Breville Bambino vs Bambino Plus Review: Which Offers More Upgraded Features For Maximum Flavor Extraction & User-Friendliness?

I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Read more

There is no learning curve involved with the Breville Bambino or Bambino Plus. Unless you switch to the manual espresso mode. Even then, both espresso machines are easy to use and automatic! Brewing espresso and steaming milk at the perfect temperature in the quickest time possible!

Looking at how both espresso makers perform, the Breville Bambino Plus is a favorite choice. It has superior features, like the integrated sensor, that automatically understands the key basics of brewing espresso at home. Perfect for a beginner home barista who wants less control and better coffee taste.

The Breville Bambino is an entry-level espresso machine. It can make delicious lattes or black coffee but you can also switch to manual for better control.

Breville Bambino vs Bambino Plus: Comparison Chart

Image
The Winner (#1)
Breville Bambino Plus Espresso Machine,64 Fluid Ounces, Brushed Stainless Steel, BES500BSS
The Runner-up (#2)
Model
Breville Bambino Plus BES500BSS
Breville Bambino BES450
Dimensions (LxWxH)
12.5 x 7.6 x 12.2 Inches
12.5 x 7.6 x 12.2 Inches
Weight
3.1 Pounds
3.1 Pounds
Color
Brushed Stainless Steel
Brushed Stainless Steel
Power / Voltage
1560W / 110-120V
1560W / 110-120V
Material
Stainless Steel
Stainless Steel
Bar Pump Technology
15
9
Removable Water Tank Capacity
1.9 Liters
1.2 Liters
Interface
LCD Display, Button Control
Analog Gauge, Button Control
Controls
4 settings: Single and Double Shot, Temperature, Hot Water & Steam Button
3 settings: Single and Double Shot, Hot Water & Steam Button
Tamper Material
Metal
Plastic
Steam Wand Cleaning Tool
ThermoJet Heating System
Cup Warming Tray
Warranty
2 Years
1 Year
-
-
What I Like
Price
Price not available
$299.95
The Winner (#1)
Image
Breville Bambino Plus Espresso Machine,64 Fluid Ounces, Brushed Stainless Steel, BES500BSS
Model
Breville Bambino Plus BES500BSS
Dimensions (LxWxH)
12.5 x 7.6 x 12.2 Inches
Weight
3.1 Pounds
Color
Brushed Stainless Steel
Power / Voltage
1560W / 110-120V
Material
Stainless Steel
Bar Pump Technology
15
Removable Water Tank Capacity
1.9 Liters
Interface
LCD Display, Button Control
Controls
4 settings: Single and Double Shot, Temperature, Hot Water & Steam Button
Tamper Material
Metal
Steam Wand Cleaning Tool
ThermoJet Heating System
Cup Warming Tray
Warranty
2 Years
-
What I Like
Price
Price not available
More Info
The Runner-up (#2)
Image
Model
Breville Bambino BES450
Dimensions (LxWxH)
12.5 x 7.6 x 12.2 Inches
Weight
3.1 Pounds
Color
Brushed Stainless Steel
Power / Voltage
1560W / 110-120V
Material
Stainless Steel
Bar Pump Technology
9
Removable Water Tank Capacity
1.2 Liters
Interface
Analog Gauge, Button Control
Controls
3 settings: Single and Double Shot, Hot Water & Steam Button
Tamper Material
Plastic
Steam Wand Cleaning Tool
ThermoJet Heating System
Cup Warming Tray
Warranty
1 Year
-
What I Like
Price
$299.95

Last update on 2023-09-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Breville Bambino vs Bambino Plus – Differences

The Bambino Plus features intricate temperature-control features with the sensor which the Bambino doesn’t offer to its users. This gives the Bambino Plus an edge because it takes the guesswork away.

Having said that, the battle for the best Bambino contender is the Bambino Plus with 4 – 2 against its predecessor, the Breville Bambino.

