I watched several videos on this subject, none of them answered my questions. This is the best comparison video of these machines. Very informative and helpful. Answered all the important questions. Thank you very much for the video.
I bought the Barista Pro just over a month ago. It was a toss up for me on which one since I'm an espresso noob. After seeing this, I'm really glad that I chose the Pro instead of the Touch. I prefer the slightly more hands-on approach that the Pro needs. Having to program a bunch of settings would have ended up irritating me in the long run. It seems like unnecessary fluff to me. I probably would have been just as happy with an Express too but I wanted the benefits of the faster heating thermojet in the Pro.
I just bought the barista pro and am using your guides for dialing in, my lattes are getting better and better! Thanks a lot for giving me the confidence to start!
I feel like a lot of people don't like the touch but i ordered it and still waiting for it to come but i love the automation with it if I'm rushing to work etc and can hurry and make coffee but also be to manually steam milk and still get the barista experience. Also the ability to adjust settings specific to drinks and in general like temp etc seems good to me. I was debating on the full manual versus somewhat automatic but i don't mind both features for more
honestly it's no disappointment either way.. this has felt like one of the hardest decision of my life lol and even though i went with the Pro, i got to say i don't know that i made the right decision.. because they are both just great products!
Great video as usual. I would like to add the fact that The barista pro allows more control for espresso. You can have more pre infusion time or even no pre infusion at all meanwhile the barista touch uses a fixed 5 seconds pre infusion in which you cannot control or change.
Are you talking about how long you press and hold the one/two cup button? I have Barista Express, and I press and hold for couple seconds to get a longer expresso. But I always wondered what would be the difference if I held the button for.. say 3 or 4 seconds.
I prefer the control i get from the pro, as you do from the express.. paying more for a touch screen menu and auto frother is not a compromise i want to be robbed of. I like being involved every step of the way.. Half the fun of enjoying your favorite drink is directly tied to the therapeutic process of choosing your dials, creating that perfect vortex while frothing, etc.. Barista Pro all the way!
I am looking to purchase my second Breville (I love these machines), I am so happy that I watched your video before I made my choice......very helpful thanks!
Love the articulate comparison and the quality visual presentation; very professional and informative for coffee lovers. I am surprised that you don't have more subscribers considering the fact...Keep up the high quality production and content!
Dude, the Barista Touch doesn't have a panarello. When you use the automatic steaming function it pumps air in through the steam wand from earlier on in the pipeline, but it's a traditional steam wand just like the Pro. When you use it in manual mode, you'll get the exact same results. The only possible nagging issue is that the Pro has the ability to articulate the wand in more directions.
There is one noticeable function that the Touch doesn't have, which is if your room temperature is cold in winter, having ur heater on for 24-7 is expense to u, then thermo jet will lose its brew temperature quite a lot and only way to compensate for that is to turn the steam on and cancel it, then brew, especially for medium-light roast beans, and you can't do it on the Touch, because it purges.
Your channel rocks. I’m not even a coffee drinker but have been doing some research for a Christmas present for my wife, and discovered your channel. I appreciate your honest and the high quality content.
Thanks for watching and for the kind words Sam! If you end up buying a machine for Christmas, using the links in our videos is a great way to support the channel :)
Thank you for making this video. I’ve had the Barista Express around 4 years now. I love it. It paid for itself in a month, I was at SB buying 4 americanos a day. I expanded my business into Nevada, found a 6 week old touch at an amazing price from a friend. The express stays at my home in Hawaii and my Nevada home has the touch. Love them both.
These are fantastic videos!! You really provided some very interesting points on the build quality / platforms that I never would have known. Thank you. Can you comment on the water that should be used for the best care, minimal maintenance and to optimize extraction with both the Breville Barista Pro or Touch? Love the other videos where you suggest additional items that one might consider buying to complement the purchase and enhance one's experience - makes a lot of sense. Congrats on the new studio!
Thank you! Measure the ppm of your tap water. A comfortable level for espresso machines is around 70. If you tap water is above, try a water filter such as a Brita (not zero water, because that removes ALL particles). If you can’t get it low enough with a Brita, look for a good bottled water. Crystal Geyser is a highly recommended one by La Marzocco
The Barista Touch's steam arm is not a panarello steam arm .. when it is in manual mode it works exactly a 4-hole steam arm. The biggest potential drawback would be that you would have to tilt your pitcher instead of angling the steam arm to you liking.
You are supposed to put the milk directly over the sensor as well. This guy talks about how it's 5 degrees off and doesn't even bother to read the manual.
Great video. I bought BB touch few month back and have to say my only gripe is that I wish there is a way to switch the steam wand to completely manual steam wand so you can get the practice when you have time and convince of automatic steam when not.
