Breville Bambino Plus vs De'Longhi Magnifica S

For an office or shared kitchen where multiple people will use the machine, the relevant question is "how forgiving is it of untrained users." The Magnifica S is a full super-automatic — beans in, button pressed, espresso out. The Bambino Plus needs a grinder beside it and assumes the user knows what a portafilter is.

Quick verdict

Breville Bambino Plus

$499 · mid tier

Best for: latte, cappuccino, flat-white

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De'Longhi Magnifica S

$449 · mid tier

Best for: espresso shots, americano, office use

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Key differences

Specs where the two products diverge. Full spec list is below.

Spec Breville Bambino Plus De'Longhi Magnifica S
Price (USD) $499 $449
Boiler Type Thermojet Thermoblock
Group Head 54mm Automatic puck
Pid Yes No
Steam Wand Panarello
Auto Milk Frother Yes
Built In Grinder Yes
Water Tank L 1.9 1.8
Brand Breville De'Longhi
Preinfusion Yes
Super Automatic Yes
Warm Up Seconds 3
Show full specs (2 shared specs)
Spec Breville Bambino Plus De'Longhi Magnifica S
Bar Pressure 15 15
Price tier mid mid

Breville Bambino Plus

Pros

  • 3-second heat-up via Thermojet thermocoil
  • Automatic milk texturing with adjustable temperature and froth level
  • Compact 7.5-inch footprint suits small kitchens
  • PID temperature control delivers shot-to-shot consistency

Cons

  • 54mm portafilter is non-standard and limits aftermarket basket options
  • Pressurized baskets ship by default and need swapping for serious extraction
  • Plastic body feels light compared to prosumer machines at the price

De'Longhi Magnifica S

Pros

  • True super-automatic — grind, dose, tamp, brew in one button
  • Built-in steel conical burr grinder with adjustable grind size
  • Removable brew unit for cleaning, unusual at this price
  • Hot water spout for tea or americano dilution

Cons

  • Panarello steam wand froths but doesn't texture milk for latte art
  • Limited bean hopper (250 g) requires frequent refills
  • Coffee quality is good but not at semi-automatic levels

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Breville Bambino Plus better than the De'Longhi Magnifica S?

Neither is universally better — they target different users. The Breville Bambino Plus is best for latte and cappuccino. The De'Longhi Magnifica S is best for espresso shots and americano.

What's the price difference?

The Breville Bambino Plus retails around $499; the De'Longhi Magnifica S around $449. Price difference: $50.

Which one is better for milk drinks?

Look at the steam-related features in the spec table. Tags help too — products with 'milk-drinks' or 'dual-boiler' tags handle milk better. Breville Bambino Plus tags: beginner-friendly, milk-drinks, small-kitchen, fast-warmup. De'Longhi Magnifica S tags: super-automatic, one-touch, bean-to-cup, office-friendly.