In the Breville Bambino vs Bambino Plus comparison, the espresso side is the same: a 54 mm portafilter, a ThermoJet heater ready in 3 seconds, PID control and low-pressure pre-infusion. The Bambino Plus adds hands-free automatic milk texturing, a larger 64 oz water tank, a dose trimming tool, a second year of warranty and more colors.
So the real question is how you make milk drinks. If you want to press a button and walk away while the milk steams, the Plus is built for that. If you steam by hand or rarely drink milk, the Bambino does the same espresso job, as our guide on how to use an espresso machine shows step by step.
Every number below comes from Breville’s US product pages and instruction books. Prices are Breville’s own list prices on breville.com, checked on September 27, 2026.
The short answer
| Bambino (BES450) | Bambino Plus (BES500) | |
|---|---|---|
| Milk texturing | Manual steam wand | Automatic, hands-free, with jug temperature sensor (manual mode too) |
| Milk settings | None | 3 temperatures (Warm, Ideal, Hot), 3 foam levels (Low, Medium, High) |
| Heating | ThermoJet, ready in 3 seconds, PID | ThermoJet, ready in 3 seconds, PID |
| Pump | 15 bar, low-pressure pre-infusion, 9 bar extraction | Same |
| Portafilter | 54 mm (aluminum) | 54 mm (stainless steel) |
| Water tank | 47 fl oz (1.4 L) | 64 fl oz (1.9 L) |
| Dimensions (as listed) | 11.9 × 6.1 × 13.5 in | 11.9 × 7.4 × 14.3 in |
| Weight | 10.42 lb | 10.91 lb |
| Power | 1,560 W, 110–120 V | 1,560 W, 110–120 V |
| Hot water | Dedicated button, through the steam wand | Button combination, through the steam wand |
| Warranty | 1 year limited | 2 year limited |
| Price on breville.com (Sept 27, 2026) | $299.95 | $499.95 |
What the Bambino and Bambino Plus have in common
Breville built both machines around the same espresso system. That is why the comparison is really about milk and convenience, not about shot quality.
- ThermoJet heating. Breville says both reach extraction temperature in 3 seconds, with PID temperature control.
- Pump and pre-infusion. A 15 bar Italian pump applies low-pressure pre-infusion, then extracts at 9 bar.
- 54 mm portafilter. Breville designs it for an 18 g dose, with 1 cup baskets for 8–11 g and 2 cup baskets for 16–19 g.
- Single and dual wall baskets. Single wall for freshly ground beans, dual wall for pre-ground espresso coffee or older beans.
- Volumetric buttons. Preset 1 cup (about 1 oz / 30 ml) and 2 cup (about 2 oz / 60 ml) shots, with manual override and programmable volumes.
- Manual pre-infusion. Hold the 1 cup or 2 cup button to extend pre-infusion, then release to start the extraction.
Neither machine has a built-in grinder, and both need a grinder that can go fine enough for espresso to get the most from the single wall baskets.
Milk texturing: the main difference between Bambino and Bambino Plus
Milk texturing is where the extra money goes: the Bambino has a manual steam wand, while the Bambino Plus textures milk automatically with a temperature sensor under the jug. The two machines use the same steam source but very different workflows.
Bambino: manual steam wand
On the Bambino, you steam milk yourself. You hold the jug, place the wand tip just under the surface, create a whirlpool, add air, then stop when the jug is hot to the touch. Breville’s manual puts the target at 140–149 °F (60–65 °C). It rewards practice and gives you full control over texture for latte art.
Bambino Plus: hands-free automatic texturing
On the Bambino Plus, you fill the supplied stainless jug between its MIN and MAX marks, set it on the temperature sensor in the drip tray and lower the wand into the milk. You choose one of 3 temperatures and 3 foam levels, press STEAM, and the machine stops on its own when the milk reaches the chosen temperature.
When you lower the wand again, it purges itself automatically to clear milk residue. Breville says to use only the supplied jug for automatic texturing, because the sensor reads its temperature. A manual mode is also available if you want to steam by hand.
If lattes are your daily drink, the Plus takes the hardest step off your hands. Our guide on how to make a latte covers the milk-to-espresso ratios for either machine.
Size, water tank and cup clearance
Both machines are compact, but the Bambino Plus is slightly bigger to fit its larger tank and the jug sensor on the drip tray.
| Bambino | Bambino Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions (Breville listing) | 11.9 × 6.1 × 13.5 in | 11.9 × 7.4 × 14.3 in |
| Water tank | 47 fl oz (1.4 L) | 64 fl oz (1.9 L) |
| Weight | 10.42 lb | 10.91 lb |
| Cup clearance | Not specified | Breville lists “extra-tall cup clearance” for tall mugs |
The long dimension is the same on both. The Plus is about 1.3 in wider and 0.8 in taller. Its tank holds about 36% more water, so you refill it less often.
Hot water, cleaning and descaling
Beyond milk, the Bambino has a dedicated hot water button and a combined clean and descale cycle, while the Bambino Plus uses a button combination for hot water and runs a separate cleaning cycle.
