This espresso machine is capable of producing tasty shots at a reasonable price.
There are two categories of espresso drinkers, in my opinion.
The first group is unconcerned about where their elixir comes from…
…how much it costs, or how it’s created as long as it arrives quickly.
A second group fantasizes about recreating espresso alchemy at home…
…on the cheap and is eager to get their hands dirty. If you fall into the latter…
…category, the $600 Breville Barista Express machine is a dream come true.
Breville Barista Express Machine
- Pros: The Breville Barista Express Machine is a semi-automatic espresso machine that produces better espresso than more expensive machines. It’s rather simple to use and clean, and it features a stylish stainless-steel design. It also includes a built-in burr grinder for easy dosing of coffee grounds.
- Cons: In comparison to sophisticated super-automatic machines, the Breville Barista Express Machine requires some effort to use.
When you use the Barista Express, you’ll feel like a true barista…
…because it has just enough customizable controls and manual settings.
It’s also easy to use, outperforms machines costing hundreds of dollars…
…and grinds beans directly into the portafilter. Of course, such a device…
…isn’t for everyone because it necessitates some effort and patience to use.
A fully automatic machine like the $3,000 Philips Saeco GranBaristo Avanti or…
…the $2,500 Krups EA 9010 will be more your speed if you want your concentrated…
…coffee fix with the least amount of bother (and are ready to pay for it).
Let’s hear the story about Breville barista express machineneeds.
Words from Laura
Living life as a housewife is fun…
…we are always in a situation where we can make food and staying in our kitchen.
I’m just moving to the new house yesterday, and didn’t bring all of my kitchen tools.
I had a feeling that some stuff was missing, and yes I knew it!
I need Breville barista express machine for my kitchen area.
but I do not know the details and advantages of…
…each Breville barista express machine product.
Finally I decided to read an article on the internet…
…about Breville barista express machine , after I understand the advantages…
…and disadvantages of each product, I ended up choosing one.
And now i had great Breville barista express machine to help my kitchen work!
Breville is an Australian brand of small home appliances, founded in Sydney in 1932.”
Wikipedia.
Design and Features of Breville Barista Express Machine
The Breville Barista Express Machine is roughly the size of a conventional…
…drip coffee machine, measuring 16 inches tall by 13.5 inches wide and reaching…
…a depth of 12.5 inches. Breville’s espresso machine is larger and more…
…physically robust than tiny espresso machines like the De’Longhi…
…Dedica and Mr. Coffee Cafe Barista. Apart from its size, Breville’s machine…
…gives the impression that it means business just by looking at it.
The stainless-steel chassis, as well as the substantial steel portafilter and…
…handle attachment, contribute to its professional appearance, but the huge…
…bean hopper, accompanying burr grinder, and pressure gauge clinch the deal.
You usually only see those features on premium…
…semi and super automatic espresso machine.
The pressure gauge is the most visible indicator of the Breville’s brewing prowess.
The circular dial, which is located in the center of the control panel…
…indicates whether the internal pump is pushing hot…
…water through your coffee grinds at the proper pressure.
Too little force and water will flow through the grounds too quickly, missing much…
…of its potential flavor, and resulting in under extracted and sour-tasting espresso.
Espresso liquid with a bitter flavor will most likely result from…
…a lack of hot water flow under high pressure. Pressure gauges are…
…often absent from less expensive espresso machines, either…
…to save money or to hide the fact that their performance is uneven.
Large circular buttons for “Power,” “Filter Size,” and “Program,” as well as two for…
…selecting single or double espresso shots, are located to the left and right of the dial.
There’s also a dial here to set the amount of coffee grounds the grinder…
…will automatically generate for single or double-sized espresso filters.
Ground coffee is dropped straight into the steel portafilter of the Barista Express…
…to make life easier. It’s then a simple matter of gently pressing (or tamping)…
…the contents of the portafilter down (a metal tamper is included)…
…and twisting the entire device (handle, filter, and all)…
…into position under the machine’s single brew head.
