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Availability:
Only 2 left in stock, order soon!
Arrives
Sunday, Oct 11
Recently Viewed
Color: Black Truffle
Features
- MANUAL HAND-TEXTURED MICROFOAM: The powerful steam wand on this cappuccino maker and latte machine is designed to quickly turn milk into smooth, flavorful microfoam for creating latte art at home
- PRECISE DOSE GRINDING: Integrated precision conical burr grinder on bean-to-cup espresso machine grinds on demand to deliver correct amount of freshly ground coffee directly into portafilter for your preferred taste with any roast of bean
- WATER PRESSURE: Low pressure pre-infusion gradually increases pressure at the start and draws out all the flavors evenly during the extraction for a balanced-tasting espresso, latte or cappuccino
- RECEIVE 2 FREE BAGS OF SPECIALTY COFFEE: Included when you purchase and register any Breville coffee machine; T&Cs apply
- PRECISE ESPRESSO EXTRACTION: Digital temperature regulation (PID) delivers water at precisely the right temperature, so espresso coffee maker allows for precise espresso extraction
- GRIND SIZE DIAL INCLUDED: Coffee machine includes a grind size dial that's both simple and intuitive, giving you flexibility to adjust grind size no matter what type of bean you're grinding
- ESPRESSO MAKER WITH BUILT-IN COFFEE GRINDER: Innovative grinding cradle allows home baristas to grind directly into the espresso portafilter for delicious espresso
- THIRD-WAVE SPECIALTY: Coffee maker uses the 4 keys formula and is part of the Barista Series, offering all-in-one espresso machines with built-in grinders; Go from beans to espresso in under a minute
- INCLUDED: Razor Dose Trimming Tool, 54mm Stainless Steel Portafilter, 1 & 2 cup Single & Dual Wall Filter Baskets, Coffee Scoop, Integrated Tamper, Stainless Steel Milk Jug, Cleaning Disc, Tablets, Brush Tool, Allen Key, Water Filter & Filter Holder
- CAPACITY & SETTINGS: 1/2 lb Bean Hopper; 67 oz Water Tank; Single or double shots; Adjustable Grind Amount and Manual Override; WARRANTY: 1 Year Limited Product Warranty; Power: 1600 Watts; Voltage: 120 Volts
Description
The Breville Barista Express espresso machine is an espresso maker delivering third wave specialty coffee at home. This manual espresso machine allows home baristas to go from beans to espresso in under one minute. The integrated conical burr grinder provides dose control grinding, delivering freshly ground coffee directly into the portafilter. Low pressure pre-infusion gradually increases pressure during brewing, drawing out balanced flavors. This home espresso machine also features digital temperature control (PID), allowing water to reach the right temperature for precise espresso extraction. If you're looking for a latte and cappuccino machine for home use, the powerful steam wand enables manual microfoam milk texturing that allows for the creation of latte art. Now you can craft café-quality cappuccinos and lattes in the comfort of your own kitchen.
Brand: Breville
Capacity: 67 fluid ounces
Color: Black Truffle
Product Dimensions: 13.8"D x 12.5"W x 15.9"H
Special Feature: Permanent Filter
Other Special Features of the Product: Permanent Filter
Coffee Maker Type: Espresso Machine
Specific Uses For Product: Espresso
Operation Mode: Semi-Automatic
Wattage: 1600 watts
Voltage: 120 volts
Coffee Input Type: whole bean
Power Source: AC adapter
Capacity: 67 fluid ounces
Item Dimensions D x W x H: 13.8"D x 12.5"W x 15.9"H
Item Weight: 22.1 pounds
Number of Items: 1
Unit Count: 1 Count
Brand Name: Breville
Included Components: Filter
Model Name: Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine BES870BTR, Black Truffle
Model Number: BES870BTR
Global Trade Identification Number:
Manufacturer: Breville
UPC: 021614815804
Item Type Name: Espresso Machine
Part Number: BES870BTR
Color: Black Truffle
Style: Modern
Frequently asked questions
If you place your order now, the estimated arrival date for this product is:
Sunday, Oct 11
Yes, absolutely! You may return this product for a full refund within 30 days of receiving it.
To initiate a return, please visit our Returns Center.
View our full returns policy here.
To initiate a return, please visit our Returns Center.
View our full returns policy here.
