Independent coffee benchmarks · No sponsored winners · Est. MMXXVI

Breville Bambino Plus vs Barista Express

Same espresso heart, different philosophy. The Bambino Plus is tiny and automates milk; the Barista Express is bigger and builds in a grinder. Pick the Bambino Plus if counter space and easy lattes matter most; pick the Barista Express if you want everything in one box.

Quick verdictHighest overall score: Breville Bambino Plus (8.5 vs 8.1) — but pick by how you brew:
Breville
Bambino Plus
$500

Get it for smallest kitchen, easiest milk.

Breville
Barista Express
$500

Get it for all-in-one (grinder included).

Breville Bambino Plus
Breville

Bambino Plus

8.5
BrewSift Score
Excellent
$500

Approximate — verify the latest price

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Breville Barista Express
Breville

Barista Express

8.1
BrewSift Score
Excellent
$500

Approximate — verify the latest price

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Which one wins — for you

Smallest kitchen
Breville Bambino Plus

Under 8 inches wide vs the Express's much larger footprint.

All-in-one (grinder included)
Breville Barista Express

Built-in conical grinder means nothing else to buy.

Easiest milk
Breville Bambino Plus

Automatic steam wand textures milk to a set temp and foam — hands-free.

Score by dimension

BrewSift sub-scores for espresso. The longer bar wins each row.

DimensionBambino Plus vs Barista Express
Espresso quality
8.4
8.0
Milk-drink workflow
8.6
7.6
Ease of use
9.2
8.6
Temperature stability
8.2
8.0
Build quality
7.8
7.8
Cleaning & maintenance
8.4
7.4
Value
8.6
8.8

Specs side by side

SpecBambino PlusBarista Express
Portafilter54mm54mm
BoilerThermoJet (single)Single, ThermoCoil
Heat-up~3 sec
MilkAutomatic steam wandManual steam wand
Footprint7.7 × 12.6 in
GrinderBuilt-in conical burr

The bottom line

The right pick depends on how you brew — match the machine to your actual use case using the “which one wins” cards above. If you just want the stronger all-rounder, the Breville Bambino Plus edges it on our overall score (8.5 vs 8.1).

Common questions

Do I need a separate grinder for the Bambino Plus?

Yes — it has no built-in grinder, so budget for a quality burr grinder. The Barista Express includes one, which is why it costs more.