It takes baristas years to master their craft in making a quality cup of coffee. In our Breville Barista Touch review, we will show you how you can become your very own barista from the comfort of your own home.
It has been designed to help streamline your espresso-making process and includes features that save you time and effort.
Let’s jump into our review so you can see why this espresso maker would be the perfect addition to your home or office.
Overview Of The Breville Barista Touch
The Breville Barista Touch is a sleek machine that will suit any kitchen. It is made with stainless steel and with its sturdy design, it will last you a lifetime.
It is around 12.7 x 15.5 x 16 inches and is compact enough to fit any countertop.
The Breville Barista Touch comes pre-programmed with cafe menu drinks. The handy touch screen controls make it easy to make adjustments to your favorite drinks.
The built-in ThermoJet heating system and integrated water coil control the water temperature allowing your coffee to brew at the perfect temperature.
Right out of the box, the machine comes with a single and dual filter basket. It also comes with coffee scoops, a cleaning disk and tools, and a stainless steel jug. Everything you could need to start your coffee journey.
The Barista Touch is the little sibling of the larger, more expensive Breville Oracle Touch. Both of these machines are ideal for more experienced coffee makers.
The Barista is a standout among other coffee machines because of its completely customizable menu. This allows you to save your favorite coffee brews or create your own.
We would not recommend it to the budding barista. The Barista Touch is fit for the coffee pro.
Pros
- Espresso machine and grinder combo
- Comes with an automatic steam wand for nearly handless operation
- Easy to clean and descale
- A responsive touch screen that is easy to navigate
- Fully customizable cafe drink menu
Cons
- A bit on the expensive side
- Lacks a preheating system for the mugs
- Water take is not easily accessible
- Does not fit larger cups. Espresso cups are required.
Things to Consider Before Buying A Breville Barista Touch
The Breville Barista Touch is a coffee-lovers dream. It is a great option if you are an experienced brewer looking for a machine that offers more variety and coffee customization.
If you’re a novice looking to dip your toes into the wonderful world of coffee brewing, this might not be the machine for you.
If you’re interested in the Barista Touch, here are a few things to consider:
- The Barista Touch is not the easiest machine to use right out of the box. There is a steep learning curve.
- The water tank is difficult to access and it took us a while to figure out how to open it. But it gets easier the more times you use it.
- You need an LED light to check the dispenser to see how much coffee is being released.
- This machine also lacks an auto start button so if that’s something you are into, keep this in mind.
Features & Benefits of the Breville Barista Touch
Here are the key features that make the Barista Touch such a great investment.
Intuitive Touch Display
With its easy to read and operate touch screen display, your machine becomes so easy to navigate. You can completely personalize your coffee to suit your tastes and have full control over brewing.
There is a built-in coffee menu that lets you save 8 of your favorite drinks. This also lets you control the milk temperature, foam, dose, and shot time.
This simplifies your coffee-making experience with three easy steps, grind, brew, and milk. You can adjust the strength of your coffee, the texture, and the temperature of your milk to suit your preference.
Hands-Free Operation
You can now get coffee grounds straight into the portafilter without lifting a finger.
This guarantees the perfect amount of ground distributed each time. Making sure your coffee brewing is consistent.
What makes this feature even better is that you can customize the number of grounds you brew. This guarantees that your coffee will match your tastes.
Automatic Milk Frothing
Typically this is where the professionals come in. It takes years to master the perfect milk texturing, but not with the Barista Touch.
The automatic micro-foam texturing feature makes it easier to reach the perfect milk temperature and texture. This ensures a smooth, rich-tasting drink.
It is also perfect if you’re feeling fancy and want to try your hand at creating lovely latte art.
Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
This built-in feature grinds your preferred coffee beans and allows you to control the grind-size and amount.
This ensures that your coffee suits your tastes so that you’re never disappointed.
The grinder ensures flawless brewing and coffee extraction for strong, smooth coffee.
If you want, you can fiddle around with this feature and mess with different settings. Who knows, you might invent a new kind of latte.
The Barista Touch also gives you the option of grinding automatically or manually. To manually grind your coffee beans, just press the portafilter and hold it in place.
For automatic grinding, you can leave the portafilter in the cradle. This is perfect if you want hands-free use.
