Breville espresso machines have been ahead of the competition for quite some time now. Apart from having one of the best design, Breville uses advanced technology to ensure that you end up with the most delicious brew. Its compact size and stainless steel surface are part of its appeal. It is just the right espresso machine to have in your home if you want barista style coffee without a lot of complication.

Features of Breville Barista Pro Espresso Machine:

This machine comes with some incredible features that are designed to transform your beans to a delectable cup of coffee within minutes. Every single component functions optimally, and the result is nothing but a bold brew that is hot enough to welcome you to a new day. With the Barista Pro in your home, you will be enjoying every single cup of coffee just the way you like it and without compromise.

Here’s what makes the Barista Pro a great machine:

An interactive display:

You will no longer have to make your coffee blindly. This is because this machine has a nice LCD display. The display is designed to enable you to see the whole coffee making process. Through it, you can set and see the grind size, amount of coffee grounds and the temperature of the water you are using among many others. The details are boldly written and it also comes with backlight to amplify its visibility further. The display shows you all elements you need to pull the perfect shot of espresso.

Built-in Conical Burr Grinder:

Any coffee lover will tell you how important a burr grinder is when it comes to brewing coffee or espresso. Having a built-in grinder saves you from buying one separately. It allows you to choose the exact grind size you want as well as the dose of coffee. The correct choice of these two is significant and often determines the kind of brew you will end up with.

54mm porta-filter:

The consistency of the coffee you get is dependent on the kind of porta-filter incorporated in the machine. For absolute consistency and balanced coffee, Breville espresso maker comes with a 54mm porta-filter which will ensure that you get a smooth cup of full-flavored barista quality brew.

Digital temperature control (PID):

Most espresso machines fail to produce quality coffee due to the temperature of the water used. This is where Breville Barista Pro shines. Its digital temperature control feature allows you to get just the right temperature of water required to extract full flavor from the coffee grounds. When the water trickles through the coffee grounds, the machine makes sure it is hot enough to extract ever flavor from the coffee grounds, this makes your espresso shot bold, flavorful and with an incredible aroma.

A powerful steam wand:

The steam wand is a big part of the espresso machine you own. Its incredible functionality enables it to have micro-foam milk texturing capabilities which is what you need for creating latte art. This part will require some practice from you, especially if it’s your first time using an espresso machine. But once you get it right, you’ll love the delicious creamy coffee drinks you’ll be able to make.

Some other great features that you will find in the Barista Pro are: 2L capacity water reservoir, 250g bean hopper, and 1 and 2 cups volumetric control.

Your Barista Pro will include:

• Single and Dual filter basket
• The Razor Precision Dose Trimming Tool
• 480 ml stainless steel frothing jug
• Built-in magnetic tamper.
• Cleaning Kit
• Water filter

Click here to learn more about Breville Barista Pro, read the customer reviews and buy it.

Breville Barista Pro vs. Barista Express, What’s The Difference?

The Breville Barista Express has been a best seller on our site for years now. It’s the most loved by our readers, and I can’t blame them! It is reasonably priced while packed with so many features that deliver a fantastic at home barista experience. But how does the Barista Pro compare to it? And should you go for the newer model or go for the Barista Express?

The Barista Pro and Barista Express are somewhat similar and can offer you similar results, but one sure offers a more intuitive experience than the other:

Starting with the controls, the Barista Pro has an LCD screen and the Barista Express doesn’t. The LCD display gives you precise measures of everything you’re doing: the grind size, shot timer, options for customizing your shot and other information you need to create your shot as you want it. On the Barista Express, you have the same options for setting your grind size, filter size, number fo shots and volumes, but you’ll have to do it sort of “blindly” without exact numbers but only using button controls. On the other hand, the Barista Express has an important feature on its control panel that the Barista Pro lacks, and that is the gauge. A lot of user find the gauge to be extremely useful in letting them know the temperature of the machine and the best time to switch between brewing and steaming.

Another difference is the machines heating systems. The Barista Pro has a ThermoJet heating system that heats up in as little as 3 seconds and can switch between espresso and steam almost instantly. The Barista Express has a Thermocoil heating system that takes about a minute or two to heat up and requires a bit of a wait to switch from brewing to steaming. And that’s why the gauge is needed on the Barista Express but not the Barista Pro.

