Breville BES870XL Barista Express Espresso Machine

Overview

The Breville Barista Express BES870XL pairs an espresso machine with a built-in conical burr grinder, letting a home user grind, dose and pull a shot from one machine.

Its main technical points are a low pressure pre-infusion stage before full extraction pressure, and a PID-controlled heating element for stable water temperature, both aimed at more consistent extraction than a basic pump machine. The grinder feeds straight into the portafilter through what Breville calls the grinding cradle, rather than a separate hopper setup.

• Built-in conical burr grinder
• PID digital temperature control
• Low pressure pre-infusion
• 1/2 lb bean hopper, 67 oz water tank

Who it's for

Suited to someone moving from pre-ground coffee or a pod machine who wants to grind fresh and steam milk at home without buying a separate grinder. Less suited to someone who already owns a dedicated grinder and only wants a bare espresso machine.

Pros and cons

Performance notes

Pre-infusion gradually ramps water pressure at the start of a shot, drawing flavor out more evenly before full pressure hits, while the PID keeps water temperature steady through the extraction rather than letting it drift. The steam wand is built to texture milk into a fine microfoam for latte art rather than just heating it.

Where it stands among semi-automatic espresso machines

• #1 most-searched brand and model of the 54 semi-automatic espresso machines lines we track (by search demand, not sales).

From the specs of the 40 semi-automatic espresso machines we list; not a test result.

Specifications

Closest rivals on specs

HBN Compact Espresso Machine 3.5 Bar

SHARDOR Compact 4-Cup Espresso Machine 3.5 Bar

• Capacity 8 vs 32 fl oz (-75%)

XIXUBX Compact PID Espresso Machine 20 Bar

• Capacity 8 vs 34 fl oz (-76%)