Breville Bambino Plus vs Barista Express

Both are beginner machines, so pick by what you already own. If you have no grinder, the Barista Express is the simpler purchase: grinder, dose control, tamper and steam wand arrive in one box. If you mainly drink lattes and flat whites, the Bambino Plus is the easier daily machine, because its automatic wand steams milk to a set temperature and texture while you do something else. It scores 92 for ease of use here against the Express's 86.

The brewing hardware is very close. Breville lists both with a 54mm stainless portafilter designed for an 18g dose, single and dual wall baskets, a 15-bar pump, and low-pressure pre-infusion followed by 9-bar extraction. The heaters differ: the Bambino Plus uses a ThermoJet that reaches temperature in 3 seconds, while the Barista Express uses a Thermocoil that Breville says delivers 200°F under PID control. In practice the bigger difference in the cup is the grinder you feed each machine.

Yes. The Bambino Plus has no grinder, so budget for a burr grinder that reaches espresso fineness, such as the Baratza Encore ESP. It ships with dual wall baskets that forgive pre-ground coffee, but fresh grinding is where it earns its score. Add a grinder of that class and the total lands close to the Barista Express's price, which is why the Express is the value pick if you own nothing yet.

For most first-time home baristas, yes. Breville lists a conical burr grinder with 16 settings and dose control, and it is the main reason the Express scores 88 for value here. It is also the machine's ceiling: owners who get serious often add a dedicated grinder later, and the Express scores 80 for espresso quality against the Bambino Plus's 84 for that reason.

The Bambino Plus. Breville gives its automatic steam wand 3 temperature settings and 3 texture levels, plus a manual option, and includes a 16 oz (480ml) stainless jug. The Barista Express has a manual steam wand only, which makes excellent microfoam once you learn it but asks for practice. If milk drinks are most of what you make, the automatic wand is the feature worth paying for.

The Bambino Plus is the compact one, under 8 inches wide with no hopper. Breville lists it at 11.9 x 7.4 x 14.3 inches and the Barista Express at 15.9 x 13.1 x 12.4 inches, and the Express also carries its bean hopper on top of the grinder. Measure under your wall cabinets before you buy the Express, and leave room to lift the hopper lid.

Only if you would otherwise have to buy a grinder. The Express costs about $100 more, and that money is the built-in grinder. If you already own a capable burr grinder, the Bambino Plus plus that grinder makes the better espresso and the easier milk for less. If you own nothing, the Express is the cheaper route to a complete setup.