Hi, which machine is better. 1- Delonghi La Specialista Arte Espresso. 2 - BREVILLE VCF153 Barista Max. 3 DELONGHI Dedica EC685M + Sage The Dose Control Pro Coffee Grinder Stainless. Thanks for any responses
Great review! This is the only thing holding me back. I'm really ready to make a purchase. These are the 2 I'm comparing, and in my price range. I love the touch, but I want the micro foam that you show on the pro. I did see you can manually Steam milk on touch, but will I get the same quality as the pro can get? Please help, Thank you.
Many thanks for all your detailed videos on the Barista Pro. I'm just about to buy the Pro and that's partly due to your videos giving me confidence however I'm also seeing some other reviews that mention about the espresso not being hot enough or underwhelming steaming capabilities. Is the Pro getting a bad rap because users' may not be addressing the preheating of the group & portafilter by running a couple of flushes prior to dosing and the steaming on your video looked very impressive so..?? Sometimes the longevity of the machine is also questioned with some people claiming to return their machine soon after purchase do to issues so not sure how common that is? I'm also not sure whether the criticisms are pointed directly at the Pro or the Express and I would expect that the Pro may last longer than the Express (as you previously mentioned) due to more up to date design improvements etc? Do you think I should be concerned or not? Cheers.
Hey, great videos man. I love them very clear and unbiased. Do you also have videos on how to use and dail in? I'm in the market to get one and I'm so torn. I'm kinda leaning towards the pro as I would live to be able to learn to make great espresso, but I honestly don't have all the time in the world either but am willing to practice little by little. My wife on the other hand doesn't have the patience. She wants to just go with the nespresso pods and call it a day. That's why I'm thinking if I got the touch, I feel it'll be easier for her to use. Is my analysis correct? Is the touch easier for non experienced users?
I do have videos on dialing in Also take a look at the new Barista Express Impress that I have a video on. Might be the middle ground you’re looking for
@LifestyleLab_ I ended up purchasing the pro & the touch. I'm going to test them both out and see which I like better. Lol. I have q4 days to return with no fee.. They are currently 20% off too! Does the pro make americanos?
So that these will both produce the same espresso, the barista express will also produce the same espresso (as they are also pretty much the same in all aspects?). I have a barista express and so upgrading to either of these does not seem worthwhile. It’s a shame to see that they changed the grinder dial to appear to be a “non-step” grinder on the pro, but it still remains the same 18 step grinder. That’s my main issue with my BBE. Thanks for the video!
The Pro will produce better espresso because it’s brewing at a lower brew pressure. Theses two machines run at 9 bar. These both also have 30 steps of grinding range, much more than the BBE’s 18
@@LifestyleLab_ Hi just following up on this - if the pro runs at 9 bar, does the express not do so? I can see the specs of both machines say 15 bar pump with 9 bar extraction pressure. Is the calibration off on the express or something?
Got the Pro and it wouldn’t complete the initial flush. Called Breville and the response was to send in the broken machine for a new one. Seems to be a common problem and not something you’d expect from an $800 machine. The steam/water knob has some play in it and takes quite a bit of force to switch between modes. Seems like it’s only a matter of time before it breaks off. Installing the portafilter is a two handed operation. One on the portafilter and the other to hold the machine in place. Otherwise the machine just slides around the countertop. Wish Breville had used a suction cup on the Pro like they did on the Oracle.
The steam / water knob is certainly not going to break any time soon. If you want an easier turn, check out the aftermarket on me from Crema Coffee Products! The group head will loosen up in the first month or so of use. This is the same on any espresso machine you will encounter.
Thanks for the comparison. I keep hearing the Pro only makes lukewarm espresso and milk. I'm worried about that. I want to buy the Oracle Touch, but not convinced it's better than the Pro, ao I am not sure I can sacrifice counter space if it's not much of an upgrade. Can you please gelp me decide between the two? What matters the most to me is excellent espresso with hot temp and silky latte art milk. Thank you!
Breville is plagued by the fact that it’s used base is largely beginners. You can get any temperature of milk you like, and steam beautiful latte art in the Barista Pro. Espresso, is not lukewarm. Get the Pro
I have the barista pro in black.. first time I used it, the black chipped.... its annoying cause I have a silver area now showing.... I feel in a few years it will probably look like crap. My stainless barista express after 6 years still look great..... if I were to buy again I would buy stainless...
I noticed the had the black stainless steel which I ended up ordering as black is my color choice. I would think and hope it won’t have chipping issues.
