Breville BES870XL Espresso coffee machine: Full Review

The Breville BES870XL Barista Express Espresso Machine is an all-in-one espresso machine that incorporates a conical burr grinder and dose control grinding cradle, allowing you to go from beans to espresso in under one minute. This mid-range semi-automatic espresso machine is designed for home use and aims to give coffee lovers cafe-quality espresso without the hassle.

The BES870XL features numerous controls that allow you to fine-tune the grind size, shot volume, and milk texture to suit your taste. With a 1600W ThermoCoil heating system, 15 bar Italian pump, and precise PID temperature control, this machine provides consistent results and optimal espresso extraction. The hands-free grinding cradle, automatic dosing, and preset single & double shot volumes simplify the espresso-making process. Overall, the Breville BES870XL combines automated convenience with sufficient customization options for crafting specialty coffee drinks at home.

Design and Build Quality

The Breville BES870XL Barista Express features an attractive brushed stainless steel exterior that looks great on any kitchen countertop. At 12.5 x 13.25 x 15.75 inches, it has a compact yet substantial footprint made possible by the integrated grinder.

Despite its relatively small size, the machine feels very sturdy and durable thanks to its die-cast metal portafilter and grinder burrs. All parts that come in contact with water and coffee are BPA-free.

The portafilter has heft and precise spouts for optimal espresso extraction. The 360 degree swivel-action steam wand is made from stainless steel for durability and easy maneuverability.

Overall, the machine's design focuses on maximizing durability while maintaining an aesthetically pleasing look. The dimensions strike a nice balance between compactness and having enough space for features like the grinder and 2 liter removable water tank.

Similarly, the Yabano CM6816 espresso machine offers a stylish and practical design for coffee lovers. It features a sleek and modern appearance with a compact footprint that fits easily on most kitchen counters. The machine is built with robust materials to ensure longevity and performance. With user-friendly controls and a powerful milk frother, the Yabano CM6816 is ideal for making a variety of coffee beverages at home.

Grinder

The Breville Barista Express features an integrated conical burr grinder with precision extraction. The conical burr grinder provides high quality, consistent grinds for optimized espresso flavor.

The grinder has 30 precise grind settings to allow for fine-tuning the grind size, ranging from ultra-fine for Turkish coffee, to coarse for French press coffee. Dialing in the perfect grind size helps extracts the full depth and complexity of flavor from the coffee beans.

The hopper holds up to 1/2 lb of beans, allowing for multiple back-to-back shots before having to refill. The sealed hopper helps keep the beans fresh for longer. Overall, the built-in grinder is a key component that allows the Barista Express to deliver café-quality results at home.

If you’re looking for an alternative, the Chefman RJ54 is a versatile choice. It offers customizable settings and a user-friendly interface, making it suitable for both novice and experienced coffee enthusiasts. The Chefman RJ54 excels in delivering a rich, full-bodied espresso with minimal effort. For more details, visit Chefman RJ54.

Espresso Extraction

The Breville BES870XL features a 15 bar Italian pump that provides the optimal water pressure for extracting flavorful espresso shots. The machine allows you to grind, tamp, extract and froth milk like a professional barista.

The 54mm portafilter with commercial style spouts allows you to pull 1 or 2 espresso shots simultaneously. The precise espresso extraction system allows you to adjust the grind amount, tamp pressure and shot volume to customize your espresso taste and texture. The 360 degree swivel-action steam wand makes it easy to position the wand for optimal milk frothing. With the steam wand, you can texture micro-foam milk to create velvety lattes and cappuccinos. The machine comes with single and dual wall filter baskets for optimal espresso flavor.

Overall, the espresso extraction system and steam wand give you precision and control over every step of the espresso making process. This allows you to pull cafe-quality shots and create barista-style milk froth at home.

Milk Frothing

The Breville Barista Express comes equipped with a steam wand that allows you to manually froth milk for lattes and cappuccinos. The steam wand is made from stainless steel and has a 360 degree swivel motion, making it easy to position.

One of the highlights of the steam wand is that it can produce thick, rich microfoam. Microfoam refers to small, uniform bubbles in steamed milk, which helps milk texture and improves the taste of specialty coffee drinks. The steam wand on the Barista Express makes microfoam that rivals expensive commercial espresso machines.

You have excellent control over milk temperature when frothing with the Barista Express. The steam wand provides on-demand steam, so you can stop heating the milk at just the right temperature. Many reviewers commented on how easy it is to achieve silky smooth microfoam without scalding the milk.

Overall, the steam wand and frothing abilities of the Breville Barista Express make it simple to prepare cafe-quality lattes and cappuccinos at home. The precise microfoam and temperature control allows anyone to easily texture milk like a professional barista.

Ease of Use

The Breville Barista Express aims to make it easy for beginners to achieve café-quality espresso at home. The controls are intuitive and have clear labeling such as "Espresso" and "Steam."

The portafilter securely locks into place with a simple twist, and there are hooks on the side of the machine to store it neatly when not in use. Adjusting grind size is a breeze with the integrated conical burr grinder, which has a simple dial with stepless settings.

