5.0 out of 5 stars 3 Years Later, Still Going Strong

K. · February 16, 2020

I held off on writing a review for years because I saw someone saying that this machine lasts only around 2 years. This is totally not true. I purchased this Apr 17, 2017 and I am writing this Feb 16, 2020. So I'm just shy of 3 years. It still works perfectly.I have 5 years of barista experience and have worked with Nuova Simonelli and Rancilio machines and I love this machine. I've never had any issue with it at all. I was worried because my tap water is VERY hard. I was afraid that the insides would seize up after a while due to build up but nope. I'll also add that I'm kinda lazy. I don't descale it nearly as much as I should. I think I've only descaled it 5 times in the 3 years I've had it.I think what a lot of people struggle with is getting the settings right. Even if you've worked with espresso machines before, each one is a bit different and each type of bean is different. It took a bit of experimenting before I got the grinding coarseness, grind amount, and tamping pressure right; but once I did, it's so easy. So be patient, try different things and see what works for you.I love the power of the steam wand. You're actually able to get good microfoam. It takes longer than commercial machines but that shouldn't really be a surprise. It comes out hot, luscious, and creamy.Is this the best home espresso machine ever? Probably not. But unless you're a huge coffee snob and have tons of money to throw around, it's unbeatable at this price range.Some tips:>Don't use the auto grind dispensing setting. Not because it's inaccurate but because it will get messy as the heap of grinds tumbles down and over the edges of your portafilter.--> What I do is I set the auto dispense to a single shot with the amount only at about 1/3 of the way turned up. I auto dispense that base amount, take out the portafilter, gently tamp down the grinds a bit, then manual dispense grinds to my desired amount. This prevents a world of mess. What's the desired amount? That's up to what you're making and with what size filter you have on your portafilter. Single, double?--> As a general rule of thumb, on my final, full pressure tamp, I make sure the grinds are about 5mm down from the top.>How much grind you put in and how hard you tamped it will affect the pressure reached while infusing!!--> if your machine is not getting to "espresso range" pressures then don't assume it's broken! You might just not have put enough grinds in or tamped to the appropriate level. Getting it right may take some time.--> When you remove the portafilter after infusing, the "puck" of espresso grinds should come away in the portafilter and be easily disposed by tapping it (with a bit of force) on the edge of whatever grind receptacle you're using. If you get sludge when you remove, you did not put enough grinds in/tamp with enough pressure.--> If you're still struggling to get a good infusion, play with the grind coarseness setting. It's different for different beans!>RINSE after each use! Start up a single shot without a portafilter under for a few seconds then turn it off again. Having old grinds stuck on there is gross and affects the taste of your next espresso.--> Rinse out the milk steaming wand after use! Have a wet tea towel ready before you steam milk! Once you're done steaming IMMEDIATELY wipe down the wand (watch your hand! It's hot!) Otherwise, the milk will cook onto the wand and form a hard crust. Rinse the inside by turning it on while pointed at the tray for several seconds.>If you turn on the steam wand and it's not starting, don't panic. Be patient. Sometimes it takes a little bit longer to get going.--> If it's really not turning on, turn it off, then check the hole. It may be blocked up with the aforementioned cooked and crusted milk. They provide you with a handy tool to clear it!That's all for now. If I encounter any issues in the future, I will update this review to include details.

5.0 out of 5 stars Review from a complete espresso novice.

A.J. · September 26, 2024

To save some of you a bunch of reading, I'll cut to the chase first: I knew nothing about making good espresso drinks before buying this machine, and after a year and a half I still use it everyday, and I absolutely love it.A bit of background. I grew tired of the daily trips to the cafe for an espresso, and doubly so with the cost. Drink plus tip was usually around 10 dollars a day, at least 5 days a week. I wanted to make my own, but I knew absolutely nothing about extracting espresso, the machines, or any of the science-y stuff behind it. I did a TON of research on machines, as there is a fairly wide variety of options for the consumer. I was initially put off by the cost of some of the upper tier machines, but after some digging, and learning, I found The Breville Barista Express (BBE) which seemed to be a well made machine, with great reviews, but still pretty expensive for a "coffee machine". Of course, my perspective on that has changed considerably.Review!The machine is well made. I can say for sure that it's durable, and probably built to last longer than the parts inside of it. Fairly heavy, but perhaps more just given its shape, and how the weight is distributed. I, personally, like the aesthetic of the machine in black, so I chose the black model. At first glance and a once over, you'll notice that it's not a cheaply made product, and already begin to feel better about the cost.The control panel was more user-friendly than I had initially thought. I absolutely believe they had the novice in mind when designing the interface. Although the controls are pretty straightforward, and explained in the user manual, some people learn processes better by seeing rather than reading, and I'm one of those people. If you are also, Breville produced a series of how-to-use videos on their youtube channel, and I also believe they are on Breville's website as well. These videos are very to-the-point, and incredibly helpful learning the ins-and-outs of the various options on the machine. They absolutely give the end user plenty of support with regard to understanding how to use the machine. For people, like me, who knew nothing about espresso machines, it was nice SEEING the steps and process in real time.Customer Support is fantastic. After about 3 months of having it in the house, a large industrial staple found its way into the grinder. Presumably from a bag of beans. Tbh I'm not sure how it got in there. In any case, it messed up the grinder so bad that I had to send the machine into Breville for repair and service. I had called their number, and the CSR asked for some general details, and without any fuss, sent out return packaging, which I received in 2 days, I shipped it out the day I got the packaging, and my machine was returned to me, in working order, without cost, 7 days later.The machine isn't without shortcomings, but in my novice opinion, they're pretty minor.1. The water reservoir is pretty small.2. A second portafilter would be a terrific add. (bought a second on ebay)3. Drip tray doesn't hold much.4. Steam/hot water knob design could use improvement with a bit of leverage. (3rd party options)5. Should come with a dosing cup that fits the portafilter (3rd party options)All in all, the machine is fantastic. I am by no means an expert, but my drinks are good enough to keep me from going to cafe everyday, and my wife also seems to enjoy them.One note for novices, this machine does simplify the process, but there is still some required learning you will need to do in order to get the best results out of this machine. It isn't hard, but will probably take you a half a bag of beans to really dial in, and get right.Cheers!