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ThermoJet Heating System
The built-in innovative ThermoJet heating system is a step up from the Thermo coil most machines have.
With this heating system, reaching the perfect temperature takes only 3 seconds!
Your coffee is ready for you whenever you want and the waiting time is non-existent.
Precise Espresso Extraction
Water temperature will be perfect with its built-in digital temperature control (PID). You can also adjust this within 2 degree Celsius increments if needed.
With the right water temperature, you will get a perfect cup of coffee every time. Just like at your favorite coffee shop!
Minor Features
A pre-infusion feature starts with low water pressure to expand the grinds for even extraction. It makes the coffee smooth and creamy, improving the taste. Your coffee will be the envy of all.
The integrated stainless steel water coil controls the water temperature. You’ll have full control over the volume of a single or double-shot.
The auto-purge function adjusts the water temperature after steaming. Guaranteeing that the temperature is perfect for espresso extraction.
The 67oz water tank is large enough for you to serve coffee when you’re entertaining friends or family. This size also means you don’t have to refill the water tank and allows for many coffee sessions.
We should mention that it isn’t easy to figure out how to remove the water tank. Once you figure it out, it becomes easier.
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To see the Breville Barista Touch in action, check out this video:
Care and Maintenance of Your Machine
To keep your machine functioning for a lifetime, proper care is needed.
If you do decide to take the leap and buy a Barista Touch you will need to descale the machine once every 3 months. This prevents limescale build-up which could impact the taste of your coffee.
A fair warning, the water tank should never be completely removed or emptied while descaling.
You should replace the water filter once every 3 months.
A helpful prompt will pop-up on the touch screen when the machine needs a clean.
This might seem like common sense, but I thought it was still worth mentioning but the power cord, appliance, and the power cord should never be placed in water or any other liquid. Instead, you can use a cloth to clean the machine’s exterior.
What Do the Coffee-Lovers Think?
Most coffee-lovers praised the Barista Touch’s ability to brew perfectly textured, smooth coffee.
One reviewer called it the Tesla of coffee makers. If that is not a testament to its performance, I don’t know what is.
Reviewers were also very happy with the sleek, modern design of the Barista Touch. It is compact enough to fit right on your kitchen counter. The touch screen was also mentioned as being attractive and easy to use.
One reviewer also added a picture of their latte art which I found charming.
Reviewers were happy with the versatility and the variety of functions that the machine offers for the price point.
A reviewer also noted that the Barista Touch was competitive when compared to machines like the automatic De’Longhi.
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Check out this video for an in-depth review:
Make the Perfect Latte with the Breville Barista Touch
With the intuitive display, making the perfect latte is as simple as a swipe and tap. We’ve included some simple instructions to show you just how easy the Barista Touch is to use.
- Step 1: Using the touch display, select the latte option on the cafe menu.
- Step 2: Select the grounds option on the touch display
- Step 3: Once your grounds are ready, use the tamp and razor tool to prep your grounds for brewing.
- Step 4: Select the brew option and watch as your cup fills.
- Step 5: Select the froth feature to automatically prepare your milk for handsfree operation
And that’s it. Once the brew is complete, all that’s left is to master your latte art!
Alternatives to the Breville Barista Touch
If you’re not quite sold on the Breville Barista Touch, here are some alternative coffee makers that offer similar features and functions.
Breville BES920XL Dual Boiler Espresso Machine
The Dual Boiler is an expensive alternative to the Barista Touch. They share features like the PID, pre-infusion, and the OPV valve.
What is great about the Dual Boiler is that it has a built-in pressure gauge. This lets you know when the machine is at the perfect temperature for brewing. This along with the OPV means you never have to swallow a bitter gulp of coffee.
Another amazing feature is the 3-way solenoid valve which relieves the pressure and excess water at the end of a brew cycle.
This will give you an easy way of knocking the coffee puck without worrying about the mess.
With the Dual boiler, you can brew your coffee and steam your milk at the same time so you won’t have to worry about your coffee getting cold.
This machine is perfect for intermediate to experienced baristas looking for a new toy.
