This is the most common upgrade question in budget espresso, and it's unusual in one respect: there's no shot-quality argument to hide behind. Independent reviewers who have tested both side by side consistently reach the same conclusion — extraction is effectively identical, and the decision is entirely about milk, convenience, and what else $200 could buy. Here's the full breakdown.
Last updated: October 2026
Spec Comparison
| Spec | Breville Bambino (BES450) | Breville Bambino Plus (BES500) |
|---|---|---|
| List price | $299.95 (~$300) | $499.95 (~$500) |
| Heating | ThermoJet, ~3-second heat-up | ThermoJet, ~3-second heat-up |
| Temperature control | PID | PID |
| Pre-infusion | Low-pressure, automatic | Low-pressure, automatic |
| Pump | 15-bar Italian pump | 15-bar Italian pump |
| Portafilter | 54mm, 18–19g dose | 54mm stainless steel, 18–19g dose |
| Baskets included | 1 & 2 cup, single-wall and dual-wall | 1 & 2 cup, single-wall and dual-wall |
| Steam wand | Manual, single-hole tip | Automatic texturing (3 temps × 3 textures) + manual mode |
| Auto purge after steaming | No | Yes |
| Water tank | 47 fl oz (~1.4L) | 64 fl oz (~1.9L) |
| Dimensions (Breville US listing) | 11.9 × 6.1 × 13.5 in | 11.9 × 7.4 × 14.3 in |
| Weight | ~10.9 lb | ~11 lb |
| Warranty | 1 year | 2 years |
| Extras in the box | Milk jug, tamper, steam-tip cleaning tool, descaling powder | 480ml milk jug, tamper, the Razor dosing tool, cleaning disc and tool |
| Grinder included | No | No |
Espresso Quality: A Genuine Tie
Start with what doesn't differ. Both machines heat through the same ThermoJet system in about 3 seconds, hold temperature with PID control, and begin every shot with the same gentle low-pressure pre-infusion before ramping to full pump pressure. Both use the same 54mm portafilter format and ship with the same four baskets — single-wall for fresh grounds and a real grinder, dual-wall (pressurized) for pre-ground coffee.
Expert consensus across multiple head-to-head reviews is unusually blunt on this pairing: the espresso is the same, because everything that touches the espresso is the same. Neither machine will out-pull the other with the same beans, grind, and puck prep. If a review tells you the Plus makes "better espresso," it's selling you the upgrade, not describing the machines.
What this means practically: your grinder decides which of these two setups tastes better, not the badge. A base Bambino paired with a capable grinder will beat a Bambino Plus fed pre-ground coffee every single day. Keep that in mind when we get to the value math below.
Winner Draw — identical extraction hardware.
Milk: The Entire Argument for the Plus
The Plus replaces the base machine's manual steam wand with Breville's automatic texturing system. You set a milk temperature (3 levels) and a texture level (3 levels), park the jug on the sensor, and press a button — the machine textures and heats the milk hands-free, then purges the wand automatically when you're done. Breville rates the steam at 266°F, and the system can also be run manually when you want control.
For daily latte and flat-white drinkers, this is a real quality-of-life upgrade, for three reasons:
- Consistency from day one. Manual steaming is the steepest skill in home espresso. Owner reports on the base Bambino follow a predictable arc: weeks of bubbly, overheated milk before the technique clicks. The Plus skips that arc entirely.
- It handles the morning rush. Texturing happens while you clean up, dose the next shot, or just stand there half awake. Two milk drinks back to back is a calmer process.
- Auto purge is quietly valuable. The base Bambino doesn't purge its wand after steaming, so milk residue bakes onto the tip if you don't wipe and purge immediately — the single most common maintenance complaint pattern for manual-wand machines at this price.
Now the honest limits. The Plus's automatic texture tops out at "very good" — reviewers consistently note that a practiced hand on the base machine's manual wand can match it and, for latte-art purists, exceed it, because you control aeration second by second. The base wand is a single-hole tip: slower and less powerful than the Plus's steam delivery, but genuinely capable of silky microfoam once learned — our Breville Bambino vs DeLonghi Dedica comparison covers what that wand can do. And the auto system adds a failure mode the base machine doesn't have: it depends on the jug sitting correctly on the temperature sensor, and owners report occasional aborted or off-texture runs when it isn't seated or the sensor is dirty.
Winner Bambino Plus for anyone who steams daily; Bambino for anyone happy to learn the wand.
Heat-Up, Size, and Living With Them
Both machines are ready in ~3 seconds, both are compact, and both are light enough (~11 lb) that you brace them with one hand while locking in the portafilter — a shared owner-reported quirk of the whole Bambino line, not a defect in either.
The differences are in the details:
- Tank: the Plus's 64 oz tank holds roughly a third more than the base machine's 47 oz. If you steam daily (steaming drinks the tank fast), that's a refill every few days instead of every couple of days.
