Best Breville Espresso Machine: All 12 Compared & Reviewed

Breville is well known in the world of coffee making for making great home espresso machines. However they have a big range, so how do you know what's the best Breville espresso machine for you? 

In this guide I'll be using my 10 years of barista knowledge and personal experience with Breville coffee makers to compare their range and give my opinion on what's Breville’s best coffee machine and what ones to skip (not every machine is fantastic...).

But if you want a quick summary, below are my picks including, "the best Breville", the all-in-one option, and entry level pick. 

The Breville Dual Boiler is the machine I chose for myself when looking into the Breville range. This is because despite its price, it's actually the best valued espresso machine in the range as it has features only found in super expensive pro-sumer coffee makers like dual boilers, activity heated group head, programable pre-infusion and more.

It's the type of machine you wont really need to upgrade from and is the "end game" coffee maker for many people. It's the machine in the Breville range that I believe can make coffee just as good, if not better, than a cafe. 

If I was to recommend a good coffee machine for someone looking to get into espresso, but doesn't want to spend $1,000.00 and then also have to buy a separate grinder, the Breville Barista Express is the best option.

This is because it has everything you need to make coffee in one package, making it a great all in one option. Even though there are cheaper espresso machines in Breville's range, those ones don't come with a grinder, so if you want to have everything needed to make coffee from the get go, this machine is the one for you. 

There are also "upgraded" versions of the Barista Express in the Breville range that contain a touch screen with drink selection, auto frother, and assisted tamper. I don't think the extra price is worth it for most people - except maybe the auto-frother if you're new to coffee making. Other than that they're in essence the same machine.

I'm of the opinion that the Bambino Plus is the best entry level Breville machine as it future proofs you. Unlike the Barista Express above, it doesn't come with a grinder, but this is actually a blessing in disguise. As the grinder is more important than the coffee machine to make good espresso.

Now the Barista Express grinder is good and can make good coffee with medium to dark roasted coffee. But if you want to play around with lighter roasts it won't do a great job.

Team the Bambino up with a quality grinder from Eureka or Barrazta and you got a mean coffee set up. And if you want to upgrade later on you just need to change the machine, rather than get both a new grinder and machine.

It's also cheap, and it allows you to use both fresh coffee and pre-ground coffee with its pressurized portafilter option. It's the perfect machine to dip your toe into the world of espresso, and if you want to go all in later on with an upgrade, I think it's the better entry level choice.

Best Breville Espresso Machine

• Best: Breville Dual Boiler
• All in one: Barista Express
• Entry Level: Bambino Plus
• Automatic: Breville Oracle

Breville Espresso Machine Comparison

Below we list and compare the entire Breville range in 2023. What you will find is a lot of the Brevilles have a base model, and then an upgraded version with a touch screen or a novelty like an in built tamper or automatic milk frother - however, the core machine is the same.

So if you don't think you'll use any of the upgraded features, then stick to the base model to save some money. I've listed the machines with the base model at the start, followed by the upgraded version so you can compare the difference.

Breville Espresso Machine Reviews

We now are going to take a closer look at each of the Breville coffee machines in the table above to help you decide what machine is the best for you. I've made comments on who I think each machine is for, and what machines you should skip and are not worth the extra money.

The Dual Boiler is our top pick as it contains features you will typically only find on $3,000.00 + espresso machines. It's the ideal machine for the person who is happy to learn how to steam milk and buy a seperate grinder to learn how to make the best coffee possible. 

Dual Boilers
The main feature that sets it appart from the rest of the Breville range is that it has two boilers, once for steaming milk and one for extracting espresso. This allows you to steam milk and extract espresso at the same time. The rest of the Breville range (besides the the Oracle) cannot do this. Meaning, you have to wait 15-20 seconds for the machine to switch between the functions.

Control
The other really cool thing about having two boilers is that you can control the internal temperature of the boilers to suit the type of coffee you are making. Lighter roasted coffee does better with lower temperatures. And you can also control the pre-infusion (pre-wetting of the beans before turning on the pressure) and program it to match your coffee recipe.

No In-Built Grinder? No Problem!
Not having a in-built grinder may appear to be a negative to some people, but it's actually a blessing. Let me be honest with you, Breville's in-built grinders are okay, but not great. That’s why you will find in many reddit posts of people buying a separate grinder to their Barista Express and upgraded versions. A grinder is actually more important to making great espresso as you need to make very fine adjustments to get the perfect shot. Breville now packages this machine with its smart grinder as part of their Dynamic Duo - so you can buy a good grinder in one go.

Who's This Machine For?
It really is for the person that wants control over the entire coffee making process to get the best out of their coffee. I've written a full review of the Breville Dual Boiler here. However, if you don't want full control, and want the machine to assist you with some steps in the coffee making process, below are machines that may better suit you.