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Check it out here:
Calphalon Temp IQ
The Temp IQ is a cheaper alternative to the Barista Touch. It’s a great choice if you want a higher-end coffee machine without breaking the bank. It also shares some features with the Barista Touch like the PID and the pre-infusion feature.
The Temp IQ differs in its built-in thermoblock heating system. This heats the water and makes brewing times much shorter so you don’t have to wait too long for your next cuppa.
You will need to replace the gasket once or twice a year to avoid damaging your machine. It also needs to be descaled to avoid limescale build-up.
The Temp IQ has a cup warming tray on top of the machine. Keeping your coffee hotter for longer and improving its flavor.
We would recommend this machine to intermediate or pro baristas who are looking for a new machine but are pressed for cash.
Check it out here:
Rancilio Silvia Home Espresso Machine
The Rancilio is a cheaper alternative to the Barista Touch. While they share similar features, the Rancilio lacks both a coffee grinder and pressure gauge.
A unique feature of the Rancilio is that its portafilter has a wide diameter of around 58 inches. This allows for an even saturation which improves the taste of your coffee and gives it a smooth finish.
It also has a three-way solenoid valve that dries out the coffee grounds after brewing. This makes cleaning out the portafilter much easier and less messy.
This machine is user friendly and we’d recommend it to both budding and pro baristas.
Barista Pro Espresso Machine
We would be remiss if we didn’t add a machine within the Barista range. The Barista Pro is a cheaper alternative to the Barista. Both have key features like the internal ThermoJet heating system and the built-in PID temperature control.
While the Barista Pro lacks the amazing touch screen of the Barista Touch, it comes with an intuitive interface. This gives you all the information you need to brew the perfect cuppa. This makes brewing easier and with the animations, much more fun.
The 54mm portafilter also lets you achieve a consistent and balanced espresso by using the perfect amount of grounds. This ensures a perfect cuppa every time.
We’d recommend this machine to pro baristas looking to save some cash.
Check it out here:
Breville Oracle Touch Automatic Espresso Machine
The Breville Oracle Touch is a leap up from the Barista Touch espresso machine. It comes with a hefty price tag.
The Oracle Touch and Barista Touch share the PID temperature control feature however, the Oracle sports a much larger 84oz water tank. This tank makes the Oracle perfect for large households. It also suits people who love to entertain.
The Oracle has a sleek intuitive touch screen display that allows you to save up to 8 custom coffee settings. This makes it easier to brew your favorite cuppa. The savable coffee setting slots are ideal for a large family, especially if everyone has different tastes.
It also comes with an automatic grinder. The Oracle lets you customize the milk texture and temperature. This ensures a perfect, smooth coffee.
We recommend the Oracle Touch for both budding baristas and experts who aren’t too concerned about the costs.
Check it out here:
| Breville Barista Touch | Breville BES920XL Dual Boiler | Calphalon Temp IQ | Rancilio Silvia Home Espresso Machine | Breville Barista Pro | Breville Oracle Touch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
ThermoJet heating system |
ThermoJet heating system |
Thermoblock heating system |
Thermoblock heating system |
ThermoJet heating system |
Dual boiler heating system |
|
Touch screen interface display |
Pressure gauge display |
None |
None |
Intuitive LCD display |
Touch screen display |
|
PID temperature control |
PID temperature control |
PID temperature control |
PID temperature control |
PID temperature control |
PID temperature control |
|
Recommended for the Pros |
Recommended for the Pros |
Recommended for the Pros |
Recommended for the budding Barista or a Pro |
Recommended for the Pros |
Recommended for the Pros |
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Learn MoreFinal Thoughts
We give this machine 5 stars. The Breville Barista Touch with its pre-infusion function, touchscreen, and programmable settings, as well as its compact brushed stainless steel design will bring the coffee cafe’ into your home.
It will be hard to beat these features joining forces and you’ll be guaranteed decadent, smooth cups of coffee with minimal effort. It’s an easy to use coffee maker and super versatile.
One of our favorite features is the 3-second heat-up time, meaning there’s no wait to get your morning cup of professional quality coffee. The perfect latte is just three simple steps away with the Barista Touch.
Did you agree with our Breville Barista Touch review? Have you got a Breville machine? Let us know in the comments below what your favorite machine is, and if you’ve ever created a delicious latte using the Breville Touch.
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