Breville Barista Express review: a built-in grinder, a real pressure gauge and café-style milk for hands-on beginners
The Breville BES870XL Barista Express Espresso Machine puts a conical burr grinder, a 54 mm portafilter, a pressure gauge and a manual steam wand in one brushed steel body. Once dialed in, it pulls sweet, syrupy espresso and steams genuinely silky milk, but you do the dosing, tamping and frothing yourself, and the grinder needs a little setup before it shines.
Michael Reynolds
Hands-on review
Hands-on testing, research, specs
4 weeks
22 minutes
Jargon helpNew to espresso? Tap any dotted term to see what it means.
In this review
Yes, if you want to learn real espresso and are happy to be hands-on. The Breville Barista Express gives you a capable built-in grinder, a pressure gauge that teaches you what is happening in the basket, and a steam wand that can make latte-art milk with practice. Out of the box the grinder runs a little coarse, so plan on moving the inner burr before you judge it. The steam is slower than on newer models, there is no low-water warning, and you need a scale to get consistent results.
Breville Barista Express at a glance
Breville Barista Express pros and cons
- Sweet, syrupy espresso once dialed in
- Pressure gauge makes dialing in easy to learn
- Steam wand can make real latte-art microfoam
- Grinder needs an inner-burr tweak out of the box
- Slower steam and a wait between brewing and frothing
- No low-water sensor on the tank
Who should buy the Breville Barista Express?
- Beginners who want to learn real espresso skills
- People who drink lattes and want to pour latte art
- Kitchens that want grinder and machine in one footprint
- Anyone who wants push-button drinks
- People who switch beans and roasts every week
- Busy households making many milk drinks back to back
First impressions of the Breville Barista Express
Most people buy their first real espresso machine with two worries.
Will I need a separate grinder? And will I actually be able to make a good shot?
The Breville Barista Express answers the first worry straight away, because the grinder is built into the top of the machine.
The second worry takes a little longer, and that is what most of this review is about.
Out of the box, the machine feels solid and heavier than it looks.
At roughly 22 to 23 pounds, it stays put when you lock in the portafilter or press the tamper down.
The brushed stainless steel body, the round pressure gauge in the middle and the chunky dials give it a proper café look.
My first shot was not good, and that is normal.
It ran thin and pale, with the gauge needle hanging low.
By the end of day two, after one internal grinder adjustment and a digital scale, I was pulling shots that poured like warm honey.
That learning curve is the whole point of this machine.
It shows you what is going wrong, and it gives you the tools to fix it.
The Barista Express fits neatly under standard wall cabinets.
What the Breville Barista Express actually is
The Barista Express is a semi-automatic espresso machine with an integrated grinder.
Semi-automatic means the machine controls the water, but you control everything that happens to the coffee.
You grind into the portafilter, level and tamp the coffee, lock it into the group head and press a button.
The machine pushes hot water through the puck and stops at a programmed volume.
Inside is a 1600-watt thermocoil✕ThermocoilA heater with a coiled steel water channel inside a metal block. Water heats as it flows through, so you don't wait for a whole boiler to warm up. heating system.
The brew water temperature is held steady by PID control✕PID controlA digital thermostat that constantly measures temperature and makes tiny corrections, instead of switching the heater fully on and off., so the shot does not swing between too hot and too cool.
The pump is a 15-bar Italian vibration pump.
That number is the pump's maximum, not the pressure your coffee sees, and the gauge shows you the real pressure during each shot.
The grinder uses stainless steel conical burrs✕Conical burrsA cone-shaped burr that turns inside a ring-shaped burr. The gap between them sets how fine the coffee is ground. with 16 grind settings on the side dial.
There is also an inner burr adjustment hidden under the hopper, which changes the whole range of the dial.
Our tip: Think of the Barista Express as a teaching machine: change one thing at a time and it will show you exactly what that change did.
What comes in the box
The accessory kit is generous, and most of it is genuinely useful.
The portafilter is heavy, solid metal with a dimple on top of the handle for your index finger.
