Breville Bambino Plus Espresso Machine BES500BSS, Brushed Stainless Steel Review (2026)

Who this espresso machine is built for

The Bambino Plus is aimed at home baristas who want genuinely good espresso and lattes without giving up significant counter space, since Breville built it around a compact 12.2 by 7.7 by 12.6 inch footprint. It suits cooks who are willing to pay more for consistent results and automatic milk texturing rather than manually learning to steam milk on a cheaper machine. Because it heats in seconds rather than minutes, it also fits busy mornings where a slow warm-up would be a dealbreaker. It is not the machine for someone who wants the cheapest possible entry into espresso, since its price sits above basic manual machines from De'Longhi and Gevi in the same category. For anyone serious about daily espresso in a small kitchen, though, it delivers professional-leaning features in a genuinely compact body.

Heating system, pressure and milk texturing explained

Breville's specifications list a ThermoJet heating system that reaches target temperature in about 3 seconds, paired with 15 bar Italian pump pressure regulated down to roughly 9 bars during actual extraction, along with digital PID temperature control for consistency shot to shot. The machine runs on 1560 watts at 110 to 120 volts and includes a 19 gram portafilter sized for a proper dose of ground coffee. Volumetric control offers preset 1 and 2 cup volumes with a manual override, or shot volumes can be reprogrammed to personal taste. An automatic steam wand handles milk texturing, while an insulated cool-touch design is meant to reduce burn risk while steaming. Included accessories cover a 54mm tamper, a precision dosing tool, a stainless steel milk jug, single and dual wall filter baskets, and cleaning tools.

Setting it up and living with it day to day

Because of the ThermoJet system's roughly 3-second heat-up, the Bambino Plus is ready for a shot far faster than machines relying on a traditional boiler, which matters most on rushed mornings. Daily use involves dosing ground coffee into the 19 gram portafilter, tamping with the included tool, pulling a shot using the preset or manual volume controls, and using the automatic steam wand to texture milk for lattes or cappuccinos. Regular cleaning routines include running the included cleaning disc and tool through the group head on the schedule Breville recommends, along with periodic descaling depending on local water hardness. Because the machine is a semi-automatic espresso maker rather than a super-automatic with a built-in grinder, getting the best results still depends on using freshly ground coffee from a quality burr grinder rather than pre-ground beans.

Where it falls short and how it compares with rivals

The Bambino Plus ranks first in two guides, compact espresso machines and manual brewers with compact espresso, both nine-item lists, with a score of 9.2, ahead of the De'Longhi EC685M Dedica Deluxe at 8.7 and De'Longhi's Dedica EC680M with manual frother at 8.5. Both De'Longhi machines undercut the Bambino Plus on price while giving up some of its speed and the fully automatic milk texturing. Gevi's compact machines, scoring 8.4 and 8.1 in the same guides, sit further down still, generally trading build quality and consistency for a lower price point. The clearest trade-off against all of these rivals is cost, since the Bambino Plus is priced above most of the competition in its category.

Verdict and who should pick something else

Choose the Bambino Plus if you want near-instant heat-up, automatic milk texturing, and Breville's build quality in a genuinely compact machine, and you are willing to pay more for those advantages. Look at the De'Longhi Dedica models instead if budget matters more than automatic milk texturing, since they offer a similar compact footprint at a lower price with manual frothing. Pair this machine with a decent burr grinder regardless of which you choose, since fresh, evenly ground coffee is what lets any of these espresso machines perform at their best.

Frequently asked questions