Breville is known for its exquisite, high quality, and durable kitchen appliances.
Since the introduction of Breville BE370XL espresso express to the market, it has gained a lot of praise for its diverse settings, smooth operation and outstanding design.
So if you want to find out if Breville has come up with the perfect combination of ideal taste and affordability through this product, Read ahead this review on all the features that the machine contains.
At a Glance
Whether you’re new to espresso-making or a professional barista, this espresso machine will serve you well. It can be relatively expensive, but the fact that it comes with its burr grinder and steam wand saves money in itself.
Beville espresso express is easy to use, provides the perfect taste, and has a stainless steel design to die for.
Moreover, unlike other coffee machines, cleaning up is non-tedious and fast.
Pros
- Suitable for beginners and experts
- Has a built-in burr grinder and steam wand
- Easy cleanup
- Attractive and robust design
- Mid-priced for a semi-automatic machine
Cons
- Temperature isn’t adjustable
- Needs some effort considering it is semi-automatic
- Relatively loud
- Top and bottom sides are made of plastic
The 4 key elements of café quality coffee:
Dose Amount,
Precise Water Temperature,
Optimal Water Pressure And
Sufficient Steam Pressure
Breville BES870XL Espresso Express Full Review
More Than 5000 sales on Amazon alone!
Design
Breville barista machine is around 16 inches tall, 13.5 inches wide and 12.5 inches depth, which makes it a little bit wider than other espresso machines.
Its robust stainless steel cover along with the large bean hopper, integrated burr grinder, and pressure gauge gives it a significant and elegant look.
Moreover, the pressure gauge is placed in the front and center of the control panel. To ensure that the espresso is extracted entirely, this real gauge shows whether the internal pump is pushing hot water within the optimal pressure range.
If the pressure isn’t adjusted well, the coffee can be sour or lacking the authentic flavor. That’s why the pressure gauge is an essential addition to the machine.
Around the gauge lies the “power”, “filter size”, and “program” buttons, in addition to the buttons that allow you to choose brewing single or double shots.
Furthermore, there is a movable steam wand and hot water nozzle operated by a large knob on the right side while the left side is occupied by the grind size selector.
Last but not least, there is a drip tray that’s easily removed and cleaned as well as a removable water tank.
Four Filter Baskets
This feature is what makes this machine suitable for both professionals and beginners. The barista express comes with four filter baskets; a single pressurized filter, a double pressurized filter, a single non-pressurized filter, and a double non-pressurized filter.
Using the pressurized baskets, you can get your perfect shot of espresso without the need to adjust the grinding amount or doses.
On the other hand, the non-pressurized baskets allow the skilled coffee makers to control and modify the brewing process through the dose control and the grind size control.
The dose control changes the amount ground in each cup while the grind size control allows you to choose the fineness of the grind from 16 levels, which in turn, enables you to obtain a shot of espresso accustomed to your preferences.
Charcoal Filter in The Water Tank
This feature also distinguishes the Breville from any other espresso machine. The water tank comes with an integrated charcoal filter, which guarantees a delicious-tasting espresso providing that the water used is clean.
Also, the tank has a numbered wheel at the top that you can set for a specified duration to alert you when it’s time to change the filter.
Besides its excellent quality, the built-in burr grinder provides you with 18 grind settings- ranging from coarse to fine- to tone your grind size according to your wishes.
The bean hopper accommodates half a pound of beans, and it’s easily removed for cleaning and refilling.
Steam Wand
The presence of the 360-degree steam wand along with the stainless steel milk jar makes the machine also suitable for milk frothing either for adding a head of milk foam for cappuccinos or silky microfoam for lattes.
Although the steam wand is handy and moves in all directions, it can be a bit hard to control the amount of air in the foam if you’re a beginner. Then again, the machine is a perfect opportunity for practicing various aspects of coffee making.
Easy Clean-up
Breville espresso machine has made the process of cleaning way more comfortable and less time-consuming. The “clean me” light on the control panel, together with the “empty me” sign on the drip tray, alerts you when it’s cleaning time.
All you have to do is remove the drip tray to empty it and quickly rinse the portafilter and filter baskets. Remove the bean hopper with one twist and clear the remaining burrs. Also, do the same thing with the water tank; empty it, clean it, then refill.
Moreover, the machine has a cleaning kit that can help ease the cleaning process.
The only issue that the machine didn’t overcome is that when water is mixed with the coffee grinds in the dip tray, they create some sludge that is somehow tiring to remove.
Overall Operating Time and Cost
The total operating time is estimated to be less than two minutes for your espresso to be ready, which makes it a quick and convenient choice.
It might be considered relatively expensive, but the fact that it contains its built-in grinder besides the perfect performance and excellent quality make up for the relatively heavy price.
What’s Included In The Box:
The stainless steel espresso machine with its large two liters water tank and half-pound bean hopper is accompanied with:
- Four filter baskets; two double-wall and two single-wall
- Stainless steel milk jug
- Stowable tamper
- Coffee scoop
- Cleaning tools
- Shot measuring razor
Users’ Reviews on Amazon
The Breville BES860XL espresso machine has a 3.9 out of 5 rating on Amazon, compiled from 352 customers.
Most of the customers say that it’s the right choice for beginners as they weren’t experts when they purchased it. Many of the reviews revolve around how it’s easy to use and how magnificent it is to get a homemade cup of espresso that is comparable to coffee shops espresso within just 5 minutes.
Furthermore, several customers were amazed by the large water tank and hopper capacity making it serve better when there are house guests.
One customer kept talking about how he served eight guests with the machine, making different types of coffee using the frother, and how he still had water and beans in the reservoir.
On the other hand, some complained that after ten months to two years, there was water leaking and covering the countertop, and it would have been better if they added an adjustable feature for water temperature.
A few people mentioned that the beans kept sticking to the sides of the hopper, but then again, they also said that it was quite manageable by a little stirring or tapping on the hopper edges.
Final Verdict on Breville BES860XL Espresso Machine 💭
All in all, we can say that Breville has combined the advantages of good quality, easy brewing and dosing, best value for money, and effortless cleaning in one product.
It indeed has lots of knobs, buttons and dials, which may look intimidating at first, but using the detailed manual and few practicing shots will help you figure it all out.
However, it may not be the right choice if you already have a grinding machine or have no intent in learning to brew espresso. In that case, a fully automatic espresso machine will be your best choice as all you’ll need is to click a button and get the job done.
Finally, this machine is intended for home use, so you shouldn’t be considering it if you’re looking for a coffee shop machine.
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