The Barista Express is the machine that made Breville a household name in the world of coffee making. It was one of the first machines that put a good grinder within the espresso machine, so you have everything you need to make good coffee in one package.

In Built Grinder
It is this grinder that sets the Breville apart from our top pick, the Dual Boiler, as you will need to buy a separate grinder for it. It has the ability to make good espresso and milk based coffee drinks. Just note you cant do milk and espresso at the same time, which is no big deal if you are only making a 2 drinks at a time at most.

The con of an inbuilt grinder is that they are not as good a independent ones, meaning you will not be able to make better tasting coffee than the Dual Boiler combined with a good grinder. But  this machine's grinder is still good enough for the person looking to get into the world of coffee making without breaking the bank. A good grinder can cost just as much as the machine in some cases. 

Manual
The one thing to note about this machine is that it is fully manual, meaning, you'll need to froth your own milk and tamp your ground coffee. If you want assistance with these functions, then consider one of Breville's upgraded models below. Please note, the machines are at core exactly the same. So you are paying extra money for the convenience. If you don't think you will benefit from the assisted features, then save some money and get the original Barista Express. Make sure to read our full review of the Barista Express.

Who's This Machine For?
This machine is perfect for the person looking to enter the world of coffee making and want to have everything needed to make good coffee in one package.

The Barista Express Impress is the newest upgrade from the Barista Express. The key difference between this machine and the original is that it has an auto-grinder with an assisted tamper mechanism (the lever on the left) and more grind steps in the grinder, 25 compared to 16. 

The benefit of this is that it further incorporates everything you need to make coffee into one system rather than have a separate tamper and tamping mat sitting beside the machine.

Skip This Machine
I may be a little biased as I'm looking at this machine through a coffee geek lens, but in my opinion, the feature of this machine is a bit of a gimmick, and I do not think it is worth the extra money. You're better off going for the original and saving some money. This is because it doesn't allow you to do proper puck prep like using a WDT tool or espresso puck screen due to its design.  

Or if you are looking for automation, go for one of the machines that automates more of the coffee making process. This machine is an awkward "no mans land" in the Breville range that's why I don't like it, as it assists with the tamping, but leaves the harder part for you to do (the milk steaming). Go for the Touch Impress or Oracle that also has an auto-milk frother as well. The Touch Impress and Oracle make sense to me as you can automate the whole process, rather than just tamping. 

The Barista Touch is quite bit different to the Express as everything is controlled through its touch screen display rather than buttons and manual use. This machine is almost like the more expensive Breville Oracle without the dual boilers and auto tamper.

Touch Screen
With this machine you use the touch screen to select the beverage you want to make, put in the portafilter and the machine will extract the exact dosage of coffee needed for the drink. 

Milk Steamer
The milk steamer is also automatic. All you need do is fill up your jug with milk, and then select the froth setting to froth, or use one of the pre-set options based upon the drink you are making. E.g. more froth for a cappuccino compared to a latte.

ThermoJet
It also uses the upgraded ThermoJet system that that makes the machine ready to brew within 3 seconds rather than 30 seconds compared to the old Thermocoil. Not much of difference in real life use, but nice to have.

Who's This Machine For?
This machine is worth considering compared to the original Barista Express if you would prefer to have everything automated for you. If you're the type of person that would benefit from this automation, then I think this machine is a good valued option.

Combines Touch and Impress Into One
The Touch Impress combines the features of the Impress and the Touch into one machine. It has all the same features as I described above with one added benefit on the steam end, it has a specific setting for alternative milks. 

Alternative Milks
When you froth oat milk and other plant based milks you want to do it at a lower temperature, and typically need to introduce more air to make microfoam. So if you enjoy oat milk then this may be a benefit. Other than that, if you don't think you'll use both features, then save some money and go for a cheaper model.

Better than the Impress, a machine that knows what it is
I like this machine better than the Impress as it makes more sense. It automates all of the coffee making process, while the Impress just does the tamping part, leaving you with learning how to froth milk, which in my opinion is harder than proper tamping. I can see this machine suited for the household where you don't want to get into the nitty-gritty of learning every aspect of the coffee making process. You just want to be guided through every coffee making process.

The Barista Pro is the "upgraded version" of the Barista Express as it allows you to program elements of the coffee making process like shot time, temperature, and pre-infusion. I actually think this is a good machine for the person who wants to make coffee manually and enjoy the benefit of an inbuilt grinder.

Good Machine If Good Price
If you can pick up the pro for a similar price to the original express, I think this is a good deal. However, the quality of the coffee the two make would not differ too much.