It ships with a plastic insert inside the spout area, and I took it out before my first real shot.
Without the insert, hot water touches the metal directly when you preheat, so the portafilter holds its heat better during the shot.
Four filter baskets
You get four 54 mm baskets, and choosing the right one matters more than any other setting.
| Basket | Type | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Single, single wall | Non-pressurized | Fresh beans, one shot |
| Double, single wall | Non-pressurized | Fresh beans, everyday double shot |
| Single, dual wall | Pressurized | Pre-ground or older coffee |
| Double, dual wall | Pressurized | Pre-ground coffee, double shot |
The single-wall double basket comes installed, and it is the one I used for almost every shot.
The dual-wall baskets✕Pressurized (dual-wall) basketA basket with a second floor and one tiny exit hole. It creates artificial resistance, so even coarse or stale coffee makes something that looks like crema. are a safety net for pre-ground coffee.
They make foamy-looking shots from almost anything, but they hide what is actually happening in the coffee.
The tools
The tamper is magnetic and clicks into a slot next to the group head, so it never wanders off.
The Razor dose-trimming tool sits on top of the basket after you tamp and shaves off excess coffee.
That leaves the right gap between the puck and the shower screen.
You also get a stainless milk jug, a cleaning brush, a steam-tip cleaning pin, a rubber cleaning disc, cleaning tablets, descaling powder and a charcoal water filter with holder.
Our tip: Pull the plastic insert out of the portafilter before your first shot, so the metal preheats properly.
Breville Barista Express design and setup
The Barista Express measures about 12.5 inches wide, 13.8 inches deep and 15.9 inches tall with the hopper on.
That is compact for a machine that includes a grinder.
It fits under standard 18-inch wall cabinets, though you will want to slide it forward to fill the hopper.
The water tank sits at the back and lifts out by its handle.
It holds about 67 ounces, and there is a lid on top so you can top it up with a jug without pulling the tank.
The drip tray has a red "empty me" float that pops up when it is full.
Behind the tray is a hidden storage box for the spare baskets and cleaning tools, which keeps the counter tidy.
Preparing the water filter
The charcoal filter needs a few minutes of prep before it goes in.
I set the date dial on the filter holder to the current month, soaked the cartridge in room-temperature water for five minutes and pushed it onto the holder in the bottom of the tank.
Breville suggests replacing it every two to three months.
Priming before the first coffee
Before brewing anything, I filled the tank, switched the machine on and ran the hot water outlet until it flowed smoothly without sputtering.
Then I ran water through the group head with no portafilter, which flushes the brew path and warms everything up.
After about a minute, the power button stops flashing and the machine is ready.
The magnetic tamper lives in a slot next to the group head.
The built-in grinder and the hidden inner burr
The grinder is the part of the Barista Express that most owners struggle with, so I spent a lot of time on it.
There are two adjustments, and you need both.
The side dial has 16 steps, with lower numbers giving finer coffee.
The inner adjustment sits under the bean hopper and moves the upper burr itself.
Why the inner burr matters
From the factory, the upper burr was set to 6.
With fresh espresso beans, that left most of the side dial too coarse to be useful.
So I emptied the hopper, unlocked and lifted it off, pulled the upper burr out by its wire handle and turned it from 6 to 2.
After pushing it back in and locking the hopper, the side dial suddenly had usable steps on both sides of my sweet spot.
Rough share of the 16-step dial that produced drinkable espresso with fresh medium-roast beans.
Adjust only while it grinds
Always move the side dial while the motor is running, or when the burrs are empty.
Turning it finer on a stopped grinder full of beans can jam fragments between the burrs and strain the motor.
How good is the grinder?
For an integrated grinder, it is decent.
The grounds come out fluffy and fairly even, though they do clump a little.
It is not as precise as a good standalone espresso grinder, and very light, dense roasts push it to its limits.
For medium and medium-dark roasts, it did everything I needed.
Our tip: Empty the hopper before changing the inner burr, or beans will drop straight into the burr chamber.
Dosing, tamping and the Razor tool
The grinder is controlled by time, not weight.
