Breville Bambino vs Bambino Plus: What 8 Reviewers Found

In the Breville Bambino vs Bambino Plus decision, the espresso is not the variable. Both machines share the same ThermoJet heater, the same fixed brew temperature and the same 54 mm group, and every reviewer who pulled shots side by side called the espresso a tie. What you are paying extra for with the Plus is automatic milk steaming, plus a handful of smaller changes that matter more in daily use than spec sheets suggest: a bigger tank, a three-way solenoid, a drip tray that fills faster and no dedicated hot water button.

We went through eight YouTube reviews (six independent, two from retailers) and several hundred owner comments. Most comparison pages stop at the spec list. This one covers what reviewers actually measured, where they disagreed, and what owners report after three to seven years.

The Short Answer

Choose the Breville Bambino if you mostly drink espresso or Americanos, you use oat or other plant milks, you're willing to learn to steam by hand, or you'd rather put the price difference toward a better grinder. Craft Coffee Spot and Coffee Coach RYDE both recommend it for that last reason.

Check the Bambino's price on Amazon

Choose the Breville Bambino Plus if someone in your house wants a latte at the press of a button and has no interest in learning milk technique. Coffee Kev, who has used both for years, puts it simply: if you want auto milk frothing, get the Plus. If you don't, get the Bambino.

See the Bambino Plus on Amazon

Breville Bambino vs Bambino Plus: Specs That Matter

	Breville Bambino (BES450)	Breville Bambino Plus (BES500)
Heater	ThermoJet, about 3 s heat-up	ThermoJet, about 3 s heat-up
Brew temperature	PID, fixed around 93 °C	PID, fixed around 93 °C
Portafilter	54 mm	54 mm
Steam wand	Manual only, 1-hole tip, ball joint	Auto or manual, 4-hole tip
Milk temperature/texture presets	None	3 temperature × 3 texture levels
Hot water	Dedicated button	Hidden two-button combo via the wand
Three-way solenoid	No	Yes
Water tank	1.4 L (47 oz)	1.9 L
Width	6.3 in	7.7 in
Colours	Brushed stainless	Several finishes
Price tier	Entry level	Under $500 tier

The width figures come from Breville's Amazon listings. Coffee Kev measured both machines at the same 35 cm depth and 30.5 cm height, so the Plus is only wider.

Espresso Quality: A Tie

Nobody found a difference in the cup. Coffee Kev, Lifestyle Lab, Craft Coffee Spot and Seattle Coffee Gear all made drinks on both machines and reached the same conclusion, and Kev called them essentially the same espresso machine. Both have low-pressure pre-infusion, a PID that holds the heater at roughly 93 °C, and programmable one- and two-cup buttons. Both ship with pressurized and single-wall baskets.

Two caveats apply to both machines equally:

• Brew temperature is fixed. Kev and Lance Hedrick both found that 93 °C suits medium-dark to dark roasts. Light roasts are harder to dial in, and neither machine lets you raise the temperature.
• The 3-second heat-up only covers the heater. Five of the eight reviewers told viewers to run a blank shot with the portafilter locked in and a cup underneath before brewing. Lance's probe testing showed the coil holding superheated water that sputters out as steam if you skip the purge. Kev traces most owner emails about a fine first shot followed by a choked second one to a cold group, and says a longer preheat flush usually fixes it.

Our espresso-to-water ratio guide covers dialling in once the machine is warm.

Milk Steaming: The Real Reason the Plus Exists

On the Plus, you set a temperature and a texture level, stand the jug on a sensor plate in the drip tray, press one button and walk away. The wand stops at the target temperature and purges itself when you push it back down. Alternative Brewing, a retailer whose review we weighted down, got its best results at settings two or three and with the jug pushed fully back on the plate. Kev uses texture 1 and temperature 2 for a flat white.

The Plus is also quicker when you steam by hand. Kev timed 170 ml of milk to 60 °C at 40 seconds on the Plus and 52 seconds on the Bambino, mostly because of the four-hole tip. Both reached steam pressure in about four seconds.