Hi there. Where did you get that beautyfull steel blue color Barista Pro? I´m going to buy this model, but they have only stainless steel or black. Thanks. Paul
If you're already using a good grinder with your Bambino Plus, the touch won't be much of an upgrade at all in terms of drink quality. The only thing you'll be improving is form factor and workflow
@@LifestyleLab_ quick response, I have a mignon specialta grinder. I like the automatic steaming and quick heat up. Could you recommend a step up machine or should I be patient and continue learning from the bambino plus
@@SteveHofsaess You've got a great grinder there. What you should be looking for is to eventually upgrade to a 58mm machine like the Rancilio Silvia, Gaggia Classic Pro, Profitec GO.... Unfortunately, nothing at this level is going to provide automatic steaming, it's just not a feature seen on higher-end machines
Hello everyone. I found out that Touch model doesn’t have adjustable pre infusion feature, there is only pre-settled which can’t be changed. Would that be any problem in use of Touch? Thanks for any thoughts and helps. And btw Happy New 2023 for all coffee lovers!
Hi Marcin, very few machines have the option to actively control pre-infusion. A few exceptions being the Breville Dual Boiler, Lelit Bianca, and Decent DE1 (all very expensive) This is a nice feature, but absolutely not required to make excellent espresso
I wish they'd make Barista Pro with a 58mm portafilter. After all, it's called "Pro". I'm thinking about upgrading from Barista Express to Lelit Mara X, because Mara X has many features of the BBE but additionally it can brew and steam at the same time & 58mm portafilter. What do you think? :)
OK I'm glad for those who are enjoying their pro's, I'm on my 3rd in a year because they are so inconsistent in their performance that they are undependable for a consistent shot of espresso from one shot to the next. I have wide swings in my time (s) to 36gm of output from never happened to 55 sec to right on. I followed your dial in process to the letter, and then began to record my experience so to repudiate your comment on just locking in your portafilter and you get the perfect shot, I'm happy to send you a year of data from across 3 replacement machines that disputes the pro's ability to live up to that claim. Breville replaced them because even their service department couldn't get them to work, and finally suggested that perhaps I was expecting too much out of a (Their words not mine) mid-range machine. And I'm not the only one, I know of 4 others who have become so frustrated with their pro machines that they simply threw them away. I wouldn't recommend the pro to any serious espresso drinker, my experience is they look nice but their performance is so wildly inconsistent that you typically throw away many shots of very expensive beans in an attempt to get a good shot. Wish I still had my express, it was old but a great espresso machine.
There is one more aspect. Barista Touch is less known, and like the rest from Sage/Breville, not documented. Compare manuals from Aussies (turn on, turn off, contact support), and from some Bezzera (complete drawings with all partnumbers). For similar reasons, parts are less available. Overall, repairs become a very creative project with a lot of reverse engineering, unless a workshop is reachable (not where I live). I managed to decipher this machine inside out, I have it fully tamed, but my biggest desire following the ordeal is to sell it for good, and never look back. For Pro/Express, on the other hand, many people already made a lot of materials, and spares are easy to find.
Watch this video, the same concepts will apply, except the Barista Pro is a faster steamer than the Express Breville Barista Express vs Gaggia Classic Pro ua-cam.com/video/TFchbxuaASU/v-deo.html
@@jareddennison9054 Just manufacturing cost, and the fact that "entry level" machines and users can benefit from a slightly taller and narrower basket for building pressure. $700-900 is sort of the entry into "true" espresso machines
@@LifestyleLab_ Dual boiler prices are 300% or more of the Pro unless you know of others much less costly. Actually I am coming from bambino and trying to find sweet coffee with chocolate, honey, custard, blackberry taste.. so far with the bambino all I got except for the local one bean espresso roaster has been sour and perhapas because they are a medium-medium light roast.
The Bambino is not your problem. A new machine will not help you overcome poor coffee, or poor dialing in. I recommend learning the machine you have, or investing in a better quality grinder to go with the Bambino and the grinder is a far larger determining factor to taste.
Hey, interesting video there. It would be interesting to see if the Breville with a 54mm portafilter makes a better espresso or the Gaggia with a 58mm.
how many kinds of coffee can you make on Breville Barista Pro Espresso Machine? the full-screen one gives you many options to choose but I got the impression that the Breville Barista Pro Espresso only makes latte and cappuccino.
Didn't know it was ending up in a comment, hehe. Super great and useful videos you're doing!! Definitely helped me to make the (hopefully) right decision for my coffee machine buy 💗
I just like the pro, the touch with the stepped grinder just didn’t do it for me. I feel like I make the coffee on the pro especially when it comes to milk. Wish they did a wider portafilter on the pro… sadly couldn’t stretch dual boiler. Great video as ever…
Same way on both, run a couple “blank shots” (no coffee in the portafilter) to run hot water through and warm up the metal. Then dry and pull your shot :)
Returned a Barista Pro which developed the issue after a couple of weeks (lost all pressure). I got the Dual Boiler/Smart Grinder Pro as a replacement. The Dual Boiler is just streets ahead in every respect, in my opinion.