- Footprint: the Plus is slightly larger in every dimension on Breville's US listing — still small-kitchen friendly, but the base Bambino remains the smaller box.
- Drip tray: small on both, and it fills quickly on both. Budget a quick empty-and-rinse into your routine either way; this is the line's most persistent owner gripe.
- Warranty: 2 years on the Plus vs 1 year on the base. On machines in this price class — thermoblock appliances with pumps and seals, not lifetime hardware — that second year has real expected value.
Winner Bambino Plus on ownership details (tank, warranty); Bambino on pure footprint.
Value: The $200 Question, Priced Properly
At list price the gap is $200, and here's the comparison that actually decides it: $200 is the price of the grinder neither machine includes. A Baratza Encore ESP runs ~$170; a 1Zpresso JX-Pro hand grinder ~$165. Our best espresso grinders under $200 guide covers the field — the point is that "Bambino + real grinder" and "Bambino Plus alone" cost roughly the same, and only one of those two setups can make excellent espresso. It's the grinder setup, and it isn't close.
So the Plus premium only makes sense after the grinder is already budgeted. If it is, the remaining question is how often you steam:
- Straight espresso / Americanos: the Plus buys you nothing you use. Base Bambino.
- Milk drinks a few times a week: judgment call — manual steaming is learnable in a few weeks, and the base machine's wand is up to it.
- Milk drinks daily, especially for two people: the automation earns its keep in consistency and saved minutes, and the bigger tank and warranty sweeten it.
One pricing wrinkle worth knowing: the Plus is discounted far more often than the base model — $100-off sales are a recurring pattern at major retailers. At a ~$100 gap, the calculus flips for milk drinkers: auto texturing, double warranty, and a bigger tank for $100 is a fair trade. At the full $200 list gap, it's a luxury.
Winner Bambino at list price; Bambino Plus when the street gap narrows to ~$100 and you steam daily.
Who Should Buy Which
Buy the Breville Bambino (~$300) if you are: 1. The espresso-first drinker. Straight shots, Americanos, the occasional cappuccino. You get the identical brewer for $200 less — spend the savings on the grinder and beans. 2. The learner. You want to learn manual steaming and latte art. The base wand teaches the real skill, and its ceiling with practice matches the Plus's automatic output. 3. The tightest counter. It's the smaller, lighter machine, and in a genuinely tiny kitchen those inches are the spec that matters.
Buy the Breville Bambino Plus (~$500) if you are: 1. The daily latte household. Two flat whites every morning is exactly the use case the auto texturing, bigger tank, and auto purge were built for. 2. The consistency seeker. You want café-textured milk on day one and every day after, without a learning curve standing between you and breakfast. 3. The long-keeper. The 2-year warranty (double the base machine's) and the sale pricing that frequently appears make the Plus the lower-risk five-year buy — see our best espresso machines under $500 guide for how it stacks up against the wider field.
The Bottom Line
The Check current price on Amazon is the default buy: same espresso, same 3-second heat-up, same baskets, $200 cheaper — and that $200 is your grinder budget, which matters more than any feature on either machine. Learn how to dial in and learn the wand, and there's nothing the Plus does that you can't.
The Check current price on Amazon is the right buy for one specific, common person: the daily milk drinker who has already budgeted a grinder. For them, automatic texturing with three temperatures and three textures, a tank that needs fewer refills, an auto-purging wand, and a second year of warranty are worth real money — ideally the ~$100 it costs on sale rather than the $200 on the list price.
FAQ
Is the Bambino Plus's espresso better than the Bambino's? No. Both use the same ThermoJet heating system, PID temperature control, low-pressure pre-infusion, and 54mm baskets. Reviewers testing them side by side consistently rate extraction as identical. The Plus premium buys milk automation, a larger tank, and a longer warranty — not better shots.
Can the Bambino Plus steam milk manually too? Yes. The automatic system (3 temperature settings, 3 texture levels) can be overridden for manual texturing, so the Plus doesn't lock you out of learning the skill later.
Can the base Bambino make latte art? Yes, with practice. Its manual single-hole wand is slower and less powerful than the Plus's steam delivery, but it produces genuine microfoam once your technique is in. Expect a learning curve of a few weeks — that's the trade the $200 represents.
What grinder should I pair with either machine? A dedicated espresso-capable grinder is mandatory for the single-wall baskets on both machines. Budget ~$100–200: the Baratza Encore ESP and 1Zpresso JX-Pro are the standard picks at that level, covered in our grinder guide. Without one, you're limited to the pressurized baskets and pre-ground coffee on either machine.
Is the Bambino Plus worth it over the Bambino? Only for daily milk drinkers, and ideally at sale pricing. If milk drinks are occasional or you drink espresso straight, the base Bambino plus a better grinder is the smarter allocation of the same money.
How long do these machines last? They're compact thermoblock appliances, not commercial hardware — plan on years of daily service with regular descaling rather than decades. The Plus's 2-year warranty (vs 1 year on the base) is the safer bet if you intend to keep the machine long-term.