The world of coffee has evolved significantly over the years, starting from its roots in Ethiopia to becoming a popular global beverage. However, achieving the perfect cup of coffee is an art, and mastering it requires an understanding of the science behind the brewing process.
Note: I would highly recommend Breville BES870XL compared to Breville BES920XL espresso machine, see why?
With countless coffee makers flooding the market, making the right choice can be a daunting task. This is where the Breville BES870XL Barista Express Espresso Machine comes into play. Unlike its counterparts, this machine requires no prior expertise in grinding or tamping coffee beans, making it a perfect fit for coffee enthusiasts at any level.
This brewing machine is a master of flexibility, allowing you to experiment with various brewing styles and adjust the process to match your taste preferences. It offers a dynamic range of features that make the coffee brewing experience smooth and enjoyable. Say goodbye to poorly brewed coffee and say hello to the Breville BES870XL Barista Express Espresso Machine, your ultimate solution to achieving the perfect cup of coffee.
Comparison between Breville BES870XL vs Breville BES920XL Espresso Machine
Compared to the BES870XL’s Italian 15-bar pressure pump with PID Temperature Control, the Breville BES920XL sports a dual boiler and pump system mechanism for far better extraction of flavor. The BES920XL’s Over Pressure Valve maintains extraction pressure to provide optimum flavor from the beans. The Purge function of the 870XL adjusts water temperature to suit the best usage of flavor.
The BES870XL Breville features a 1600W temperature control while the Breville BES920XL too, uses a PID system, but also houses an electronic display to indicate shot time and temperature. While the former uses a carbon filtration system in its 67 fl. Ounce water tank to keep impurities away, the latter provides hardness testing strips and even issues instructions for descaling it on the lit display.
There is not much of a difference in their weights, but the Breville BES920XL costs almost double of what a BES870XL cost.
Key Features of the Breville BES870XL Barista Express Espresso Machine
Handsfree Integrated Grinder
The Breville Barista Express BES870XL comes with a 0.5-pound hopper for the beans and an interlocking burred grinder. The conical burrs help increase the surface area that facilitates thorough bean-churning to obtain maximum flavor from the coffee.
A rotating locking mechanism enables you to fix the grinder to the machine while operating and remove it for cleaning. A semi-automated system provided by the BES870XL drops the ground coffee straight into the porta-filter eliminating the need for any human interference.
Efficient Temperature Control
The Express houses a coherent Proportional-Integral-Derivative Temperature Control Unit that maintains optimum water temperature to extract maximum flavor from the beans. It also comes with a thermocoil heating system made of stainless steel.
Unregulated water temperature undermines the flavor of the resulting brew due to improper flavor extraction.
Breville BES870XL Pressure Gauge
The Breville BES870XL Barista Express Espresso Maker’s most standout feature is its Italy-made 15 bar pressure pump that grinds beans at just about the right speed and force for the right amount of time. The perfect mixture of regulated pressure and water prevents the risk of brewing a bitter shot due to excess flavoring while also avoiding losing potential flavor by the brisk flow of water with incorrect pressure control.
360º Swivel enabled Milk Frothier
If you’re someone who prefers their coffee with a little dairy, the BES870XL has got you covered. It features a 360-degree swivel-action frothier to give you a range of milk textures to pick from for your beverage.
67 fl. Ounces Water Tank
Breville’s Express boasts of a 67-ounce inbuilt but detachable water tank with a carbon filtration system. This water capacity coupled with deft pressure and temperature control yields ideal brewing conditions for the perfect espresso.
Benefits of having the Breville Barista Express BES870XL Espresso Machine
Selector Dials
The Breville Barista Express 870XL houses various selector dials that enable you to set a preferable grind size and grind the amount for your desired espresso shot.
It also comes with a sleek and accessible 54mm porta-filter which collects the ground coffee as it exits the grinder. Thus, offering a hands-free and clean transfer of the puck.
Ergonomic Design
While brewing coffee, most beginners struggle with setting the right grinding pressure, water temperature and force along with the correct grind size and quantity. The 870XL takes all of these manual calculations and provides an easy alternative to brewing the perfect coffee.
It offers novices a simpler option by using dual-walled filters with machine-regulated pressure and temperature control and professional baristas the choice to use a single-walled filter which hands manual control over the brewing factors to the user.
Pre-brew and Tampering
The Express BES870XL sports a pre-brew function which distributes hot water evenly through the puck before the brewing process begins. This helps you to extract the best flavor from the beans.
It also magnetically holds a 54mm tamper on one side to even out the coffee puck collected in the porta-filter before its run through steam and water. Its programmable volume control features give you the option to select a 1 or 2 oz. shot and dispenses just about the right amount of ground beans in the porta-filter.
Why Breville BES870XL Barista Express compatible for home use?
Coffee aficionados are constantly bombarded with a plethora of choices when it comes to picking the perfect brewer for their morning cup of joe. The Breville BES870XL Express Espresso Machine, however, has managed to rise above the noise with its stunning looks and top-notch performance. This is the best Breville espresso machine that provides the power to create a professional-grade espresso in the comfort of your own kitchen, catering to both the casual coffee drinker and the seasoned barista.
What sets the Breville BES870XL apart from other brewing machines in the market is its unparalleled flexibility. With the ability to choose from a wide range of grind amounts and sizes, control water pressure and temperature, and boasting a powerful burr grinder, the Breville BES870XL will make you fall in love with coffee all over again. And for those who prefer a regular cup of coffee, the Express’ quick semi-automatic brewing mechanism is guaranteed to satisfy your caffeine cravings in just minutes!
One of the most notable features of the Breville BES870XL is its volume control, which allows you to automatically extract the desired amount of ground beans without the risk of wasting any excess puck. Its inbuilt cleaning kit and ability to dispose of dry bean remains are just two of the many ways it helps maintain cleanliness and keep things running smoothly.
What users saying about Breville BES870XL Barista Express
Most of the BES870XL’s users expected a coffee machine that would offer semi-automatic brewing controls for a rich espresso experience and that is exactly what it delivered. Its semi-automatic nature, presented a range of choices to play with when it came to selecting a coffee flavor.
Although the Express entices potential customers over hands-free grinding of coffee beans, users found the entire process rather messy than promised. Also, there were complaints about the 15-bar pump losing its pressuring power after six months. A small section of users online found the frothier cup a tad bit small for use, but the majority of the consumers were happy with its functionality.
My Experience with Breville Espresso BES870XL
Personally, I used standard coffee drip makers up until I laid my hands on this engineering marvel. Standing at 12.5” made it difficult for me to slide it under the wall-shelves above my kitchen counter. I am not a barista but operating the BES870XL certainly made me feel like one. I prefer my coffee with a little sugar and milk and the Express’ 360-degree milk frothier catered well to my needs.
Its super user-friendly dials and controls gave me the option to tinker around with the quality of my espresso and discover what suited my tongue and mind the best. Unlike most of the reviews I read online, I found the BES870XL ergonomically designed and simple to use on a daily basis.
Final Verdict
All in all, the Breville BES870XL Barista Express Espresso Machine review suggests one thing: a quick, controlled and rich coffee experience. With a ton of semi-automatic controls and automatic features, it has something to offer you whether you’re a professional barista or a home drinker. Its stainless-steel body oozes charm and its appealing design is sure to add a graceful touch on your kitchen counter.
Breville have kept user-friendliness in the back of their mind while designing this magnificent machine. Decked with a dedicated burr grinder and tamper, the BES870XL at almost six hundred bucks, promises bang-for-the-buck performance.