This Breville Barista Express review finds that a machine launched over a decade ago still holds up for hands-on beginners. More George, a YouTuber who has owned one for four years, made 4 to 6 coffees a day on it without it skipping a beat.
Its weak points are steam power and a single boiler, so you can’t brew and steam at once. It takes about 30 seconds to heat up, according to Coffee Kev, a YouTube channel that reviews espresso machines.
Buyers still choose it: on Oct 16, 2026 it listed at $699.95 with a 4.4 rating from 27,932 ratings and a 10K+ bought-in-past-month badge (Amazon listing).
Breville barista express review: Key Specs
Prices checked on Amazon Oct 16, 2026. I may earn a commission from links, at no cost to you.
| Breville Barista Express (BES870XL) | |
|---|---|
| Price (Oct 16, 2026) | $699.95 |
| Amazon rating | 4.4 (27,932 ratings) |
| Bought in past month | 10K+ |
| Grinder | Built-in conical burr grinder, grind-size dial |
| Heating | Thermocoil, PID (about 30 s heat-up per the YouTube channel Coffee Kev) |
| Milk | Manual steam wand |
| Portafilter | 54 mm |
| Other | Low-pressure pre-infusion, pressure gauge, hot water outlet |
| Buy | Check price |
What It Does Well
- Integrated conical burr grinder grinds straight into the portafilter
- Grind-size dial for adjusting to different beans
- Digital temperature control (PID)
- Low-pressure pre-infusion
- Manual steam wand for hand-textured microfoam
Pros and Cons (From Credited Reviews)
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Built-in grinder, one plug, one unit (YouTube channel Craft Coffee Spot) Ran 4 years at 4–6 drinks a day for the YouTube channel More George PID with 5 temperature settings (Coffee Kev) Manual steam wand good enough for latte art | Slow, weak steam vs newer machines (More George, Coffee Kev) Single boiler: brew, then steam No hand-holding for dialing in |
Alternatives to Consider
Want more guidance? The Ninja Luxe Café Premier (ES601) ($599.00) suggests grind changes and doses by weight. On a budget? The Breville Bambino (BES450BSS) ($299.95) plus a separate grinder matched or beat the Express in Craft Coffee Spot’s test.
My Planned Test
Planned test: I plan to dial in one medium roast from a fresh bag, log how many shots it takes to hit a 1:2 ratio in about 30 seconds, and time milk steaming. I will add my results and my Home Smart video here when they are done. Until then, nothing on this page is a hands-on claim from me.
What YouTube Reviewers Found With the Barista Express
These findings are paraphrased from the video transcripts and credited to each creator. They are the creators’ own test results and opinions, not mine.
- More George (4 years with a Barista Express): 4 to 6 coffees a day for four years without it skipping a beat. Downsides were weak, slow steam pressure and a single boiler, so you can’t brew and steam at the same time.
- More George: he recommends filtering hard tap water and stresses keeping up with the cleaning cycle.
- Coffee Kev (Barista Express): about 30 seconds to heat up and roughly 1 minute 20 seconds to steam 170 ml of milk to 60°C, including steam-ready time. He notes it now has a 9-bar over-pressure valve and 5 temperature settings from 91 to 95°C.
- Coffee Kev: the integrated grinder is convenient, but it is not much easier to use than a Bambino paired with a separate grinder. The Barista Pro steamed the same milk about 35 seconds faster in his test.
- Craft Coffee Spot: for beginners, the Barista Express wins on convenience: one plug, a grinder built for its portafilter, grind settings matched to the machine and less mess. Their advice for experienced users is to upgrade the grinder before the machine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Breville Barista Express still worth it in 2026?
For hands-on beginners who want one compact unit with a grinder, long-term owners like More George say yes. If you want guidance while learning, look at the Ninja Luxe Café.
How long does the Barista Express last?
More George reports four years of daily use.Clean it and use filtered water if your water is hard.
How long does it take to heat up?
Coffee Kev measured about 30 seconds. More George lets it warm up 5 to 10 minutes for a fully heated group head.
What portafilter size does it use?
54 mm, per Coffee Kev.
Sources
- Amazon “Customers say” review summaries on each listing (AI-generated by Amazon from customer reviews), checked October 16, 2026
- Amazon product listings for the espresso machines linked above, checked October 16, 2026
- Amazon search results for “espresso machine” (snapshot October 16, 2026)
- More George: “Should You Buy BREVILLE BARISTA EXPRESS? 4 Year Review”
- Coffee Kev: “Sage/Breville Barista Express, Still Worth It in 2025?”
- Craft Coffee Spot: “Breville Bambino Vs Barista Express: Should You Get An Espresso Machine With A Grinder?”
Related: Barista Express vs Ninja Luxe Café | Bambino vs Barista Express | How to Clean an Espresso Machine
Notes and disclosure
Note: Prices, ratings and “bought in past month” badges come from Amazon listings and Amazon search results on October 16, 2026. Prices change often, so check the current listing. Test results quoted below come from the YouTube reviewers credited in each section. My own hands-on results will be added after my planned test.
Affiliate Disclosure: If you purchase an item through the links on this page, I may receive a commission, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting the channel.