In the Breville Bambino vs Barista Express decision, the real question is whether you’ll buy a separate grinder. A Bambino plus a separate grinder matched or beat the Express in the cup for less money, according to Marco of Craft Coffee Spot, a YouTube channel that compares espresso gear, but the Express was easier for beginners (Craft Coffee Spot, “Breville Bambino Vs Barista Express: Should You Get An Espresso Machine With A Grinder?”).
The $299.95 Bambino has no grinder and reached brewing temperature in about 3 seconds for Morgan Eckroth, a barista and coffee YouTuber (Morgan Eckroth, “Let’s Talk About The Breville Bambino Espresso Machine”; Breville sent her the Bambino). The $699.95 Express builds in a grinder and a pressure gauge (Amazon listings, Oct 16, 2026).
Breville Bambino vs Barista Express: Specs Side by Side
Prices from Amazon at time of writing. I may earn a commission from links, at no cost to you.
| Breville Bambino (BES450BSS) | Breville Barista Express (BES870XL) | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $299.95 | $699.95 |
| Amazon rating | 4.0 (2,669 ratings) | 4.4 (27,932 ratings) |
| Bought in past month | 5K+ | 10K+ |
| Grinder | None (needs a grinder or pre-ground coffee) | Built-in conical burr grinder, 18 settings per Coffee Kev |
| Heating | ThermoJet, 3-second heat-up, PID | Thermocoil, PID adjustable ±2°C (30 to 40 s heat-up per Coffee Kev) |
| Milk | Steam wand | Manual steam wand on a ball joint |
| Portafilter | 54 mm (19 g dose) | 54 mm |
| Other | Low-pressure pre-infusion, compact body | Pre-infusion, pressure gauge, hot water spout |
| Buy | Check price | Check price |
Who Should Buy the Bambino or the Barista Express
- Breville Bambino (BES450BSS): fast 3-second heat-up and a small footprint at about $300; pair it with a separate grinder.
- Breville Barista Express (BES870XL): the classic all-in-one: built-in grinder, PID and a manual steam wand for latte art practice.
Bambino vs Barista Express: Taste Test With Separate Grinders
Craft Coffee Spot pulled 18 g shots on each setup (Craft Coffee Spot, “Breville Bambino Vs Barista Express: Should You Get An Espresso Machine With A Grinder?”):
- Barista Express: 18 g in, 38 g out in about 30 seconds. Good chocolate notes and a syrupy taste, a little dark.
- Bambino with a Baratza Encore ESP: about 37.5 g out. “Pretty similar,” a bit smoother and sweeter, for about $500 together versus about $750 for the Express at filming. The Encore ESP also grinds coarse enough for French press.
- Bambino with a DF64: 38 g out in 29 seconds. Extremely smooth and balanced, with more acidity and sweetness, thanks to the larger flat burrs. The DF64 cost about $350 to $400 at filming and needs a dosing funnel for Breville’s 54 mm portafilter.
He also noted a hand grinder such as a 1Zpresso J-Max at about $200 came close to the DF64 in flavor.
Why the Barista Express Wins on Convenience
Marco defended the Express on ease of use (Craft Coffee Spot, “Breville Bambino Vs Barista Express: Should You Get An Espresso Machine With A Grinder?”): it grinds straight into the portafilter with a timed dose, the grind range is set for its brew head, grounds fall into the drip tray rather than onto the counter, and you need one outlet instead of two. He said dialing in the separate grinders took real work before filming. His advice: beginners should consider an integrated machine, while experienced users should upgrade the grinder before the machine.
Alternative Brewing, a coffee channel, reached a similar split: the Express is “good enough for about 90% of people” who want one purchase and one warranty, while hobbyists who care about grind size and flavor are better off with separate pieces such as a Bambino Plus and a DF54 grinder (Alternative Brewing, “Breville Barista Express vs Bambino Plus + DF54”).
Breville Bambino Review Notes
Morgan Eckroth measured the Bambino at about 12 in deep, 7 in wide and 12 in tall, with a 1.4 L tank (Morgan Eckroth, “Let’s Talk About The Breville Bambino Espresso Machine”). In her test:
- It reached brewing temperature in about 3 seconds.
- The default double shot ran to 60 ml with a thick crema and good body; holding a button reprograms the volume.
- A drip tray indicator pops up when it needs emptying.
- The portafilter is mostly hard plastic and the seal can be stiff to break, so give the machine room on the counter.
- The single-button steam wand is small, which makes it harder to find the right angle to swirl and aerate milk.
Barista Express vs the Bambino Line: Coffee Kev’s Comparison
Coffee Kev of coffeeblog.co.uk, a UK espresso reviewer, compared the Express with the Bambino Plus and a Smart Grinder Pro; the Plus shares the Bambino’s ThermoJet heater (Coffee Kev, “Sage or Breville Barista Express Review Series. Part 2: Express Vs Bambino Plus & Smart Grinder Pro”). His findings:
- Express advantages: heavier body that doesn’t slide when you lock the portafilter, a hot water spout, a larger drip tray with storage, a sturdier portafilter, a ball-joint steam wand, a magnetic tamper slot, a better cup warmer and a brew temperature you can nudge 2°C up or down.
- ThermoJet advantages: about a 3-second warm-up versus 30 to 40 seconds on the Express, and steam that’s ready sooner after a shot.
- Grinder steps: the Express has 18 grind settings with fairly large steps, so a standalone grinder dials in more finely.
- Space and cost: in his UK comparison, the integrated machine saved neither counter space nor money.
He suggested the Express for Americano drinkers who want the hot water spout and the separate route for people who want to dial in many different beans.
Video: Craft Coffee Spot, “Breville Bambino Vs Barista Express: Should You Get An Espresso Machine With A Grinder?”. Embedded with credit.
Video: Morgan Eckroth, “Let’s Talk About The Breville Bambino Espresso Machine”.
Breville Bambino vs Barista Express: Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Bambino better than the Barista Express?
For espresso quality per dollar, Craft Coffee Spot found the Bambino plus a good grinder at least as good. For convenience, the Express wins.
Do I need a grinder for the Breville Bambino?
Yes, unless you use pre-ground coffee. For fresh beans you need an espresso-capable grinder, which adds to the cost.
Which heats up faster, the Bambino or the Barista Express?
The Bambino: about 3 seconds per Breville and Morgan Eckroth. Coffee Kev put the Express at 30 to 40 seconds.
Does the Barista Express have a hot water spout?
Yes. Coffee Kev recommends it for Americano drinkers for that reason.
What about the Bambino Plus?
It adds automatic milk texturing and listed at $485.00 on October 16, 2026.
Sources
- Amazon product listings for the espresso machines linked above, from Amazon at time of writing
- Amazon search results for “espresso machine” (snapshot October 16, 2026)
- Craft Coffee Spot, “Breville Bambino Vs Barista Express: Should You Get An Espresso Machine With A Grinder?”
- Morgan Eckroth, “Let’s Talk About The Breville Bambino Espresso Machine”
- Coffee Kev, “Sage or Breville Barista Express Review Series. Part 2: Express Vs Bambino Plus & Smart Grinder Pro”
- Alternative Brewing, “Breville Barista Express vs Bambino Plus + DF54”
Related: Breville Barista Express Review | De’Longhi Classic Signature vs Bambino | Best Espresso Machine Under $500
Notes and disclosure
Note: Prices, ratings and “bought in past month” badges come from Amazon listings and Amazon search results on October 16, 2026. Prices change often, so check the current listing. Test results come from the YouTube reviewers credited in each section; I have not tested these machines myself.