TL;DR — the quick answer
If you already own a grinder (or plan to buy one), buy the Sage Bambino Plus (~£299). It produces the same espresso quality as the Express Impress for £400 less, and the auto-purge milk wand is friendlier for beginners learning milk drinks.
If you don't own a grinder and want an all-in-one solution, buy the Sage Barista Express Impress (~£699). The built-in grinder plus the Impress assisted-tamping system makes consistently great espresso with minimal technique — and saves the £200-300 you'd otherwise spend on a separate grinder.
For latte-art-focused buyers, the Express Impress's manual steam wand is the better long-term tool. The Bambino Plus auto wand is more convenient but less expressive.
The Sage Bambino Plus and Barista Express Impress are the two most-bought Sage espresso machines in the UK — and they target completely different buyers. Last updated: June 2026 The Bambino Plus is compact, beginner-friendly, and assumes you have a separate grinder. The Barista Express Impress is the all-in-one that grinds, doses, tamps and brews — for £400 more. This guide shows exactly which is right for you.
The short answer
Best for beginners and compact kitchens — ~£299
Compact (19.5cm wide). Auto-purge milk wand. ThermoJet 3-second heat-up. No grinder — needs separate burr grinder.
Buy if: you already have a grinder, kitchen space is tight, or you want easy milk drinks.
Best for all-in-one and learning barista skills — ~£699
Built-in conical burr grinder + Impress assisted tamping. Manual steam wand for full milk control. 33cm wide.
Buy if: you want one machine for everything, want to learn barista skills, or value latte-art-quality milk texturing.
Head-to-head comparison
| Category | Bambino Plus | Barista Express Impress | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Espresso quality (with equivalent grinder) | Excellent — 9-bar regulated, 54mm portafilter, ThermoJet | Excellent — same internals as Bambino, identical extraction | Tie |
| Grinder | None — requires separate burr grinder (£150-£500 to add) | Built-in conical burr grinder with 25 grind settings | Express Impress |
| Tamping | Manual — you provide tamp + technique | Impress assisted tamping + razor levelling tool | Express Impress |
| Milk wand | Auto-purge — sets temperature + texture automatically | Manual — full control over milk texture (latte art ready) | Depends on buyer (auto = easier; manual = better) |
| Heat-up time | 3 seconds (ThermoJet) | ~30 seconds (ThermoCoil) | Bambino Plus |
| Size (W × D × H) | 19.5cm × 32cm × 31cm — fits anywhere | 33cm × 41cm × 41cm — needs proper counter space | Bambino Plus |
| Water tank | 1.9L | 2L | Tie |
| Price (machine only) | ~£299 | ~£699 | Bambino Plus |
| Total cost with grinder | ~£500-£800 (Bambino + decent grinder) | ~£699 (everything included) | Depends on grinder choice |
| UK availability | Universal — Amazon, John Lewis, Currys, Argos | Universal — Amazon, John Lewis, Currys | Tie |
Bambino Plus in detail
The Bambino Plus is Sage's most popular UK espresso machine for one reason — it produces café-grade espresso for under £300. The combination of 9-bar regulated pressure, 54mm commercial portafilter, and the proprietary ThermoJet heating system (which reaches brewing temperature in 3 seconds) makes it functionally identical to the Express Impress at the moment of espresso extraction.
The standout feature is the auto-purge milk wand. You insert the wand into milk, the machine measures the temperature, and steams to a preset target — hands-off, in around 60 seconds. It produces reliable latte and cappuccino microfoam, though it lacks the finesse of a hand-steamed pour for latte art work.
The Bambino Plus does not include a grinder. This is the single most important thing to understand about it. If you put cheap pre-ground coffee in it, it will produce mediocre espresso. Pair it with a £150-£500 burr grinder and it produces espresso indistinguishable from the Express Impress.
Who should buy the Bambino Plus
- You already own a decent burr grinder (or are happy to buy one separately)
- Counter space is limited — 19.5cm wide is genuinely compact
- You drink mostly cappuccinos / lattes and value auto milk steaming
- You want the lowest entry price into proper espresso (~£299)
- You're a beginner and don't want to learn milk-steaming technique
Check current price on Amazon UK
Barista Express Impress in detail
The Barista Express Impress is Sage's answer to the most common espresso failure point — inconsistent tamping. The Impress system consists of an assisted-tamping lever (which applies consistent 22kg pressure regardless of who's pulling it) and a razor dose-trimming tool (which scrapes excess coffee off the puck to the perfect level). Together, these eliminate the puck-prep variables that ruin most home espresso.
The integrated conical burr grinder has 25 grind settings adjustable by dial, and grinds straight into the portafilter. This solves the "Bambino without a grinder" problem entirely — you get consistent, freshly-ground coffee at the moment of brewing, with no additional kit needed.
The manual steam wand is a deliberate design choice. It requires more technique than the Bambino Plus's auto wand, but it produces noticeably better microfoam for latte art and properly textured cappuccino. Combined with the "learn barista skills" intent of the rest of the machine, it makes sense — but it does mean the first few weeks of ownership involve a learning curve.
Who should buy the Barista Express Impress
- You want one all-in-one machine — no separate grinder needed
- You're willing to learn barista technique (milk steaming, dose adjustment)
- You make multiple espresso drinks per day and want consistency
- You care about latte art quality — the manual wand is significantly better
- You have at least 35cm × 45cm of clear counter space
Check current price on Amazon UK
Which should you buy?
If your total budget is £300 (no grinder): Buy the Bambino Plus. You can't afford the Express Impress at this price, and the Bambino with even cheap pre-ground coffee from a quality roaster (or a cheap blade grinder as a stopgap) still produces decent espresso.
If your total budget is £500-£700: Buy the Bambino Plus (~£299) plus a Sage Smart Grinder Pro (~£200) or Eureka Mignon Specialita (~£280). This gives you the same espresso quality as the Express Impress with a better grinder than the integrated one — and you can upgrade the grinder later without buying a new espresso machine.
If your total budget is ~£700 and you want minimal kit: Buy the Barista Express Impress. The all-in-one design is cleaner, the Impress feature is genuinely excellent for consistent pulls, and you save kitchen space versus a Bambino + grinder combo.
If you want the absolute best home espresso under £1,000: The Bambino Plus (~£299) plus a Niche Zero grinder (~£500) is the enthusiast's answer. Better than the Express Impress in cup quality, less convenient, more counter space.
What beans should you use?
Both machines work brilliantly with medium-roast Arabica blends. Our top picks for both:
- Lavazza Qualità Oro (~£14/kg) — best everyday all-rounder, works with the integrated grinder on the Express Impress without clogging
- Spiller & Tait Signature Blend (~£18/kg) — freshly UK-roasted, noticeably better cup quality
- illy Classico (~£12/500g) — premium everyday option, very consistent
Avoid very dark or oily roasts in the Express Impress — they can clog the integrated grinder. The Bambino Plus is more tolerant since you control the grinder separately. See our full best coffee beans UK guide for more options.