The catch
Breville Bambino Plus
A separate grinder is required for whole-bean espresso.
Side by side
Breville Bambino Plus vs Barista Pro compared: Automatic milk and a separate grinder, or a grind station built in
Quick verdict
Bambino Plus fits if you already own a suitable grinder or want automatic milk texturing. Barista Pro fits if you are better served by an integrated grinder and manual steam-wand practice. ThermoJet heating and a 54 mm portafilter come on both.
Before you buy
Why, and what it costs you
Whether you keep a grinder changes what the larger machine is worth
Bambino Plus does not duplicate your current grinder if it is suitable for espresso. Without one, the Barista Pro folds two major jobs into one appliance.
Where this comes from
The Bambino Plus has no grinder, and the Barista Pro builds in a thirty-position grinder. This compares appliance roles. It makes no claim about total counter area or package price.
The catch
Breville Barista Pro
Even with the integrated grinder, milk texturing stays manual.
Breville Bambino Plus
- Why pick it
- A grinder you intend to keep is already yours
- Three automatic milk temperatures and three texture levels are what you want
- The catch
- A separate grinder is required for whole-bean espresso.
Breville Barista Pro
- Why pick it
- Grinding should be built into the espresso machine for you
- Learning manual milk steaming is the goal
- The catch
- Even with the integrated grinder, milk texturing stays manual.
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What this page compares
Bambino Plus and Barista Pro weighed on separate or integrated grinding, automatic milk, shared 54 mm accessories and the complete coffee-station workflow.
Bambino Plus fits if you already own a suitable grinder or want automatic milk texturing. Barista Pro fits if you are better served by an integrated grinder and manual steam-wand practice. ThermoJet heating and a 54 mm portafilter come on both.
Which one fits
Pick the situations that sound like you
An espresso grinder I like is already in my kitchen
The Bambino works with it and does not add another built-in grinder. Barista Pro's built-in grinder may be redundant.
- Breville Bambino Plus
- Better fit
- Breville Barista Pro
- Good
I want to grind and brew with one appliance
An integrated grinder is found only on the Barista Pro.
- Breville Bambino Plus
- Not suitable
- Breville Barista Pro
- Better fit
I'd like milk textured automatically and hands-free
Automatic milk settings come with the Bambino Plus. The Barista Pro needs manual wand work.
- Breville Bambino Plus
- Better fit
- Breville Barista Pro
- Caution
I'd like to learn how to work a manual steam wand
The Barista Pro is manual, and manual texturing is supported on the Bambino Plus too.
- Breville Bambino Plus
- Good
- Breville Barista Pro
- Good
The advertised ThermoJet startup is my only reason for upgrading
The same three-second heating system is already advertised on both.
- Breville Bambino Plus
- Similar
- Breville Barista Pro
- Similar
In practice
Differences you will notice
Whether you keep a grinder changes what the larger machine is worth
Bambino Plus does not duplicate your current grinder if it is suitable for espresso. Without one, the Barista Pro folds two major jobs into one appliance.
How we worked this out
The Bambino Plus has no grinder, and the Barista Pro builds in a thirty-position grinder. This compares appliance roles. It makes no claim about total counter area or package price.
At the milk step, the all-in-one machine asks more of you by hand
More automation everywhere does not follow from built-in grinding. The hands-free milk feature is on the Bambino Plus and missing from the Barista Pro.
How we worked this out
Three automatic milk temperatures and three texture levels are listed for the Bambino. Breville describes the milk preparation on Barista Pro as manual texturing.
Switching from one machine to the other is not justified by ThermoJet
The advertised three-second heating claim is the same on both. Where they differ is grinding integration and milk handling.
How we worked this out
ThermoJet and a three-second heat-up are listed on the current manufacturer pages for both. Grinding, preparation, extraction and milk work fall outside that single heating figure.
Option A
Breville, BES500BSS
Bambino Plus
This compact ThermoJet machine lets you keep a portafilter workflow while it takes care of milk temperature and texture.
