The short version
| Bambino | Bambino Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ✓ $299.95 | $485.00 |
| Grinder | Not built in | Not built in |
| Milk | You steam it by hand | ✓ Steams it for you, or by hand |
| Hot water for an Americano | ✓ Its own button | From the steam wand |
| Water tank | 1.4 L (47 oz) | ✓ 1.9 L (64 oz) |
| Works with standard Breville 54 mm parts | Yes | Yes |
| Warranty | 1 year | ✓ 2 years |
A check mark shows which one comes out ahead on that line.
Who should buy it, and who should skip it
Buy it Our pick to spend less
You want good espresso for less, and you don’t mind steaming milk by hand. Or you want to learn latte art. Or you drink Americanos, since it has its own hot-water button.
Skip it
You want the milk done for you: get the Bambino Plus. You don’t want to buy a grinder: get the Barista Express, which has one built in.
Your first latte
Bambino
- Fill the water tank. Grind your coffee on your separate grinder.
- Turn it on. Breville says it’s ready in 3 seconds.
- Press the grounds flat with the tamper, lock the handle in, and brew.
- Steam the milk yourself with the wand. Expect a few tries before it’s silky.
- Pour the milk over the espresso. Wipe the wand.
Once you’re comfortable, a common starting point is about 18 grams of ground coffee, stopping at about 36 grams of espresso, in about half a minute. Tom’s Guide got exactly that, 18 in and 36 out in 28 seconds, on the Breville Bambino.
What it really costs
The Bambino has no grinder, so add one. Most grinders made for drip coffee can’t grind fine enough for espresso.
machine grinder you’d need to buy
Grinders in this chart: KINGrinder K6 ($109.00), Baratza Encore ESP ($199.95).
Amazon prices as of Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 AM PT.
What reviewers measured
“This shot was extracted in 28 seconds to a ratio of 1:2 (18g in, 36g out) with artisan Ethiopian beans.”
Tom's Guide on the Bambino, December 2025 · read the review
“After pulling your shot, the Bambino takes just four seconds to switch from espresso to steam.”
Tom's Guide on the Bambino, December 2025 · read the review
“We only had around a 2-second deviation on extraction time; it ran a little slower when pulling the 3rd and 4th shots”
Home Coffee Expert on the Bambino, December 2023 · read the review
“I do notice the lack of a 3 way solenoid valve quite a bit, because removing the portafilter right after pulling a shot can be a messy affair”
CoffeeGeek on the Bambino, June 2024 · read the review
The milk takes practice. The wand has one hole, so it heats milk slowly and gently. Coffee Kev timed its wand at 52 seconds to steam 170 ml of milk, against 40 on the Bambino Plus. Watch.
What can go wrong
- Coffee can splash around the cup, because the handle sits a little above it. (owner report 1, owner report 2)
- One owner’s plastic water tank cracked in two after a single cup. (owner report)
- It shakes while it brews, so keep an eye on your cup. (owner report)
We counted Reddit posts about problems in the first two years. There were about 9 for every 1,000 posts that mention the Bambino, and about 16 for the Bambino Plus, which has more parts to go wrong. These are complaint counts, not failure rates.
Questions people ask
Is the Breville Bambino worth it?
Yes, if you want good espresso for less and will steam milk by hand. It makes the same espresso as the Bambino Plus. See Bambino vs Bambino Plus.
Does the Breville Bambino need a grinder?
Yes. It has none built in, and most grinders made for drip coffee can’t grind fine enough for espresso. A hand grinder like the KINGrinder K6 is the cheapest way to start.
What size tamper fits the Breville Bambino?
A 53.3 mm tamper. Breville calls the basket 54 mm, but it narrows inside. See tamper sizes.
Do Breville accessories fit the Bambino?
Yes. It takes Breville’s 54 mm parts, so bottomless portafilters, baskets and tamper upgrades fit. Home Coffee Expert.
Every spec
Show every spec, with sources
Each figure links to where it came from, usually the maker. “Maker doesn’t say” means we couldn’t find it in the maker’s specs or another source we can link.
Compare it
- Want the milk done for you? Bambino vs Bambino Plus.
- Want the grinder built in? Bambino Plus vs Barista Express.
- Want lattes with almost nothing to learn? The Ninja Luxe Café Premier.
- All our picks by budget: the best espresso machines under $500.
How we picked
We read each maker’s manual, the reviews where testers used these machines, and owner forums, and we link every fact. Brands don’t pay us to be picked. How we check.
Coffee for the Bambino
The Bambino has no grinder, so start with the best ground coffee for an espresso machine or the best espresso beans for a Breville if you own a grinder.