Considering the relative short life of Breville coffee makers not sure I would agree with you unless you are mostly interested in milk drinks. I think the Breville Infuser with a good dedicated coffee grinder is a far better choice.
@@benhaze1010 what do you mean by short life? My first Breville lasted 16 years and was still working fine when i updated with a Pro a couple years ago.
Never had issues with any of the Breville’s we’ve had (all of them). Take care of them properly and they’ll take care of you :) My Barista Express is going 7 years strong
@@benhaze1010 to be fair..it required two circuit board repairs in that time span at a cost of $100 each time..but new it was a $600 machine and was worth repairing.
Reviewers should have a legal duty to mention reliability, reparability and warranty .. Instead of just saying 'build quality' too loosely , I think what he means is build design or aesthetics . THe build quality of these machines is not even touched in any review .. What about material type, warranty, longevity, repairs and parts market - that's the real build quality questions .. I have worked on these machines , there's definitely planned obsolescence on show
If someone has a legal duty to be transparent about materials used in construction, full warranty details, repair costs and process, etc it’s the manufacturer. That way if they cut corners they know they will have to reveal those details.
Barista Pro: geni.us/VG0XE
Barista Touch: geni.us/RVsO
Try our coffee! geni.us/4AAmhpj
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I watched several videos on this subject, none of them answered my questions. This is the best comparison video of these machines. Very informative and helpful. Answered all the important questions. Thank you very much for the video.
I bought the Barista Pro just over a month ago. It was a toss up for me on which one since I'm an espresso noob. After seeing this, I'm really glad that I chose the Pro instead of the Touch. I prefer the slightly more hands-on approach that the Pro needs. Having to program a bunch of settings would have ended up irritating me in the long run. It seems like unnecessary fluff to me. I probably would have been just as happy with an Express too but I wanted the benefits of the faster heating thermojet in the Pro.
Same!
Same. Also a used pro was at the very top of my budget, so...
I just bought the barista pro and am using your guides for dialing in, my lattes are getting better and better! Thanks a lot for giving me the confidence to start!
Love to hear it!!
I had a Touch and only regretted not getting the pro after I realized it’s older than the pro haha but I loved my Touch til I upgraded to profitec
and can you tell the difference in quality between your Touch and the Profitec?
I feel like a lot of people don't like the touch but i ordered it and still waiting for it to come but i love the automation with it if I'm rushing to work etc and can hurry and make coffee but also be to manually steam milk and still get the barista experience. Also the ability to adjust settings specific to drinks and in general like temp etc seems good to me. I was debating on the full manual versus somewhat automatic but i don't mind both features for more
honestly it's no disappointment either way.. this has felt like one of the hardest decision of my life lol and even though i went with the Pro, i got to say i don't know that i made the right decision.. because they are both just great products!
Great video as usual.
I would like to add the fact that The barista pro allows more control for espresso. You can have more pre infusion time or even no pre infusion at all meanwhile the barista touch uses a fixed 5 seconds pre infusion in which you cannot control or change.
Good to know.
Are you talking about how long you press and hold the one/two cup button? I have Barista Express, and I press and hold for couple seconds to get a longer expresso. But I always wondered what would be the difference if I held the button for.. say 3 or 4 seconds.
I prefer the control i get from the pro, as you do from the express.. paying more for a touch screen menu and auto frother is not a compromise i want to be robbed of. I like being involved every step of the way.. Half the fun of enjoying your favorite drink is directly tied to the therapeutic process of choosing your dials, creating that perfect vortex while frothing, etc.. Barista Pro all the way!
I am looking to purchase my second Breville (I love these machines), I am so happy that I watched your video before I made my choice......very helpful thanks!
Love the articulate comparison and the quality visual presentation; very professional and informative for coffee lovers. I am surprised that you don't have more subscribers considering the fact...Keep up the high quality production and content!
Thanks Chris! Appreciate it
Yeah superb content!
agree. great comparisons. Very clear info. yet, with all the details.
Dude, the Barista Touch doesn't have a panarello. When you use the automatic steaming function it pumps air in through the steam wand from earlier on in the pipeline, but it's a traditional steam wand just like the Pro. When you use it in manual mode, you'll get the exact same results. The only possible nagging issue is that the Pro has the ability to articulate the wand in more directions.
That's what I was thinking
So is it the exact same but just with a touch screen? The only advantage seemed to be the wand?
Thank you
@@janet83no, there's also a temperature sensor for automatic steaming. The heating mechanism, grinder, and portafilters are the same.
