The Breville Barista Pro Review 2024: Do Home Baristas Really Need A Machine Like This?
The Breville Barista Pro is a top-notch at-home espresso machine. Much like its younger sibling, the Barista Express, it’s jam-packed with a lot of functionality. It has all the features a practicing barista and an aspiring coffee lover can wish for— a coffee maker with an integrated grinder, faster espresso brewing times, and speedy workflow when switching between brewing methods. But does it deliver on its promise to produce high-quality espressos?
We’ve spent hours researching the Breville Barista Pro and have documented our findings in the What You Need to Know Before You Buy section. Don’t skip over this important information.
Breville Barista Pro Review 2024 – Summary
We love the Barista Pro for its versatility and craftsmanship. The annoyance of cleaning up after it is a minor hassle in reality. The machine brews excellent espresso and is stacked with all the latest technology like the 3-second heat up. The price point is in line with other similar espresso machines. If you’re wanting to upgrade, consider The Breville Barista Touch as it includes a touch-screen.
The Breville Barista Pro espresso machine offers barista-quality coffee at home with an intuitive interface and an integrated smart grinder for optimal flavor. It features a ThermoJet heating system for quick heat-up and efficient energy use and includes features like a manual milk texturing wand, volumetric shot control, and a range of accessories.
Pros
Cons
The Breville Barista Pro coffee maker is designed to satisfy beginners and experienced baristas alike. It has easy-to-follow operating instructions, a user-friendly control panel, innovative features that mimic how the best of them prepare their delectable cups of joe as well as a built-in smart grinder for making your brew just right every time.
Breville Barista Pro Espresso Machine – Pros & Cons
The Breville Barista Pro espresso machine is a coffee maker that delivers as it promises. Yet, like any other appliance with polish and unpolished sides- the espresso machine also has some drawbacks we need to acknowledge too.
The Good
The Breville Barista Pro is an espresso machine that reflects craftsmanship on every espresso drink prepared. The highlights of this brewer include:
- integrated smart grinder
- automated water pressure
- the use of the Innovative Thermojet heating system in 3 seconds
- digital pressure control (PID)
- steam wand
This coffee maker is fully loaded.
The Bad
The main reported issue with the Barista Pro is it can be messy with the shared drip tray underneath the grinder. Be prepared to do some regular cleaning.
The Bottom Line
We love the Barista Pro for its versatility and craftsmanship. The annoyance of cleaning up after it is a minor hassle in reality. The machine brews excellent espresso and is stacked with all the latest technology like the 3-second heat up. The price point is in line with other similar espresso machines. If you’re wanting to upgrade, consider The Breville Barista Touch as it includes a touch-screen.
Features & Benefits of the Breville Barista Pro
The Breville Barista espresso machine has promising features and benefits to check out. These are:
Performance and Quality
Precise Espresso Extraction
The Breville Barista machine employs the Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) in the guise of its Digital Temperature control. The system ensures that the water delivered has the precise +/- 2°C extraction temperature, which is the critical temperature to optimal coffee extraction.
Like the Infuser, the Barista Pro’s pre-infusion low pressure slowly raises the pressure applied from the beginning to ensure even extraction. At the end of the extraction, what lands in your cup is a balanced tasting espresso.
Smart Grinder Pro
The Smart Grinder Pro consists of an integrated conical burr grinder in the espresso machine to keep your kitchen space free from clutter. You can operate it with a single touch and guarantee the right amount of coffee to achieve the full flavor of your cuppa. Surprisingly, the built-in grinder has adjustable features for grind size and dose to suit your preference.
Innovative Thermo-Jet Heating System
The ThermoJet Heating system enables the Barista Pro to heat up within 3 seconds without compromising the precision of the espresso extraction. The rapid heating and streaming allow back-to-back shots with consistent results. Thus, sharing third-wave specialty coffee to hardcore coffee drinkers at home won’t be a problem.
Convenient Baskets
The Barista Pro comes with four coffee baskets (portafilter) measuring 54mm. There are two pressurized single-wall baskets and two unpressurized double-wall baskets for single and double doses of espresso. Whether you use the single wall basket or double-wall basket, you should use the 1-cup basket for single-cup brewing. For two cups or a more potent espresso, the 2-cup is the ideal cup to use.
