Coffee is not just any other drink; it is an emotion. It is very much a part of the daily routine of millions of individuals. Therefore, it becomes all the more important to have the perfect cup of coffee each time. Making espresso shots might sound easy but it requires skill to make the perfect shot. The Breville Espresso machine has it covered for you all. There are two popular espresso machines that Breville offers, and here, we are going to compare the two and find the perfect fit as per your need!
This comparison will be between Breville Barista Express (Breville BES870XL Barista Express Espresso Machine, Brushed Stainless Steel) and Breville Barista Pro (Breville BES878BSS Barista Pro Espresso Machine, Brushed Stainless Steel.
Both these coffee machines are of world-class quality. They offer the best features to the customer and the best espresso shot one could ask for. The features that both these espresso machines offer are not very different from each other, however, there are small differences between the two that distinguish them from one another.
Moreover, the technology used in both these machines is slightly different which will be discussed in detail below. Both these espresso machines are introduced by the brand Breville. It is an Australian brand, originated in Sydney and is known for its thoughtful design and innovation. It claims to empower people’s potential to do things more innovatively than their imagination.
Material Of The Espresso Machines
Now diving into the comparison between the two, we will start with the material these coffee machines are made up of.
The Barista Express is built using stainless steel while the Barista Pro also utilizes stainless steel.
The Barista Express and the Barista Pro are both extremely resistant to rusting and normal wear and tear with usage. These espresso machines will last you for years to come.
Both these espresso machines come from the Barista series which offers an all-in-one espresso machine that includes an integrated grinder through which beans are turned into an espresso shot within a minute.
Design And Appearance
The appearance of both these machines is more or less the same. However, the one major difference between the two is that Barista Express has a manual system to measure the temperature and it indicates the optimal temperature using the “espresso range” label.
On the other hand, Barista Pro has a digital display screen to measure the temperature. Using this LCD screen, one can adjust the grinding speed, size of the espresso shot, and other settings easily. This is a huge advantage over Barista Express.
The Breville Express Machine is 16×13.5×12.5 inches. Whereas, the Breville Pro has a size of 13.77*16.14*16.14 inches.
The Barista Express machine has a dial attached to it that shows if hot water is being pushed through the coffee grounds within the pressure range. This pressure gauge does not exist in the Barista Pro. Even though this gauge is missing, Barista Pro displays the extraction time on the LCD. This helps in tracking the process of brewing with much more precision.
Affordability
Moving on to the cost of both these machines, which plays a major role in deciding the perfect fit for our kitchen. Barista Express is much more affordable as compared to Barista Pro.
It starts from around $485 while Barista Pro is on the expensive side whose starting price is around $800. Therefore, the best option is to decide on a budget before shortlisting the options as the cost of these machines might be a deal-breaker for many.
The features of both these machines are more or less the same. However, the reason behind such a huge price difference is the technology used in Barista Pro. As mentioned above, it has an LCD display to measure and control the temperature. With better appearance and technology, the cost of these products is bound to increase.
Amazon Price History of Barista Express and Barista Pro
Therefore, if you are looking for something more affordable and wallet-friendly, Barista Express is the pick for you but Barista Pro is the perfect buy for you if you are looking for something stylish and innovative.
Brewing
Both the Barista Pro and Barista Express are single boiler coffee machines. This means that they cannot brew and steam at the same time.
It should be noted that Barista Pro comes with a manual milk wand. The LCD display helps the person to manage the grind size and speed. This helps you assess how much milk you want to steam before the brewing process starts.
Similarly, Barista Express comes with a milk wand which helps to froth milk and to per the desired temperature. With the help of this froth, one can also experience a latte at home. There is not much difference between the wands that come with both these espresso machines.
Barista Pro has a thermojet heating system that helps reach the desired temperature within 3 seconds. This thermojet system is not available in the Barista Express machine and, therefore, it takes the Express machine merely 30 seconds to reach the desired temperature.
This thermojet heating system is helpful during the steaming process as it improves its performance and makes it more efficient. With the heating time of 3 seconds, it helps significantly during times where multiple cups of coffee are to be prepared.
However, the disadvantage that comes with this heating system is that it is not used to preheat the cup tray. Apart from this, the group head as well needs to be flushed once or twice before pulling the first espresso shot.
Even though the features of both these machines are largely the same, Barista Pro offers a wider range for grinder settings. While the Barista Pro has a 30 steps process for espresso grind settings, Barista Express has 18 steps.
For a perfect cup of brewed coffee, it is very important that you get the optimal size of the grind.
