Breville Barista Express Impress, Stainless Steel
$539.99
Description
| Brand | Breville |
| Color | Brushed Stainless Steel |
| Product Dimensions | 12.5″D x 14.5″W x 16.5″H |
| Special Feature | Manual |
| Coffee Maker Type | Espresso Machine |
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Additional information
| Title | Default Title |
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Norman –
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.
Norman –
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.
Stacey Carroll –
Love the coffee maker…coffee is great! But having issue with auto coffee grinding and tamping. In the first few uses it tamped and the green light came on as in full dose. Now it never completely doses and so tamping light doesn’t show full. I’m wasting a lot of coffee trying to add more after initial dose. Not sure if I need to return or if there is something I’m not doing right…which I have tried it all so confident it’s the machine.Update June 25, 2024Well it just gets worse…I’ve been using manual for the grind bc you can’t depend on the auto to work right. Now for the last couple of months the steamer doesn’t work properly. It’s starts strong and then dies out before the milk is steamed. Usually I can restart it and it will finish but this morning it seems to have went completely out. Soooo disappointed as this machine is way too expensive to stop working and acting up less than a year after I purchased it.Also noting that I did send a message to Breville through Amazon and no one ever sent me a response. I will go straight to the company today. 😡😡😡
Stacey Carroll –
Love the coffee maker…coffee is great! But having issue with auto coffee grinding and tamping. In the first few uses it tamped and the green light came on as in full dose. Now it never completely doses and so tamping light doesn’t show full. I’m wasting a lot of coffee trying to add more after initial dose. Not sure if I need to return or if there is something I’m not doing right…which I have tried it all so confident it’s the machine.Update June 25, 2024Well it just gets worse…I’ve been using manual for the grind bc you can’t depend on the auto to work right. Now for the last couple of months the steamer doesn’t work properly. It’s starts strong and then dies out before the milk is steamed. Usually I can restart it and it will finish but this morning it seems to have went completely out. Soooo disappointed as this machine is way too expensive to stop working and acting up less than a year after I purchased it.Also noting that I did send a message to Breville through Amazon and no one ever sent me a response. I will go straight to the company today. 😡😡😡
glp123 –
Choose the Barista Touch Impress instead – this model was great for about two weeks – I had a very difficult time with the milk wand – milk would burn and stick no matter how fast I wiped it took a long time to steam added a lot of water to the milk even though I waited for steam to get to par- all and all made good espresso but if you use milk wand this is a no! Purchased the touch impress and it wiped clean every time! and heats faster! has great customization and the froth is automated which is a great worth while bonus for me! Yes double the price but I spend a lot on good beans I want a great cappuccino or latte and I get that every time with the touch impress
glp123 –
Choose the Barista Touch Impress instead – this model was great for about two weeks – I had a very difficult time with the milk wand – milk would burn and stick no matter how fast I wiped it took a long time to steam added a lot of water to the milk even though I waited for steam to get to par- all and all made good espresso but if you use milk wand this is a no! Purchased the touch impress and it wiped clean every time! and heats faster! has great customization and the froth is automated which is a great worth while bonus for me! Yes double the price but I spend a lot on good beans I want a great cappuccino or latte and I get that every time with the touch impress
Christine F. –
A lot of thought went into the user experience design, like having a quiet grinder, removable water tank, removable bean hopper, storage drawer, and built in dosing funnel and tamper. However, the smart sensors for dosing and tamping created more problems than they solved.I have to tamp before removing, which means I can’t dose, use a WDT tool, and then tamp. As soon as I take out the portafilter, the doser/tamper resets so it doesn’t “learn.” Also, after dosing, the tamper wouldn’t register that I’ve tamped, so the tamp light keeps on blinking and the doser can’t learn and refine.For all the work and finagling, I might as well have a totally manual set up like the Gaggia Classic Pro. I was willing to spend more for convenience, but this thing has been a non stop headache.
Christine F. –
A lot of thought went into the user experience design, like having a quiet grinder, removable water tank, removable bean hopper, storage drawer, and built in dosing funnel and tamper. However, the smart sensors for dosing and tamping created more problems than they solved.I have to tamp before removing, which means I can’t dose, use a WDT tool, and then tamp. As soon as I take out the portafilter, the doser/tamper resets so it doesn’t “learn.” Also, after dosing, the tamper wouldn’t register that I’ve tamped, so the tamp light keeps on blinking and the doser can’t learn and refine.For all the work and finagling, I might as well have a totally manual set up like the Gaggia Classic Pro. I was willing to spend more for convenience, but this thing has been a non stop headache.
Amazon Customer –
High quality machine. Had some questions in the beginning. Reached out to Breville customer service a couple of times. Each representative was fantastic. Very pleased with my purchase.
Amazon Customer –
High quality machine. Had some questions in the beginning. Reached out to Breville customer service a couple of times. Each representative was fantastic. Very pleased with my purchase.
İremBarlasİremBarlas –
We used about a year. It’s every easy to use and clean comparing other machines. Configuration is also very easy. Coffee tastes perfect most of time after getting used to adjustment of the settings.Only downside is that, after using it about a year (we consumed double shot twice a day most of the time), then machine started to not grind anymore, and made loud sounds. They came up with easy UPS delivery process to fix the machine.
İremBarlasİremBarlas –
We used about a year. It’s every easy to use and clean comparing other machines. Configuration is also very easy. Coffee tastes perfect most of time after getting used to adjustment of the settings.Only downside is that, after using it about a year (we consumed double shot twice a day most of the time), then machine started to not grind anymore, and made loud sounds. They came up with easy UPS delivery process to fix the machine.
Gramma Reader –
I thought I might be unnecessarily splurging on this. Alas I was not. Love it. Great coffee. Easy to operate once you get the sequencing down. Easy to clean. A little spendy but it’s growing on me.
Gramma Reader –
I thought I might be unnecessarily splurging on this. Alas I was not. Love it. Great coffee. Easy to operate once you get the sequencing down. Easy to clean. A little spendy but it’s growing on me.
Seth C. –
Super easy to use and to maintain. Well worth the investment. Truly an all in one machine, no extra do-dads, tampers etc needed. For the adventurous you can find tune the settings to an even better cup of joe but the automatic setting are nothing to cry home about
Seth C. –
Super easy to use and to maintain. Well worth the investment. Truly an all in one machine, no extra do-dads, tampers etc needed. For the adventurous you can find tune the settings to an even better cup of joe but the automatic setting are nothing to cry home about
Seer5 –
I like it a lot, the frother needs work, but maybe it’s me.
Seer5 –
I like it a lot, the frother needs work, but maybe it’s me.
Jeffrey –
Inconsistent espresso. Without changing settings I may get 1 ounce or 2. It seems random.
michael Bosch –
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.
michael Bosch –
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.
Julia McAfee –
Given the cost of this machine, I had expected it to work exceptionally and consistently. The first one I ordered worked so inconsistently and poorly, I contacted Breville customer support. I had to contact them 10+ times trying to convince them something was wrong with the machine. They would tell me that I wasn’t “fine tunning” correctly or blamed the beans I was using. I had gone through over a dozen locally roasted beans, bought a scale and timed out the extraction times (I work as a chemist). Sometimes it would work great, but more often than not it would perform poorly, not able to reach optimal extraction pressure. After months of trying to convince them there was something wrong, they finally sent me a replacement (the Breville pro by accident which is less expensive). While the Breville pro works better than the Breville express impress, there are still inconsistencies with the extraction time and steam wand performance.This machine is way more stress than its worth, especially with their horrible customer service. Save your self the time, effort, and stress, don’t buy this machine.
Julia McAfee –
Given the cost of this machine, I had expected it to work exceptionally and consistently. The first one I ordered worked so inconsistently and poorly, I contacted Breville customer support. I had to contact them 10+ times trying to convince them something was wrong with the machine. They would tell me that I wasn’t “fine tunning” correctly or blamed the beans I was using. I had gone through over a dozen locally roasted beans, bought a scale and timed out the extraction times (I work as a chemist). Sometimes it would work great, but more often than not it would perform poorly, not able to reach optimal extraction pressure. After months of trying to convince them there was something wrong, they finally sent me a replacement (the Breville pro by accident which is less expensive). While the Breville pro works better than the Breville express impress, there are still inconsistencies with the extraction time and steam wand performance.This machine is way more stress than its worth, especially with their horrible customer service. Save your self the time, effort, and stress, don’t buy this machine.
Tester91 –
Easy to use literally just have to press two buttons to pull a shot. And turn and tilt to froth your milk. Only con is water resovoir could be bigger and that it needs to be cleaned after every few uses
Tester91 –
Easy to use literally just have to press two buttons to pull a shot. And turn and tilt to froth your milk. Only con is water resovoir could be bigger and that it needs to be cleaned after every few uses
Sha –
It extract more from fresh beans for sure, with less effort.Will have more after more usages!It is consistent, when it says green, the taste is consistent, but varies by the grand setting, this is the killing feature of this machine! Finer means more pressure, richer but bitter and closer to over extract.Milking stick is not that good, but still OK.Use more water than expected!
Sha –
It extract more from fresh beans for sure, with less effort.Will have more after more usages!It is consistent, when it says green, the taste is consistent, but varies by the grand setting, this is the killing feature of this machine! Finer means more pressure, richer but bitter and closer to over extract.Milking stick is not that good, but still OK.Use more water than expected!
