also doubled!

Overall Verdict - Breville Bambino Plus vs. Breville Bambino

The clear Winner is the Bambino Plus!

There is a reason why the Bambino Plus made it to our list of the best Breville espresso machines!

The Breville Bambino Plus is better than the Bambino because:

• The Bambino Plus, albeit slightly larger, comes with a water reservoir that is 35 percent larger than the Bambino.
  
  
• The Bambino Plus comes in 9 colors whereas the Bambino comes in 1 color.
  
  
• The Bambino Plus comes with a 4-hole steam wand versus the Bambino which comes with 1-hole steam wand. The fomer's design should result in a quicker steaming time.
  
  
• The Bambino Plus has a manual or automatic milk steaming wand that can be programmed to 3 temperatures and milk textures. The Bambino's comes with a manual milk steam wand.
  
  
• The Bambino Plus comes with a more robust set of cleaning programs. It has two distinct cleaning cycles (cleaning and descaling) and has steam wand auto-purge. The Bambino comes with one single combined cleaning and descaling program and no steam wand auto-purge - this needs to be done manually.
  
  
• The Bambino Plus includes more accessories. The tamper is of higher quality than the one that comes with the Bambino.
  
  
• The Bambino Plus comes with a 2-year Limited Product Warranty whereas the Bambino comes with a 1-year Limited Product Warranty.
  
  
• Although the Bambino Plus costs $150 more, the features-to-cost ratio remains high while providing more convenience and ease of mind (with its 2-year warranty).

Frequently Asked Questions

Bottom Line

The Breville Bambino Plus is the clear winner between these two models.

This does not mean the base Bambino is not a good product! Both are semi automatic espresso makers that prepare delicious espresso drinks and even allow you to make latte art!

In fact, if you don't care about milk then the base model is the way to go.

We hope that this guide has proved helpful in comparing the Breville Bambino Vs the Breville Bambino Plus.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact us!