bREVILLE INFUSER REVIEW: AN ESPRESSO MACHINE FOR EVERYONE

Read my Breville Infuser review to see why I think this machine is for everyone.

Visiting the café daily for a good espresso is exhausting and expensive. But so is dropping thousands of dollars on a fancy new espresso machine. What’s a budget-conscious espresso lover to do?

The Breville BES840XL Infuser was made for aspiring home baristas like you!

I’ve spent several weeks getting to know the ins and outs of this machine, and I can honestly say it’s one of my favorites in its price range. The Infuser is a high-powered tool with the features required to make cafe-quality espresso at home.

The Full Breville The Infuser Review

Breville is one of the most popular brands of home espresso machines thanks to their combination of form and function, packing advanced brewing technology into friendly designs (1). 

The Breville Infuser falls in the middle of the product line. It has enough features to please serious coffee nerds but with no unnecessary bells and whistles to up the price. That’s why it tops my list of top-rated espresso machines.

How We Rated It

• Aesthetic Appeal
• Ease Of Use
• Brew Control Ability
• Coffee Flavor
• Value for Money

4.2

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Modern Aesthetic Appeal

This machine is as beautiful as it is efficient, with durable stainless steel casing and components, smooth edges, and clean lines. It’s not available in quite as many colors as Breville’s most popular models, but you can choose between classic brushed stainless steel or a sleek “black sesame.” 

It’s compact, measuring 12.3″ x 10.1″ x 13.1″. It easily slotted under my upper cupboards, though I did have to slide it in and out to refill the 61-ounce water reservoir.

Is The Breville Infuser Easy To Use?

The Breville Infuser has many nice details that make it easy to use, including a magnetically attached stainless steel tamper, a dedicated hot water spout for tea or Americanos, and an ultra-fast heat-up time. But this isn’t a super-automatic espresso machine, so expect a bit of a learning curve.

Here is the workflow I’ve been using:

1. Turn the machine on and let it heat up.
2. Grind 16 grams of coffee to a fine grind with a burr grinder. I’ve been using the Baratza Sette 270 at settings 8 to 12, depending on the beans.
3. Add the ground coffee to the portafilter and distribute it evenly. 
4. Tamp the coffee in the portafilter with roughly 30 lbs of pressure.
5. Slot the portafilter in the machine and place a preheated cup below.
6. Press the button for a double shot and await your perfect espresso!

Volumetric Controls

The Infuser is an automatic espresso machine. You can program pre-set volumes for single or double shots – or a custom size. I rarely want a single shot, so I programmed mine for a double and a lungo. A built-in flowmeter automatically stops the shot when the set volume of water has passed through the group. So the brewing process is as easy as pressing a button. 

You can also pull shots in manual mode if you prefer to be more hands-on, turning it into a semi-automatic espresso machine.

No Display Screen

The Infuser lacks a display screen and is instead operated with four buttons. The main operations are simple. Press a button to start a shot or turn on the steam wand, for example. 

More advanced procedures like adjusting the pre-infusion time or starting a cleaning cycle require a more complicated series of double-button presses and holds. If you’ve used a Breville before, you know what I mean. It’s relatively straightforward, but I always keep the manual handy for reference.

A Note On Filter Baskets

I love that this machine has both pressurized and non-pressurized single and double filter baskets. If you’re new to espresso or don’t have a good coffee grinder, the pressurized baskets allow you to pull a decent espresso shot using pre-ground coffee. But once you’re more experienced, the non-pressurized basket lets you aim for true espresso perfection. This machine grows with you as your barista skills improve!

Cleaning and Maintenance Are A Breeze

The Infuser has alerts to let you know when the water tank is low, the group head needs flushing, or a descale is required. Though you should rarely need to descale if you use the included water filter. Better yet, the cleaning cycle is fully automated, and a year’s supply of cleaning tablets is included.

The Breville Infuser’s Features Set It Apart!

I didn’t expect to say this for any machine under $1000, but the Infuser gives you all the control over your espresso you need to craft exceptional shots. 

Low-Pressure Pre-Infusion

Let’s start with the selling point that gives this coffee machine its name, the pre-infusion. Beloved by espresso beginners and experts alike, this low-pressure wetting of the puck before extraction saturates and settles the grounds. It compensates for errors in puck prep and ensures a more flavorful extraction.

Adjustable PID Temperature Control

The adjustable PID temperature control is even more impressive at this price. I usually only encounter this option on higher end espresso machines.

Specialty coffee lovers know that different beans extract best at different brew temperatures. This is a key feature to tweak when optimizing your brew (2). 

You can adjust the temperature in 4-degree increments between 196 and 204 F – the ideal coffee making range, according to the Specialty Coffee Association. A modern PID also guarantees better temperature stability and accuracy versus older pressurestats (3).

I monitored the water temperature using a thermocouple while testing this machine and was impressed to find it was consistently within a degree F of its set point.

Brew Pressure Gauge

The pressure gauge is another feature distinguishing the Infuser from lower-cost models in the Breville line-up. Monitoring extraction pressure as your shot progresses advances your barista skills and lets you infer the quality of your puck prep. Essentially, the pressure gauge needle lets you know what’s happening inside the portafilter in real-time.

Milk Frothing

The Breville Infuser is equipped with a manual steam wand, and a knob on the side of the machine controls steam pressure. This is already an upgrade from the cheaper models with just an on/off for steam. 