Apart from that, both models have the same capacity in water reservoir and bean hopper. There are some difference in design, but nothing that affects the function of the machines.

Learn more about the Barista Express:

• Is the Barista Express Worth It?
• Breville Barista Express vs. The Infuser vs. Duo Temp Pro
• Breville Barista Express vs. Barista Touch

Breville Barista Pro vs. Barista Touch, What’s The Difference?

The Barista Touch is another great variation of the Barista Express, featuring similar functions but more upgrades that might or might not be useful to you. I would say that the Barista Touch ranks highest among these three models, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best. If it has more features than you need, then go for something else. That’s the great thing about having similar models with some variations.

So how is the Barista Touch different than the Barista Pro?

The Barista Touch is more automated, even easier to use and puts all popular coffee recipes at your finger tips. This model is equipped with an impressive colored touchscreen where all coffee recipes are already programmed and ready for you to enjoy. And of course, there’s always room for customization where you can control the volume of the coffee, the coffee strength and milk texture and temperature.

And how do you control milk texture and temperature? Well, that’s another automated step in the Barista Touch. The machine uses a special milk jug and automatic steam wand that will heat and texture your milk to your desired temperature and foam/texture level.

Another great thing about the Barista Touch is, since it allows you to customize your recipes, it also allows you to save them under unique names for later use. You can create and save up to 8 recipes.

The Barista Touch has the same ThermoJet boiler as the Barista Pro, so heat up time is just as quick.

When it comes to the built-in grinder, bean hopper and water reservoir capacity, all three models have the same capacities: 1/2 lbs bean hopper capacity, 67oz water reservoir and adjustable conical burr grinder.

Click here to read our review of the Breville Barista Touch.

Which One Do You Buy?

Now you’ve read everything you need to know about the Barista Pro, Barista Express and Barista Touch, it’s time to decide which one to buy.

First thing you need to know is that all of these models should give you similar results if used correctly. But here are some pointers to help you with your decision:

• Budget: these models are priced differently, and the price difference can affect your decision. So make sure to check the prices at your time you’re ready to purchase your machine as prices can vary from time to time.
• Controls and Automation: Like I previously mentioned, the difference between these machines should give you the same coffee results, but what will change is your experience in making these coffee drinks…

The Barista Express is a semi-automatic with nearly no guidance from the machine other than the steam gauge, which should help you know when the machine is to switch between extracting or steaming. The grind size is set by hand using a dial (with no numbers assigned) and your espresso shots are presets and can be reset either by pressing the buttons longer to going fully manual.

The Barista Pro offers you guidance using the LCD display where you can see everything that has to do with your shot. Grind size, shot timer, single/double and other customizations that help you in making a shot exactly how you want.

Last but certainly not least, the Barista Touch, which is fully automatic. If you don’t want to deal with all the details, this model has all recipes set and ready to go at your fingertips. Simply scroll through the recipes and pick what whichever drink you’re in the mood for. And if you’re feeling quite particular, you still have to option to customize your drink and save them as new recipes, too!

Video Reviews:

Features of the Nuova Simonelli Oscar II:

• Heat Exchange copper steam boiler provides high heat for a hot espresso and best steaming/frothing experience.
• A newly designed, extra-long articulated steam wand.
• Water reservoir with a sensor lets you know when the water level is low.
• Touch buttons for a single shot or a double shot, both can be reprogrammed to your preferred volume.
• Commercial size 58-mm non-pressurized portafilter.
• Stainless steel housing.
• Water reservoir capacity: 2.8 liters.
• Heat exchange boiler allows you to brew and froth at the same time.

Click here to learn more about the Nuova Simonelli Oscar II, read the customer reviews and buy it.

Features of the Breville BES920XL Dual Boiler Espresso Machine:

• Dual Stainless steel boilers and dual Italian pumps allow you to extract espresso and steam/froth milk at the same time.
• Electronic PID temperature control offers optimized water temperature.
• OPV (Over Pressure Valve) limits the extraction pressure for the perfect shot every time.
• Backlit LCD display shows you temperature, shot timer or a clock
• Two programmable buttons for single shot and double shot. Another button for manual brew.
• Pressure gauge shows you exactly when your machine is ready.
• 58mm portafilter size.
• Built-in tamper and hot water dispenser.
• Water reservoir capacity: 2.5 Liter
• Stainless steel articulated steam wand.
• Full stainless steel housing.
• Available in colors: Stainless steel, Black or Cranberry red.