9 vs 15 Bar Pump System

According to my research, the ideal range of extraction in an at-home espresso maker is between an 8 to 10 bar pump system. But this heavily relies on the coffee beans and grind size as well.

Bambino Plus BES500 pump in action
Bambino Plus BES500 in action

However, it’s more effective when you use a 9 bar pump system because it gives you fewer variables to tweak before every shot. For a beginner, it takes away the complicated thing about using espresso machines at home.

A 9 bar pump system is faster to control with better, more consistent results.

Compared to 9, a 15 bar pump system is faster because it sheds a few more seconds from the shot. You might get your espresso shot faster but it might not always be consistent.

The optimal time for pulling an espresso shot is 25 to 30 seconds.

So the brewing pressure of the Bambino which adopts a 9 bar pump system is better. This makes rich and strong espresso consistently.

But the Bambino Plus’s intelligent temperature sensor brews espresso well despite the 15 bar pump system. The temperature sensor controls the taste of espresso. It even features an auto-purge feature that cleans and resets the system quickly so you can brew another cup instantly. You won’t find this type or speed of restoration in the Bambino.

Interface

The Breville Bambino features simple yet effective buttons to control the brewing and make certain adjustments to each shot. Here you have the one-touch buttons with flashing light indicators. So you’ll know exactly what you’re doing without getting confused.

Breville Bambino BES450 Interface
Breville Bambino BES450 Interface

The buttons include the single and double espresso shot size, the steam button, and the hot water button. It’s quick and straightforward to use. If you’re looking for a classic design, the Breville Bambino meets all expectations.

The Bambino Plus has a slightly upgraded design with 5 buttons instead of 4 buttons. The extra button is the temperature control setting. You also have a little scale to display the coffee temperature and another scale to measure the foam density of the milk for the perfect creamy latte or cappuccino.

The volumetric controls on the Breville Bambino and Bambino Plus are the same. What’s improved is the temperature and foam light – making the Bambino Plus an accurate and intuitive pick.

Drip Tray

Both the Bambino and Bambino Plus come with a sturdy and high-quality drip tray. The Bambino’s has a plastic red indicator that sits inside the drip tray to let you know exactly when the drip tray is about to overflow.

This tiny thing is very useful if you use the machine daily. All the extra espresso and hot water gets collected inside the drip tray without leaking out.

The Bambino Plus’s drip tray’s build quality is solid and well put together. There is no discernible difference in quality or utility between the two. The only difference, however, is in the position of the red indicator. In the Bambino Plus, it’s placed on the left-hand side of the tray, rather than the middle which is where the Bambino has it.

I recommend emptying out the Bambino Plus drip tray after every 3 cups of coffee.

Design

The design elements of the Breville Bambino are durable and high-quality. The coffee filter, drip tray, and steam wand work so well together. The compact size isn’t wobbly or awkward to use. It’s quite sturdy and easier to clean with a faster heat-up time.

The Bambino and Bambino Plus are lightweight and portable machines. However, the Bambino is smaller with a 1.4L water tank. It has a slimmer top design with a stainless steel finish.

The Bambino Plus has a 1.9L water tank with a sizeable top design which keeps it sturdier. You can pick from a variety of finishes, not just stainless steel. And the Bambino Plus features a more reliable tamper made of metal and not plastic which is what the Bambino offers.

Plastic tampers are useful but they don’t last as long as metal tampers.

Moving on, the larger water reservoir does mean that the Bambino Plus takes up more space on your countertop. But overall, it’s a petite espresso maker that is also easy to clean.

Steam Wand

Bambino Plus Steam Wand
Bambino Plus Steam Wand

The steam wand of the Breville Bambino is fast but with a basic setup. It boasts of a one-hole steam wand that gets the milk to the perfect frothing temperature at 266-degrees Fahrenheit. This makes the coffee hot and silky for blending with espresso.

