Best Home Espresso Machine: Breville Bambino vs Barista Express

Yes, unless the machine has one built in. Espresso needs a fine, even grind that blade grinders and most pre-ground coffee do not deliver. The Breville Bambino and Bambino Plus need a separate burr grinder; the Barista Express and Barista Express Impress have a conical burr grinder built in.

The Barista Express has a built-in conical burr grinder, a 1/2 lb bean hopper and a 67 oz water tank, and uses a manual steam wand. The Bambino has no grinder, heats in 3 seconds and has an automatic steam wand. Both use a 54 mm portafilter and PID temperature control.

The Plus is worth it if you make milk drinks and want adjustable automatic milk temperature and texture. It also auto purges after steaming and carries a 2 year limited warranty versus 1 year on the Bambino. For straight espresso, the two make shots the same way: 3-second ThermoJet, PID and a 54 mm portafilter.

It is worth it for beginners, because it automates dosing and tamping. The Impress measures and corrects the dose, tamps at a consistent 10 kg and offers 25 grind settings. It also has a 2 L tank versus 67 oz on the Barista Express.

The Bambino models draw 1560 W and the Barista Express 1600 W while heating. Ten minutes of heating a day at 1600 W is about 0.27 kWh, which at the 2025 US average of 17.3 cents per kWh is about 5 cents a day or roughly 17 dollars a year. ThermoJet machines heat in 3 seconds, so they spend less time drawing power.

About 23 double shots. Breville's 54 mm basket takes a 19 g dose, and a pound is 454 g, so 454 divided by 19 is about 23 doubles.

Yes, these run on a standard 120 V outlet. At 1560 to 1600 W they use most of a 15 amp circuit, which tops out at 1800 W, so avoid running a kettle or toaster on the same circuit at the same time.

The Bambino and Bambino Plus reach extraction temperature in 3 seconds with ThermoJet heating. The Barista Express and Impress use a Thermocoil heater with PID control and take longer to be ready. Either way, you can pull a shot within a few minutes of switching on.

Bigger tanks mean fewer refills. The Barista Express holds 67 oz and the Impress 2 L, about 68 oz. A double shot from a 19 g dose at a common 1:2 ratio is about 38 g, roughly 1.3 oz, plus water for steaming and rinsing, so either tank lasts several days for one or two drinkers.

It is worth it if you drink espresso drinks most days. Beyond the machine, the running cost is beans plus a few cents of electricity per day, and a pound of beans makes about 23 double shots at a 19 g dose. If you drink espresso only occasionally, a cafe is simpler.