Cheap Breville Barista Express Impress Espresso Machine BES876BSS, Brushed Stainless Steel
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Customer reviews
R. Jackson
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Espresso Machine
Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2023
Color: Brushed Stainless SteelVerified Purchase
I absolutely love my coffee. I don't know how people survived before they learned to roast coffee beans and brew their morning cup.
My previous fully automatic machine died, repair was $700+ and they no longer had electronic parts. I had to get another machine and quickly. I was a grizzly bear without my coffee! I selected the Barista Express Impress. (Couldn't they find a better name?)
As far as this machine, it is more difficult than making drip coffee in your Keurig. It is designed to give you the tools to make the best coffee that you ever had. However, you need to learn how to use it. It takes a lot of time to master because you have control of parameters I did not know existed.
The machine has a nice set of tools for maintenance and daily use. The tool tray attaches to the rear of the drip tray and is easily reached by pulling out the drip tray. The machine senses how much coffee to grind and automatically adjusts to grind the correct amount of beans. On several occasions, the beans stuck in the grinder, so I had to manually grind to get the correct level. No big deal but it mess up the level of beans to grind and it takes several cups of coffee to get it right again. I think that is why there are a lot of complaints about the grind level changing. I have learned to "bump" the bean hopper to free the beans before there are problems. If you listen, you can hear the grinder start to run free. I think Breville needs to redesign the hopper so beans flow freely. That is the only real criticism I have found.
There are some things you need to know. First off, the beans you choose are extremely important. They affect the coffee more than anything else. Second, you control the coffee grind. You get to choose exactly how fine you grind. That is a major factor in making coffee. Third, you get to control the brewing temperature. I haven't figured out how yet, but I am happy with the brew as it is.
When I make a latte, I use the microwave oven to heat the milk. If you want latte art, you will need to use the milk frother. I tried it a few times and it works well. There is a lot to clean, so I don't use it.
There are a few problems. My machine would only grind as I was holding the grind button. I unplugged the machine and it worked correctly when I plugged it back in. The machine stopped brewing. The pump would run with a noise that sounded like the machine would explode. When I turned the machine around to get the serial number (it was not on the back like Support told me--I think it is on the machine underside), I realized that I had run out of water! There is no water low sensor, so it is easy for the machine to run dry. Since a dry pump will fail very quickly, this is a major oversight.
The machine needs to be descaled regularly, especially if you live in a hard water area. Cleaning supplies are too expensive so I buy citric acid in bulk and generic cleaning tablets. Both work well. My water used to come from a reverse osmosis filter but I no longer have that luxury. I think I need to start buying water from one of those water stores that are popping up all over.
On the whole, the machine makes an excellent cup but it takes knowledge and time to learn.
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Ethan A.
5.0 out of 5 stars A Fantastic Machine!
Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2024
Color: Brushed Stainless SteelVerified Purchase
After being sorely disappointed by a classic Nespresso machine and being wowed by the espresso that came out of a friend's Breville Infuser, I purchased this machine. It was on sale for about $200 off, so it was a great buy! I was intrigued by the assisted tamping, as I seemed to always have inconsistent results when tamping by myself.
This machine really eliminates a lot of the guess work. I wasn't looking to make a daily coffee into a hobby. I just want a fast way to have a tasty drink to bring to work. The Impress system is fantastic. I prefer single shots while my partner prefers doubles, and it remembers settings for both, so you do not have to change the settings between users. I reset the auto dosing whenever I open a new bag of beans and within a few runs, it is all dialed in. The grinder has
The included accessories are well thought out. The razor tool, for trimming coffee off a portafilter that has been filled too high, is made of thick metal. The tool for unscrewing the shower screen and cleaning the milk nozzle are also excellent inclusions. A trial set of cleaning chemicals is nice for starting off, but the full sized Breville descale powder and cleaning tablets are pricier than the just-as-good generic ones.
While I was intrigued by the faster heating, Baratza burrs, and auto milk frothing of the Touch Impress, I didn't really like the idea of having to swipe through menus on a resistive touch screen to make coffee. The reviews seemed to be plagued with error code issues and crashing. The physical buttons and indicator lights seem like they'll stand the test of time a little better. If Breville released an upgraded model with those features but no touch screen, I'd be all over it.
I live in the Southwest with very hard water, I would’ve appreciated the ability to adjust the descale reminder frequency like you can on the Breville Touch models. Having used the machine for about 6 weeks now, I have found it already necessary to descale the machine despite the light not turning on. The only non-Touch model that seems to have this feature is the classic Oracle.
Another quip has been the clearance between the portafilter and the drip tray. Anything besides a low-profile mug simply won't fit under the portafilter without removing the drip tray. This could be improved by getting a bottomless portafilter for an additional inch of clearance, but having a slightly higher profile machine would be nice.
Overall, I am very pleased with this machine. Give it a shot if you want high quality coffee with a little more handholding than the completely manual machines.
