Breville Barista Express vs Breville Bambino Plus
Based on tests by America's Test Kitchen (Jul 2025) and Tom's Guide (May 2025). How we score
Worth it. Buy the Breville Barista Express.
Average of 2 testers: America's Test Kitchen 9 · Tom's Guide 10
From 1 tester: America's Test Kitchen
Amazon prices as of Sep 29, 11:26 PM EDT (details)
What the testers found
America's Test Kitchen's Best Compact Model: "basically the Barista Express without the grinder," heating in just 3 seconds, with automatic milk frothing that "came out perfectly frothed." The catch: you need a separate burr grinder, which eats into the savings unless you already own one. It has a longer warranty (2 years vs 1). ATK didn't test long-term durability.
| Criterion | Breville Barista Express | Breville Bambino Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Coffee quality | 3/3 | 3/3 |
| Ease of use | 3/3 | 3/3 |
| Cleanup | 3/3 | 3/3 |
From America's Test Kitchen: The Best Espresso Machines (updated July 2, 2025)
Specs side by side
| Spec | Breville Barista Express | Breville Bambino Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $499.95 | $399.95 |
| Cost per year | — | — |
| Warranty | 1-year limited | 2-year limited |
| Style | Semiautomatic | Semiautomatic |
| Grinder | Built-in conical burr, 16 espresso settings | None (buy separately) |
| Ready time | 48 sec (measured by America's Test Kitchen) | 3 sec (measured by America's Test Kitchen) |
| Water tank | 67 oz | — |
| Bean hopper | 1/2 lb | — |
| Includes | Metal tamper, dose trimming tool, milk pitcher, storage drawer | — |
| Milk frothing | — | Automatic or manual steam wand |
Sources: Tom's Guide: Breville Bambino Plus review (May 8, 2025), America's Test Kitchen: The Best Espresso Machines (updated July 2, 2025)