Hot Water Spout
The angled hot water spout is commercially designed to cater to on-demand tea or americanos and preheating cups.
Microfoam Milk Texturing
The microfoam milk texturing of Barista Pro allows users to prepare hand texture micro milk foam that elevates the flavor of your espresso. Also, the micro-foam created by its powerful steam wand makes latté art practice more enjoyable.
Design
LCD Interface
The LCD screen helps users monitor the infuser and determine whether it’s time to tap the button and prepare their coffee. It makes timing your shots a lot easier because it hints you whether you have dialed your grinds and tamped it correctly or not.
The LCD interface is also critical when preparing a double espresso shot. If you pour your shots before the 25-30 seconds mark (where Breville recommends 20 seconds for single shots), it means that you need to set your grinder to prepare finer grounds or check the grinder settings to achieve better shots.
Digital Control
The digital control panel has a blue backlit display that is calming to the eye to look at. It allows you to manage the settings for grind size, shots, timing, and menu settings easier.
Usability
Programmable Shot Control
The programmable shot control enables you to program the espresso shots volumetrically so you can prepare accurate brewed coffee anytime you want. The 54mm portafilter can hold 19-20 grams of ground coffee beans which is the ideal amount for a flavor-rich, cafe-quality espresso drink.
Durability
The Barista Pro is a commendable piece of kitchen device to place on your countertop and kitchen cabinets for its durability. It is mainly made of solid stainless steel. No wonder it weighs 20 pounds. Another remarkable feature of Breville’s Barista espresso machines is that it has a self-cleaning option for its brewer.
This machine’s milk frothing and water descaling are also valuable and neat, so rest assured that the machine will last for years with proper maintenance. The downside of this machine is that you have to look for a video tutorial to clean the hopper properly because it seems like Breville neglected this part for the cleaning process.
Specifications
- Capacity: 67 fl. oz. Water Reservoir, ½ lb Bean Hopper
- Construction Materials: Brushed Stainless Steel
- Color Options: Black Truffle, Sea Salt, Damson Blue, Oyster Shell, Royal Champagne, Smoked Hickory, Brushed Stainless
- Dimensions (WxDxH): 445.7″ x 15.6″ x 445.7″
- Power: 1680 Watts
- Settings: Adjustable Grind Control Intuitive LCD Interface 1 & 2 Cup Volumetric Control
- Voltage: 120 volts
- Warranty: 2-Year Limited Product Warranty
Accessories Included
Breville is so generous when it comes to accessories included on every machine you buy, making unboxing Breville coffee machines highly anticipated. When you buy a Barista Pro, you’ll receive the following accessories:
- Single & Dual Wall (1 & 2 Cup)
- Filter Baskets
- The Razor™ Precision Dose Trimming Tool
- 480 ml Stainless Steel Milk Jug
- Cleaning Kit
- Water Filter
What You Need to Know Before You Buy
As we searched for the best espresso maker, we filtered the most helpful information to guide you in making a purchase. Here’s what we discovered across the internet universe.
- The Breville Barista Pro is a good espresso machine for entry-level users because it warms faster and has a wide array of adjustable settings to pull shots, making them comparable to cafe-quality coffee.
- The Barista Pro’s steam wand is inferior to Breville Touch’s steam wand, and with Bambino’s in terms of pump bar used (Bambino is 15-bar while Barista Pro is 9-bar). The reason behind it is that the steam wand of Breville Barista is not as high-powered as Touch or other high-end counterparts. So milk texturing in Breville doesn’t translate well in latte art.
- The Barista Pro also has a pre-infusion function, where the low pressure applied slowly rises at the beginning to ensure a precise espresso extraction.
- It has an integrated conical burr grinder for clutter-free grinding.
- The LCD in Barista Pro allows you to program drinks much easier than the analog display of other Breville products that also prepare espresso drinks.
- The Barista Pro heats up fast and can prepare espresso in 3 seconds. It’s an ideal coffee machine for larger servings of coffee than the Barista Express.