The Grind Amount dial on the front sets how long the motor runs, and pushing the portafilter into the cradle starts it.
My first attempt at step 5 produced only about 8 grams in the double basket.
That is far too little, so I turned the Grind Amount dial up and weighed again.
Weigh it at least once
I put a scale on the counter, set the empty portafilter on it and pressed tare.
Then I ground, weighed, adjusted and repeated until the scale read about 15.4 grams every time.
For the double basket, 15 to 15.5 grams is the sweet spot on this machine.
After that, the timer stayed close, but it does drift as beans age or as the hopper empties, so I checked every few days.
Distribute, then tamp
After grinding, I tapped the side of the portafilter with my palm to settle the mound.
Then I pressed the tamper straight down until the coffee stopped compressing, keeping it level.
A tilted tamp leaves one side thinner than the other, and water rushes through the thin side.
That rushing is called channeling✕ChannelingWhen water finds a weak spot in the coffee puck and races through it, leaving the rest under-extracted. It causes sour, thin shots., and it is the most common cause of sour shots.
| Step | What I did | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Grind | About 15.4 g into the double basket | Consistent dose, consistent shot |
| Settle | Two light taps on the portafilter | Even bed before tamping |
| Tamp | Firm, level press until it stops | Even resistance across the puck |
| Trim | Razor tool, twist and tip off excess | Correct headspace under the shower screen |
| Wipe | Clean the basket rim | Good seal in the group head |
The Razor tool is a nice touch.
If you overdose and the puck sits too close to the shower screen, water cannot spread out evenly.
Our tip: If the Razor removes a lot of coffee, lower the Grind Amount dial instead of trimming every shot.
Breville Barista Express espresso performance
Every shot starts with a short burst of low-pressure pre-infusion✕Pre-infusionA gentle soak of the coffee at low pressure before full pressure kicks in. It lets the puck swell evenly so water doesn't punch through weak spots..
You can see it on the gauge, as the needle hovers low for a few seconds before climbing.
Then full pump pressure arrives and the coffee starts to flow.
My target
I aimed for a classic 1:2 brew ratio✕Brew ratioThe weight of dry coffee compared with the weight of liquid espresso. 1:2 means 15 g of coffee makes 30 g of espresso..
That meant about 15.4 grams of coffee in and 30 grams of espresso out, in 25 to 30 seconds.
Test shot one
My first properly dosed shot hit 30 grams in 27 seconds, which looked fine on paper.
But the gauge needle never rose into the shaded espresso zone, the crema✕CremaThe golden-brown foam on top of an espresso, made from gases and oils that pressure pushes out of fresh coffee. was thin, and it tasted sour and weak.
The grounds were clumping at that fine setting, and the water was finding its way around the clumps.
Test shot two
I kept the dose locked at 15.4 grams and moved the side dial two steps to 7.
I also took more care settling the grounds so there were no lumps.
This time the needle climbed into the middle of the espresso zone and stayed there.
The shot flowed in a thick stream like warm honey, with a deep, velvety crema.
It tasted sweet and creamy, with balanced acidity and no harsh bitterness.
| What you taste or see | Likely cause | First change |
|---|---|---|
| Sour, thin, needle stays low | Under-extraction or channeling | Check distribution, then go one step finer |
| Bitter, harsh, needle maxed out | Over-extraction | Go one step coarser |
| Pale crema that fades fast | Stale beans or very coarse grind | Use fresher beans |
| Drips slowly or stops | Grind far too fine | Go two steps coarser while grinding |
| Lukewarm shot | Cold portafilter or cup | Run a blank shot first |
How it stacks up
Once dialed in, the Barista Express makes espresso that tastes like it came from a café.
It is not as forgiving or as precise as a machine with a bigger boiler and a separate high-end grinder.
But for one machine in a small footprint, the quality surprised me.
The pressure gauge and temperature control
The round gauge in the middle of the panel is the Barista Express's best teaching tool.
During pre-infusion, the needle sits low.
Once the pump kicks in, it should rise into the grey espresso range and hold there.
