Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine
Create third wave specialty coffee at home from bean to espresso in less than a minute. The Barista Express allows you to grind the beans right before extraction for rich full flavor, and precise temperature control ensures optimal espresso extraction. Be hands on like a barista with manual microfoam milk texturing to deliver authentic results in no time at all.
Grind, dose, pull — pick the Breville that fits how you make coffee
Six 54 mm Barista machines and four 58 mm machines, compared on portafilter, grinder, heating and milk.
Compare
Three ways into the 54 mm family
Same 54 mm portafilter and 18 g dose across all three. What changes is how much of the work the machine does for you.
| Model |
Bambino
$299.95 | Pick the one that fits
Barista Express
$699.95 |
Barista Touch
$999.95 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grinder | None — pair with a grinder | Built in, 16 settings | Built in, 30 settings |
| Milk | Manual steam wand | Manual steam wand | Auto MilQ™ hands-free |
| Heating | ThermoJet®, 3 s heat-up | Thermocoil with PID | ThermoJet®, 3 s heat-up |
| Portafilter | 54 mm, 18 g dose | 54 mm, 18 g dose | 54 mm, 18 g dose |
| Model | ESE986J0320 | ESE986C0100 | ESH986G0060 |
| Link | See the machine | See the machine | See the machine |
Figures are the manufacturer’s published specifications for each model.
Compare
The 58 mm machines, side by side
Professional 58 mm portafilter and a 22 g dose on all four. They differ in how the water is heated and how much of the puck preparation is automated.
| Model |
|
|
Our pick
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portafilter | 58 mm, 22 g | 58 mm, 22 g | 58 mm, 22 g | 58 mm, 22 g |
| Heating | Stainless dual boiler, PID, heated group head | Stainless dual boiler, PID, heated group head | ThermoJet®, heated group head | Stainless dual boiler, PID, triple heating |
| Grinder | None — add a grinder | Smart Grinder Pro included, 60 settings | Built in, Baratza® burrs, 45 settings | Built in, Baratza® burrs, 45 settings, electronic adjust |
| Milk | Manual steam wand | Manual steam wand | Auto MilQ™, dairy / soy / almond / oat | Auto MilQ™, 9 textures |
| Puck prep | Manual, integrated tamper | Manual, integrated tamper | Auto grind, dose and tamp | Auto Puck System |
| Notable | LCD and pressure gauge; volumetric or manual shots | Machine and grinder package | Barista Guidance; Cold Brew & Cold Espresso; touch screen | Auto Dial-In; 5.7" touch screen; Breville+ app over Wi-Fi |
| Part number | ESE986C0220 | ESB986J0020 | ESH986N0500 | ESH986O0560 |
| See the machine | See the machine | See the machine | See the machine |
Figures are the manufacturer’s published specifications for each model.
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Descaler, cleaner, milk cleaner
Scale is mineral
Limescale is calcium and magnesium left behind when tap water is heated. It coats the element and the boiler, so the machine takes longer to heat and runs louder. A descaler is an acid — it dissolves mineral.
Oil is not scale
Coffee is about 15% oil by weight. It builds up in the brew head, the portafilter and the grounds path, and it goes rancid. That is what makes a clean machine taste bitter. A cleaner is alkaline — it lifts oil. Descaler will not touch it.
Milk is a third problem
Milk protein and fat set hard inside a steam wand. Neither descaler nor brew-path cleaner is formulated for it — the wand takes its own alkaline cleaner.
Free shipping to the US, UK & Canada
Delivery in 7–10 business days, with tracking emailed as soon as your order is dispatched.
30-day returns
Machines may be unboxed and tested; consumables unopened. Within 30 days of delivery.
Part number on every page
So you can check it against the box before you order.
Questions
Do the machines come with a manufacturer warranty?
Machines carry the manufacturer’s own warranty. How it is honoured, and whether it depends on the unit being bought through an authorised channel, is set by the manufacturer — read their terms before you buy. We are not an authorised service centre and cannot carry out warranty repairs. Separately, anything that arrives damaged, faulty or not as described we replace or refund in full, and that is our own commitment. See our about page.
What is the difference between descaling and cleaning?
Descaling removes limescale — the calcium and magnesium that heated tap water leaves on the element and in the boiler. It is an acid. Cleaning removes coffee oil from the brew head and portafilter. It is alkaline. They are different chemistries for different deposits, and one will not do the other’s job.
How often should I descale?
It depends almost entirely on your water hardness, not on the machine. Soft water can go six months; hard water may need it every four to six weeks. Most machines with a descale light are counting brew cycles, not measuring scale. There is a longer explanation on our descaling guide.
Which Breville should I start with?
If you already own a grinder, the Bambino or Bambino Plus. If you do not, the Barista Express family builds one in. Every machine page lists the portafilter size, the heating system and what is in the box under Specifications, drawn from the manufacturer’s published material, so you can compare like for like.
Why is there no "was" price or discount badge?
Because we have never charged a higher price for these items. A crossed-out price is only honest if the shop actually sold at that price, so we show one price and leave it at that.
Is shipping free, and how long does it take?
Shipping is free to addresses in the US, the UK and Canada. Orders arrive in 7–10 business days and tracking is emailed as soon as the order ships. The machines here are the US models; if you are ordering for a UK address, check the electrical rating on the manufacturer’s page first. Full details in our shipping policy.
Are you connected to Breville?
No. Crema Lab is an independent retailer. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Breville. Machine brand names on this site describe what a product fits. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Where a listing names a machine brand, it is telling you what the product fits — that is a fact about the product, not a claim about who supplies us.