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Similar Products
Top Amazon Reviews
Color: Brushed Stainless Steel
I absolutely love this machine. With as many lattes as I drink, this will easily pay for itself within a year, inclouding the cost of beans, milk and cleaning products. Notes: Make sure to keep up with all the regular maintenance. Ever day after I've made my coffee, I wipe the steam wand, purge it, then wipe again. Make sure to get into all the crevices around the tip and you'll never need to use the pin to clean out the tip. Once I've done that and poured my steamed milk, I purge the showerhead by pulling one shot into the empty mug (no filters). This keeps the showerhead clean of coffee debris and keeps the coffee tasting pure. REMEMBER TO CHANGE YOUR WATER FILTERS. The filters should be changed every 60 uses or 2 months, whichever comes first. This wolill reduce how often you need to descale the machine, prolong it's useful life and provide better tasting coffees. You will still need to descale the machine every so often. The manual included is very helpful for keeping up with the maintenance (as well as pulling shots, making drinks and other useful tips) and you can also find instructions on their website should you misplace the manual. Gold tone makes pretty inexpensive replacement filters specific to this machine and they're available here on Amazon. I use them and am pretty happy with the results. Do not let the water run out. Ever. This could cause serious damage to the machine. If you forget once or twice, you'll probably be just fine but check the water reservoir at least 1-2 times per week. Clean the machine parts at least once a week. You may need to empty and rinse the drip tray 1-2 times a week (depending on frequency of use) but take it out and hand wash at least once a week. This is a good time to wash the tools and tool bin as well. Also, dont forget to take the coffee filters out of the portafilter and wash those as well. Over time, residue can build up underneath there. Also, the spouts in the portafiler twist off so you can clean them better. Clean out your parts, get in those crevices regularly and you'll be just fine. Don't forget to clean the hopper and grinder. You should clean it out every time you switch to a new bean or at least every few pounds of coffee. The instructions in the manual are pretty easy and straight forward. I also use a clean, dry towel to wipe any remaining coffee and oils from both the grinder parts and the hopper. Do not wash in warm water as you could risk it not drying well and rusting or not being lubricated enough and over heating. Just use the included brush and clean, dry paper towels. You could also vacuum out residual coffee from the grinder to assist in cleaning, but I don't usually need to. Also, remember that the stainless exterior is stainless plating. This means it can wear over time and not look as nice. The best way to handle this is to wipe it down with a damp cloth (once daily then more detailed once a week) and follow it up by drying it with a clean towel. This will prolong the exterior appearance. Also during your weekly cleaning, be sure to look under where the coffee and steam come out and clean around there. Milk, coffee and residue steam can splatter and build up so be sure to clean it as well. The weekly cleaning sound intensive but really takes maybe 5 minutes. Common issues: Keep in mind certain o-rings will need to be replaced over time. This is noted by Breville in the manual and on the website. There are two main places where you need to replace these: around the tip of the portafilter (where the spouts connect) and where the portafilter connects to pull shots. Another common issue is that the machine will make a loud "buzzing" sound and/or leak water out of the bottom of the machine. This is a common issue and, when it does occur, usually happens around 6 months to a year. This generally occurs due to a broken solenoid valve. If your product is still under warranty, take a video and contact their customer service. Maybe suggest it's a solenoid valve and they are usually very good about fixing or replacing the machines and parts. If it is no longer under warranty and they will not resolve the issue (because sometimes they still will after the warranty period), there are many repair services that can fix this. If you are especially handy and brave enough to fix it yourself, you can usually find the replacement parts fairly cheaply online (not just the valve, but really ANY part that may need to be replaced). Again, if it's still under warranty do not go this route, as it will void any existing warranty. Also, if you don't know what you're doing, you could do more damage than good. All-in-all, this is an amazing machine for this price point. There is a reason this machine is so popular and highly rated. There's a lot of customization available to you and it is a very good quality machine. I would not suggest any product below this machine and price point for your first machine as you'll likely be very disappointed in the results. Eventually you may want to upgrade to a more robust multi-thousand dollar machine, but this is great for the majority of consumers and is super user friendly. Use higher quality beans directly from the roasters and learn how to use the machine and make drinks and you'll be very happy with it. The quality is truly amazing for such a low cost espresso machine. Side note: Whole Latte Love on YouTube is a great resource for additional reviews, tips and tricks and maintenance for this machine (and many more). It's also a great resource on how to pull shots, steam milk, pick types of milk and make many different types of drinks when you're just starting out or want to up your coffee game.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2018 by Maddle
Color: Black Truffle
We are obsessed with this coffee machine! Yes it’s pricey, but totally worth every penny! It brews the most perfect cup of espresso every time. It took my husband and I some time to really learn how it works because it depends on the type of coffee beans you use, the size of cup you want, and the pressure, etc…but once you figure it out, you’ll never drink coffee outside of your home again! We got the black truffle color and we love it.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 1, 2026 by Saeed Imani