If it stays low, the puck is not resisting enough.
If it slams to the top, the puck is choking the flow.
Approximate gauge position, shown as a share of the dial.
Temperature
The machine uses PID control to hold the brew water steady.
You can nudge the temperature up or down a few degrees through a button combination in the manual.
I left it on the default for medium roasts, and raised it slightly for a light roast, which reduced sourness.
Shot programming
The one-cup and two-cup buttons stop at preset volumes.
To reprogram them, you press Program, then the button, and press again when the cup has what you want.
I set the two-cup button to stop at about 30 grams of espresso, so I only had to glance at the scale.
Our tip: Program the double-shot button to your target yield once, and you'll rarely need to stop a shot by hand.
My four-week shot log
Numbers tell the story of a semi-automatic machine better than adjectives, so I logged my shots.
Every morning for four weeks, I wrote down the dose, the yield, the time and a quick taste note.
Week one was messy, as expected.
I was still moving the side dial, my tamping was uneven and the dose crept up and down as I adjusted the timer.
By week two, the shots had settled into a narrow window.
Most landed between 26 and 30 seconds for 30 grams out, and the gauge sat in the espresso zone almost every time.
Share of shots that hit my 25 to 30 second window, by week.
Week three brought a new bag of beans from the same roaster.
The fresher coffee ran slower, and I went one step coarser to compensate.
That single change brought the shots straight back into range, which shows how predictable the machine is once you understand it.
In week four, I tried a light-roast single origin.
It needed a finer grind, a slightly higher temperature and a longer 1:2.3 ratio before the sourness turned into a pleasant, fruity brightness.
What changed most from week to week
| Variable | How often I changed it | Typical change |
|---|---|---|
| Grind setting | Every new bag of beans | One step finer or coarser |
| Grind Amount timer | Every few days | A small nudge to keep 15.4 g |
| Temperature | Only for light roasts | A few degrees warmer |
| Shot volume | Once, at the start | Programmed to about 30 g |
The lesson is simple.
Once the inner burr and dose are set, the side dial does almost all the work, and you only touch it when your beans change.
Our tip: Write your grind setting on the coffee bag, so you can return to it the next time you buy the same beans.
Steam wand and milk drinks
The steam wand is fully manual, with a single-hole tip on a swivel joint.
You turn the dial on the right to the steam symbol, the pump clicks and steam builds within about 15 seconds.
The first puff is wet, so I always purged it into the drip tray before dipping the wand into the milk.
How I steamed
I filled the jug to just below the bottom of the spout with cold whole milk.
Then I put the tip just under the surface, slightly off-center, and opened the steam fully.
For the first few seconds, I let the tip sit right at the surface so it made a gentle hissing sound.
Once the milk grew a little, I raised the jug so the tip sank slightly and the milk started spinning in a whirlpool.
That spinning breaks big bubbles into microfoam✕MicrofoamMilk foam with bubbles too small to see. It looks glossy, like wet paint, and blends into the coffee instead of sitting on top., which looked like glossy paint after about 40 seconds.
I stopped when the jug was too hot to hold comfortably, around 140 to 150°F.
| Milk | Foam result | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Whole milk | Glossy, sweet, easy to pour | Best for latte art |
| Semi-skimmed | Lighter, slightly thinner | Fine for lattes |
| Barista oat | Good, stable foam | Needs a little longer stretching |
| Skim milk | Tall, stiff foam | Better for dry cappuccinos |
Steam power
The steam is gentler than on newer, faster-heating machines.
For a single latte, that is actually helpful, because you have more time to control the whirlpool.
For two or three drinks in a row, it feels slow.
The automatic purge
When you turn the dial back to the middle, the machine dumps a little water and steam into the drip tray.
That cools the heater back down to brewing temperature, so your next shot isn't scalded.
It also means the drip tray fills faster on milk-heavy mornings.
The swivel steam wand gives enough room for a 12-ounce jug.
Can you pour latte art with it?
Yes, and that surprised a few friends who tried it.
The single-hole steam tip is slower than a multi-hole tip, which gives a beginner more time to find the right position.
