Breville Barista Express (BES870)

The Barista Express is for the beginner who wants the whole espresso setup in one purchase and one footprint: grinder, machine, tamper and a gauge that tells you when the grind is right. It is TechGearLab's Editors' Choice, the best overall machine in a test of eleven, and it is the premium pick on our beginner espresso list because it is the only one that does not send you shopping for a grinder before the first shot.

It is not the machine for someone who expects to upgrade. The built-in grinder is adequate, not exceptional, and it cannot be swapped out. Anyone who suspects they will want a better grinder in a year is better served by the Bambino Plus or Bambino and a standalone grinder they choose themselves.

The grinder is the point. Breville builds in a conical burr grinder with 16 settings and, per Whole Latte Love's listing, an 8 oz hopper. It grinds straight into the portafilter, so the routine is: hold the portafilter under the chute, tamp, lock in, press one or two shots. TechGearLab found it slow but adequate for dialing in, and there is no second appliance and no transferring grounds. It is good enough for espresso, just.

The brew side is the same recipe as the rest of Breville's 54 mm range. Breville states a thermocoil with PID control set to 200°F, low-pressure pre-infusion before the pump ramps to 9 bar, and a 54 mm stainless portafilter with both single-wall and dual-wall baskets in the box. TechGearLab measured a 19 percent extraction yield, the highest of the three Brevilles it tested, and gave its espresso the best score of the three. The front pressure gauge is the feature the Bambinos lack: a beginner can see a shot running fast or choking and move the grind one notch, which is the quickest way to learn what grind size does.

Milk is the third strength. The wand is manual, and TechGearLab rated its microfoam the finest of its whole test group. Whole Latte Love lists a separate hot water spout, so an americano does not tie up the wand. The tank is 67 oz, and TechGearLab timed a cappuccino from cold at about four and a half minutes, including the roughly one-minute warm-up.

Speed and size are the price of the grinder. Whole Latte Love's listing puts heat-up at about 60 seconds, against Breville's three-second claim for the ThermoJet Bambinos. The machine is 12.5 in wide, 15.8 in tall and 23 lb by the same listing, twice the weight of the Bambino Plus and roughly two Bambinos side by side. Cup clearance is only 4 in, so a tall latte glass means removing the drip tray.

The grinder is a ceiling as well as a convenience. Sixteen settings is a coarse range for espresso, where the difference between a good and a bad shot can be a fraction of a step, and TechGearLab found the machine's complexity gives it a learning curve of its own. Moving to light roasts or fresh beans in single-wall baskets is where the steps start to feel too coarse, and there is no way to replace the grinder without replacing the machine.

Maintenance is heavier. TechGearLab reports descaling and water filter changes every couple of months and says the machine needs more care than simpler rivals. Breville covers the Barista Express with a one-year limited warranty per Whole Latte Love, half the two years the same retailer lists for the Bambino Plus.

Against the Bambino Plus, the Express trades automatic milk, instant heat-up, a small footprint and two years of warranty for the built-in grinder and the pressure gauge. If the grinder question is settled by buying a separate one, the Bambino Plus with a good grinder makes better espresso and steams milk for you. If it is settled by never buying one, the Express is the only Breville here that works out of the box.

Against the Bambino, the comparison is grinder versus grinder: the Express's integrated 16-step burr against whatever a standalone budget allows from our espresso grinder list. TechGearLab found the Bambino's manual wand nearly matched the Express's, so a Bambino plus a decent grinder lands close to the Express in the cup with a better upgrade path, at the cost of a second appliance and no gauge.

Against the Casabrews 5418 Pro, the Express is in another class on every count except speed and footprint: 54 mm baskets, single-wall in the box, PID, pre-infusion, a three-way valve and a grinder. The Casabrews is the place to start if the budget is tight; the Express is the place to start if it is not and the counter has room.

The Barista Express is the premium pick for beginners because it settles the grinder question, shows you the brew pressure and steams excellent milk, all from one machine that TechGearLab rates the best overall it has tested. It is slower to heat, heavy and wide, and its grinder will eventually be the weak link for someone who keeps improving. Buy it if you want one box and no second purchase; buy a Bambino and a grinder if you want a path forward.