Wendy MarksWendy Marks –
Expensive but so far so good! Milk frother kept breaking on my other machine so hopefully this one will last! Update: stopped heating espresso; heater would not work and knob to turn on frother keeps falling off. Have to heat up drink in my microwave!
Wendy MarksWendy Marks –
Expensive but so far so good! Milk frother kept breaking on my other machine so hopefully this one will last! Update: stopped heating espresso; heater would not work and knob to turn on frother keeps falling off. Have to heat up drink in my microwave!
Ethan A. –
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 hasThe 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.
Ethan A. –
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 hasThe 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.
StreetWorkoutStreetWorkout –
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!
StreetWorkoutStreetWorkout –
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!
Rick –
Love this machine. It’s easy to use. Has two hot water tanks and heats quickly. I’m very satisfied with this purchase.
Rick –
Love this machine. It’s easy to use. Has two hot water tanks and heats quickly. I’m very satisfied with this purchase.
M. D. ShawM. D. Shaw –
I ordered my Impress Espresso machine before hurricane Ian (I live in Florida) and I had to wait two extra days for my delivery. The box was heavy and the machine is quite robust and heavy. To my pleasant surprise when I tested the stainless steel surfaces they all attracted a magnet, including the mirrored backplate. My wife and I like coffee. We drink it everyday. We like Starbucks, but it is not convenient to go to Starbucks where we live and we think it is overpriced.I decided on the Breville Impress since it was a new just released product and featured easy clean up and a built in tamper for uniform repeatability.After cleaning all the parts, letting it properly warm up and pulling a couple of empty shots, I put some Seattle’s Best Portside Blend whole beans in the hopper. I had previously reset the grinder from 6 to 4 and chosen 16 for the grind size.I pressed the dose button, used the tamper and pressed it again to see the green light indicating the grinding and amount were just right. The coffee looked like a fine powder, but it can be set even finer. I moved the portafilter and pressed the double shot button.Frothy espresso poured into two small red cups. The espresso was delicious, as good or better than I have ever had before. My wife agreed with me and we tried it two more times. The three beautiful small round pucks came loose with a single tap and the final rinse with clean-up was done in a minute.Now, I should wait until tomorrow morning to repeat the experience.
M. D. ShawM. D. Shaw –
I ordered my Impress Espresso machine before hurricane Ian (I live in Florida) and I had to wait two extra days for my delivery. The box was heavy and the machine is quite robust and heavy. To my pleasant surprise when I tested the stainless steel surfaces they all attracted a magnet, including the mirrored backplate. My wife and I like coffee. We drink it everyday. We like Starbucks, but it is not convenient to go to Starbucks where we live and we think it is overpriced.I decided on the Breville Impress since it was a new just released product and featured easy clean up and a built in tamper for uniform repeatability.After cleaning all the parts, letting it properly warm up and pulling a couple of empty shots, I put some Seattle’s Best Portside Blend whole beans in the hopper. I had previously reset the grinder from 6 to 4 and chosen 16 for the grind size.I pressed the dose button, used the tamper and pressed it again to see the green light indicating the grinding and amount were just right. The coffee looked like a fine powder, but it can be set even finer. I moved the portafilter and pressed the double shot button.Frothy espresso poured into two small red cups. The espresso was delicious, as good or better than I have ever had before. My wife agreed with me and we tried it two more times. The three beautiful small round pucks came loose with a single tap and the final rinse with clean-up was done in a minute.Now, I should wait until tomorrow morning to repeat the experience.
Amazon Customer –
At this price, we expected this Breville to last for more than 14 months! We researched a long time before we decided to purchase.It did take a while to learn how to make that perfect cup! But once that was figured out, we enjoyed great coffees, espresso, capuccinos, etc.However a few months ago, the machine began to fall apart. We did every maintenance, we were cognizant of every type of bean and making any needed adjustment. This morning was the dealbreaker. If you want black coffee and are willing to pay the high price point, it is a lovely machine in design and works fine for a basic cup of black coffee. Anything more, look elsewhere. The brand name is just that. Sadly, it does not translate to quality.
Amazon Customer –
At this price, we expected this Breville to last for more than 14 months! We researched a long time before we decided to purchase.It did take a while to learn how to make that perfect cup! But once that was figured out, we enjoyed great coffees, espresso, capuccinos, etc.However a few months ago, the machine began to fall apart. We did every maintenance, we were cognizant of every type of bean and making any needed adjustment. This morning was the dealbreaker. If you want black coffee and are willing to pay the high price point, it is a lovely machine in design and works fine for a basic cup of black coffee. Anything more, look elsewhere. The brand name is just that. Sadly, it does not translate to quality.
Kyrstie Neumann –
Me and my husband have wanted one of these forever. We finally made the splurge! Our first one had and error within the first week and we had to trade it in but the customer service was great and we have had no issues since. We’ve had ours for about 4 months now and the quality of our coffee is amazing. We don’t ever order coffee out now and we look forward to a latte every morning at home!The grinder is self correcting; when you use the tamper it will tell you if you’re short grounds or over. If it’s short, it will grind exactly what you need for a full shot and you can tamp again. I love that feature! Perfect shot every time.The steamer is pretty loud but that is the only negative thing I have to say about this machine.
Kyrstie Neumann –
Me and my husband have wanted one of these forever. We finally made the splurge! Our first one had and error within the first week and we had to trade it in but the customer service was great and we have had no issues since. We’ve had ours for about 4 months now and the quality of our coffee is amazing. We don’t ever order coffee out now and we look forward to a latte every morning at home!The grinder is self correcting; when you use the tamper it will tell you if you’re short grounds or over. If it’s short, it will grind exactly what you need for a full shot and you can tamp again. I love that feature! Perfect shot every time.The steamer is pretty loud but that is the only negative thing I have to say about this machine.
Amazon Customer –
Easy to setup and first few uses have been easy!
Amazon Customer –
Easy to setup and first few uses have been easy!
joe –
it makes the best coffee! but if you have a busy life (kids, pets, work,etc) you should know that making the amazing coffee does take time. especially if you have a spouse since you can’t just make yourself a cup. there is prep, making, and cleanup x2 for a small cup. i think it’s a great product but you do have to have time to use it or it will just sit on the counter like ours does now 🙁
joe –
it makes the best coffee! but if you have a busy life (kids, pets, work,etc) you should know that making the amazing coffee does take time. especially if you have a spouse since you can’t just make yourself a cup. there is prep, making, and cleanup x2 for a small cup. i think it’s a great product but you do have to have time to use it or it will just sit on the counter like ours does now 🙁
R. Jackson –
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.
R. Jackson –
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.
Kenries leonKenries leon –
Recomendado
Kenries leonKenries leon –
Recomendado
Barry –
The Breville makes an excellent cup of Espresso, Americano and Cappuccino. The espresso is delicious and the Americano is my morning go to coffee. The taste is rich with wonderful undertones that I did not know coffee had. However, I can’t give the Breville Impress a 5 start right now because the dosing – which is suppose to be automated – ends up with multiple tamps until the green light comes on. The machine will overdose more often so I end up scraping off excess coffee. The directions that came with the machine are not clear about how to get the machine to dose automatically when it seems to grind too much or too little coffee. Online videos and information were not much help. I guess I’ll figure it out at some point, but I am disappointed the dosing is not working as advertised. The instructions say the machine will automatically adjust the next dose, but that has not been happening. Other than that, the machine is well made, the coffee grind is superb and the cappuccino or Americano is fantastic.
Barry –
The Breville makes an excellent cup of Espresso, Americano and Cappuccino. The espresso is delicious and the Americano is my morning go to coffee. The taste is rich with wonderful undertones that I did not know coffee had. However, I can’t give the Breville Impress a 5 start right now because the dosing – which is suppose to be automated – ends up with multiple tamps until the green light comes on. The machine will overdose more often so I end up scraping off excess coffee. The directions that came with the machine are not clear about how to get the machine to dose automatically when it seems to grind too much or too little coffee. Online videos and information were not much help. I guess I’ll figure it out at some point, but I am disappointed the dosing is not working as advertised. The instructions say the machine will automatically adjust the next dose, but that has not been happening. Other than that, the machine is well made, the coffee grind is superb and the cappuccino or Americano is fantastic.
Amazon Customer –
Setting the grind and amount is tedious. It seems to leak and fill the bottom catch tray quickly.its easy to use and heats quickly.
Amazon Customer –
Setting the grind and amount is tedious. It seems to leak and fill the bottom catch tray quickly.its easy to use and heats quickly.
Ibaldo A. –
I started drinking coffee before I started walking. I mean, I know about coffee, this machine is amazing, I struggle recommend.
Ibaldo A. –
I started drinking coffee before I started walking. I mean, I know about coffee, this machine is amazing, I struggle recommend.
ABA –
I love coffee, but I have no time nor patience to learn how to be a barista. After much research, and weighing pros and cons, I decided on the Breville Impress. After about a week — I think this has already paid for itself, with the number of perfect Caramel Macchiatos I have already made! Literally perfect! I love my Breville!!!
ABA –
I love coffee, but I have no time nor patience to learn how to be a barista. After much research, and weighing pros and cons, I decided on the Breville Impress. After about a week — I think this has already paid for itself, with the number of perfect Caramel Macchiatos I have already made! Literally perfect! I love my Breville!!!
