Best overall
Breville
Bambino Plus
8.4Great
A compact 54 mm machine that heats in 3 seconds and textures milk hands-free; just add a good grinder.
Espresso Machines5$500
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Breville
Barista Express
Breville's long-running all-in-one: built-in grinder, PID thermocoil and a forgiving steam wand, held back by a dated grinder.
7.7
Good
Coffee Reviews score
See the breakdown →
Community
—/10
- Type
- Semi-automatic espresso machine with built-in grinder
- Heating system
- Thermocoil with PID temperature control (water delivered at 200°F)
- Pump
- 15-bar Italian pump; low-pressure pre-infusion, then 9-bar extraction
- Typical price
- $699.95
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Last reviewed October 17, 2026 by the Coffee Reviews editors · How we score
Breville's long-running all-in-one: built-in grinder, PID thermocoil and a forgiving steam wand, held back by a dated grinder.
A semi-automatic espresso machine with an integrated conical burr grinder (16 settings), a 54 mm portafilter, PID-controlled Thermocoil heating, low-pressure pre-infusion and a manual steam wand. It suits beginners who want a hands-on, grind-to-cup workflow in a single appliance. Reviewers praise its analog pressure gauge and learner-friendly steam wand but call the grinder dated and limited with lighter roasts, and Breville lists only a 1-year warranty.
Best for
- Beginners who want a grinder and espresso machine in one box
- Learning manual milk texturing and latte art
- Forgiving medium-to-dark espresso blends
What we like
- Grinds, doses, brews and steams in one machine
- PID-controlled Thermocoil with low-pressure pre-infusion
- Analog pressure gauge gives real-time extraction feedback
- Slower single-hole steam tip is forgiving when learning microfoam
Watch-outs
- Integrated grinder's 16 settings are coarse steps for light roasts
- Only a 1-year limited warranty
- No low-water sensor for the 67 oz tank
- Steams more slowly than the Bambino Plus or Barista Pro
How it scored
The breakdown.
7.7Good
Gear score out of 10, weighted across five factors.
- Performance30%7.8
Coffee Kev credits proper brew pressure, PID temperature stability and pre-infusion, but the integrated grinder's wide steps limit lighter roasts and single origins.
- Build & reliability20%7.5
Brushed stainless body on a design CoffeeGeek dates to 2013, but Breville lists only a 1-year limited warranty and CoffeeGeek calls the grinder design dated.
- Ease of use15%7.5
Grinding, dosing, brewing and steaming happen in one machine with a pressure gauge for feedback, but tamping and milk steaming are manual and there is no low-water sensor.
- Value20%7.6
At $699.95 it bundles a grinder, 54 mm group and steam wand; the $799.95 Express Impress adds assisted dosing and tamping plus a 2-year warranty.
- Community love15%8.4
A perennial best-seller with long-term owner reviews (4-year YouTube review, 12-month TikTok), though some creators now point buyers to newer or cheaper Breville models.
Creator video reviews
Watch it in action.
3 positive2 mixed
Independent creators, verified with YouTube and TikTok. We don’t pay for reviews and creators don’t pay us.
What people are saying
From the forums.
Verbatim from Reddit, forums and long-term owner write-ups — linked so you can read the full thread.
“The steam wand on the Barista Express is one of the reasons I still recommend it so often to people who want to learn proper milk texturing.”
“The grinder in the Barista Express is better than many people give it credit for. Yes, it has limitations, as do all integrated grinders, but if you’re using forgiving blends, you probably won’t often encounter them.”
“Time has moved on from Breville’s now nearly 12 year old grinder design and burrset found in the Barista Express.”
“The Barista Express does not have a low water sensor for its water tank, which is a bit surprising, as it was a common feature on many espresso machines even 15 years ago.”
Specifications
By the numbers.
- Model
- BES870XL
- Heating system
- Thermocoil with PID temperature control (water delivered at 200°F)
- Pump
- 15-bar Italian pump; low-pressure pre-infusion, then 9-bar extraction
- Grinder
- Integrated conical burr grinder (steel burrs), 16 grind settings, dose control
- Portafilter
- 54 mm stainless steel; 1- and 2-cup single- and dual-wall baskets
- Milk
- Manual steam wand
- Shot control
- 1- and 2-shot volumetric presets or manual override
- Pressure gauge
- Extraction feedback pressure gauge
- Tamping
- Removable magnetic tamper
- Water tank
- 67 oz
- Bean hopper
- 1/2 lb
- Voltage
- 110–120 V
- Dimensions
- 15.9 × 13.1 × 12.4 in (W × D × H)
- Weight
- 22.09 lb (10.0 kg)
- Power
- 1600 W
- Warranty
- 1-year limited
- Brews
- Espresso, Lattes & milk drinks
- Typical price
- $699.95 (checked October 2026)
Community
Member tasting notes & discussion.
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Discussion
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FAQ
Good questions.
Does the Barista Express have a built-in grinder?
Yes. It has an integrated conical burr grinder with steel burrs and 16 grind settings that doses straight into the 54 mm portafilter, fed by a 1/2 lb bean hopper.
Is the Barista Express an automatic machine?
No. You still grind, tamp, lock in the portafilter, pull the shot and steam milk yourself. Coffee Kev notes it is often mistaken for a push-button bean-to-cup machine.
What warranty does it come with?
Breville lists a 1-year limited warranty in the US, shorter than the 2-year warranty it lists for the Bambino Plus and Barista Express Impress.
Is it good for light roasts?
It can brew them, but reviewers say the grinder's relatively large steps make forgiving espresso blends the easiest match; Coffee Kev suggests the Barista Pro or a separate grinder for lighter single origins.
Alternatives
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Splurge
Breville
Oracle Jet
8.4Great
Auto grind, dose and tamp into a 58 mm portafilter plus hands-free milk and cold brew: barista-level results with little skill, at a price.
Espresso Machines5$2,000
Breville
Barista Express Impress
8.0Great
The Barista Express with assisted dosing and a 22 lb auto-tamp lever: same cup potential, far fewer beginner mistakes.
Espresso Machines5$800
Best value
Gaggia
Classic Pro E24
8.3Great
The tank-like Italian single boiler, now with a brass boiler: 58 mm, 9-bar and endlessly moddable, but no PID out of the box.
Espresso Machines4$549