Breville Barista Pro Espresso Machine

Over the last decade, I’ve tried a few espresso machines, returning some along the way, but this one stands out as my favorite by a long shot. I’ll compare it mostly to the Barista Express, as I used that one for quite a while. First off, this machine looks great. I went with the stainless steel model, and it feels well-built and sleek. Breville has a cool feature—a magnetic tamper holder at the top of the unit. It’s a small touch, but I love always knowing where my tamper is, and it’s a solid metal one, unlike the cheap plastic ones you often see. I also appreciate that almost everything that comes into contact with hot liquids is metal, not plastic (except for some plastic in the portafilter, but I use a bottomless portafilter anyway). I’m not a fan of heated liquids touching plastic—plastic leaches chemicals, and I’d rather avoid that as much as possible. Now, onto performance. Let’s talk grinder, shot pulling, the hot water spout, and the steam wand: Grinder: I’ve seen some complaints about Breville’s grinders, but I don’t get it. It works well for me, with easy fine-tuning using a dial. There are larger adjustments under the bean hopper, though those aren’t as simple to adjust. I made a tweak once, and after that, I’ve only played with the fine dial. It’s neat that the grinder doesn’t create a huge mess, and switching between single and double dosing is seamless. Shot pulling: Pretty straightforward, though dialing everything in (grind size, dose, and tamp pressure) takes some time. I switched out the included portafilter for a naked bottom one, which looks cooler but is a bit messier. With a good grind, the shots are consistent. I’ve noticed a huge improvement from the Barista Express—the second shot tastes just as good as the first, unlike with the Express, where I’d sometimes get a more bitter second shot. Hot water spout: This machine has an angled spout that lets you dispense hot water directly into your cup, which is more convenient than the Barista Express’s setup. Steam wand: It’s not advertised much, but I found the steam wand on this machine to be way better than the Barista Express. It’s much more powerful, heats up milk faster, and achieves that silky texture you need for good latte art. I’m still not great at latte art, but I can’t blame the machine for that—it’s definitely down to my skills. I’ve tried automatic machines, too. They’re easier with less of a learning curve, but the shot quality and taste just don’t compare. Plus, I enjoy the process of making espresso manually. In summary, I highly recommend this machine to anyone who wants café-quality espresso at home. Once you master the steam wand, you’ll be making lattes and cappuccinos that beat most coffee shops. Plus, if you’re a regular coffee shop visitor, this machine will pay for itself in no time.