- Dialing in espresso with Barista Pro is easy, and it offers 30 grind settings. In terms of pulling consistent shots, a coffee machine is a reliable unit.
- The Barista Pro is significantly cheaper than the Dynamic Duo.
- The Barista Pro isn’t a mod-friendly espresso machine, though it has a good heating system, and it comes with a digital display.
- The Barista Pro offers flexibility in tweaking the shots for a better-tasting espresso.
- This coffee machine uses a standard steam wand which will require you to tweak a few things to make good milk for your latte art practice.
- The Breville Barista Pro has both the PID system and the pre-infusion function, making it a better espresso machine than the Gaggia Classic Pro which hasn’t been modified.
- The parts of the Barista Pro touched by a liquid are mostly made of stainless steel or brass, while the tubing between the ThermoBlock and valves and the vibe pump and OPV are made of plastics.
- It’s easier to drain the Portafilter of Barista Pro when you remove the piece of plastic in the Portafilter found under the basket.
About Breville
Breville is the household name for kitchen products in Australia. From innovative tools to fantastic cooking experiences- they’re here with you every step of the way!
Breville is an amazing company with a legacy that dates back to 1932. Their products are made for the modern, busy person who wants to have quick and easy access to food – even in the morning hours when you’re just trying desperately not to go face-first into your coffee mug before going off on your day.
As mentioned, Breville is one of Australia’s most successful brands because they’ve been focusing their efforts on product innovation since 1932! They haven’t slowed down either – today they still make things like coffee makers and blenders but now also include microwaves, kettles, toasters, and other kitchen appliances.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are answers to some common questions about the Breville Barista Pro:
Absolutely! If you want to have a great-tasting espresso drink, the Breville Barista Pro is perfect for you. This machine has faster heat-up time and richer extraction control with PID technology which means that it can give your coffee just the right taste every single cup! It also comes with an integrated grinder so that each dose of beans will be perfectly ground before being brewed into delicious espresso drinks. If these features are what make up a good machine, then this one’s worth $1000!
You can differentiate Barista Express from Barista Pro based on its physical features of the control panel, the grinder settings, and the steam pressure. When you operate the Express to brew coffee or adjust the grind settings, you will need to read the manual first, so you’ll know which buttons to press on its analog display. Yet, when you brew coffee with Barista Pro, the digital display makes it easy to operate the machine with your fingertips.
The grinder settings of Express are not as fine-tuned as Barista Pro, where the grind step adjustment size is smaller compared to that of Express’. But it isn’t a big deal because the Barista Pro only provides a more acceptable adjustment resolution. Lastly, the Barista Express steam pressure caters to a single back-back espresso shot, while the Barista Pro’s steam pressure leans towards brewing coffee for large groups.
Yes. The Barista Pro has a 3-second heat up, a built-in smart grinder, and precise espresso extraction functions. Such main features categorize the Pro as a bean-to-cup coffee maker.
When cleaning the Barista Pro, you can use a soft cloth or a mild detergent but never an alkaline cleaning agent. You can either have the flush cleaning cycle or descaling depending on what the control panel indicates for maintenance.
For the flush cleaning cycle, you should:
* Insert the cleaning disc into the filter basket located inside the portafilter.
* Put the cleaning tablet at the top of the disc.
* Secure the portafilter into the group head by locking it.
* Before you fill the water tank up to the MAX mark, empty first the drip tray.
* Press the Menu button to view the main menu settings.
* Navigate the grind amount dial to FLUSH before pressing the SELECT option, and you will see that the 1-CUP button lights up.
* Press the 1-Cup button to start the flush cleaning cycle. Once the machine starts cleaning, you’ll see the timer on the screen display.
* The espresso machine will beep to notify you that it completed the flush cleaning cycle and is ready for brewing.
* Before you brew, make sure that you empty and wash the portafilter and the drip tray and remove the cleaning disc. If you find that there’s still a cleaning tablet left, repeat the flush cleaning cycle.
Breville Barista Pro Alternatives
The Breville Barista Pro might be out of your league and budget, but we have a few more coffee makers that might suit you just as well.