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PCM
5.0 out of 5 stars Nearly perfect - very practical and sturdy
Reviewed in the United States on November 3, 2023
Color: Brushed Stainless SteelVerified Purchase
I’ve owned this machine for nearly a year now and use it often, besides having owned another 2 different models in the past, so I feel this summary of virtues is well informed:
Good-
- The biggest differential relative to others is preparation speed. The grinder setup means you get a fresh, polished and perfectly measured puck in just ~20 seconds almost every time, and in the rare occasions where it is slightly, just off a few more seconds of correction is enough. For those of you that enjoy the quality of freshly ground coffee but don’t enjoy the laborious dosing/grinding/spreading/pressing, this machine is the answer to your prayers.
- The resulting espresso is smooth, thick and creamy. I’m able to use lighter roasts (my preference) without issue.
- Practical compact design. All parts and tools are neatly contained and accessible, fitting into a relatively tight corner of my kitchen.
- Sealed hopper lid helps preserve freshness of beans.
- Easy clean cycle. Just a couple button pushes and a few descaler runs and it’s all fresh to go. The drip tray is also very easy to pull off and dump.
- Good activated carbon water filter ensures the quality of the second most important ingredient after your beans.
Could improve:
- No low water indicator. Sometimes you’re caught off guard dry in the middle of a brew.
- Inability to take on larger mugs. You can only comfortably fit in regular sized mugs.
- Heating cycle for steamer starts with a few water squirts. I personally use these to wet the rag I’ll use to clean the wand, or just water down the milk a tad, but it feels unnecessary.
Overall I think you’ll be a happy owner. If you can afford it and you like dependable good quality coffee and appliances, go for it.
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Norman
5.0 out of 5 stars Happily Impressed!
Reviewed in the United States on July 18, 2023
Color: Brushed Stainless SteelVerified Purchase
Bought this on Prime Day at a great price. Always been a Breville brand fan. I have several of their appliances and (almost) no complaints, other than an expensive (but functionally impressive) toaster that died after 2 years. I’m replacing a Nespresso machine that I’ve used daily for over 6 years. For the last few months, I think I’ve watched every YouTube video made about setting this model up, using and cleaning it. Breville also has videos about the machine. They are informative but irritatingly corny. I spent the day it showed up reading the manuals, re-watching some videos, packing away my Nespresso machine, inventorying the Breville and setting it up. I also ordered Lavazza coffee beens from Amazon just to get started.
The first day, took several presses of the “dose” button to get my green okay light. I thought it was supposed to remember the correct dosage for the same beans but the 2nd day, it over-filled the portafilter. That gave me a chance to test the “razor” and it was simple to use. Since then the dosage has been perfect on the first try. Something I learned from the Breville videos is that start to finish, the extraction should take about 30 seconds or you need to adjust the grind. I used my iPhone to time that. 1st day was about 20 seconds, but the expresso still tasted way better than my Nespresso shots, so I just went with that and adjusted the grind by a couple of clicks (making it finer). Next day, the extraction took 25 seconds, so I adjusted the grind again by a couple of clicks. Extraction took 30 seconds and had a great crema.
I should mention that I always used 2 shots on my Nespresso machine and about 10-12 ounces of unsweetened almond milk to make a latte. I also used probably 10 packets of Stevia in the Raw to get past the bitter taste. Over the years, I’ve tried most of the Nespresso original coffees and my favorites are the Italian ones. With the Lavazza coffee (also 2 shots) and my new Breville, I’ve cut that back to 4 packets and it’s perfect. Something else I noticed is that the the Lavazza is not very bitter (I just like my latte on the sweeter side) but I noticed a lot of nuance in the taste of my expresso shot. I’m not an expresso expert, so I don’t know the correct terms. But the latte tasted very, very fresh, light with just a hint of bitterness.
I haven’t used the steaming wand and I’m not in any hurry to learn that. I’ve always put my almond milk in the microwave for about 90 seconds (with the Stevia in it) and used a $15 frother wand to whip it up. Then I pour that into the expresso. I don’t do art. I have the Nespresso frother and some 3rd party one I bought. They don’t do any better than the wand and are more work to clean up. I also only drink lattes or cappuccinos (when I over-froth!) and am actually not a coffee drinker. I drink tea the rest of the day.
My criteria for upgrading machines were 1) improved taste in my lattes, 2) same ease of use as the Nespresso and 3) same or lower costs to make my lattes. I probably spend $50/month on Nespresso coffee and it looks like I can spend $10-$20 on the Lavazza or close to that amount if I want to try some local brewers (and I will). The Breville machine is (when on sale) twice the cost of a Nespresso. But spread that over 5 years and it’s not much of a factor. Ease of cleanup and setup is about the same. Filling up the water tank on the Breville is a tad more work than the Nespresso and will slosh out if you’re not careful. I’d say if you factor in putting water in and warming up the Nespresso machine, it took me about 4-5 minutes to make a Nespresso latte. Factor in the dosing time and the Breville takes me 7-8 minutes. Close enough.