Thank you for this video! Totally solved my issue between these machines! Great video!
Awesome review. I have the Barista Pro and looked at the Touch. I am extremely happy with my purchase. I use it everyday and works great
Because of your videos I bought Barista Pro. This is the best choice in my opinion. I mean the possibilities and the price. Thanks for the comparison.
There is one noticeable function that the Touch doesn't have, which is if your room temperature is cold in winter, having ur heater on for 24-7 is expense to u, then thermo jet will lose its brew temperature quite a lot and only way to compensate for that is to turn the steam on and cancel it, then brew, especially for medium-light roast beans, and you can't do it on the Touch, because it purges.
Got the touch so my wife can have it easy. Loving it so far for $800 bucks
Your channel rocks. I’m not even a coffee drinker but have been doing some research for a Christmas present for my wife, and discovered your channel. I appreciate your honest and the high quality content.
Thanks for watching and for the kind words Sam!
If you end up buying a machine for Christmas, using the links in our videos is a great way to support the channel :)
Thank you for making this video. I’ve had the Barista Express around 4 years now. I love it. It paid for itself in a month, I was at SB buying 4 americanos a day. I expanded my business into Nevada, found a 6 week old touch at an amazing price from a friend. The express stays at my home in Hawaii and my Nevada home has the touch. Love them both.
I have the Barista Pro and I looooove it!
Really great work on this one as well. Thank you so much for your great work here. It is helpful.
These are fantastic videos!! You really provided some very interesting points on the build quality / platforms that I never would have known. Thank you. Can you comment on the water that should be used for the best care, minimal maintenance and to optimize extraction with both the Breville Barista Pro or Touch? Love the other videos where you suggest additional items that one might consider buying to complement the purchase and enhance one's experience - makes a lot of sense. Congrats on the new studio!
Thank you!
Measure the ppm of your tap water. A comfortable level for espresso machines is around 70. If you tap water is above, try a water filter such as a Brita (not zero water, because that removes ALL particles). If you can’t get it low enough with a Brita, look for a good bottled water. Crystal Geyser is a highly recommended one by La Marzocco
The Barista Touch's steam arm is not a panarello steam arm .. when it is in manual mode it works exactly a 4-hole steam arm. The biggest potential drawback would be that you would have to tilt your pitcher instead of angling the steam arm to you liking.
Thank you for clarifying that… I wondered about that detail when it was mentioned in the video.
8:18
You are supposed to put the milk directly over the sensor as well. This guy talks about how it's 5 degrees off and doesn't even bother to read the manual.
Yeah what an IDIOT!
@@LifestyleLab_ just read stuff before you try to pass yourself off as an authority.
Great video. I bought BB touch few month back and have to say my only gripe is that I wish there is a way to switch the steam wand to completely manual steam wand so you can get the practice when you have time and convince of automatic steam when not.
You can steam manually with the touch.
Excellent video comparison! Thank you, your video has been so helpful to me in helping to confirm my choice of espresso machine to purchase
Hi, which machine is better. 1- Delonghi La Specialista Arte Espresso. 2 - BREVILLE VCF153 Barista Max. 3 DELONGHI Dedica EC685M + Sage The Dose Control Pro Coffee Grinder Stainless. Thanks for any responses
Thanks for the in-depth review on both espresso machine 😊
You make literally every video I’m looking for thank you
Since the consensus of the grinders on these machines, would choosing this over something without the grinder not be preferred?
Great review! This is the only thing holding me back. I'm really ready to make a purchase. These are the 2 I'm comparing, and in my price range. I love the touch, but I want the micro foam that you show on the pro. I did see you can manually Steam milk on touch, but will I get the same quality as the pro can get? Please help, Thank you.
You can still get great quality on the Touch, don’t let that hold you back
Many thanks for all your detailed videos on the Barista Pro. I'm just about to buy the Pro and that's partly due to your videos giving me confidence however I'm also seeing some other reviews that mention about the espresso not being hot enough or underwhelming steaming capabilities. Is the Pro getting a bad rap because users' may not be addressing the preheating of the group & portafilter by running a couple of flushes prior to dosing and the steaming on your video looked very impressive so..?? Sometimes the longevity of the machine is also questioned with some people claiming to return their machine soon after purchase do to issues so not sure how common that is? I'm also not sure whether the criticisms are pointed directly at the Pro or the Express and I would expect that the Pro may last longer than the Express (as you previously mentioned) due to more up to date design improvements etc? Do you think I should be concerned or not? Cheers.
Your a proven GENIUS 👏 Best information Chanel on Expresson Machines on UA-cam!
Hey, great video! Is there any chance we might get a comparison between the barista pro and the new express impress?
