Breville Barista Pro Vs Touch – Why Barista Pro Better?

Today I am going to compare two espresso machine models from the same brand Breville Barista Pro VS Touch. Are you curious to know which would be the best from both of these Breville espresso machines? Maximum features from both of these espresso machines are almost similar.

But, If you’re considering some advanced features and can dig a bit more into your pocket then Breville Barista Touch is worthy enough, on the other hand, if you’re considered a bit budget-friendly and almost similar but with few differences in performance then Breville Barista Pro is the right choice for you.

Why is the Breville Barista Pro Better?

Let’s see the most differences and why I consider you to choose Breville Barista Pro

The Barista touch has automatic milk texturing features on the other hand Breville Barista pro has the manual but powerful steam wand to produce microfoam milk texture that also allows you to raise coffee flavor into your latte cup
The most differences between these Breville Barista Pro and Touch are, the Barista Touch offers touchscreen automatic features, and the Barista pro offers a manual button with an LCD interface, though this machine also does almost the same performance automatically.
Breville Barista Touch vs Pro both of these machines has the grinding control, and optimal water pressure system as well both of these espresso machine thermojet heating system is able to heat faster just less than 3 seconds, which is not much difference at all.
Both of these machines offer a similar wall filter basket, 480ml steel milk jug, trimming tool, cleaning kit, and water filter but Barista Touch extra includes a water hardness strip which helps to know the alkalinity of water.
Both machines offer a limited 2 years warranty, and a power supply of 120 volts to connect 1680 watts machine.
One difference in Barista Touch might change your mind. You can create 8 customized coffee tastes and save them into 8 different settings with different names for the next sip.

Last but not least, Although the Barista Touch does have some really advanced features, I recommend the Barista Pro because of the reasonable price tag of these two machines. The Barista Touch will cost you extra few hundred bucks from your pocket, on the other hand, you can buy the Barista Pro for few hundred dollars less than the Barista Touch.

Compare Breville Barista Pro Vs Touch At A Glance

Breville Barista Pro Espresso Machine

Breville Barista Touch Espresso Machine

Breville Barista Pro BES878 Espresso Machine

Compare Breville BES880BSS Barista Touch and DeLonghi La Specialista Espresso Machine

Amazon’s Rating: 4.8	Amazon’s Rating: 4.7
Dimensions (inches): 13.9 x 16.1 x 16	Dimensions (inches): 15.5 x 12.7 x 16
Weight: 23 lbs	Weight: 26.6 lbs
Controls: Buttons	Controls: Touchscreen
Pre-programmed Drinks: None	Pre-programmed Drinks: 8
Water Tank Capacity: 67 oz	Water Tank Capacity: 67 oz
Bean Hopper Capacity: ½ lbs	Bean Hopper Capacity: ½ lbs
3-second heat-up:	3-second heat-up:

What Are The Similarities And Differences Between Breville Barista Pro Vs Touch Espresso Machine

Both of these machines share quite a lot of similar features and actions. But despite their targeted users are a little different. Thus has some differences at the same time. The first noticeable difference is in price.

Barista Pro is a lot cheaper than Barista Touch, even though both of them are equipped with a built-in grinder. Without that, Touch has a touchscreen display (as its name says), Barista Pro comes with button control.

There are several other similarities. Let’s dive deep into the similarities and differences of Breville Barista Pro vs Touch –

Aesthetics Design

Both of the machines look handsome and are available in a brushed stainless steel exterior. The Touch also can be found in matte black and The other has several color options. However, the silver one is the most famous for both machines.

The machines have identical size factors with just a slight difference. What the difference could be? The Barista Touch is weeder than its depth, while Pro is deeper than its wide. Overall both seem similar. But the biggest noticeable difference between them starts with the display. So, let’s see how different –

The Display

Both of them come with respectively amazing displays. As Barista Touch is modeled by minding the beginner in the head, it is more automated, simpler to use, and pre-programmed with popular recipes; ready to shoot by just your finger touch.

And, also you can customize them according to your need like controlling the volume of the coffee, the coffee strength, milk texture, and temperature.

On the other hand, Barista Pro offers more controls. You don’t need to make coffee blindly anymore. As the display allows you to see the coffee machine progress.

With it, you can sit and watch the grind size, measure the coffee grounds and the temperature of the water, and many more. All details are bold in the display and you can see them clearly as it is amplified by a backlight.

Burr Grinder

For many people, their days don’t start without ‘that’ sound coming from the coffee machine. The burr grinder is known for its superiority in grind size and flavor. And, if you have a built-in grinder with your espresso machine, you don’t need to worry about buying separately with extra money.

Moreover, the process also becomes easier and faster. The Breville Pro and Touch both come with their built-in grinder. And, their qualities are also the same.

