The Breville Bambino and Bambino Plus are two compact and well-designed espresso machines in the market. They are also easy to use and look stylish on the countertop. However, between the Breville Bambino vs Bambino Plus, the Bambino Plus wins my heart.
The Breville Bambino Plus stands out for its automatic milk steamer. I can get foamy and velvety milk froth by simply adjusting the milk temperature and texturing levels and letting the machine do the rest. Besides, its auto-purge function is very convenient, making cleaning less daunting. Its heating system and brewing function are excellent, producing hot and consistent shots every time.
The Breville Bambino ranks in second place because it does not have the auto-milk frother. Its steam wand is also smaller, making manual steaming relatively more difficult. However, the Bambino is a nice semi-automatic espresso maker if you are on a budget. It features the same ThermoJet heating element and PID controller as the Bambino Plus. Plus, its brewing performance is comparable to its rival’s.
Breville Bambino vs Bambino Plus: Comparison Chart
Last update on 2023-09-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Breville Bambino vs Bambino Plus: Differences
The Breville Bambino Plus wins 3-0 against the Bambino owing to its larger water tank, automatic milk texturing feature, and auto purge feature for easily cleaning the milk system. Apart from that, these two machines deliver comparable brewing performance.
Coffee flavor & Brewing system
Tie!
The Bambino and Bambino Plus all have low-pressure pre infusion to infuse the water into the coffee puck slowly and uniformly, contributing to extracting the full-flavor espresso. Their pre infusion duration is often about 7-8 seconds. After that, the high-pressure extraction at 15 bar is operated to pull the full-bodied shot.
However, unlike some other manual espresso machines, the Breville Bambino and Babino Plus allow me to change the pre-infusion time (or manually override the pre infusion and extraction duration). By holding down the single or double cup button, the pre-infusion is operated. Then, when you want to stop the pre-infusion to start the extraction, just release the button.
If you do the manual pre-infusion and shot control, it is essential to keep an eye on the flow time of the pulled shot. When you have a longer pre-infusion time, the extraction duration will be shorter, and vice versa. The recommended total brewing duration is around 30 seconds to get ~60 ml of regular double shot and ~30 ml of regular single shot volumes.
They all use the ThermoJet heating system, which enables quick heat-up time within 3-5 seconds. However, they cannot brew and froth milk at the same time, but the ThermoJet technology also makes switching between brewing and steaming much faster than other heating systems.
In addition, I can brew the espresso with good hotness shot after shot, thanks to the equipped PID temperature control. The PID plays a critical role in keeping the temperature consistent during the whole espresso extraction and milk steaming process.
After trying out both the Bambino Plus and the Breville Bambino, I managed to craft a well-rounded espresso shot with minimal mess. Specifically, I’m able to achieve hot and consistent extraction most of the time, characterized by a syrupy body, a delightful golden crema, and a profound richness in flavor.
Design & Convenience
Winner: Breville Bambino Plus
The Bambino Plus and the standard Bambino version have small footprints, are lightweight, and do not make much noise while operating. They also have a sleek and stylish appearance, very pleasing to the eyes. If you are looking for a lightweight and compact machine, either the Bambino Plus or the original Bambino is a good appliance.
Because they are lightweight, I have to hold them down with the other hand when inserting the portafilter into the group head. During the brewing time, I also noticed a little vibration with the Bambino, making my small espresso glass move slowly on the drip tray. This issue is not observed on the Bambino Plus.
However, if I have to choose one between both, I will go for the Bambino Plus for its larger water reservoir. Its water reservoir capacity is 64 oz (~1.9 liters), 17 oz bigger than that of the Bambino. Though having such a larger water container, the Plus version still boasts a compact dimension, quite similar to the parameters of the original Bambino.
They all use the intuitive button control interface. You can easily pull double or single-shot espresso with a touch of a button. Besides, they have the hot water function, delivering the hot water out from the steam wand. I often use this hot-water function to warm the cup and make americano.
Milk system
Winner: Breville Bambino Plus
One of the significant differences between the Bambino Plus and the Breville Bambino is the automatic milk steam wand. So far, this auto milk texturing function is worth the extra cost when comparing the Bambino Plus and the Bambino. The Bambino only has the manual mode for steaming and frothing milk.
The automatic milk system of the Bambino Plus offers adjustable settings of milk temperature (3 levels) and milk texture (3 levels). The automation and adjustment I get from the Bambino Plus’s milk system make frothing and steaming milk much easier. It does not require me any prior experience to produce decent milk microfoam or creamy milk texture for my cappuccino or latte.
In addition, I can bypass the automatic milk function and use the steam wand in manual mode like the original Bambino model. Moreover, the steam wand tip of the Bambino Plus features 4 holes instead of 1 hole, making steaming milk quicker and easier to get more microfoam.
On the other hand, the steam wand of the Bambino is a bit shorter and has only one hole at the tip. This makes steaming a little more difficult in finding the right angle and leverage to infuse the air into the milk. So, it takes a while to texture the milk, which I find longer than when steaming with the frother of the Bambino Plus model.
However, there is one crucial note when using the steam wand of either the Bambino or Bambino Plus: to get the proper milk texturing quality with both machines, purging before starting to steam is essential because it allows me to get dry steam and avoid watering down my milk texture.
Cleaning & Maintenance
Winner: Breville Bambino Plus
Another convenient feature I love about the Bambino Plus is the auto-purge function, which is not on the lower-price Bambino. After levering down the steam wand, the machine releases all excess steam into the drip tray automatically. This means the steam wand helps clean itself right after you finish your froth, helping reduce the residue buildup and clogging issues if you forget to purge it manually.
However, the auto-purge action of the Bambino Plus is quite aggressive for me. The water splashes and makes quite a mess on the countertop. So, I have to use a soft cloth to put under or wrap around the steam wand to avoid splashes.
With the Breville Baminio original verison, you have to remind yourself to purge the steam wand manually. So, it has more things you need to remember. Apart from that, all two machines are easy to clean. They also have removable drip trays with an indicator so you don’t overflow it. Additionally, they signal you when you need to descale to maintain their optimal performance.
Quick Rundown of Breville Bambino Plus BES500
- Please refer to user guide or user manual or user guide (provided below in PDF) before first use
Last update on 2023-09-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Quick Rundown of Breville Bambino BES450
- Please refer to user guide or user manual or user guide (provided below in PDF) before first use
Last update on 2023-09-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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References
- Breville Bambino Plus from Breville: https://www.breville.com/us/en/products/espresso/bes500.html
- Breville Bambino from Breville: https://www.breville.com/us/en/products/espresso/bes450.html
I’m Floyd J. Alcock, an experienced barista with a deep love for coffee. I curate personalized coffee experiences, guiding customers through diverse flavor profiles and suggesting ideal brewing methods. My extensive knowledge of espresso machines enables me to recommend the best equipment to match specific needs and budgets. Sharing my expertise and passion with coffee enthusiasts brings immense satisfaction. I look forward to continuing my journey of coffee discovery with every customer I serve, fostering connections over a shared love for this magical beverage.