Am I happy with it? Heck, YES!!!! I’d give my Nespresso machine 4/10 stars. I didn’t have to get in the car and drive to a coffee shop each day. I knew I was trading quality for (some) cost and convenience. I’d give my Breville 8.5/10 stars. The expresso shots just taste so wonderful. I know some people go down a rabbit hole trying to get a perfect expresso shot. I rank wanting to do that right next to improving (or even doing) latte art. :-). I couldn’t be more pleased with this new setup.
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Airhead
5.0 out of 5 stars Great introduction to home espresso making
Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2023
Color: Brushed Stainless SteelVerified Purchase
Not a cheap choice but soon making addictive, coffee shop quality espresso. I wanted to graduate from pod type machines and chose this model due to the hassle-free grind and tamp function. It does waste a couple of ounces of beans to get the grind setting correct but, once set, no more changes are needed unless a different type of beans are introduced. There is also a learning curve to find your preferred beans but that’s just part of the fun. My only gripe would be that the tamp function does not always register on the display, the portafilter has to connect perfectly to enable the display.
Would recommend this machine to anyone wanting to step up from pod machines but still having convenience if wanted.
1 YEAR UPDATE
Faultless coffee making for the first year of ownership. I make 2-3 cups a day and, apart from descaling (when indicated), the Breville has needed no maintenance or repair. I tend to use the same beans and the grind / tamp has been very consistent, with little adjustment needed from batch to batch. The tamp indicator is still a bit touchy but easy to forgive given the overall convenience. Review upgraded to five stars!
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OpenHonest&Truthful
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful machine that works very well!!!
Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2024
Color: Brushed Stainless SteelVerified Purchase
If you enjoy coffee as much as we do, you need this machine. Not only does it make great coffee, but it is also fun to use. I never get tired of making coffee for my wife and I and all our friends. There is always someone stopping by in the mornings. We never had visitors in the morning, until we got this machine. If I could afford to upgrade to the Oracle Touch, I would be in coffee heaven!!!! But that's going to be a long wait. A few more things to add though. The burr grinder on this machine works really well, it just takes some practice to learn how to keep it dialed in correctly. Each bag of coffee beans can be different from the next. Adjustments take a couple of seconds, once you understand it. Keeping the machine clean and maintained is easy enough as well. Like anything it just takes a few minutes once in a while to run the cleaning processes through it. Take care of it properly and it should last quite awhile.
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StreetWorkout
5.0 out of 5 stars Breville idiosyncrasy
Reviewed in the United States on March 6, 2024
Color: Brushed Stainless SteelVerified Purchase
So i gave the Breville 5 stars simply because there has not been any issues with the machine. I'll just say I had the Delonghi la specialista and it lasted one year , then it started leaking water all over the counter! So the Breville is working beautifully, but there are a few things that you need to pay attention to. First the grinder has way more fine adjustments, so that took about a week to get dialed in. then the bean hopper has small openings for the beans to get to the grinder, you actually have to poke the loose beans down around the edges to make sure you get a full grind, no big deal. Then there is the steamer wand, once you activate it , it wants to squirt a little stream of water out, so don't put your milk under it for the first few seconds. Then it starts steaming really well. Also making an Americano, hot water does not add automatically, so you do it manually and add what you think is good! You'll get used to it! Overall it's a solid machine overall , a few hundred more than Delonghi, but I think worth it. I really like putting the dose cup in the slot and hitting the button for grind and the tamper is built in, just pull the lever!
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CRUZ45
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful and Unique
Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2024
Color: Brushed Stainless SteelVerified Purchase
Great Product
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Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars So far it’s been good.
Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2024
Color: Brushed Stainless SteelVerified Purchase
After our considerably more expensive espresso machine crapped out only after 14 months we decided we would give this machine a try. The first few days were somewhat challenging but after getting the grind settings right its performance had been mostly satisfactory. Have to say I’m impressed that it makes the occasional hot cappuccino effortlessly delicious and well textured. My only disappointment would be is it seems to discharge a excessive amount of water through the internal drain into the bottom tray which has to be emptied every couple days and the water reserve had to be refilled as well. I have to give a shout out to the “Assurance Insurance” folks for stepping up and reimbursing us when they deemed our old machine was “unfixable” and gave us a full refund within just days after receiving our machine. I definitely would suggest that no matter which brand machine you’re purchasing that you protect yourself with adding the insurance to your purchase as it sure took the sting out of its failure, I sure did with this unit as well bc they’re pretty darn expensive these days. We’re hoping this machine will give use years of service!
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michael Bosch
5.0 out of 5 stars Best half automated Espresso machine.
Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2024
Color: Brushed Stainless SteelVerified Purchase
After I 5 different espresso machines and even expensive automated Espresso machines this Brewille impress is my favorite.
The espresso and cappuccino quality is fantastic.
Even though it's half automated you can still your own little adjustments.
And for half of the money of a fully automatic one the impress makes even better espresso and cappuccino .
I can only highly recommend this machine.
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