Bambino Plus features a 3-hole steam wand that has a better feel and response, plus it gets the milk to the perfect hot and steamy temperature. The Breville Plus steam wand feels superior to the Bambino. It can consistent steam milk for lattes and cappuccinos with a faster heat-up time.

Even though both steam wands clean up automatically, the auto-purge setting of the Bambino Plus makes the steam more pro-active, useful, and longer-lasting!

And the fact that you can quickly adjust the temperature of the steam gives you more control over how light or dense you want the foam to be.

Warranty

Bambino offers a 1-year warranty and the Bambino Plus offers a 2-year warranty. Both warranties, however, are purposive and dependable. Assuring long-term and productive use for home brewing!

Breville Bambino vs Bambino Plus – Similarities

Espresso Quality

The brewing technology of the Bambino and Bambino Plus are advantageous with zero flaws. They might take slightly contrasting routes but the end result is the same – delicious, crema-infused, and aromatic espresso.

Thanks to Breville’s pre-infusion and PID technology. The Breville also adopts a ThermoJet Heating system that maintains stable temperature while brewing.

Both espresso machines also offer a 54mm portafilter with 19 to 22g of dose. You can brew single and double espresso quickly with the touch of a button. But if you want more control, press down on the Bambino’s single or double espresso button to manually control the shot pulling time!

Quick Rundown of Breville Bambino Plus BES500

Breville Bambino Plus Espresso Machine,64 Fluid Ounces, Brushed Stainless Steel, BES500BSS
  • Please refer to user guide or user manual or user guide (provided below in PDF) before first use

Last update on 2023-09-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Pros
  • Instant heat-up time and consistency.
  • Strong and durable stainless steel body.
  • Quick programmability features with one-touch buttons.
  • The auto-purge steam wand works effectively.
Cons
  • Bulkier design so it requires more space.

Quick Rundown of Breville Bambino BES450

Pros
  • Easy to use and intuitive control panel.
  • Sleek and powerful design.
  • Little to no learning curve involved.
  • You can switch to manual control.
  • Accurate temperature functions for espresso/steaming.
Cons
  • Heat-up time is slightly slower.

Product Videos

Related Articles to Breville Bambino Plus

  1. Breville Bambino Plus vs Gaggia Classic Pro: Reviewing Automation Level, Espresso Flavor, Additional Features Of 2 Very Distinctive Models
  2. Delonghi Dedica Deluxe vs Breville Bambino Plus: Which Is The Better Compact, Mid-range Espresso Machine?
  3. Breville Bambino Plus vs Barista Express: The Ultimate Comparison Review
  4. Breville Bambino Plus vs Nespresso Creatista: Which Is The Best Coffee Maker?
  5. Breville Bambino Plus vs Barista Pro: Comparison For Espresso Drinkers
  6. Breville Bambino Plus vs Infuser: Which Should You Buy?
  7. Breville Café Roma vs Bambino Plus: Which Is Better & Why?
  8. The Best Breville Bambino Plus vs Bambino Pro: Comparison For Buyers

Related Articles to Breville Bambino

  1. Breville Bambino vs Gaggia Classic: Which Is The Better Cut-Price Espresso Machine?
  2. Gaggia Carezza Deluxe vs Breville Bambino: Which Espresso Machine Is Better For At-Home Use?
  3. Breville Bambino vs Gaggia Classic Pro: Reviewing 2 Cut-Price Espresso Machines For Homeowners
  4. Nespresso Creatista vs Breville Bambino Review: 6 Important Differences Yet Both Are Superb Home Espresso Machines 
  5. Breville Duo Temp Pro vs Bambino Review: Find Out The Fastest Way To Specialty Coffee With These Serious Espresso Machines
  6. Breville Infuser vs Bambino Review: What Is The Right Choice?
  7. Breville Barista Express vs Bambino Review: What You Need To Know About Their Programmability & Ease of Use For Daily Brewing
  8. Breville Café Roma vs Bambino: Affordable & Compact Pick For Espresso Lovers To Master At Home
5/5 - (1 vote)