Choose the Breville Bambino if you mainly drink espresso or Americanos, or want to learn manual milk steaming. Choose the Bambino Plus if you make milk drinks often and want automatic temperature and foam controls. Keep enough of your budget for an espresso-capable grinder with either machine.
The Plus gives you a different milk routine and a larger water tank. Its higher price alone is no reason to expect better-tasting espresso. Both models share several brewing features, and your coffee, grind and recipe still need to suit the basket.
This comparison covers the current US/Canada BES450 and BES500 documentation. Sage versions and older retail bundles can differ; check the model and box contents where you buy.
Header photograph: Latte art 0, by Angela from Coffee-Rank.com, CC BY 2.0.
What changes between the two machines?
The largest difference is milk control. The Bambino has manual steaming. The Bambino Plus adds automatic milk texturing with three temperature settings and three foam settings, while retaining manual mode.
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| Feature | Bambino BES450 | Bambino Plus BES500 |
|---|---|---|
| Milk steaming | Manual | Automatic or manual |
| Automatic milk settings | None | Three temperature and three foam settings |
| Water tank | 1.4 L | 1.9 L |
| Hot water | Dedicated button | Button combination, through the steam wand |
| Portafilter in the current manual | 54 mm aluminum; not dishwasher safe | 54 mm stainless steel |
| Filter baskets in the current manual | Single-wall and dual-wall | Single-wall and dual-wall |
The BES450 manual and BES500 manual list these components and controls. An older review may describe a different accessory bundle, so confirm what comes with the exact unit you order.
Will the Plus make better espresso?
Buying the Plus for automatic milk has a clear purpose. Buying it solely to improve espresso flavor is harder to justify from the specifications. Breville lists ThermoJet heating, PID temperature control, low-pressure pre-infusion and 9-bar extraction for both machines.
Those shared features do not prove identical taste in every setup. HBM has not run a controlled side-by-side taste test. In his own comparison, Coffee Kev reports that any flavor difference was too subtle for him to detect. That is one reviewer’s experience, rather than a guarantee about your coffee.
With freshly ground coffee in a single-wall basket, reserve money for a grinder that can adjust finely enough for espresso. The manuals distinguish single-wall baskets for fresh-ground coffee from dual-wall baskets for pre-ground coffee. A machine upgrade cannot correct a grind that is unsuitable for the basket.
If you are starting with pre-ground coffee, the dual-wall basket gives you a documented starting option. You can move to fresh beans and a single-wall basket later. Our burr versus blade grinder guide explains why grinder control deserves part of the budget.
Breville’s three-second claim refers to reaching extraction temperature. It does not mean a cold cup and portafilter are fully warm in three seconds. Follow the preparation instructions, including warming them, before judging a cool or sour shot.
Automatic milk is the main reason to buy the Plus
The Plus suits someone who wants to choose temperature and foam settings, then let the machine stop automatically. The Bambino suits someone willing to hold the pitcher and control air, circulation and the stopping point manually.
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For automatic texturing, the BES500 manual specifies fresh cold milk between the jug’s MIN and MAX marks. The supplied stainless steel jug rests on the temperature sensor in the drip tray. The wand must be fully lowered, with its tip covered by milk. Select the temperature and foam settings before starting steam.
After steaming, lift the wand to remove the jug, wipe the wand with a clean damp cloth, and lower it so the automatic purge can finish. Automatic texturing still leaves you responsible for setup and cleaning. Different milks can need different foam settings; one setting is not a promise of the same texture with dairy and every plant milk.
You can steam manually on the Plus too. Its manual mode disables automatic texturing and automatic shutoff, so you control the stopping point. If you enjoy practicing milk texture, decide whether you will use the automatic option often enough to pay for it.
Lifestyle Lab’s original comparison covers the machines’ design, steaming and espresso. Check the current manuals for your bundle and controls. Watch on YouTube.
If manual steaming leaves a stiff cap of foam, work on the amount of air and the milk’s circulation before replacing the machine. Follow our too-foamy milk guide; for the stopping point, see milk-steaming temperature for a latte.
Water, cleaning and accessories affect daily use
The Plus holds 1.9 L of water versus 1.4 L in the Bambino. It also has a separate group-cleaning routine. Both dispense hot water, although the Bambino gives you a dedicated button.
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Americanos are possible on both
The current BES500 manual describes lifting the wand and pressing 1 CUP and MILK FOAM to dispense hot water through it, then pressing 1 CUP to stop. The BES450 has a HOT WATER button. If you make Americanos every morning, compare that small control difference with how much you want automatic milk.
Group cleaning is different from descaling
The Plus manual calls for a cleaning cycle after 200 extractions, indicated by alternating 1 CUP and 2 CUP lights. It describes a cleaning disc and tablet for that cycle, separately from descaling. Follow the BES450 care instructions for the Bambino; do not copy the Plus’s cleaning-disc procedure onto it.
Keep the drip tray accessible for emptying, particularly after wand purging. Before buying for a tight counter, check the current regional dimensions and leave room to remove the tank, move the jug and lock in the portafilter. A machine that fits under a cupboard can still be awkward to refill.
Accessories matched to basket and model
The current manuals specify an aluminum portafilter for BES450 and stainless steel for BES500. The BES450 portafilter is explicitly not dishwasher safe. Although both use the 54 mm size designation, that number alone does not establish compatibility with every aftermarket basket, tamper or portafilter. Check the accessory maker’s model list and basket dimensions.
Start with the supplied tools. Add an accessory when you can name the problem it should solve, such as coffee spilling during dosing. A larger shopping basket is not a substitute for choosing the right machine and grinder.
Which should you buy or upgrade to?
For a first machine, I would choose the Bambino for mostly black coffee and the Plus for frequent milk drinks when automatic texturing appeals. If the Plus would leave you without a suitable grinder, compare the Bambino-and-grinder setup before committing.
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Compare current prices for the same region, warranty and condition. Include delivery and the grinder in both totals. Then write down which Plus feature you expect to use: automatic milk, the larger tank, or both. That gives the extra cost a purpose you can judge.
If you already own a working Bambino, I would keep it while improving grind and the coffee recipe. Moving to the Plus is reasonable when automatic milk would remove a job you regularly dislike. If you already steam confidently and rarely want automatic mode, the upgrade offers less day-to-day value.
Before paying, confirm the exact model, basket bundle, local voltage and return terms. For further Breville setup guidance, start at our Breville and Sage guide collection.
Quick questions
Can the Bambino Plus steam milk manually?
Yes. The Breville Bambino Plus BES500 has a manual milk-texturing mode as well as automatic mode. The current manual states that automatic texturing and automatic shutoff are disabled during manual steaming. Hold and position the jug yourself, and stop steam at the appropriate point.
Can the Bambino Plus make an Americano?
Yes. The current Breville Bambino Plus BES500 manual includes hot-water operation through the steam wand. It uses the 1 CUP and MILK FOAM buttons to start, followed by 1 CUP to stop. The Bambino BES450 has a dedicated hot-water button, which may suit frequent Americano use.
Do you need to buy single-wall baskets separately?
The current US/Canada manuals for Breville Bambino BES450 and Bambino Plus BES500 list single-wall and dual-wall baskets. Retail bundles and older stock can differ, so check your box contents before ordering extras. Use the basket type recommended for your fresh-ground or pre-ground coffee.