Click here to learn more about the Breville Dual Boiler Espresso machine, read the customer reviews and buy it.

What Is The Difference Between the Nuova Simonelli Oscar II vs. Breville Dual Boiler?

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Title	Nuova Simonelli Oscar II Espresso Machine - Pour Over - Black	Breville BES920BSXL Dual Boiler Espresso Machine, Black Sesame
Feature	Program single and double shot buttons for time, meaning you can tap a button and brew for exactly as long as you want! NSF-rated for light commercial use, the heat exchange steam boiler offers ample steam for milk frothing and piping hot shots on-demand. Standing tall at 12'' W x 14.5'' H x 16'' D, the Oscar II's stainless case and modern looks make it a showpiece in any kitchen. A boiler pressure calibrated at 1.2 bars means dry, quick steam perfect for latte or cappuccino quality bubbles.	Dual stainless steel boilers and dual Italian pumps for simultaneous espresso extraction and steaming Over-Pressure Valve (OPV) limits extraction pressure Electronic PID temperature control for precise water temperature Backlit LCD displays brew temperature, shot clock or time Includes water hardness test strip, descale alert and LCD assisted descale procedure
Reviews	Read Reviews	Read Reviews
Link	More Info	More Info

If there’s one thing that these two espresso makers have in common is the fact that both use dual boilers, which means a boiler for espresso extraction and another for milk frothing. So, while single boiler espresso makers require that you wait a few minutes between extraction and steaming/frothing, a dual boiler machine allows you to do both at the same time.

Other than that, here are the differences:

Boilers:

• The Oscar II has copper steam boiler which offers incredible heat for steaming and frothing.
• The Breville Dual Boiler has two stainless steel boilers.

Buttons/Controls:

• On the Oscar II, you’ll find two buttons for a single and double shot. These buttons can be reprogrammed to your desired volumes. However, there’s no option for a manual shot. Also, there’s no LCD display for any additional information.
• The Breville Dual Boiler has three buttons, a single shot, double shots and a manual shot button. The single and double shot buttons can be reprogrammed. You’ll find an LCD display that displays the temperature, shot timer as well as a clock when not in use. There’s also a gauge on the front panel that shows you the level of the steam pressure and when the machine is ready to use.

The Steam Wand:

• The most notable thing about the Oscar II its extra long steam wand. It is extremely powerful and gives great milk texture in less time.
• The steam wand on the Breville Dual Boiler is the standard length.

Water Reservoir:

• The Oscar II has a 2.8L water reservoir with a sensor that notifies you when the water level is low.
• The Breville Dual Boiler has 2.5L water reservoir and a front facing window where you can see the level of the water.

Other Features:

• The Breville has a built-in tamper as well as a dedicated hot water dispenser. Both of which the Oscar II doesn’t have.

Housing:

• The Oscar II housing has stainless steel sides and front, while the top and back are plastic.
• The Breville Dual Boiler has a full stainless steel body and plastic top.

Which One Should You Buy?

It’s a tough call between these two, however, we do like the Breville Dual Boiler more than the Oscar II for these reasons:

• If you need to manually extract espresso, then only Breville’s Dual Boiler can offer you this.
• Also, if you need a bit of guidance, you’ll like that the Breville Dual Boiler has a pressure gauge, LCD display as well as light indicators. It also has a timer which can pre-heat your machine for you.
• The Breville Dual Boiler has self-cleaning cycle which is quite helpful when it’s time to clean the machine.
• You get a built-in tamper and a hot water dispenser as well as a razor dosing tool for precise dosing.

The one thing we find the Oscar II is better at than the Breville Dual Boiler is the steam wand. On the Oscar II, the steam is definitely more powerful and will give you the perfect texturized milk in no time.

Click here to learn more about the Breville Dual Boiler Espresso machine, read the customer reviews and buy it.

Watch The Machines in Action:

Review of the Breville Dual Boiler:

Review of the Nuova Simonelli Oscar II:

Breville’s Barista Express espresso machine has been one of the best selling espresso maker through our website for a while. In this post, we’ll give our thoughts on the machine, why it’s worth your money and if you should buy it or not.

