Breville Barista Touch Espresso Machine, BES880BSS
Original price was: $999.99.$519.99Current price is: $519.99.
Description
If you have any questions, chat with our 24/7 live support.
Breville Barista Touch Espresso Machine, Brushed Stainless Steel
| Brand | Breville |
| Color | Brushed Stainless Steel |
| Product Dimensions | 12.7″D x 15.5″W x 16″H |
| Special Feature | Programmable, Jug, Integrated Coffee Grinder, Water Filter |
| Coffee Maker Type | Espresso Machine |
|
|
||||
|
|
Additional information
| Title | Default Title |
|---|
Bryce LofgranBryce Lofgran –
Works fine, surprised by the dent that’s on it. Hard to imagine it happened during shipping since it’s packaged so well and there was no damage to the box.
Kaiser Wang –
I bought the breville barista touch on 3/3/24 and started using the machine on 3/6/24. I had originally been using a keurig pod machine but using my own reusable pod and filling it with pre ground coffee. I still had 1.5 bags of pre-ground so haven’t had to grind whole beans using the machine. When I eventually started using the barista touch to grind, it stopped working after my second grind. The whole thing just stopped, not even a sound of the machine making an attempt. For something of this price, you’d think it would have been better. Four stars because customer service was easy and after confirming the problem via video call, she immediately started the replacement process. No questions asked. Took me about 30 minutes for the whole process. I also confirmed that they will be sending me a new machine and not a refurbished one. Hopefully the new one works. I also bought the Amazon prime assurion insurance in case it breaks again, I’ll be asking for a refund and not a replacement
Jeff –
This was my first experience using an espresso machine and learning about how to pull proper shots, grinding, bean roasts etc. This machine was a good help in understanding how things work when making espresso. A few things though:1) The grinder is “okay”… it’s a little hit and miss on grind texture and sometimes, for some bizarre reason, the grind size will change on its own. I don’t use the automated grinding function as it doesn’t make sense: each bean and roast will come out differently depending on a number of factors. I’m not sure how Breville approximates the recommended size of 18 grams of grounds into the portafilter given the bean roast variables mentioned that influence the output. So what I do is grind the beans into a bowl and then weigh them into the portafilter on a scale independent of the Breville machine. It helps ensure consistency.2) Small design changes would help.-The aforementioned grind size wheel changing on its own. Not sure what that’s about.- The hole below the milk frother is too small… if it was slightly bigger, the clean cycle(s) would spray into the underlying tray with better accuracy.- The tray has some water issues – there’s a tool storage compartment that tends to get water in it after a few uses so I don’t store the tools in there.Cleaning is pretty straightforward – make sure you order extra cleaning tablets though as they only provide a few.The frother is automated and fine for our needs. Not really latte/cappucino experts though so opinions may vary.The funnel is a great tool to ensure your grounds all end up in the portafilter.The “automation” of walking you through how to make different drinks was immediately left in the dust. I couldn’t wrap my head around those drinks given the challenges of producing consistent grind results.Overall, a good starter machine. When I go to replace it, I’d definitely get a separate grinder though.
R. Kahler –
As a loyal DeLonghi customer for over a decade, my experience with the LaSpecialista semi-automatic espresso maker was, unfortunately, a letdown. After 18 months of persistent issues and frustration, I finally decided to cut my losses and switch to the Breville Barista Touch Espresso Machine—and I couldn’t be happier with my decision.The Breville Barista Touch surpasses the DeLonghi LaSpecialista in every category. From its user-friendly interface to the superior quality of espresso it produces, I didn’t realize how much I had been missing until I made the switch. The intuitive design, precise controls, and reliable performance of the Breville have completely transformed my at-home coffee experience.While I haven’t had a chance to thoroughly evaluate Breville’s customer service yet, it’s worth noting that summary reviews suggest it could be an area of concern. However, based on my experience with DeLonghi’s customer service, which was far from satisfactory, I’m optimistic that Breville’s support will be an improvement.Overall, my first month with the Breville Barista Touch has been exceptional. It’s refreshing to finally have a machine that delivers on its promises, and I look forward to many more months of great coffee.
PixelMan –
This is an update from my first review, which was a one. Now that I have had the expresso machine for a while, I can give a better review. I cannot fault the machine. It is very well made and works well…so why the three review. It is because the results of the various types of coffee…latte vs Cappuccino and the others…simply put are not different from each other. Excellent machine, but a less expensive model would be good. I wish I hadn’t spent this much money.
Anjileen –
Love how it looks on my kitchen counterDislike that you have to connect the filter to one side of the coffee maker to grind coffee and then remove and connect to the other side to make coffee
Jacqueline –
I am in love with this machine!! There is a learning curve to this and takes practice but it is worth it! I haven’t bought coffee out since I’ve gotten this machine.
Mary A. Cohn –
I bought this as a gift for my nephew and his wife. Their old machine (another brand) died. I’m not a big coffee drinker but enjoyed a coffee my nephew would make. The old machine would creat a little bitter coffee. This machine created a lovely cappuccino. I know both of them were excited and said how much better this coffee was. They used the same beans and creamer to make their drinks as the old machine. My nephew said how easy the machine was to use. His wife said the coffee had a great taste better than their old machine. I know coffee is their thing and they were very happy with this machine. They liked that the frothier was automated and would bring the milk to the right temps. The self cleaning feature was an added bonus. I took a leap of faith not knowing anything about coffee or machines but hit this gift out of the park. My cappuccino was delicious that I may get a machine for me in the future.
julia mercer –
I watched/read several reviews before I chose this machine and I’m very happy I did bc it’s the right choice for a newbie like me. Everything the reviews said is true, and it’s just as easy to use as they say, except, and this is a small thing but a big thing if you have long fingernails; the hot water button, single/double button, i button, and settings icon on the touchscreen are too small and don’t work using the tip of my nail.
Kalina Borrego –
No suelo escribir reseñas pero creo q esta compra lo amerita! me había pedido varias cafeteras incluso de la marca Breville y esta superó mis expectativas ,la compre hace 2 meses y regreso para dar mi opinión porque se q al igual q yo hay muchas personas q leen estas reseñas para decidir por su compra !Yo soy cubana y me gusta el cafe fuerte ,la verdad no creía q había encontrado una cafetera q hiciera el cafe tan rico y sabroso !no hay q saber mucho de cafe !Yo recomendaría el cafe en grano de Starbucks esta muy fresco q es lo importante para q te quede un rico café !Yo la super recomiendo 👌
lunamudblood –
I’ve been using this espresso machine and what a joy it has been! It’s as easy to use as flipping a pancake and cleaning it is a breeze. It heats up faster than a cheetah chasing its lunch. The durable construction and the value for the price is more than I could have wished for. The customizable settings are the cherry on top! But the real hero here is the great tasting espresso which whisks me straight to Italy. Bellissimo!
Steve S. –
You are a espresso addict looking for the convenience of a near super automatic, but want some control over the grind and tamp of the coffee.. I started using a Saeco Aroma years ago and slowly developed my technique on a fully manual unit but over time, I wanted something that was close to a super automatic, but allowed me to retain control and this was the unit. Even the base unit as is, if you following the online guide, produces great espresso.. I weigh my coffee (18-20g) prior to throwing in the grinder as I like to try different roasts rather than filling the hopper. I also got a aftermarket (CREMA products) Tamp & funnel, which I feel produce a more even puck and allow for better coffee. Outside of my add ons, this IS the machine you want if you want that balance between the super automatic and manual. The touch also adds digital setting so I can save the brew/froth/temp settings to my liking.. and one last, the frother on this unit, I swear, is magic.. produces the best froth I have seen out of the many machines in this price range. You can not go wrong here. Just do it. Now.
Mary A. Cohn –
I bought this as a gift for my nephew and his wife. Their old machine (another brand) died. I’m not a big coffee drinker but enjoyed a coffee my nephew would make. The old machine would creat a little bitter coffee. This machine created a lovely cappuccino. I know both of them were excited and said how much better this coffee was. They used the same beans and creamer to make their drinks as the old machine. My nephew said how easy the machine was to use. His wife said the coffee had a great taste better than their old machine. I know coffee is their thing and they were very happy with this machine. They liked that the frothier was automated and would bring the milk to the right temps. The self cleaning feature was an added bonus. I took a leap of faith not knowing anything about coffee or machines but hit this gift out of the park. My cappuccino was delicious that I may get a machine for me in the future.