Differences Between Barista Express and Barista Pro
There are a few key differences, the first being that the pro has 30 grind settings compared to the original's 16, which makes the grinder a bit easier to fine tune. It also has more programmability, allowing you to easily set shot time, brew temperature. The final benefit of this machine is that it uses Breville's "ThermoJet" system compared to their older "Thermocoil" system, that apparently is 30% more efficient according to Breville.

But...The Dual Boiler Is Better For You If Looking At These Features, So It's A Skip
But if you are looking for these extra "fine tune" elements, you're better off going with the Dual Boiler. As you get all these extra program features, with the extra heat stability and power of a Dual Boiler machine with the benefit of a seperate grinder.

This is why the original Express, that is much cheaper, is the better choice in my opinion. As if you're looking to get these "pro" features, then get a machine with a seperate grinder that can make the most out of them.

Coffee pods are popular way to make coffee, however most pod machines have one disadvantage - the milk they produce with their milk frothers is poor. Breville has made a machine that solves this issue.

Nespresso and Breville
This machine is a collaboration with Nespresso. I really like this machine for the person that enjoys pod machines, but have found it hard to find a good milk frother to get quality foam. The Creatista Plus combines the convenience of pod coffee with Breville's milk steaming technology.  This machine also has a touch screen that allows you to select the type of coffee and milk froth you want to make. 

Although Breville's other machines would be able to make better coffee, you also need to take the time to learn how to use them and buy fresh beans to get the most out of it. I've written a full review of the Creatista here.

Who's This Machine For?
I like this machine as it knows exactly who its target market is, and does a good job to satisfy the needs of those users. If you like pods, and like nice forthy coffee, this is a good machine for you.

Automate Everything!
The Oracle takes the Dual Boiler and merges it with the Breville Barista Express to create a great automatic coffee machine. This machine automates the entire coffee making process: it grinds, tamps, and froths your milk.

The only action you have to do is move your portafilter from the grinder into the grouphead of the coffee maker. It also has a neat feature of allowing you to make americanos with one press as the hot water spout is located above the group head.

Dual Boiler and Programable
This machine also has all the pro-sumer features like the Dual Boiler has, including programable pre-infusion, PID temperature control, and custom shot settings. The grinder is also more advanced as it has 45 micro adjustments allowing you to further fine tune the coffee extraction. 

Who's This Machine For?
This machine is ideal for the person who wants to have very good espresso, but doesn't want the hassle of learning how to steam milk themselves. I also recommend this machine for the person looking a super-automatic espresso machines - I believe the Oracle makes much better coffee than them. To get more detailed thoughts about this machine, make sure to read my full Breville Oracle review. 

The Only Difference Is A Touch Screen!
The Oracle Touch has everything that the original has with a key extra feature - the touch screen. This touch screen, much like the Barista Touch above, allows you to select what type of beverage you want to use with the touch screen rather than manual buttons.

This takes the automation aspect of the machine one step further and guides you through the coffee making process by giving you prompts on when to move from one part of the coffee making process to the next. 

Who's This Machine For? (Probably A Skip)
In my opinion, I don't think the touch screen is worth the extra money you have to pay to get this machine, as the original Oracle already does it all. But if you think the touch screen will benefit you, or perhaps another person in your home to follow steps, then it is a feature to consider. 

Cheap and Compact
The Bambino is one of Breville's cheapest coffee machines that is great for small spaces. It uses their ThermoJet system to quickly turn to get to tempreature quickly. It's a great little machine that allows you to manually steam milk and quite honestly, when paired with a good grinder, does a great job.
 
Pressurized Portafilter
The only thing I dont like about this machine is that it uses a pressurized portafilter, which helps to create a cream even if your beans are not fresh - for example, when using pre-ground coffee.

I know the  reason why they did this, as it targets the user that is new to espresso, and may own a grinder. But if you will be grinding your coffee fresh, then I would skip this machine and get the Plus instead as it comes with a normal portafilter.

Who's This Machine For?
It's for the person that wants a small coffee maker and will be using pre-ground coffee and will be drinking espresso or milk drinks (there is no hot water). If you have a seperate grinder, skip this one, and get the Plus or Du-Temp below.

Bigger, But Still Small
The Plus is the bigger version of the Bambino (but still small). It has a larger water tank, a pressurized and non-pressurized portafilter, and an assisted steam wand. I think the bigger size of the Plus makes it a more practical machine with its larger water tank, meaning you don't need to refill it as much.

Assisted Steam Wand
The first difference compared to the original is that it has an assisted steam wand. Since the Bambino is targeted towards entry level baristas, this assisted steam wand is nice to have as it can froth up your milk if you have trouble with steaming milk. But once you learn to do it yourself, it allows you to take the reins.

Who's This Machine For?
This machine is a perfect entry level machine for the person who wants to have a small coffee machine, with a separate grinder, but also have the option of using pre-ground beans if they want. It's also great for the person who wants help with steaming milk.