- Best for
- Espresso and lattes with the least fuss in a compact body
Facts we checked
- Integrated grinder: None
- Milk texturing: Automatic or manual, with three temperatures and three textures
- Heating system: ThermoJet with three-second advertised heat-up
- Size of portafilter: 54 mm
Option B
Breville, BES878BSS
Barista Pro
Heats fast and has a built-in grinder, an LCD workflow and a shot timer. Milk texturing is manual.
- Best for
- Dialing in by hand more quickly, with a built-in grinder
Facts we checked
- Integrated grinder: Conical burr grinder with 30 external settings
- Milk texturing: Manual steam wand
- Heating system: ThermoJet with three-second advertised heat-up
- Size of portafilter: 54 mm
Spec by spec
Where they really differ
| Spec | Breville Bambino Plus | Breville Barista Pro | In practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Integrated grinder | None | Conical burr grinder with 30 external settings | Grinding and brewing are combined in one appliance on the Barista Pro. |
| Milk texturing | Automatic or manual, with three temperatures and three textures | Manual steam wand | A step that the larger Barista Pro leaves to the user is automated on the Bambino Plus. |
| Heating system | ThermoJet with three-second advertised heat-up | ThermoJet with three-second advertised heat-up | Both share the published heating claim, and it is not the time needed to make a complete drink. |
| Portafilter size | 54 mm | 54 mm | The shared diameter helps, but individual accessories still need compatibility checks. |
| Shot control | Preset one and two cup, manual override and programmable volumes | One-shot, two-shot and manual volumetric control | Espresso output can be adjusted on both, rather than being limited to a fixed one-touch recipe. |
Trade-offs
What each pick costs you
With Breville Bambino Plus
- With automatic milk you still place the jug, supply the milk and clean the wand.
With Breville Barista Pro
- The built-in one may be redundant if you already own a suitable grinder.
Change of plan
When the answer changes
Automatic milk texturing is a requirement
Go with Breville Bambino Plus. It comes with the Bambino Plus.
One appliance has to integrate grinding and brewing
Go with Breville Barista Pro. The grinder is inside the Barista Pro.
Getting the advertised three-second ThermoJet system is the entire goal
Neither model fits. That published feature is already on both.
Decision guide
How to decide
If you already have a suitable grinder or want automatic milk texturing, Bambino Plus is the machine. An integrated grinder and manual steam-wand practice point to Barista Pro. Both share ThermoJet heating and a 54 mm portafilter.
Begin with whatever grinder you own
Buying the Bambino Plus is a different proposition when a suitable grinder is already yours than when you are starting a coffee station from scratch. You can keep that grinder and pick the espresso machine for its milk workflow. With no grinder, count the cost and space of a separate one before comparing the current machine offers.
Walk through the full milk-drink sequence
Integrating the grinder means Barista Pro needs less separate equipment, but it does not froth milk automatically. Bambino Plus needs separate grinding and offers hands-free milk settings. Ask whether what frustrates you daily is switching between appliances or managing the steam wand, because those lead to different choices.
Be careful with shared parts
A 54 mm portafilter and ThermoJet heating are listed for both, which gives existing Breville owners a useful compatibility starting point. It does not guarantee that every basket, tamper or dosing accessory fits both models. Confirm exact compatibility, and remember that the three-second claim covers heating and not the completed drink.
What this page can’t tell you
- Nothing here claims a test of espresso taste, grinder quality, milk quality or complete preparation time. A shared diameter does not prove that accessories fit universally.
By the numbers
What the data shows
What we found across the espresso machines we compare, plus the checked facts behind each finding.
Show the facts and the math
| Product | Needs it meets | Facts we checked | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breville Bambino Plus |
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| Breville Barista Pro |
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Ready to buy
See today’s price and what owners say
Open either model on Amazon for the current price, customer reviews and delivery options.
Breville Bambino Plus
A grinder you intend to keep is already yours
See price & reviews on AmazonBreville Barista Pro
Grinding should be built into the espresso machine for you
See price & reviews on AmazonEach link opens in a new tab.
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