My first week of pours were blobs, as everyone's are.
By week three, I could pour a heart most mornings and a simple rosetta on a good day.
What helped most
Fresh, cold whole milk made the biggest difference, because it holds its texture longer.
Stopping the stretching early, while the jug was still only lukewarm, kept the foam fine and pourable.
Swirling the jug and tapping it on the counter before pouring removed any larger bubbles.
Pouring into a fresh shot with plenty of crema gave the white milk a dark background to show against.
| Pour stage | What I did | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Base | Pour high and thin into the center | Milk sinks under the crema |
| Fill | Keep pouring until the cup is half full | Surface stays brown |
| Design | Lower the jug close to the surface | White foam appears on top |
| Finish | Lift and cut through the middle | A clean heart or tulip |
The machine is not the limit here.
With practice, the Barista Express steams milk that is good enough for café-style pours.
Our tip: Practice pours with water and a drop of dish soap in the jug, so you can rehearse the motion without wasting milk.
Hot water, americanos and tea
There is a dedicated hot water outlet to the right of the group head.
You turn the same right-hand dial to the hot water symbol and it flows from a separate spout.
That makes americanos easy.
I made the espresso into a mug first, then added hot water from the outlet.
For a smoother cup with better crema, I sometimes did it the other way round, water first and espresso on top.
The water is hot enough for tea, though not quite boiling, so it suits green tea better than a strong black tea.
| Drink | How I made it | Ratio |
|---|---|---|
| Espresso | Double shot into a warm cup | 15.4 g in, 30 g out |
| Americano | Double shot, then hot water | 1 part espresso, 3 to 4 parts water |
| Long black | Hot water first, double shot on top | Keeps more crema |
| Cappuccino | Double shot, thick foam | Equal espresso, milk and foam |
| Flat white | Double shot, thin silky milk | About 5 oz of milk in total |
Our tip: For a long black, add the hot water first and pull the shot on top, so the crema survives.
Cleaning and maintaining the Breville Barista Express
Daily cleaning on a semi-automatic machine is mostly about habits.
After every milk drink, I wiped the steam wand with a damp cloth and gave it a quick purge.
Milk dries fast on hot steel, and dried milk is much harder to remove.
After every shot, I knocked out the puck, rinsed the basket and ran a short burst of water through the group head.
Backflushing
When the Clean Me light comes on, it's time to backflush✕BackflushCleaning the inside of the group head by blocking the basket with a rubber disc so water and cleaner are forced back through the valve..
You put the rubber disc in the single basket, add a cleaning tablet, lock it in and start the cleaning cycle.
The machine pulses water back through the valve to dissolve coffee oils.
Descaling
The descaling powder in the box is for the thermocoil.
How often you need it depends on your water, and the charcoal filter stretches the time between descales.
| When | Task | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| After milk drinks | Wipe and purge the steam wand | Stops milk drying inside the tip |
| After each shot | Knock out the puck, rinse the basket | Keeps oils from building up |
| Daily | Empty the drip tray and wipe the shower screen | Prevents mold and stale smells |
| Weekly | Brush the group gasket and grinder chute | Removes stuck grounds |
| When prompted | Backflush with a cleaning tablet | Clears oil from the valve |
| Every 2 to 3 months | Replace the water filter | Slows down scale |
My estimate of hands-on cleaning time per day.
Warranty
In the US, Breville covers the Barista Express with a one-year limited warranty.
That is shorter than on some of its newer models, so it is worth registering the machine when you set it up.
What daily use is really like
My mornings settled into a rhythm after the first week.
I switched the machine on, let it heat for about a minute and ran a blank shot to warm the portafilter.
Then I ground into the basket, tamped, locked in and pulled a double.
A latte from switch-on to first sip took about four to five minutes, including steaming and cleaning the wand.
Plan around the tank
There is no low-water sensor.
If the tank runs dry mid-shot, the pump keeps running and the shot is ruined.
I learned to glance at the tank every morning, and the 67-ounce size meant one fill lasted about two days for two people.