Color: Brushed Stainless Steel
Update 9/19/2020-- The machine continues to may fantastic coffee. Enjoying some right now. One of our most used small appliances during the pandemic. Will never go back to SB again. It compares very poorly to what I can make at home now. Have run the descale cycle once because the light turned on, but I think it is set to turn on at a certain number of cycles rather than based on actual scale build up since we use RO water and scale build up is minimal. In any case, certainly does not hurt. Another tip I've got is to get yourself some disposable earplugs and set them next to the machine. The decibels during steaming can be really high and they hurt my ears. I also keep a quick read thermometer on the machine to know when my steamed milk is at the temp I like. Update 6/17/2020: This has ended up being one of my favorite birthday presents I gotten in years. Prior to owning the machine my family had a $100/week Starbucks habit. Since purchasing this machine 4 months ago, we've spent maybe $40 at SB. With COVID19, we've been at home and using this machine several times per day. The coffee it makes has only gotten better as we've learned to calibrate it. It has more than paid for itself in a few short months. It is well designed. We drink mostly Americanos so the hot water dispenser with automatic shut off is one of my favorite features. We were able to reprogram the machine to raise the water temperature very easily. The only glitches have come with the grinder which is a bit temperamental with certain beans, but these have been minor. The coffee the machine produces is delicious with a good amount of crema. I run a cleaning table through the machine about once per month, but because we have a reverse osmosis filter on our tap, we have had no need to descale. I highly recommend using reverse osmosis filtered water in the machine to cut down on internal build up. The machine is fairly easy to clean and has a lot of nice touches like the little float indicator that tells you when you need to empty the drip tray. We also like the ability to calibrate shots. I am raising our review from 4 to 5 stars since it seems that our poor experience with the first machine we received was just luck of the draw and we really have no complaints with our current machine. It is wonderful! Update: 2/18/2020 Amazon agreed to swap out the lemon (see original review below) for a new Breville Barista Express. It arrived today. I set it up and ran two cleaning tablets (3 cleaning cycles) before I even tried to make my first cup of espresso. I let the machine warm completely and set the grind size at 5 as suggested. Pulled my first shot and the new machine performed perfectly with the pressure reaching and staying in the middle of the gray extracting zone as it should. The shot was smooth with beautiful crema. I took the opportunity to program this shot so that it would be exactly 1 oz using my little espresso cup. I then pulled a double shot and did the same thing programming the machine to fill two of my espresso cups. Again the pressure was perfect at the level 5 grind size setting and the coffee is absolutely delicious with a beautiful smooth crema. Apparently the first machine I received was a dud. I'm glad Amazon allowed me to swap and will be sending the old one back tomorrow. I've changed my rating from 1 to 4 stars. If the new machine continues to perform as it did in its maiden voyage, I will revisit the rating and perhaps raise it to 5 stars. I highly recommend that anyone who buys one of these start off with a couple of clean/descale cycles before trying to make coffee. Save yourself a headache and a lot of wasted coffee. Pros: Very attractive and sturdy. The hot water dispenser is super convenient for making Americanos which is what I drink. I now don't have to heat up a separate kettle of hot water. It's great. The built-in grinder is really nice and its automatic function that also allows manual operation is convenient. The programmable temperature and shot amount adjustments are great. Cons: Because it takes so much water to keep the machine clean and operating well (it flushes itself after each use of steam or hot water) the water receptacle has to be refilled OFTEN (around every 3-4 coffees for me). I wish the machine had a bigger water tank. The drip tray also needs to be changed fairly often because the machine flushes itself, but this is does not bother me as much and it is not as often as the water tank. The grinder amounts tend to fluctuate and I'm still trying to figure out what adjustments or cleaning will might fix this. I'm not impressed with their customer service. When I tried to get help for the first unit I purchased (which ended up being defective), it took a couple of days to get a response and then that was an email with the exact same information contained in the user's manual (I guess the assumption was that I had not read it) along with a flat dismissal that there could be anything wrong with the machine. Thankfully, Amazon dealt with the problem quickly by replacing the machine so I did not have to rely on Breville. I hope that I have a better response if I ever need to contact Breville in the future. Original review: I've wasted almost a pound of coffee over the past day trying to get the pressure on this machine to the "espresso" level that the instructions say is required. The machine will not go beyond the "pre infusion" level. I have cleaned it with the cleaning tablet as suggested in some of the reviews and I have adjusted the grind fineness and grind amount to every combination I can think of. Both settings are currently at the maximum levels. I've tamped the coffee harder and also used less pressure. NOTHING works. Like I said, I grew up with espresso as it is a daily drink in my culture. When I was little, my mom made it a the little stovetop espresso pot. My last espresso maker was a $79 Mr. Coffee that lasted almost 7 years and made very decent coffee with a nice crema everytime. No fuss. Then it finally broke and I can't find that model. I didn't want the new models with milk receptacles. Yuck! Anyway, I thought, well if I'm going to spend over $200 on Mr. Coffee, why not just splurge and get the Breville. The coffee I've so far gotten from this machine is thin and acidic and has almost no crema. As I've said, I have tried everything suggested. The pressure gage only reached the correct level on two shots after I had just cleaned it and then it went back to barely registering. IT SHOULD NOT BE THIS DIFFICULT TO MAKE A DECENT CUP OF COFFEE! Right now I feel like all these 5 star reviews are a product of the psychological phenomenon that happens with very expensive wine, where people report it tastes better because they don't want to seem stupid for paying so much and not liking it. I will update if it turns out I'm just missing the magic key to having this thing not be a ridiculously expensive pain in my coffee loving butt. But I'm not feeling hopeful.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2020 by BC