Jean M –
Beware, I purchased the Breville Barista Touch Espresso Machine in December 2022. I started having issues with the “start ” button not working in April 2023 from time to time. When it would happen I would try everything, even unplugging the machine. I thought it might be a fluke. But it wasn’t. In May I contacted Breville by email and got a pretty quick response requesting more information and proof of my purchase from Amazon. Breville has a 2 yr warranty. So I figured I would get a replacement as I only used it for5 months. Then I received an email telling me to try plugging it in in a different outlet. Which I had already but I had another appliance plugged in to the same outlet and it was working. But I still tried a different outlet. Didn’t work. So after providing more information., I the next email I received told me I would be receiving a box with in the next 5 business days, to pack this defective Breville Barista Touch Espresso Machine in and all the instructions on what not to send, that Breville would repair the defective product and return it within 5 to 7 business days after they repaired. To ship it back to Breville for repair.So I waited and waited and when I didn’t get the box to pack up this defective expresso machine, I wrote an email again and then never heard back for 3days, so I wrote an email again asking them is that how they took care of customers and stated I had thought Breville was a reputable company. By this time after not hearing anything from Breville support, I called the support number. I talked with a representative, who pulled my many emails up and all she could do was apologize. I then asked to speak with a supervisor or manager, she immediately told me one wasn’t available, that shehave them call me back. By thistime I knew I was getting a run around, so I told Breville representative I was contacting Amazon. Said goodbye.I immediately called Amazon talked with 3 different people, got my issue dealt with but in the meantime I received another email from the Breville representative who I spoke with on the phone stating by 7pm that night I would receive the return box for repair of this defective expensive machine. Never received that return box for the repair. Never heard nothing else back from Breville support. Nothing! Amazon took care of it and made an exception for me but I lost about 200 dollars on it.I would advise everyone not to purchase a Breville, they don’t honor their warranty and don’t provide customer service at all. They only give you the run around.They are not a reputable company!!Oh BTW, I wrote Breville an email telling them that they were not a reputable company when they do not stand behind an honor their warranty and I would never buy a Breville product again and that I was going to write a review on them. Within a couple of hours after sending that email to Breville support, they replied and stated they were sorry for my frustration and sent me a 25% coupon on my next purchase of a Breville product. I wrote them back stating how dare they. I could not believe they totally thought it was ok not to honor their product 2 year warranty and totally disregarded and disrespected me.
ASing –
My first espresso machine starting from whole coffee beans. After using Nespresso for many years, I decided to graduate to a premium espresso machine where my cappuccinos are delicious. This machine has not disappointed while I am still learning. I am still playing with the coarseness of the grinder to get best creama I can get and love automated froathing. I am happy with the purchase
GW –
Great product. Exactly as described.
David C. Meyer –
I really like the automated features on this machine. My old Rancilio required being involved in every step. This one makes the crema and froths the milk without my needing to monitor it. Very nice.I’m still learning about this machine, so correct me if I’m wrong. I like my milk and latte very hot. There is no control for the temperature of the crema, thus the milk is the only variable with flexibility. The highest temperature setting allowed on the milk is 170 degrees. On my old machine where I manually monitored the frothing with a thermometer, I would go to 180 degrees. Part of the reason I like it that hot to start with, is that I make big lattes. 16-20 ounce lattes to be exact. Which brings me to one other complaint. The frothing pitcher supplied with the machine, and which must be used, does not allow for frothing enough milk to make a large latte. Thus, I go small, or froth one and a half pitcher’s full of milk. One other piddling complaint is that when I grind the beans, it seems that no matter how full the portafilter is, there is ground coffee on the tab furthest in, which then must be wiped off. Seems like a little shield would prevent that.Changing from my Rancilio to the Breville is a learning curve, and I’ve not perfected the process just yet.Overall, I like the machine a lot and think it is well designed. Just hoping it lasts a long time, as it is not cheap.
Rob J –
I love this machine!I have purchased several automatic espresso machines in the past 2 years and they have nothing on this machine. This machine is easy and simple to use, very customizable, easy to clean. I can’t seem to develop the skill of steaming milk myself, but this machine does it automatically and it’s perfect every time (please note that I only use dairy creamers and milks, so I have no experience with plant based products).Sidebar advice: the fully automatic espresso machines out there that grind, pack the puck, pour the espresso, and put the puck into a waste basket are in my opinion terrible. I’d recommend not wasting your time and money on them because all the ones I had a plethora of problems like: watery espresso, random errors that prevents you from making any coffee, cheap parts that easily broke, and the waste basket ended up moldy even when cleaned on a daily basis.In summary, I am very happy with my Breville and won’t ever go back to any of those fully automatic machines that just do not work well. Having to pack the puck, attach to the machine, and dumping and rinsing it is a small price to pay for superior coffee and actually takes less time to do than maintaining any of the fully automatic ones that are supposed to improve “efficiency” and don’t.
Liliana –
Got it for hubby’s bday and we love it! Who needs Starbucks or any other coffee when you can make whatever you want at home.
Eran –
Really easy to operate, and producing amazing coffee
Derwinator –
I’ve been using a Breville Barista Express for about 4 years having switched from using Saeco super auto machines prior. Wanted to get back to basics of grinding, dosing, tamping to get more control over the quality of espresso. I had been looking at the Oracle Touch model for awhile but couldn’t justify the high price tag. When I saw they brought both the touch screen and auto milk frothing functions from the Oracle to the Barista class model I decided to make the leap and upgrade. Once having spent sometime to fine tune the grind, dose and extraction times I am really enjoying this model! Rating as 4 stars due to its features butlost a star due to non-intuitive touch screen operation.Some tips to help those using this machine: 1) run hot water through the portafilter and basket to warm up before brewing. 2) Use only the single walled filter baskets for best results. 3) tamp firmly but not too hard. You want a smooth level surface on the grinds. 4) if espresso is coming out fast and weak, increase grind fineness and/or dose amount. 5) if espresso is coming out in drips and very little volume, decrease grind fineness and/or dose amount. 6) When finished steaming milk, swirl the milk and foam together in the pitcher until incorporated tapping on the counter to break up any large bubbles before pouring. Look of helpful videos on YouTube for how best to dial in your espresso shots and you’ll be making great coffee drinks!
yang li –
It is easy to setup and brew an espresso. Easy to clean. The downside is the grinder level wheel is kind of not smooth, sometimes hard to change the setting. The auto frothing works okay but need to manual frothing if you want to do some latter art. Overall it is a great purchase.
JamieJamie –
Beings I’m a huge coffee snob, this is the only way for me to go. Consistency is key. Super easy to use, programmable settings, just all around happy with my set up. Saving me time & money!
Jonathan LockeJonathan Locke –
Dislikes:- EDIT: 2022/03/01: Recently noticed a nasty smell coming from the steam wand arm after removing the steam wand tip. Turns out, if you don’t remove the steam wand tip after each use, some milk remains between the connection point of the tip and the inside of the arm, which grows nasty stuff. I now remove and clean the steam wand tip and flush the wand after each use… :(- Water tank grows things. I anticipated this, and am sure the manual must recommend frequent cleanings, but if you’re waiting for the fancy digital touchscreen to remind you, you’ll be sorely mistaken. I might have to throw out water more frequently and scrub it down (weekly?), but that’s way too high maintenance for a parent with a toddler.- The waste water/grounds container is made of plastic and shows wear and tear very fast (weeks) on a $1000 machine. Unfortunately, this is a high touch area as one is always sliding the milk frothing cup and mugs in and out.- The auto-clean feature on the steam milk wand is annoying. Auto-cleaning by pouring milk and water to the water catch bin is a recipe for some nasty smelling stuff, unless you’re constantly cleaning it. Or, you use something to catch the rinse water and pour it out. I’d rather just manually clean it myself, but I can’t find a way to disable this feature.Likes:- Espresso and lattes are yummy.
ShadyaShadya –
It makes amazing mochas and so easily. A month ago I had never used an espresso machine. It was frustrating at first because the grind size was constantly needing adjusting for every cup, but then I bought beans from a local roaster and it has been consistent and perfect every time. I never change any settings and it’s so easy and makes amazing coffees!It’s a good chunk of money, but sooooo worth it!
