Breville Espresso Machines: Which Model to Buy

Most first-time buyers should choose between two Breville machines. Buy the Barista Express if you do not own an espresso grinder and want everything in one box. Buy the Bambino Plus if you have a grinder, or will buy one, and want hands-free milk in a small machine. Step up to the Barista Pro for faster heat and finer grinding, or to the Dual Boiler if you make several milk drinks in a row.

This guide draws on Breville’s specifications and manuals and on long-term owner reports, not on our own use.

Breville and Sage: same machines, different name

Breville is an Australian company, founded in 1932. In the US, Canada and Australia, its machines carry the Breville name. In the UK and much of Europe, the same machines are sold under the Sage name, because another company owns the Breville name there for small appliances.

The model numbers line up. A US Barista Express is the BES870XL; the UK Sage version is the BES875. A Bambino Plus is the BES500 in the US and the SES500 from Sage. If you read a UK review or watch a Sage video, the advice applies to the US machine, but voltage, plugs and warranty terms differ. Buy the US model from a US seller.

The Breville ladder

Model	Grinder	Heating	Portafilter	Milk	US warranty
Bambino (BES450)	None	ThermoJet	54 mm	Manual wand	Check listing
Bambino Plus (BES500)	None	ThermoJet	54 mm	Automatic or manual wand	2 years
Barista Express (BES870XL)	16 settings	Thermocoil, PID	54 mm	Manual wand	1 year
Barista Pro (BES878)	30 settings	ThermoJet, PID	54 mm	Manual wand	Check listing
Barista Touch (BES880)	Built in	ThermoJet	54 mm	Automatic wand, touchscreen	Check listing
Dual Boiler (BES920XL)	None	Two boilers, PID	58 mm	Manual wand	2 years
Oracle series	Built in	Two boilers	58 mm	Automatic wand	Check listing

We confirmed the US warranty for the Bambino Plus, Barista Express and Dual Boiler. For the other models, confirm the term on the listing before you buy.

What each step up buys

Bambino to Bambino Plus. The Plus adds an automatic steam wand that sets milk temperature and foam level, and it reads the milk temperature through a sensor under the jug. If you will not learn to steam by hand, the Plus is worth it. Our Bambino Plus review covers it in detail.

Bambino Plus to Barista Express. The Express adds a 16-setting conical burr grinder and a pressure gauge. It is wider and heats slower, and the steam wand is manual. The grinder alone is worth about the price gap for someone who owns no grinder. Read our Barista Express review.

Barista Express to Barista Pro. The Barista Pro adds a ThermoJet heater that reaches temperature in about 3 seconds, 30 grind settings and an LCD with a shot timer. It switches from brewing to steam much faster. If you drink light roasts, or make two milk drinks in a row, the Pro solves the Express’s two main limits.

Barista Pro to Barista Touch. The Barista Touch adds a touchscreen with saved drinks and an automatic steam wand. You still grind, tamp and lock in the portafilter yourself. It suits a home where one person wants to learn and another just wants a latte.

Single heater to Dual Boiler. The Dual Boiler drops the grinder and adds two boilers, a heated group, adjustable pre-infusion and a 58 mm portafilter. You brew and steam at the same time. It needs a good separate grinder. See our Dual Boiler review.

The Oracle series. The Oracle machines combine dual boilers, a built-in grinder, automatic tamping and an automatic steam wand. They cost far more than the rest of the range and sit above most of our readers’ budgets.

Where Breville wins

• Learning tools. Pressure gauges, shot timers, Razor dosing tools and dual wall baskets help beginners see what is going wrong.
• Fast heat-up. ThermoJet models reach brew temperature in about 3 seconds. Italian single boiler machines often need many minutes.
• Temperature control. Most models have PID or a controlled heater, so you do not have to manage temperature by hand.
• Complete kits. The machines ship with a milk jug and a tamper, so you need little else to start.

Where Breville loses

• 54 mm baskets. Every single-heater model uses 54 mm baskets. Precision baskets and tools exist, but the choice is smaller than for 58 mm.
• Repairs. Breville machines use more electronics and Breville-specific parts. Most repairs go through Breville service, not a local shop. Italian machines such as the Gaggia Classic Evo Pro use simpler, more standard parts; see our Barista Express vs Gaggia comparison.
• Built-in grinders. The grinders inside the Express, Pro and Touch are convenient but limited. Many owners add a separate grinder after a year or two. Our espresso grinder guide covers the upgrade.
• 1-year warranty on the Barista Express. The Bambino Plus and Dual Boiler carry 2 years in the US. Check the listing for the other models.

How to choose in three questions

1. Do you own a good espresso grinder? If yes, look at the Bambino Plus or the Dual Boiler. If no, look at the Barista Express, Pro or Touch.
2. How many milk drinks do you make in a row? One or two: any model works. Three or more: the Pro switches faster, and the Dual Boiler does both at once.
3. Who will use it? If someone in the house will never learn to steam milk, choose a model with an automatic wand: the Bambino Plus or the Barista Touch.

For machines from other brands at the same prices, see our list of the best semi-automatic espresso machines.

Care across the range

Breville machines share the same care basics. Rinse the basket after each shot. Purge and wipe the steam wand at once. Run the cleaning cycle with the cleaning disc and a tablet when the manual or the machine says so. Change the water filter on time and descale by water hardness. ThermoJet and Thermocoil heaters have narrow water paths that scale blocks fast, so do not skip it. Our descaling guide gives the schedule.