Breville Barista Touch vs Bambino Plus: The Ultimate Debate Of 2 Breville’s Espresso Machines

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Breville Barista Touch vs Bambino Plus is the next debate that we need to settle. These espresso makers belong to two different ranges: Barista Touch is a mid-range machine, while Bambino Plus is an affordable entry-level one. So which one is the winner? Of course, it’s Barista Touch!

The winner Barista Touch satisfies both beginner and intermediate users who have had experience with espresso machines. The espresso flavor is robust and balanced. It’s hard to miss a good coffee day with this one. But, what impresses me the most is the touchscreen display system that allows users to choose from 6 one-touch beverages. I highly recommend this model for households.

Bambino Plus also is a good starter. It’s programmed to brew simple yet delicious espresso with creamy crema. I’m also impressed by its adjustable milk wand with which it’s possible to froth 3 different kinds of texture. However, I still recommend handling the milk pitcher manually instead of leaving it to the device. A great model for a cut-price espresso experience!

Breville Barista Touch vs Bambino Plus: Comparison Chart

Image
THE WINNER (#1)
Breville Barista Touch BES880BSS Espresso Machine
THE RUNNER-UP (#2)
Breville the Bambino Plus Espresso Machine with Auto Milk Frother, Espresso Maker with Seconds Heat Up, Cappuccino & Latte Machine for Home, BES500BSS, Brushed Stainless Steel
Model
Breville Barista Touch
Breville Bambino Plus
Dimensions
12.7 x 12.5 x 16 inches
12.6 x 7.7 x 12.2 inches
Color / Material
Silver/ Brushed stainless steel
Silver/ Stainless Steel
Water Tank Capacity
67 oz
64 oz
Weight / Power / Voltage
23 Pounds/ 1680W/ 110–120 V
20 Pounds/ 1560W/ 110-120V
Bean Hopper Size
8 oz
No bean hopper
Grinder type
Steel conical burr grinder
No grinder
Grind Settings
30 settings
None
Heating system
ThermoJet + PID
ThermoJet
Adjustable temperature
Adjustable milk texture
Hands-free milk frothing
One-touch recipes other than espresso
Milk frother
Classic steam wand
Classic steam wand
Programmable Drinks
6 (Espresso, Americano, latte, flat white, cappuccino, hot water)
2 (Espresso and double espresso)
Heat-up time
3s
3s
What I Like
Price
$999.95
$495.90
THE WINNER (#1)
Image
Breville Barista Touch BES880BSS Espresso Machine
Model
Breville Barista Touch
Dimensions
12.7 x 12.5 x 16 inches
Color / Material
Silver/ Brushed stainless steel
Water Tank Capacity
67 oz
Weight / Power / Voltage
23 Pounds/ 1680W/ 110–120 V
Bean Hopper Size
8 oz
Grinder type
Steel conical burr grinder
Grind Settings
30 settings
Heating system
ThermoJet + PID
Adjustable temperature
Adjustable milk texture
Hands-free milk frothing
One-touch recipes other than espresso
Milk frother
Classic steam wand
Programmable Drinks
6 (Espresso, Americano, latte, flat white, cappuccino, hot water)
Heat-up time
3s
What I Like
Price
$999.95
More Info
THE RUNNER-UP (#2)
Image
Breville the Bambino Plus Espresso Machine with Auto Milk Frother, Espresso Maker with Seconds Heat Up, Cappuccino & Latte Machine for Home, BES500BSS, Brushed Stainless Steel
Model
Breville Bambino Plus
Dimensions
12.6 x 7.7 x 12.2 inches
Color / Material
Silver/ Stainless Steel
Water Tank Capacity
64 oz
Weight / Power / Voltage
20 Pounds/ 1560W/ 110-120V
Bean Hopper Size
No bean hopper
Grinder type
No grinder
Grind Settings
None
Heating system
ThermoJet
Adjustable temperature
Adjustable milk texture
Hands-free milk frothing
One-touch recipes other than espresso
Milk frother
Classic steam wand
Programmable Drinks
2 (Espresso and double espresso)
Heat-up time
3s
What I Like
Price
$495.90
More Info

Last update on 2024-11-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Breville Barista Touch vs Bambino Plus: Differences

Breville Barista Touch wins 3-1 against Bambino Plus, thanks to its more convenient design and amazing espresso extraction. Barista Touch is indeed more expensive, but with the integrated grinder and one-touch system full of standard coffee recipes, I highly recommend you consider spending more.

Intuitive brewing system

Winner: Breville Barista Touch

Breville Barista Touch is designed with high convenience in mind. It boasts a total of 6 one-touch beverages that users can choose freely and enjoy after about ~5 minutes of real-time brewing. The beverages are espresso, Americano, latte, flat white, cappuccino, and hot water. And I have been able to make quick cups with this model.

Breville Barista Touch has 6 one-touch beverages
Breville Barista Touch has 6 one-touch beverages

Now, a thing that users should consider is that Breville’s machines always require some form of manual intervention. And the same goes for both Breville Barista Touch and Bambino Plus. Despite its intuitive design, Breville barista Touch still needs users’ help: handling the portafilter from the grind well to the dispenser and tapping the touchscreen in between the steps.