Some reviewers count the Bambino's slower single-hole tip as an advantage. Marco at Craft Coffee Spot says the full minute gives beginners time to angle the jug and get the air in before the milk overheats. He also found that the Plus's auto mode handled oat milk poorly, because the wand stays submerged and can't stretch lower-fat plant milk enough. That's one reviewer's experience, but several commenters said it was what made them pick the Bambino.

Coffee Coach RYDE offers a workaround for Bambino owners: angle the wand into the jug and let it run. The machine cuts off on its own, at around 62 to 70 °C by his estimate, which gets you close to hands-free milk.

Hot Water, the Solenoid and the Drip Tray

These three small differences come up constantly in owner comments.

Hot water. The Bambino has a dedicated hot water button. The Plus doesn't, which led Lifestyle Lab to say it can't dispense hot water. Commenters corrected that at least five times: on the Plus you lift the wand, hold the one-cup and froth buttons together, then press one-cup again to stop. Coffee Kev and Craft Coffee Spot describe the same combo. If you make Americanos every morning, the Bambino's single button is less fiddly.

Three-way solenoid. Only the Plus has one. Once a shot ends it vents the trapped pressure and water down into the drip tray, so pucks come out drier and you can remove the portafilter straight away. Kev sees the Bambino's lack of a solenoid as a fair trade on a machine with a tiny drip tray, because it means slightly wetter pucks but fewer trips to the sink. It also means no backflushing is needed. Two owners noted that the Bambino keeps dripping from the spout for a while after the shot, which the Plus doesn't do.

Drip tray. Kev measured the Plus tray at about 150 ml of usable capacity. Each automatic wand purge adds roughly 30 ml, and the solenoid adds 5 to 10 ml per shot. In practice that means emptying it every few milk drinks. Lance and Alternative Brewing both suggest dumping it after almost every use. Kev's fix is to hold a cup under the wand when you push it down so the purge goes there instead. Lifestyle Lab and Craft Coffee Spot also found the Plus tray flimsier, since it holds the milk sensor.

Size, Tank and Build

The Plus is about an inch and a half wider and holds 1.9 L to the Bambino's 1.4 L, and Craft Coffee Spot liked its low-water sensor. If your counter space is tight, the Bambino's 6.3-inch width is the main reason to choose it. Our Breville Bambino review covers that machine's footprint and cup clearance in detail.

Both are light. Seattle Coffee Gear, Kev and Alternative Brewing all mention holding the machine with one hand while locking the portafilter with the other, and one owner fixed sliding with blobs of adhesive putty under the feet.

Where Reviewers Disagreed

• Portafilter. Lance Hedrick says the Plus portafilter has a heavier stainless head while the Bambino's is coated aluminium, and Seattle Coffee Gear also found the Plus one weightier. Craft Coffee Spot and Lifestyle Lab describe the two as essentially the same, with plastic inside. Everyone agreed the stock portafilter is the weakest part. Kev and Lance both suggest an aftermarket 54 mm upgrade if it bothers you.
• Tamper. Kev says the Plus comes with a proper metal tamper. Alternative Brewing called its unit's tamper plastic, and Lance found his slightly undersized. Check the box contents on the listing you buy.
• Value. RYDE argues that the extra money buys auto steaming and little else. His commenters pushed back, pointing to the larger tank, the solenoid, the colour options and the portafilter. Lance, who disclosed consulting work for Breville on unrelated projects, calls the Plus the best espresso machine under $500 out of the box, and rates a Gaggia Classic Pro as better value only if you modify it.
• Pressurized baskets. Seattle Coffee Gear said both machines ship with pressurized baskets only. That was true of some early bundles, but every newer review shows single-wall baskets in the box as well.

What Owners Report After Years of Use

Reliability worries come up a lot because both machines are visibly built to a price. Lance's own words were that it is "cheaply built". Owner reports are more reassuring. Across the Lance Hedrick, Coffee Kev and Alternative Brewing comment sections, more than ten Plus owners reported three to seven years of daily use with only routine descaling and filtered water.

