Stucking between getting Nespresso Creatista vs Breville Bambino? Don’t worry! I’m here to help you make the right choice.
If you want authentic espresso to start or wrap up your day, you must choose the Breville Bambino. Still, this means you’ll need to invest in a separate grinder that adds more than $200 to your budget and put time in every morning to grind the beans and tamp the grounds.
The Nespresso Creatista is just fine if you’re all about that easy, breezy coffee life. You just wake up, pop in a pod of your choice, make a drink, and then hit up your favorite coffee shop to enjoy an authentic cup of coffee on the weekends.
Nespresso Creatista Vs Breville Bambino: Specs & Features Comparison Chart
Last update on 2024-04-13 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Nespresso Creatista Vs Breville Bambino: Differences
We’ve a tie here. But personally, I would still give the nod to the Breville Bambino because I’m a fan of fresh ground coffee, not ground-packaged pods!
Coffee Flavor & Brewing System
Winner: Breville Bambino
Built-in Grinder
The Breville Bambino is a bean-to-cup machine but lacks a built-in grinder, so you need to splurge on one to go with it. As a pod-based machine, the Nespresso Creatista saves you from the grinding game, of course it does.
You can also use pre-ground coffee with the Breville Bambino as long as you purchase additional pressurized filter baskets. This one comes with a pair of non-pressurized filter baskets, a 54mm portafilter, and a plastic tamper.
The tamper isn’t terrible, but let’s be real, it’s a bit on the lightweight side and the ergonomics isn’t exactly awe-inspiring. Hence, I highly recommend upgrading to a stainless steel tamper to up the game. Well, it does seem like there’s a bit of a shopping list to really get the most out of the Breville Bambino.
Heating System
You’ll find the ThermoJet heating system on many Breville espresso machines, including both the Nespresso Creatista and Bambino. It heats up in a lightning-fast 3 seconds and is a real energy saver compared to the usual thermoblock or traditional boiler, which is a big win.
Yes, just 3 seconds. It is safe to say that you definitely won’t be clock-watching while waiting for your machine to heat up in the morning.
My one little gripe with this super-fast heating system is that it tends to leave the portafilter cool until after several brewing cycles. So, you’ll need to run hot water through it a couple of times before pulling that first shot.
Brewing System
The Nespresso Creatista and Bambino use 19- and 15-bar pumps, respectively. Espresso is best extracted under a minimum pressure of 9 bars, so these machines are sure to handle that.
The thing is that the Breville Bambino brews coffee from fresh ground coffee (unless you use pre-ground coffee), which uncompromisingly beats pod-based things that come from the Nespresso Creatista. Many demanding enthusiasts even consider Nespresso drinks inferior in terms of taste, and that is understandable.
When coffee beans are ground, they begin to oxidize and lose their flavor and aroma rapidly, not to mention that pods sit on store shelves for a while before they land in your hands. Still, a little trick is that you can use refillable pods filled with your own favorite fresh ground coffee.
By the way, the Breville Bambino has pre-infusion, which plays a big role in the extraction process. What’s even cooler is that you have the option to adjust the duration of this pre-brewing step to your liking.
Design & Convenience
Winner: Breville Bambino
Dimensions & User Interface
| Breville Nespresso Creatista | Breville Bambino | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 15.5 x 12.1 x 6.7 inches | 12.6 x 12.2 x 7.7 inches |
| Weight | 11.2 lbs | 10.7 lbs |
Right off the bat, despite hailing from different realms, the Nespresso Creatista and Bambino have a strikingly similar look, and most importantly, they’re both compact. And while the Nespresso Creatista blends plastic with stainless steel in its design, the Breville Bambino goes all out with a completely stainless steel housing that certainly makes sense in terms of build quality.
Speaking of controls, there is no complicated setup that could make your head spin. The Breville Bambino just features some illuminated buttons. On top of the Nespresso Creatista, there’s just a color screen operated by a button and a dial.
Spout Type & Cup Clearance
| Breville Nespresso Creatista | Breville Bambino | |
|---|---|---|
| Spout Type | Single | Dual |
| Cup Clearance | 4.5 inches | 4 inches |
In the context of cup height, taller is generally considered better. Sure, both can accommodate any standard espresso cup, but what about taller travel mugs or insulated coffee mugs?
The good news is that these machines offer ample space under the portafilter to fit all the espresso cups. And if you require additional space, you can always remove their drip trays.
The Nespresso Creatista has a small pop-out tray to elevate your small cups closer to the dispenser. The Breville Bambino doesn’t have this nifty feature, but it can brew two cups of espresso at once (although its drip tray is quite small to hold two cups).
