Start with a prepared buying decision or build your own. We compare the machine, required grinder, checked price evidence, ownership costs, lifecycle and UK repair support—and keep unknowns visible.
9 structured comparisons, each with dated evidence and an explicit limit on what the available information can prove.
The Bambino is the lower-cost manual-milk route; the Bambino Plus adds hands-free Auto MilQ temperature and texture control, a larger 1.9-litre tank and a stainless-steel portafilter.
Open the full comparison →These Magnifica Start variants share the basic bean-to-cup platform, but ECAM220.22.GB uses a manual steam frother while ECAM220.61.GB adds the automatic LatteCrema Hot carafe and one-touch latte macchiato.
Open the full comparison →Both use Philips' two-part LatteGo milk carafe and share the recorded 24.6 × 43.3 × 37.1cm footprint; the 5500 expands the menu to 20 hot and iced recipes and adds four user profiles, while the 3300 offers five coffee recipes plus hot water with no profiles.
Open the full comparison →Both use Vertuo capsules, barcode-led one-button brewing and connected updates. The Pop is the lower-cost, shorter route with a 560ml tank and drinks up to 355ml; the Next adds a 1.1-litre tank and the larger carafe format.
Open the full comparison →Rivelia EXAM440.35.B is the eight-drink manual-frother version; EXAM440.55 adds the automatic LatteCrema Hot carafe and expands the advertised menu to sixteen drinks.
Open the full comparison →Both are hands-on 54mm espresso machines with an integrated 250g grinder and manual milk wand; the Barista Pro adds ThermoJet heating, an LCD workflow display and 30 external grind settings versus the Express record’s 16.
Open the full comparison →Both combine a grinder with a portafilter workflow. The Sage keeps manual dosing decisions and manual milk with a fast LCD-led process; the Ninja adds a built-in scale, Barista Assist recommendations, longer coffee and cold-brew formats, and hands-free milk.
Open the full comparison →Both combine a grinder and portafilter in one body. Sage uses button-and-LCD guidance with manual steam; De’Longhi uses 3.5-inch touchscreen guidance, automatic or manual milk, and cold-brew recipes.
Open the full comparison →Both are approachable automatic-milk bean-to-cup routes with 1.8-litre tanks and removable brew units. Philips lists five coffee recipes plus hot water, a 275g ceramic grinder and two-part LatteGo; De’Longhi lists three coffee drinks plus hot water, a 250g grinder and LatteCrema carafe.
Open the full comparison →Select up to three records, then change the priority lens and ownership assumptions.
Choose one priority to surface the strongest evidenced fit. This changes the explanation, never the underlying data or table order.
Lowest known starting basket at £499.95. A connected grinder is included where required.
This is a single-priority signal, not an overall winner or CoffeeScore.| Compare | SageBarista ExpressRecord 86% complete | SageBambino PlusRecord 92% complete |
|---|---|---|
| Model identity | BES875UK / SES875 UK variants | BES500 / SES500 |
| Product lifecycle | Current model | Current model |
| Known starting basket | Machine: Sage Barista Express (£499.95) | Machine: Sage Bambino Plus (£399.95) · Baseline compatible grinder: Baratza Encore ESP (£159.95) |
| Current retailer context | £499.99 · Currys · verified delivered · exact model verified | £399.95 · Sage UK · verified delivered · exact model verified |
| Known starting equipment | £499.95 | £559.90 · includes Encore ESP |
| Machine type | Espresso machines | Espresso machines |
| Capsule ecosystem | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Checked pod-cost example | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Daily effort | High | High |
| Milk workflow | Manual 360° steam wand | Auto MilQ or manual · 3 temperatures and 3 textures |
| Built-in grinder | 40mm steel conical burrs · 16 external settings | No · separate espresso grinder required |
| Best for | Beginners who want grinding, espresso and manual milk texturing in one appliance and accept a real learning and cleaning routine | Buyers who want hands-on espresso and upgradeable grinding, but prefer repeatable hands-free milk |
| Main trade-off | This is not one-touch coffee: every drink involves grinding, distributing, tamping, brewing and—if required—manual steaming. The built-in grinder has 16 external settings and is less upgradeable than separate equipment. Ownership also includes hand-washing, after-use steam-wand care, a five-minute prompted backflush, grinder cleaning, unprompted 60–90-day descaling and a water filter nominally every 90 days or 40L; recorded filters alone model at about £61 a year. | The £399.95 machine is not the full setup: pairing it with the recorded £159.95 Encore ESP makes the practical starting price about £560 before scales or a knock box. Every drink still requires dosing, distribution, tamping, locking the portafilter and knocking out the puck. Automatic milk still means wiping the wand after every use, and after 200 extractions the machine requires a tablet-clean cycle before normal use resumes. Filters replaced roughly quarterly model at about £61 a year at the recorded direct price, excluding tablets and descaler. Independent espresso, milk, noise and durability tests are pending. |
| Width | 31.8 cm | 19.4 cm |
| Depth | 35.1 cm | 36.2 cm |
| Water capacity | 2 L | 1.9 L |
| Warranty field | 2 years | 2 years |
| UK support provider | Sage UK | Sage UK |
| Unresolved evidence gaps | 6 fields | 5 fields |
| CoffeeScore | Awaiting test | Awaiting test |
Check Currys · £499.99 →Direct retailer link · no commission enabled · checked 22/07/2026Open full evidence record → | Check Sage UK · £399.95 →Direct retailer link · no commission enabled · checked 22/07/2026Open full evidence record → |
Change the assumptions to match your household. Pod machines use the same editable capsule figure for a like-for-like scenario; the table above shows when an exact checked system example exists. Other machines use bean cost and dose. A connected grinder is included where the machine needs one.
Planning estimate only. It includes only maintenance with priced, model-specific cadence. It excludes milk, water, electricity, repairs, optional accessories and delivery. Recorded equipment prices can change; always check the retailer’s final price.