Breville Bambino Plus Espresso Machine
Ready in seconds, with hands-free milk texturing. Needs a separate grinder.
- ThermoJet heating
- Auto milk frothing
- 54 mm portafilter
Coffee gear
The best espresso machine for beginners
Best espresso machine: Breville Bambino Plus Espresso Machine. Why it wins: Ready in seconds, with hands-free milk texturing. Needs a separate grinder. Also see best budget: De’Longhi Stilosa Manual Espresso Machine; best all-in-one: Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine.
Our pick for most beginners is the Breville Bambino Plus: it heats in seconds, steams milk automatically, and fits a small counter. On a budget, the De’Longhi Stilosa pulls real espresso for much less. If you want a grinder built in, the Breville Barista Express is the all-in-one premium choice.
Based on Specialty Coffee Association · Breville · De’Longhi
Which one should you buy?
De’Longhi Stilosa Manual Espresso Machine
A 15-bar pump machine and manual steam wand at an entry-level price.
- 15-bar pump
- Manual steam wand
- Stainless boiler
Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine
Built-in conical burr grinder, so beans to latte happens in one machine.
- Built-in grinder
- 54 mm portafilter
- Manual steam wand
We don't list prices because they change daily; Amazon shows the current price and stock when you click. We earn a commission on purchases, which never decides a pick. How we choose.
The short answer: Bambino Plus plus a good grinder for most people; De’Longhi Stilosa to start cheap; Barista Express if you want the grinder built in.
How do the top espresso machines compare?
Swipe the table sideways to see all three →
| Spec | Best overallBreville Bambino Plus Espresso Machine | Best budgetDe’Longhi Stilosa Manual Espresso Machine | Best all-in-oneBreville Barista Express Espresso Machine |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heat-up | ThermoJet, seconds | Boiler, slower | Thermocoil |
| Milk | Automatic wand | Manual wand | Manual wand |
| Grinder | Not included | Not included | Built-in conical burr |
| Footprint | Compact | Compact | Larger |
| Learning curve | Easy | Moderate | Moderate |
| Best for | Most beginners | Tight budgets | One-box setups |
| Price & stock | Check price | Check price | Check price |
Why pick Breville Bambino Plus Espresso Machine?
Most beginner frustration comes from waiting and from milk. The Bambino Plus solves both: its ThermoJet system is ready to brew in seconds, and its steam wand textures milk automatically to your chosen temperature and froth level.
It pairs with a separate grinder. That costs more up front but gives you a better grinder than any built-in, and you can upgrade either part later.
Great if you
- Make milk drinks most days
- Have limited counter space
- Want quick mornings
Skip it if you
- Don’t want to buy a grinder
- Make many drinks back to back for a crowd
- Want manual control over everything
Key specs
- Heating
- ThermoJet
- Milk
- Automatic steam wand with temperature/texture settings
- Portafilter
- 54 mm
- Shots
- 1 and 2 cup buttons
- Grinder
- Not included
Breville Bambino Plus Espresso MachineOpens Amazon; the live price and stock are shown there.
Check price on Amazon Why pick De’Longhi Stilosa Manual Espresso Machine?
The Stilosa is a simple pump espresso machine: a stainless boiler, a 15-bar pump and a manual steam wand. With fresh coffee and a capable grinder it makes genuine espresso for a fraction of the Bambino’s price.
Expect a slower warm-up and manual milk steaming that takes practice. It’s a good way to find out whether espresso is a hobby you’ll keep.
Great if you
- Want to try espresso cheaply
- Mostly drink straight espresso or americanos
- Don’t mind learning to steam milk
Skip it if you
- Want fast, hands-free milk
- Plan to upgrade quickly anyway
- Need it to work with pre-ground coffee only
Key specs
- Pump
- 15 bar
- Boiler
- Stainless steel
- Milk
- Manual steam wand
- Water tank
- Removable
- Model
- EC260BK
De’Longhi Stilosa Manual Espresso MachineOpens Amazon; the live price and stock are shown there.
Check price on Amazon Why pick Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine?
The Barista Express integrates a conical burr grinder that doses straight into the portafilter, which saves counter space and the cost of a separate grinder. It also has a pressure gauge that helps you diagnose shots as you learn.
The built-in grinder is decent but less adjustable than a good standalone grinder, and if it fails, the whole machine goes in for repair.
Great if you
- Want everything in one box
- Like a pressure gauge to learn from
- Have room on the counter
Skip it if you
- Want a top-tier grinder
- Want automatic milk
- Have a very small kitchen
Key specs
- Grinder
- Integrated conical burr
- Portafilter
- 54 mm stainless
- Milk
- Manual steam wand
- Gauge
- Pressure gauge
- Model
- BES870XL
Breville Barista Express Espresso MachineOpens Amazon; the live price and stock are shown there.
Check price on Amazon What should you look for in espresso machines?
Budget for a grinder
Espresso needs fresh, fine, adjustable grinding. Unless the machine has one built in, set aside grinder money.
Milk drinks or straight shots?
If you drink lattes, automatic or fast steam matters most. For straight espresso, focus on temperature stability.
Warm-up time changes habits
A machine that’s ready in seconds gets used on busy mornings. One that needs 15+ minutes often doesn’t.
Footprint and water
Measure under your cabinets and check how easy the water tank is to fill and remove.
Breville Bambino Plus Espresso MachineOpens Amazon; the live price and stock are shown there.
Check price on Amazon Frequently asked questions about espresso machines
Do I need a separate grinder?
For the Bambino Plus and Stilosa, yes. Pre-ground coffee is usually too coarse and stale for good espresso. The Barista Express includes one.
Is 15 bars of pressure important?
Not really. Good espresso brews around 9 bars at the puck; "15 bar" describes the pump’s maximum. Temperature and grind matter more.
Can I use pods?
These machines use ground coffee. If you want pods, a capsule machine is simpler but costs more per cup.
How often should I descale?
Follow the manual and your water hardness. Filtered or softened water reduces scale and repairs.
Is a home espresso machine cheaper than cafes?
It depends on how many cafe drinks it replaces. Add up the machine, grinder and beans against what you spend at cafes each month; the calculator on our coffee ratio page helps with the per-cup bean cost.
How did we pick these espresso machines?
We compared heating systems, milk steaming, grinder inclusion, controls and footprint using manufacturer specifications and manuals, and weighed them against common beginner pain points: warm-up time, milk technique and grinder cost.
We have not hands-on tested these products; we compare published specifications, independent measurements and manufacturer documentation, and we update this page when models change. Read the full methodology.
What sources did we use?
- Breville: Bambino Plus and Barista Express (accessed October 23, 2026)
- De’Longhi: Stilosa EC260 (official page) (accessed October 23, 2026)
- Specialty Coffee Association (accessed October 23, 2026)