Breville Barista Pro Review: Why I Love This Espresso Machine

With the Breville Barista Pro, you don’t need to be a pro to make espresso at home!

The Breville Barista Pro espresso machine was launched in 2019 as a more advanced, and more expensive, alternative to the longtime best-seller, the Breville Barista Express. 

I’ve been recommending the Barista Express for years, so of course, I was curious to see how this upgraded version compared. What is new and improved? Do the new features warrant the additional cost?

Overall, I was impressed. The Barista Pro is a clear step up in the home coffee experience. Is it the right step for you? Read my in-depth review to find out.

The Full Breville Barista Pro Espresso Machine Review

The Breville Barista Pro was awarded Best New Consumer Electrical Product at the Specialty Coffee Expo in 2019, so I’m not alone in singing its praises (1). I think this is one of the top home espresso machines for specialty coffee lovers who aren’t ready to go all the way down the prosumer wormhole. Let me tell you why.

How I Rated It

• Brewing Capacity
• Coffee Quality
• Ease of Use
• Milk Frothing
• Build Quality

4.2

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The Breville Barista Pro In A Nutshell

The Barista Pro can be best described as an upgrade to the popular Barista Express, a longtime favorite of home espresso enthusiasts. It looks similar, and like the Express, it’s an automatic espresso machine with an integrated burr grinder and steam wand for frothing milk. But once you get into the details and peek under the hood, you’ll find that the Pro is a whole other beast – definitely worthy of its “Pro” moniker.

Is the Breville Barista Pro better than the Express?

This is the question I get most often regarding the Barista Pro, and the answer is yes. Objectively, it’s a better espresso machine. It’s nicer to use and capable of producing better espresso drinks. However, that doesn’t guarantee it’s the better latte machine to meet your needs. I’ll make a point throughout this review of highlighting where the two models differ to help you decide.

First Things First, The Brewing System

The Breville Barista Pro has a built-in grinder equipped with conical steel burrs and fed from a plastic hopper, which holds a half-pound of coffee beans. It has an impressive 30 grind settings, a nice upgrade from the 18 of the Express. While this might not seem hugely important, true espresso lovers know the importance of dialing in the ideal grind size. There is nothing worse than feeling like the perfect espresso shot is “stuck” between two grind settings.

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ThermoJet Heating: I’m A Fan

The Barista Pro’s heating element is an even more impressive update. The new ThermoJet heating system is ready to roll in just 3 seconds! It uses a PID controller to maintain a default brewing temperature of 200 ℉, and it does so with remarkable precision – a must for pulling the best shots (2). 

I found the default temperature was perfect for the common espresso roast levels of medium and dark. But I am pleased to report you can easily adjust the brew temperature as needed (3). 

There are five settings – two warmer than 200 ℉ and two cooler –  and I’d suggest cooler temperatures for darker roasts and warmer for light roasts. I’d love to be able to set a precise temperature, rather than the generic “warmer” and “cooler,” but having any control is a nice perk at this price point.

Note: To take advantage of the stable brew temperature, ensure the portafilter is also pre-heated. Either let the machine warm up for ten to 15 minutes with the portafilter locked in place or, for a faster alternative, pull a shot without coffee to warm the portafilter with hot water.

Pre-Infusion

The Breville Barista Pro features an automatic pre-infusion stage, which – to my considerable joy – is user-adjustable (4). It seems to run about 6 seconds by default, but you can set it between 1 and 10 seconds. There is no over-pressure valve to adjust brew pressure on this machine, but I wouldn’t necessarily expect that at this price or for this target audience.

Using The Barista Pro

The Breville Barista Pro shines in the ease of use category, like most Breville espresso machines. The LCD display is a major upgrade from the button interface of the Barista Express.

Settings are adjusted using a single knob that is also a push button. You can adjust the grind size and dose, the espresso extraction volume, and the brew temperature. You can also access additional features like cleaning cycles. Cute animations on the screen make it intuitive and – dare I say – fun to use.

The Barista Pro is a volumetric automatic espresso machine.

• Automatic means that pulling a shot is as simple as pressing a button, once you have programmed your preferred single and double shot volumes. You don’t need to worry about shot timing as with a semi-automatic espresso machine – though you can run it manually if you prefer.
• Volumetric means that you program your desired shot volume rather than the extraction time. The extraction volume is measured by a flow meter inside the grouphead, which is way more consistent than a timer. The default settings are a 30 mL single shot and 60 mL double shot, but you can easily reprogram to your preference. I favor a double shot and a lungo.

Once programmed, pulling a shot is as easy as dosing the coffee grounds into your portafilter, tamping it, inserting it in the brew group, and pressing the 1 cup or 2 cup button to start the shot.