Express With No Grinder
The Infuser is basically the Breville Barista Express without the inbuilt grinder and volumetric controls. It allows you to switch from making espresso to steaming milk seperately. It can also pour hot water directly from its hot water spout for Americanos.

Bambino Plus vs Infuser?
The Bambino Plus is very similar to this machine. There are two key differences between them for you to decide from one to the other.

The first is the manual vs assisted steam wand. If you don't want an assisted steam wand, then get the Infuser. The Infuser also does not have a Pressurized portafilter, meaning it is designed to be used with fresh ground coffee and you need a grinder. If you want to use pre-ground coffee, then consider the Bambino. The final factor is design, which is up to your personal taste. 

Who's This Machine For?
This machine is a good fit for a person looking at the Barista Express but doesn't like the inbuilt grinder or already has their own grinder to use. It offers similar features and performance to the Express, at a much lower price. I think this a great option for people who prefer the design to the Bambino and want a hot water spout. I've written a full review of the Infuser here.

What Are Main Differences Between Breville Coffee Machines?

By now you should have an idea of what are the key differences between the different types of Breville coffee machines. In summary, the main features that vary across their range are:

• In built grinder
• Heating element
• Automation 

In Built Grinder or No?

The first decision you need to make is if you want a machine with a grind and brew coffee machine with an inbuilt grinder. The benefit of inbuilt grinders are that you save bench space and don't need to buy a separate grinder. You just need to make one purchase and you are set to go.

I think in built options like the Barista Express are a great option for the casual coffee lover or people who are limited in space. But if you think you are going to go deeper into the world of espresso, then I recommend getting one without an inbuilt grinders as you will get better performance from an independent grinder.

Heating Element

The next option you need to decide is what type of heating element you want. Breville has three to choose from: ThermoCoil, ThermoJet, and Dual Boiler. The difference is really how fast the machine gets to temperature and coffee making performance.

ThermoCoil machines tend to be ready to brew coffee in 30-60seconds, ThermoJet Machines get to temperature within 3-10 seconds, and Dual Boiler machines within 5 minutes.

In my opinion, there is not that much performance difference between ThermoCoil and ThremoJet, 30 seconds to a minute is not long to wait after all.

But don’t be put off by the longer wait time of the Dual Boiler, as with longer wait times comes more POWER, especially in turns of steam performance. The Dual Boiler is the only heating element out of the three that allows you to have INSTANT and much stronger steaming power. Both the ThermoCoil and ThermoJet will require you to wait at least 20-30 seconds to change functions from brew to steam, and make steamed milk in a slower time frame.

Automation

The final decision you need to make is how much automation and assistance you want with the coffee making process. The great thing about Breville is they have a machine that will suite any type of person. If you want full control, grab the Dual Boiler, if you want the machine to do everything, get the Oracle, and if you want a happy medium, consider one of the Barista Express variants.

Which Breville Espresso Machine Should I Buy?

Now that we've come to the end of our reviews and comparisons, you should have an idea on what Breville espresso machine you should buy. In summary, we like the following machines for particular uses types the best:

• Best overall: Breville Dual Boiler
• All in one with in-built grinder: Barista Express
• Entry level with compact design: Bambino Plus
• Pod coffee lovers: Creatista Plus
• Automate the whole coffee making process: Breville Oracle

Frequently Asked Questions When Buying a Breville Machine

Below are some common questions below have asked me about Breville espresso machines when looking to buy one. If you have any other questions, feel free to leave a comment and I'll get back to you. 

Which Breville machine is best for money?

The Dual Boiler is the best value Breville machine. This is because despite its price, it has the has features you will typically have to spend $3000+ to get on pro-sumer machines.

Is the Breville espresso maker worth it?

Yes, Breville machines are worth it. You just need to make sure you get the machine that matches what you need. If you are looking for a machine to automate more of the process for you, consider a Touch or Oracle. If you want a more hands on experience, get the Dual Boiler, Infuser, or Bambino.

Are Breville's In-Built Grinders Good? 

Breville’s grinders to a fine job with medium to darker roasted coffees. However, they're not as good when it comes to lighter roasted coffee as you need more control when grinding these as they're more temperamental beans. But for the person looking for an all-in-one option, and wants to enjoy classic cafe coffee, they do the job well. If you want to drink lighter roasts, or think your Breville will be a “stepping stone” machine, then you’re better off getting a Breville machine without a grinder built in.

In Conclusion...

The best Breville is the Dual Boiler below, if you want an entry level machine, grab the Bambino Plus, and if you want one with a grinder in built go with the original Barista Express unless you think you will benefit from the extra automations from the Touch. For those that want the full automation experience, grab the Oracle.