De’Longhi La Specialista Espresso Machine
La Specialista by De’Longhi has an advanced latte system where you can choose between flat or foam to make your favorite drinks. It also features two different heating systems: a Thermoblock for precise coffee extraction and an independent heating system for texturing or steaming milk. You get a 2-year warranty automatically, and a 3rd year if you register the purchase with De’Longhi.
The De'Longhi La Specialista is a professional-grade espresso machine featuring Sensor Grinding Technology for precise, consistent grinding, and a Smart Tamping Station for mess-free, optimal tamping.
It offers Active Temperature Control with two independent heating systems for coffee extraction and milk texturing, ensuring optimal temperature stability. The machine also includes an Advanced Latte System for customizable froth, a 1-Second Quick Start function for immediate brewing, and a separate hot water spout for Americanos and tea.
Breville Barista Touch
The Breville Barista Touch promotes the easiest way to make a delicious cuppa in 3 easy steps: grind, brew, and milk. It has an intuitive, swift, and select touchscreen display that allows you to adjust and save settings up to 8 personalized coffees. Its auto-steam wand adjusts the milk’s temperature to create a microfoam to your liking.
The Breville Barista Touch espresso machine offers barista-quality performance with an easy-to-use touchscreen display, including pre-programmed coffee menus and automatic milk texturing within a compact design.
Key features include a ThermoJet heating system for a 3-second heat-up, an integrated grinder for fresh coffee on demand, and customizable settings for personalized coffee creations. It also boasts energy efficiency, precision burr grinders with 30 settings, and an interactive 3D setup guide, making it suitable for creating specialty coffee at home.
Breville Barista Express
The Barista Express comes with an analog gauge button control. It also has the pre-infusion function of Barista Pro but is more advantageous than Barista Pro to pull out a single shot espresso and in micro-foam texturing.
The Barista Express is a home espresso machine that grinds, doses, and extracts coffee to create third wave specialty coffee. It features an integrated conical burr grinder with precise temperature control and a manual steam wand for microfoam milk, essential for latte art.
It also features a 54mm stainless steel portafilter, PID temperature-controlled Thermocoil heating system, and an easy-to-use interface with volumetric shot control.
Verdict
The Barista Pro by Breville is a latte-sipping machine for coffee lovers who want to improve their craft in preparing third-wave coffee the barista way. It allows hands-on experience with its semi-automatic operational settings and provides a learning curve in temperature control, pressure adjustments, and milk texturing to achieve cafe-quality espresso that will have you sippin’ on more than just “coffee.”
If you’re wanting to step up your game with an LCD touch screen, then The Breville Barista Touch is the way to go. However, if you’re concerned about product longevity and want peace of mind, the La Specialista by De’Longhi offers a 3-year warranty on their product with registration.
The Breville Barista Pro espresso machine offers barista-quality coffee at home with an intuitive interface and an integrated smart grinder for optimal flavor. It features a ThermoJet heating system for quick heat-up and efficient energy use and includes features like a manual milk texturing wand, volumetric shot control, and a range of accessories.
- Built-in Smart Grinder
- ThermoJet heating system
- Baratza Precision Burrs with 30 grind settings
Other Breville Machines That May Interest You:
Espresso Machines:
Breville Espresso Machine Comparison Guide: A Must-Read Before You Buy
- Breville Oracle Touch Review: Best-in-Class Automated Coffee Machine
- Breville Oracle: A Revolutionary 3-in-1 Fully-automatic Espresso Machine
- Breville Dual Boiler: A Satisfying Espresso Drinker’s Tool
- Breville Barista Touch: 3rd Wave Espresso at Home
- Breville Barista Pro: Precise Espresso at Home
- Breville Barista Express: The Ultimate All-In-One Espresso Machine
- Breville Bambino Plus: The Ideal Entry Level Espresso Machine
- Breville Bambino: Starter Espresso Machine with Superb Coffee Quality and Value
- Breville Infuser: Can it Brew the Perfect Espresso?
- Breville Duo Temp Pro: Is it Worth the Hype?
Coffee Makers:
Grinders:
- Breville Smart Grinder Pro: An Intelligent Grinder for Coffee Beans
- Breville Dose Control Pro: THE Smart Coffee Grinder
Milk Frother:
