Gaggia Carezza Deluxe vs Breville Bambino: Which Espresso Machine Is Better For At-Home Use?

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

If you are wondering between purchasing Gaggia Carezza Deluxe vs Breville Bambino, let me give you a quick answer: Gaggia is the better option out of the two.

Gaggia Carezza Deluxe is designed with a front-loaded water tank that can easily slide out of the machine and it can brew excellent espresso flavor with thick crema. It also features a spacious cup holder (for a compact device) and a standby mode that puts itself to sleep after 9 minutes.

As for the runner-up Breville Bambino, this model’s buttons are much easier to understand, so you won’t have to take time learning the purpose of each one. But overall, its ability to pull average espresso quality and regular layers of crema isn’t what I’m looking for in an espresso machine.

Gaggia Carezza Deluxe vs Breville Bambino: Comparison chart

Image
THE WINNER (#1)
Gaggia Carezza De Luxe Espresso Machine, 47oz, Silver
THE RUNNER-UP (#2)
Model
Gaggia Carezza Deluxe
Breville Bambino BES450
Dimensions (LxWxH)
8.3 x 11 x 11.8 Inches
12.5 x 7.6 x 12.2 Inches
Weight
12.8 Pounds
12 Pounds
Color/ Material
Silver/ plastic and stainless steel
Brushed Stainless Steel
Water Reservoir Capacity
47.3 oz/ Front-loaded
47 oz/ Back-loaded
Power / Voltage
1300W/ 120V
1560W / 110-120V
Pump Pressure
15 bars
9 bars
Auto stand-by mode
Cup Holder
Compatible with ESE pods
Automatic Rinsing
Pre infusion
Hot Water for Tea
Precise temperature control
Gauge
PID
Interface
Analog and buttons
Buttons
Steam Wand
Pannarello
Pannarello
What I Like
Price
$299.00
$299.95
THE WINNER (#1)
Image
Gaggia Carezza De Luxe Espresso Machine, 47oz, Silver
Model
Gaggia Carezza Deluxe
Dimensions (LxWxH)
8.3 x 11 x 11.8 Inches
Weight
12.8 Pounds
Color/ Material
Silver/ plastic and stainless steel
Water Reservoir Capacity
47.3 oz/ Front-loaded
Power / Voltage
1300W/ 120V
Pump Pressure
15 bars
Auto stand-by mode
Cup Holder
Compatible with ESE pods
Automatic Rinsing
Pre infusion
Hot Water for Tea
Precise temperature control
Gauge
Interface
Analog and buttons
Steam Wand
Pannarello
What I Like
Price
$299.00
More Info
THE RUNNER-UP (#2)
Image
Model
Breville Bambino BES450
Dimensions (LxWxH)
12.5 x 7.6 x 12.2 Inches
Weight
12 Pounds
Color/ Material
Brushed Stainless Steel
Water Reservoir Capacity
47 oz/ Back-loaded
Power / Voltage
1560W / 110-120V
Pump Pressure
9 bars
Auto stand-by mode
Cup Holder
Compatible with ESE pods
Automatic Rinsing
Pre infusion
Hot Water for Tea
Precise temperature control
PID
Interface
Buttons
Steam Wand
Pannarello
What I Like
Price
$299.95

Last update on 2024-03-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Gaggia Carezza Deluxe vs Breville Bambino: Differences

Gaggia Carezza Deluxe wins 2-1 against Breville Bambino thanks to its front-loaded water tank for easy removal and optimum espresso quality cups after cups. Read on to know exactly how it is better in these aspects.

Water Tank’s Features

Winner: Gaggia Carezza Deluxe

Both models feature a 47oz water tank that is big enough to satisfy the everyday needs of 1 to 2 coffee drinkers per day. The difference lies in the position of the water tanks and how we remove them from the machine.

Gaggia Carezza Deluxe features a standard front-loaded water tank
Gaggia Carezza Deluxe features a standard front-loaded water tank

With Gaggia Carezza Deluxe, you have direct access to the water reservoir since it is situated at the front of the machine. By sliding the tank out, you can easily add more water without having to save space for this machine. Also, there is a water level indicator that shows how much water is left in the tank. It tells you the minimum amount for the machine to function as well.

As for the Breville Bambino, you can locate its water tank at the back of the machine’s body. You can slide the tank out or pour water in it directly, which is very convenient in my opinion.

However, this also means you will have to make space for this model since it can’t be placed under a kitchen cabinet or close to a wall. Otherwise, you won’t have enough space to slide the tank out vertically or pour water in comfortably.

Espresso Quality

Winner: Gaggia Carezza Deluxe

Gaggia Carezza Deluxe is the absolute winner in this case for me. After testing the brewing qualities of both machines, I’ve found the Gaggia one to be superior in brewing any grind size and produces a more dense crema than Breville.  Many consumers who have tried this model agree with me in this aspect.