Rough maths from a 67 oz tank, allowing for blank shots, purging and rinsing.
Noise
The grinder is loud for a few seconds, as most grinders are.
The pump hums and clicks, and the steam wand hisses.
None of it is unusual, but it will wake a light sleeper in an open-plan home.
Open shelving nearby makes it easy to keep warm cups at hand.
Our tip: Keep a tea towel and a small scale next to the machine, so the morning routine never needs a detour.
Beans, water and milk
The Barista Express rewards fresh beans more than almost anything else.
Coffee roasted within the last two to four weeks gave the best crema and the most even flow.
Supermarket beans with no roast date often ran fast and thin, even at finer settings.
Which roast?
Medium roasts are the easiest place to start.
They are forgiving, sweet and extract well at the default temperature.
Light roasts are denser and need a finer grind and a slightly higher temperature.
Dark, oily roasts grind easily but can turn bitter, and their oils build up on the burrs faster.
| Bean type | Grind and temperature | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Medium roast | Step 6 to 8, default temperature | Sweet, chocolatey, easy |
| Medium-dark | A step coarser, default temperature | Rich body, thick crema |
| Light roast | Finer, raise temperature slightly | Brighter, needs care |
| Very dark, oily | Coarser, lower temperature | Bitter risk, more cleaning |
Water
Use filtered or fresh tap water and keep the charcoal filter in.
Avoid pure distilled water, because coffee needs some minerals to taste full and the machine's sensors rely on them.
Our tip: Buy beans in small bags you can finish within two to three weeks, so the grinder settings stay stable.
Common mistakes to avoid
Most bad shots on the Barista Express come from a few habits.
| Mistake | What happens | Better habit |
|---|---|---|
| Leaving the inner burr on the factory setting | Side dial runs out of fine steps | Move the upper burr finer once |
| Turning the dial on a stopped, full grinder | Beans jam the burrs | Adjust while grinding |
| Guessing the dose | Shots change every day | Weigh the dose at least weekly |
| Tilted tamp | One side channels, shot tastes sour | Tamp level and firm |
| Using pressurized baskets with fresh beans | Foamy but flat-tasting shots | Use single-wall baskets |
| Forgetting the tank | Pump runs dry mid-shot | Check the water every morning |
Change one variable at a time.
If you change the grind and the dose together, you will not know which one helped.
What I would change
A low-water sensor would prevent ruined shots.
More grind steps on the side dial would make the inner burr adjustment unnecessary for most people.
And a slightly more powerful steam wand would speed up back-to-back milk drinks.
Is the Breville Barista Express worth the money?
The Barista Express is one of the most popular all-in-one espresso machines for a reason.
It gives you the real espresso workflow, a usable built-in grinder and a capable steam wand in one footprint.
For most beginners, that is cheaper and simpler than buying a separate machine and grinder.
Ask yourself three questions before you buy.
Do you enjoy a hands-on routine? Will you buy fresh beans? And are you willing to spend the first few days dialing in?
If the answers are yes, it is a very good first machine.
If you want push-button drinks, a machine that grinds, doses and steams for you will suit you better.
The machine is also sold under the Sage name in Europe, with identical hardware.
And it comes in several finishes, including brushed stainless, black and a matte black truffle.
Brushed steel suits both warm wood and dark stone kitchens.
How it compares with other espresso setups
The most useful comparison is with the kinds of machines you're likely weighing up.
The Breville Barista Express sits between a basic machine with a separate grinder and an expensive automatic.
| Feature | Barista Express | Fully automatic machine | Machine plus separate grinder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grinding | Built in, timed dose | Built in, automatic | Separate appliance |
| Tamping | By hand | Automatic | By hand |
| Espresso quality | Very good once dialed in | Good, less control | Excellent, skill-dependent |
| Milk | Manual steam wand | One-touch | Manual steam wand |
| Learning curve | Moderate | Very low | Steep |
| Pressure gauge | Yes | No | Depends |
| Footprint | One appliance | One appliance | Two appliances |
A fully automatic machine is easier, but you lose control over the shot and the milk texture.