Color: Brushed Stainless Steel
Update May 2024: I purchased this machine in 2015. I've had it almost 9 years. It's now starting to have issues - the 1 cup pour does not stop at automatically any longer, and a few weeks later, the 2 cup pour started doing the same. I'll look into repair, but this is probably it for the machine. Update July 2023: Still going strong!! Using it daily! I've followed their cleaning guide and decalcification guidelines and have had no issues! Update June 2nd 2019: Still use it daily, and it's working well! It's now been almost 4 years! (Time flies when you're drinking good coffee :) Update August-6-17: Still going strong after almost two years! Original Review and Tips: I love this thing. I've been using it multiple times a day for almost a year I think. Every day it makes amazing espresso, and as long as I keep it clean it preforms beautifully. This thing is also easier to maintain and requires less cleaning than other cheaper espresso machines I've tried. A tip for anyone looking to make actual espresso at home, I recommend looking for a local roastery in your area. I use to buy bulk beans online like many people, but once I tried local whole beans and found a blend I liked, the difference was amazing. Bean choice is very important if you actually want to enjoy your espresso! A few tips I picked up for using this machine: 1. A few people complained about the grind amount knob not going low enough. To counteract this, I changed the cup size to "Single" and increased the grind amount by turning the knob to the right. This gives me the perfect amount of ground coffee every time. 2. If the machine keeps going over or under on the pressure gauge, try cleaning the grinder. And remember to clean the grouphead with those desolvable tablets when the clean me light comes on! 3. You can get cheap replacement cleaning tablets here on amazon. I chose Urnex Cafiza Espresso Machine Cleaning Tablets here on amazon, and they work great! 4. You do not need to order a separate tamper, the one included is perfect. 5. The included frothing cup is small but works for me. Some might need a bigger one. 6. Do not underestimate the need for a burr grinder. Trying to make good espresso without one is like trying to hammer a nail with an inflatable hammer! Some of the features I love (Pros)* 1) The grinder. I know many would rather use a separate burr grinder, but this thing works perfectly fine, and is easy to clean. Many complained about the coffee machine heating up the beans too much if you leave them inside the hopper, but I actually store my beans in a special container outside of the hopper, and use the included the scoop to pour in the beans when I grind them. 2) The frother is amazing. Much much better than cheaper machines. 3) Clean me light is awesome. Always reminds me to keep up on this things maintenance, and helps prolong the life. 4) The Stainless steel is beautiful. (It is not 100% stainless on the outside though, a little bit of plastic, see cons.) 5) The pressure gauge. Absolutely invaluable in making good tasting espresso. I would not recommend buying any machine without one. It really helps with learning and getting it right! 6) The included tamper is perfect. 7) Creates perfect pucks of coffee to dump out in the trash. 8) The hot water dispenser is an awesome addition! 9) Is an all-in-one, meaning I don't need to buy a separate grinder! 10) Just makes good coffee. 11) Great manual included for lots of useful information. 12) Has an automated cleaning cycle to clean the insides of the grouphead. Awesome! 14) Includes a beautiful copper dosing tool. 15) Includes tools to clean out the filters. Some things that bother me (Cons)* 1)The top of the machine is plastic. 2) The bottom sides of the machine is plastic 3) The water tank needs to be refilled often, and it also thick plastic. 4) The bottom water catcher thing (sorry) needs to be emptied often, but its not too bad. 5) The coffee grind separator doesn't really seem to help much, but it does help keep it out of the water below and little bit, which keeps it from smelling! 6) Expensive, but to me, was a very worthwhile investment for how much coffee I was buying from the shop. 7) Can't seem to find inexpensive filters for the water tank, however, I use filtered water instead of tap. 8) The Lowest grind amount is too much on the "double" setting. QC Should have caught this! But not a deal breaker. See above for workaround. *Might add more later as I think of them! This thing is also great for making sweet frappicinos and iced drinks. For caramel flavored drinks I use Hershey's Caramel Syrup (Edit: I now make my own caramel syrup! It's super easy!) For vanilla flavored drinks I use Torani Vanilla Syrup that I get cheaply from a bulk wholesale store in my town. For my sweet drink of choice I mix the two, add a double shot of espresso, 2% milk, and top with whipped cream and caramel syrup. Nothing beats a great espresso in the morning! Added tons of pictures. Edit: It seems quite a few people had problems with the machine dying on them, If your machine died on your please comment on this review with any information you think may help, such as the level of maintenance you preformed while your machine was working, the brand of water filters and cleaning tablets you used, etc. Maybe we can find a common cause of this defect!
