Expert Comparison: Rancilio Silvia M Espresso Machine vs Breville Bambino Plus Espresso Machine

Published on 02/13/2024 · 5 min readCompare Rancilio Silvia M Espresso Machine and Breville Bambino Plus Espresso Machine. Get expert insight below!
Elias Lawson, Coffee Expert
Emma Leibman, Coffee Expert
David Boyer, Coffee Expert
Contributed By Coffee Expert Elias Lawson, Emma Leibman, David Boyer, Ashley Lindo, Melissa Johnson-Greene and others

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Side by side comparison

Most recommended
Rancilio Silvia M Espresso Machine
Most recommended
Breville Bambino Plus Espresso Machine
Price
$865.00
$499.95
Color options
User rating
--
4.71(14)
The Curated Take
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Best for coffee lovers seeking barista-quality espresso at an affordable price.

Housing material
Stainless steel
Stainless steel, Plastic
Volts
110-120
110-120V

In the world of home espresso machines, two names stand out: the Rancilio Silvia M and the Breville Bambino Plus. Both machines are known for their quality and performance, but they cater to different types of coffee enthusiasts. The Rancilio Silvia M is a semi-automatic machine that offers a great balance of user-control and features, making it a crowd favorite for its value and durability. On the other hand, the Breville Bambino Plus is a compact and affordable machine that heats up quickly and is capable of making good quality espresso and steaming milk like a professional machine. While the Rancilio Silvia M is perfect for those who enjoy the process of preparing their own coffee, the Breville Bambino Plus is ideal for those who want a simple and fuss-free brewing experience.

The Rancilio Silvia M Espresso Machine is a semi-automatic machine that is known for its durability and performance over time. It's a crowd favorite for its great value and is easily upgradeable, making it a machine that can be used for many years without hesitation. The Silvia is one of the OGs when it comes to cafe level espresso, with a standard professional size basket (58mm) that is capable of making truly tasty espresso. This machine is perfect for those interested in preparing their own coffee and who enjoy the process. Rancilio is known for both their home and commercial espresso machines, so they know how to make a machine that can perform. However, this machine does not come with a built-in grinder, so you will either need one or you will want to buy your coffee pre-ground.

The Rancilio Silvia M is a little more manual, requiring you to start and stop the shot each time. It also takes longer to heat up and switch from espresso to steaming, taking about 20-30 mins to heat up after being turned on. But with a smart-plug that turns on about an hour before you wake up, you can work around this.

The Rancilio Silvia M is a semi-automatic machine that strikes a nice balance of user-control vs. features, so you can easily make a quality drink from the get-go, but still improve your skillset a lot over time. It's also known for its durability and performance over time, and is within your budget range. This has long been a crowd favorite for it's insanely good value! It's also easily upgradeable, so you can use this machine for many years without hesitation.

Elias Lawson
Coffee Expert

The Breville Bambino Plus Espresso Machine is a compact and affordable machine that is capable of making good quality espresso and steaming milk like a professional machine. It has a small footprint and a friendly price, making it a great choice for those with limited counter space. The Bambino Plus model has professional-sized fittings, a more powerful steam wand with a 4-hole tip, a larger water tank, and an automatic milk frothing system. It can also start steaming instantly with its Thermojet system, making it a convenient choice for daily use.

While the Bambino Plus is a dependable machine, it may not feel as premium as some of the other choices due to the building materials. However, it is a solid choice for many professional baristas for their home espresso machines because of its great affordability and performance.

For your budget and what you want to do, this is a really solid choice! These are many professional barista's go-to home espresso machines because they provide great affordability and performance. It heats up in a minute, it has a hefty 54mm portafilter, and if paired with a good burr grinder, home baristas can get professional results from the espresso. The steam wand is good enough to make most any milk foam texture you desire.

Emma Leibman
Coffee Expert

Similarities

Both the Rancilio Silvia M and the Breville Bambino Plus are designed to deliver high-quality espresso at home. They both have professional-sized fittings and are capable of making truly tasty espresso. Both machines are known for their performance and durability over time, making them a great investment for coffee enthusiasts. They also both require a separate grinder or pre-ground coffee, as neither machine comes with a built-in grinder.

Differences and Who They're Good For

While both machines are designed to deliver high-quality espresso, they cater to different types of coffee enthusiasts. The Rancilio Silvia M is perfect for those who enjoy the process of preparing their own coffee. It's a little more manual, requiring you to start and stop the shot each time, and takes longer to heat up and switch from espresso to steaming. This machine is ideal for those wanting to get into espresso and learn how to tune and dial their machines in and customize their coffees.

On the other hand, the Breville Bambino Plus is ideal for those who want a simple and fuss-free brewing experience. It has an automatic milk frothing system and can start steaming instantly with its Thermojet system. This machine is perfect for those who want professional quality espresso at an affordable price and with a small footprint.

Analysis on Who’s the Winner

When it comes to durability and performance over time, both machines are winners. They are both known for their durability and can deliver high-quality espresso for many years.

In terms of user control and customization, the Rancilio Silvia M takes the lead. It offers a great balance of user-control and features, allowing coffee enthusiasts to improve their skillset over time.

For convenience and ease of use, the Breville Bambino Plus is the winner. It heats up in a minute and has an automatic milk frothing system, making it a convenient choice for daily use.

Finally, in terms of affordability, the Breville Bambino Plus comes out on top. It offers great performance at a friendly price, making it a popular choice among professional baristas for their home espresso machines.

Conclusions

In conclusion, both the Rancilio Silvia M and the Breville Bambino Plus are excellent choices for home espresso machines. They both deliver high-quality espresso and are known for their durability and performance over time. The choice between the two ultimately comes down to personal preference and what you value most in a home espresso machine. If you enjoy the process of preparing your own coffee and want to improve your skillset over time, the Rancilio Silvia M is the machine for you. If you want a simple and fuss-free brewing experience with a small footprint and an affordable price, the Breville Bambino Plus is the perfect match. Either way, you can't go wrong with either of these machines. Happy brewing!

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