To the right of the brew head, a swivel-joint placed steam wand and a hot…
…water nozzle live, both actuated by a huge knob on the machine’s right side.
A grind size selection is located on the far left of the machine and has…
…18 settings, including “coarse” on one end and “fine” on the other.
A drip tray that is easy to clean and a retractable water tank with…
…its own robust handle are two further considerate elements.
keep reading…
Pull Shots Like a Barista
All of the knobs, buttons, and dials on the Breville Barista Express Machine…
…seemed scary at first. I had the fundamental process down after just…
…a few trial shots thanks to the thorough guidebook. I started by filling…
…the bean hopper and water tank. After that, I dropped a double-walled…
…double-shot filter into the portafilter basket and pressed it backward…
…into the grinding cradle (I always prefer double shots).
One quick press and release activates a button on the rear of the cradle, instructing…
…the grinder to fill the filter basket to the size you specify, single or double.
The grind amount setting you’ve chosen, which is regulated by the grind…
…amount dial, is also taken into account. By moving it back and holding…
…it in position, you may manually grind into the portafilter. The grinder is…
…stopped by releasing backwards pressure on the portafilter handle.
Finally, tamp down your grounds, lock the portafilter under the brewhead with…
…a swivel, and push the single or double espresso button. In the best-case scenario…
…a thick, concentrated stream of espresso liquid will pour into your glass or cup.
Keep in mind that the quality of your espresso draw can be affected…
…by a variety of things. The coarseness and amount of grounds used…
…how hard you tamp, and whether the machine has been properly…
…primed just before you brew are all factors to consider.
Performance and Taste
I initially struggled to get a good photo with the Breville Barista Express Machine.
I was treated to the greatest espresso I’ve ever tasted from a home machine…
…after I perfected my technique. For example, I initially set the grinder to coarseness…
…level 5, but the resulting shots tasted decent, if flat and lifeless, and were…
…practically a shadow of what I could achieve with my Costco Colombian test beans.
The average percentage TDS (total dissolved solids) returned by refractometer…
…readings of shots pulled at these settings corroborated what I tasted.
With 1.6 fluid ounces of espresso drawn through 0.5 ounces of coffee grounds…
…in the portafilter, that amounts to a low extraction percentage of 13.1 percent.
Espresso, like drip coffee, should have a high enough TDS to achieve…
…an extraction percentage of between 18 and 22 percent.
And finally…
Sum Up
Those who persevere with the $600 Breville Barista Express Machine…
…altering its settings and different choices, will be rewarded handsomely…
…and finish up spending a lot less money. The Express not only makes…
…better coffee than cheaper espresso machines like the De’Longhi Dedica…
…and Mr. Coffee Cafe Barista, but it also has a better flavor than even more…
…expensive versions like the Philips Saeco and Krups at a fraction of the cost.
Conclusion
To keep in good operating order, all espresso machines require regular…
…cleaning, and the Breville Barista Express Machine is no exception.
This espresso maker is reasonably easy to keep clean, as it has significantly fewer…
…moving components and dirty milk reservoirs than super-automatic machines.
The machine is good to go as long as you remember to dump…
…the puck of spent grounds from the portafilter right after pulling a shot…
…give it a short cleaning, and then flush hot water through the brew head.
It’s also simple to remove and empty the drip tray.
Related
- The Ultimate Realtor Mug Collection
- Accountant Mug: 6 Powerful Reasons It’s a Must-Have
- Chef Mug: 6 Powerful Reasons It’s a Kitchen Must-Have
💻 High-End Coffee Makers | Espresso Scale 101 | Buying Coffee Scale | Coffee Scales Facts
Was this helpful?
Hi there! I’m a food enthusiast and journalist, and I have a real passion for food that goes beyond the kitchen. I love my dream job and I’m lucky enough to be able to share my knowledge with readers of several large media outlets. My specialty is writing engaging food-related content, and I take pride in being able to connect with my audience. I’m known for my creativity in the kitchen, and I’m confident that I can be the perfect guide for anyone looking to take their culinary journey to the next level.