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Reviewed in the United States on August 14, 2016 by Amazonian
Color: Brushed Stainless Steel
We now have two Breville Barista Express Espresso Machines. Only for when we’re having parties or large gatherings. We use our Barista on a daily basis making several shots of espresso at a time. The Barista makes excellent lattes with the milk frother! The grinder is fantastic and you can set the grinder to your desired setting to grid your espresso beans as fine or as course as you want! The machine heats the water to almost boiling temperature in less than a minute! More like 30 seconds! The espresso shots are perfect every time. This machine is really more industrial than the price reflects! In fact, this same machine use to cost over a thousand dollars at William’s Sonoma when it first launched about 12-15 years ago. We’ve had one of our two machines for just over 10 years and it’s still running perfectly today! Cleaning the Barista is super easy! The instructions that come with it are simple to follow and tell you everything you need to know. There are also many helpful videos on YouTube that show you exactly everything you need to know, including how to make the perfect espresso or latte every time. You will not be disappointed with this machine! It rivals machines that are much more expensive! We prefer our barista over a Starbucks coffee, espresso or latte any day! Have fun with it! We’ve had a blast with our Baristas for years! Enjoy!
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Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2026 by Nathometheatre
Color: Brushed Stainless Steel
******UPDATE!******** We have had this machine for almost a year. I purchased it because I was under the impression from some comments that Breville's customer service was supposed to be very good. That has REPEATEDLY not been our experience. Every CSR has sounded bored, short and uninterested. No warm customer service here. My machine is under warranty still and as gasket went out. I called, very clearly explained the part I needed and the rude lady charged me for the replacement part. I get it home, and it's the WRONG part! I touched base with them via facebook and through their online customer service form multiple times. They have ignored every single attempt to contact them about this issue. Looking around on facebook, I see I'm not the only one having this experience. The machine is starting to make noises and their customer service isn't interested in honoring their warranty. It was a $600 machine that we have gotten about a year out of. I will never purchase from Breville again. I will be saving my money and going with a company that builds better machines that have a record of lasting 15-20 years. **********Original Post**************** We have really enjoyed this machine! I am a first time owner and was hesitant about the learning curve. I had whole beans on hand that were a couple months old and I'm awful glad I had them to practice on. My recommendations for newbies and those on the fence about purchasing: 1) Get on YouTube and watch several videos specific to this machine's operation. There are many good ones out there. Also watch general videos on espresso making, latte art, 101s. Most are short and informative, while giving newbies a decent point of reference to start from. 2) When starting out, use cheaper whole beans to get the feel of grinding and tamping. Expect some spillage and some waste. It also gives you an excellent starting point for comparing those fresh roasted beans you'll buy after you get your technique right. ALSO, if you have a good, local coffeehouse, try a shot of their espresso if you've never had a straight shot. It's one thing to have a flavored latte, but it's a whole different animal when you want to know what a good shot should look and taste like first hand. Spent grounds are excellent organic matter for gardens, so definitely pass them along to a gardening friend if you don't have one yourself. 3) Others have said this, Breville recommends it, but it's still worth mentioning. Make a method and stick with it. I started out with Kicking Horse 454 whole beans and also purchased Kroger's Simple Truth organic beans along with Sbx's espresso roast. All off the shelf with no roast date. I started on ground size 6 (where it was when I opened the box) and manually ground, tapped on the counter, ground, tapped, ground, tamped. When that didn't produce the desired pressure, I altered 1 variable. Usually ground size or tamping pressure. The 454 beans produced the correct pressure at ground size 5, while Sbx was a 1 and Kroger's was an 8. The crema varied greatly and you could definitely taste the differences between over and under extracted. Taste those shots, too. I now know what a seriously undesirable shot tastes like, simply because I didn't just chuck it out. Taste, taste, taste. Also, in order to find the right tamping pressure, I filled my portafilter and tamped with what I thought would be enough pressure, noted the results, pulled another shot while tamping with what I thought was too much pressure, noted the results and again with what I thought wasn't enough pressure. I don't have a scale to measure pressure at the moment, but that gave me a good idea of what was too much or not enough. 