Breville Barista Express

67pts

Semi-automatic espresso machine with built-in conical burr grinder, PID temperature control and manual steam wand for home baristas.

#4 of 115 overall · #4 among semi-automatic machines Semi-automatic GrinderSteam wand$$$

Check price on Amazon Compare with Ninja Luxe Café Premier ES601

Deal checkAround its usual price. Based on the Amazon price history; the exact price is on Amazon.

Why the Breville Barista Express is better than average

PID temperature controlonly 19% of the machines we compare have this
Pre-infusiononly 27% of the machines we compare have this
Built-in grinderonly 42% of the machines we compare have this
Bigger water tank67 oz vs. 57.2 oz on average

Specifications

From the manufacturer’s website (breville.com) where it states a value, otherwise from the Amazon listing. “Not stated” means neither source says, not that the feature is missing. Tap the question mark to see why a spec matters.

Manufacturer’s product page

Brewing
Built-in grinder Fresh grinding right before brewing matters more for taste than almost anything else. A built-in grinder saves buying a separate one.	Yesbreville.com
Grind settings More steps let you fine-tune extraction for different beans. Below about 15 steps, dialing in espresso gets hard.	16breville.com
Heating system Dual boilers and heat exchangers can brew and steam at the same time with stable temperature. Thermoblocks heat fast but drift more.	Thermocoilbreville.com
PID temperature control A PID controller holds brew water within about one degree. Unstable temperature is the most common cause of sour or bitter shots.	Yesbreville.com
Adjustable brew temperature Light roasts like hotter water, dark roasts cooler. Without adjustment you are stuck with one setting.	Not stated
Pre-infusion Wetting the coffee puck at low pressure before full pressure evens out extraction and forgives small tamping mistakes.	Yesbreville.com
Portafilter size 58 mm is the café standard with the widest choice of baskets and tampers. Smaller sizes work, but accessories are scarcer.	54 mmbreville.com
Pump pressure Espresso is brewed at about 9 bar. Higher numbers on the box are maximum pump ratings and do not make better coffee, so we do not score them.	15 barbreville.com
Pressure gauge A gauge shows whether your grind and dose are right while the shot runs.	Not stated
Brews two cups at once Handy when you make coffee for two.	Not stated

Milk
Milk frothing A manual steam wand gives the best microfoam for latte art but takes practice. Automatic systems are easier but less flexible.	Manual steam wandbreville.com

Convenience
Heat-up time How long you wait from switching on until the first shot. Under a minute feels instant, over 15 minutes means planning ahead.	Not stated
Water tank A bigger tank means refilling less often. For two milk drinks a day, about 60 oz lasts several days.	67 ozAmazon listing
Bean hopper How many beans the built-in grinder holds.	8 ozAmazon listing
One-touch drinks Preset recipes such as latte or cappuccino at the push of a button.	Not stated
Hot water outlet For Americanos and tea without a kettle.	Not stated
Cup warmer Warm cups keep espresso hot longer.	Not stated
App control Remote start and recipe settings from your phone.	Not stated

Size and weight
Height Measure the space under your kitchen cabinets. Many machines need a few extra inches on top to refill the water tank or bean hopper.	15.9 inAmazon listing
Counter space Width times depth, the area the machine takes up on your counter.	173 sq inAmazon listing
Weight Heavier machines stay put when you lock in the portafilter. Lighter ones are easier to move and store.	22.1 lbsAmazon listing

Other
Power Higher wattage usually means faster heating, but it says nothing about coffee quality.	1,600 WAmazon listing

Does it pay off for you?

Compared with buying the same drinks at a coffee shop.

Compare the Breville Barista Express

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