Breville Bambino Plus: An Honest Review (2026)

The Breville Bambino Plus is the machine I recommend to anyone upgrading from a pod machine. It takes the thermojet heater and PID temperature control from Breville’s full-size Barista Express line and crams them into a footprint smaller than most drip coffee makers. You give up the built-in grinder. What you get in return — 3-second heat-up, automatic milk frothing, and a machine that fits any counter — makes it the most practical first espresso machine on the market.

Design & Build

At 7.7 inches wide and 12.2 inches tall, the Breville Bambino Plus takes up about as much counter space as a dinner plate. The brushed stainless steel body weighs 10.8 pounds — heavy enough to stay planted when you lock in the portafilter. The 54mm portafilter is shared across the Breville line, which means aftermarket 58mm accessories will not fit. The included tamper is plastic — functional but the first thing worth upgrading.

The 64-ounce rear water tank lifts off with a built-in handle and supplies roughly 15-18 double shots between refills. The drip tray floats rather than clips in, making daily cleaning trivial. You will empty it every 4-5 drinks though, especially if you purge the steam wand regularly. Breville publishes the full specs on their official website.

Espresso Quality

The thermojet heater reaches brewing temperature in 3 seconds. No boiler warm-up. The PID controller holds temperature within 2 degrees throughout the shot — thermal stability that is rare in a machine this small.

I tested with a medium roast Ethiopian and a dark Italian blend. Both produced balanced shots with thick crema and even extraction. The 9-bar pressure is factory-set and non-adjustable. If you like to tinker, that is a downside. If you just want consistent shots every morning, it is a feature.

One thing to know up front: there is no built-in grinder. You must pair the Bambino Plus with a standalone espresso grinder. I used the Breville Smart Grinder Pro during testing, which brings the total setup to about $700.

Auto Steam Wand

Press one button and the wand automatically froths milk to temperature and texture. It purges itself after. Three presets: flat white (silky microfoam), latte (medium foam), cappuccino (maximum foam). The flat white setting was my favorite — no visible bubbles, texture that poured evenly on the first try.

If latte art is your goal, get the Breville Barista Express Impress instead — fully manual steam wand. But for anyone who wants cafe-quality milk drinks at home without months of practice, this wand alone makes the Bambino Plus worth the price.

Bambino Plus vs Barista Express Impress

If counter space matters most, the Bambino Plus wins. As a compact machine, it fits where the Express Impress cannot. If you want an all-in-one setup with zero additional purchases, the Express Impress at $749 includes a grinder that would cost you $200-300 separately.

Daily Use

Cleanup takes under two minutes: knock out the puck, rinse the portafilter, wipe the drip tray. The auto steam purge handles the wand. One annoyance: the Bambino Plus ships with pressurized baskets only. Single-wall baskets that give you more grind control are sold separately for about $15 — buy them on day one if you own a good grinder.

How It Compares

At $499, the Breville Bambino Plus competes with the Gaggia Classic Pro ($450, 58mm portafilter, manual everything, no PID) and the Breville Barista Express Impress ($749, built-in grinder, manual wand). Among small machines, nothing else combines thermojet speed, PID stability, and auto-frothing in a package this compact. For a broader comparison across price ranges, check our best beginner espresso machine guide.

Who Should Buy It

• You have limited counter space but want real espresso
• You are upgrading from a pod machine and this is your first real setup
• You already own a grinder and just need the machine
• You want automatic milk frothing — zero learning curve

Skip it if you want a built-in grinder, manual latte art control, or need to pull more than 6-8 drinks back to back.

Verdict

After two weeks of daily use, the Breville Bambino Plus is my pick for the best compact espresso machine under $500. The espresso quality punches above its weight, the 3-second heat-up is unmatched, and the auto steam wand makes milk drinks effortless.

If you already own a grinder or are willing to budget another $200-300 for one, the Breville Bambino Plus delivers cafe-quality espresso in the smallest package available. If you want an all-in-one with a built-in grinder, step up to the Express Impress.

Check the latest price of the Breville Bambino Plus on Amazon.