On the way :)
@@LifestyleLab_ 🤩 awesome
Hey, great videos man. I love them very clear and unbiased. Do you also have videos on how to use and dail in? I'm in the market to get one and I'm so torn. I'm kinda leaning towards the pro as I would live to be able to learn to make great espresso, but I honestly don't have all the time in the world either but am willing to practice little by little. My wife on the other hand doesn't have the patience. She wants to just go with the nespresso pods and call it a day. That's why I'm thinking if I got the touch, I feel it'll be easier for her to use. Is my analysis correct? Is the touch easier for non experienced users?
I do have videos on dialing in
Also take a look at the new Barista Express Impress that I have a video on. Might be the middle ground you’re looking for
@LifestyleLab_ I ended up purchasing the pro & the touch. I'm going to test them both out and see which I like better. Lol. I have q4 days to return with no fee.. They are currently 20% off too! Does the pro make americanos?
So that these will both produce the same espresso, the barista express will also produce the same espresso (as they are also pretty much the same in all aspects?). I have a barista express and so upgrading to either of these does not seem worthwhile.
It’s a shame to see that they changed the grinder dial to appear to be a “non-step” grinder on the pro, but it still remains the same 18 step grinder. That’s my main issue with my BBE.
Thanks for the video!
The Pro will produce better espresso because it’s brewing at a lower brew pressure. Theses two machines run at 9 bar.
These both also have 30 steps of grinding range, much more than the BBE’s 18
@@LifestyleLab_ thanks, that’s interesting for sure. So possibly worth the upgrade if the price is right?
Yup!
There’s always a great second hand market for Breville machines, so you could sell the BBE, and if the price is right on the Pro, go for it!
@@LifestyleLab_ Hi just following up on this - if the pro runs at 9 bar, does the express not do so? I can see the specs of both machines say 15 bar pump with 9 bar extraction pressure. Is the calibration off on the express or something?
The Express does not run at a 9 bar extraction pressure, you can see Hoon’s video where he actually tests both :)
Got the Pro and it wouldn’t complete the initial flush. Called Breville and the response was to send in the broken machine for a new one. Seems to be a common problem and not something you’d expect from an $800 machine.
The steam/water knob has some play in it and takes quite a bit of force to switch between modes. Seems like it’s only a matter of time before it breaks off.
Installing the portafilter is a two handed operation. One on the portafilter and the other to hold the machine in place. Otherwise the machine just slides around the countertop. Wish Breville had used a suction cup on the Pro like they did on the Oracle.
The steam / water knob is certainly not going to break any time soon. If you want an easier turn, check out the aftermarket on me from Crema Coffee Products!
The group head will loosen up in the first month or so of use. This is the same on any espresso machine you will encounter.
@Honey… nope. Purchased from Williams Sonoma.
So a 2 year old BBE, is it worth upgrading to the Pro?
If you have the budget sure :)
Excellent comparison video! Thank you.
Great video, this really aided our purchase thank you so much.
informative. it was a toss up between the touch and pro. your video helped. thanks
Very informative and on-point, subbed !
Thanks for the comparison. I keep hearing the Pro only makes lukewarm espresso and milk. I'm worried about that. I want to buy the Oracle Touch, but not convinced it's better than the Pro, ao I am not sure I can sacrifice counter space if it's not much of an upgrade. Can you please gelp me decide between the two? What matters the most to me is excellent espresso with hot temp and silky latte art milk. Thank you!
Breville is plagued by the fact that it’s used base is largely beginners.
You can get any temperature of milk you like, and steam beautiful latte art in the Barista Pro. Espresso, is not lukewarm.
Get the Pro
@@LifestyleLab_ thank you you so much for your advice and helping me decide! I will get the pro!
I have the barista pro in black.. first time I used it, the black chipped.... its annoying cause I have a silver area now showing.... I feel in a few years it will probably look like crap. My stainless barista express after 6 years still look great..... if I were to buy again I would buy stainless...
I noticed the had the black stainless steel which I ended up ordering as black is my color choice. I would think and hope it won’t have chipping issues.
Hi there. Where did you get that beautyfull steel blue color Barista Pro? I´m going to buy this model, but they have only stainless steel or black. Thanks. Paul
It’s called Damson Blue :)
I have it linked in the description as well
@@LifestyleLab_ Thanks. Looking over and over and they really offer only black and ss. Thanks again.
