Barista Pro Espresso Machine BES878BSS, Brushed Stainless Steel

Our Breville Barista Pro delivers the best shot/s of espresso I've come across, at home or outside the home. I only make double shots using 16gm of ground coffee as more than that doesn't appeal to me. In Italy, an 8gm shot is the norm, never a double. But, there is the single shot basket/s that come with the Pro, but really, they don't work as well as the double shot basket. It all has to do with the shape of the basket to a large degree. We are 9 months into our use of the Pro. So far, everything is working well, though I do not use the steaming wand. Only one of us wants an occasional cappuccino so we let a separate milk foaming gadget do that chore. So, no latte art here, just great espresso! I do follow the regular maintenance as described in the owner's manual. Very important if you want the machine to performs at its best. So easy to clean the drip tray compared to previous machines we've had over the years. And the mirror polished stainless steel is easy to keep that way with regular wipe downs. The internal, Baratza grinder is fantastic and also, keep it cleaned on a monthly to bi-monthly basis using Grindz pellets. I'm not super fast, but I can have a double shot of espresso ready to enjoy in about 4 1/2 minutes from startup to finish. Not bad! As far as the coffee I use, well, I'm also a do-it-yourselfer in that regard. I roast green coffee beans to just about city roast to city roast plus. Usually my espresso beans, when finished roasting, develop just a tiny speck of oil on the surface of the bean. Nothing you would consider oily and shiny though. The resulting pull is nothing but silky, delicious espresso. I don't understand all the horror stories people have been experiencing with their purchased Barista Pro's unless they have been purchasing from shady retailers. I have nothing but praise for the Barista Pro. I will update this review occasionally to keep a running review/useage experience for all to see. Yes, I would say the Breville Batista Pro is a good value and I highly recommend it.

I bought my machine about a year ago, and after a youtube video i was enjoying great coffee, the machine is amazing, it comes with everything you need to start, you will have to purchase some cleaning supplies, but you get supplies to clean it the first time, so you have to time to learn, what you need, coffee is amazing out of the box, and there are a lot of videos in youtube to customize your experience, and what not…:) The machine is well built solid, and its very ergonomic, everything fits and its there for a reason. My machine failed after almost a year of a lot of use, and i mean a lot of use, contacted support, had a shipping label in my email about 24 hours later, no fuss, no nonsense crap, i sent it, they repaired it, got it back and enjoying my coffee, life is good!

I have had it only a month and I am enjoying it very much. I am still in the learning curve, but finally got it dialed in to the point that I am enjoying the results. I have added some additional accessories to my setup, like a pad for the top of the machine (where I store the porta-filter and a couple of espresso cups), a tamping pad, and a knock box. The Barrista Pro is really a fine machine. It has all of the basic needs for making espresso from both pre-ground and fresh ground beans. It has a wide range of grind settings, a selectable grind time and buttons to make a single or double espresso. It heats up the water very fast and even has a small spigot for hot water. The instructions, both in the user guide and in the video instructions, made setting it up and getting started very easy. It was not a fast process for me, but I have the workflow down now. The steamer is easy and fun to use. I have steamed and frothed some coconut milk for lattes, but it does not foam as easily as dairy products and, frankly, I do not favor coconut flavored lattes. I will try making dairy-based lattes soon. For years I have always relied on a national coffee chain for my espresso-based drinks, but I am already making better espresso than I have ever gotten there. Currently, my go-to drink is espresso con panna. Very simple and a great first step. Basically, a shot or double of espresso with a little cream or half-n-half.