So it’s not a 100% hands-free experience. But do I consider it a major turnoff? Not really. Despite the manual intervention, it doesn’t make more than 5 minutes for a cup of cappuccino or latte. So it’s pretty much the same as other super-automatic machines. If you want a fully-automatic machine with some hands-on operations, the Barista Touch is a good pick.

Exterior Design

Tie!

Both Breville Barista Touch and Bambino Plus are made of stainless steel with a silver color. In terms of shapes, Barista Touch is much bulkier than Bambio Plus. So what is my take on their designs? I prefer Barista Touch more because its wider tray allows a more comfortable brewing experience. And it’s less hectic when I opt for twin brewing cycles.

As for Bambino Plus, its strength is that it takes up less space compared to Barista Touch. The negative thing is that it’s a bit clumsy when I want to pull double espressos. So, it boils down to each user’s needs to determine whether Barista Touch or Bambino Plus has a better exterior design.

The stainless steel finish on the Barista Touch
The stainless steel finish on the Barista Touch

Espresso flavor

Tie!

After many brewing sessions, I haven’t found any major difference in the espresso flavor between Breville Barista Touch and Bambino Plus. I really like the drinks’ quality, which can be described as robust and balanced. In addition, they have all the flavor notes that a good cup of Joe should have: sweet, nutty, and bitter.

Have I ever experienced watered-down or too bitter coffee? Surprisingly, never. I have always been able to pull very soothing and consistent cups with these machines. So if consistency also is what you are looking for, it’s time to give these babies a try.

Milk frother and the resulting texture

Winner: Breville Barista Touch

While Breville Barista Touch and Bambino Plus share the same Panarello classic milk frothing method, their performance isn’t always the same. They generally tend to froth creamy and hot milk foam for drinks like latte or latte macchiato. As for cappuccino, the milk foam comes across as not dense enough, but it still tastes amazing anyway.

The reason why Breville Barista Touch is because of its hands-free milk frothing experience. I can pull creamy milk foam without having to maneuver the jug. In case I decide to froth manually, the texture of the foam will be notably much denser and airer.

On the other hand, Bambino Plus has its plus point. The machine offers 3 milk texture options directly affected by the pressure from the 9-bar electric pump. So you can slightly adjust it for your favorite coffee recipe, especially if it’s flat white or mocha.

Bambino Plus offers adjustable temperature
Bambino Plus offers adjustable temperature

Breville Barista Touch vs Bambino Plus: Similarities

There are 2 similarities that I want to highlight: the heat-up time and the twin brewing feature regarding the two machines’ designs. You can check my verdict below!

Heat up time

According to the advertisements, these machines only need 3 seconds to heat up, and they will be ready to brew. And are their real performance reflects their original description? More or less, yes. It only takes them 3s to warm up, but when I brew right away, the drinks don’t come out as hot as I want them to. So instead, I let the machines sit for a good minute. And as expected, they come out much hotter with better espresso flavor with balanced notes.

Twin brewing

Even though Bambino Plus has a slim and compact design, it can still brew in twin cycles, the same as Barista Touch. So if you are expecting to make double espresso or 2 cups of latte simultaneously for you and your guess, it’s possible with the pair.

Quick Rundown Of Breville Barista Touch

Breville Barista Touch BES880BSS Espresso Machine
  • Please refer to user guide or user manual or user guide (provided below in PDF) before first use.Tamping : Manual removable magnetic tamper. Grind Settings : 30 precision grind settings. Integrated Burr Grinder : Hardened steel conical burrs.

Last update on 2024-11-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Pros
  • Easy-to-use one-touch display with 5 pre-set coffee settings
  • Up to nine customized coffees can be saved
  • Automated cleaning capability
  • The BPA-free water reservoir has a water level indicator, making it easy to refill
  • Programming is easy and quick
Cons
  • Not visible water tank level from the front

Quick Rundown Of Breville Bambino Plus

Breville the Bambino Plus Espresso Machine with Auto Milk Frother, Espresso Maker with Seconds Heat Up, Cappuccino & Latte Machine for Home, BES500BSS, Brushed Stainless Steel
  • The Breville Bambino Plus delivers third wave specialty coffee at home using the 4 keys formula and is part of the Bambino Series that offers the faster way to professional results at home in a compact footprint: serious espresso, serious value
  • DOSE CONTROL GRINDING: Achieve a consistent and balanced espresso using the right amount of ground coffee; The 54mm porta-filter with 19 grams is the key for full flavor and cafe quality coffee
  • OPTIMAL WATER PRESSURE: 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
  • FASTER HEAT UP TIME: Innovative ThermoJet heating system achieves the optimum extraction temperature in 3 seconds
  • PRECISE ESPRESSO EXTRACTION: Digital temperature control (PID) delivers water at precisely the right temperature, ensuring optimal espresso extraction

Last update on 2024-11-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Pros
  • With a narrow and compact design, less cleanup is required
  • Quickly heats up and extracts espresso automatically
  • Manually texture milk for better results
  • Keeping milk at the right temperature and texture
Cons
  • Very simple design with no other convenient additional features
  • No grinder

Product Video

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