PCM –
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 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.PS> It’s been a few more months now and I can report that the grinder broke. Repair was straightforward: wrote an email, got a special padded box in the mail, sent it off and got a fixed machine in about a week. This is all to say that their warranty also seems to work well.
PCM –
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 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.PS> It’s been a few more months now and I can report that the grinder broke. Repair was straightforward: wrote an email, got a special padded box in the mail, sent it off and got a fixed machine in about a week. This is all to say that their warranty also seems to work well.
Airhead –
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 UPDATEFaultless 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!
Airhead –
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 UPDATEFaultless 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!
Jae –
I’ve been using the (truffle black-great finish) Barista Express Impress Espresso Machine for a few weeks and am very impressed. I had absolutely no previous experience with expresso machines or grinders and that’s one main reason why I chose this all-in-one machine with the latest convenience features. The touchscreen version is far too expensive and I guessed that this version would be less prone to issues with less electronic components (total guess). I can’t say that the Impress is worth the extra cost (few hundred more paid) over the older Express model though, but I have to regrets.Setting it up for the first time is a bit daunting but watch a video or two and review the simple and easily to read instructions and you’ll be up and running in no time. The biggest challenge to date is finding the right coffee brand and proper mixture of cream when making a cappuccino or other drink vs a expresso shot.I purchased this on sale during the holidays for $720. Yes, it’s pricey but I had been considering the purchase of a Breville for years and I have no regrets as long as I’m not replacing it anytime soon. Quality machines with these features are generally close to a grand and many well over that price. Also, you’ll likely need a roll out tray to sit it on if it’s on a counter underneath a standard height cabinet and keep in mind that it’s too large for most trays so double check dimensions.Things to note: empty your bottom tray frequently because it fills up surprisingly fast. Buy expresso and/or cappuccino specific drinkware because regular sized mugs will not fit when in a rush.
Jae –
I’ve been using the (truffle black-great finish) Barista Express Impress Espresso Machine for a few weeks and am very impressed. I had absolutely no previous experience with expresso machines or grinders and that’s one main reason why I chose this all-in-one machine with the latest convenience features. The touchscreen version is far too expensive and I guessed that this version would be less prone to issues with less electronic components (total guess). I can’t say that the Impress is worth the extra cost (few hundred more paid) over the older Express model though, but I have to regrets.Setting it up for the first time is a bit daunting but watch a video or two and review the simple and easily to read instructions and you’ll be up and running in no time. The biggest challenge to date is finding the right coffee brand and proper mixture of cream when making a cappuccino or other drink vs a expresso shot.I purchased this on sale during the holidays for $720. Yes, it’s pricey but I had been considering the purchase of a Breville for years and I have no regrets as long as I’m not replacing it anytime soon. Quality machines with these features are generally close to a grand and many well over that price. Also, you’ll likely need a roll out tray to sit it on if it’s on a counter underneath a standard height cabinet and keep in mind that it’s too large for most trays so double check dimensions.Things to note: empty your bottom tray frequently because it fills up surprisingly fast. Buy expresso and/or cappuccino specific drinkware because regular sized mugs will not fit when in a rush.
Amazon Customer –
This was an EXTREMELY expensive purchase but super worth it. Our family uses this daily. It heats up quickly, set up was easy and it performs how it’s suppose to. No issues with dialing in and we’ve used plenty of beans from local roasters to mass production. It sits pretty on our counter and we’ve saved tons on money being able to make our expressos from home!
Amazon Customer –
This was an EXTREMELY expensive purchase but super worth it. Our family uses this daily. It heats up quickly, set up was easy and it performs how it’s suppose to. No issues with dialing in and we’ve used plenty of beans from local roasters to mass production. It sits pretty on our counter and we’ve saved tons on money being able to make our expressos from home!
Marcus –
The learning curve is steep with this thing. It requires a lot of fine-tuning to make a good Latte. I was also surprised by how fast this machine chews through a bag of beans. It also uses a lot of water too. The water tank needs refilling often. I’m still trying to find the best coffee beans for my preferred taste. I do more cleaning and fussing over this thing than expected. Thoughts of returning it the first couple of weeks were constantly on my mind. I’ve finally become more comfortable with it and the way it makes coffee.
Marcus –
The learning curve is steep with this thing. It requires a lot of fine-tuning to make a good Latte. I was also surprised by how fast this machine chews through a bag of beans. It also uses a lot of water too. The water tank needs refilling often. I’m still trying to find the best coffee beans for my preferred taste. I do more cleaning and fussing over this thing than expected. Thoughts of returning it the first couple of weeks were constantly on my mind. I’ve finally become more comfortable with it and the way it makes coffee.
Barry –
The Breville makes an excellent cup of Espresso, Americano and Cappuccino. The espresso is delicious and the Americano is my morning go to coffee. The taste is rich with wonderful undertones that I did not know coffee had. However, I can’t give the Breville Impress a 5 start right now because the dosing – which is suppose to be automated – ends up with multiple tamps until the green light comes on. The machine will overdose more often so I end up scraping off excess coffee. The directions that came with the machine are not clear about how to get the machine to dose automatically when it seems to grind too much or too little coffee. Online videos and information were not much help. I guess I’ll figure it out at some point, but I am disappointed the dosing is not working as advertised. The instructions say the machine will automatically adjust the next dose, but that has not been happening. Other than that, the machine is well made, the coffee grind is superb and the cappuccino or Americano is fantastic.
Barry –
The Breville makes an excellent cup of Espresso, Americano and Cappuccino. The espresso is delicious and the Americano is my morning go to coffee. The taste is rich with wonderful undertones that I did not know coffee had. However, I can’t give the Breville Impress a 5 start right now because the dosing – which is suppose to be automated – ends up with multiple tamps until the green light comes on. The machine will overdose more often so I end up scraping off excess coffee. The directions that came with the machine are not clear about how to get the machine to dose automatically when it seems to grind too much or too little coffee. Online videos and information were not much help. I guess I’ll figure it out at some point, but I am disappointed the dosing is not working as advertised. The instructions say the machine will automatically adjust the next dose, but that has not been happening. Other than that, the machine is well made, the coffee grind is superb and the cappuccino or Americano is fantastic.
Jojo –
Want hot, fresh, smooth espresso? This is the one to get. Your morning coffee will never be the same. We’ve been brewing our coffee from coffee grounds and we thought that tasted good. We were absolutely wrong about that after we bought this Breville Barista Express Impress (BBEI). I mean, this thing is a game changer. I’ve never tasted coffee so rich and smooth before and now I can enjoy that richness and smoothness because of this BBEI. It can ground your coffee beans. It can tamp the grounds/puck to perfection. It can brew at the right temperature with also the correct water pressure. So delicious coffee. It can also make cafe latte and other delicious goodness, but I’m sure you already know that. Downside on this beast is the price. It is crazy expensive. I need to make an espresso right now. Bye.
Jojo –
Want hot, fresh, smooth espresso? This is the one to get. Your morning coffee will never be the same. We’ve been brewing our coffee from coffee grounds and we thought that tasted good. We were absolutely wrong about that after we bought this Breville Barista Express Impress (BBEI). I mean, this thing is a game changer. I’ve never tasted coffee so rich and smooth before and now I can enjoy that richness and smoothness because of this BBEI. It can ground your coffee beans. It can tamp the grounds/puck to perfection. It can brew at the right temperature with also the correct water pressure. So delicious coffee. It can also make cafe latte and other delicious goodness, but I’m sure you already know that. Downside on this beast is the price. It is crazy expensive. I need to make an espresso right now. Bye.
alberto rodriguezalberto rodriguez –
Todo llego perfecto, la instrucciones entendibles y a practicar como hacer el mejor cafe
alberto rodriguezalberto rodriguez –
Todo llego perfecto, la instrucciones entendibles y a practicar como hacer el mejor cafe
Dorothy J. –
I had to watch several videos to figure out how to get the grind right. It also took a lot more f practice to know when there was enough pressure to make espresso and steam milk.This is a good machine for a patient person.
Dorothy J. –
I had to watch several videos to figure out how to get the grind right. It also took a lot more f practice to know when there was enough pressure to make espresso and steam milk.This is a good machine for a patient person.
Shannon M. –
This machine was ok at first. The coffee flavor was ok but I chaulked it up to a learning curve. Now, all of a sudden my machine has stopped automaticall grinding the beans. I have done oeverything the manual tells me to do and it just doesn’t work.How do I return this item and get a refund????
Shannon M. –
This machine was ok at first. The coffee flavor was ok but I chaulked it up to a learning curve. Now, all of a sudden my machine has stopped automaticall grinding the beans. I have done oeverything the manual tells me to do and it just doesn’t work.How do I return this item and get a refund????
John Tisserat –
I had been waiting years, and finally pulled the trigger on this bad boy! The quality difference is amazing, and now takes my coffee game to a whole new level. I purchased this for $699, and very happy with this purchase. I quit going to Starbucks and eating out; too expensive now. This is a great solution and will pay for itself within a year.
John Tisserat –
I had been waiting years, and finally pulled the trigger on this bad boy! The quality difference is amazing, and now takes my coffee game to a whole new level. I purchased this for $699, and very happy with this purchase. I quit going to Starbucks and eating out; too expensive now. This is a great solution and will pay for itself within a year.
