Breville BES500BSS Bambino Plus Espresso Machine Review (2026)

Who the Bambino Plus Fits

The Bambino Plus is aimed at people who already own or plan to buy a separate espresso grinder and want a fast, compact machine to pair with it, rather than an all-in-one unit. Its slim body suits narrow counters and apartment kitchens where a bulkier grinder-equipped machine would not comfortably fit. Latte and cappuccino drinkers benefit most from its automatic steam wand, which handles milk texturing without requiring the practiced technique a manual wand demands. It is a weaker fit for someone who wants a single box that grinds and brews, since pairing it with a grinder means an extra purchase and a bit more counter space overall, even if each piece individually is compact.

Heating, Pump and Pour Specs

The Bambino Plus uses Breville's ThermoJet heating system, which the company states reaches brewing temperature in about 3 seconds, a sharp contrast to machines that need several minutes to warm up before the first shot. A 1560 watt heating element paired with digital PID temperature control keeps extraction temperature steady shot after shot. Water is pumped through a 15-bar Italian pump, regulated down to about 9 bars during actual extraction for proper espresso pressure. The machine is built around a 54mm portafilter with a 19 gram dose basket, and the water tank holds 1.9 liters, enough for a good number of shots between refills.

Living With It Day to Day

The standout daily benefit is genuinely fast heat-up, letting you go from switching the machine on to pulling a shot in a matter of seconds rather than waiting through a warm-up cycle, which matters most on busy mornings. The automatic steam wand textures milk hands-free once you select a setting, a real convenience for anyone who drinks lattes or cappuccinos regularly but does not want to practice manual steaming technique. At 195mm wide, 320mm deep and 310mm tall, the machine tucks into a narrow counter run easily. The trade-off shows up at the drip tray, which is small and needs emptying more often than larger machines, especially if you are steaming milk and brewing back to back.

Trade-offs and How It Compares

Against its own stablemate, the Barista Express, which ranks just ahead of it in the same guide, the Bambino Plus gives up a built-in grinder in exchange for a smaller body and dramatically faster heat-up, so the right choice depends on whether you already own a grinder you like. Within the guide's budget-focused grouping of lower priced machines, the Bambino Plus sits ahead of rivals like the Gaggia Classic Pro and the smaller Bambino, largely on the strength of its automatic steam wand and ThermoJet heating. Compared with manual wand machines generally, the automatic steaming here trades a bit of fine control for consistency and ease, which suits people newer to milk texturing better than espresso hobbyists chasing the last bit of microfoam control.

Verdict: Who Should Consider a Different Machine

For anyone with a grinder already in hand who wants fast heat-up and hands-free milk texturing in a small footprint, the Bambino Plus is a strong, focused choice. Buyers who do not yet own a grinder and would rather buy one machine that does both jobs should look at the Barista Express instead, accepting a larger footprint and a manual steam wand in exchange for the built-in grinder. Anyone who steams a lot of milk back to back should also plan on emptying the drip tray more frequently than they might expect from a machine this compact.

Frequently asked questions