This was an amazing purchase and at a steal of a price at 20% off the original price. This machine grinds, brews and steams your milk for that perfect latte. Now I'm honing in my expresso skills and this is the machine that can do it all. UPDATE 2 months later: This is still fun and exciting making that perfect ☕️ I have purchased many accessories that aren't required but highly recommended. Get a dosing funnel first and foremost. I picked one sold from Cafe Home Shop for $13.98 p/n B08JPXXT9R. I went with plastic over stainless for the simple fact I didn't want metal on metal and potentially scratching either the portafilter, basket or funnel. It fits tight on the breville Portafilter but not my after market bottomless one (although it still fits, just not as snug) 2nd is get a puck screen. This is a inexpensive way to keep the group head clean (less flushing & descaling means less pump wear and tear) I went with one sold by Jokmae "2Pcs 1.7mm & 1.0mm Thickness 53.5mm Espresso Puck Screen" which offers 2 sizes in a combo pack. I use both based on the type bean I am currently using. 3rd is get a scale to weigh your beans so you're not guessing and wasting coffee. I typically weigh 18g - 20g and grind only the amount I need to preserve the coffee freshness. Yes the Barista pro has a timer with preset values for single and double shot but ultimately I was trying different beans and grind sizes so weigh it don't waste it. 😉 Those are must have in my opinion and should've been included with this machine but unfortunately they're not. Now some other accessories that are great to have but not a must have. 1- Bottomless Portafilter 2- knock box/tamping station 3- Coffee Distributor & Tamper puck style 2 in 1 tool 4- Replacement Steam Lever sold by CREMA COFFEE PRODUCTS 5- clear doublewalled glasses for viewing all the beautiful creme layers. I chose Glass Coffee Mugs Set of 4, Clear Coffee Mug 15 Oz sold by Mfacoy 6- container for storing coffee. I chose "Planetary Design Airscape Stainless Steel Coffee Canister" as you don't trap air like a sealed container but rather push it out with its innovative design. These are nice accessories to have but not required. All in all the Barista pro has been the single best investment I've made in a long time. Daily Starbucks trips for my wife and I each at around $7-$12 was adding up. This way we can make the same coffee (or better) and to our liking for much cheaper in the longer run

I have had my Breville for 2.5 years and overall it has been a great experience. The machine is very easy to use - a beginner can make an excellent latte in minutes - but you can also play with various features to suit your particular espresso and latte style. I especially like how this machine heats up immediately - no waiting for coffee! Want it now? You got it! NEW feature - the small funnel that comes with it now keeps all the grounds in when. it comes out of the grinder so no mess - fabulous! How am I able to compare the new machine with the slightly older one? Well . . . I have been very happy with this machine . . until just recently - I cannot tell a lie - we had a rocky spell, Breville and I. But as they came thru for me I the end, I have raised my review back up to a 5. technically, due to the fact that it happened, perhaps I should have put a 4.5, but that isn't possible. What happened was my machine just stopped working. I called support and the representative did a video chat with me to try to fix it on the spot. It was great that they could run me thru the different "fixit things" to try right over the phone, but eventually it became obvious that it needed something more than advanced cleaning. They were very prompt - they sent me a box to ship it in just like a day - super fast. A couple days later they then sent an e-mail with a quote and I decided to spend the money because I really really love this machine. It wasn't cheap - but shipping was included so really not bad over all. And I wanted the professionals fixing it, not me trying this and that off of a DIY YouTube video and getting no where. So they fixed it and sent it back super fast - BUT - sadly, in their haste to get it back quickly to me, the technicians shipped it in a wet condition, and when it arrived it stunk and had rust marks on the face plate! Yikes. I was very very upset as it was not at all in that condition when I sent I to them. I had waited a couple days to send it and let the machine dry out on purpose. I can only think that it was an inexperienced technician who was trying to get it back to me super fast who made this mistake, and hopefully they are taking steps so this never happens to anyone else again! Initially they did not offer me any sort of compensation for this mistake - even tho having these blemishes was really upsetting and really spoiled the art factor of this machine - cause really - it is beautiful looking - it isn't just an old coffee maker - it is a show piece in your home! I have mine proudly on display and serve coffee to all my guests! It looks fantastic on my counter! So when they did nothing for me I wrote my review detailing what had happened and lowered my rating to a 3. And then magically, someone at Breville either listened to what I told the representatives, or saw my review or I don't know - but they suddenly did the right thing and approved a replacement machine! At no cost to me. I was ecstatic. Breville did right by me. It actually brings tears to my eyes cause I bought my original machine with money my Dad left me when he passed away. Otherwise it was really out of my price range. So thank you Breville - you warmed my heart and corrected your mistake and for that I give you 5 stars! You did the right and ethical thing. You can trust this company.

