The 5 Best Breville Espresso Machines (A Complete Guide)

Last Updated on October 3, 2021 by John Moretti

When I decided to upgrade my old espresso machine, I did a lot of research on the best brands and the different machines they offer. It makes sense to choose a brand that’s been around for a while, won awards for their appliances, and has many baristas as fans – Breville fits the bill. What are the five best Breville espresso machines?

The five best Breville espresso machines on the market are:

  1. Best All-round: Breville Barista Express
  2. Best For Beginners: Breville Cafe Roma 
  3. Best Value For Money: Breville Infuser 
  4. Best Pod Hybrid: Breville Vertuo 
  5. Top Of The Range: Breville Oracle Touch

Established in 1932 in Sydney, Australia, Breville has become an iconic brand of kitchen appliances, producing everything from juice extractors to milk frothers. Since 2001, they have produced both automatic and manually operated espresso machines and have become famous for their innovative design and cutting-edge technology. It’s tough to choose the best of the best – but here’s a quick guide to the top 5 Breville espresso machines.

The 5 Best Breville Espresso Machines: A Quick Guide

Breville has a vast range of espresso machines, all functional and user-friendly, ranging from manual, hands-on machines for true third-wave artisans to one-touch mega-machines for absolute luxury in the homebrew department. The following are the top five Breville espresso machines, based on customer ratings, comparing prices, and practical research by baristas.

MachineFeatures
Best All-round:
Breville BES870XL Barista Express
  • Semi-automatic

  • Built-in stainless steel conical burr grinder

  • 1600W thermocoil heating system

  • Manual steam wand

  • 15-bar thermoblock pump

  • Low-pressure pre-infusion 

  • Digital temperature control

  • Grind size dial

  • Single or double shot dispensing
  • Best For Beginners:
    Breville ESP8XL Café Roma 
  • Semi-automatic

  • 1600W thermocoil heating system

  • Manual steam wand
  • Best Value For Money:
    Breville BES840XL/A Infuser Espresso Machine
  • Semi-automatic

  • 1650W thermocoil heating system

  • Manual steam wand

  • 15-bar thermoblock pump

  • Low-pressure pre-infusion 

  • Digital temperature control

  • Flexible shot control

  • Maintenance alerts

  • Three-second heat-up
  • Best Pod Machine:
    Breville BNV220CRO Vertuo Coffee and Espresso Machine
  • One-touch coffee

  • Automatically adjusts brewing parameters for different capsules

  • Automatic capsule ejection and storage

  • Removable water filter
  • The Top of the Range: Breville BES990BST1BUS1 Oracle Touch Espresso Machine
  • Automatic and semi-automatic hybrid

  • Touch screen

  • Five preset coffee drinks

  • Adjustable coffee strength, milk texture, and temperature

  • Save and name custom drinks

  • One or two-shot dispensing

  • Conical burr grinder with an automatic tamper
  • What All Breville Espresso Machines Will Give You

    The base technology of all Breville espresso machines is integral to the quality of coffee they produce and includes temperature control and water pressure technology. 

    According to Breville:

    “Each Breville espresso machine uses the 4 Keys formula, optimizing each aspect from grind to extraction and micro-foam milk texture. Our espresso machines are designed to use the right dose of freshly ground beans, ensure precise temperature control, optimal water pressure, and create true micro-foam milk to deliver a harmonious blend of golden espresso and velvety-textured milk.”

    Whichever of the Breville espresso machines you choose, you are also always sure to get:

    • a one-year warranty
    • superb customer service and communication, seven days a week
    • a user-friendly interface
    • durable and easy-clean stainless steel façade and interior.

    If well-maintained, a Breville espresso machine should last you between five and ten years, if not longer, which gives you a lot of espressos. 

    The Best Breville Espresso Machine Overall: The Breville Barista Express

    Breville BES870XL Barista Express Espresso Machine, Brushed Stainless Steel
    $8.23


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    For overall best quality, popularity, and price, the best Breville espresso machine you can buy is the Barista Express. The best-selling Breville product on Amazon, the Express, is the favorite of many coffee lovers for its bean to cup ability. Although the Express is a commercial-style espresso maker producing delicious, coffee shop-quality beverages, it doesn’t come with a hefty price tag.

    What also makes the Barista Express a great buy is the fact that it grinds your coffee, makes your espresso, and steams your milk – all in one machine. It’s a hands-on espresso machine for those who want to play barista in the kitchen, but it’s also simple enough for beginners to handle.

    The Breville Barista Express has some fantastic features that send it to the top of the list:

    • Speed: From beans to coffee, this machine takes a single minute. Nobody wants to wait for their coffee in the morning.
    • Semi-automatic: The machine can be operated as an automatic but has many manual options so you can control both the time and temperature of your perfect brew.
    • Built-in, conical burr grinder: This is an all-in-one machine, including a grinder that you can adjust for preferred grind size and grind amount, so you get the finest or coarsest shot of the size you like.  You load up to half a pound of beans into the hopper, and the grinds go straight into the portafilter, so your coffee is always fresh.
    • Built-in steam wand: For those who want to explore the realms of coffee beyond the espresso, the built-in steam wand allows you to create the high-quality Breville steamed milk microfoam for cappuccinos and lattes. The steam wand also comes with a hot-water function.
    • Removable water reservoir: The machine can take 67 ounces (two liters) of water in a convenient removable tank.
    • Low-pressure pre-infusion: This characteristic Breville technique wets the coffee grounds under low pressure so that they can expand for increased flavor before extraction.
    • 15-bar extraction: The ideal pressure creates the perfect espresso every time.
    • PID temperature control: PID refers to the Proportional-Integrated-Derivative technology Breville has perfected: the 1600-watt thermocoil heating system means that the coffee remains at the optimum temperature.

    In addition, the Express comes bundled with the following accessories:

    • Razor dose trimming tool
    • 54mm stainless steel portafilter
    • One and two cup single & dual-wall filter baskets (stored in machine’s storage space)
    • Coffee scoop
    • Integrated tamper (with magnetized storage slot)
    • Stainless steel milk jug
    • Cleaning disc and tablets
    • Cleaning brush, tool, and Allen key
    • Water filter holder and water filter.

    The one downside, if any, to this machine is that there is no alert when the water reservoir empties. Although this is quite a big machine and a little noisy, the Express is a good buy and will become a lifelong fixture in your kitchen.

    The Best Breville Espresso Machine For Beginners: The Breville Café Roma

    Breville ESP8XL Cafe Roma Stainless Espresso Maker
    $165.99
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    Sometimes all you want is a machine that makes coffee, not an artisanal coffee experience. If you’re all for the simple life or a beginner barista, then the Breville Café Roma is the ideal machine.

    Appealingly clean-cut and straightforward to use, this moderately priced espresso machine gives you Breville quality and technology in a simpler package.

    The Breville Espresso Café Roma has the following features:

    • Hybrid coffee source: The Café Roma takes both coffee grounds and ESE coffee pods and can produce a single shot and double shot espresso, which suits all approaches to coffee.
    • Aluminum cup-warming plate: This is a machine that keeps the cups warm as you make the next coffee, so you and your family can all have coffee together.
    • Built-in steam wand: The milk-frothing ability takes the machine beyond a simple espresso maker. It also comes with a large stainless steel frothing pitcher.
    • Fifteen-bar extraction: The perfect espresso is produced every time, whether using grounds or pods.
    • Water reservoir: The machine can take 40 ounces (1.2 liters) of water at a time, which means plenty of espresso before refilling.
    • PID temperature control: The 1600-watt thermocoil heating system means that the coffee remains at the optimum temperature.
    • Tamping tool/measuring spoon and cleaning tool: Sturdy accessories enhance the convenience of the appliance.

    Most customer complaints around the Café Roma refer to the steam wand: because the pump is used to dispense coffee as well, you can’t steam milk at the same time. The wand can also splutter water if you’re not used to it. However, as a versatile, user-friendly machine, the Café Roma is one of Breville’s less expensive models and is a good starter machine.

    The Best Value For Money Breville Espresso Machine: The Breville Infuser

    Breville BES840XL Infuser Espresso Machine, Brushed Stainless Steel
    $68.50
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    The Breville Infuser is a superb choice for those who love gourmet coffee but are on a budget. The machine functions similarly to the excellent Breville Express, but it is not a complete all-in-one: you will have to have a separate grinder.

    The Breville Infuser has the following great features:

    • Speed: The machine heats up and is ready to brew within three seconds.
    • Semi-automatic: The machine has many manual options so you can control the time, volume, and temperature of your perfect brew.
    • Low-pressure pre-infusion: This characteristic Breville technique wets the coffee grounds for increased flavor.
    • Cleaning alert: The intelligent appliance will alert you when it needs cleaning.
    • Removable water reservoir: The machine can take 67 ounces (two liters) of water.
    • Built-in steam wand: The manual steam wand comes with a stainless steel milk frothing pitcher and a hot-water on-demand function.
    • PID temperature control: The 1600-watt thermocoil heating system means that the coffee remains at the optimum temperature.
    • Nine-bar extraction: The ideal pressure creates the perfect espresso every time.
    • Auto-sleep mode: The machine shuts off automatically after three hours.
    • Auto-purge function: This feature allows the machine to readjust the temperature every time the machine is used to keep the coffee temperature standard.