Overall, the machine is designed to be low-maintenance for home use. The drip tray, dregs drawer, and water tank are all removable and dishwasher safe. The stainless steel exterior can be wiped down easily.

Backflushing is recommended every few weeks to clean the group head and brew system. Breville includes a cleaning disk and cleaning tablets to make this process easy for beginners.

The LCD display is clear and walks you through the process of pulling a shot, from grinding and tamping to extraction. You can customize settings like temperature, shot volume, grind amount, and more to dial in your perfect shot.

Additional Features

The Breville Barista Express comes with several useful additional features beyond espresso and milk frothing.

Hot Water Dispenser

The machine includes a hot water dispenser that can be used to preheat cups or prepare Americanos. The water is heated to the optimal 200°F for coffee and dispenses quickly at the touch of a button. This is a handy feature to have and not something all home espresso machines include.

Storage

There is a storage tray on top of the machine with enough room for tampers, portafilters, milk jugs, and cleaning accessories. The tidy storage helps keep all your coffee-making tools in one place. Under the drip tray, there is also some room to store the filters, descaling powder, and cleaning brushes that come with the machine.

Accessories

The Barista Express ships with four filter baskets (single and double shot in pressurized and non-pressurized), a razor dose trimming tool, descaling powder, a water filter, cleaning discs, a cleaning brush, and a stainless steel milk jug. These accessories allow you to learn how to texture milk and dial in your espresso right out of the box. The included tamper, while made of plastic, fits the portafilter perfectly and gets the job done.

Pros and Cons

The Breville BES870XL Barista Express Espresso Machine has many excellent features, but also some limitations to be aware of.

Pros

• Built-in grinder allows you to grind beans right before extraction for maximum freshness
• 15 bar Italian pump provides optimal pressure for rich, full-flavored espresso
• PID temperature control delivers consistent, accurate extraction temperatures
• Pre-infusion function gently expands grinds before full pressure for even extraction
• Convenient volumetric controls allow you to customize shot volumes
• Steam wand makes microfoam for silky, well-incorporated milk foam texture
• Automatically purges wand after steaming to optimize temperature for espresso extraction
• Large 67 oz water tank for fewer refills
• Removable parts are dishwasher safe for easy cleaning

Cons

• Burr grinder struggles with very fine grind sizes needed for lighter roasts
• Small bean hopper only holds 1/2 lb of beans
• No pre-programmed shot settings or memory functions
• Short power cord can limit placement in kitchen
• Machine requires counter space and isn't easily stowed away
• Learning curve involved in dialing in optimal grind size and shot parameters

So in summary, the Breville Barista Express provides excellent espresso and milk frothing performance in a compact footprint. The limitations mainly revolve around fine-tuning grind size for different beans, and lack of preset options or programming compared to higher-end machines. For an all-in-one espresso maker under $1,000 it's an excellent choice, but lacks some customization abilities more advanced baristas may want.

Comparison to Other Models

The Breville Barista Express stands out compared to other espresso machines in its class due to its combination grinder-espresso maker design. Most comparably priced espresso machines require a separate grinder purchase.

The Barista Express grinds beans right before extraction, allowing for maximum freshness and flavor in the espresso. The built-in grinder also has features found in high-end standalone grinders, like the ability to adjust grind size and dose.

The Barista Express shares similarities with Breville's Infuser model. Both offer 15 bar Italian pumps and precise espresso extraction. However, the Barista Express adds the built-in grinder, an LED display, and digital temperature control absent from the Infuser.

Against entry-level machines like the De'Longhi EC155, the Barista Express brings more power, control, and consistency for extracting espresso. The De'Longhi relies on manual dials and cannot compete on features.

Comparing with premium models, the Barista Express provides excellent value at its lower price point. It extracts rich, cafe-quality espresso rivaling $1,000+ machines without their high price tags. Overall, the Barista Express hits a sweet spot between price and performance in the home espresso maker market.

Conclusion

The Breville BES870XL Barista Express is an excellent semi-automatic espresso machine that produces café-quality espresso and milk-based drinks at home. It combines an integrated conical burr grinder with a 1600W thermocoil heating system and 15 bar Italian pump for optimal espresso extraction.

The machine is easy to use even for beginners but allows for customization of grind size, shot volume, and extraction temperature for experienced baristas. Convenient automatic milk frothing with adjustable temperature and texture dials creates silky microfoam for latte art.

With its sleek brushed stainless steel housing and commercial style portafilter, the Barista Express looks elegant on the countertop while taking up minimal space. It allows you to explore the craft of espresso with controls not found in less expensive machines.

In summary, the Barista Express punches above its weight class, outperforming comparative models from DeLonghi and other brands. If you're seeking an all-in-one espresso machine equipped with a built-in grinder and steaming wand at this price point, the Breville BES870XL is an excellent option worth considering. It’s a smart investment for coffee lovers who want to recreate the coffeehouse experience daily at home.