Gaggia Carezza Deluxe pulls excelent espresso with thick crema
Gaggia Carezza Deluxe pulls excelent espresso with thick crema

The flow of the espresso when the machine starts to pour is very consistent and the speed is ideal, not too fast not too slow. The results are espresso shots with balanced flavor, slightly sweet and full-bodied, and with thick crema, of course.

As for the Breville, it also can pull espresso with a decent layer of crema, but I’m not impressed by the overall espresso quality. I notice that it usually pours very slowly and the taste of coffee afterward tends to be a bit bitter.

I had to go easy with the tamper because this model doesn’t handle a coffee puck well made of fine coffee grounds. So if you go for this machine, make sure that you grind the coffee beans coarser and don’t press the tamper too firmly.

Control of Interface

Winner: Breville Bambino

Between Gaggia Carezza Deluxe vs Breville Bambino, the Breville easily wins in the debate of control of the interface. This model is easier to operate thanks to its one-touch buttons. Also, the instructions of said buttons are easier to understand as well. With a glance, you know which is for one shot, two shots, hot water, brewing, or steaming.

Breville Bambino has a simple set of buttons
Breville Bambino has a simple set of buttons

As for the Gaggia Carezza Deluxe, the buttons confused me at first, but with a bit of investigation, I succeeded in learning how to use it. The interface includes 4 buttons and 1 analog. The 4 buttons are for: turning the machine on/off, brewing, hot water, steaming, respectively.

When the light of each button flickers, it means that it is in preparation mode, when the light remains stable, you can start using the feature that you have selected.

The analog’s purpose is to adjust the steam pressure. You can purge the steam wand by setting the machine in steaming condition and turning the analog on.

Gaggia Carezza Deluxe vs Breville Bambino: Similarities

Gaggia Carezza Deluxe and Breville Bambino share the same quiet operation and both feature a cup holder that works as a warming tray. How do these features help you brew a better cup of coffee? Let’s find out.

Quiet Operation

Both machines operate quietly for me, even though there isn’t any feature in the design that tells me that the manufacturers do it on purpose. They simply don’t produce that much noise as other espresso machines that I have reviewed before.

Gaggia Carezza Deluxe and Breville Bambino operate without making too much noise

Cupholder

Both come with a cup holder, aka warming tray, but the Gaggia model can handle up to 4 30ml cups, while the Breville model has only enough space for 2 to 3 cups. So if you want a bigger tray, you know that Gaggia offers more space.

Quick Rundown of Gaggia Carezza Deluxe

Gaggia Carezza De Luxe Espresso Machine, 47oz, Silver
  • Note: 1)Too coarse a grind, too little coffee, or insufficiently tamping the grounds before brewing can all lead to inadequate pressure for a proper brew. 2)It is important to note that the amount of espresso extracted will vary depending on the grind size and amount and reprogramming may be needed when the size and amount are adjusted
  • FROTHING FOR MILK BEVERAGES: Pannarello wand frothing for cappuccinos & lattes. Wand doubles as a hot water dispenser for Americanos & tea
  • Brewing features: pressurized porta filter brews both ground Coffee and ESE pods. Pre-infusion function pre-wets grounds before brewing for rich, even extraction
  • AUTOMATIC POWER DOWN: The Carezze will power down after 9 minutes of inactivity to save energy
  • FRONT LOADED WATER RESERVOIR: Features a 47oz capacity and pulls out from the front of the machine, water level is visible, and the reservoir is compatible with the Mavea Inteza water filter system

Last update on 2024-03-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Pros
  • Consistent espresso flavor without requiring certain coffee grind size
  • Front-loaded water tank that is easy to remove
  • It goes into standby mode automatically to save energy
  • The warming tray can fit 4 espresso cups
Cons
  • The buttons and analog requires a bit of a learning curve

Quick Rundown of Breville Bambino

Pros
  • Precise temperature control for consistent hot espresso
  • Easy operation with buttons for one shot or two shots of espresso
  • Quick heat-up time, ideal for busy users
Cons
  • 9 bars pump pressure, not ideal in the long run

Product Videos

Related Articles to Gaggia Carezza Deluxe

  1. Gaggia Carezza Deluxe Vs Gaggia Carezza Style: Detailed Comparison
  2. Gaggia Carezza Deluxe vs Classic Pro: Which Is Best For You?

Related Articles to Breville Bambino

  1. Breville Bambino vs Gaggia Classic: Which Is The Better Cut-Price Espresso Machine?
  2. Breville Bambino Vs Gaggia Classic Pro: A Head-To-Head Comparison
  3. Nespresso Creatista Vs Breville Bambino: You Need To Know What You Want Every Day!
  4. Breville Duo Temp Pro Vs Bambino Review: A Breville Espresso Machine Comparison
  5. Breville Infuser vs Bambino Review: What Is The Right Choice?
  6. Breville Barista Express vs Bambino Review: What You Need To Know About Their Programmability & Ease of Use For Daily Brewing
  7. Breville Bambino Vs Bambino Plus: Is the Difference Worth It?
  8. Breville Cafe Roma Vs Bambino: Comparing Two Low-Price Coffee Machines

References:

5/5 - (2 votes)