Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine Authentic Review
Espresso machines bring us into the high world of class and sophistication, and in case you’re wondering, the Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine gives you everything you need for barista quality coffee. Some of the things you can expect from this machine include a rich and full flavour and a perfectly balanced taste freshly brewed.
Things to Consider Before Buying a Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine
Relatively affordable in comparison to some of the other models on the market, the Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine brews a better cup of expresso than many of the more expensive machines.
Not only that, you get an attractive stainless steel design that looks great. The other advantage of stainless steel? You don’t have to clean it as much. The maintenance with stainless steel is far more agreeable.
With a semi-automatic espresso machine, you should understand that it does require some effort to operate. You don’t have a fully automatic machine like what you’d get with some more sophisticated machines. That said, a semi-auto still cut some mean, quality espresso brewed for your cup.
Before buying the Breville BES870XL, you should also ask yourself if you will be willing to learn espresso brewing. This machine comes with more bells and whistles, and it takes some time to get used to the operations. You have a learning curve to get used to some things like dosing, grinding, tamping, espresso extraction, and milk frothing.
If you want a full ease-of-use experience, you may want to look at an automatic model instead. Fully automatic espresso machines handle everything. You press a button, and the espresso maker handles the rest. A semi-automatic machine will handle most of the work but not all of it. But that is the fun part, once you get the hang of it.
For the novice, you might begin with the pressurized baskets provided because this eliminates the need to dial in your shots perfectly. You can still tinker around with it, but this increases the margin of error, and for a beginner, the baskets can help get you started with such machines.
Presenting the Breville Barista Express
One of the finest all-in-one espresso machines globally, you have everything you need from a single place to make a latte. The Breville Barista Express promises to help you get access to barista-level coffee. You can do this in under a minute, and you have authentic cafe-style results in little to no time.
When we look at this product and how it does so well, you have a few things in the product formula that have brought it a success, such as:
- Richness of flavour
- Silky and velvety texture on the mouth
- Irresistible body
- Harmoniously balanced taste
The ultimate goal behind this product is to make for an enjoyable experience every time you use the machine. Meanwhile, you enjoy a full and delightful flavor of espresso each time.
Pros
- It looks visually sleek
- Stainless steel is easy to clean
- Compact – doesn’t take up a lot of counter space
- Has a built-in grinder
- Programmable dose, shot and temperature
- Thermocoil heating system provides a seamless switch between coffee extraction and the milk frothing
- Better quality than some of the more expensive models
Cons
- Has a learning curve on its operations
- Grinder is quite loud
What Are The Key Features & Benefits of the Breville Barista Express?
Looking at the Barista Express and what it has to offer, here are the key features and benefits of this semi-automatic espresso machine.
Built-In Grinder
Breville has a reputation to uphold in making exceptional coffee grinder. The built-in burr grinder on the Breville Barista Express turns your fresh beans into coffee grounds with grind size ranging from fine to coarse.
It uses stainless steel conical burrs, and you can adjust the grind size up to 18 settings. The grind amount dial on the front panel controls the coffee dosage that you want.
Stainless Steel 360-Degree Steam Wand
The Breville Barista Express comes with a steam wand that produces micro-foam milk texture — good enough for your art latte. Frothing milk with this machine is quite simple, and there are many youtube videos out there that can teach you how to steam or froth your milk.
You can swivel the wand in all directions, making it effortless to control while you froth with the milk pitcher. The steam wand also doubles up as a hot water dispenser, making it easy for you to make your Americanos.
Precise Espresso Extraction
With the Breville Barista Express, you can have precise espresso extraction. Using the digital temperature, you can control how hot the water gets, which gives you the perfect blend of espresso as it fills your cup.
Compact Design
Espresso brewers have also chosen the Breville Barista Express because of how compact it is. That means that it doesn’t take up too much counter space in your kitchen or dining area.
Stainless Steel Pressure Gauge: Why It’s Good
You have a stainless steel chassis or frame that keeps the product as clean as possible. Meanwhile, the brew pressure gauge seals the impression of a professional machine.
This shows you how much pressure was applied during the process of making your espresso. You can’t change the setting on this, but professional machines have been set to brew coffee at 9-bar.
For a semi-professional machine, you will see 15-bar of pressure. When you don’t get enough pressure built up in the machine, the water will flow through the beans, but it won’t capture the flavor’s fullness as one with a higher pressure level.
Thermocoil System
The Barista Express uses a Thermocoil system that pulls water through its heating element. It has the advantage over Thermoblock systems because it tends to heat faster, and you also usually get more consistency with this type of machine. With the Thermocoil system, you get a faster transition time between coffee extraction and milk frothing.
How Does It Compare?
You might want to look around a bit before you decide to spend your money on an espresso machine such as the Barista Express. That’s being a smart consumer. To help you out, here are some alternatives.
DeLonghi La Specialista Espresso Machine
One alternative that you might choose is the DeLonghi La Specialista Espresso Machine. This espresso machine costs about the same, and it includes technology that delivers on precise and consistent grinding. You can also choose your style of froth with this machine.
If you’re interested, here’s an article on the detailed comparison review between Breville vs Delonghi.
Gaggia Classic Pro Espresso Machine
The other option is to go with the Gaggia RI9380/46 Classic Pro Espresso Machine. This espresso machine costs a couple of hundred dollars less than the other two, making it the perfect choice for budget-conscious espresso lovers.
Still, it delivers the quality brew that you could expect from some of the higher-end choices. Once you familiarise yourself with the operations, this machine will give you plenty of options for making your espresso.
Breville Bambino Plus Espresso Machine
As a final alternative that we’d recommend, the Breville BES500BSS Bambino Plus Espresso Machine looks far more attractive and professional than the Gaggia. It has a stainless steel appearance, and it uses low pressure that gradually builds as you brew your cup of espresso.
Like I have mentioned earlier, pressure plays a big role in an espresso machine because it ensures that you draw out all the natural flavors from the coffee bean. You have a three-second heat-up time, letting you go from the bean to the cup faster than ever before.
Especially if you are always rushing early in the morning yet still want that freshly brewed cup of coffee.
Should you get the Breville Barista Express?
The Breville Barista Express is ideal for coffee lovers who yearn to make consistent yet tasteful cups of their favorite coffee beverages in the comforts of their own homes. It is especially suitable for people are who are just starting in the world of espresso brewing.
If you pay a lot for Starbucks Coffee every month, you may find it worth the cost over time to invest in the Barista Express. Most people say it is as good as getting coffee from professional baristas, which should sing praises about its quality.
For the price that it’s asking, the value proposition is that this machine is packed with features for the convenience of home espresso brewing for the average coffee enthusiast — someone who is just starting.
Although it does take a while to learn the brewing process, the efforts and time spent are fully worth it. Personally, I have a semi-automatic at home, and after a few brewing experiences, I enjoy the process thoroughly. And trust me, once you have crossed over to the espresso machine path, there is no turning back 🙂
