Apartment-Tested Review · 2026
Breville the Bambino Plus
Slimmest real-espresso machine that actually makes good shots — apartment default rec, with one known weakness (auto-steam wand reliability over time).
Quick verdict
Price$399.95 MSRP $499.95
Width7.4″ · 188 mm
Apt-Fit Score9 / 10
Noise Est.~65 dB
Renter-safeYes
Slimmest real-espresso machine that actually makes good shots — apartment default rec, with one known weakness (auto-steam wand reliability over time).
Check on Amazon →
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Specs
| Footprint (W × D × H) | 7.4″ × 12.6″ × 12.2″ · 188 × 320 × 310 mm |
|---|---|
| Weight | 12.1 lb · 5.5 kg |
| Power | 1560 W |
| Water tank | 1.9 L · 64 oz |
| Portafilter | 54 mm |
| Heating | ThermoJet (single thermoblock) |
| PID temp control | Yes |
| Pre-infusion | Yes |
| Auto-milk frother | Yes |
| Warranty | 2 years |
| MSRP | $499.95 |
Apartment-Fit Score
9/ 10
- Footprint9/10
- Plumbing-free10/10
- Renter-safe10/10
- Noise (lower better)~65 dB
Methodology: how we score this →
What expert reviewers say
well look at this little cutie we're gonna be taking a look at the Breville Bambino plus today so buckle up [Music] now before jumping into the video I'll ask I know that annoying ask if you take a second hit the like subscribe really helps check out the links below yada yada …
hello fellow coffee botherers in this video I'm doing an updated review on the sage or Rebel Bambino plus and answering the question is this the best coffee machine under £400 or $500 I first reviewed the Bambino plus back in March 2020 it was the sixth video I published here …
I Just Wanna Have Fun clap my hands turn around now and dance dance dance today we're going to take a look at the Bambino plus by Breville now the Bambino plus is a very interesting machine for all the features that it offers and at that price point so I want to take a look at…
What Reddit really says
I'd sell a lot of stuff to scrape up 800 if it came to me. 🤣
It’s a solid built machine, but it’s expensive for what you get. I have one and I love it but this is the criticism it gets (no PID, heat exchange instead of dual boiler, a lot of $$$)
Nice! Wat would be wrong with an appartamento?
That’s a great start, enjoy your coffee
Nice! I have a standard Bambino — hell of a machine for the money. For espresso the Breville Smart Grinder Pro is meh, when possible I would get an Encore ESP for $200 as an easy upgrade to up the quality. That's a fantastic first apartment setup tho, congrats to moving in and to having a dad with good taste!
So I'm going to get some hate for this but I think you should keep what you have. If you want to upgrade then wait until you can get a Decent or an ACS Vesuvius Leva (or something similar). I went from a Gaggia classic pro with PID to a MaraX and the quality in the cup did not change. The MaraX has a better user experience but it did not make better tasting espresso. So I would definitely wait unt…
Video review
Pros & cons
✓ Strengths
- 188mm width fits any apartment counter
- 3-second heat-up via ThermoJet
- PID temp control — rare at this price
- Low Pressure Pre-Infusion built in
- Auto-milk works for beginners (texture good for 35-second steam)
- Comes with both pressurized AND non-pressurized baskets (rare — most starters force you to pressurized)
✗ Weaknesses
- Auto-steam wand can clog/lose power over time (Amazon 'Frequently Returned' tag)
- Included tamper is plastic and widely panned — replace day 1
- No hot water function (no Americano without manual workaround)
- Steam wand fixed-angle (won't swing aside)
- Drip tray small — empty after each session
- 54mm portafilter is Breville-specific size — accessories ecosystem narrower than 58mm prosumer standard
Buy if / Skip if
Buy if
- First espresso machine for renter / apartment
- Latte/cappuccino daily driver where milk steaming convenience matters
- Counter under 8 inches wide available
- Budget $400-500 with intent to invest in grinder separately
Skip if
- Black-coffee-only drinker (auto-milk premium wasted; get base Bambino at $329)
- Plan to upgrade to 58mm prosumer in <2 years (skip to Gaggia Classic Pro)
- Need rotary pump silence (this is vibratory ~65dB, not whisper-quiet)
$399.95 $499.95
Prices verified 2026-05-03. Live snapshots may differ — click through to see current.