Breville Barista Express Review: Is the BES870XL Worth It?

Breville Barista Express review using CNET and TechGearLab measurements, the BES870 manual and owner reports: grinder fixes, upkeep, who should skip it.

By Maksud · Published Oct 3, 2026

This Breville Barista Express review comes down to one answer: it is the machine to get if you want a grinder built in. CNET names it the best espresso machine overall, and TechGearLab scores it 77 of 100, ranked #1 of 11. The tradeoffs are a stepped grinder that some owners say loses its fine range, a real learning curve, and a big footprint.

I didn’t use this machine. I read Breville’s BES870 manual, two lab reviews with measurements, three long-form reviews and an owner thread about the grinder, then pulled out what they agree on and where they don’t. It sits in our best espresso machines ranking as the built-in-grinder pick.

What did CNET and TechGearLab measure on the BES870XL?

Two labs published extraction numbers for the BES870XL, and they land within half a point of each other. Most other reviews give impressions only.

TechGearLab measured a 19% extraction yield (19.4% in the review text) from a 19 g dose that produced a 30 g shot in 29 seconds. It timed a cappuccino at 4 minutes 27 seconds and setup at 35 minutes. Its sub-scores are 8.0 for espresso quality, 7.0 for ease of use, 6.2 for ease of cleaning, 9.1 for milk steaming and 8.0 for customization.

CNET measured total dissolved solids as high as 12.4% and an extraction of 18.6%, using Costco Kirkland Colombian beans. It picked the Barista Express after pulling shots from more than 20 models. The two yields sit within half a point of each other, and both fall inside the 18-22% range that CNET and TechGearLab each cite as ideal for espresso. TechGearLab doesn’t name its beans, so the two tests aren’t like for like.

The manual and TechGearLab measure shots differently. Breville’s manual guides you by volume, about 1 oz for a single and 2 oz for a double. TechGearLab worked by weight (19 g in, 30 g out), so its numbers won’t map directly onto the manual’s. Its 19 g dose is also above the 15-18 g the manual says the 2-cup basket is designed for.

Where evidence is thin: neither lab published noise, energy use or brew-temperature stability readings. I found no source with a decibel figure or a temperature trace for this machine. Coffee Chronicler calls it “pretty loud,” with a rattling sound, but gives no number.

Breville Barista Express specs compared with two cheaper rivals

Sources disagree on several basic specs, so the table shows each value with its source rather than picking one. Breville’s BES870 manual is the manufacturer spec. Tom’s Guide’s spec box lists “15 PSI” and 1.75 L; the manual says 15 bar and 2 L, so I’ve left those out. CNET lists 18 grind settings, but the manual’s grinder-cleaning steps run from setting 1 (finest) to 16 (coarsest), as TechGearLab also lists.

For each rival in depth, see the Bambino Plus review, the CasaBrews CM5418 review and the De’Longhi Stilosa review. In its Bambino Plus pick, CNET says the machine pulled quality shots on par with the Barista Express.

Barista Express grinder problems: what owners report and the fixes

The grinder is the part owners write about most. There is no failure-rate data for it anywhere I looked, only owner reports, so treat what follows as a known pattern, not a measured rate.

Grind won’t go fine enough

In a 2018 CoffeeForums thread, an owner who had a used Barista Express for about a year reports needing ever-finer settings over a month or two, until shots were badly underextracted even at the finest setting. Breville support suggested filtered water and fresh beans, and cleaning the burrs per the manual didn’t help. A reply from a three-year owner says research online showed it is “a common problem.” That is one thread, not a survey.

Fix 1: move the upper burr

Breville’s BES870 manual says the adjustable upper burr extends the grind range, and to move it one number at a time. Seattle Coffee Gear’s how-to describes the steps: remove the hopper, lift the burr out by its wire handle, turn the top ring to a new number, and lock it back in. It warns this may take significant force because of oil build-up.

Fix 2: clean the burrs

The manual says grinder cleaning removes oil build-up from the burrs, which are removable. In the CoffeeForums case, cleaning alone didn’t restore the fine range.