    Despite the budget price, the Infuser still comes with several accessories:

    • Razor dose trimming tool
    • Four one and two-cup single & dual wall filter baskets 
    • Coffee scoop
    • Stainless steel milk jug
    • Cleaning disc and tablets
    • Cleaning brush, tool, and Allen key
    • Water filter holder and water filter.

    For the price, some customers are frustrated by the lack of an integrated grinder, but it’s not an expensive add-on. Less bulky than the Express, this is a more compact, well-priced machine that still produces a really good quality cup of joe in much the same way as the more expensive Breville espresso machines do. 

    The Best Pod Machine: The Breville Vertuo

    Breville BNV220CRO Vertuo Coffee and Espresso Machine by Breville, normal, Chrome
    $188.49
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    With the popularity of the pod-based coffee system, Breville has collaborated with Nespresso to create the Breville Vertuo, which produces both espresso and longer coffee drinks (up to the 14 oz Alto, the exact size of a travel mug) at the press of a button. Rated the “Best Value Espresso Machine” by Good Housekeeping, Vertuo’s one-touch system will be popular with the whole family.

    If you’re keen on getting your espresso via this system, it has the following fantastic features:

    • Speed: The machine heats up and is ready to brew within 15 seconds.
    • Semi-automatic: The machine can function automatically and will adjust parameters for the capsule you choose, as well as automatically eject the used pod. However, you can adjust the temperature settings.
    • Removable water reservoir: The machine can take 40 ounces (one liter) of water. The water tank can also be repositioned, depending on where you want to place your machine.
    • PID temperature control: The 1600-watt thermocoil heating system means that the coffee remains at the optimum temperature.
    • Nine-bar extraction: The ideal pressure creates the perfect espresso every time.
    • Auto-sleep mode: The machine shuts off automatically after three hours.
    • PID temperature control: The 1600-watt thermocoil heating system means that the coffee remains at the optimum temperature.
    • Sustainability: All Nespresso pods are recyclable and can be returned to Nespresso for this purpose. And the machine itself is made from 54% recycled plastic.

    Lovers of the hands-on, artisanal coffee experience won’t be fans of this machine, although it does produce an exquisite crema and a delicious cup of coffee. The appliance comes bundled with the Aeroccino milk frother and a starter pack of capsules.

    The Top Of The Range Breville Espresso Machine: The Breville Oracle Touch

    Breville BES990BSS Oracle Touch Fully Automatic Espresso Machine, Brushed Stainless Steel
    $28.88 ($1.50 / Ounce)
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    Breville’s Oracle Touch is the top-of-the-range appliance for coffee fans who want to live the coffee dream. This appliance will delight the dedicated home barista and serious coffee aficionado, producing coffee shop quality beverages at the press of a button. 


    This Italian-inspired investment item has the following features:

    • Semi-automatic/automatic hybrid: Many of the functions are automated, and the appliance comes preset with five coffees: espresso, lungo, latte, flat white, and cappuccino. However, you can also personalize your settings, saving up to eight different custom brews (grind, brew, and milk options). 
    • Built-in, conical burr grinder: This is an all-in-one machine, including a top-of-the-line grinder that you can adjust for preferred grind size and grind amount, which will be tamped automatically.
    • Dual boilers: The machine can extract your coffee and steam your milk simultaneously, unlike other machines that use a single nozzle.
    • Removable water reservoir: The machine can take a staggering 84 ounces (two and a half liters) of water.
    • PID temperature control: The 1600-watt thermocoil heating system means that the coffee remains at the optimum temperature.
    • Fifteen-bar extraction: The perfect espresso is produced every time, using this commercial standard.

    The Oracle Touch also comes will a full complement of accessories:

    • Mini grinds bin
    • 58mm full stainless steel portafilter
    • One and two cup single wall filter baskets
    • 480ml stainless steel milk jug
    • Steam wand spare parts
    • Cleaning kit
    • Water hardness test strip
    • Water filter holder and water filter.

    The cost of the Oracle Touch is probably the greatest negative comment you’ll come across. The truth is, you can really taste the difference in the coffee it produces.

    The Oracle is like having a personal barista in your kitchen and requires as much or as little input or effort as you want to give, so it will please beginners and experts – and probably lead you down the path of coffee obsession. 

    The Final Word

    There is a Breville espresso machine for you, whether you’re a beginner, an expert barista, on a budget, or living the dream – their range of espresso machines is extensive and will not disappoint. Overall, Breville’s best-seller is the Breville Express Espresso Machine, so if you’re still undecided, you can’t go wrong with this popular workhorse.