The Breville buying guide
Best Breville espresso machines for your daily routine
Start with the jobs you want help with: grinding, tamping or milk. The right Breville is the one whose remaining steps you are happy to do every morning.
Find your starting point
Our starting recommendation: consider the Bambino Plus if you want automatic milk and a separate grinder. Choose the Barista Express Impress if you want an integrated grinder and help preparing the coffee puck. Move to the Touch Impress when you want both tamping assistance and automatic milk.
This is a research-based buying guide. We compared current US specifications, manuals, published tests and owner feedback; Coffee Corner has not personally tested these machines. See our editorial policy and research note.
Choose the work you want to do
Your routine comes before the model name
Automatic milk; you still grind, dose and tamp.
Choose this route →Learn the whole processBarista ExpressIntegrated grinding with manual tamping and milk.
Choose this route →Keep preparation manualBarista ProThermoJet heating and an LCD, without tamping assistance.
Choose this route →Get help with the coffee puckExpress ImpressAssisted dosing and lever tamping; manual milk.
Choose this route →Share a guided milk-drink routineTouch ImpressScreen guidance, assisted tamping and automatic milk.
Choose this route →Automate more preparationOracle Jet or Oracle Dual BoilerAutomatic tamping; choose sequential or simultaneous brew-and-steam operation.
Compare the Oracle choices →US models, side by side
What each machine actually automates
“Automatic” can describe one step without describing the whole drink. With every machine here, you handle the portafilter, move it into the brew group and empty the used coffee.
| Model | Grinder | Tamping | Milk | Heating / workflow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BambinoBES450 | Separate | Manual | Manual | ThermoJet |
| Bambino PlusBES500 | Separate | Manual | Automatic or manual | ThermoJet |
| Barista ExpressBES870 | Built in | Manual | Manual | Thermocoil |
| Barista Express ImpressBES876 | Built in | Assisted lever | Manual | Thermocoil |
| Barista ProBES878 | Built in | Manual | Manual | ThermoJet |
| Barista TouchBES880 | Built in | Manual | Automatic or manual | ThermoJet |
| Barista Touch ImpressBES881 | Built in | Assisted lever | Automatic | ThermoJet |
| Oracle JetBES985 | Built in | Automatic | Automatic | ThermoJet; sequential brew/milk |
| Dual BoilerBES920 | Separate | Manual | Manual | Dual boilers; brew and steam together |
| Oracle Dual BoilerBES995 | Built in | Automatic | Automatic | Dual boilers; brew and steam together |
ThermoJet's advertised initial heat-up time is not a measured finished-drink time. Grinding, warming the cup and portafilter, extraction and milk preparation still take time.
Seven useful starting points
Our recommendations, with a reason to skip each
These recommendations match machines to routines. A higher price does not establish better-tasting coffee.
Separate grinder + automatic milk
Bambino Plus BES500
The Bambino Plus makes sense when you already own an espresso grinder or want to choose one independently. It leaves coffee preparation in your hands while offering automatic milk with three temperature and three texture settings. Manual milk operation is also available.
You can change your grinder later without replacing the machine, but its price is part of the total setup. The current US package includes single-wall and dual-wall baskets; older regional reviews may describe different accessories.
In Tom's Guide's comparison, Erin Bashford found the Plus's automatic milk useful for another household member while personally preferring the Bambino's wand movement. Your preferred milk routine matters more than a universal winner.
Skip it if: you want the grinder and tamping assistance built into one appliance.
Check the US Bambino Plus specification →Integrated grinder + manual practice
Barista Express BES870
The Express combines a grinder, physical controls, a pressure gauge and a manual steam wand. You set the grind and dose, tamp by hand, pull the shot and texture the milk. Its appeal is a complete, conventional espresso workflow in one machine.
The current US specification lists 16 external grind settings and Thermocoil heating. Compare its price with the separate Express Impress model before deciding how much preparation assistance you want.
Skip it if: inconsistent dosing or manual milk is the part you already know you want help with.
Read our Barista Express research reviewFind the BES870 manual
Check the US Barista Express specification →ThermoJet heating + hands-on control
Barista Pro BES878
The Pro keeps tamping and milk manual, adding ThermoJet heating and an LCD interface. Breville's current US page lists a Baratza conical burr grinder with 30 settings. Those controls are useful if you want to make the adjustments yourself.