4) After you've gotten comfortable with the overall process, buy some really good beans! We have a wonderful coffeehouse in our town and I got with the owner about buying some of his beans. He picked up his fresh roasted beans from Austin on Monday and I bought mine on Tuesday. These puppies were practically still off gassing! And let me tell you, the difference was out of this world! The crema was so thick, the shot was the pouring texture of warm honey, the flavors were pronounced, smooth, amazing! I did nothing different in my technique. The results using fresh beans cannot be overstated. 5) The dual-wall filter is a life saving device for up and coming baristas. It is very forgiving and was the reason my very first shot was quite good! :) But, don't let that stop you from trying out that single wall basket. I had never operated an espresso machine, yet 2 days after unboxing it (and 2# of practice beans later) I was using the single wall basket to make lattes and Americanos for (some very honest) guests who were raving about how good they were. One even text me the next day saying she couldn't stop thinking about the vanilla latte she had. It CAN be done! 6) Amazon has a pretty good return policy and though I haven't spoken with Breville's customer service department, from all indications in these reviews, they are excellent to work with. This made me feel confident that if the machine didn't work out, I wouldn't be stuck with a paperweight that I hated. Aside from all that,the machine is gorgeous. The steaming wand works, but I could definitely use some 1-on-1 training in milk stretching and microfoaming. From others that know about steaming milk, there seems to be some room for improvement, however I have been able to make some cute works of impromptu art by altering whatever foam pattern poured into my cup. (Think cloud watching.) The grinder is the best I've owned or used. Zero complaints. All in all, it's a great machine that I feel is a wonderful value. It has allowed me to learn something new at a comparatively low price. I feel the warranty is reliable and I would gladly recommend it to anyone that is willing to put a little time into figuring it out.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2015 by A. Stewart
Color: Black Sesame
The reviews I found online were extremely helpful so thought it only right to post one based on our experiences so far following a purchase in February 2018. Initial reaction - very high quality product. Heavier than I expected as well which may also have been a psychological factor that it was built well. We were switching out from a Starbucks Athena which had worked flawlessly for 15 years so clearly this machine has a lot more bells and whistles than the Starbucks unit. First product use - I had read some negative feedback on using 'oily' beans which I thought was a bit weird given that we use very dark roasted beans (Italian Roast) that are typically oily. Sure enough, the first attempt at bean grinding was essentially a bust - so I naturally assumed it was the oily issue. Contacted Amazon who connected me to Breville immediately (e.g. 2 minute wait). The customer service rep was fantastic - had me do a grinder calibration by running rice through the machine and dialing the grind number up and down. Once that was done and the beans went back in, the coffee started grinding without a hitch! So, not an 'oily' issue. Problem number two occurred while the rep was still on the phone. I was getting little-to-no pressure on the press. The rep had me switch out the insert to help on the pressure. That problem was fixed. I immediately got a good shot of espresso (note that she said good pressure was between "11am" and "1pm" on the gauge). Next test was the foam. We use 2% milk and I was a bit worried that the small foaming tin included would overflow and generally not be big enough. Wrong. This machine produces VERY good foam and does it quickly. I had considered buying the dual-boiler so the steamer was always ready but thought about it a bit and realized we only do espresso or macchiatos so probably overkill. Right call on that. The steamer 'uptime' is less than a minute and foam is less than a minute. Excellent all around on this front. Tweaks - we set the water temp up to max as I've historically found this to be a problem with first runs in the morning. Overall, this seems to be a good adjustment. Still need to work on the following - 1) for whatever reason, we still get an occasional low pressure on a single or double shot - not sure why. No change in grind using the same insert. I'm convinced we're using the same amount of ground coffee and tamping it the same. But, the pressure gauge stays in the 9am range...not 11am to 1pm that the customer service rep said was in the good category; 2) I haven't spent enough time playing around with different grinds and inserts so I'm sure there is a better taste waiting at some point; 3) Size of single or double shot - these seem to be consistent and appear to be tied to the compaction of the grind - when tamped a lot, the shot runs longer but you get about the same amount of espresso (makes sense). However, I thought I read that you can adjust this flow and I'd like to do that given my preference for a longer pull of espresso. 4) we haven't done a thorough cleaning yet, e.g. full clean of the grinder, but the machine is easy to keep looking great. We make a point of cleaning/washing the water catcher immediately after use each day given that our old machine stained after years of use and lack of daily cleaning. So far - it's working. I've seen a lot of 'tinny' products on the market and this is not one of them. I also read a lot of comments on 'perfect espresso' - seems to me that espresso is a lot like good wine. One wine - most people just know if it's good or not and whether they like it or not. This machine will be a great machine for all of you. It might be a good fit for the experts but I just don't know...I'm not one.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2018 by Patrick