Hot water. The Bambino has a dedicated hot water button that sends water through the steam wand, handy for Americanos and warming cups. The Bambino Plus has no separate button; its manual says to press the 1 CUP and MILK FOAM buttons together. If you drink a lot of Americanos, including the iced Americano, the Bambino’s button is simpler.
Cleaning cycle. The Bambino Plus counts extractions and signals a cleaning cycle after 200 shots. It uses the supplied cleaning disc and espresso cleaning tablets, and it is separate from descaling. The Bambino combines cleaning and descaling into one “clean and descale” cycle and signals it with a flashing 2 CUP button.
Descaling. Both use descaling powder in the water tank and a 68 fl oz (2 L) container under the group and steam wand. Breville advises against highly filtered, demineralized or distilled water in both manuals.
Standby. The Bambino manual says the machine enters standby after 10 minutes without use.
What’s in the box
Both boxes include a 54 mm portafilter, single and dual wall baskets, a tamper, a stainless steel milk jug and a steam wand cleaning tool. Only the Bambino Plus adds the Razor dose trimming tool and a cleaning disc.
| Included | Bambino | Bambino Plus |
|---|---|---|
| 54 mm portafilter | Yes | Yes |
| 1 cup and 2 cup single wall and dual wall baskets | Yes | Yes |
| Tamper | Yes | Yes (54 mm) |
| Stainless steel milk jug | Yes | Yes, 16 fl oz / 480 ml |
| Steam wand tip cleaning tool | Yes | Yes |
| Descaling powder | Yes | Listed in the manual |
| The Razor dose trimming tool | No | Yes |
| Cleaning disc | No | Yes |
| Espresso cleaning tablets | No | Listed in the manual |
The Razor is a twist blade that trims the tamped puck to a consistent height. It is useful, but a scale does the same job of keeping your dose consistent. Breville’s product pages have also advertised free bags of coffee with the machines; check the current offer.
Price, colors and warranty
On September 27, 2026, breville.com listed the Bambino at $299.95 and the Bambino Plus at $499.95, a $200 difference. Retailer prices vary and change often.
The Bambino is listed in one finish, Brushed Stainless Steel. The Bambino Plus page lists a dozen color versions, including Brushed Stainless Steel, Black Truffle, Sea Salt, Damson Blue and Olive Tapenade, with availability varying by color.
Breville lists a 1 year limited warranty for the Bambino and a 2 year limited warranty for the Bambino Plus.
Breville Bambino vs Barista Express
The main difference between the Bambino and the Barista Express is the grinder. The Barista Express (BES870) adds a built-in conical burr grinder with 16 grind settings, a pressure gauge and a 67 oz water tank, and uses a thermocoil heater instead of ThermoJet.
| Bambino | Barista Express | |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in grinder | No | Yes, 16 settings |
| Portafilter | 54 mm | 54 mm |
| Water tank | 47 fl oz | 67 oz |
| Power | 1,560 W | 1,600 W |
| Dimensions (listing) | 11.9 × 6.1 × 13.5 in | 15.9 × 13.1 × 12.4 in |
| Weight | 10.42 lb | 22.09 lb |
| Price on breville.com (Sept 27, 2026) | $299.95 | $699.95 |
If you already own a good grinder, the Bambino plus that grinder gives you the same 54 mm format in a much smaller footprint. To compare the Barista Express with its Pro and Touch siblings, see Breville Barista Pro vs Express.
Which one should you get?
Get the Bambino Plus if you make milk drinks every day and want the machine to steam the milk for you, and get the Bambino if you mostly drink espresso or want to steam by hand. Both pull the same shots, so the choice comes down to milk, convenience and the $200 price gap.
Choose the Bambino if:
- You mostly drink espresso, Americanos or macchiatos with a small amount of milk.
- You want to learn to steam milk by hand.
- You want the dedicated hot water button.
- You would rather put the price difference toward a better grinder.
Choose the Bambino Plus if:
- You make lattes or cappuccinos every day and want the machine to steam the milk for you.
- Several people in the house use the machine and not all of them want to learn milk technique.
- You want the larger tank, the separate cleaning cycle and the 2 year warranty.
- You want a color other than stainless steel.
If you would rather skip grinding and tamping entirely, look at super-automatic espresso machines. If you are ready for a heavier machine with a 58 mm portafilter and larger boilers, our guide to Rocket espresso machines covers that end of the market.
The bottom line
The Bambino and Bambino Plus make espresso with the same pump, heater, pre-infusion and 54 mm portafilter. The Plus adds automatic milk texturing, a 64 oz tank, the Razor tool, a separate cleaning cycle, more colors and a 2 year warranty, for $200 more on breville.com. Buy the Plus for daily milk drinks with less effort, and the Bambino if you drink mostly espresso or want to steam by hand.
Sources
- Breville USA: the Bambino (BES450) product page (specifications, box contents, price and warranty)
- Breville USA: the Bambino Plus (BES500) product page (specifications, box contents, colors, price and warranty)
- Breville: the Bambino instruction book, BES450 (tank, portafilter, baskets, hot water, clean and descale, standby, milk temperature)
- Breville: the Bambino Plus instruction book, BES500 (milk settings, sensor, auto purge, hot water, cleaning cycle, descaling)
- Breville USA: the Barista Express (BES870) product page (grinder, tank, power, dimensions, price)