Brian –
Ok, I am going to try to split this into two sections- the short review and an extended review.The short review: It is AMAZING and well worth the expense. Buy good beans and you are good to go.The longer review:First of all, this machine is expensive so I would look for any sort of sale. For us, it was worth it.The expense: At time of purchase this was going for roughly $799, but in terms of value it was worth it for us. Looking at our Starbucks bill, we spent well over that in just a few months because we would go there each morning and sometimes on the way home from work. We haven’t visited Starbucks at all since we bought this machine so it has more than paid for itself, and that is including the purchase of good beans.Starbucks was always a hit and miss depending on who was making our coffee each morning, but the Barista Touch has been a hit because once you create your settings it is always the same AND you can make micro adjustments until you get it just right (see “Features” below).The quality: It is very well made and the touch screen makes this a breeze to use- sooooooo easy. It has a drip tray that is very easy to empty and clean. The froth wand is easy to use and makes perfect frothed milk without any hassle at all. The tamper, it was good but not great so we opted for a spring loaded tamper and purchased a grind distributor which made using this even easier. If you have never tamped coffee, it can be tricky but using a spring tamper just made it so much easier however the tamper included is perfectly fine. We purchased the Sccody 53mm Calibrated Espresso Tamper which makes espresso tamping a breeze without any guesswork needed. The Barista Touch does come with a “blade” distributor, but I opted to buy a better one which has made for perfect coffee. We bought the Gurudar 53mm Coffee Distributor which is also a palm tamper but we just use it for the distribution of the grind instead of using the included Breville blade- again the included blade is good butr we wanted something a bit easier to use. Both the Sccody and the Gurudar are perfect additions and take all the guess work out of learning to make espresso, but there are many other options and even using what is included with the Touch you will be good to go with a small learning curve.The features: First, the touch screen- the Barista Touch comes with a screen that makes it so easy to create your coffee of choice. It has preprogrammed options (which are adjustable) and it allows you to custom build your coffee of choice and assign it an icon. In fact, everything is icon based and it even has a tutorial built in. For instance, if you want to make a latte, press the latte icon and a screen pops up with the easy to follow steps. You can make many different types of coffee including Americanos, Cappuccinos, and even simple espresso shots. You can even custom design your coffee, then assign it an icon, then every time you want that coffee you just hit the icon and follow the steps. Blamo- great coffee every time.Second great feature-the grinder. It has a built-in grinder which makes all the difference. The grinder is adjustable so you can change the grind size to fit your needs and to customize your coffee (fine or coarse grind).Next good feature- the water tank. It holds a good amount of water and is located at the back of the machine. You just have to watch the level but it will give you a “water tank is empty” message on the screen when you need to refill it.The downside: The only real thing we found to be a problem is the grinder and changing beans. We decided to try a different brand of coffee to see if we liked it but the hopper was full. Removing the beans from the hopper was a bit tricky and I know there is probably some short cut, but we managed and honestly it wasn’t that big of a deal.Comparisons: Our first espresso machine, the De’Longhi 15 bar espresso maker, was a good beginning machine but just isn’t as good as the Barista Touch. The De’Longhi didn’t have a grinder so we used pre ground coffee which was ok, just not super good and certainly not good enough to keep us from returning to our Starbucks habit. Our kid ended up taking it to college, so we upgraded to the touch. One thing that has made a world of difference, besides the included grinder, is the automatic milk frother on the Barista Touch. Super easy to use and is as simple as placing the milk pitcher, which is included, under the wand but it has to sit on a temp sensor to work accurately. We haven’t had a single problem with it to date. You can also use the frother in manual mode if you want, which is a great added feature but the automatic mode is good enough to make latte Art…that is if you know how to actually make latte art unlike me.As for adjustability, you can adjust how much coffee is ground, how fine you want the grinds, and how long the machine grinds the coffee. You can adjust the temp of the milk froth, you can go from automatic to manual mode to froth the milk so there are several options to adjust and fine tune to your exact specification.Overall, we love the Barista Touch- it makes amazing coffee. Of course, the beans have a great deal to do with it but still this machine rocks.UPDATE: Ok, I did find one tiny aspect of this most excellent machine that Breville could fix, aside from the price, and that is the frothing wand. Once you finish frothing the milk you have to clean the wand. It does a self clean, but when it self cleans the wand does not line up directly with the hole in the drain pan. ours is off a slight bit. The drain pan hole should be just a bit larger and that would fix everything. We found that after cleaning the wand we put the damp paper towel or rag near the base of the wand on the drain pan to avoid splashes. not a big deal but thought you should know.
Bhud –
I was skeptical at first because of the negative reviews. Not sure what people are talking about. I’m a month in and love this machine. First off, spending a little more for a machine you can select your drinks, the machine gives a general baseline on the drink you select, and you can program other drinks. Second, great frothing add-on. Built-in temperature gauge takes the experimenting out of the equation. Third, the tools included are good. The razor is nice to ensure you are getting a good distribution of grounds after grinding. The portafilter is nice. The tamper is okay. I feel it is just a hair to small for the portafilter and no matter how well I leveled the puck there were still grounds that went past my tamper. I bought a different tamper and no more issues getting perfect puck each time. I love the storage up top (need the silicone cover for the top) and the underneath storage bin. The automatic purge and cleaning for the frother is awesome.As far as upkeep and maintenance. I did a descale right when I bought the machine. I read using filtered water is the best for longevity for the machine. With using filtered water I will do descaling every 2/3 months. Other than that, the dailing is all subjective to the beans you have, the machine, and the tools as well. If you have all the tools and can dial in on the beans you will get a great tasting expresso drink. I definitely recommend getting this machine and if you are skeptical about warranty and Breville customer service buy amazons protection plan. I used it on another product and easy straight forward plan that protects your investment.
Marcus McGeeMarcus McGee –
We like good coffee but I am not one of those people that will pay for coffee everyday from a coffee shop. I enjoy it but not that much. This machine makes great coffee drinks and is cheaper than using k cups.Some of the things we like:1. It is fast! Total time to brew a cupIs about 30 seconds including the time for it to heat up. You can grind your beans, brew your coffee, froth your milk, dump out the grinds and clean the frother in under 2 minutes even if you’re still half asleep.2. There is a ton of flexibility on the drinks it can make and how it makes them. Different sizes, strengths and how much froth it puts in your milk. It does take some time to try everything and figure out what you like best but once you do, it consistently makes the drink just how you like it.3. We waited to buy this because we thought there would be a lot to clean. But cleaning is not an issue. Only takes a few seconds to do it. Just wipe down the frother and machine. Rinse out the porta filter and milk cup. We throw them in the dishwasher at some point during the day.There really are no complaints about this machine. Yes it is a little pricey but it does onsale for 25% pretty regularly so just wait for the sale like we did you will not be disappointed.
Vanessa M. Munoz –
We are regular coffee drinkers and were looking for a way to cut down on pod use. This coffee maker comes with different sized filters. It’s very easy to setup and use, but the milk frother is not as good as the Nespresso aerocino milk frother or a hand held milk frother. And you have to check and clean the waster tray at the bottom a couple of times a week. Otherwise it’s a great machine.
david george collier –
as far as i’m concerned this is a very easy to use unit. it just takes a few uses for it to feel very intuitive. it’s also got heavy, high quality vibes.
SallySally –
I’ve had this machine close to 20 days, using it daily. This makes great espesso and lattes. It’s super easy to use and takes about 15 seconds to grind and 30 seconds for a shot. Main pros: great coffee, easy to use, straightforward. The touch screen is super intuitive and walks you through the steps for each drink. The tamper and portafilter feel solid, heavy, and are made of high quality stainless steel. It feels like quality when using. The tray below is super easy to clean.Cons: At first the grinder made a small clicking sound and got stuck. But then I realized it was because my coffee beans were too old and dry. After getting better beans the issue went away. For a true coffee snob, you might want to invest in a very high end grinder ($500 or more). In that case you’ll end up with two grinders one built in and one external. However, for the vast majority of people the built in grinder is good enough. Keep in mind having the grinder and espresso machine as one unit means there’s a little more risk of something breaking down the line, but it’s convenient and looks nice having everything in just one unit.A few tips:1. make sure to pack enough grinds in the portafilter to get a good shot.2. A bunch of reviews complain about the steam auto clean making a big mess. This is super easy to resolve. Just put the wand in the stainless steel cup before lowering it for cleaning. Then it sprays into the cup not all over the place. Seems like a no brainer. Because of the force or the cleaning, there’s no way it could be clean without containing the wand in a cup.