I bought the Barista Pro as an anniversary gift for my wife, and when the machine actually worked, the espresso was incredible — easily better than Starbucks and our local shops. We were excited and genuinely wanted to love this machine. Unfortunately, the excitement didn’t last. From the beginning, we dealt with major inconsistencies: unstable water temperature during extraction, a steam wand that struggled to stay hot, and a hot water dispenser that delivered different amounts every time. The steam knob also became unresponsive unless we restarted the machine. Getting a consistent shot was almost impossible. Customer service was slow, but we tried to be patient. After a month of troubleshooting and waiting, we finally sent the machine in for repair. When it came back, it was dead on arrival. The hot water dispenser was still inconsistent, and the machine wouldn’t even run a blank shot — no water came through at all. We attempted a flush cycle, but nothing. The steamer worked, but the core issue was never fixed. We even recorded videos in case support needed proof. At this point, the machine is performing worse than when we shipped it out. After all the time, energy, and wasted coffee, it’s hard to justify the price or the brand reputation. We haven’t posted reviews anywhere until now because we wanted to give Breville a fair chance, but this experience has been extremely disappointing. When this machine works, it’s fantastic — but ours rarely did. And after a failed repair, we’re left unsure about continuing with the brand at all. To be continued......

The Barista Pro makes very good espresso, but it may take a some time to get the machine dialed in. Once it is, however, you can count on a repeatably delicious and hot beverage every time, though bean quality and freshness, as well as machine cleanliness and condition, will have a direct impact, too. The Pros: - Instantaneous HOT water & steam - Precise extraction in Manual mode - Great steam wand pressure - Backlit digital HMI - Programmable quick-touch buttons - Adjustable-burr bean grinder - Adjustable water temperature - Built-in, large-capacity drip tray - Some steel-body construction - Relatively painless clean-up The Cons: - Can be difficult to dial in - Poor extraction quality in Automatic mode - Expensive machine - Poor-quality bean grinder** ** The grinder in my machine lasted about a year, using the machine 3 to 4 times a week, on average. Overall, I would recommend this product to those people out there who are sick of paying full-meal prices for coffee drinks but who also have the 10 or 15 minutes it takes to do it properly. Yep, its an expensive initial investment, but the long game is where you win. I would also highly recommend purchasing both a decent espresso scale and a good bean grinder to go with it. Preset tampers can also standardize the process for you, and since you are setting up your machine to produce beverages that YOU like, standardizing your processes in such ways will generate much more repeatable results. For anyone interested, I changed the internal burr setting of my machine to 3, and the digital grinder setting is generally kept at 7. I exclusively use Manual mode to pull double shots, as Automatic mode has a significant difficulty with both timing and repeatability. You will waste a LOT of time, coffee and patience using Automatic mode. I brew in a 1:2 ratio (beans to product), using 16g of beans (weighed each time before I grind them) to produce approximately 32g of extract in approximately 30 seconds - hence, the need for an espresso scale (get one with a timer). For those of you who like cappuccinos, make sure you're using cold, WHOLE milk when making foam. The fat in the milk is what makes it thick, velvety and delicious. Try chocolate milk for a mochachino. You won't need sugar 😁 Cheers!

Very pleased with the espresso machine, had it for several months now. It takes some skill and knowledge of coffee making to set this up to get the most out of your coffee beans, you need to adjust the grind, adjust the amount of water dose and the time it takes to pull a shot. There are many YouTube videos that can guide you on setting up and getting the best coffee from this machine.

Absolutely love it.