Lydia Daly Morris –
I’ve had this Impress Express machine for less than a week and I really want to love it but I can’t. I replaced a Delonghi La Specialista for this due to the smaller footprint and less than optimal coffee extraction but I already wish I didn’t. The La Specialista also has an in built tamping function and works so much more seamlessly. One of the key benefits to the Impress Express was the promise of smart tamping and ‘no mess’ however, making coffee takes about 10 minutes now due to all of the mess with this system. Coffee grounds spill out when I press the button to grind and deliver coffee, then spill again when I tamp and finally again when I remove the portafilter. Coffee grounds are basically everywhere!! On top of that the machine keeps moving on the countertop, when you remove the portafilter from the tamp station, when you remove the portafiler from the coffee making part, basically it moves around no matter what you are doing so you have to hold the machines as well as the portafilter at all times to stop it slipping. Add to this that the milk frother seems stubborn to clean and essentially I spend an inordinate amount of time fiddling with this machine and trying to keep it tidy. I’ve even bought a hand held vacuum for the mess! Is there something wrong with my machine or is this just how it is..I don’t know. One other thing to note, if you like long blacks, the hot water spout is not immediately adjacent to where the machine delivers the coffee so you have to move your cup and then add hot water so you can’t program it to do it all at once like you can with the La Specialista. Lastly, the front of the machine was scratched right out of the box. All of this to say, I am very frustrated!
Lydia Daly Morris –
I’ve had this Impress Express machine for less than a week and I really want to love it but I can’t. I replaced a Delonghi La Specialista for this due to the smaller footprint and less than optimal coffee extraction but I already wish I didn’t. The La Specialista also has an in built tamping function and works so much more seamlessly. One of the key benefits to the Impress Express was the promise of smart tamping and ‘no mess’ however, making coffee takes about 10 minutes now due to all of the mess with this system. Coffee grounds spill out when I press the button to grind and deliver coffee, then spill again when I tamp and finally again when I remove the portafilter. Coffee grounds are basically everywhere!! On top of that the machine keeps moving on the countertop, when you remove the portafilter from the tamp station, when you remove the portafiler from the coffee making part, basically it moves around no matter what you are doing so you have to hold the machines as well as the portafilter at all times to stop it slipping. Add to this that the milk frother seems stubborn to clean and essentially I spend an inordinate amount of time fiddling with this machine and trying to keep it tidy. I’ve even bought a hand held vacuum for the mess! Is there something wrong with my machine or is this just how it is..I don’t know. One other thing to note, if you like long blacks, the hot water spout is not immediately adjacent to where the machine delivers the coffee so you have to move your cup and then add hot water so you can’t program it to do it all at once like you can with the La Specialista. Lastly, the front of the machine was scratched right out of the box. All of this to say, I am very frustrated!
Ethan A. –
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 hasThe 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.
Ethan A. –
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 hasThe 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.
Stephen Koranne –
This espresso machine reminds me of building my first PC. I was switching out different components, yet it just wouldn’t boot up. In the end, I got a laptop. It was small, compact, and works right out of the box! Later I found out it’s not much of a power house and not really customizable or upgradeable, but It was a pretty reliable product to get me started on a new hobby.
Stephen Koranne –
This espresso machine reminds me of building my first PC. I was switching out different components, yet it just wouldn’t boot up. In the end, I got a laptop. It was small, compact, and works right out of the box! Later I found out it’s not much of a power house and not really customizable or upgradeable, but It was a pretty reliable product to get me started on a new hobby.
ZuluNinerZuluNiner –
Breville barista express makes coffee for your taste with minimal touch.Here are my findings besides love it:1. Quick setup2. Quick delish coffee over and over again3. Made solid to last3. Very easy to clean
ZuluNinerZuluNiner –
Breville barista express makes coffee for your taste with minimal touch.Here are my findings besides love it:1. Quick setup2. Quick delish coffee over and over again3. Made solid to last3. Very easy to clean
Brighton –
Truly loved the product.
Brighton –
Truly loved the product.
OpenHonest&Truthful –
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.
OpenHonest&Truthful –
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.
Tatiana –
Good so far we’ve had it for 2weeks 3.1.24, easy to use. Easy to clean…Will update later.
Tatiana –
Good so far we’ve had it for 2weeks 3.1.24, easy to use. Easy to clean…Will update later.
ED –
This would be our third machine in the last ten years. This one however has been improved. The machine measures the quantity and learns your habits….. it tampers the coffee and all this brings to less mess and hassle. We love this machine and we recommend it with pleasure.
ED –
This would be our third machine in the last ten years. This one however has been improved. The machine measures the quantity and learns your habits….. it tampers the coffee and all this brings to less mess and hassle. We love this machine and we recommend it with pleasure.
BenoistBenoist –
Got this to replace my Jura (which started producing horrible shots 2 years after purchase). Super-easy to use. Took me ~6 shots to find the right grind setting (9 for me) but once set, the quality of the coffee is so much better than what the Jura gave me with the very same beans. Flavours I only experienced in coffee shops are now available at home. Love it and my wife too.
BenoistBenoist –
Got this to replace my Jura (which started producing horrible shots 2 years after purchase). Super-easy to use. Took me ~6 shots to find the right grind setting (9 for me) but once set, the quality of the coffee is so much better than what the Jura gave me with the very same beans. Flavours I only experienced in coffee shops are now available at home. Love it and my wife too.
OpenHonest&Truthful –
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.
OpenHonest&Truthful –
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.
Nicole I –
I have a Breville and after years of owning the machine and very minor upkeep, the automatic buttons stopped working. I also purchased second hand and have no clue if they maintained the machine. I waited months for this Breville to go on sale. Once it did, I snatched it up. I donated the old one and I’ve been trying to get acquainted with this one. It could be user error, but I’m finding it hard to get the machine to automatically dispense the right amount of grounds. I thought this machine would be completely mess free but it isn’t. I still have coffee grounds that escape. The machine sometimes only dispenses a small amount of coffee by drips and it overfills other times. Regardless, I love my Breville. I prefer Breville over other brands to include Nespresso. Nespresso was never as strong what I get from Breville.
Nicole I –
I have a Breville and after years of owning the machine and very minor upkeep, the automatic buttons stopped working. I also purchased second hand and have no clue if they maintained the machine. I waited months for this Breville to go on sale. Once it did, I snatched it up. I donated the old one and I’ve been trying to get acquainted with this one. It could be user error, but I’m finding it hard to get the machine to automatically dispense the right amount of grounds. I thought this machine would be completely mess free but it isn’t. I still have coffee grounds that escape. The machine sometimes only dispenses a small amount of coffee by drips and it overfills other times. Regardless, I love my Breville. I prefer Breville over other brands to include Nespresso. Nespresso was never as strong what I get from Breville.
Mike P –
I have had a Keurig for many years. Several in fact. I bought a BUNN commercial coffee pot from Sams Club a year ago and was surprised at the taste difference with the same coffee grounds I used in Keurig. I said there has to be something better. WOW!! Their machine makes the best coffee. No more bitter pond water for me.
Mike P –
I have had a Keurig for many years. Several in fact. I bought a BUNN commercial coffee pot from Sams Club a year ago and was surprised at the taste difference with the same coffee grounds I used in Keurig. I said there has to be something better. WOW!! Their machine makes the best coffee. No more bitter pond water for me.
KalynnKalynn –
I LOVE this espresso machine! Absolutely obsessed, at first it seems intimidating but after only 1 month of owning it I am making beautiful latte art and my lattes taste so good!! I’m no longer spending $100+ at week at Starbucks 😂😅 and I enjoy my coffee so much more at home !
KalynnKalynn –
I LOVE this espresso machine! Absolutely obsessed, at first it seems intimidating but after only 1 month of owning it I am making beautiful latte art and my lattes taste so good!! I’m no longer spending $100+ at week at Starbucks 😂😅 and I enjoy my coffee so much more at home !
Amazon Customer –
We chose this machine because we didn’t want the hassle of other espresso machines. The auto grind and tamping makes mornings easy for us. We love it and it makes great espresso!
Amazon Customer –
We chose this machine because we didn’t want the hassle of other espresso machines. The auto grind and tamping makes mornings easy for us. We love it and it makes great espresso!
PCM –
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 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.PS> It’s been a few more months now and I can report that the grinder broke. Repair was straightforward: wrote an email, got a special padded box in the mail, sent it off and got a fixed machine in about a week. This is all to say that their warranty also seems to work well.
PCM –
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 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.PS> It’s been a few more months now and I can report that the grinder broke. Repair was straightforward: wrote an email, got a special padded box in the mail, sent it off and got a fixed machine in about a week. This is all to say that their warranty also seems to work well.
Andreas G. –
The “Impress” add-on, malfunctions more then it functions. The tampering is a great idea but the tampering takes too many tries to make an accurate dosage. The unit never passes the pressure test based on several “Youtube” videos. Since it cant pass the pressure test, the pressure doesn’t get high enough to make the Espresso. Even though the model is identical to the previous “Express” model, except for the added Tamper unit, there are no videos out for this model on Youtube or from Breville. I actually tested 2 “Impress models”.Breville support is nowhere where it used to be. The phone advocates know very little about these units other then what they see on their troubleshooting manuals. Youtube posters know so much more about these units.We have a kitchen full of Breville products. We’re so disappointed with this unit and their support.