Color: Brushed Stainless Steel
This is the first espresso machine I've ever owned. I purchased it this Spring (2020) because, like many of you, I needed to stop going out. I didn't know much about home brewing espresso, but I have lots of Breville products, and I thought this would be a good entry-level machine., I liked that it had all of the features I needed in a one-stop solution, but would still allow me to make "real" espresso, not the stuff that shoots of a pod, which I typically dislike. Armed with nothing more than the instructions it came with, power, water, and beans, I was able to brew espresso good enough to keep me from going into withdrawal, but typically not delicious, and appreciably less enjoyable than my favorite baristas in my favorite cafes. I also wasted a lot of beans in the process. After about 10 days of this bumbling around, I decided to start researching how to get better performance, learning a lot of coffee science along the way, and over the next few months, my technique and results improved, but ultimately plateaued at a point where I felt my home-brewed espresso was now generally better than my favorite baristas - but still not consistent - one day I could make a perfect shot, with all of the lovely sweetness and velvety texture of great espresso, with little or no extraction defect, but then the next day, doing the exact same thing, would get something uneven and over- or under- extracted, and not as good. I was not exactly sure what the variable was, but I suspected it was the grind consistency, since by now I had become very practiced at everything else. The obvious issues with the grinder are that there is a limited range of adjustment, and as you get to a good fineness for your beans, there will be popcorning - the phenomenon of the beans bouncing off the burrs before passing through; those popcorned beans will be ground more coarsely than the beans that were packed into the grinder by the weight of the beans sitting on top of them. Also, while the machine has a hopper that encourages you store beans in it, that's a terrible idea; it's better to store the beans in an airtight cannister or, if they came from a nice roaster, in their resealable, airtight bags with one-way gas valves. I find that beans that are well-packed like that do not have to be brewed within two weeks of roast, as some coffee trainers say, but rather, can last up to 5 weeks from their roast date, and still be very good, with the peak time for brewing being 7-15 days after roast. Back to popcorning: because the beans will grind differently based upon whether they're at the bottom or top of the pile, this would theoretically render every dose you grind prone to unevenness. This is not a defect of the Barista Express. This is just something in the nature of conical burr grinders. Some craft builders have figured out how to build-in flow control (including the grinder that I now use, which I'll come to that). But you can also be your own flow-control. And that's how I hacked this to get slightly better consistency. I adjusted the grinder to be so fine that it would give me an espresso grind, even feeding only one or two beans at a time, and then did that. In so doing, my grind was more consistent from top to bottom, and my extraction improved significantly. But it was still not totally consistent. And, it makes grinding very labor intensive to feed beans one or two at a time - it makes it take 3-4x as long, and you can't do anything else. The other thing too - and I learned this early in the adventure - is that you can't rely on the built-in dosing settings for the grinder. Just forget about these. Even if you don't want to go crazy and hand-feed the machine like I do, you need to get a scale. Measure your beans one shot at a time. The dosing volume controls on the machine are not volumetric; they just control how long the grinder runs. Good espresso requires adherence to a brew recipe with a known mass of beans and that can only be done by weighing them. You could take your portafilter and weigh it after the machine dispensed your grind, but this will invariably lead to waste. Now, 8 months into my new hobby, I treated myself to a new grinder - one you've definitely seen if you watch coffee videos on the internet all day. Now that I use this grinder instead of the built-in grinder, I am not having any problems. In my last 30 shots, 29 have been perfectly-extracted (meaning no channeling, no dead spots, just nice even extraction at the correct pressure levels, resulting in a shot that gets all of the sweetness out of the bean, and little to no bitter or sour flavor) and the 1 that wasn't was because I used the wrong grinder setting. Mea culpa. Oops. That's the kind of consistency I'm looking for. What does this tell me? The coffee brewing function of this machine is top-notch. The group head, shower screen, thermoblock, all of it performs at a professional level, and with the right grind, you can make supremely good espresso on this machine, and do anything you want with it. Drink it straight; make a milk-drink; make an Americano, hot, iced, or