I bought the popular Breville Espresso Machine and can report that it allowed me to get my coffee fix right in the comfort of my own home.
FYI, prices and ratings are accurate as of time of writing.
Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine BES870BSXL
Highlight: Smooth to the taste.
Helpful review: Alrighty, it’s about time I talk about this coffee machine. It’s been living it up in our kitchen for the past eight months, and I just can’t gate-keep this thing anymore. We’ve run it through just about four cycles to clean it—half of them for descaling and the other half just regular maintenance. And guess what? It’s been holding up pretty darn well! A lot of reviews online just kind of give reviews right off the bat, but I really wanted to test it out after a good chunk of time first.
And honestly, I’m pretty freaking thrilled with this gadget.
I’ll tell you the truth, too, I’m no coffee expert, either, and I’m definitely not someone who is gonna obsess over how to brew coffee, but I do love coffee, and I hate spending money at the coffee shop, if anything, prices keep spiking, and I’m honestly over it. And clearly, if you’re here, you feel the same.
So, I went ahead and bit the bullet and bought the Breville Barista Express because, hoping I could actually mimic those coffeehouse flavors at home. The closest I've gotten in the past was with the moka pot, but still, it didn’t happen. So why did I go with this model you ask? I’ve always had good luck with Breville, and this machine seemed to pack enough punch without being overkill for a non-pro like me.
And boy, was it worth every penny! I bet even the pickiest coffee aficionados would give a nod to this little gem.
Now, my first go at a cappuccino was a disaster—truly terrible, I’m one for constructive criticism haha. But it could also be because I’m the type who skips the instruction manual and jumps straight in. What can I say? I’ve got the patience of a toddler on a sugar rush. Anyways, after that flop, I swallowed my pride and hit up YouTube videos. A few scrolls later (okay, a lot of videos later), I finally felt like I could actually understand what the manual was saying, and things started to look up. I picked up a few tricks, adjusted my technique, and saw some real progress.
But it wasn’t quite perfect, and then I had a realization–I switched up my coffee beans. Wow, what a game-changer! I’m serious, this was the key to my coffee loving heart. Tweaking the little stuff. I changed the grind size, the tamp pressure, milk types, sugar levels—you name it, I adjusted it. And finally, I nailed that dream cup of coffee. What a thrill!
I’m getting better with each cup as I keep fine-tuning the little things, and honestly, it’s a whole new coffee world. My other coffee machines? They’re gathering dust. Seriously, they’re pretty much retired now. And something else—I’ve gained a whole new respect for the baristas at my local coffee shops. Might not hit those places as often anymore, but I’ll never gripe about the prices again. Those folks earn every penny, and I’m all in for tipping them well, even though I know not everyone feels that way. It’s not as easy as it looks folks.
KEY POINTS:
- Honestly, there’s been some ups and downs. Patience is key, when it comes to this. But trust me, when I say it, the effort and the cost of this machine are totally worth it. Best advice I can give?
- Let the machine warm up properly—about fifteen to twenty minutes should do the trick. It makes a world of difference if your coffee beans, portafilter, and especially the water are all nicely heated up.
LAST WORDS:
Do yourself a favor: watch those video tutorials before reading the manual. A little learning goes a long way. This espresso machine is a solid investment, one that’s gonna pay for itself before you know it. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to whip up another cappuccino. Adios! — Christie Bolster
Get it from Amazon now: $699.95 & FREE Returns
Comments