As an Amazon Associate, Barista Life earns from qualifying purchases.
The money difference is real and so is the machine difference. De'Longhi's Stilosa is the budget entry: 15 bar pump, stainless steel boiler, manual wand. Breville lists the Bambino at $299.95 with ThermoJet heating ready in 3 seconds, a professional-style 54mm portafilter with an 18g dose, and 9 bar extraction from a 15 bar Italian pump. If you can reach the Bambino's price, reach; if not, the Stilosa is a fair place to learn.
Stilosa vs Bambino, head to head
| Stilosa EC260 | Bambino BES450 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Not shown on delonghi.com when checked; budget class | $299.95 on breville.com |
| Heating | Stainless steel boiler | ThermoJet, ready in 3 seconds |
| Extraction | 15 bar pump | Low pressure pre-infusion, 9 bar via 15 bar pump |
| Portafilter | De'Longhi compact fitting | 54mm stainless steel, 18g dose |
| Milk | Manual steam wand | Manual steam wand |
| Dimensions | Not published by De'Longhi | 11.9 x 6.1 x 13.5 in (W x D x H) |
Specs and the Bambino price from delonghi.com and breville.com product pages, checked August 2026. De'Longhi was not displaying a Stilosa list price or dimensions when checked; missing figures are marked rather than estimated.
Why the 54mm portafilter changes your future
The Bambino's 54mm portafilter is shared across Breville's whole espresso range, which means precision baskets, bottomless portafilters, dosing rings, and proper tampers are a search away. The Stilosa's compact proprietary fitting has almost no aftermarket. If you ever want to move past pressurized baskets, only one of these machines comes with you.
Heat up and pressure discipline
ThermoJet's 3 second readiness is the feature Bambino owners feel every morning, and the 9 bar extraction stage after low pressure pre-infusion is closer to cafe practice than running a full 15 bars through the puck. The Stilosa heats adequately and extracts adequately, and for milk-heavy drinks the difference shrinks; espresso drunk straight shows the gap clearly. Budget-tier context is in the budget espresso machine guide.
Which one should you buy
Buy the Stilosa if the alternative is no espresso machine at all. It is a genuine pump machine at the lowest serious price, and learning on it costs little.
Buy the Bambino if you can. The 3 second heat up, pre-infusion, 54mm standard, and upgrade path make it the smarter spend for anyone who suspects this hobby might stick.
Check current prices
The Bambino lists at $299.95; the Stilosa's street price is usually well under that, so weigh the live gap on the day.
Related reading
FAQ
Is the Breville Bambino worth more than the De'Longhi Stilosa? For most buyers yes. The Bambino's ThermoJet 3 second heat up, low pressure pre-infusion with 9 bar extraction, and standard 54mm portafilter give it a higher ceiling and a real upgrade path that the Stilosa's proprietary compact fitting lacks.
Does the Stilosa make real espresso? Yes, within limits. Its 15 bar pump and stainless steel boiler pull pressurized-basket shots that make good milk drinks. Straight espresso is where the cheaper hardware shows.
Do both machines have a steam wand? Yes, both use manual steam wands. Neither automates milk; the Bambino Plus, a step up from the Bambino, is the machine in this family with the automatic wand.
Sources: De'Longhi Stilosa (delonghi.com); Breville Bambino (breville.com). Manufacturer pages fetched August 2026. Specs a maker does not publish are left out rather than estimated.
Not sure which machine fits you: the free espresso machine quiz sorts budget, counter space, and how much fiddling you actually want to do.
Barista Life runs on coffee people. Browse the Barista Life shop to support the site.
Get the good coffee stuff
One email a week: what we verified, what is worth buying, and what is not. No spam, unsubscribe any time.