whatever you want. Also, the controls are very intuitive, and the build quality is high, as you would expect from Breville. As for maintenance: espresso machines are high maintenance. They require regular cleaning and decaling. But Breville has made it a snap. It takes maybe 10 minutes to descale, every other month, with normal daily usage. A monthly cleaning cycle is so simple it practically runs itself. I also take off the shower screen and make sure it hasn't accumulated too much grit, every few days. That's not necessary - it can go weeks without cleaning and still work, but I am a bit of a perfectionist, as you may have gathered. I've talked about brewing and grinding, but not steaming. As for steaming: it works fine. I know that there are commercial or prosumer models with slightly more sophisticated steam wands. Because this has a single thermoblock, it is not able to brew and steam at once, in fact, the steam cycle takes quite a while to wind itself up. So you have a Hobbson's choice: steam first, and wait for the temperature to come back down to where it is appropriate for brewing; or brew first, then steam, while your shot goes cold. I don't make a lot of milk drinks, and if you are, it's less important if the shot cools a little. But it just makes the process slower. But once it's running, the steam wand textures milk very nicely. This isn't the most important feature for me, because I drink mostly espresso or Americano, rather than milk drinks. But if you drink mostly milk drinks, then keep this in mind that there are machines with better wands, and better ability to transition from brewing to steaming, out there. The steam knob on this machine also activates a hot water dispenser, which is very helpful. It automatically cuts off after delivering the right amount of water to make an Americano; two cycles will give me enough to brew a quick cup of tea when I don't want to wait to boil a kettle on the range. That is a plus. However, the steam control, although it rotates, is not a volumetric control, it's just an on-off; you can't dial in more or less steam by opening and closing it more. So would I recommend this machine? I would say I recommend the Breville family, more than I recommend this particular machine. Because the espresso-brewing is 5-star, but the grinder is only 2 or 3 star, and I am so happy no longer need to use it. If I knew then, what I know now, I would not have gotten an all-in-one machine. I could have gotten a better grinder, and a smaller, lower-cost Breville, like The Infuser, or a larger machine that focuses only on the brew and steam functions, like the amazing Dual Boiler, which might be my next machine. Before I knew better, I liked the space-saving and cost-effectiveness of an all-in-one. But the all-in-one is not going to let you chase perfection in your espresso. So depending on what your wants, needs, budget, and counter space requirements are, you might want to look at other machines in the Breville line, that have the same great controls, fit and finish, customer support, that you would expect from Breville, but that aren't trying to be the jack-of-all-trades. If you do get this machine, it has almost everything to get up and running (except the water and beans) but I do recommend some accessories: 1. A 54mm bottomless portafilter so you can see your extraction in real time -- this is KEY to learning about extraction defects 2. A drip scale -- or any slim-profile kitchen scale that measure to 0.10s of a gram, so you can accurately weigh your dosage of beans before grinding, and also test your flow rate and mass of your finished product, to ensure that you are getting a good ratio of input to output. These are a MUST. Without seeing the extraction, and without being able to measure your dosage, you will not be able to make anything resembling tasty espresso from this machine. Some other things are optional but helpful: - A rubber tamp mat to protect your counter and limit the mess; - A 54mm distributor tool to quickly and easily get a nice well-prepared puck. You can do this by hand, but the tool makes it easier, faster, and less messy. The Breville distributor tool that it comes with is useless. - A 54mm calibrated tamper, so you know that your tamp application is consistent every time. The built-in tamper is adequate, there's nothing wrong with it, it's not useless, but it doesn't give you any guidance for that all-important consistency. - Lots of replacement filters, cleaning tablets, and descaler. This machine is not deficient because it doesn't have all of these things (it actually does come with maintenace tools, and starter packs of cleaning tablets and descaler which is really great). It's a very complete package. Great instruction booklet, and all of the nice packaging you would expect from a great company like Breville. In conclusion: There are many people for whom this probably is the right machine. For me, it's not quite perfect because the grinding function is not as good as the brewing function, and it was bringing down the quality of my results. In hindsight, I should have gotten the Infuser or the Dual Boiler, and a separate grinder. I only started to achieve really consistently great results when I was able to stop using the built-in grinder. But that does prove how good this machine is at brewing. I don't think it's possible to improve much on that.
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Reviewed in the United States on December 6, 2020 by Matt K