Breville Bambino (BES450)

The Bambino is for the beginner who has understood that the grinder matters as much as the machine and wants to split the budget accordingly. It makes the same shot as the Bambino Plus: same ThermoJet heater, same 54 mm portafilter, same pre-infusion, and TechGearLab measured the same 18 percent extraction yield from both. What it leaves out is the automatic milk wand, and the difference that creates buys a meaningful share of a proper espresso grinder. That is why it is the grinder-pairing pick on our beginner espresso list and TechGearLab's Best Buy.

It is not the machine for someone who wants milk done for them, or who wants a big tank and a long warranty. Those three things are what the Plus is for.

The shot is the first strength, and it is a Breville shot: the ThermoJet heater reaches extraction temperature in about three seconds per Breville's spec, the pump runs low-pressure pre-infusion before ramping to 9 bar, and the 54 mm portafilter takes an 18 g dose. Breville includes single-wall and dual-wall baskets for one and two cups, and Seattle Coffee Gear's listing confirms both types in the box. Coffee Chronicler notes there is no temperature surfing and that shots can be preset; TechGearLab describes the machine as one of the easiest it has used, with one-touch volumetric buttons for one or two shots.

The manual wand is the second, and it is the reason this machine beats cheaper rivals. TechGearLab found it nearly matched the Barista Express, whose microfoam it rated the best of its whole test, and scored the Bambino's milk higher than the Bambino Plus's automatic wand. Hot water comes through the same wand with a dedicated button, per Seattle Coffee Gear. TechGearLab timed a cappuccino from cold at three minutes 36 seconds, the fastest of the three Brevilles it measured.

The footprint is the third. Breville lists it at 6.1 in wide and 13.5 in tall, TechGearLab measured about 6.3 in, and cup clearance is 5 in by TechGearLab's measurement, so it fits a tall glass without removing the tray and fits a narrow counter beside a grinder. Seattle Coffee Gear lists 1,560 W.

The grinder gap is the same as on the Plus: none included, and Coffee Chronicler's guide is clear that a grinder capable of espresso is a requirement, not an extra. TechGearLab makes the same point from the other side: the money saved on the machine goes straight into the grinder.

The tamper is the first thing to replace. TechGearLab calls it flimsy plastic, unlike the metal one in the Plus box, and says it is easily swapped. A metal 54 mm tamper is inexpensive and makes a level tamp much easier for a beginner.

Capacity and warranty are the other differences from the Plus. TechGearLab measured the tank at 47 oz and Seattle Coffee Gear lists 48 oz, against 64 oz on the Plus, so it needs refilling more often. Seattle Coffee Gear lists a one-year warranty, half the two years Whole Latte Love lists for the Plus. There is no pressure gauge, so a fast or choking shot is diagnosed by eye and by a scale, and Breville does not state a PID for this model, although Coffee Chronicler credits the Plus, which shares the heater, with one.

Against the Bambino Plus, the choice is milk: the Plus texture-steams automatically at one of three temperatures and three textures, the Bambino makes you learn. TechGearLab found the Bambino's manual wand nearly as good as the Barista Express's, so the learning is worth it if you have the patience. The Plus also brings the 64 oz tank, the metal tamper and the two-year warranty. If the difference pays for most of a grinder from our espresso grinder list, take the Bambino and the grinder; if the grinder is already bought, the Plus is the more comfortable machine.

Against the Barista Express, the Bambino is half the width, less than half the weight and faster to heat, and its wand nearly matches the Express's. The Express has the grinder and the pressure gauge. A Bambino paired with a good standalone grinder outperforms the Express's integrated 16-step burr and can be upgraded piece by piece; the Express is the one-box answer for someone who will never buy a second appliance.

Against the Casabrews 5418 Pro, the Bambino sits a class higher and answers with a 54 mm basket, single-wall baskets in the box, pre-infusion and a three-way valve so the puck does not drip. The Casabrews is narrower and cheaper and steams sooner after a shot. If the Bambino plus grinder budget exists, this is the better machine to learn on; if not, the Casabrews is the honest start.

The Bambino is the smart beginner buy for anyone who accepts that the grinder is half the setup. It pulls the same shot as the Bambino Plus, steams milk nearly as well as the Barista Express once you learn the wand, and takes up about 6 in of counter. It gives up automatic milk, tank size and a year of warranty to get there. Buy it with a grinder and a metal tamper, and it will be the last of the three you need to replace.