Marko Lazarevic's Craft Coffee Spot review describes convenient on-screen adjustments, but also some grounds spilling during portafilter transfer. It is a reminder to judge the whole preparation routine, not just heater readiness.
Skip it if: you want the machine to help with tamping. Express Impress targets that problem more directly.
See the Barista Pro manual for the documented controls.
Check the US Barista Pro specification →Assisted puck preparation + manual milk
Barista Express Impress BES876
Express Impress is the logical starting point when dosing and tamping are your main concerns. Its assisted system provides dose feedback and a lever-operated tamp; you still choose the grind setting and steam milk manually. It uses Thermocoil heating.
Expect to spend time learning the adjustments for your beans. TechRadar's test describes an early learning period before the reviewer understood the settings. The assistance simplifies preparation; dialing in still takes practice.
Skip it if: milk preparation is the task you want automated. Look at Bambino Plus or Touch Impress instead.
Open the Express Impress manual page to inspect its workflow.
Check the US Express Impress specification →Guidance + assisted tamping + automatic milk
Barista Touch Impress BES881
Touch Impress combines screen guidance, assisted lever tamping and automatic milk. It is the strongest fit in this shortlist for a household that wants help with both coffee preparation and milk without moving to automatic Oracle tamping.
You still pull the tamping lever, transfer the portafilter and manage the milk jug. The current US page lists milk choices for dairy, soy, almond and oat. That is a workflow feature, not evidence that every milk brand produces the same texture.
Check the full SKU and included features when comparing retailer offers. Original Touch Impress reviews and later US listings should not be treated as interchangeable generations.
Skip it if: you are comfortable tamping by hand; Barista Touch may provide the milk automation you need.
Check the current US Touch Impress specification →Automatic puck preparation + sequential drinks
Oracle Jet BES985
Oracle Jet automates grinding, dosing and tamping, then offers automatic milk. Its guidance advises grind changes; that is distinct from the automatic grind adjustment on Oracle Dual Boiler.
The crucial limitation is sequencing: Jet uses ThermoJet heating and queues milk after extraction. It is not a dual-boiler machine. TechRadar's test describes convenient guidance and milk preparation alongside this brew-then-steam routine.
Skip it if: your reason for upgrading is brewing and steaming simultaneously, or you expect to press one button without moving a portafilter.
Check the US Oracle Jet specification →Automatic preparation + simultaneous brew and steam
Oracle Dual Boiler BES995
The BES995 combines automatic grinding, dosing and tamping with separate boilers that permit simultaneous extraction and steaming. Breville also lists Auto Dial-In, which adjusts the grind for later shots.
This is the candidate to investigate when several milk drinks and extensive assistance justify a premium machine. Its simultaneous workflow is a meaningful distinction from Jet, but we have no measured household time savings or independent longevity evidence for this model.
Skip it if: one sequential drink already fits your routine, or you prefer selecting a separate grinder and controlling preparation manually.
Check the US Oracle Dual Boiler specification →Three worthwhile alternatives
When the shorter shortlist misses your needs
Bambino BES450: consider it if you want a separate grinder and are happy to steam milk manually. You give up the Plus's automatic milk rather than gaining an entirely different preparation method.
Barista Touch BES880: offers a touchscreen and automatic milk while leaving tamping manual. Compare it with Touch Impress if you enjoy preparing the puck yourself. Promotional prices can change the order of these models.
Dual Boiler BES920: suits a separate-grinder setup with manual tamping and milk, plus simultaneous brewing and steaming. It is a different machine from Oracle Dual Boiler BES995. Check current availability before building a purchase plan around it.
Want a pot of drip coffee? Read our Luxe Brewer Thermal review. BDC465 belongs to a different brewing routine and is not another espresso upgrade.
Budget for the complete routine
Necessary, useful and optional equipment
Grind separately, then tamp by hand.
Tamp manually, with assistance or automatically, depending on model.
Necessary for your chosen method
For whole beans, add an espresso-capable grinder to Bambino, Bambino Plus or BES920. The other models here include a grinder. You also need coffee, suitable water and a cup; milk drinks need milk and a compatible jug.
Check the exact US box contents before adding accessories. Portafilters, baskets, tampers and milk jugs are often included, and buying duplicates will not improve the first morning.
Useful for repeatable adjustments
A small scale makes dose and drink yield easier to compare. Leave enough room under the spouts for both scale and cup. A dedicated cloth for the steam wand and a place to discard used coffee make cleanup easier.
