If you’ve had a chance to check out my home espresso machine guide 2023, you’ll know how highly I rate Breville. In fact, I’ve even compiled a separate guide to the best Breville espresso machines. Choose between 1 & 2 shot, or manual control over how much espresso ends up in your cup for the perfect shot every time. One note—this machine doesn’t come with a built-in grinder, which is a plus for those who have already invested in a conical burr grinder and could use the counter space.
If you prefer milky espresso drinks like lattes, you can even set the steam wand to an automatic setting and skip that extra minute of foamy fiddling. We don’t mean this in a disparaging way, but these machines are mr coffee machine for people who don’t want to work very hard. Espresso can take a lot of precision to make well and some people just don’t want to spend time nerding out in this particular area, learning all the ins and outs.
The steam wand auto purges the last drops of milk lest someone in your household “forget” to clean it. The drip tray even has a handy light up feature, reminding you when it’s time to empty it. And like the other Breville tools we love, the machine, two included portafilters, breville espresso maker milk jug, and tamper are all sturdily made. (Plus, it has a 2-year warranty.) The best espresso machine is the one you’re going to use, day in and out, not neglect because there’s an odd flashing light. And yet I love all the shiny clunkiness of my beloved espresso machine.
Even Eureka’s most affordable flat burr grinder would take the espresso flavors to a new level compared to the built-in grinder here. There’s an automatic tamping station and a nifty display giving you feedback on your dose. Plus, the Barista Express Impress has a whopping 25 grind settings on board. I’d recommend changing the water filter more frequently than absolutely necessary. I enjoy a challenge, which is why I had a great time during my Breville Barista Express review!
As I tested, I built a spreadsheet to keep track of variables like grind size, the weight of the dry grounds, how long pre-extraction and the full shot took, and how much the poured shot weighed. The Breville Duo-Temp Pro, which we tested in 2016, lacks programmable buttons, so you have to start and stop pulling a shot manually. We also found that the pump wasn’t as strong as the one on the Infuser. As a result, we had to breville espresso maker use coffee that was ground a bit more coarsely than for other machines, resulting in a duller-tasting shot. How and when you upgrade your grinder should depend on your skill level, the frequency with which you brew espresso at home, and your willingness to become a veritable coffee geek. If you’re completely new to making espresso and want a decent grinder that works for other brewing methods, the Encore is the way to go.
Though dual-boiler models allow you to pull the shot and steam milk simultaneously, we haven’t seen one for less than $1,500. We think most beginners won’t need that option, since it entails multitasking that’s usually necessary only in a café setting. Our primary goal was to find approachable and affordable espresso machines, ones that could satisfy novices as well as intermediate users (or even an old hand like me).
This helps prevent unbalanced extraction, which can happen if the coffee is unevenly ground, dosed, or tamped, causing the water to travel fastest to the weakest point in the espresso puck. The user manual is easy to understand, and with a little practice, you can pull rich and consistent shots, and even capture some of the nuanced flavors of premium roasts. Most impressive, perhaps, is the Bambino Plus’s ability to generate silky milk froth rivaling that made by your favorite barista—whether you use its super-quick auto-froth setting or steam the milk manually. The Bambino Plus is also compact, so it should fit easily in any kitchen.