Fujinohana –
I owned a Delonghi espresso maker and I could not change many settings in that. But made decent espresso. In some ways Breville touch has many controls and that is good. But I had a hard time pulling espresso shot. There are too many variables (grind size, tamping pressure, and the resulting amount of coffee). First I tried with Starbucks dark roast coffee (bought in Costco) and never got the right amount of coffee and when the amount was decent espresso was bitter.I tried medium roast coffee from a local roaster (quite expensive. 12 oz cost me $15) and I had to try nearly 20 times before was able to meet the required dripping after 8 seconds requirement. Following settings work for me. Wish there was some chart or such guiding users.Grind size: 6Grind time: 20 secondsDouble shot single wall filterDouble shot espresso (30 seconds)While getting espresso is a nightmare, Breville seems to have mastered the frothing aspect. This machine creates wonderful frothing of milk. Mixed with the above espresso I am able to make good coffee. I use froth setting of 6 and 160 degress.Wish they would do something about the espresso shot making similarly. It seems like some of their machines have controlled pour (how much water is sent through as compared to time based pull). Not sure whether that makes any difference.Seems like Oracle has the auto tamping feature (for $1500 more). But I doubt whether that alone makes any difference. Seems like getting the right espresso shot pulled for a coffee requires considerable effort (trial and error) and it is a frustrating experience.Breville videos about espress making are lot to be desired. They should create videos that highlights this trial and error aspect quite well and also provide any tips to arrive at the right place sooner than later.Other Cons: Water tank is way back and extremely inconvenient to fill. Need to drag the machine out everytime water needs to be filled from below the shelf. Not to mention it uses considerable water to flush every time you turn on the machine (empties the tank quickly).
Brian –
Ok, I am going to try to split this into two sections- the short review and an extended review.The short review: It is AMAZING and well worth the expense. Buy good beans and you are good to go.The longer review:First of all, this machine is expensive so I would look for any sort of sale. For us, it was worth it.The expense: At time of purchase this was going for roughly $799, but in terms of value it was worth it for us. Looking at our Starbucks bill, we spent well over that in just a few months because we would go there each morning and sometimes on the way home from work. We haven’t visited Starbucks at all since we bought this machine so it has more than paid for itself, and that is including the purchase of good beans.Starbucks was always a hit and miss depending on who was making our coffee each morning, but the Barista Touch has been a hit because once you create your settings it is always the same AND you can make micro adjustments until you get it just right (see “Features” below).The quality: It is very well made and the touch screen makes this a breeze to use- sooooooo easy. It has a drip tray that is very easy to empty and clean. The froth wand is easy to use and makes perfect frothed milk without any hassle at all. The tamper, it was good but not great so we opted for a spring loaded tamper and purchased a grind distributor which made using this even easier. If you have never tamped coffee, it can be tricky but using a spring tamper just made it so much easier however the tamper included is perfectly fine. We purchased the Sccody 53mm Calibrated Espresso Tamper which makes espresso tamping a breeze without any guesswork needed. The Barista Touch does come with a “blade” distributor, but I opted to buy a better one which has made for perfect coffee. We bought the Gurudar 53mm Coffee Distributor which is also a palm tamper but we just use it for the distribution of the grind instead of using the included Breville blade- again the included blade is good butr we wanted something a bit easier to use. Both the Sccody and the Gurudar are perfect additions and take all the guess work out of learning to make espresso, but there are many other options and even using what is included with the Touch you will be good to go with a small learning curve.The features: First, the touch screen- the Barista Touch comes with a screen that makes it so easy to create your coffee of choice. It has preprogrammed options (which are adjustable) and it allows you to custom build your coffee of choice and assign it an icon. In fact, everything is icon based and it even has a tutorial built in. For instance, if you want to make a latte, press the latte icon and a screen pops up with the easy to follow steps. You can make many different types of coffee including Americanos, Cappuccinos, and even simple espresso shots. You can even custom design your coffee, then assign it an icon, then every time you want that coffee you just hit the icon and follow the steps. Blamo- great coffee every time.Second great feature-the grinder. It has a built-in grinder which makes all the difference. The grinder is adjustable so you can change the grind size to fit your needs and to customize your coffee (fine or coarse grind).Next good feature- the water tank. It holds a good amount of water and is located at the back of the machine. You just have to watch the level but it will give you a “water tank is empty” message on the screen when you need to refill it.The downside: The only real thing we found to be a problem is the grinder and changing beans. We decided to try a different brand of coffee to see if we liked it but the hopper was full. Removing the beans from the hopper was a bit tricky and I know there is probably some short cut, but we managed and honestly it wasn’t that big of a deal.Comparisons: Our first espresso machine, the De’Longhi 15 bar espresso maker, was a good beginning machine but just isn’t as good as the Barista Touch. The De’Longhi didn’t have a grinder so we used pre ground coffee which was ok, just not super good and certainly not good enough to keep us from returning to our Starbucks habit. Our kid ended up taking it to college, so we upgraded to the touch. One thing that has made a world of difference, besides the included grinder, is the automatic milk frother on the Barista Touch. Super easy to use and is as simple as placing the milk pitcher, which is included, under the wand but it has to sit on a temp sensor to work accurately. We haven’t had a single problem with it to date. You can also use the frother in manual mode if you want, which is a great added feature but the automatic mode is good enough to make latte Art…that is if you know how to actually make latte art unlike me.As for adjustability, you can adjust how much coffee is ground, how fine you want the grinds, and how long the machine grinds the coffee. You can adjust the temp of the milk froth, you can go from automatic to manual mode to froth the milk so there are several options to adjust and fine tune to your exact specification.Overall, we love the Barista Touch- it makes amazing coffee. Of course, the beans have a great deal to do with it but still this machine rocks.UPDATE: Ok, I did find one tiny aspect of this most excellent machine that Breville could fix, aside from the price, and that is the frothing wand. Once you finish frothing the milk you have to clean the wand. It does a self clean, but when it self cleans the wand does not line up directly with the hole in the drain pan. ours is off a slight bit. The drain pan hole should be just a bit larger and that would fix everything. We found that after cleaning the wand we put the damp paper towel or rag near the base of the wand on the drain pan to avoid splashes. not a big deal but thought you should know.
Aurora –
I’ve been using it for a few weeks now and really enjoy it. It is super intuitive to use, and since I’m far from being a coffee buff, the touch screen display is really helpful. Even a novice like me could figure it out without much difficulty.Initial setup and calibration took a little while and I’m still tweaking the grind size and quantity. I’m getting better at getting the right pressure on the tamp too. That took a while to figure out.I’ve only used Americano and Latte so far but both have turned out great.The auto milk foaming wand is really nice. I found that having it foam for about 5-10 seconds longer than default allows me to more easily make the art on top of the drink. The wand self cleans which is amazing.The machine is solidly built and looks really nice on the counter. It is a little taller than I thought, with the bean hopper on top, so I have to slide it out from under my cupboards in order to fill the beans or fill the water behind.It’s making very consistent and delicious coffee, and I’m very satisfied with it. With the high price point though, it’ll be interesting to see how long it lasts and whether it ends up saving me any money from buying coffee instead. Time will tell.The spacing of everything is precise, down to the centimeter almost. The hot water sprayer and the portafiller are both super close to missing my mug, but somehow don’t.I haven’t cleaned it yet, as we’re using Sparkletts water and the filter it came with, so very soft water and not much buildup. We’ll see how the cleaning process goes but if I follow the instructions on the screen, I’m sure it’ll be easy.Making the coffee is a little messy so it’s good to have a damp cloth handy.I think Breville is a well respected brand and this one does not disappoint.
Tom N –
This is a beautiful machine and functions as described in many places on the internet. However it falls short of barista quality almond or oat milk foams. I would guess most people will be content with the foam and it does do a perfect job with the frother in manual mode if you practice. For me I would rather go down a machine (the Pro) and have the pro froth tip; disappointed.On my machine the factory grind setting was not correct. That is a special adjustment you may need to make but they give instructions.There is a minimum level of milk for frothing that may be more than you want. Typically baristas toss the excess out because it has now been watered down.There is a tutorial when you first start the machine (or later if you wiss) that is quite good. The instruction book is only average.The instant start up heat is super nice, you’ll always appreciate it.You will probably want a dosing funnel but it does come wonderfully complete with accessories otherwise.The machine seems well built with quality materials.