Might need to check for a different retailer in your region
Just Google Barista Pro Damson Blue and you should get some options
I currently have the bambino plus, my first machine. Will the touch be a big upgrade or to complicated for a beginner
If you're already using a good grinder with your Bambino Plus, the touch won't be much of an upgrade at all in terms of drink quality. The only thing you'll be improving is form factor and workflow
@@LifestyleLab_ quick response, I have a mignon specialta grinder. I like the automatic steaming and quick heat up. Could you recommend a step up machine or should I be patient and continue learning from the bambino plus
@@SteveHofsaess You've got a great grinder there. What you should be looking for is to eventually upgrade to a 58mm machine like the Rancilio Silvia, Gaggia Classic Pro, Profitec GO.... Unfortunately, nothing at this level is going to provide automatic steaming, it's just not a feature seen on higher-end machines
So barista touch can produce real latte art ? Or it’s just foam milk with automatic system
Can definitely produce real latte art, especially if you steam manually
I still think that getting the Breville Infuser and a good grinder is the best option for the vast majority of folks.
Super useful review, as always! 😊👍
I had the Touch, but then upgraded to the Rancilio Silvia ProX
and how do they compare?
@@gosman949 Rancilio in completely different league. Also 3 times the price . Temperature stability is a huge advantage as well as steaming power
This is such a useful video! Thank you!
Very clear and useful. Thanks.
Hello everyone.
I found out that Touch model doesn’t have adjustable pre infusion feature, there is only pre-settled which can’t be changed. Would that be any problem in use of Touch?
Thanks for any thoughts and helps.
And btw Happy New 2023 for all coffee lovers!
Hi Marcin, very few machines have the option to actively control pre-infusion. A few exceptions being the Breville Dual Boiler, Lelit Bianca, and Decent DE1 (all very expensive)
This is a nice feature, but absolutely not required to make excellent espresso
@@LifestyleLab_ Thanks a lot for quick response.
You have got a great channel!
Regards!
I wish I saw this before I bought the Touch version a year ago.
I wish they'd make Barista Pro with a 58mm portafilter. After all, it's called "Pro".
I'm thinking about upgrading from Barista Express to Lelit Mara X, because Mara X has many features of the BBE but additionally it can brew and steam at the same time & 58mm portafilter. What do you think? :)
Lelit machines are generally a great step up and good value for money. I think Kyle has a video specifically in the Mara X
I have the oracle touch which is like the touch but more automatic.
I bought the barista express and am now regretting now going for the barista pro instead
Awaiting your review on the new express impress 👌
OK I'm glad for those who are enjoying their pro's, I'm on my 3rd in a year because they are so inconsistent in their performance that they are undependable for a consistent shot of espresso from one shot to the next. I have wide swings in my time (s) to 36gm of output from never happened to 55 sec to right on. I followed your dial in process to the letter, and then began to record my experience so to repudiate your comment on just locking in your portafilter and you get the perfect shot, I'm happy to send you a year of data from across 3 replacement machines that disputes the pro's ability to live up to that claim. Breville replaced them because even their service department couldn't get them to work, and finally suggested that perhaps I was expecting too much out of a (Their words not mine) mid-range machine. And I'm not the only one, I know of 4 others who have become so frustrated with their pro machines that they simply threw them away. I wouldn't recommend the pro to any serious espresso drinker, my experience is they look nice but their performance is so wildly inconsistent that you typically throw away many shots of very expensive beans in an attempt to get a good shot. Wish I still had my express, it was old but a great espresso machine.
There is one more aspect. Barista Touch is less known, and like the rest from Sage/Breville, not documented. Compare manuals from Aussies (turn on, turn off, contact support), and from some Bezzera (complete drawings with all partnumbers). For similar reasons, parts are less available. Overall, repairs become a very creative project with a lot of reverse engineering, unless a workshop is reachable (not where I live). I managed to decipher this machine inside out, I have it fully tamed, but my biggest desire following the ordeal is to sell it for good, and never look back.
For Pro/Express, on the other hand, many people already made a lot of materials, and spares are easy to find.
This was a great review!
Thank you, glad it was helpful!
Opinion: breville barista pro or gaggia pro?
Watch this video, the same concepts will apply, except the Barista Pro is a faster steamer than the Express
Breville Barista Express vs Gaggia Classic Pro
ua-cam.com/video/TFchbxuaASU/v-deo.html
@@LifestyleLab_ thanks for the speedy response!
Also, why is there nothing in the 700-900 range with a 58mm group aside from the Silva?
@@jareddennison9054 Just manufacturing cost, and the fact that "entry level" machines and users can benefit from a slightly taller and narrower basket for building pressure. $700-900 is sort of the entry into "true" espresso machines
Can you review the touch impress
Yup, I have it in the studio. Next couple of weeks
Older Pro version leaked like crazy apparently. Has it been resolved?
I haven’t had any issues with leaking on any machines
The automatic steam option on the touch is worth the premium
Breville does do great auto steaming!