Great espresso machine with built-in grinder for the money.

D.C. · August 21, 2019

I've had this almost two years now, so I figured it was time for a proper review.If you don't want to read my in depth review but just my quick opinion and are in the market for a semi-automatic espresso maker (with grinder!), you can't beat this machine for the money it costs (especially here compared to a department store). It comes with a satisfactory grinder (anything better itself will cost you hundreds of dollars on its own), and an easy to use (and learn) espresso maker which makes good espresso, latte's, etc. (assuming you don't use garbage beans of course). Its been nearly two years and I've yet to have a problem and still works just as good as it did the day I got it.I'll start with the cons, because there aren't many and they are very minor, picky issues.The grinder: I find the size setting to be slightly misleading. I'd assume you could use the full range of grind sizes, but anything less than a 4 you'll have trouble pulling a shot with the proper pressure. Over time I've found I've needed to reduce the grind size more and more, but that could be to poor (lack of) regular cleaning habits because I'm lazy.The pressure gauge. There's an "espresso range" on it which you may think anywhere in that is OK. Its not. To get a good pull you'll need to make sure it starts around at least "12:30" and ideally about "1:00" if you treat it like a clock (pointing straight up would be 12:00). Once you get a feel for the grind and how much tamp pressure to use, you'll be able to do this with regular ease after a couple weeks of use (assuming you mainly stick with one type of espresso).The port-a-filter. Its not standard sized so it may be hard to replace. No big deal. Those interested in this probably have more "professional" machines anyways and aren't in the market for this.Now onto the good things:If you've never used a steam wand before, this is probably a good machine for you. Enthusiasts may say its not good or powerful enough, but its great to learn on. Its not a "double boiler" machine where you can froth milk and do the espresso at the same time, but for starter home use its great. Those double boiler machines start at 2-3 times the price of this. If you only make lattes for yourself a couple times a day (like me), its perfect. Because its doesn't use a boiler, its a little slower. That actually makes it EASIER to make perfect milk for the novice (also like me!). By the time I'm done making a latte, I've probably spent about 3 minutes. That's about 6 minutes out of my day which is quicker than waiting forever at st*rb*cks for something worse.The grinder: Its built in. Enough said. Clean it out once in a while and you'll be fine.Making espresso: You can adjust the temperature within 4 degrees of 200f (the factory setting). Adjust according to your taste and beans you are using (I'm not an expert, there's a ton and probably too much info out there on the subject). I keep mine at 202 as it brings out slightly better flavor for the standard bean I use. If you're using relatively fresh coffee beans, you shouldn't have much trouble pulling a decent shot.Maintenance/cleaning: its easy to use the cleaning cycle. Don't buy the cleaning tabs or descaling solutions. Buy Cafiza tabs as they will cost you a fraction of what the Breville ones cost for regular cleaning. Dezcal can be bought for descaling also with the same cost difference. The drip tray is dishwasher safe (top shelf). I put mine in about every two weeks. In between that, I give it a good rinse when the tray is full to get rid of any grime that may have built up.If I get 2 more years out of this, I'll be extremely happy. I've already gotten back my return on investment.

Good quality product. Recommended

A.A.A. · September 15, 2024

The quality and given techs are good. Thank you

Problèmes...

C.d. · May 11, 2017

VAT non comprise malgré le descriptif (293 euros à payer en France), la machine à café ne fonctionne qu'aux US, en 120 volts. Rien n'est mentionné dans le descriptif.

Good expresso machine for home.

A.P. · May 25, 2025

I was looking to get a expresso machine for a while and saw this on deal during sale. I was about to get Hibrew but for the price Breville Barista Express was available it was a no brainier. Overall excellent performance and fast delivery by Bolo and Latteholic. They even gave a free bag of beans inside the box.

Excelente para un amante del cafe

E.J. · January 21, 2025

Esta cafetera destaca por su sólida construcción y funcionalidad. Incluye un molino ajustable que permite personalizar fácilmente la molienda según tus preferencias. Su uso es sencillo, con un adaptador que asegura que el café molido quede dentro del portafiltro sin derrames.El vaporizador de leche hace un trabajo decente, suficiente para la mayoría de los usuarios. Aunque existen opciones con un rendimiento superior, suelen ser significativamente más costosas. Además, incluye filtros específicos para preparar café de máquina regular y te permite elaborar espressos simples o dobles con facilidad.El depósito de agua tiene una capacidad de 1 litro e incluye un único filtro. Por ello, es recomendable adquirir un kit adicional de filtros para prolongar su utilidad. Algo a tener en cuenta es que la máquina desperdicia algo de agua, acumulándola en un contenedor interno que avisa cuando está lleno. Sin embargo, este depósito requiere vaciarse cada 10 o 15 espressos, lo que podría ser un pequeño inconveniente.Llevo un año utilizando esta cafetera y estoy muy satisfecho. Me gusta especialmente que es fácil de mantener limpia y que incluye un tamper magnético para compactar el café, lo que le da un toque elegante y funcional.En resumen, una excelente compra que combina calidad, diseño y practicidad a un precio razonable.