Lo pensé mucho para animarme a comprar una máquina como esta. Considerando que la máquina tiene 2 años de garantía (es decir, al menos debería durar eso funcionando bien), el costo por taza es menor que en un local especializado o de marca reconocida (y no necesariamente bueno) y tengo oportunidad de disfrutar de una buena taza de café todos los días. En su rango de precios, es difícil conseguir algo mejor. La Breville Barista Pro cuenta con una bomba italiana de 15 bares, un aceptable sistema de calentamiento (ThermoJet) con el cual no hay que esperar demasiado para poder preparar la primer taza de café, y un molino aceptable, considerando que viene integrado en la máquina. Es lo suficientemente automatizada para controlar las principales variables en el proceso de extracción, a la vez que lo suficientemente manual para permitir mejorar la técnica personal de preparación; antes de brincar a una máquina más profesional (y mucho más cara), si es lo que se desea. Esta máquina es un poco inconsistente durante su proceso, lo que dificulta obtener siempre los mejore resultados, pero, en este precio, creo que no se puede encontrar algo que brinde mejores resultados. Así que, para empezar, es una buena alternativa. Otra buena opción, posiblemente mejor en cuanto a la extracción, podría ser una Gaggia Classic Pro emparejada con un buen molino. Pero no me animé a tomar este camino porque, al menos en México, no vi que sea muy factible el poder hacer válida su garantía. Por lo mismo, con las máquinas Breville, hay que tener cuidado de comprarla solo si es vendida directamente por Amazon México, no Amazon EEUU por un tercero desconocido, y que no vaya a ser una máquina reacondicionada. Al recibirla, hay que registrarla en la página de Breville México; con eso te aseguras de que la garantía de tu máquina esté vigente. Para poderle sacarle el mayor provecho, esta máquina requiere un cierto nivel entendimiento de lo que se está haciendo; pero el poder disfrutar una buena taza de café cuando lo desees - y no solo una regular, por tomar café - para mi lo vale. Si ajustar varias cosas para buscar preparar el mejor café posible no es lo tuyo, te pueden venir mejor las versiones "touch" de estas máquinas, pero, si solo tomas café americano, igual te puedes quedar con una máquina de goteo y sería mucho más barato. Para poder preparar una buena taza de café se requieren 3 cosas: Un buen café en grano, un buen molino de café y una buena máquina para realizar la extracción. El molino y la máquina de extracción son suficientemente buenos para empezar a profundizar en el mundo del café, pero, si no utilizas un buen café, no tendrás buenos resultados. Para tener el mejor precio, hay que estar cazando las ofertas en Amazon. La puedes conseguir hasta en un 25% menos que su precio de lista en la página de Breville México, vendida directamente por Amazon y sin ser reacondicionada. Eso si, hay que comprar varios accesorios para tener mejores resultados.

Was intimidated at first with all the pieces and learning curve to get the right grind, dose, pulling a perfect shot, and steaming the milk. After two weeks and watching some YouTube videos, it’s second nature. Pros: intuitive to use, fast heat up, makes delicious coffee! Cons: pricey, but worth it for our family of 4 coffee drinkers. So far it’s been great once we got our adjustments made with some trial and error. Highly recommend! Update: it’s been nearly 4 months since owning this machine and my barista skills have improved! Able to pull good single and double shots, everything works great, and my latte art has improved too. Orange cup is 4 months later! Note: I have since purchased leveler/tamper, new pitcher and barista cloths from Amazon.

We had a BES870XL Barista Express, purchased in 2015, replaced once under warranty, that finally gave up (due to a leaking solenoid valve that corroded the motherboard). The Barista Pro is a worthy upgrade! 1. It heats up much faster. Takes less than 5 seconds before you are ready to go. 2. The grinder is better. The grounds are much more uniform and the grinder can be adjusted more precisely. 3. It is easier to maintain. The digital screen and service reminders make it much easier to flush and descale. 4. The steam wand is so much better. The four ports and higher pressure make milk texturing way faster. What used to take closer to a minute now takes 20 seconds. The only drawback is that the ports tend to get clogged, even if you purge each time. It is easy to fix with the cleaning tool but needs to be done often. 5. I don’t really miss the analogue gauge. Between the shot timer and inspecting the espresso, it is not hard to dial up your settings. I would definitely recommend the upgrade for anyone who is considering it.

I've had an older version for the last 7 years, and it still works great, I needed one for my office so I decided to purchase a new Breville. I have no regrets it does everything my old one did except better. I look forward to my Americano's every day and my clients loves the Espressos and Cappuccinos. I even figured out how to make cool designs with the milk foam.