Head-to-head · 2026

Bambino Plus vs Barista Express — Built-in Grinder Worth It?

Both Breville. Bambino Plus is 188 mm wide, Barista Express is 318 mm wide with integrated grinder. The $150 question.

By Alex · Updated May 3, 2026 · Same data sources as our individual reviews

Breville the Bambino Plus

$400

Apt-Fit 9/10 · 188 mm wide

Full review →

Breville the Barista Express

$550

Apt-Fit 5/10 · 318 mm wide

Full review →

Same brand, same warranty, same support. Difference: Barista Express has built-in conical burr grinder, costs $150 more, takes 130 mm more counter width. Question is whether the integrated grinder is worth the space and price premium.

Spec-by-spec

	Breville the Bambino Plus	Breville the Barista Express
Width (mm)	188	318
Depth (mm)	320	351
Apt-Fit Score	9	5
Price (USD)	399.95	549.95
Power (W)	1560	1600
Water tank (L)	1.9	2.0
Portafilter (mm)	54	54
PID temp control	✓	✓
Pre-infusion	✓	✓
Auto milk frother	✓	—
Warranty (years)	2	1

Green = better value on that axis. Same value = both shown neutral.

Footprint side-by-side

Both diagrams at the same scale on a standard 60 cm apartment counter.

Breville the Bambino Plus — 188×320 mm

Breville the Barista Express — 318×351 mm

Our verdict

Get Bambino Plus + separate grinder if: you have flexibility on grinder placement, you want grinder-upgrade flexibility (built-in grinder dies = whole machine dies), or you're on a tighter counter.

Get Barista Express if: you want one-machine all-in-one solution, your counter has 320+ mm of width to spare, and you don't anticipate upgrading the grinder.

Math check: Bambino Plus ($400) + DF54 grinder ($230) = $630 total. Barista Express ($549) = $549. Barista Express is $80 cheaper for similar grinder quality, BUT the DF54 outperforms Barista Express's built-in grinder for light/medium roasts (where most specialty coffee lives).

FAQ

Is the built-in grinder good enough?

For dark/medium-dark roasts — yes. For light roasts — no, you'll outgrow it within 6 months. Lance Hedrick: "Barista Express grinder is fine for everyday Starbucks-style roasts but limiting for third-wave."

Can I bypass the grinder and use ground beans?

Yes — Barista Express has a "ground" mode that uses pre-ground coffee. But you're paying $150 for a feature you're not using.

What about Barista Pro or Barista Touch?

Same form factor as Barista Express. Pro adds PID display + faster heat-up (~$700). Touch adds touchscreen ($1,000+). For apartment-fit purposes, all three are 318 mm wide and look identical externally — choice is feature vs price.