In this post:

• What Is The Barista Express
• Comparison Between Barista Express Models
• Is The Barista Express Worth The Money?
• Should You Buy the Barista Express?

What Is The Breville Barista Express and How Does It Work?

The Barista Express is a semi-automatic espresso machine that has an integrated conical burr grinder. The grinder grinds only the amount of coffee you need right into the portafilter, so your coffee is extracted only seconds after grinding, giving you a truly aromatic shot of espresso.

The Barista Express has the ability to work automatically with pre-set shot volumes, as well as manually. All pre-sets can be reprogrammed to your preference.

The grinder on the Barista Express has a dial where you can adjust your grind and a Grind Amount dial dose the amount of grind to suit the grind size.

Other Features of the Barista Express:

• 1600 watts thermocoil heating system.
• Electronic water temperature control for temperature stability.
• Purge function automatically adjusts water temperature after steam use for the best results.
• Pre-infusion function applies low pressure water to coffee ground at the start to allow for an even espresso extraction.
• Portafilter includes stainless steel baskets for a single or double shot.
• Removable 67 oz water reservoir.
• Hands-free cradle holds the portafilter when grinding directly into it.
• Bean hopper capacity: Half a pound.

Click here to learn more about the Breville Barista Express, read the customer reviews and buy it.

Included Accessories:

• Breville’s patented Razor dose trimming tool
• 54mm stainless steel portafilter.
• single shot basket (1 cup and 2 cup)
• Double shot basket (1 cup and 2 cup)
• Coffee scoop and tamper.
• Stainless steel frothing jug.
• Cleaning tablets, cleaning brush.
• Water filter and water filter holder.

Click here to learn more about the Breville Barista Express, read the customer reviews and buy it.

Comparisons Between Models of the Breville Barista Express:

The Barista Express is available under two model names: BES870XL and BES860XL. It is also available under variations BES870CBXL and BES870BSXL. Wondering what’s the difference between them?

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Title	Breville BES870XL Barista Express Espresso Machine	Breville BES860XL Barista Express Espresso Machine with Grinder
Feature	15 Bar Italian Pump and 1600W Thermo coil heating system Purge Function: Automatically adjusts water temperature after steam for optimal espresso extraction temperature Stainless steel conical burr grinder with 1/2 lb. sealed bean hopper 67 fl.oz (2L) removable water tank with handle Newer model of the Breville BES860XL Barista Express	Stainless steel conical burr grinder with ½lb bean hopper 15 bar Italian pump 1450W stainless steel thermocoil heating system Adjustable grind size and grind amount settings Preset, manual over-ride or re-programmable shot volumes
Reviews	Read Reviews	Read Reviews
Link	More Info	More Info

We’ve done full comparisons between all these models in previous posts, which you can read by clicking here. But here’s a quick recap:

• The BES860XL is an older version, therefor slightly less expensive, where the BES870XL is the latest version of the Barista Express.
• The BES870XL has more power, 1600 watts compared to BES860XL’s 1450 watts.
• It has a redesigned bean hopper.
• The BES870XL has a hot water dispenser and it has an auto-off option that the BES860XL lacks.
• Lastly, the BES870XL gives you better control of coffee and water temperature.

As for the names BES870CBXL and BES870BSXL, these simply refer to the colors the BES870XL available in. The added CB refers to Cranberry, which is the deep red version and the BS refers to Black Sesame which is the Black version. The Barista Express BES860XL is only available in Stainless Steel.

Is The Barista Express Worth the Money?

As the Barista Express is at a range of $500 to $600, some might wonder if it’s worth your price.

If you’re keen on creating a coffee bar at your home that will last you a long time, you’ll have to buy:

• a high quality, nicely built espresso maker.
• a high quality conical burr grinder.
• All necessary accessories like a frothing jug, tamper and more.

If you do the math, you’ll find that the Barista Express is a cost-efficient purchase that includes everything you need in one unit.

The Barista Express is made of high-quality parts, stainless steel housing that is easy to maintain and clean, and it has storage within it for all its accessories like portafilter, cleaning tools and such. So for what’s included with the machine, as well as the machine itself, it is absolutely worth the price.

Who Should Buy The Barista Express?