Most Breville espresso machines, with the exception of the Dual Boiler, use 54 mm portafilters rather than the commercial standard 58 mm. While Breville claims you can still pack in a double-shot dose of 18 to 22 grams, I haven’t found that to be the case. Between 16 and 18 grams is more realistic.

Easy Automated Cleaning Cycles

The Breville Barista Pro alerts you when cleaning is required, and then it’s just a matter of starting the appropriate cleaning cycle.

There are two different cleaning cycles pre-programmed on the Barista Pro, a backflush and a descale. A backflush alert occurs after every 200 espresso shots. It should be done using a cleaning solution or tablet (two of which are included), and it takes about 5 minutes to complete.

Descaling is required only when the Barista Pro detects sufficient build-up of limescale. If you install the included water filter or use another source of filtered water, you may be able to go years without a descale. Again, the cycle takes about 5 minutes.

There is little day-to-day cleaning and maintenance required, but that little goes a long way. After use, empty the drip tray and rinse off any drips of coffee or milk froth. The manual steam wand purges automatically with hot steam but make sure you wipe the exterior with a soft rag after use. I’d also advise wiping down the shower screen every day or two, as this is an easy spot for coffee oils to build up.

The water tank has a 67-ounce capacity, so most users won’t need to refill it on a daily basis. Unlike the Barista Express, the Pro is equipped with a low water level sensor, so you never have to worry about it running dry. Breville Barista Pro; indeed, it is on par with many more expensive prosumer models.

Does The Barista Pro Make “Pro” Level Espresso?

The quality of espresso you get from the Barista Pro depends somewhat on the barista skills of the user, but assuming you’ve mastered puck prep, Breville sets you up with the tools you need to craft a top-notch brew. In particular, the PID temperature control and pre-infusion help create consistent and perfectly extracted shots.

The former came out bright and complex without being overly acidic or (worse) thin and watery – a common problem with light roasts in cheaper machines. The latter were robust and sweet.

In my mind, two factors separate this machine from a commercial model helmed by a professional barista. First, the stepped grind adjustment means that it will be hard to perfectly dial in some coffees. Second, the relatively small filter baskets cap your dose around 18 grams, whereas some coffee shops use up to 22 grams for a double shot. 

Can you make regular coffee with Breville Barista Pro?

No, you can’t make regular coffee with the Barista Pro. It only brews using high pressure, which is the key distinction between espresso and coffee. However, it does have a convenient nozzle for hot water, so it’s easy to craft an Americano as an alternative to drip coffee.

I found this hot water spout even more useful than I expected. Not only is it great for making an Americano, but thanks to the 3-second heat-up time, it’s just the fastest way to get hot water in my kitchen. I default to it for tea, hot chocolate, instant soup, and quick oatmeal.

The Milk System: Crafting Lattes And Cappuccinos

I have used and reviewed many Breville models, and milk frothing is always a category where they excel, especially compared with other appliance-grade espresso machines. There isn’t a DeLonghi that can match the steam power of the Breville Barista Pro. In fact, I think it’s on par with many more expensive prosumer models.

The impressive steam power of the Barista Pro is facilitated by the ThermoJet heating system, which quickly heats to 266 °F. Paired with a manual steam wand with a four-hole tip (compared with a one-hole tip on the Barista Express), this translates to tons of steam power. I could quickly and easily make microfoam milk for latte art or airy froth for a cappuccino (5).

Steam power isn’t the only advantage of the ThermoJet heater. Fast heating also means less waiting between pulling shots and steaming milk. It feels almost akin to using a dual boiler, but at a much lower cost.

Built To Last, But Don’t Expect Prosumer Quality

Breville is known for prioritizing features over build quality. This is not a criticism; it is just a matter of knowing your priorities. You can get a longer-lasting machine around this same price point – for example, the Rancilio Silvia – but it won’t be as enjoyable or intuitive to use. 

The quality of the Breville Barista Pro is still good. It’s mostly made of stainless steel, and none of its plastic parts come in contact with hot brewing water. It’s certainly a step up from cheaper home espresso machines. But it doesn’t offer the same commercial-grade components you’ll find in a prosumer espresso machine at a similar price.

The Breville Barista Pro is quite compact, measuring 13.9 in x 16.1 in x 16 in, and it is an undeniably beautiful model. It looks the part of a more advanced Barista Express, with angular lines and an overall more futuristic aesthetic. It’s available in a huge selection of colors, including familiar favorites like brushed stainless steel, black, and white, and more fun alternatives like damson blue, royal champagne, and red velvet cake.

Is The Breville Barista Pro Worth It?