Fix 3: the shim mod, and the warranty

The same CoffeeForums reply describes swapping the stock washer for a thicker shim, adjusted so the burrs don’t touch, and notes it “will void Breville’s warranty.” That is a last resort, not a first step.

Other grinder faults in the manual

The manual’s troubleshooting table covers the rest:

• No grounds come out: empty hopper, blocked chute or moisture; dry the burrs, a hair dryer is fine.
• Loud grinding noise: a foreign object in the burrs.
• FILTER SIZE lights flashing: the hopper isn’t locked in.

The grinder’s built-in limits

Coffee Chronicler describes 40 mm burrs (conical, per the manual) with stepped, not stepless, adjustment. It says they may not grind as well as a flat-burr grinder, notes that many well-known espresso grinders are stepless, and says grounds fall into the drip tray.

How hard is the Barista Express to learn?

Expect practice before shots come out right. Breville’s manual gives a starting point: grind size 5 (smaller is finer), GRIND AMOUNT at 3 o’clock, and a tamp of about 30-40 lb. Flow should begin after 4-7 seconds of pre-infusion. Under 3 seconds means under-extracted; no flow after 8 seconds means over-extracted.

The manual’s extraction guide puts a correct shot at 25-35 seconds. The pressure gauge has pre-infusion, ideal and under/over-extracted zones to help you read each shot. Brew temperature adjusts ±4°F from the default in 2°F steps, per the manual; TechGearLab lists the range as 196-204°F.

TechGearLab says dialing in takes trial and error, and CNET says the control panel may be a little intimidating at first. Brewing With Dani says shots are prone to channeling from small puck flaws, and the one-hole steam tip is slow, up to about a minute.

The milk side is a strength. CNET says the wand makes thick foam, and TechGearLab scores milk steaming 9.1 of 10.

The machine has a 15-bar pump; for what that number means, see espresso bar pressure explained. It ships with four baskets, single-wall and dual-wall in 1-cup and 2-cup sizes; see pressurized vs non-pressurized baskets.

What the CLEAN/DESCALE light means, and other upkeep

The CLEAN/DESCALE light means two different jobs. Per the manual, a flashing light calls for a back-flushing cleaning cycle with the cleaning disc and one tablet, about 5 minutes. A solid light means it’s time to descale, which TechGearLab says takes 9+ minutes and needs you present. The steps are in our Barista Express descaling guide, and the general method is in how to descale an espresso machine.

The manual also says to replace the water filter every 2 months and clean the burrs to remove oil. If the machine stops mid-use, the thermal cut-out has tripped from pump or grinder overheating; let it cool 30-60 minutes. It heats with a thermocoil rather than a boiler; single vs double boiler machines explains the difference.

Is the Barista Express worth it?

The Barista Express is worth it if you want a grinder and a machine in one box and a non-pressurized basket to learn on. Two labs rate it at or near the top. If you already own a grinder or want to spend less, a cheaper machine makes more sense.

• Buy it if you want an all-in-one setup that makes good milk drinks and lets you adjust grind, dose and temperature.
• Skip it if you already own a good grinder. The Bambino Plus has no grinder to pay for.
• Skip it if you want stepless or flat-burr grinding. Coffee Chronicler says many Barista Express owners eventually want to upgrade, and the built-in grinder then becomes dead weight.

For the current price, see the price watch below.

Who should consider something else

• You have a grinder: the Breville Bambino Plus, which CNET says pulled shots on par with the Barista Express.
• You want the cheapest entry: the CasaBrews CM5418, a much smaller and lighter machine per CNET’s specs.
• You want a basic manual machine: the De’Longhi Stilosa.
• You want the full field: our best espresso machines ranking.

More on the Barista Express and other espresso machines

• Best espresso machines, ranked by weight of evidence
• How to descale the Breville Barista Express
• Pressurized vs non-pressurized baskets
• Breville Bambino Plus review
• How we research