Breville the Barista Express® Coffee Machine (Liquorice)

It’s easy and simple to use .

I bought this machine to replace a Breville dual boiler when the milk frothing boiler failed. I wish I had just had it repaired but at $450 for an ageing unit, and having a smaller kitchen then when i’d got it I decided to get a newer smaller machine. This unit immediately worried me because the pressure gauge on the front never went above about 10 o clock and is pretty clearly ornamental. I spoke to support and they confirmed this. They got me to block the head with rubber cleaner and run through and pressure gauge still stayed at 10 despite no water being able to pump. They said this is expected. So it isn’t supposed to reflect the pressure required for a good espresso. It just looks cool. Extraction is incredibly inconsistent as is the grinder. One morning your double shot is 120 mls, next morning without changing anything it groans and strains and can’t pump out anything. When I asked support about this they said it was under extracted, said to increase the amount of coffee, weigh it and make grind size 6 and see if that helps. I did this, weighed it at 18g, got about 150ml of watery coffee, replied back with this info and never heard from them again. Coffee and water go everywhere, it’s always a mess. There seems to always be a pool of water around it. At this stage i’m writing it off and going to shop around for a different brand. I’ve had a few Breville’s and been happy but there’s no coming back from this terrible machine and absence of support. 2 stars because every once in a while you get a decent coffee, like how a dead watch is right twice a day.

I've been so happy with this machine I have had 3. I don't even look around for alternatives, go straight back to this model. Never had any issues, hand the old ones on to the sons and they are still going. If you look after a coffee machine and clean regularly, it will be nice in return.

Out of the box settings, and it was great coffee. I'm very happy with the experience of making coffee at home on this machine. Very satisfying. My only gripes are that it can be easy to forget about checking the water level. Even though you can 'kinda' see the level at the back, it's easily overlooked. A meter at the front would be ideal. Also, the frother is very slow to get up to temperature. It spews a lot of water when first turned on and I don't think the dial position or feel is very good. Also, when turning off you have to be careful pulling out of the milk.

The worst brand of machine, 3rd machine all faulty. Pump issue.

This our second machine, first one lasted 6.5 years doing 4+ coffees a day

Staff were friendly and helpful. I received the item immediately.

My last machine was the same Barista Express and it lasted nearly 10 years. I replaced that machine with this one and it is just as amazing! I don’t need all the bells and whistles from the more expensive machines as this is perfect. This machine looks gorgeous in black and comes with a little protector for the front of the tray so it doesn’t get scratches. The machine runs perfectly and makes an amazing coffee. I’m sad our old machine carked it but I am delighted with our new machine. It also came with 2 free bags of coffee that you have to redeem through Breville.

Very happy with our Breville purchase

Great machine. Well designed. Makes very good coffee. Bought a second one recentley

Have one at work, after seeing it work I got one for home

Very happy to have this coffee machine! I love the steampunk style and this colour schema. If you shine a light on it, you'll see tiny speckles appear on its surface, creating a beautiful effect.

This is my second: the first one was - I think the phrase "worn out" applies ! I am wedded to my Breville Barista Express; and I have no idea how any real coffee drinker manages to get by without one. I'm amazingly far from being technical in thought, word or deed; but I can manage to operate my machine without problem - a modern miracle for a grumpy old lady ! The only thing that can conceivably called a negative about my Barista Express is that it has turned me into a true coffee addict, with concomitant need for quality (i.e., expensive) beans. But as I neither drink nor smoke, even that's covered. [grin]

We replaced our very old machine with our lovely new Breville and cannot believe the difference in the brew produced. We now drink smooth, delicious cappuccinos every bit as enjoyable as barista made offerings. We are trying to limit our daily consumption to acceptable levels but the battle is real! Let's just say we won't be needing calcium supplements any time soon. We can't recommend this machine highly enough.

I bought this machine, and it broke on me after less than 2 years. Regularly maintained it (replaced water filter and de-scaled).The water pump and solenoid broke. JB-HI-FI warranty only covers you for about a year and after that you are on your own. Mine broke just after the warranty period and it was very frustrating, they should have longer warranty. If you take this machine to a professional to be fixed, they will quote you a minimum of $140 + parts costs. From what I’ve seen online, the water pump and solenoid seem to be common failures with these machines. This is what broke in mine. These parts are very fragile because they are verycheaply made. However, they are not cheap to replace. You may as well buy a new machine after the labour costs and parts. For this price I would expect this thing to last me a minimum of 5 years and come with a 3 year warranty.

Easy to use reasonably priced coffee machine

Great value machine, I bought this to replace my Oracle Touch that was out of warranty and started randomly tripping the circuit breaker. We've had a Barista Express at work for the last 12 months and can't fault it so I decided to get one for home instead of spending money on trying to get the Oracle repaired. Even though its a little more hands on than the Oracle , the coffee is as good and milk probably better

Love the Breville Express, makes a great coffee and includes cleaning pack.

Have had lots of issues, not making pressure, overgrind the beans, will return when I have the time. Very disappointed. Would not buy again.

I got this coffee machine a couple of weeks ago. I still learn making good coffee although the quality of coffee is better than some coffee shops. I’m so happy to have it.

The machine is capable of making a fantastic coffee! I did, however, purchase an aftermarket set of bellows for the bean hopper, which makes single dosing from the freezer much more consistent. An alternative (smaller) hopper would be a great addition. The steam wand auto-flush took some getting used to - some more guidance on the timing required to avoid wasting water would be great, to avoid the need for experimentation.

Very stylish looking machine. Easy to setup and operate and most importantly, helps me make great coffee consistently and is easy to clean up after.

My first machine and I absolutely love it! Easy to use and clean.

Best machine ever, love to use it.

Once you figure out how to use it you won’t want to buy another coffee

Product works well so far. Staff helpful. A bit on the heavy side

The coffee grinding affect the pressure extraction WAY too much, everything I change coffee, I waste 1/2 the coffee beans bag to find the right grind. Once that is set the machine works as expected. The milk foam could also use more pressure but hey...

Works great! Just fine tuning but producing excellent coffee!

Good machine, is what we wanted and easy to use.

Makes great coffee but not user friendly. A lot of work to get a great cup of coffee.