Breville Barista Touch Impress BES881DBL
Where to Buy
| Retailer | Price | Last seen | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
 amazon Sold by Red Rocks Distributing (S/N Recorded) | $1,497.64 | Jan 24, 2026, may have changed | Buy Now |
 bestbuy 15-day returns (in store too) · free return shipping · free shipping on $35+ | $1,499.95 | Jan 24, 2026, may have changed | Buy Now |
Prices are collected from retailer listings; each row shows the date we last saw that price. Return and shipping terms are each store's standard policy from our retailer research (April 2026). Some products and categories have different terms, so check with the store before you buy.
Pros
- •Produces espresso and milk-based drinks far superior to most chain coffee shops and comparable to boutique coffee shops, delivering rich, flavorful, café-quality shots.
- •Intuitive touchscreen interface with preprogrammed, customizable drinks simplifies the coffee-making process even for beginners.
- •Excellent milk frothing technology with adjustable temperature settings creates smooth, creamy froth, improving milk quality and reducing bitterness—especially noticeable with alternative milks like oat milk.
- •Built-in grinder is quieter than expected and offers precise grinding, although some fresh bean variability occurs.
- •Fast heat-up time, pulling shots in about 25-30 seconds and frothing milk promptly.
- •Assisted tamping with feedback helps users achieve proper extraction and dose control, promoting consistent espresso quality.
- •Stylish, high-quality stainless steel design that enhances kitchen aesthetics.
- •Significantly enhances the quality of homemade coffee beverages including mochas, Americanos, cappuccinos, and lattes.
- •Offers a hands-on, barista-level coffee experience beyond typical super-automatic machines, great for those who enjoy dialing in their drinks.
- •Allows saving of personalized drink settings for convenience in future use.
Cons
- •Requires frequent recalibration of grind size and dose settings on every use, causing inconsistency and wasting expensive coffee during adjustments.
- •Espresso shots can be inconsistent until grind and shot parameters are dialed in perfectly, which may require patience and a learning curve.
- •Some users report lukewarm coffee temperatures despite pre-heating and higher temperature settings, potentially disappointing those who prefer piping hot drinks.
- •Occasional error codes cause the machine to shut off during milk frothing, especially after the first steaming cycle in a day, which can be frustrating.
- •Build quality seems uneven—while generally sturdy, some users are disappointed by reliability issues or factory defects, particularly in the grinder component.
- •Negative experiences with customer service make resolution of technical issues time-consuming and may require persistence.
- •The machine’s premium price tag may feel unjustified to some due to imperfect execution of key features like grinder calibration and milk frothing reliability.
- •Despite high-end feature set, there are reports of quality control issues, occasionally making the machine unreliable enough to consider returning.
Bottom Line
The *Breville Barista Touch Impress* is a beautifully designed, feature-packed espresso machine that can produce café-level drinks at home with an intuitive touchscreen, assisted tamping, and excellent milk frothing. However, it demands a willingness to experiment with grind and dose settings regularly and tolerate occasional quirks like inconsistent shots or frothing errors. If you’re a coffee enthusiast ready to invest time into mastering a hands-on machine and appreciate the style and tech combo, this unit offers great potential—but if you want flawless consistency and rock-solid reliability out of the box, this may lead to frustration. Consider your tolerance for a learning curve and some troubleshooting before committing. If reliability and ease of consistent grind calibration are your top priorities, it may be useful to compare with other high-end home espresso machines or stay alert for deals on alternatives as newer models improve on these pain points.
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Discussion
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