In this Breville BES870XL review you will get the real answer to your question is the Breville Barista Express BES870XL worth buying or not? Breville has long been an established player in the kitchen appliances industry and for good reason.

And obviously the Breville brand did it again with their Breville Barista Express BES870XL, they manufactured one of the best semi-automatic espresso machines on the market that should really be on the top of your buying list for espresso machines. If you want to know why we are so excited about this wonderful espresso machine then continue with reading our review.

Now the Barista Express is aimed at those who are dedicated enough to learn how to use a semi-manual machine to prepare their perfect coffee.

The Design

The first thing you notice about this Barista Express is its design and to be honest it is stunningly beautiful. We are a big fan of the stainless steel look for any type of high-end appliances at home. But there is a downside to the stainless steel despite the good look. This thing is not fingerprint resistant.

The Front of the Barista Express is a little intimidating at first especially for those not used to an espresso machine. But it’s easy to learn it and once you figure out what the different buttons mean you will enjoy it

The Features

The Breville Barista BES870XL has integrated all premium features that you need for brewing your favorite espresso in your home only what is missing are the coffee beans, milk, and water which is, of course, your responsibility.

The Water Tank

The water tank is located at the back of the machine and it is removable for more convenient refilling water. Also, the water tank has a charcoal filter.

The Built-In Grinder

The built-in grinder has stainless steel burrs in the form of a cone and offers you 16 grind settings which it gives you the ability to set up the grind of the coffee to your preference whether you want your espresso to be single or double or you want another drink.

The hopper for the coffee beans is removable which allows you anytime when you want to use another type of coffee beans, you can easily empty it and to remove the coffee beans into an airtight container to keep it fresh, so you can refill it again with the type of coffee beans that you like for your next coffee drink.

Thermocoil

In order to maintain constantly the optimum temperature of the water which is one of the important factors for a perfect taste and texture of the espresso this machine has 1600 Watts thermo-coil system

Steam Wand

The professional steam wand gives you the ability to make milk foam with micro-texture to enhance the flavor of your coffee drink as well the creation of the latte arts.

The Sleep and Shut Off Mode

The other great thing about the Barista Express is if you haven’t used for one hour it will go into a sleep mode and if you press any button the machine wakes up immediately. But in case if you don’t use the machine for three hours it is going to shut itself off.

What Comes Together With This Espresso Machine

• A Manual
• Sets of 4 baskets, two pressurized for a single and double and two non-pressurized also for a single and double shot.
• A magnetic temper
• A large water reservoir
• Cleaning Kits
• A storage basket for the cleaning tools and other accessories
• The Razor precision dose trimming for filter baskets (to level out the grounds in the portafilter before you make your coffee)
• A 54-millimeter Portafilter
• A Milk Jug or frothing pitcher

Watch the Video: How to Use Breville Barista Express BES870XL 

How to Use the Barista Express BES870XL – Simple Steps

Here are the simple steps on how to prepare one nice espresso with great taste.

• First step: the first thing you need to do, of course, is to fill the hopper with coffee beans
• Second Step: after filling the hopper with your favorite coffee beans the next step is to ground the coffee beans but first you will need to adjust the grind size which you can do that on the left side of the machine and as well the grind amount
• Step Three: now simply you need to select whether you want a single or double shot of espresso and place the portafilter into the cradle of the machine to get filled with the right amount of the ground coffee for your shot
• Step Four: Take the tamper to press down on the ground coffee into the portafilter
• Step Five: place and twist the portafilter into the slot (group-head), then place your coffee cup under and press the button whether you want a single or double shot of espresso
• Step Six: now pour milk into the milk jug and set the steam wand to steam to frother the milk
• Step Seven: now when your espresso is already in your coffee cup just pour the milk into your espresso and you can enjoy your drink

If it is your first time to use a semi-automatic espresso machine you will find that is a little bit difficult to get a decent shot of espresso from this Barista Express. But after practicing a few times and understand the technique of using the machine you will see that it is pretty easy to make one beautiful espresso with excellent taste.

It is important for you to experiment with different grind size, especially with different types of coffee beans. Even if you use an incorrect grind size still you will get a decent result if you find the exact right settings for the coffee bean that you have chosen and you can make a truly great coffee with an excellent taste. Also, this machine is able to provide you with hot water which is a great thing for you if you want to make one beautiful coffee Americanos or if you are a tea lover any time you can have hot water for your favorite tea.

The Main Features and Specifications of the Breville Barista Express BES870XL

• Type: Semi-automatic espresso machine
• Color: Brushed Stainless Steel
• Water Tank with a capacity of 67 oz (about 1981.43 Milliliters)
• Bean Hopper with a capacity of 1/2 lb (about 226.796 Grams)
• Heating System: it has an integrated Thermocoil of 1600 Watts
• Power: 1600 Watts
• Voltage: 110-120 Volts
• Its dimensions are 15.8 inches height, 12.6 inches width and 13.2 inches in depth
• This Barista Express is 23 pounds (about 10.43 Kg) heavy
• Warranty: Only 1 Year limited

What You Need to Know Before Buying a Breville Barista BES870XL

Despite the fact that this is a great espresso machine, that doesn’t mean that everyone can make a perfect espresso.

You Will Need Some Skills and Experience

If you are a beginner in making espresso at your home, you will need to pass through the learning process until you learn how to use all the features and the way how to make the perfect espresso.

By using the manufacturer’s manual and some practice you will perfect the way of preparing your perfect espresso like a real barista. For those with some brewing experience, this can be a great opportunity to improve the barista skills.

Semi-Automatic or Automatic Espresso Maker

With using this is a semi-automatic machine gives you an opportunity to get control over very important things in preparing your perfect espresso such as dosing and steaming.

On this way, you will have a chance to expand your knowledge in brewing espresso. But, in case if you don’t want to have more control and to deal with some of the settings on the espresso maker, you just want to prepare your espresso, but still to enjoy a high-quality coffee, then you will need to consider some of the automatic espresso machines.

How Much is Your Budget

However, we all know that sometimes our budget dictates how much we can spend when we want something to buy. Today on the market are available different types of machines for preparing espresso beginning from machines on a budget and up to high-end models that cost hundreds and even a few thousands of dollars.

The Cleaning Process

Now the next thing you’ll need to do with the Barista Express is clean it and thankfully it’s super easy to clean. This machine has an indicator that says “clean me” and always reminds you when you should do the cleaning. The drip tray also has a pop-up indicator that says “Empty me!” and it is extremely easy to take it out and clean and as long you remember to clean out your grounds and wipe down the steaming wand after use. You shouldn’t have too many issues.

In addition, we need to mention that the water tank can be easily removed for detailed cleaning. But the great thing about this Breville Barista Express is that is coming with a set of tools for cleaning which are stored in the storage basket hidden at the bottom of this machine

The Positive

• The water tank is removable
• Programmable features
• Built-in burr coffee grinder
• Easy to maintain the cleanliness of the machine
• Sleep and Shut Off mode
• Cleaning tools

The Negative

• Beginners need some knowledge and practice
• It is not finger resistant

Final Thoughts

As you can realize from this Breville BES870XL review and our final answer to your question: it is worth to buy this Breville Barista Express BES870XL or check other models in the same class? The answer is yes and it is absolutely worth all the money. We know it is a really expensive espresso model for sure but if you can afford it the result will be a great tasting coffee that you can enjoy every second of it.

But, if this is a really expensive espresso model for you and still you want an espresso machine that will make a great espresso, we can suggest you the Nespresso Vertuo machine which is cheaper than this Barista Express and still, you will enjoy a nice espresso. Also, you can check our list of the best coffee makers at this moment.