Andreas G. –
The “Impress” add-on, malfunctions more then it functions. The tampering is a great idea but the tampering takes too many tries to make an accurate dosage. The unit never passes the pressure test based on several “Youtube” videos. Since it cant pass the pressure test, the pressure doesn’t get high enough to make the Espresso. Even though the model is identical to the previous “Express” model, except for the added Tamper unit, there are no videos out for this model on Youtube or from Breville. I actually tested 2 “Impress models”.Breville support is nowhere where it used to be. The phone advocates know very little about these units other then what they see on their troubleshooting manuals. Youtube posters know so much more about these units.We have a kitchen full of Breville products. We’re so disappointed with this unit and their support.
Jojo –
Want hot, fresh, smooth espresso? This is the one to get. Your morning coffee will never be the same. We’ve been brewing our coffee from coffee grounds and we thought that tasted good. We were absolutely wrong about that after we bought this Breville Barista Express Impress (BBEI). I mean, this thing is a game changer. I’ve never tasted coffee so rich and smooth before and now I can enjoy that richness and smoothness because of this BBEI. It can ground your coffee beans. It can tamp the grounds/puck to perfection. It can brew at the right temperature with also the correct water pressure. So delicious coffee. It can also make cafe latte and other delicious goodness, but I’m sure you already know that. Downside on this beast is the price. It is crazy expensive. I need to make an espresso right now. Bye.
Jojo –
Want hot, fresh, smooth espresso? This is the one to get. Your morning coffee will never be the same. We’ve been brewing our coffee from coffee grounds and we thought that tasted good. We were absolutely wrong about that after we bought this Breville Barista Express Impress (BBEI). I mean, this thing is a game changer. I’ve never tasted coffee so rich and smooth before and now I can enjoy that richness and smoothness because of this BBEI. It can ground your coffee beans. It can tamp the grounds/puck to perfection. It can brew at the right temperature with also the correct water pressure. So delicious coffee. It can also make cafe latte and other delicious goodness, but I’m sure you already know that. Downside on this beast is the price. It is crazy expensive. I need to make an espresso right now. Bye.
Bdiddytampa –
Where to begin.. this is my first espresso machine purchase, and although I’m glad I purchased it, I’d be hesitant to recommend this product to others.This IS a product aimed towards beginners. Through my first few weeks with the product I have learned an immense amount about espresso machines and how they work.. how to adjust my recipes to my taste, how grind and freshness effect your shots, timing, pressure, etc. Things I would not have learned without the inconsistencies and drawbacks of this machine. So I’m glad that my ownership of this thing has taught me so much in such a small amount of time, I just wish I hadn’t bought such a limited product to learn it all.The Bad -The retention on the grinder is shocking. You put 20 grams in, it spits 17 out.. losing up to 3 grams per grind is ridiculous for such a premium product.The auto dose and self tamp system is wildly inconsistent. The key to good espresso shots is consistency and being able to adjust one thing at a time until you nail your recipe. Something that is impossible to do if the grinder says it’s giving you the same dose, but it varies 1 to 1.5 grams each time. I’ve had it dose as much as 21 grams and as little as 17, all while the tamp system tells you it’s right in the middle supposedly being the same dose each time. That much variance makes it extremely difficult to dial everything in.The Good -Once you get things right, it can make great espresso. You just have to bypass all the features of the Impress to do so.As a learning experience it’s been great. I’ve been able to figure out what’s wrong with the machine through learning, and I guess that’s a positive.Overall, I guess I’m happy that I’ve bought this machine.. I am making delicious coffee in the morning that I wasn’t making before I purchased it. The machine makes good espresso, but the grinder is shockingly bad. I’ve learned enough about making espresso that I’d be confident enough to try a more advanced machine, something I wasn’t comfortable enough to do before owning this. It’s just been an expensive learning experience, and with the accessories I’ve had to buy to make things more consistent, I might as well have bought the Pro model.
Bdiddytampa –
Where to begin.. this is my first espresso machine purchase, and although I’m glad I purchased it, I’d be hesitant to recommend this product to others.This IS a product aimed towards beginners. Through my first few weeks with the product I have learned an immense amount about espresso machines and how they work.. how to adjust my recipes to my taste, how grind and freshness effect your shots, timing, pressure, etc. Things I would not have learned without the inconsistencies and drawbacks of this machine. So I’m glad that my ownership of this thing has taught me so much in such a small amount of time, I just wish I hadn’t bought such a limited product to learn it all.The Bad -The retention on the grinder is shocking. You put 20 grams in, it spits 17 out.. losing up to 3 grams per grind is ridiculous for such a premium product.The auto dose and self tamp system is wildly inconsistent. The key to good espresso shots is consistency and being able to adjust one thing at a time until you nail your recipe. Something that is impossible to do if the grinder says it’s giving you the same dose, but it varies 1 to 1.5 grams each time. I’ve had it dose as much as 21 grams and as little as 17, all while the tamp system tells you it’s right in the middle supposedly being the same dose each time. That much variance makes it extremely difficult to dial everything in.The Good -Once you get things right, it can make great espresso. You just have to bypass all the features of the Impress to do so.As a learning experience it’s been great. I’ve been able to figure out what’s wrong with the machine through learning, and I guess that’s a positive.Overall, I guess I’m happy that I’ve bought this machine.. I am making delicious coffee in the morning that I wasn’t making before I purchased it. The machine makes good espresso, but the grinder is shockingly bad. I’ve learned enough about making espresso that I’d be confident enough to try a more advanced machine, something I wasn’t comfortable enough to do before owning this. It’s just been an expensive learning experience, and with the accessories I’ve had to buy to make things more consistent, I might as well have bought the Pro model.
NataliaNatalia –
I have no knowledge whatsoever on how to make espressos nor am I a coffee aficionado. All I know is I wanted great quality coffee at home. I wanted to learn but also didn’t want to get overwhelmed and so after much research I chose this machine for it’s ability to auto dose and also the tamp feature. After following their videos on YouTube my 2nd cup of espresso had an amazing rich flavor and was within the range of extraction that was suggested. The YouTube video was also helpful in enabling me to make great frothy milk from steamer.I am familiar with the high quality of Breville products and so I was not surprised with this one’s quality and build. If you are a beginner I highly recommend this product!
NataliaNatalia –
I have no knowledge whatsoever on how to make espressos nor am I a coffee aficionado. All I know is I wanted great quality coffee at home. I wanted to learn but also didn’t want to get overwhelmed and so after much research I chose this machine for it’s ability to auto dose and also the tamp feature. After following their videos on YouTube my 2nd cup of espresso had an amazing rich flavor and was within the range of extraction that was suggested. The YouTube video was also helpful in enabling me to make great frothy milk from steamer.I am familiar with the high quality of Breville products and so I was not surprised with this one’s quality and build. If you are a beginner I highly recommend this product!
Cheryl L. Shamblen –
Bought this for my husband for Christmas and he LOVES it. He really likes the fact that it does the tamping for him. He loves his expresso but def is not at a pro at making it. This unit makes it easy for even a beginner like him to get a perfect cuppa. To me, it seems a bit pricey, but I’m someone that satisfied with a cup of Maxwell LOL. Hope this review helps.
Cheryl L. Shamblen –
Bought this for my husband for Christmas and he LOVES it. He really likes the fact that it does the tamping for him. He loves his expresso but def is not at a pro at making it. This unit makes it easy for even a beginner like him to get a perfect cuppa. To me, it seems a bit pricey, but I’m someone that satisfied with a cup of Maxwell LOL. Hope this review helps.
Julia McAfee –
Given the cost of this machine, I had expected it to work exceptionally and consistently. The first one I ordered worked so inconsistently and poorly, I contacted Breville customer support. I had to contact them 10+ times trying to convince them something was wrong with the machine. They would tell me that I wasn’t “fine tunning” correctly or blamed the beans I was using. I had gone through over a dozen locally roasted beans, bought a scale and timed out the extraction times (I work as a chemist). Sometimes it would work great, but more often than not it would perform poorly, not able to reach optimal extraction pressure. After months of trying to convince them there was something wrong, they finally sent me a replacement (the Breville pro by accident which is less expensive). While the Breville pro works better than the Breville express impress, there are still inconsistencies with the extraction time and steam wand performance.This machine is way more stress than its worth, especially with their horrible customer service. Save your self the time, effort, and stress, don’t buy this machine.
Julia McAfee –
Given the cost of this machine, I had expected it to work exceptionally and consistently. The first one I ordered worked so inconsistently and poorly, I contacted Breville customer support. I had to contact them 10+ times trying to convince them something was wrong with the machine. They would tell me that I wasn’t “fine tunning” correctly or blamed the beans I was using. I had gone through over a dozen locally roasted beans, bought a scale and timed out the extraction times (I work as a chemist). Sometimes it would work great, but more often than not it would perform poorly, not able to reach optimal extraction pressure. After months of trying to convince them there was something wrong, they finally sent me a replacement (the Breville pro by accident which is less expensive). While the Breville pro works better than the Breville express impress, there are still inconsistencies with the extraction time and steam wand performance.This machine is way more stress than its worth, especially with their horrible customer service. Save your self the time, effort, and stress, don’t buy this machine.
Druce MacFarlane –
Perfect shot every time.
Druce MacFarlane –
Perfect shot every time.
Amazon Customer –
Easy to use and solid build. You need the really good espresso coffee grounds for a machine like this, but the flavor is phenomenal. Worth spending the money.
