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How easy is it to use the Breville Barista Express BES870XL?

By ShopSavvy Team

Published: September 10th, 2024

2 min read

Last Updated: September 10th, 2024

Breville BES870XL Espresso Machine, One Size, Brushed Stainless Steel

8.1

Overall Score: 8.1/10

Professional:9/10

Consumer:7.19/10

📖 Read TLDR Review to learn more →

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The Breville Barista Express BES870XL is designed to make high-quality espresso, but it does require some maintenance to keep things running smoothly.

From our research, people tend to find it pretty easy to use once you get used to the cleaning routines. Here's a breakdown of what you'll need to do and how easy it is to use:

Daily and Periodic Maintenance

Cleaning: After each use, the machine has a self-cleaning feature that flushes water through its components. This helps maintain espresso quality but also means you'll need to empty the drip tray pretty often, usually after every 15-20 uses.
Steam Wand: The steam wand can get blocked if you don't clean it right after using it, especially with whole milk. The machine includes a cleaning kit with a special needle to help you out with this.
Descaling: Regular descaling is important to prevent mineral buildup from affecting the taste and efficiency of your espresso. Using the right water filter can also minimize how often you need to descale.

Ease of Use

Despite the maintenance, many find the Breville Barista Express easy to use and love the quality of the espresso it makes. Here's why:

User-Friendly Interface: It has an easy-to-use control panel where you can choose your settings for grinding, brewing, and steaming.
Built-in Grinder: The built-in conical burr grinder ensures you get freshly ground coffee for each brew, which really boosts the flavor.
Customization: You can tweak the grind size and amount, as well as the extraction time. It might feel a bit complex at first, but with some practice, it gets simpler.

Key Takeaways

Performance: From our research, folks are very happy with the performance. The espresso quality is often compared to what you'd get at a coffee shop.
Learning Curve: There's a bit of a learning curve, but many find it worth the effort. Over time, the cleaning and maintenance routines become second nature.
Considerations: If you want something with less upkeep, this might not be the best choice. But if you're serious about making great espresso at home and don't mind a bit of regular maintenance, the Breville Barista Express could be a fantastic option.

So, in short, the Breville Barista Express BES870XL does require some upkeep, but it pays off with excellent espresso quality and ease of use once you get the hang of it.

Lowest at Amazon

$699.95 at Amazon

Lowest at any Popular Retailer

$675.00 at Walmart

How we researched this

Where this comes from: This answer is based on ShopSavvy's product database, real-time pricing from 14 retailers, and a look at hundreds of user reviews to give you a well-rounded picture.