Guillermo ParraGuillermo Parra –
I am very happy with my machine, it works perfectly and all the friends who come to my house love my coffee
Marcus McGeeMarcus McGee –
We like good coffee but I am not one of those people that will pay for coffee everyday from a coffee shop. I enjoy it but not that much. This machine makes great coffee drinks and is cheaper than using k cups.Some of the things we like:1. It is fast! Total time to brew a cupIs about 30 seconds including the time for it to heat up. You can grind your beans, brew your coffee, froth your milk, dump out the grinds and clean the frother in under 2 minutes even if you’re still half asleep.2. There is a ton of flexibility on the drinks it can make and how it makes them. Different sizes, strengths and how much froth it puts in your milk. It does take some time to try everything and figure out what you like best but once you do, it consistently makes the drink just how you like it.3. We waited to buy this because we thought there would be a lot to clean. But cleaning is not an issue. Only takes a few seconds to do it. Just wipe down the frother and machine. Rinse out the porta filter and milk cup. We throw them in the dishwasher at some point during the day.There really are no complaints about this machine. Yes it is a little pricey but it does onsale for 25% pretty regularly so just wait for the sale like we did you will not be disappointed.
ValeriayAnaMaria –
Nos encanta! Solo que a veces el café sale muy diluido y no quiere hacer café, razón no la sé, tal vez un tip ayudaría.Y claro no sabe bien. Pero cuando sale bien lo hemos disfrutado mucho
Kristen –
This has fully replaced my daily coffee shop coffee. After watching a handful of youtube videos, i have gotten the settings down for a perfect shot of coffee! Worth the money
bfhat –
We’ve been using the Barista Touch for about 2 months now. The whole family uses it for different espresso/coffee drinks. The hardest part about it so far is reminding everyone to keep the water tank full and beans in the hopper! This is easily the most expensive non-necessary appliance I have ever purchased. My previous espresso machine was about a $100 and only I used it. So I am disappointed that I have yet to get the same taste from fresh ground beans out of the new machine that I enjoyed with old one. I’m currently doing pre-ground coffee in the Barista for americano’s, and they do pretty good. But with fresh ground beans, I have yet to get the right combination of settings. A lot of the time it comes out tasting burned. Experimenting to get it right takes a ton of beans, which ain’t cheap! I plan on trying it with bean that are not espresso roast to see if that makes any difference. I’m not sure the quality of the built-in grinder is the best, and we have to pat the top of it to get beans to fall down in sometimes. However, everything else works beautifully. The frothing wand is great, with the auto-heat sensor. The adjustments are great for fine tuning your preferred drink. The machine gets water hot shockingly fast. We’ll be using (and I’m sure I’ll be experimenting with) this for years to come!
Frank R.Frank R. –
The instructions are not quite accurate or complete. Using coffee ground within the recommended timeframe I used the single-wall filter and could not get a good extraction. It was too quick to start, 6 or 7 seconds, and changing the grind didn’t change that either way. Breville finally told me to use the dual-wall filter (after a lengthy phone/video call) and that improved things measurably. The rep told me that was their most common issue, and that some coffees require the higher pressure the dual-wall filter provides—even if they’re fresh. So before you call the customer support line and jump through all the hoops (do you really want to flip the machine over to read the serial number?) just try the dual-wall filter.Despite that frustration, I really like this machine. Pretty simple to use, makes a great latte even with a less-than-optimal extraction. Fits under my kitchen cabinets, though it has to be pulled out in front to refill the hopper or tank, but it’s fairly compact. Order a knock-box right away; you’ll need it. I like the Breville mini knock box. An old video on YouTube recommends an aftermarket dosing funnel but my machine came with one included. Noise level isn’t too bad; louder than a KitchenAid grinder but not as bad as others. Cleanup isn’t too bad, either.
Joey11Joey11 –
Been wanting one for a while and when I saw it on prime deal, had to get it. Easy to use. Amazing coffee and great quality machine! Do not regret buying. Shipping was fast and the machine was packed nicely.
AJ –
This is our first espresso machine and I have to say it’s been amazing. Before purchasing, we did a lot of research and settle on this one as it seems to have the most features and the shortest learning curve compared to many options out there. The pre-programmed settings are great to start out with and will give you a decent cup with very little experimentation. That being said, we don’t get into this hobby just to be satisfied just there. This machine makes it easy to create custom settings and toy with all features from temperature, time, and so on. After about a week of adjustments and the sink drinking more coffee than us, we finally got it dialed in to how we like it (until we change the beans that is). Recommend getting used to the pre-programmed settings first until you get a consistent cup and then do a bit of research on how to dial it in further. Grind finer? Grind coarser? That is the question!
CoolRabbitCoolRabbit –
This machine is perfect for people who are real coffee aficionados or have barista experience! Makes an amazing cup of coffee that is tailored exactly to your preferences due to its customizable features. Even without a lot of experience with coffee, you can still use it by doing some research online about the basics of coffee grinding and brewing, and then experimenting to find the right settings for you. BEWARE: This machine is semi-automatic! It is easier to use than a manual machine. With that being said, there are still several manual stages that you have to know what you are doing.PROs: – Eliminates going to the coffee shop as it provides the same, or even better, level of quality.- Color touch screen with saved configurations makes it super easy to use.- Makes different types of real coffee and allows you to save customized configurations. – Comes with self cleaning for the brewer, milk frothing and water descaling.Life saver! – You will be notified when the tray is filled up or water level in the tank is low.CONs: – Expensive if you are not planning to use it that often. – Hard to get technical support and customer service is not that responsive. – The water could be hotter. Preheating your mug in advance might be a solution to this.- The self cleaning of milk frothing is not well designed which makes a mess everytime.- No way to update the firmware yourself.Its a great machine overall. It has allowed my wife and me to save money by not having to go to Starbucks and other coffee shops!
Javier Rodriguez –
Cansado de los cafés que venden en la calle algunas veces amargos otras veces demasiada azúcar o la leche demasiado grasosa.La mejor compra que he hecho en mucho tiempo pues esta máquina utiliza un buen café la máquinaPrepara un café excelente y fácil de usar
Mickey Mouse –
We bought this in 2016 and in 2024 still running EXACTLY like the day we got it. We never descale it but we make sure to use ONLY bottled water to keep the lines clean. Everyone who comes into our home loves it and most wish they could afford one.lol
Shannon Newton –
Had for a few weeks – super easy set up, works like a dream, and so pretty in my kitchen. My morning coffee game will never be the same.
Emma White –
I’ve been on the fence for years. It was just so expensive. I’ve had it for a month and I wake up every day excited to make a little coffee. I haven’t regretted my purchase for a second and neither will you
Danali Reviews –
Those things dont matter. Who lives long enough to retire anyways? This thing is so loaded with features that I am more than sure that I will have diabetes because I make lattes daily. But being that I sold a kidney, I only have one left to damage. This machine literally has it all. It grinds, you tamp, if produces rich, delicious espresso and has tons of other options like Americanos, Flat Whites, etc. So your kids, organs….whatever. You deserve this!
Aurora –
I’ve been using it for a few weeks now and really enjoy it. It is super intuitive to use, and since I’m far from being a coffee buff, the touch screen display is really helpful. Even a novice like me could figure it out without much difficulty.Initial setup and calibration took a little while and I’m still tweaking the grind size and quantity. I’m getting better at getting the right pressure on the tamp too. That took a while to figure out.I’ve only used Americano and Latte so far but both have turned out great.The auto milk foaming wand is really nice. I found that having it foam for about 5-10 seconds longer than default allows me to more easily make the art on top of the drink. The wand self cleans which is amazing.The machine is solidly built and looks really nice on the counter. It is a little taller than I thought, with the bean hopper on top, so I have to slide it out from under my cupboards in order to fill the beans or fill the water behind.It’s making very consistent and delicious coffee, and I’m very satisfied with it. With the high price point though, it’ll be interesting to see how long it lasts and whether it ends up saving me any money from buying coffee instead. Time will tell.The spacing of everything is precise, down to the centimeter almost. The hot water sprayer and the portafiller are both super close to missing my mug, but somehow don’t.I haven’t cleaned it yet, as we’re using Sparkletts water and the filter it came with, so very soft water and not much buildup. We’ll see how the cleaning process goes but if I follow the instructions on the screen, I’m sure it’ll be easy.Making the coffee is a little messy so it’s good to have a damp cloth handy.I think Breville is a well respected brand and this one does not disappoint.