Amazon Customer –
Easy to use and solid build. You need the really good espresso coffee grounds for a machine like this, but the flavor is phenomenal. Worth spending the money.
j j –
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I didn’t like the machine being all plastic, I didn’t like the $600 shipping cost, I didn’t like that I couldn’t get product support to verify low pressure problem. After watching video on YouTube I put the rubber cleaning puck in and could see the maximum pressure only comes up to the halfway mark on the gage, there are no leak’s I can see I can not get any support verification telling me that this is All The higher this pressure is supposed to be set for as you hear in my video I don’t know if I will get my full refund back so I am hesitant to send back and eat the $600 shipping cost so buyer beware and the cost of this very machine has gone up another hundred dollars. $1,300 bucks later has it been worth it. Not really as far as the heat, speed and taste other than the Expresso it will pass, quality tends to be repeatable. Durability it’s plastic I don’t see this being around for 10 or 15 years like a gaggi at $450 bucks. The heat of the machine is adjustable by 4 degrees up or down, the internal tamper is an add on in Price that you Will quickly learn you probably didn’t need it and would have focused more on pressure issues. It is pretty easy to clean and that’s the one good thing I can say about it. Shop around cause I don’t believe all the hype on these machines when you buy something you want it work properly should have stuck with my first choice the Pro model it was actually cheaper
j j –
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I didn’t like the machine being all plastic, I didn’t like the $600 shipping cost, I didn’t like that I couldn’t get product support to verify low pressure problem. After watching video on YouTube I put the rubber cleaning puck in and could see the maximum pressure only comes up to the halfway mark on the gage, there are no leak’s I can see I can not get any support verification telling me that this is All The higher this pressure is supposed to be set for as you hear in my video I don’t know if I will get my full refund back so I am hesitant to send back and eat the $600 shipping cost so buyer beware and the cost of this very machine has gone up another hundred dollars. $1,300 bucks later has it been worth it. Not really as far as the heat, speed and taste other than the Expresso it will pass, quality tends to be repeatable. Durability it’s plastic I don’t see this being around for 10 or 15 years like a gaggi at $450 bucks. The heat of the machine is adjustable by 4 degrees up or down, the internal tamper is an add on in Price that you Will quickly learn you probably didn’t need it and would have focused more on pressure issues. It is pretty easy to clean and that’s the one good thing I can say about it. Shop around cause I don’t believe all the hype on these machines when you buy something you want it work properly should have stuck with my first choice the Pro model it was actually cheaper
Amazon Customer –
This machine is a game-changer in the world of espresso machines. The reason I think this is a really great product is because it has so many amazing features that make espresso-making a breeze. The assisted tamping, customizable shot control, and intelligent dosing are just a few of my favorite features. And the large water tank and 25 grind settings mean I can make multiple drinks without constantly refilling or adjusting the machine. The only improvements I would suggest are a faster heating time and easier cleaning process, but these minor inconveniences are easily outweighed by the machine’s sleek stainless steel design. If you’re serious about your coffee, this machine is a must-have!
Amazon Customer –
This machine is a game-changer in the world of espresso machines. The reason I think this is a really great product is because it has so many amazing features that make espresso-making a breeze. The assisted tamping, customizable shot control, and intelligent dosing are just a few of my favorite features. And the large water tank and 25 grind settings mean I can make multiple drinks without constantly refilling or adjusting the machine. The only improvements I would suggest are a faster heating time and easier cleaning process, but these minor inconveniences are easily outweighed by the machine’s sleek stainless steel design. If you’re serious about your coffee, this machine is a must-have!
James Tyson –
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After my taste buds matured, I got into the coffee game late. Now that I enjoy a cup, at a time where coffee is at its most expensive… I started looking into making my own. I’ve owned the traditional coffee makers, but that wasn’t cutting it. I’ve had this machine in my cart for almost a year. Finally decided to pull the trigger. The machine is easy to use (video is my 3rd time using it). Even more easy to clean up. Its not as big as i thought, which is perfect cause i dont want it to take up a lot of space. Now, I’m building a coffee corner (picks to come). This video is a representation of how I start my mornings off now.I did get the 3 year protection, as you should with high dollar items. Cause, we not stupid over here. Protect your investments.
James Tyson –
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After my taste buds matured, I got into the coffee game late. Now that I enjoy a cup, at a time where coffee is at its most expensive… I started looking into making my own. I’ve owned the traditional coffee makers, but that wasn’t cutting it. I’ve had this machine in my cart for almost a year. Finally decided to pull the trigger. The machine is easy to use (video is my 3rd time using it). Even more easy to clean up. Its not as big as i thought, which is perfect cause i dont want it to take up a lot of space. Now, I’m building a coffee corner (picks to come). This video is a representation of how I start my mornings off now.I did get the 3 year protection, as you should with high dollar items. Cause, we not stupid over here. Protect your investments.
Matthew –
I upgraded from a express that i have used daily for about 8 years. This machine is awesome. Breville has done it again. A+
Matthew –
I upgraded from a express that i have used daily for about 8 years. This machine is awesome. Breville has done it again. A+
Ben Lightfoot –
Bought this 2 months ago after our 3rd(!!) oracle died and Breville asked for 500 to fix. Happy with machine untill last week. Grinder making horrible noises. Did advanced cleaning twice, no improvement. Customer support is mailing some parts even though the machine is clearly broken after just 2 months.Also- a noticeable drop in the quality of customer support when compared to my prior experiences. I decided to go back to Breville because when they work, they make a great cup.Reliability- that is something else. My next machine will not be a Breville
Ben Lightfoot –
Bought this 2 months ago after our 3rd(!!) oracle died and Breville asked for 500 to fix. Happy with machine untill last week. Grinder making horrible noises. Did advanced cleaning twice, no improvement. Customer support is mailing some parts even though the machine is clearly broken after just 2 months.Also- a noticeable drop in the quality of customer support when compared to my prior experiences. I decided to go back to Breville because when they work, they make a great cup.Reliability- that is something else. My next machine will not be a Breville
RicardoRicardo –
An amazing investment, makes the coffee just perfect, cheap if you consider how much you save by making your own coffee rather than buying it from a coffee shop, I buy this as an upgrade from the previous version without the automatic tamper, I can say is worth the update, as you don’t waste coffee or tinker a lot with the grinder to give the right amount, and tampering right away with the correct amount is a mess saver. Extraction is perfect, I also use a cap on the extraction cup to prevent channeling effect and to not clog the machine extraction filter, which is really easy to unclog, just as simple as run an extraction cycle without the cup (portafilter) and clean any debris that may came out, but with the cap, you never have to clean it, it is worth it. I can say this is one of the items I cannot live without, brand is top notch, quality is great. The heat system it uses is quite old, it takes some time to be ready to start, but is about 10 to 15 seconds, so is not a deal breaker for me, I can wait 15 seconds to make my coffee, and while you wait you can grind and tamper the coffee, which takes about 5 seconds, so in reality, you are waiting 5 seconds for it to be ready to start the extraction. The difference is the time it takes to start the steam if you want to foam your milk, about 45 seconds, more modern and expensive machines takes almost no time to have the steam ready, but I can say I only foam the milk once every week, I regularly just add milk to my coffee, and extraction is so good, that the coffee itself has some foam on it. At this price point, I would only ask Breville to not include plastic pieces as the tamper cover or the steam knob, however on Amazon there are metal replacements and a couple of stuff to PIMP your coffee machine.
RicardoRicardo –
An amazing investment, makes the coffee just perfect, cheap if you consider how much you save by making your own coffee rather than buying it from a coffee shop, I buy this as an upgrade from the previous version without the automatic tamper, I can say is worth the update, as you don’t waste coffee or tinker a lot with the grinder to give the right amount, and tampering right away with the correct amount is a mess saver. Extraction is perfect, I also use a cap on the extraction cup to prevent channeling effect and to not clog the machine extraction filter, which is really easy to unclog, just as simple as run an extraction cycle without the cup (portafilter) and clean any debris that may came out, but with the cap, you never have to clean it, it is worth it. I can say this is one of the items I cannot live without, brand is top notch, quality is great. The heat system it uses is quite old, it takes some time to be ready to start, but is about 10 to 15 seconds, so is not a deal breaker for me, I can wait 15 seconds to make my coffee, and while you wait you can grind and tamper the coffee, which takes about 5 seconds, so in reality, you are waiting 5 seconds for it to be ready to start the extraction. The difference is the time it takes to start the steam if you want to foam your milk, about 45 seconds, more modern and expensive machines takes almost no time to have the steam ready, but I can say I only foam the milk once every week, I regularly just add milk to my coffee, and extraction is so good, that the coffee itself has some foam on it. At this price point, I would only ask Breville to not include plastic pieces as the tamper cover or the steam knob, however on Amazon there are metal replacements and a couple of stuff to PIMP your coffee machine.
Kelly Sinclair –
When I realize how much I was spending on Nespresso, I decided to try this machine instead and we absolutely love it. Took a little bit of time to get used to it but now that we have figured out the settings, we have a wonderful cup of coffee that is quick and easy to make each morning. We continue to use a separate milk froth because it’s just faster.