Great review.
I’m curious if you recommend any other the grinderless brevilles. I have the barista express, but looking to upgrade and use a niche zero.
If you’ll be using a Niche Zero, the Dual Boiler is a natural choice to get the best out of that grinder
@@LifestyleLab_ Dual boiler prices are 300% or more of the Pro unless you know of others much less costly. Actually I am coming from bambino and trying to find sweet coffee with chocolate, honey, custard, blackberry taste.. so far with the bambino all I got except for the local one bean espresso roaster has been sour and perhapas because they are a medium-medium light roast.
The Bambino is not your problem. A new machine will not help you overcome poor coffee, or poor dialing in. I recommend learning the machine you have, or investing in a better quality grinder to go with the Bambino and the grinder is a far larger determining factor to taste.
Hey, interesting video there. It would be interesting to see if the Breville with a 54mm portafilter makes a better espresso or the Gaggia with a 58mm.
Look wise hands down the pro.
Pro is super slick.
how many kinds of coffee can you make on Breville Barista Pro Espresso Machine? the full-screen one gives you many options to choose but I got the impression that the Breville Barista Pro Espresso only makes latte and cappuccino.
Any espresso machine can make any drink. All the touch screen versions are doing is changing the foam texture. On the pro, you do this manually.
Thanks!
Didn't know it was ending up in a comment, hehe. Super great and useful videos you're doing!! Definitely helped me to make the (hopefully) right decision for my coffee machine buy 💗
Leaning towards the touch... I dont wanna manually make my steam milk lol.
Then the Touch is definitely for you! (Touch or Touch Impress!)
I just like the pro, the touch with the stepped grinder just didn’t do it for me. I feel like I make the coffee on the pro especially when it comes to milk.
Wish they did a wider portafilter on the pro… sadly couldn’t stretch dual boiler.
Great video as ever…
Are these machines really new? They have been out for years!
In terms of the Breville lineup, yes
@@LifestyleLab_ maybe the colors are new, but not the product itself.
Nice video
Preferential and preferable aren't synonyms. You say "preferential" several times in the video and never once use it correctly.
Thank you for this very important correction. You have provided a great service.
I have the Oracle touch, and it is quite different than the one that is shown in this video
Because the one in the video is not the Oracle touch…
But now everyone knows that he has a much more expensive model, so there’s that. 🙄
I've mentioned it intentionally for feedback on which is more worth the bang for your buck
Touch machine doesn’t get expensive hot enough even at the highest setting.
It certainly does, just need to make sure to pre-heat the portafilter :)
@@LifestyleLab_How do you preheat the portafilter on the Touch? And is it possible to preheat the portafilter on the Pro too?
Same way on both, run a couple “blank shots” (no coffee in the portafilter) to run hot water through and warm up the metal. Then dry and pull your shot :)
youre so handsome!
Sheeesh noyce
However
Returned a Barista Pro which developed the issue after a couple of weeks (lost all pressure). I got the Dual Boiler/Smart Grinder Pro as a replacement. The Dual Boiler is just streets ahead in every respect, in my opinion.
Considering the relative short life of Breville coffee makers not sure I would agree with you unless you are mostly interested in milk drinks. I think the Breville Infuser with a good dedicated coffee grinder is a far better choice.
@@benhaze1010 what do you mean by short life? My first Breville lasted 16 years and was still working fine when i updated with a Pro a couple years ago.
Never had issues with any of the Breville’s we’ve had (all of them). Take care of them properly and they’ll take care of you :) My Barista Express is going 7 years strong
@@ThorMaxx 4-6 years. You must have had one of a kind as we need now to replace our last Breville (4th one in a span of 20 years).
@@benhaze1010 to be fair..it required two circuit board repairs in that time span at a cost of $100 each time..but new it was a $600 machine and was worth repairing.
Good to see the head 😂
Told ya 😉
Reviewers should have a legal duty to mention reliability, reparability and warranty .. Instead of just saying 'build quality' too loosely , I think what he means is build design or aesthetics . THe build quality of these machines is not even touched in any review .. What about material type, warranty, longevity, repairs and parts market - that's the real build quality questions .. I have worked on these machines , there's definitely planned obsolescence on show
Legal duty… yikes
If someone has a legal duty to be transparent about materials used in construction, full warranty details, repair costs and process, etc it’s the manufacturer. That way if they cut corners they know they will have to reveal those details.
"Best espresso for your money is not good enough!!" I want good espresso, authentic espresso!! Junk
Then check out some of our other reviews :)
@@LifestyleLab_ Don't get me wrong I still love your honest reviews, that's why I responded the way I did. Keep up the good work
Thanks for watching!
This one has prompted lots of good discussions in the comments