David E. Weekly –
I’ve had my Breville Touch for a month now and it has been an amazing step up from the superautomatic machine I had previously. The learning curve is steep but short; if you’ve never manually made espresso before you’ll need about an hour to sit it up properly: of figuring out grind size, tamping firmly, cutting the top with a razor, getting expression to start at 8s. But the reward at the end is extremely good and extremely strong espresso wholly beyond what a superautomatic can do. It’s about two minutes from power on to latte in hand as opposed to 45 seconds, but the quality is definitely worth it.
YordanoYordano –
Donny CookDonny Cook –
Very simple, easy to use and easy to clean. It’s going to save me a lot of money in the long run, by not having to go to a coffee shop. Plus, I think this tastes far better, as I can make it exactly how I want. The milk frothing is a game changer.
Kristina Elmer –
I have stopped buying coffee out! I can make all my favorite, from lattes, cappuccinos, and affogatos!
Custom Motors –
My wife love it
LW –
I laughed when my older daughter put this machine on her wedding registry. $1000 for a coffee machine?! Yep, some folks chipped in to buy it for her. She and her husband love the strong Cuban coffees. Then we tasted the espresso, flat white, and cappuccino coffees. It is at least as good as the premium coffee shops in town. So– we bought one for ourselves. The great thing is you can customize drinks. So now my husband has a custom “Tim” drink choice that is a flat white with just the right amount of espresso and microfoam for him. This is not just push one button, however. For example, each morning he pushes “Tim”, then “grind”, moves the ground coffee in the filter holder to the area for the drip, then presses “brew”, and then loads the milk container in that area, and finally pours the foamed milk into the espresso for the flat white. It only takes a minute or 2 and is so worth it! Unfortunately, our younger daughter came to visit and is obsessed with Breville as well. Have had the machine for several months and it is holding up well. Does take some cleaning. The tray that is under the grinder/brew/milk area comes out easily. We end up cleaning/dumping it every few days. There are wayward grinds and some liquid when we splash a bit. The set up of the machine– somewhat tougher than most. Instructions are not very clear. I was missing the cleaning kit when it arrived, but called Breville and they sent it out express mail. Excellent service! When making coffee, you will need to tamp it down well after grinding and scrape any excess from the edges of the filter basket or you will have trouble fitting the basket in the brew area. Sounds like a lot of work for coffee and a lot of money? Really turns out it saves time (running to a coffee shop) and $. At $3-6/day for coffee store coffees with tips, versus home brew, the machine can pay for itself pretty quickly.
Diana Mendez –
We have this machine for over 2 months now, it works great plus all the choices available to make your own coffee. Best coffee everyday and it looks lovely on our counter! Breville is the best!
Amazon Customer –
Still takes some getting used to by experimenting since I’m new to using an espresso machine.
G8 –
Very easy to tune the grind size, amount of grind, and brew time to pull the ideal espresso shot. I saved the setting so my wife, can use the touchscreen to easily pull a shot. Was debating to buy an espresso ‘machine’ that is potentially more rugged but harder to use and with a steeper learning curve or this appliance. Since my wife will also be using it and she doesn’t have as much interest or patience to learn the nuances to pull a perfect shot, and she just wants her coffee, this was a good fit for us. And I on the other hand can keep fine tuning the shot and save the setting for her.Other things we love:- Automatic milk frothing. Nice to set the milk pitcher down, hit a button and come back to frothed milk especially in the busy mornings- Auto clean of the milk frother by shooting extra steam/water after milk is frothed . Our old machine, we had to disable to clean the nozzle internals- Comes with everything you need. Tamper, pitcher, descaling supply, and also an adapter you can put on top of the portafilter so dispensed beans don’t overflow.Suggestions:- We put a screen protector on the touch screen. With previous machines that we’ve used over time the face of the machines will be ‘polished’ and lettering will come off, likely from daily wiping and especially with fine coffee grounds floating around. I imagine the screen will eventually get scratched from daily wiping.- The water tank has been running low quicker than we anticipated. We put a low friction mat underneath so we can easily slide the machine out to refill the water. Otherwise it’s a hefty machine to pull out from underneath your kitchen cabinet.
BruceLeeBruceLee –
The touch screen is amazing. First I thought, you won’t be able to personalize any drink… then I watched some you-tube videos.. then there you go. There is a learning curve but once you get the proper weight, grind size, and brewing time… you gonna have so much fun… for me, I like doing it… it’s the process that gives me so much joy… the aroma of freshly ground coffee. It’s a bit loud during start up and when you are brewing. Starbucks is now just a thing of the past.The auto purge feature of the frother is a big plus.
Amazon Customer –
Incredible machine! Worth every penny!
Sarah –
One of the best investment 🙂
David E. Weekly –
I’ve had my Breville Touch for a month now and it has been an amazing step up from the superautomatic machine I had previously. The learning curve is steep but short; if you’ve never manually made espresso before you’ll need about an hour to sit it up properly: of figuring out grind size, tamping firmly, cutting the top with a razor, getting expression to start at 8s. But the reward at the end is extremely good and extremely strong espresso wholly beyond what a superautomatic can do. It’s about two minutes from power on to latte in hand as opposed to 45 seconds, but the quality is definitely worth it.
Mbrasier Mbrasier –
Great starter machine, comes with all the basics to get started. Very user friendly, the machine will walk your though how to use it. Worth the purchase!
Joey11Joey11 –
Been wanting one for a while and when I saw it on prime deal, had to get it. Easy to use. Amazing coffee and great quality machine! Do not regret buying. Shipping was fast and the machine was packed nicely.
DecDec –
So far I’ve been delighted with our purchase. Makes great coffee and the touch screen feature is so convenient. Easy to maintain and clean too. There is a plastic basket to help funnel ground coffee into your ‘portafilter’. If you don’t remove the basket from the portafilter, before you brew, it can get caught in the machine – so be careful (adding a picture of the piece in question). This is the only watch out I’ve come across in an otherwise great purchase. 5 stars!!
Ashley –
Kind of bummed that this was my first ever actual espresso machine (aside from nespresso but I don’t count that as a real one). When I first received the machine it worked perfectly, of course it takes some time to figure out the right grind setting and everything for each bean you use but I figured it out within an hours time and we were good to go. It was great tasting, delicious , I thought it was the best money I had ever spent considering I was a die hard Starbucks lover- daily and it was adding up. Fast forward not even a full TWO MONTHS- and the grinder stops working . I contacted customer service because of course there’s a year warranty on it, they said ship it to them for free and they would repair it, which is fine, but for a brand new machine that I just paid over 1,000$ for I was kind of annoyed to find that it stopped working so quickly and more annoyed that I would have to be without daily espresso for 2 weeks which meant back to Starbucks to spend more money while it was repaired , the sole reason for buying this machine to save money in the end.I then receive it after the repairs and the SAME exact grind setting / grind amount, SAME beans- EVERYTHING the exact same and the espresso is not coming out the same. I previously had nice solid espresso pucks and great tasting espresso on these settings with the same exact beans and now after being repaired the grinder does work again but I have played with the settings on this machine after being repaired for 5 days now and I am still unable to get even close to the same exact result that I had when I first received it. I really feel that after not even TWO MONTHS of having a brand new , seriously expensive machine, it not working that breville should’ve had me send this machine back they could repair it to sell as refurbished and I should have been issued a brand new one because after the repairs it is still not working how it did when it first was delivered to me, and for 1,000+$ machine you hope it’ll last AT LEAST a full year without needing anything fixed on it. I am not sure that my next espresso machine will be a breville after this experience 🙁
carrolyn Sami –
We have had 3 coffee machines before this one and this is the HOLY GRAIL! It is so easy to use and clean.
Eric –
Pricey, but good
Aleida B. –
Love this machine, but a little complicated, need a master’s degree to get a good expresso. We haven’t figure out what settings for a strong foamy expresso yet.