Kelly Sinclair –
When I realize how much I was spending on Nespresso, I decided to try this machine instead and we absolutely love it. Took a little bit of time to get used to it but now that we have figured out the settings, we have a wonderful cup of coffee that is quick and easy to make each morning. We continue to use a separate milk froth because it’s just faster.
Efe S. –
Delicious coffee everytime, it takes a while to learn to adjust pressure
Efe S. –
Delicious coffee everytime, it takes a while to learn to adjust pressure
Shirley –
This is my second coffee machine I bought from Amazon, the price is very reasonable and it is a great machine.
Shirley –
This is my second coffee machine I bought from Amazon, the price is very reasonable and it is a great machine.
Stanley Mitchell –
This could have been a 5 star review but it’s not and the reason is that this machine has an engineering flaw in either it’s design or build that results in the automatic fill feature for the portafilter either not working or working sporadically. The automatic fill is the entire reason you would buy this machine. When it works it works well but often times it doesn’t and you would be just as well off with a less expensive model. I’m saying this with confidence because this is our SECOND Impress machine. The first didn’t work at all and was returned. This machine works about half the time and I would like to return it as well, however Breville’s customer service is so bad it is almost nonexistent and not every one will have the stamina dealing with them. Furthermore, I have now read a number of reviews that discuss the same problem and for that reason I suspect this issue has to do with the way the machine is designed. It’s unfortunate as we own several Breville appliances and have always loved them. That was the reason I jumped on this machine when I read a good review in Wirecutter. Unfortunately, on this occasion Breville has been a really negative experience.
RD –
First one awful grinder. Second one bad water valve and steamer. Breville has pretty suspect customer service. Line is always busy and it takes them days to call back when you request a call back
RD –
First one awful grinder. Second one bad water valve and steamer. Breville has pretty suspect customer service. Line is always busy and it takes them days to call back when you request a call back
Luis H CastroLuis H Castro –
Let me start off by saying that you will need to experiment with finding the perfect combination to get the desired result. Once you get the settings and using coffee that has been bagged within 30 days the results are incredible. I turn my machine on and wait about 10 minutes for it to warm up. Overall cleaning is fast and easy. Excellent results.
Luis H CastroLuis H Castro –
Let me start off by saying that you will need to experiment with finding the perfect combination to get the desired result. Once you get the settings and using coffee that has been bagged within 30 days the results are incredible. I turn my machine on and wait about 10 minutes for it to warm up. Overall cleaning is fast and easy. Excellent results.
Julie N –
I may have received a dud, but based on other reviews and Reddit threads, there are issues with the auto dose and tamping features of this model. My machine would read very low to very high within just one push of the dose button. Even if I manually dosed 18g into the portafilter and then used the machine’s tamp, the machine read very low. Others report that the auto dose would just stop working eventually. It’s better to just weigh the beans out yourself for consistent results.I bought this because I liked the flexibility of doing things manually or having the machine dose and tamp for me, but since those features didn’t work properly, I decided to return it and go with the Barista Pro with a Normcore calibrated tamper. It’s cheaper, heats faster, has a better steam wand, and has better display.Hope this helps someone, as I put a lot of research into my purchase!
Julie N –
I may have received a dud, but based on other reviews and Reddit threads, there are issues with the auto dose and tamping features of this model. My machine would read very low to very high within just one push of the dose button. Even if I manually dosed 18g into the portafilter and then used the machine’s tamp, the machine read very low. Others report that the auto dose would just stop working eventually. It’s better to just weigh the beans out yourself for consistent results.I bought this because I liked the flexibility of doing things manually or having the machine dose and tamp for me, but since those features didn’t work properly, I decided to return it and go with the Barista Pro with a Normcore calibrated tamper. It’s cheaper, heats faster, has a better steam wand, and has better display.Hope this helps someone, as I put a lot of research into my purchase!
Kyrstie Neumann –
Me and my husband have wanted one of these forever. We finally made the splurge! Our first one had and error within the first week and we had to trade it in but the customer service was great and we have had no issues since. We’ve had ours for about 4 months now and the quality of our coffee is amazing. We don’t ever order coffee out now and we look forward to a latte every morning at home!The grinder is self correcting; when you use the tamper it will tell you if you’re short grounds or over. If it’s short, it will grind exactly what you need for a full shot and you can tamp again. I love that feature! Perfect shot every time.The steamer is pretty loud but that is the only negative thing I have to say about this machine.
Kyrstie Neumann –
Me and my husband have wanted one of these forever. We finally made the splurge! Our first one had and error within the first week and we had to trade it in but the customer service was great and we have had no issues since. We’ve had ours for about 4 months now and the quality of our coffee is amazing. We don’t ever order coffee out now and we look forward to a latte every morning at home!The grinder is self correcting; when you use the tamper it will tell you if you’re short grounds or over. If it’s short, it will grind exactly what you need for a full shot and you can tamp again. I love that feature! Perfect shot every time.The steamer is pretty loud but that is the only negative thing I have to say about this machine.
Jon Nelson –
This machine is incredible. Makes wonderful espresso and cappuccinos. Easy to use and very adjustable. Not perfect…but for the price, very impressive.
Jon Nelson –
This machine is incredible. Makes wonderful espresso and cappuccinos. Easy to use and very adjustable. Not perfect…but for the price, very impressive.
Jon Nelson –
This machine is incredible. Makes wonderful espresso and cappuccinos. Easy to use and very adjustable. Not perfect…but for the price, very impressive.
Jon Nelson –
This machine is incredible. Makes wonderful espresso and cappuccinos. Easy to use and very adjustable. Not perfect…but for the price, very impressive.
Suzanne D. Richards –
We LOVE our new daily go-to! The Impress is a delight to use! I was having trouble getting just the right amount of coffee in the filter of our beloved Breville Duo Temp Pro & this Breville tells you what is just the right amount to use! No more back & forth, guessing how much coffee to put in it. It also has a grinder so you can program it to put just the right amount that goes directly into your filter. I haven’t tried that yet, as I am using up all of my pre-ground coffee. We got this because our adult kids would come to visit & head off to Starbuck’s. They have a Breville very similar to this Impress & use their machine at home daily. Can’t wait for them to try this new one & hopefully, they won’t head out for coffee! The flavor that this machine produces for dirty chai lattes, is just no comparison. I am really delighted with it. It produces delicious beverages, is easy to learn, use & clean. Breville machines are durable & efficient. And, the money I save staying out of Starbuck’s, pays for the Impress. It’s also nice to be able to make what you want at home anytime you want it. I would definitely recommend this investment. If you wait for a good sale, it helps offset some of the expense. So worth it. I also sold our previous Breville Duo on craigslist to some sweet kids who were delighted to get it & that money went towards this machine. Our adult kids have had theirs since 2013 & it’s still going strong. They last.
Suzanne D. Richards –
We LOVE our new daily go-to! The Impress is a delight to use! I was having trouble getting just the right amount of coffee in the filter of our beloved Breville Duo Temp Pro & this Breville tells you what is just the right amount to use! No more back & forth, guessing how much coffee to put in it. It also has a grinder so you can program it to put just the right amount that goes directly into your filter. I haven’t tried that yet, as I am using up all of my pre-ground coffee. We got this because our adult kids would come to visit & head off to Starbuck’s. They have a Breville very similar to this Impress & use their machine at home daily. Can’t wait for them to try this new one & hopefully, they won’t head out for coffee! The flavor that this machine produces for dirty chai lattes, is just no comparison. I am really delighted with it. It produces delicious beverages, is easy to learn, use & clean. Breville machines are durable & efficient. And, the money I save staying out of Starbuck’s, pays for the Impress. It’s also nice to be able to make what you want at home anytime you want it. I would definitely recommend this investment. If you wait for a good sale, it helps offset some of the expense. So worth it. I also sold our previous Breville Duo on craigslist to some sweet kids who were delighted to get it & that money went towards this machine. Our adult kids have had theirs since 2013 & it’s still going strong. They last.
Dog mother –
Completely random whether it works or not. Even if the tamp is “perfect” and the pressure gauge reads that it is in the middle of the “espresso range” sometimes nothing comes out. Other times it will be super low pressure for seemingly no reason.
Dog mother –
Completely random whether it works or not. Even if the tamp is “perfect” and the pressure gauge reads that it is in the middle of the “espresso range” sometimes nothing comes out. Other times it will be super low pressure for seemingly no reason.
Lori LaiLori Lai –
Delivers great tasting coffee without all the fuss – better taste than 95% of the coffee shops, the other 5% to beat.. well, that’s on you to perfect. The machine looks good on the eyes too. I love the optional acrylic clear cover that protects the base face. With proper maintenance, this machine should give me joy for years.
Lori LaiLori Lai –
Delivers great tasting coffee without all the fuss – better taste than 95% of the coffee shops, the other 5% to beat.. well, that’s on you to perfect. The machine looks good on the eyes too. I love the optional acrylic clear cover that protects the base face. With proper maintenance, this machine should give me joy for years.
Messay –
Very easy to use for beginners but too expensive. Milk steamer is much slower than Breville Pro for the same money.
Messay –
Very easy to use for beginners but too expensive. Milk steamer is much slower than Breville Pro for the same money.
Ary –
Terrible machine, the water pressure never ever hits the espresso zone. My son has the Barista Pro and we tested side by side with the same beans and everything and this one just can never hit the right water pressure. Breville customer service is no help they keep blaming the beans but I’ve tested all kinds of beans.
