web analytics
Menu

Breville Barista Touch BES880 vs. Oracle Touch BES990 [Top 7 Differences]

Breville Espresso Machines Mar 09, 2023
Breville Barista Touch vs Oracle Touch

The Breville Oracle Touch has been a top pick for many at-home baristas for so many reasons. It is favored for its ease of use, making it a great choice for beginners, but also, it has room for you to grow your skills with its manual options. Now there’s an upgraded version of the Barista Express, and it’s called Barista Touch.

If you’ve seen the Breville Oracle Touch which we’ve written about in a previous post, then you know how the Touch system in Breville’s new espresso machines work. It allows you to automatically create barista-style coffee drinks, customize them to your taste and even save your creations under any name you want, all with the simple to use touch screen display.

But that’s not all, of course. So, let’s have a look at the specs of the Barista Touch vs Oracle Touch and see what makes them special.

Breville Barista Touch BES880 vs. Oracle Touch BES990 – Top Differences

Boilers

  • The Oracle Touch is a dual-boiler machine. This means you can extract espresso and heat and foam milk at the same time. You can also change the temperature of the boilers using the machine settings.
  • The Barista Touch is a single boiler, so you have to do each task one at a time. As for the boiler temperature, it is pre set and can’t be changed.

Milk Steaming and Temperature Sensing

Both of these models have automatic steaming and frothing, which is fantastic for getting great milk texture every time. All you have to do is select your desired texture level and milk temperature, and the steam wand will do the rest.

The steam wands also have auto purge so they’ll self clean after you are done with the steaming part. You’ll still have to wipe out the exterior of the wand, though.

Now, you must be wondering, how does the steam wand senses that milk has reached desired temperature. Here’s how:

Breville Barista Touch BES880 vs. Oracle Touch BES990 [Top 7 Differences]

On the Oracle Touch, the sensor is located at the tip of the steam wand. You’ll noticed there’s what looks like a ring around the wand towards the bottom where it submerges in the jug, and that’s how it measures temperature.

The Barista Touch works differently. The sensor is located in the machine, next to the drip tray. So for the machine to sense the temperature correctly, the frothing jug has to sit on top of that sensor. You can’t hold the frothing jug up as it won’t register temperature that way.

Grinder

  • The Oracle Touch automatically grinders, tamps and polishes. So all you have to do is set your portafilter to the grinder’s cradle and lock it and it will do it all.
  • With the Barista Touch, you’ll have to place your portafilter in the grinder cradle and push to activate the grinding. You’ll also level off the grind and tamp it manually.

So both of these machines have auto grinding and dosing, but the Oracle Touch also has automatic tamping that perfectly levels and tamps your grinds.

On the Barista Touch, among the options on the screen is grind timer. Changing the timer means more or less grinds in your portafilter. This isn’t an option on the Oracle Touch, grind time and dose is factory-set.

Portafilter Size

  • 58mm on the Oracle Touch that holds 22 grams of coffee grounds.
  • 54mm on the Barista Touch that holds 18 grams of coffee grounds.

Auto Start Settings

  • The Oracle Touch can be programmed to automatically start and turn off at any set time. It won’t brew your coffee at the set time, but it will start, heat up and be ready for you to use at any time you need it to.
  • This option is not available on the Barista Touch.

Capacity

  • The Oracle Touch is a larger machine. It has a 84 oz water reservoir. The water reservoir can be filled from top of the machine using a filling slot on the top front part. But if you need to take out the tank for cleaning, it can be pulled from the back of the machine easily.
  • The Barista Touch has a 67 oz water reservoir capacity. The reservoir is removable so it can be easily cleaned or filled.

Dimensions

  • Barista Touch: 12.5″ x 13.25″ x 16”
  • Oracle Touch: (L) 16¼” x (D) 15″ x (H) 18″

Which One To Buy?

  • Like any other buying decision, it all starts with your budget. Since the Oracle Touch is more advanced and packs more features, naturally, it is more expensive than the Barista Touch.
  • Features wise, The Oracle Touch does everything for you. Grinding, leveling out any extra grind and tamping. Milk texturing is also done for you. Espresso extraction and milk foaming can be done at the same time, since it’s a dual boiler machine. So there’s no wait time.
  • If you don’t mind doing some of the work, like holding the portafilter to collect the grind and tamping manually, or the wait between extraction and milk foaming, then you’ll be happy with less expensive Barista Touch.
  • On the other hand, it’s important to keep in mind that the Oracle Touch is larger, while the Barista Touch has an overall smaller footprint. At 18” high, you’ll want to make sure you can fit the Oracle Touch under your cabinets, or have the space for it, before you buy it.
  • If automation is not your thing and you’d rather do everything manually, or semi-manually, then the Barista Express is definitely worth considering.

Related Comparisons

Features of Breville Barista Touch BES880

The Breville Barista Touch BES880XL is an impressive coffee machine that will make barista-level coffee drinks in the comfort of your own home. With its color touch screen display, you can customize the temperature and texture of your coffee drink to perfection, as well as save up to 8 customized drinks under any name you choose. Thanks to a pre-infusion function, the water pressure is gradually increased to ensure even extraction of the coffee, so you get a delicious cup every time. The automatic steam wand also textures milk to your liking and there’s a built-in stainless steel burr grinder for added convenience. Plus, there’s a 3-second heat up time so your drink will be ready in no time. Cleaning is not an issue either, as the machine comes with an automatic purge function for the steam wand after use. All in all, this remarkable machine boasts features that are perfect for making barista-style drinks at home and it won’t take up too much counter space either.

Features of Breville Oracle Touch BES990

The Breville Oracle BES990 Touch espresso machine is a great choice if you want to make barista-level coffee right at home. This machine comes with all the features and accessories needed to make great coffee, including a built-in grinder with automatic dosing and tamping for easy use, as well as a colored touch display that makes programming simple.

For the perfect balance of espresso flavor and rich sweet milk, the Oracle Touch BES990 incorporates a fully automated steam wand for the perfect milk texture every time. The steam wand automatically textures milk according to your taste and desired temperature. To keep temperatures consistent, this espresso machine also features true low pressure pre-infusion along with PID (Precision Digital Temperature) Control technology that ensures optimal water temperature throughout each brew cycle.

In addition, the Oracle BES990 Touch has five pre-programmed favorites as well as eight customizable coffee settings so you can create drinks just how you like them. Plus, it offers one/two shots, hot water dispensing, adjustable grind control and programmable milk temperature and texture for maximum control over your beverage and a one-touch Americano/Long black option. The built-in grinder has 45 adjustable settings for complete control over the taste of your espresso.

With these features at your fingertips, you’ll be able to make barista-quality drinks from the comfort of your home every day.

Dee
Latest posts by Dee (see all)