Jimmy H –
I was originally looking at a model with more manual options, but for a couple of hundred dollars more and touch capability, I couldn’t pass this unit up. Setup is a breeze, and cleaning the unit is as expected and not bad at all. The machine is pretty self intuitive and, overall, the results are excellent. This machine makes great coffee drinks that are tailored to your liking. The frother workers well, and I love the fact that it cleans/ rinses itself after each use. Keep in mind that it will take a few uses to dial-in the machine to your specifications. The most important thing to watch is the grind level. The Breville manual recommended a starting grind at number 12. That was way too fine and did not allow sufficient flow from the portafilter. It was not flowing at all. I have experience with these machines, and I was not over tamping the grinds prior to brewing. I adjusted the grind to number 20, and the coffee flows like a dream with excellent crema on the surface and still very robust flavor. Any finer, and the espresso or cappuccino was way too bitter and did not flow at all. It trickled and sputtered out of the portafilter flow vessels. I use the best coffee beans from boutique coffee roasters around the world — most on the darker side. If you just pay attention to the grind level, you will eliminate any unnecessary frustration right off the bat and the machine will work perfectly for you. To reiterate, adjust the grind level to number 20 to start. You can always go lower, but I doubt you will need to. To conclude, I’m very happy with the purchase and recommend the Breville Barista Touch to anyone looking for a sub one thousand dollar machine.
Jamie C –
I bought this November 2022. Its now January 2024. It’s been going strong. No complaints. I have not had any issues after making over 1000 cups, a lot of them are 2 double shots. Use good water. Do the cleaning. Use your favorite beans, milk, and any other additions to make your favorite coffee. I look forward every morning to making my coffee when I can smell the fresh ground beans, then the aroma of the expresso. I either use clear mugs or whiskey glasses to watch the pour and the amount crema in each cup. This is a must have if you enjoy the entire coffee experience.
ctohio –
I have been making espresso on home machines for 25 years and can pull a good shot from even a cheap machine. Prior to buying this beauty I was using the breville barista pro. It is a very nice machine and I have enjoyed it for many years. I am getting old and my dexterity is not so great now. I started having difficulty steaming milk without burning myself. I watched some reviews on this machine and thought it was worth a try. As with all machines it took some time tweaking the grind size and amount. Those settings are then stored for all the programmed drink selections. The pre-programmed drink selections are actually all the same setting for brew time but different froth settings. The touch screen allows you to tweak each drink to your taste. When you have designed your perfect drink you can label and save it. After that it an easy and consistently good experience. The frothing wand is a pleasure to use. Having that hands-free minute allows for a quick clean up. The foam levels are each slightly different but all are pretty smooth micro foam. I sometimes like some dryer foam on top but haven’t been able to achieve that. For me, that is minor. This is a beautiful machine and worth the upgrade.
Charity Miller –
Loved this machine but Breville needs to address the problem that keeps giving the dreaded Error ER05. Prob 9-10 months after purchase it popped up and there’s absolutely nothing you can do, other than send it in—if it’s under warranty (1 yr). It took at least three weeks till we got it back, which is a big issue. When you pay over $1k for a machine you expect it to last for a while. I feel like for that price, Breville should immediately send out a new unit, fix the problem, and sell the fixed one as a refurbished unit, instead of letting their customer sit for that length of time. Now less than six months after getting it back, the error is back and of course we’re past the one year warranty. According to my research, it’s caused by two tiny wires getting torn in the temperature sensor under the frother. Online commentors say it’s a simple fix you can do yourself with a small replacement kit you can buy online, but the only place you can find this kit right now is Australia—anywhere they are carried in the US, they are sold out. I can imagine why. I would not buy this model again unless I’d purchase an extended warranty with it. Otherwise it’s easy to use and makes amazing lattes, Americanos, etc. But Breville needs to address this defect that clearly is a common issue with this model!
B –
First, I’d like to say that this espresso machine is a game-changer. It’s not just a coffee maker, it’s a work of art. The sleek design adds a touch of elegance to my kitchen, making it a focal point for conversation. But it’s not just about looks. This machine is incredibly easy to use, even for someone like me who isn’t a barista. The automatic cleaning feature is a dream come true, saving me time and effort. And let’s not forget about the milk frother. It creates the perfect froth every time, giving my drinks that professional touch. The durable construction ensures that this machine will last for years to come. But the real star of the show is the quality of the espresso it produces. It’s rich, smooth, and full-bodied, just the way I like it. I can’t recommend this espresso machine enough. It’s truly a must-have for any coffee lover.
Mike G. Liu –
Some of the things we like:1. It is fast! Total time to brew a cupIs about 30 seconds including the time for it to heat up. You can grind your beans, brew your coffee, froth your milk, dump out the grinds and clean the frother in under 2 minutes even if you’re still half asleep.2. There is a ton of flexibility on the drinks it can make and how it makes them. Different sizes, strengths and how much froth it puts in your milk. It does take some time to try everything and figure out what you like best but once you do, it consistently makes the drink just how you like it.3. We waited to buy this because we thought there would be a lot to clean. But cleaning is not an issue. Only takes a few seconds to do it. Just wipe down the frother and machine. Rinse out the porta filter and milk cup. We throw them in the dishwasher at some point during the day.
Jean M –
Beware, I purchased the Breville Barista Touch Espresso Machine in December 2022. I started having issues with the “start ” button not working in April 2023 from time to time. When it would happen I would try everything, even unplugging the machine. I thought it might be a fluke. But it wasn’t. In May I contacted Breville by email and got a pretty quick response requesting more information and proof of my purchase from Amazon. Breville has a 2 yr warranty. So I figured I would get a replacement as I only used it for5 months. Then I received an email telling me to try plugging it in in a different outlet. Which I had already but I had another appliance plugged in to the same outlet and it was working. But I still tried a different outlet. Didn’t work. So after providing more information., I the next email I received told me I would be receiving a box with in the next 5 business days, to pack this defective Breville Barista Touch Espresso Machine in and all the instructions on what not to send, that Breville would repair the defective product and return it within 5 to 7 business days after they repaired. To ship it back to Breville for repair.So I waited and waited and when I didn’t get the box to pack up this defective expresso machine, I wrote an email again and then never heard back for 3days, so I wrote an email again asking them is that how they took care of customers and stated I had thought Breville was a reputable company. By this time after not hearing anything from Breville support, I called the support number. I talked with a representative, who pulled my many emails up and all she could do was apologize. I then asked to speak with a supervisor or manager, she immediately told me one wasn’t available, that shehave them call me back. By thistime I knew I was getting a run around, so I told Breville representative I was contacting Amazon. Said goodbye.I immediately called Amazon talked with 3 different people, got my issue dealt with but in the meantime I received another email from the Breville representative who I spoke with on the phone stating by 7pm that night I would receive the return box for repair of this defective expensive machine. Never received that return box for the repair. Never heard nothing else back from Breville support. Nothing! Amazon took care of it and made an exception for me but I lost about 200 dollars on it.I would advise everyone not to purchase a Breville, they don’t honor their warranty and don’t provide customer service at all. They only give you the run around.They are not a reputable company!!Oh BTW, I wrote Breville an email telling them that they were not a reputable company when they do not stand behind an honor their warranty and I would never buy a Breville product again and that I was going to write a review on them. Within a couple of hours after sending that email to Breville support, they replied and stated they were sorry for my frustration and sent me a 25% coupon on my next purchase of a Breville product. I wrote them back stating how dare they. I could not believe they totally thought it was ok not to honor their product 2 year warranty and totally disregarded and disrespected me.
yang li –
It is easy to setup and brew an espresso. Easy to clean. The downside is the grinder level wheel is kind of not smooth, sometimes hard to change the setting. The auto frothing works okay but need to manual frothing if you want to do some latter art. Overall it is a great purchase.
R. Kahler –
As a loyal DeLonghi customer for over a decade, my experience with the LaSpecialista semi-automatic espresso maker was, unfortunately, a letdown. After 18 months of persistent issues and frustration, I finally decided to cut my losses and switch to the Breville Barista Touch Espresso Machine—and I couldn’t be happier with my decision.The Breville Barista Touch surpasses the DeLonghi LaSpecialista in every category. From its user-friendly interface to the superior quality of espresso it produces, I didn’t realize how much I had been missing until I made the switch. The intuitive design, precise controls, and reliable performance of the Breville have completely transformed my at-home coffee experience.While I haven’t had a chance to thoroughly evaluate Breville’s customer service yet, it’s worth noting that summary reviews suggest it could be an area of concern. However, based on my experience with DeLonghi’s customer service, which was far from satisfactory, I’m optimistic that Breville’s support will be an improvement.Overall, my first month with the Breville Barista Touch has been exceptional. It’s refreshing to finally have a machine that delivers on its promises, and I look forward to many more months of great coffee.