A machine with a separate grinder gives more precision, but costs more counter space and more money.
The Barista Express is the middle path, and it does that job well.
| You mostly drink | Is it a fit? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Espresso | Very good | Real portafilter, gauge feedback |
| Lattes and flat whites | Very good | Steam wand makes true microfoam |
| Americanos and tea | Good | Dedicated hot water outlet |
| Back-to-back milk drinks | Fair | Slower steam, one task at a time |
| One-touch drinks | Poor | Everything is manual |
The full package: hopper, gauge, portafilter and steam wand.
Other Breville machines I tested
If you want faster heat-up and a digital shot timer, see my Breville Barista Pro review.
If tamping is the part that worries you, the Barista Express Impress adds assisted tamping and dose correction.
For a touchscreen and automatic milk, read my Breville Barista Touch review.
Which one is right for you: is the Breville Barista Express your match?
4 quick questionsBreville Barista Express specifications
From manufacturer data and my own testing.
How I tested and scored the Breville Barista Express
For four weeks, I used the Breville Barista Express as my everyday espresso machine for espresso, americanos, cappuccinos, flat whites and lattes.
I adjusted the inner burr, mapped the side dial, calibrated the dose with a 0.1-gram scale and logged dose, yield and time for every test shot.
I steamed whole, semi-skimmed, skim and oat milk, and followed the daily, weekly and backflush cleaning routines.
I then checked my notes against Breville's specifications and owner documentation.
- Espresso (8.4): body, crema, flavor and consistency once dialed in.
- Milk drinks (7.8): microfoam texture, steam speed and latte-art potential.
- Ease of use (7.5): setup, grinder adjustment, dosing and day-to-day workflow.
- Cleaning (8.1): daily wiping, backflushing, descaling and accessory storage.
The overall score of 8.0 is an editorial rating that reflects those four areas.
Breville Barista Express FAQ
Is the Breville Barista Express good for beginners?
Yes. It is one of the best machines for learning espresso, because the pressure gauge shows you what is happening. Expect a few days of dialing in with a scale before shots become consistent.
What grind setting should I use on the Barista Express?
Start in the middle of the dial and adjust while the grinder runs. On my unit, moving the inner burr from 6 to 2 and using step 7 on the side dial gave the best shots with medium-roast beans.
How do I adjust the inner burr?
Empty and remove the bean hopper, lift out the upper burr by its wire handle, turn it to a lower number for finer coffee, then push it back in and lock the hopper.
How much coffee goes in the double basket?
About 15 to 15.5 grams. I used 15.4 grams and aimed for about 30 grams of espresso in 25 to 30 seconds.
Can I use pre-ground coffee?
Yes. Use the dual-wall pressurized baskets, which are designed for pre-ground or older coffee.
Does the Barista Express have a pressure gauge?
Yes. The analog gauge on the front shows extraction pressure, which makes dialing in much easier.
Can it brew and steam at the same time?
No. It has one heating system, so you brew first and then steam, with a short wait in between.
How big is the water tank?
About 67 ounces, or 2 liters. It lifts out from the back, and you can also top it up from above.
Does it tell you when the water is low?
No. There is no low-water sensor, so check the tank before you start.
How often should I clean the Barista Express?
Wipe and purge the steam wand after every milk drink, rinse the basket after each shot, and backflush with a cleaning tablet when the Clean Me light comes on.
Is Sage Barista Express the same machine?
Yes. In Europe, the identical machine is sold under the Sage brand.
Kitchen & coffee tester
Michael spent six years as a line cook in restaurants in Chicago and New York, and he has tested kitchen appliances for HouseholdMe since 2018, from air fryers to coffee makers. He holds an SCA certificate in barista skills and used the Breville Barista Express as his everyday coffee machine for four weeks for this review, working from testing notes he compiled together with the HouseholdMe team.
- Four weeks of hands-on testing of the Breville BES870XL Barista Express
- Breville product specifications and owner documentation
- General espresso brewing, milk steaming and maintenance guidance