This machine is perfect for beginners as well as intermediate at-home baristas. For a beginner, it could be tricky to use at first, but it’s a great learning tool and you should be able to get it right in no time. And there’s always the automatic option where the machine can do it for you if you can’t.

While some might advice beginners to start with a small and easy to use espresso maker, we advice against this. It’s better that you pay more for something that will last you for a long time than spend less money on a machine that you will outgrow soon enough. So why not invest in a proper espresso maker that you won’t get bored of or have to replace soon after.

Click here to learn more about the Breville Barista Express, read the customer reviews and buy it.

The Breville Die-Cast 800ESXL might look like the BES840XL Infuser, also by Breville, but many features differentiate them from each other. In this post, we’ll be looking at these feature differences to help you decide which espresso maker is the best choice for you.

Breville 800ESXL vs. BES840XL – The Difference:

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Feature	Espresso machine with ThermoBlock heating system and 15-bar Triple Prime pump Durable stainless-steel housing; selector dial for espresso, steam, or hot water 4-1/2-inch cup clearance; swivel steam wand with frother; 75-ounce removable water tank Filters, tamping tool, cleaning tool, and stainless-steel frothing pitcher included Measures 12 by 10 by 12-1/2 inches; 1-year warranty 15 Bar Italian Pump 75 Fl.oz (2.2L) removable front-fill water tank Purge Function: Automatically adjusts water temperature after steam for optimal espresso extraction temperature The Triple Prime Pump releases 3 bursts of hot water to moisten the ground coffee resulting in greater build-up to extract the fullest flavor Thermoblock Heating System	Pre-infusion function applies low water pressure at the start of the extraction to gently expand grinds for an even extraction 1600w thermocoil heating system with integrated stainless steel water coil accurately controls water temperature Auto purge function automatically adjusts water temperature after steam for optimal espresso extraction temperature 15 bar Italian pump provides complete volumetric control - preset, manual over-ride or re-programmable volumes Accessories: single & dual wall filter baskets, coffee scoop, stainless steel jug, cleaning disc & tablets, cleaning tool, water filter with holder.
Title	Breville 800ESXL 15-Bar Triple-Priming Die-Cast Espresso Machine	Breville BES840XL the Infuser Espresso Machine
Height	13 inch	13.25 inch
Weight	26 pound	17 pound
Width	16 inch	12.5 inch
Length	15 inch	10.25 inch
Reviews	Read Reviews	Read Reviews
Link	More Info	More Info

Both machines have the following features:

• 15 bar Italian pump
• Auto-purge function which automatically adjusts temperature for espresso extraction and steaming to avoid burning of espresso or milk.
• Pre-infusion function to apply low water pressure at the start of espresso extraction to expand the beans for an even extraction.

The Differences:

The Breville BES840XL has more advanced features that the 800ESXL lacks:

• Boiler: The Infuser BES840XL uses a 1600w thermocoil heating system that runs water through heated coil for better temperature control, on demand. The 800ESXL has a Thermoblock boiler.
• The BES840XL has a Volumetric control feature that allows you to control the shot volume manually. It also has reprogrammable pre-sets. It also has a dedicated hot water dispenser.
• Controls: The BES840XL has illuminated button controls while the 800ESXL uses a dial knob.
• The BES840XL features a built-in tamper. The 800ESXL includes a standard tamper (not built-in).
• Dry Puck feature: The BES840XL has this feature which removes excess water from ground coffee for easy disposal.
• The BES840XL also features an Espresso Pressure Gauge which shows you if the espresso is being over or under extracted with a glace.
• Water tank capacity: the BES840XL has a smaller 61 oz water tank vs 75 oz for the 800ESXL, which also has a outside window for monitoring water level.

Click here to learn more about the Breville BES840XL, read the customer reviews and buy it.

Click here to learn more about the Breville 800ESXL, read the customer reviews and buy it.

Which Is Best To Buy? The Breville Infuser BES840XL or 800ESXL?

Compared to the 800ESXL, the BES840XL Infuser is an advanced espresso maker for anyone looking for semi-automatic options. You get some automatic pre-sets and have the ability to re-program them, and you also get to manually set the volume of your shots. Overall, it is a better machine than the 800ESXL, however, if your budget doesn’t allow you to upgrade to The Infuser, you’ll be as happy with the 800ESXL, if you’re okay with letting go of some features.