I would choose the Breville Bambino Plus over the Barista Express. If you really want a built-in grinder, get the Breville Barista Pro instead.
The Barista Express usually costs around $200 more than the Bambino Plus. For that, you get a built-in grinder and a pressure gauge.
If you will use pre-ground coffee, the choice is easy: get the Bambino Plus. Why pay for a grinder you will not use?
Most people want fresh ground coffee, though, so the real question is: Bambino Plus plus a separate grinder, or the all-in-one Barista Express?
Bambino Plus or Barista Express?
The Bambino Plus, whether you use whole beans or pre-ground coffee.
For roughly the price difference, you can buy a standalone grinder that is at least as good as the Barista Express's. And a machine with a built-in grinder is harder to clean and maintain, something I learned the hard way with my Barista Pro.
Breville Bambino Plus
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I think the Barista Express is overpriced at full price. If you want a built-in grinder, the Barista Pro is the better buy. See Barista Pro vs Barista Express.
The Differences
In order of importance:
- Grinder: the Barista Express has one; the Bambino Plus does not
- Steam wand: the Bambino Plus can steam milk automatically
- Heating: the Barista Express uses a thermocoil; the Bambino Plus uses Breville's faster ThermoJet
- Feedback: the Barista Express has a pressure gauge
- Baskets: the Barista Express includes non-pressurized baskets; the Bambino Plus may only include pressurized ones, depending on where you buy it
- Size: the Barista Express is about 5 inches wider, 1 inch deeper and 3.5 inches taller
Built-In Grinder vs No Grinder
You are better off with the Bambino Plus and a separate grinder.
The Barista Express's grinder is decent, but the money you save on the Bambino Plus buys a standalone grinder that is just as good or better.
A separate grinder is also far easier to unclog. You can tip a small grinder upside down to empty the beans, then brush out the burrs. The Barista Express is too big to flip, so if its grinder clogs, and at some point it will, you have to pick the leftover beans out of the hopper by hand.
Winner: Bambino Plus
Steam Wand
The Bambino Plus's steam wand does everything the Barista Express's does, and more.
The Barista Express has a good manual steam wand, better than most home machines. But milk temperature and texture depend entirely on your technique, so consistency takes practice.
The Bambino Plus's wand works the same way in manual mode. It also has an automatic mode that steams milk to one of three temperatures and three textures, hands-free. Fill the jug, set it on the drip tray with the wand in, and press a button. James Hoffmann has praised this wand in his reviews.
Winner: Bambino Plus
Heating
The Bambino Plus's ThermoJet is faster. It is ready to brew in about 3 seconds, versus about 40 for the Barista Express, and ready to steam in about 8 seconds versus about 30.
Both have a PID for stable brewing temperature, so the difference is mainly speed, plus slightly better consistency on back-to-back shots for the Bambino Plus.
Winner: Bambino Plus
Programming and Pressure Gauge
Both machines let you reprogram the single and double shot volumes, so you can make ristrettos and lungos on either. The Barista Express makes it a bit more obvious, with a dedicated Program button.
The Barista Express also has a pressure gauge. It is less useful than it looks. Its "espresso range" is very wide, and there is no clear ideal point within it. Timing your shots is more useful: aim for about 25 to 30 seconds.
In my experience, most Barista Express owners never touch the Program button anyway.
Winner: Barista Express, narrowly
Baskets
The Barista Express includes non-pressurized baskets. The Bambino Plus may not. If yours does not, budget for a set of 54 mm non-pressurized baskets when you start grinding fresh coffee. They are inexpensive. See pressurized vs non-pressurized portafilter baskets.
Winner: Barista Express
Size
The Bambino Plus is smaller, but that advantage disappears once you add a grinder next to it.
Its compact design has a downside too. The drip tray is tiny, and the steam wand purges water into it after every milk drink, so you will empty it often.
Both machines are light enough to slide a bit when you lock in the portafilter. That is true of most home machines.
Winner: Barista Express
What They Share
- Espresso quality: both have a PID and pressure control, so with the same grinder they make essentially the same espresso
- Milk quality: both can make the same milk in manual mode; the Bambino Plus just makes it easier
- Build: both are fairly plasticky outside but solid inside, with Breville's helpful customer support
Is the Bambino Plus and a Grinder Cheaper?
Usually, yes. The Bambino Plus typically costs around $200 less. After buying non-pressurized baskets if needed, you have most of that left for a grinder.
Two good options:
- Breville Dose Control Pro: essentially the same grinding mechanism as the Barista Express's, with more control over grind time. Same espresso, but easier to clean.
- An entry-level espresso grinder like the Baratza Encore ESP: a step up in grind quality for a similar price.
Either way, you can upgrade the grinder later without replacing the machine. Pair the Bambino Plus with a high-quality grinder and you can make far better espresso than the Barista Express's built-in grinder allows. See the best espresso grinders.
The Bottom Line
I would choose the Bambino Plus. With a separate grinder, it is a cheaper, better setup than the Barista Express, easier to clean and troubleshoot, and easy to upgrade.
If you find the Barista Express heavily discounted and really want an all-in-one, it is still a capable machine. For more, see Bambino vs Bambino Plus, my Bambino Plus review and the best Breville espresso machines.
Is the Bambino Plus better than the Barista Express?
For most people, yes. It heats faster, steams milk automatically and costs less, leaving money for a good separate grinder.
Does the Bambino Plus have a grinder?
No. You need a separate grinder or pre-ground coffee.
Can the Bambino Plus make a lungo?
Yes. You can reprogram the shot buttons to dispense more water, or stop the shot manually.
Written by · reviewed by the Cicada Coffee Bar team
Daniel Voss
Lead Equipment Reviewer, Cicada Coffee Bar
Daniel leads the equipment-testing side of Cicada Coffee Bar. Every super-automatic, semi-automatic, and grinder featured on this site is bought or sourced independently, set up on the test bench, and brewed with daily for at least two weeks before a single word is written — tracking espresso quality, milk texture, ease of cleaning, and long-term reliability. Reviews are updated whenever pricing or firmware changes.
