As far as at home espresso machines go, the Australian Breville line has some of the highest quality, most loved machines on the market at this time—and it is not hard to tell why. The Breville espresso machines produce great tasting beverages, but are also exceptionally practical and convenient to use. If you are in the market to buy from the Breville line, two machines in particular should be at the forefront of your search: the Breville Infuser and the Breville Bambino Plus. Below, we will dive into some key similarities and differences between the two machines so that potential users can decide which is best for them.
Breville Infuser vs Bambino Plus – 5 Key Similarities
Bambino Plus Espresso Maker
Breville Infuser
1 Interface and Functionality
For both the Breville Infuser and the Breville Bambino Plus, the machines consist of button control interfaces, which makes use of each very simple and easy. Both machines are also made of stainless steel material and have a compact footprint. Additionally, both machines are operated the same way, and are both relatively simple to get the hang of using once uses read the manual.
2 Temperature Control and Microfoam
A key commonality between the Breville Infuser and Breville Bambino Plus is that both machines allow users to control the temperature when it comes to their beverages, which allows users to have steaming hot coffee if they desire, or more mild if they choose. The machines also boast that they produce “cafe-quality” microfoam—which, for those who are not well-versed in espresso and coffee lingo, refers to the finely textured milk that is used for making espresso-based coffee drinks. This microfoam not only adds something a little extra to each drink and tastes delicious, but is also commonly used for latte art.
3 Amazing, Flavorful Taste
You will also be getting exceptional, full flavor espresso drinks with both the Breville Bambino Plus and the Breville Infuser. Both machines use around the same amount of freshly ground espresso beans per drink (around 19-22 grams). These freshly ground beans ensure that each beverage created using the machines is great tasting, flavorful, and a perfect consistency. Additionally, the digital temperature controls that both machines offer allow users to customize their drinks exactly to their individual preferences and liking each time.
4 No Built-In Grinder
Neither the Breville Bambino Plus nor the Breville Infuser offer users the added convenience of a built-in grinder, so you’ll need to either grind your own espresso beans or buy an additional, espresso-worthy grinder. If you prefer an integrated grinder, consider the Breville Barista Pro or the Breville Oracle Touch
5 Extraction Process
A key similarity between these two Breville machines is that they both ensure that the espresso beans’ flavor is extracted during the pre-infusion process by increasing the pressure gradually during the time when the machine starts. Additionally, both the Breville Bambino Plus and the Breville Infuser have 15 bars of pump pressure, which is known amongst the espresso world as the sweet spot when it comes to making the perfect tasting cup. If you have under 15 bars of pump pressure, your espresso can tend to be too weak and bland, but if you have over 15 bars of pump pressure, your espresso will likely be bitter and over-extracted—both of which will be undesirable to users.
The industry standard when it comes to espresso machines and their pump pressure is 9 bars, but since many argue that 15 bars is what produces the best outcome, this is what Breville has chosen to go with. This goes to show that Breville is truly committed to producing the highest quality espresso possible, and the delicious, delectable espresso beverages that their machines produce is just mere proof of this!
Differences Between Breville Infuser and Bambino Plus
1 Heat up Time and and Steaming Wand
Now, let’s start to get into the differences between these two machines. First up, the time it takes to actually begin using these machines varies pretty greatly. With the Breville Bambino Plus, the heat up time is only about three seconds, so you will be ready to enjoy your beverage in virtually no time at all. This could prove to be a huge life-saver for those who are always in a rush to get out the door in the morning and have little time to spare waiting for their machines to be ready for use. Conversely, with the Breville Infuser you will have to wait for about a minute or two for it to heat up and get going. While a minute or two isn’t an incredibly long time to wait, it does seem that way when compared to the ridiculously short heat up time the Bambino Plus offers. And, as we know, we live in an incredibly fast-paced world, so those minutes really do add up!
On top of that, the steaming wand that the machines offer differs pretty significantly as well. With the Breville Infuser, the wand is fully manual, which means that the users will be responsible for texturizing their milk to their liking (and for monitoring the temperature, as well). While being responsible for this can allow users to really create the espresso exactly the way they desire—while also teaching some valuable barista skills, some people might not want to be responsible for this extra, added task. In the Breville Bambino Plus, the steaming wand is automatic, meaning it heats and texturizes your milk for you each time. For those who value convenience and do not want to have to worry about taking extra steps, this could be a huge bonus and also save time.
2 Hot Water Dispenser and Water Reservoir
Another difference to take note of when it comes to these Breville machines is that the Infuser comes with a built-in hot water dispenser, while the Bambino Plus does not. The included hot water dispenser is convenient and useful for a number of reasons, including for making certain drinks such as the Americano, which is made by diluting espresso with hot water, or for just regular tea.
On the topic of water, the Breville Infuser has a water reservoir capacity of 61 ounces, while the Bambino Plus allows for up to 64 ounces—which saves time spent continuously filling the machine up with water for usage, and is extremely easy to fill.
3 Pressure Gauge
It could be argued that the pressure gauge on the Breville Infuser has a slight edge over the Breville Bambino Plus, given that the gauge on the Infuser allows users to continuously monitor the espresso extraction pressure. This is helpful to determine if the espresso is being over-extracted or under-extracted, so that way the user can quickly step in and correct the problem if need be.
4 Warranty Included
The Breville Bambino Plus machine offers an included two-year warranty with purchase of the machine that will cover any defective parts or other system issues that arise, whereas the Breville Infuser offers only a one-year warranty. While the Breville machines are sturdy and exceptionally well made, and you should likely not encounter too many problems with it, it is still beneficial to have the added peace of mind that the machine is covered under warranty should problems arise.
5 Dimensions
The Breville Bambino Plus is smaller than the Breville Infuser, with the Bambino Plus being about 12.2 inches high and the Infuser being about 13.7 inches high. This means the Breville Bambino Plus can fit easier into tight, crowded counter spaces than the Infuser can, which can make all the difference in the world for those who already do not have a ton of additional counter space to spare on a new machine. Additionally, the Bambino Plus is also lighter than the Infuser, which makes carrying it around easier.
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Breville Bambino Plus or Breville Infuser: Bottom Line
After analyzing all of the various similarities and differences between these two Breville espresso machines, the winner is the Breville Bambino Plus. Not only is the Bambino Plus smaller and can fit nicely in nearly any space, but it is simply more convenient to use. Whether you are a novice espresso maker or you have been making espresso at home for years, you are sure to love just how easy making espresso is with this machine. When it comes to the added bonuses of the steam wand crafting perfect, temperature-controlled, texturized milk each time without needing to worry about monitoring it ourselves, and not to mention the machine itself heating up within 30 seconds—the Bambino Plus simply offers more than the Infuser does, and also makes it so easy and quick to craft the perfect beverage each time. Additionally, users will also benefit greatly from the added year covered by warranty, the increased water tank capacity, and the other handy features the Bambino Plus boasts.
All in all, any machine users buy from the Breville line is sure to be a hit, as the company is truly top of the line when it comes to great tasting espresso drinks. However, when it comes to picking between these two amazing machines—the choice is obvious. The Bambino Plus is an extremely popular, loved machine for a reason, and is clearly the better choice amongst the two.