The powerful 1650-Watt thermoblock heating system produces enough steam pressure to achieve proper silky microfoam for a latte. Nearly any low-end machine can make decent airy milk froth, but if you want to learn latte art, this is your chance!

Make sure you purge the steam wand before and after each use and wipe the exterior with a damp cloth to avoid any nasty burnt milk build-up.

Does The Breville Infuser Make Good Espresso?

This machine is capable of making great espresso and milk-based drinks, thanks to features like PID-controlled brew temperature, a 15-bar pump, pre-infusion, non-pressurized filter baskets, and ample steam pressure.

I was thrilled with the drinks I made with the Breville Infuser; it exceeded my expectations. Once I had dialed in the variables, the shots were sweet, smooth, and robustly flavorful. Each shot was capped by a pronounced crema layer and had a wonderfully dense mouthfeel.

Adjusting the brew temperature allows you to brew any coffee beans, including light roasts – always tricky with cheaper machines. I enjoyed some lovely and complex light roast espresso with this machine simply by increasing the temperature, grinding a little finer, and lengthening the pre-infusion time to avoid the sour flavors of under-extraction.

Small Diameter Portafilter

Most home espresso machines, Brevilles included, use filter baskets that are smaller than the commercial standard 58 mm. The Infuser uses 54 mm. While Breville claims that you can still achieve a coffee dose up to 22 g, in my experience, a 16 g double shot is a more realistic expectation.

Should You Buy The Breville Infuser?

The Breville Infuser costs around $600, though like all the best Breville espresso machines, you can often find it on sale. This ranks it among the brand’s cheaper models, an incredible value if you ask me. It’s only $100 more than the next model down, the Duo Temp Pro, which lacks a programmable PID, pressure gauge, and volumetric controls.

The value is increased by an incredible assortment of accessories. The Infuser comes with the aforementioned filter baskets and tamper, a stainless steel milk jug, the razor dose trimming tool, cleaning disc and tablets, cleaning brush and tools, and water filter. You could easily spend over $100 buying this gear separately.

Don’t Buy The Breville BES840XL If…

• You need a more compact machine: The Breville Bambino Plus has many of the same features as the Infuser packed into a smaller package, including pre-infusion and a PID. It even adds automatic milk froth and a wider color selection. The Gaggia Classic Pro is a great single boiler machine with a small footprint. It’s a bit harder to use but boasts superior build quality.
• You want a built-in grinder: Many Breville espresso machines have built-in grinders, a nice option to save money and counter space. The Breville Barista Express, long the brand’s best-selling model, is designed to bring the coffee shop into your kitchen.
• You make lots of milky drinks: The design of the Infuser’s thermocoil means it cannot pull a shot of espresso and froth milk simultaneously. For most of us, the few seconds of wait time is no big deal. But if you’re really serious about lattes and cappuccinos, I recommend upgrading to the Breville Dual Boiler espresso machine. It has separate boilers for brewing and steaming, plus every other feature an aspiring home barista could desire.

See how this machine stacks up against other similar ones:

	Reviewed item
Manufacturer	Breville	Breville	Breville	Rancilio	Gaggia
Model	Infuser BES840XL	Bambino Plus	Barista Express BES870XL	Silvia M	Classic Pro
Product category	Automatic espresso machine	Automatic espresso machine	Automatic espresso machine	Prosumer semi-automatic espresso machine	Semi-automatic espresso machine
Housing material	Brushed Stainless Steel	Brushed Stainless Steel	Brushed Stainless Steel	Brushed Stainless Steel	Stainless Steel
Color options	Brushed Stainless steel, Black sesame, Cranberry red	Brushed Stainless steel, Black sesame	Brushed Stainless steel, Black sesame	Brushed Stainless Steel, Black	Brushed Stainless Steel
Milk frother	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Built in grinder	No	No	Yes	No	No
User interface	Buttons	Buttons	Buttons	Buttons	Buttons
Water tank size	61 fl oz	64 fl oz	67 fl oz	67 fl oz	71 fl oz
Boiler design	Thermocoil	Thermoblock	Dual boiler	Single boiler	Single boiler
Warm up time	30 seconds	30 seconds	1 minute	10 minutes	30 minutes
Number of cups	6	7	8	8	9
Brews with	Ground coffee	Ground coffee	Whole beans	Ground coffee	Ground coffee
Pre-infusion aroma	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Auto shut off	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Dimensions	11.5 x 13.7 x 13.25 inches	7.6 x 12.5 x 12.2 inches	12 x 11 x 13.5 inches	9.25 x 11.25 x 13.7 inches	8 x 9.5 x 14.2 inches
Customer review	4.5/5	4/5	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5
Warranty	2 years	2 years	2 years	1 year	2 years
SCA certified home brewer	No	No	No	No	No
Price	No products found.	No products found.	No products found.	$865	No products found.
	CHECK PRICE	CHECK PRICE	CHECK PRICE	CHECK PRICE	CHECK PRICE

The Verdict

In a nutshell, the Breville Infuser is my favorite home espresso machine for 2024, and I am happy to recommend it to coffee fans at any stage of their espresso journey. 

Its user-friendly design makes it an approachable choice for beginners, while features like PID temperature control and pre-infusion will appeal to established espresso fanatics. And everyone with a budget will appreciate its reasonable price tag and high-quality stainless steel build.

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