Budget for the cleaning supplies your model actually requires, rather than treating maintenance as a surprise later.
Optional upgrades
Bottomless portafilters, replacement baskets, distribution tools and upgraded tampers are optional. Learn the included equipment first, then buy to solve a specific difficulty.
The Bambino and Barista models here use 54 mm portafilters; BES920 and both Oracle models use 58 mm. Diameter alone does not confirm every accessory will fit.
Compare: machine + any necessary grinder + missing essentials + care supplies. Then measure the usable counter area, including access to the tank and hopper.
After the first cappuccino
Choose a cleaning routine you will keep
Automatic milk still leaves a jug and steam wand to care for. Used pucks, the drip tray and a grinder's coffee residue remain part of ownership. Before buying, open the exact model's manual and look at the everyday care steps.
Cleaning coffee oils and descaling mineral deposits are different jobs. The Bambino Plus manual, for example, describes them separately. Use the model's instructions and compatible products; a button sequence for another Breville may do something different.
Start with our Breville manual library and coffee-maker cleaning guide. If you are still choosing between an espresso specialist and a machine with more brewing methods, our Ninja Premier vs Barista Express comparison addresses that separate decision.
Before you choose
Breville buying questions
Which Breville espresso machine should a beginner buy?
Start with the step you want help with. A Bambino Plus handles milk automatically but needs a separate grinder for whole beans. Express Impress helps with dosing and tamping but leaves milk to you. Touch Impress combines tamping assistance, automatic milk and screen guidance. All three still involve handling a portafilter and cleaning after drinks.
Is the Barista Pro better than the Barista Express Impress?
They solve different problems. Pro uses ThermoJet heating and an LCD while keeping tamping and milk manual. Express Impress uses a Thermocoil and helps with dosing and lever tamping. Choose Pro for a hands-on routine; choose Express Impress if puck preparation is the task you want simplified.
Does a Breville espresso machine need a separate grinder?
Bambino BES450, Bambino Plus BES500 and Dual Boiler BES920 have no built-in grinder. An espresso-capable grinder lets you use whole beans and adjust the grind. The two Bambino models also support pre-ground coffee in their dual-wall baskets. Barista and Oracle models in this guide have integrated grinders.
Is Oracle Jet a dual-boiler machine?
No. Oracle Jet BES985 uses ThermoJet heating and queues milk after extraction. Oracle Dual Boiler BES995 has separate boilers for simultaneous brewing and steaming. The older Dual Boiler BES920 is another model again: it uses a separate grinder and manual milk preparation.
Can these machines make a pot of regular coffee?
They are espresso machines, not carafe brewers. Adding hot water to espresso makes an Americano, which is a different preparation from drip coffee. For a breakfast pot, consider the Breville Luxe Brewer Thermal BDC465 or a dedicated drip brewer.
Behind this guide
Research, sources and updates
We checked ten US espresso model pages and their linked manuals on October 4, 2026. Recommendations reflect the work each machine leaves to its owner, necessary extra equipment and model-specific trade-offs. Manufacturer specifications establish features; the outside tests linked above provide attributed observations.
We also read nine individual Best Buy reviews across Oracle Jet and Express Impress. All nine were labeled incentivized and verified purchaser. They helped identify questions about learning and cleanup; this small sample does not establish reliability or represent all owners. Amazon individual review pages were inaccessible, so none were counted.
Official specification and manual sources
- Bambino BES450: US specification and linked instruction manual
- Bambino Plus BES500: US specification and linked instruction manual
- Barista Express BES870: US specification and linked instruction manual
- Barista Express Impress BES876: US specification and linked instruction manual
- Barista Pro BES878: US specification and linked instruction manual
- Barista Touch BES880: US specification and linked instruction manual
- Barista Touch Impress BES881: US specification and linked instruction manual
- Oracle Jet BES985: US specification and linked instruction manual
- Dual Boiler BES920: US specification and linked instruction manual
- Oracle Dual Boiler BES995: US specification and linked instruction manual
October 4, 2026 — first publication: added the workflow comparison, complete-setup checklist and current US model checks. Kept BES920 and BES995 separate, verified Jet's sequential milk workflow, and excluded unresolved Touch Impress cold-feature claims.
For a wider brand comparison, continue to our espresso-machine buying guide.