The Breville Barista Pro retails for $850, which I realize is expensive. But in this case, I think the value is excellent. Remember, you’re getting a burr grinder and coffee machine in one. When I think of more affordable alternatives, none match the trifecta of user-friendliness, drink quality, and build quality offered by the Barista Pro. 

Notably, the Barista Pro comes well-equipped with accessories, so you don’t need to budget for extras. You get a 16-ounce stainless steel milk jug, a metal tamper (that cleverly affixes to the machine with a magnet), the Razor precision dose trimming tool, a water filter, and a cleaning kit. There is a convenient storage area hidden behind the drip tray to keep many of these items, great for those of us who hate coffee bar clutter.

The Barista Pro also comes with a 54 mm portafilter and four different filter baskets – pressurized and non-pressurized options for both single and double shots.

All Breville machines are backed by a one-year warranty and the brand’s excellent customer service. With appropriate care, a realistic lifespan for a Breville espresso machine is 5 to 7 years, though there are plenty of examples of longer-lasting models.

Here’s a table comparing the Barista Pro with some other top espresso machines to help guide your decision:ing the right machine is to compare it to other similar ones. We created a comparison table just for that:

	Reviewed item
Manufacturer	Gaggia	Jura	Breville	DeLonghi	Philips
Model	Anima Prestige	E8	Barista Pro	Magnifica ESAM3300	EP4347/94
Product category	Super Automatic Espresso Machine	Super Automatic Espresso Machine	Super Automatic Espresso Machine	Super Automatic Espresso Machine	Super Automatic Espresso Machine
Housing material	Plastic	Plastic	Metal and Plastic	Stainless Steel	Plastic
Color options	Stainless Steel	Chrome, Piano Black, Piano White	Black Stainless Steel, Black Truffle, Brushed Stainless Steel, Damson Blue, Oyster Shell, Royal Champagne, Sea Salt, Smoked Hickory	Stainless Steel	Black
User interface	LCD Display	TFT color display	Backlit digital display	Rotary control and buttons	Color Touch Display
Bean hopper capacity	8.8 oz	10 oz	8.1 oz	8.8 oz	10 oz
Grinder	Ceramic flat burr grinder	Stainless steel conical burr grinder	Stainless steel conical burr grinder	Stainless steel conical burr grinder	Ceramic burr grinder
Grind Adjustment Levels	5	6	30	13	12
Pump Pressure	15 bar	15 bar	15 bar	15 bar	15 bar
Boiler design	Thermoblock	No	Thermoblock	Thermoblock	Thermoblock
Warm up time	45s	Yes	20s	45s	1:26
Water tank size	60 fl oz	64.2 fl oz	67.6 fl oz	60.9 fl oz	60 fl oz
Milk frothing system	Integrated milk carafe	Cappuccinatore	Steam wand	Steam wand	LatteGo
Number of cups	7	8	8	7	7
Brews with	Coffee beans and pre-ground coffee	Ground coffee	Coffee beans	Coffee beans and pre-ground coffee	Coffee beans
Specialty drinks	6	17	2	1	8
Hot Water Function	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Coffee Temperature Adjustments	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Programmable	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Dimensions	13.4 x 8.7 x 17.0 inches	13.8 x 11.0 x 17.6 in	16.0 x 13.9 x 13.5 inches	14.4 x 11.0 x 15.3 inches	9.5 x 17.7 x 14.5 inches
Customer review	4/5	5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5
Warranty	1 year	2 years	2 years	2 years	2 years
Price	No products found.	$2099.00	$849.95	No products found.	$999.00
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Don’t Buy the Breville Barista Pro If…

• You want automatic milk frothing: If manually preparing perfectly steamed milk every morning sounds like a lot to ask of a home barista, you’re in luck because many Breville models feature excellent automatic milk frothing. Check out the Barista Touch, which also sports a beautiful touchscreen display. 

• Milky drinks aren’t a priority: One of the major upgrades in the Barista Pro is the milk steaming system. If you rarely enjoy a latte or cappuccino, I think you will find better value in the Breville Barista Express. This popular model – or its sister version, the award-winning Barista Express Impress – has been a top seller for years thanks to its excellent balance of features and price (6).

• You don’t need an integrated grinder: If you already have a coffee grinder or simply prefer using pre ground coffee in a pressurized portafilter, you can save a lot of money. I’m a huge fan of the Breville Bambino Plus, which keeps the ThermoJet heating system and adds automatic milk frothing.

The Verdict

Breville the Barista Pro espresso machine is for you if you want the features demanded by serious home baristas – PID, pre-infusion, ample steam power – coupled with the ease of use and beautiful design that Breville is known for. 

The Barista Pro is priced a bit higher than other appliance-grade models, but I think it’s a cost worth paying if you want coffee shop quality espresso without the learning curve.

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