Breville has carved a niche for itself in the home espresso machine market, offering a range of appliances that cater to both beginners and seasoned coffee enthusiasts. Choosing the right Breville espresso machine can feel overwhelming given the variety of models available. This guide breaks down some of Breville’s popular espresso machines to help you compare and decide which one best fits your needs and brewing style.
Breville Bambino Plus: Convenience and Automation
The Breville Bambino Plus stands out for its user-friendly design and, most notably, its automated milk steaming technology. This machine simplifies the milk frothing process with three texture settings, ranging from subtly textured latte milk to thick cappuccino froth. Simply position your milk pitcher, select your desired texture, and the Bambino Plus handles the steaming automatically.
Automatic milk steaming, while common in fully automatic machines, is often inconsistent. Breville, however, seems to have mastered it with the Bambino Plus. The result is consistently smooth, micro-foamed milk, perfect for latte art attempts and achieving cafe-quality drinks at home.
For espresso purists who prefer complete control, the Bambino Plus has limitations. It lacks a pressure gauge, meaning you can’t directly monitor brewing pressure. Brewing temperature is also not adjustable. However, its ease of use and approachable price point make it an excellent entry-level espresso machine, especially for those new to home espresso.
Breville Bambino Espresso Machine – Amazon
Breville Bambino Espresso Machine – Williams Sonoma
Breville Bambino Espresso Machine – Breville
Breville Bambino: The Essential Espresso Start
As the precursor to the Bambino Plus, the standard Breville Bambino provides a similar espresso experience but without the automatic milk texturing. It features a manual steam wand, requiring you to control the milk frothing process yourself, offering a more hands-on approach. This can be a learning opportunity for those wanting to master milk texturing techniques. The steam wand also doubles as a hot water dispenser, a feature absent in the Bambino Plus, useful for making Americanos or tea.
The Bambino is a more budget-friendly option, typically costing around $200 less than the Bambino Plus. This makes it an attractive choice for beginners who want a quality Breville espresso machine without the higher price tag, particularly if automatic milk frothing isn’t a primary concern.
Breville Infuser: Reliable Performance with Added Control
The Breville Infuser is an older model, no longer directly available on Breville’s US site but still found at retailers like Amazon and on Breville’s Canadian and Australian sites. While newer models boast more advanced features, the Infuser remains a dependable workhorse, often compared to the “Corolla” of the Breville lineup – reliable and consistently performs its core function well.
It excels at brewing quality espresso and, while slower than more automated machines, still textures milk effectively with its manual steam wand. A key feature of the Infuser, and a step up in control, is the inclusion of a pressure gauge. This provides real-time feedback on your brewing pressure, helping you dial in your grind size and tamping technique for optimal espresso extraction. The steam wand is controlled by a dial, offering a tactile experience preferred by some over button operation. This dial also controls the hot water dispenser. Furthermore, the Infuser allows for brew time adjustments and temperature adjustments (up to four degrees in either direction), although these require a series of button presses rather than a digital interface.
Breville Infuser Espresso Machine – Amazon
Breville Barista Express: The All-in-One Solution for Beginners
The Breville Barista Express essentially combines the Infuser with a built-in grinder. It shares the same brewing interface, milk steaming system, and pressure gauge as the Infuser. As Breville’s most affordable all-in-one machine, it offers convenience in a single appliance.
However, the integrated grinder is a point of compromise. With only 16 grind settings, it’s less precise than dedicated espresso grinders. For comparison, entry-level grinders like the Baratza Encore ESP offer significantly more grind settings specifically for espresso. The Barista Express also uses a knob to adjust grind amount, lacking unit markings, which can make dialing in the grind size more challenging and require more experimentation. To mitigate the grinder’s limitations, using the included dual-wall filter baskets is recommended for more consistent espresso extraction.
Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine – Amazon
Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine – Breville
Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine – Williams Sonoma
Breville Barista Pro: Enhanced Grinding and Interface
The Breville Barista Pro represents an upgrade to the Barista Express, most notably in its grinder and user interface. It features higher quality Baratza burrs and expands the grind settings to 30, providing significantly more granular control for dialing in your espresso shots. This improved grinder is a substantial upgrade, as grinder quality greatly impacts espresso quality.
Beyond the grinder, the Barista Pro boasts an LCD screen interface, a step up from the gauges on the Infuser and Barista Express. The LCD displays grind size and grind time, and allows for customization of pre-infusion time and water temperature. It retains the same steam wand and hot water dispenser setup found in the Infuser and Barista Express.
Breville Barista Pro Espresso Machine – Amazon
Breville Barista Pro Espresso Machine – Breville
Breville Barista Pro Espresso Machine – Williams Sonoma
Breville Barista Express Impress: Smart Automation for Consistent Results
The Breville Barista Express Impress takes automation a step further with its “Impress” puck system, incorporating smart grinding and tamping technology. It aims to minimize user error while still providing a hands-on espresso brewing experience.
The built-in grinder is calibrated to dispense 18 grams of coffee at its midpoint setting, ensuring consistent dosing. The smart tamper lever applies a consistent 22 pounds of pressure, taking the guesswork out of tamping. A light-up indicator on the tamping system provides feedback, indicating if you’ve under or overdosed, or achieved the correct tamp. If underdosed, the “Impress” system will automatically top up the grind to the correct amount, remembering the total grind for future doses. This combination of features makes the Barista Express Impress the most forgiving of the Breville all-in-one machines, ideal for those seeking consistent espresso with minimal fuss.
Breville Barista Express Impress Espresso Machine – Amazon
Breville Barista Express Impress Espresso Machine – Breville
Breville Barista Express Impress Espresso Machine – Williams