Cory Folts –
Bought for my wife after she learned how to use all the things she now prefers her own coffee over Starbucks
Rwright –
If you have a toddler and are used to cleaning up their messes then assume that you’ve added another toddler with the accompanying mess when you buy this machine. It leaks more than a store brand diaper and throws coffee grounds like a 3 year old having a tantrum at the sand box.I’ve considered building a miniature shower stall in the kitchen just for this machine. Instead, I bought a rubber mat to sit it on. Now I have a mat shaped clean spot under this machine on my counter that is surrounded by coffee grounds.Just like a toddler, there are multiple types of messes. For every cup of water you pour in the machine somehow two cups appear in the drip tray. Thankfully there is the convenient tool tray that doubles as a water overflow bin!!Oh yeah, this machine makes coffee too. But don’t expect a consistent pour. If the Breville gods are displeased you may get half a cup. That could be half a dispenser of ground coffee or half a cup of water in your cup. Be sure to do your morning coffee dance to ensure the gods are appeased!I’d write more but I have to go powerwash my counters.
SallySally –
I’ve had this machine close to 20 days, using it daily. This makes great espesso and lattes. It’s super easy to use and takes about 15 seconds to grind and 30 seconds for a shot. Main pros: great coffee, easy to use, straightforward. The touch screen is super intuitive and walks you through the steps for each drink. The tamper and portafilter feel solid, heavy, and are made of high quality stainless steel. It feels like quality when using. The tray below is super easy to clean.Cons: At first the grinder made a small clicking sound and got stuck. But then I realized it was because my coffee beans were too old and dry. After getting better beans the issue went away. For a true coffee snob, you might want to invest in a very high end grinder ($500 or more). In that case you’ll end up with two grinders one built in and one external. However, for the vast majority of people the built in grinder is good enough. Keep in mind having the grinder and espresso machine as one unit means there’s a little more risk of something breaking down the line, but it’s convenient and looks nice having everything in just one unit.A few tips:1. make sure to pack enough grinds in the portafilter to get a good shot.2. A bunch of reviews complain about the steam auto clean making a big mess. This is super easy to resolve. Just put the wand in the stainless steel cup before lowering it for cleaning. Then it sprays into the cup not all over the place. Seems like a no brainer. Because of the force or the cleaning, there’s no way it could be clean without containing the wand in a cup.
Ana Karen –
I got this one cause my coffee is an everyday morning experience. I love this machine the milk frotter is easy to use and you can get accurate foam in your milk. Just place in the sensor and the machine will do the rest. Easy to use and gives consistant flavor of your expressos. Would recommend to anyone that can afford this price i dont think there is another one in this range and with this capabilities.
Kindle Customer –
This machine is awesome when you get it dialed in to make lattes and other specialty espresso drinks. Getting consistency from the machine is a challenge, especially with americanos. One thing you need to know is that you will make a lots of noise while using this machine. Nothing about it is quiet; not even turning it on. The one compliant I have is the grinder will get “dry” if you don’t give the top of the hopper a few pats. I do it every time so I don’t miss any beans during grind time.I do really like what it produces. I make a latte with a double shot. Grind set at 17 (btw adjustable digital grind is awesome) for 15 seconds. A 30 second brew and I use almond milk at 150 degrees with a froth rating of 3.Everyone I make a latte has commented that it is the best they have ever had. All that being said if you spend too much money at Starbucks grab one of these. I think even in the long run it will be cheaper than keurig pods we were running.Edit: This is also very messy and make sure you clean it often. Water fills the base and it gets pretty gross in there but a quick scrub with soap helps it not smell. Expect lots of drips and splatters to clean up as well.
Ricardo A. Seneris –
The first espresso machines I’ve tried were all Brevilles: 2 Barista Express’ and a Barista Pro. I did return all of them before the 30 day return period to Amazon. I thought they were not working properly. After a few weeks, I purchased a Lelit Victoria. Big mistake. It does not froth milk “properly” or because I don’t know how? So, I put it away for almost a year and I switched back to my dependable drip coffee machine the Technivorn Moccamaster. However, I keep up with what are the latest espresso machines on the market and their reviews, including the “poor” Breviiles. The Breville reviews are mostly positive. I thought I’ll give a Breville machine one more try. I was leaning toward buying a Barista Express again or the dual tank Breville. Honestly, I don’t think I did Breville justice in any of my evaluations. This time I chose the Barista Touch, instead, due to its automatic and manual milk frothing, whichever you choose. I’m sorry, Breville, I was wrong about your machines. All I can say now is Wow. This machine will be hard to beat on performance and price point! This may be the last espresso machine I’ll be using until it goes haywire. Milk frothing is outstanding. BTW, most reviewers on the Brevilles that use a 54mm portafilter failed to explain the differences between the “pro” 58mm and the “non-pro” 54mm portafilter. The 54mm Breville portafilter can handle up to 21mg of grounds without touching the grouphead screen. The 54mm and the 58mm have the same total coffee ground capacities. End of the story on that. The tamper is excellent as it is. Get a grind distribution tool called WDT, instead. You don’t need a fancy one tamper. I tested the built-in grinder and did the optimum ground for my brew and It works great, but it’s hard to do a single dosing. Since I already have a Eureka Specialita grinder, this is what I prefer to use for single dosing. More repeatable grinds and less waste of fresh grounds. Lastly, the Barista Touch has a regulated grouphead pressure within the “accepted” best pressure of 9-9.5 Bars. I would highly recommend this machine or the the Barista Pro with manual knobs to save yourself a few hundred bucks.
Matti McDanield –
Visited friends for a week and they had this machine. It was a wonderful week full of coffee… thought the espresso was just good….nothing special…..boy was I wrong…..got back home to my keurig and it tasted like mud disguised as coffee… couldn’t even finish it….my friends had ruined normal coffee for me….had to purchase this machine just to function. This machine has also helped me to kick Starbucks to the curb. Definitely worth it! Cannot recommend it enough! Take your coffee game to the next level!
Virginia S –
I bought this 3 months ago. The bean grinder jammed two weeks ago. Opened a support case on Feb 16 with breville and no response on the case. I cleaned the grinder basket per the instruction to no avail. When you call they say they have unexpected high call volume and maybe able to call you back in a few hours on the support line recording.If you go to chat is says agent offline on their site. They did call me back and advised an advanced cleaning of the grinder which I did and it restored it! I did not see that there were more parts to remove and clear before. It was a challenge to get the individual grinder gears, plates and felt ring out of there as there or no tools to remove them but I finally got it after 10 minutes of tanging using needle nose pliers and a toothpickI liked this machine a lot when it was working. Then company needs better support at least chat support enabled to follow up on support cases. The device is under warranty, but that doesn’t matter when you can’t reach anyone to either get a replacement or to get it fixed. I had to call in several days / times before I got a response. The tickets submitted do not even get an acknowledgement as they are backed up apparently. If you are that backed up on Customer Service calls, that unfortunately says a lot about the quality of your products.
Fidel Perez –
I bought my first Barista Touch for my second home. I got tired of drinking drip coffee when I stayed at my daughter’s house. So I bought her one as well. Recently, I damaged the Barista Pro in my primary residence, so I ordered this one. Relatively easy to use and makes me look great when people come over and drink my coffee. Very happy with the purchases.
Nurzada B. –
My feedback is really positive because this espresso machine has transformed my mornings. Quick heat up time means I don’t need to wait for my daily dose of caffeine. The easy cleaning feature is a lifesaver, no more wrestling with hard-to-reach parts. Plus, it’s a good value for the price. This is certainly a must-have for any coffee lover!
Rod –
Makes me spoiled with the variety of coffees. I don’t bother with coffee shops anymore. I miss it when I travel. It fits my counter, not taking up too much space. I love the tray on the bottom that collects the automatic steamer cleaner water. A sign on the tray pops up to tell me to empty it.