Water Reservoir & Bean Hopper
| Breville Nespresso Creatista | Breville Bambino | |
|---|---|---|
| Water Reservoir | 1.5 litres | 1.4 liters |
| Used Capsule Container/Bean Bean Hopper | 12 pods | None |
Their rear-mounted water tanks are transparent and completely removable, so you can easily take them out and fill them. Avoid leaving water in the tanks for extended periods if the machine isn’t used frequently since this might lead to algae growth, which is certainly something you’d want to prevent.
Milk Frothing System
Winner: Nespresso Creatista
This is where the Nespresso Creatista steals the show with its automatic steam wand. As easy as you’d guess, all you need to do is place the milk jug filled with milk in place, choose the temperature and texture of milk foam you desire, press the button, and walk away.
Just make sure you put the jug on a temperature sensor on the drip tray so the machine can continuously monitor the temperature of the milk and stop at just the right moment. Then the machine automatically purges itself to keep everything hygienic and prepped for your next steaming session.
As for the Breville Bambino, it has a manual steam wand that is mounted on a ball joint for ease of handling. It is also powerful enough to help you consistently create excellent microfoam. So as long as you’re up for the task of steaming milk manually, this machine is capable of delivering café-standard outcomes.
Drink Options & Programmability
Winner: Nespresso Creatista
Drink Options
| Breville Nespresso Creatista | Breville Bambino |
|---|---|
| Ristretto Espresso Lungo Flat white Cafe latte Cappuccino Latte macchiato Milk foam | Espresso Hot water |
The Nespresso Creatista offers 8 one-tap specialty drinks, which is quite impressive for a pod machine. On the flip side, the Breville Bambino demands a bit more effort and involvement to recreate your favorite beverages.
For example, brewing a cappuccino or latte macchiato is simply pressing a button on the Nespresso Creatista. As for the Breville Bambino, you need to play with its steam wand, and if you don’t do the job well, you might end up with a just blend of espresso and hot milk.
Still, it’s a pity that the Nespresso Creatista doesn’t have a hot water function. I know that everyone has a kettle in their arsenal, but it’s good that the coffee machine can dispense hot water itself. For example, the Breville Bambino can dispense hot water via its steam wand.
Programmability
| Adjustable Settings | Breville Nespresso Creatista | Breville Bambino |
|---|---|---|
| Coffee Strength | No | No |
| Coffee Temperature | No | No |
| Milk Foam Temperature | Yes | No |
| Milk Foam Texture | Yes | No |
Both machines offer the flexibility to manually adjust the volume of coffee. The Nespresso Creatista even allows you to pre-set the milk foam’s temperature and texture with 5 and 4 levels, respectively.
Quick Rundown Of Breville Bambino
- Please refer to user guide or user manual or user guide (provided below in PDF) before first use
- Low pressure pre infusion: Low pressure pre infusion gradually increases pressure at the start and helps ensure all the flavors are drawn out evenly during the extraction for a balanced tasting cup
- Automatic Microfoam Milk Texturing: The automatic steam wand allows you to adjust the milk temperature and texture to suit your taste; Delivering Barista quality microfoam that enhances flavor and enables creation of latte art
- Espresso Machine with precise extraction: Digital temperature control (PID) delivers water at precisely the right temperature ensuring optimal Espresso extraction
Last update on 2024-04-13 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Quick Rundown Of Breville Nespresso Creatista
- ESPRESSO MACHINE: Enjoy a full range of espresso coffee with Nespresso! Includes an integrated milk frother, 3 seconds heat up and energy saving automatic shut off.
- COFFEE SELECTIONS: Brew better coffee at home with three programmable coffee selections to create the perfect ristretto, expresso or lungo.
- SINGLE SERVE COFFEE AND ESPRESSO MACHINE: The Nespresso Creatista Plus offers freshly brewed coffee as well as delicious authentic espresso. The Creatista plus can turn into your personal latte maker with the attached milk frother allowing you to create top quality latte art in your kitchen. Pour over ice to create your favorite iced coffee drinks.
- INCLUDES: One Nespresso espresso maker with a sleek, stainless steel design that fits perfectly in any modern kitchen.
- COMPLIMENTARY GIFT: Each machine includes a complimentary starter set of Nespresso capsules (capsule assortment may vary from picture)
Last update on 2024-04-13 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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References:
- Breville Bambino: https://www.breville.com/us/en/products/espresso/bes450.html
Felix Hendricks is a skilled barista with over 12 years of experience. He excels in crafting coffee and has a strong foundation in coffee machine mechanics. Felix holds a Coffee Machine Maintenance Certification from the Coffee Equipment Technical Institute, showcasing his ability to diagnose and repair coffee machines. He’s also worked as a quality control specialist, selecting premium coffee beans for optimal flavor. Felix has a diverse work history, including stints at renowned coffee spots like Café Euphoria & Starbucks. His expertise in both brewing and machine maintenance makes him a respected figure in the coffee industry.