The failures that do get reported mostly involve the extra parts on the Plus. Kev hears now and then about milk sensor faults that leave all the lights flashing until the machine is repaired. One seven-year owner's steam wand started cutting out early with error lights. Kev's point is simple: the Bambino has fewer parts that can fail. On the Bambino side, one commenter reported two units that leaked from day one. A few owners noted that the base model now comes with a milk jug, which wasn't in the box at launch according to Lifestyle Lab.

Descaling is the same on both. Our guide to descaling a Breville covers the steps.

Spend the Difference on a Grinder?

Five reviewers said the grinder matters more than which Bambino you buy. Neither machine includes one, and the single-wall baskets that give you better espresso need an espresso-capable burr grinder. Craft Coffee Spot points out that the price gap between the two machines is about the cost of a decent hand grinder, so a Bambino plus a grinder costs roughly what a Plus costs on its own.

If you already own a good grinder, that argument goes away. If you don't, it's the strongest case for the base model. Kev names the Baratza Encore ESP among grinders that pair well with the Plus, and our espresso grinder roundup compares the options at that budget.

Check the Baratza Encore ESP on Amazon

Alternatives Worth a Look

Gaggia Classic Pro. Lance and Kev both mention it as the other serious option around this price. It has a 58 mm commercial portafilter and a sturdier build, but it doesn't have the Breville's PID or auto milk, and Lance says it only beats the Plus on value once you modify it.

See the Gaggia Classic Pro on Amazon

For a wider field, see our best espresso machines for beginners or the espresso machines hub.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the espresso better on the Bambino Plus?

No. Every reviewer who compared them found the espresso identical. Both use the same heater, fixed brew temperature, 54 mm group and pre-infusion.

Is the Bambino Plus worth it?

It is if hands-free milk will get used every day, for example by a partner who just wants a latte. It isn't if you mostly drink espresso, use plant milk, or need the money for a grinder.

Can the Bambino Plus make hot water?

Yes, but there's no dedicated button. Lift the wand, hold the one-cup and froth buttons together, then press one-cup to stop. The Bambino has a single hot water button.

Does the Bambino Plus temperature setting change shot temperature?

No. The three temperature levels apply only to milk. Seattle Coffee Gear's video suggested otherwise, and several owners corrected it in the comments. Brew temperature is fixed on both machines.

Does the Bambino Plus auto frother work with oat milk?

It works, but Craft Coffee Spot found auto mode weaker with oat milk and preferred steaming by hand. Coffee Kev suggests using the lowest temperature setting for plant milks.

Which one is more reliable?

Many Plus owners report three to seven years of daily use. The Bambino has fewer parts that can fail, with no milk sensor and no solenoid, which Coffee Kev counts in its favour.

Verdict

For most people choosing between these two, the Bambino is the better buy. The espresso is the same, it's narrower, the hot water button is simpler, and the money you save goes a long way toward a grinder, which affects your coffee more than anything else here. Buy the Plus if you know you'll use the automatic milk every day and you already have a grinder or have budgeted for one. That mixed household, with one person tinkering and another who wants a button-press latte, is exactly who Alternative Brewing and Kev say it suits.

How We Chose

We picked these eight from 36 candidate videos to get owners of both machines, long-term users and at least one sceptic of the Plus. Claims from the two retailer channels count for less, and anything that only one reviewer said is credited to that reviewer. Owner comments only count as a pattern when three or more people raised the same point.

Sources

• Coffee Kev — Bambino Vs Bambino Plus - Which is Best For You?
• Coffee Kev — Sage (Breville) Bambino Plus Review After Nearly 4 Years
• Craft Coffee Spot — My 1-year Review Of Breville Bambino Vs Bambino Plus
• Lance Hedrick — BAMBINO PLUS REVIEW: How Good Is It, Really?
• Coffee Coach RYDE — Which Breville Bambino do you need? Regular or Plus?
• Lifestyle Lab — Breville Bambino vs Bambino Plus
• Seattle Coffee Gear (retailer) — Breville Bambino vs. Breville Bambino Plus | Crew Comparison
• Alternative Brewing (retailer) — Breville Bambino Plus: The Honest Truth About This Espresso Machine