Ary –
Terrible machine, the water pressure never ever hits the espresso zone. My son has the Barista Pro and we tested side by side with the same beans and everything and this one just can never hit the right water pressure. Breville customer service is no help they keep blaming the beans but I’ve tested all kinds of beans.
Norman –
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.
Norman –
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.
Fernando Vela Meza (Viking) –
I no longer miss going a coffee shop for great quality coffee flavor, I can prepare myself a delicious coffee in a couple of minutes with this at home. LOVE IT!
Fernando Vela Meza (Viking) –
I no longer miss going a coffee shop for great quality coffee flavor, I can prepare myself a delicious coffee in a couple of minutes with this at home. LOVE IT!
R. Jackson –
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.
R. Jackson –
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.
George RiversGeorge Rivers –
Simple to use; The grinder works perfect. Teach yourself online and prepare your coffee everyday with the quality of a Coffee Shop.
George RiversGeorge Rivers –
Simple to use; The grinder works perfect. Teach yourself online and prepare your coffee everyday with the quality of a Coffee Shop.
Amazon Customer –
Ive had one of these on my ‘want’ list for over a year. It went on sale so I got it.its a great machine. it does what you want it to do, it makes espresso. everything about it speaks to its quality.before i was using a $120 machine and a $30 grinder to make my americano’s every morning. This new machine, at about $800 on sale, simplifies that morning routine. Is that worth $650? Eh…I honestly dont notice a difference in the quality of my americano. so on that single metric, no, its not worth it.The additional $650 does make the process less messy. It looks nice. I dont have to keep my beans in a separate air-tight container now, saving space on my counter.out of the box i had to fiddle with the grind setting a few times as it grinding so fine it would come out as a dribble, producing less than an ounce of espresso. I have it at a 22 now fwiw which produces about 1.3oz of espresso. supposedly your looking for a target of 1oz to 7 grams of grind.a quirk i noticed is the overflow tray fills up pretty quick. I actually thought something internally was broken, but research indicates that the machine relieves pressure after a pull and sends that extra water to the tray. It does mean your filling up the tank more often and your filter will wear out quicker.the directions say to not use filtered water….. i use filtered water from my fridge water source. not trusting some cotton looking filter in the tank to deal with fluoride, chlorine and other chemicals the government insists on sticking in tap water.the hot water spigot is a nice feature, but i hate having to fill up the tank so i just microwave additional water as needed.I havent used the steam wand other than to put it through the initial cleaning cycle, but im sure its top quality also.So… do i recommend this. Yes? I dont quite have buyers remorse… but only because the $$ isnt that big of a deal. If you dont have $ to blow… no… its not worth it.Dont get me wrong… its an awesome product… the $ point is where im iffy on the whole thing. Maybe if i was using more than just to make americano’s?In the future im probably going to engineer some line from my fridge water source to the tank so i dont have to manually fill it.
Amazon Customer –
Ive had one of these on my ‘want’ list for over a year. It went on sale so I got it.its a great machine. it does what you want it to do, it makes espresso. everything about it speaks to its quality.before i was using a $120 machine and a $30 grinder to make my americano’s every morning. This new machine, at about $800 on sale, simplifies that morning routine. Is that worth $650? Eh…I honestly dont notice a difference in the quality of my americano. so on that single metric, no, its not worth it.The additional $650 does make the process less messy. It looks nice. I dont have to keep my beans in a separate air-tight container now, saving space on my counter.out of the box i had to fiddle with the grind setting a few times as it grinding so fine it would come out as a dribble, producing less than an ounce of espresso. I have it at a 22 now fwiw which produces about 1.3oz of espresso. supposedly your looking for a target of 1oz to 7 grams of grind.a quirk i noticed is the overflow tray fills up pretty quick. I actually thought something internally was broken, but research indicates that the machine relieves pressure after a pull and sends that extra water to the tray. It does mean your filling up the tank more often and your filter will wear out quicker.the directions say to not use filtered water….. i use filtered water from my fridge water source. not trusting some cotton looking filter in the tank to deal with fluoride, chlorine and other chemicals the government insists on sticking in tap water.the hot water spigot is a nice feature, but i hate having to fill up the tank so i just microwave additional water as needed.I havent used the steam wand other than to put it through the initial cleaning cycle, but im sure its top quality also.So… do i recommend this. Yes? I dont quite have buyers remorse… but only because the $$ isnt that big of a deal. If you dont have $ to blow… no… its not worth it.Dont get me wrong… its an awesome product… the $ point is where im iffy on the whole thing. Maybe if i was using more than just to make americano’s?In the future im probably going to engineer some line from my fridge water source to the tank so i dont have to manually fill it.
Henry –
Overall functions pretty well, but if I could do it again I wouldn’t pay full price. Prices seem to drop 20% sometimes so maybe worth it at that point.Pros:- automatic tamper keeps process very cleanCons:- despite using same beans and exact same process, there’s a lot of variation in each pour. Kind of seems like the whole point of the machine is to avoid that…
Henry –
Overall functions pretty well, but if I could do it again I wouldn’t pay full price. Prices seem to drop 20% sometimes so maybe worth it at that point.Pros:- automatic tamper keeps process very cleanCons:- despite using same beans and exact same process, there’s a lot of variation in each pour. Kind of seems like the whole point of the machine is to avoid that…
YakupYakup –
Sold my Barista Express to upgrade to Impress. I simply like this machine so far. Hopefully my unit doesn’t have any pre-existing factory defect, so I am happy about that. New tamping mechanism interestingly good and grinder sounds different compared to Express, but not sure if they improved the performance. Impress is generally quieter than Express such as water pump/grinder/brewing. First day of use yet and so far no complaints, brews well espresso.
YakupYakup –
Sold my Barista Express to upgrade to Impress. I simply like this machine so far. Hopefully my unit doesn’t have any pre-existing factory defect, so I am happy about that. New tamping mechanism interestingly good and grinder sounds different compared to Express, but not sure if they improved the performance. Impress is generally quieter than Express such as water pump/grinder/brewing. First day of use yet and so far no complaints, brews well espresso.
Goldman –
Bought as a kid to my daughter….she loves it……easy to use and clean
Goldman –
Bought as a kid to my daughter….she loves it……easy to use and clean
criticalmath –
I’ve tried everything … I set up machine PRECISELY according to instructions. Auto Dosing feature has worked exactly 2 times out of 22 attempts. I returned it and ordered another one. I hope this one works. I’ll let you know.The 2nd machine was delivered and worked exactly as it should . Kudos to Amazon for an easy return process.
criticalmath –
I’ve tried everything … I set up machine PRECISELY according to instructions. Auto Dosing feature has worked exactly 2 times out of 22 attempts. I returned it and ordered another one. I hope this one works. I’ll let you know.The 2nd machine was delivered and worked exactly as it should . Kudos to Amazon for an easy return process.
NZsummer –
I had the earlier model of the Breville ® Barista Touch which was simpler and more consistent in delivering the perfect cup of espresso. I got the Breville Barista Express® Impress this time thinking it would help with tamping. Unfortunately it makes a large mess — coffee grounds everywhere. The machine also needs to be reset for extraction at the very least weekly, but more like every three to four draws. Finally the hopper does not feed beans down the funnel — I think the redesign which happened years ago was perhaps to optimize this function, but I find that I have to help the beans move down the funnel. When everything works, it makes a perfect cusp of espresso, despite the mess.
NZsummer –
I had the earlier model of the Breville ® Barista Touch which was simpler and more consistent in delivering the perfect cup of espresso. I got the Breville Barista Express® Impress this time thinking it would help with tamping. Unfortunately it makes a large mess — coffee grounds everywhere. The machine also needs to be reset for extraction at the very least weekly, but more like every three to four draws. Finally the hopper does not feed beans down the funnel — I think the redesign which happened years ago was perhaps to optimize this function, but I find that I have to help the beans move down the funnel. When everything works, it makes a perfect cusp of espresso, despite the mess.
Jeff –
easy to use, rich expresso shots and steam great textured milk. Dosing somewhat inconsistent after dialing in
Jeff –
easy to use, rich expresso shots and steam great textured milk. Dosing somewhat inconsistent after dialing in
Customer –
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!
Customer –
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!
CRUZ45 –
Great Product
CRUZ45 –
Great Product
jennie casson –
Other than its looks, this Breville machine allows you to make some great cappuccino, although to really master it, there is a learning curve.
jennie casson –
Other than its looks, this Breville machine allows you to make some great cappuccino, although to really master it, there is a learning curve.
Takes some dialing in but, awesome! –
Great machine so far. Just keep in mind, you will need to watch a bunch of YouTube videos and go through a few bags of beans before you get it down. Once you get it down, it’s well worth it, saves money every week and is better than most coffee shops!
Takes some dialing in but, awesome! –
Great machine so far. Just keep in mind, you will need to watch a bunch of YouTube videos and go through a few bags of beans before you get it down. Once you get it down, it’s well worth it, saves money every week and is better than most coffee shops!
AP –
This is my favourite coffee machine yet. The colours it comes in are gorgeous and the ease of use has been enjoyable. The tamper allows for no mess and the extraction of flavour is delicious. This machine is 10/10
AP –
This is my favourite coffee machine yet. The colours it comes in are gorgeous and the ease of use has been enjoyable. The tamper allows for no mess and the extraction of flavour is delicious. This machine is 10/10