Head to head
De'Longhi Stilosa vs Breville Bambino Plus
Head-to-head: De'Longhi Stilosa versus Breville Bambino Plus on price, steam quality, heat-up, and whether the upgrade is worth it.
DeLonghi Stilosa EC260BK
The cheapest DeLonghi espresso: 15 bars, manual frother, pods or grounds.
- Pump: 15-bar
- Boiler: Stainless steel boiler
Sources: DeLonghi official product specifications, Major retailer product listings, Published coffee gear reviews
Check current price
Breville Bambino Plus
Espresso-bar speed in a 7.7-inch footprint, with automatic microfoam.
- Width: 7.7 in
- Heat-up: ThermoJet, 3 seconds
Sources: Breville official product specifications, Major retailer product listings, Published coffee gear reviews
Check current priceDeLonghi Stilosa EC260BK
What owners report
- Owners praise it as the lowest-priced way into the DeLonghi range
- Many owners like the 2-in-1 portafilter, which accepts ESE pods or ground coffee
- Owners say the two-level cup holder fits taller mugs that single-height trays cannot
- Some owners find the manual frother basic and short on steam power
- A common complaint is the lightweight, mostly plastic build
- Owners note there is no built-in grinder and no temperature control to grow into
Breville Bambino Plus
What owners report
- Owners praise the 7.7-inch width for fitting where no Barista model can
- Many owners say the ThermoJet 3-second heat-up is the fastest in its class
- Owners like the automatic microfoam with 3 temperature and 3 texture settings
- Some owners are caught out by the missing built-in grinder, which changes the total cost
- Owners note the 54mm portafilter ships with pressurized baskets by default
- A common complaint is losing manual steam control and having to accept the texture presets the machine offers
Our recommendation
Buy the Stilosa if you are testing whether home espresso is for you: 15 bars, ESE pod compatibility, and the lowest price here make it the cheapest honest experiment. Buy the Bambino Plus if you are committed: 3-second ThermoJet heat-up, automatic microfoam, and a 64 oz tank in a 7.7-inch body are worth the premium for daily drinkers. Read the Bambino Plus review and browse the best espresso machines roundup before deciding.
<h3>Price and commitment level</h3>
The Stilosa sits at the bottom of this guide's price range; the Bambino Plus costs multiples more. That gap is the entire framing: the Stilosa is a trial, the Bambino is a commitment. Neither includes a grinder worth writing home about, so both assume ground coffee, pods, or a separate grinder purchase.
<h3>Heat-up: minutes vs 3 seconds</h3>
The Bambino Plus ThermoJet reaches brewing temperature in 3 seconds. The Stilosa's stainless steel boiler needs several minutes of warm-up. For one rushed morning shot, this difference is felt daily.
<h3>Milk: manual frother vs automatic microfoam</h3>
The Stilosa's manual frother makes hot, foamy milk adequate for a basic cappuccino. The Bambino Plus automatic microfoam wand textures milk hands-free with adjustable temperature, producing genuinely silky results. Milk-drink quality is the Bambino's clearest win.
<h3>Portafilter and shot ceiling</h3>
Both use pressurized-style brewing aimed at beginners, but the Bambino's 54mm system with better temperature control extracts more from fresh coffee. The Stilosa's pressurized basket forgives pre-ground coffee but caps the ceiling; the Bambino rewards a real grinder in a way the Stilosa cannot.
<h3>Footprint and tank</h3>
Both are compact, but the Bambino's 64 oz tank dwarfs the Stilosa's 1 L tank while occupying a slimmer 7.7-inch width. Fewer refills in a smaller body is a genuine engineering win.
Choose DeLonghi Stilosa EC260BK if…
- You are unsure about home espresso and want the cheapest real trial
- You are happy with ESE pods or pre-ground coffee
- Milk drinks are occasional, not daily
Choose Breville Bambino Plus if…
- You drink milk drinks daily and want real microfoam
- Counter space is tight but the budget stretches
- You plan to buy a proper grinder and grow into the machine
Questions, answered
Is the Bambino Plus worth the premium over the Stilosa?
For daily drinkers, yes: heat-up speed, steam quality, and tank capacity improve every single morning. For the merely curious, no: the Stilosa answers the only question that matters, do I enjoy this, for far less.
Which is better for lattes?
The Bambino Plus, by a wide margin. Automatic microfoam with temperature control produces silkier milk than the Stilosa's basic manual frother.
Do either include a grinder?
No. Both need ground coffee, ESE pods in the Stilosa's case, or a separate grinder. The Bambino Plus rewards a good grinder more, so budget one if you choose it.
Which should a college student buy?
The Stilosa: small, cheap, and pod-compatible for dorm-style simplicity. The Bambino Plus is the better machine, but the Stilosa is the saner student purchase.