Additionally, Barista Pro also comes with a grind pause function where you can pause the grinding process to distribute the coffee in a portafilter and they can resume the process thereafter.
Steaming
The thermojet system in Barista Pro has also improved the steaming process in the espresso machine. It has a four-hole steam wand that makes it all the more efficient by speeding up the process by 25%.
The Barista Express, on the other hand, comes with a one-hole steam wand.
Capacity
The water reservoir in Barista Express can hold around 67 ounces of water, which is a lot. It will allow you to brew a huge number of espresso shots before refilling.
The water reservoir in Barista Pro has a similar capacity to that of Barista Express and holds around 64 ounces of water. Even this facilitates the brewing of many espresso shots in one refill only.
Accessibility
Even though Barista Express has manual settings that can easily be adjusted by people of any age group, it still requires patience and a little more effort.
The chassis and the portafilter in the Barista Express are made of stainless steel, which adds more to the quality of the coffee machine. There are three buttons apart from the large circular dial on the front of the coffee machine. These buttons include one for the power, one to manage the programming and the other is for adjusting the size of the filter.
It also has a detachable tamper that helps to adjust the temperature according to the pressure at which the user might be willing to compress the espresso grounds.
Barista Pro was introduced after Barista Express and it comes with better technology and has a LED screen to adjust the settings of the espresso machine. It offers nearly 30 different grinding settings with a number of other adjustments that make it easy for the user to determine their preference and adjust the settings accordingly.
It consists of a tamper that is attached to the side of the grinder. A leveling tool is also attached to the machine which is called a proprietary razor.
As far as the cleaning of the machine is concerned, it has a 3-way solenoid valve, which makes it convenient for the user to clean the machine.
Additional Accessories
The Barista Pro Espresso comes with the following accessories:
1. Single and Dual Wall Filter Baskets
2. Razor Precision Dose Trimming Tool
3. Stainless Steel Milk Jug
4. Cleaning Kit
5. Water Filter
The Barista Express Espresso Machines comes with the following accessories:
1. Razor Dose Trimming Tool
2. Stainless Steel Portafilter
3. Single and Dual Wall Filter Baskets
4. Coffee Scoop
5. Integrated Tamper
6. Stainless Steel Milk Jug
7. Cleaning Disc
8. Tablets
9. Brush Tool
10. Allen Key
11. Water Filler
12. Water Holder
The Barista Express comes with a warranty period of 1 year, Barista Pro has a warranty period of 2 years.
Which Barista Espresso Machine Should You Buy? Full breakdown on the better Espresso Machine.
If you are looking for an innovative, technology-oriented espresso machine and are comfortable with a slightly expensive machine, then you should pick Barista Pro. It is also helpful if you want to brew the perfect amount of coffee beans each time.
This is because the LCD display lets you measure the desired amount of coffee beans that you require according to your own taste.
With the thermojet heating system, you can also reach the optimal temperature in just 3 seconds, thus saving you a lot of time.
For those coffee enthusiasts who cannot kick start their day without a quick shot of espresso, Barista Pro is the one for you to have that perfectly balanced espresso shot each time. You will save time and get to your morning shot of espresso just a little bit quicker.
If, however, you are looking for a more affordable option, Barista Express should be your first preference between the two.
Both these machines have essentially the same features except for the LCD display. The Express machine uses a gauge system to measure and control the temperature which gives it a more simplistic and natural look than Barista Pro.
The buttons are not difficult to deal with and can be handled by people of any age group without any complications.
The Barista Express machine does not have a thermojet heating system. However, thermocoil espresso makers can still make a great shot of espresso.
Barista Pro definitely gives much better control over the cup of coffee that you prepare because of the detailed setting adjustment. The improved grinding settings, reduced time, and all the other features that Barista Pro has to offer to give it an edge over the Barista Express.
Even when it comes to the color of the coffee machines, Barista Pro is a better choice as it has a matte finish which is preferred in kitchens so that minimal fingerprints are seen on the surface.
While on the other hand, Barista Express has a glossy finish which makes the fingerprints highlight more. Now, if you are truly inclined towards purchasing Barista Pro but are only reluctant to make that move because of the high price, you can always wait for the sale period. The machine does go on sale often and you can snag a good deal getting the best of both worlds.
Conflusion
We have made a thorough analysis of the two machines. Depending on the factors you consider while purchasing a coffee machine, you can very easily decide on the espresso machine which is suitable for you. I hope you enjoy your new coffee maker.
If you found this article helpful, use my link because I get a small commission if you purchase an espresso maker from Amazon at no extra charge to you. Please click either of these links to purchase the coffee makers on Amazon. Thank you.