Digital Temperature Control

For a high-quality coffee, you need to take notice of many things. One of these is the water temperature. Many espresso machines fail to produce quality coffee because of this.

But both Breville Barista Pro and Touch are not on that list. They equip with digital temperature control features, allowing you to get the right temperature for the coffee ground. Moreover, it also shows you the temperature you need.

Performance

The overall performance of barista pro vs barista touch machines is similar. Both of them use Breville’s ThermoJet heating system. With this technology, Breville pro reaches optimum extraction temperature in 3 seconds. This means if you have just flipped your machine, it will be able to give you a cup within 30 seconds.

However, the steam wand of Pro is less powerful than the steam wand of Breville’s touch. But you can rotate it fully in the case of Pro. Thus it makes it easier to achieve a proper whirlpool.

The grinder of both machines is quite similar too. They provide enough power necessary to grind espresso shots. But, you’ll notice some differences in their appearance as some of the parts have improved in Breville Pro.

Price

The price of Both machines is relatively high for home espresso. But, they are high-end home espresso so it is considerable.

However, there are a couple of hundred bucks difference between Touch and Pro even though both come with a built-in grinder. The touch cost much because of the touch screen, and pre-programmed recipes.

FAQ About Breville Barista Pro Vs Touch Espresso Machine

Which of them is better?

The Breville Barista Pro and the Touch Star will both make you a quality cup of coffee. However, the Breville has more features and options for greater customization.
On the other hand, the Touch Star is easier to use for beginners or people who would like a simple machine with straightforward options.

What is the automatic dosing function on touch?

The automatic dosing function allows the setting weight of coffee beans for each brew selection. The machine calculates precisely how much water to deliver through the portafilter at the selected grind size for the perfect extraction. The ultimate goal is to extract the desired flavor from ground coffee, which helps to do more precisely.

What is the advantage of scale integrated with touch?

The integrated scale allows you to use weight-based dosing instead of volume-based dosing of coffee beans. With the touch, you don’t need to use any scoop or shot glass; just set weight directly on top of the portafilter before brewing. This is also the standard in professional cafes.

Does Breville Barista Pro come with an integrated scale?

No, the Barista Pro lacks internal scale.

Does Breville Touch come with an integrated scale?

Yes, the touch has a built-in digital scale, which is matched to within 0.1 gram for maximum accuracy and precision when weight-based dosing for espresso, filter coffee, and ristretto.
This means that if you want to brew 1 oz of coffee at a different grind, you need to subtract different amounts of grinds from the hopper.

What about dosing tools?

The dosing tool is provided with Breville Barista Pro. You can always use your scoop or shot glass if you want, but it is much more convenient to use provided dosing tool. It can also be stored inside the machine, so it takes less space in the kitchen when not used.

Can I use bagged coffee with Breville Barista Pro?

No, you cannot. Experts recommend using fresh ground coffee to get the best results from the Barista Pro’s 18-bar pump. There might be a noticeable difference in taste if you use pre-ground coffee.

Can I use bagged coffee with Breville Touch?

Yes, you can buy and use ground coffee, pour-over coffee (like Vittoria Coffee’s Resealable Pouch), or standard pods with the touch. You can also grind your beans and use them with the integrated scale and shot timer.

Can I adjust the temperature and pressure on Breville Barista Pro?

Yes, there is a bar gauge for pressure and 2 temperature settings available on Barista Pro. The unit will brew at 200 C by default, but you can change it to 195 C if you like coffee hotter or 195 C if you like it less hot.

What accessories does this machine come with?

It comes with all accessories you need, like 1 or 2 cups, filter baskets, stainless steel milk jug, cleaning kit, and so on.

Does this machine have a Double Boiler?

No, it’s a single boiler. But it has a ThermoJet feature, which heats it in 3 seconds. Literally, just turn the espresso on, in a few seconds, the espresso is ready and making steam. Thus it acts as a dual boiler.

Is Barista Touch a replacement for Barista Express? Or is it a higher-level machine?

It is a higher-level machine. It got several upgrades as the touch-screen has gone through a drastic improvement, the steam wand has been upgraded, at the same time, the heating system also changed.

Final Verdict

Although I recommended Barista pro, there is no denying that both machines are top-notch espresso machines for espresso lovers. For their compact design, they are a fine choice for anyone who has limited counter-space but wants a ‘real’ espresso.

But which one should you choose in the end. And, price most likely doesn’t matter if you are looking for convenience or quality or both.

You should go with Barista Touch if you are a complete beginner and don’t want to learn those hard things. This machine is easy to use, the touch screen is user-friendly, comes with pre-programmed drinks and instructions to guide you. Thus, it becomes one of the easiest espresso machines.

But definitely choose Barista Pro, if you want to control your drink. In this case, you may already know how to pull a shot and that or are willing to learn those stuff. This machine handles all the messy parts for you and offers you more control over your drink.