The Breville Barista Express and the Breville Barista Touch are two different espresso makers with unique features and designs. Both models are popular choices for home baristas and coffee connoisseurs alike and can be used to make top-notch espresso drinks. So which one should you pick? To help you decide, let’s take an in-depth look at the differences between the two machines.
Overview of the Breville Barista Express
The Breville Barista Express is one of Breville’s most popular espresso makers. It is designed to be user-friendly, with a streamlined interface, so you can easily make your favorite espresso drinks in no time. Its many features include a steam wand for frothing milk and a 15-bar Italian-made pump for consistent pressure for the perfect espresso extraction.
The Barista Express also comes with a built-in burr grinder, so you can grind your own beans for the freshest espresso possible. It also has a 54mm tamper for evenly tamping the ground coffee into the portafilter for the best extraction. The Barista Express also has a hot water outlet for making tea or hot chocolate.
Overview of the Breville Barista Touch
The Breville Barista Touch is a step up from the Barista Express. It is an updated version of the classic model with many intuitive features that allow you to create cafe-quality espresso drinks with ease. Like the Barista Express, it also has a 15-bar Italian-made pump and steam wand for frothing milk, but it also has an integrated digital thermometer for precise temperature control. Additionally, it has a 3.5” full color LCD screen that makes it easy to select your favorite drinks, and adjust shot size, temperature, and texture.
The Breville Barista Touch also has a built-in grinder, so you can grind your own beans for the freshest espresso possible. It also has a hot water outlet for making tea or hot chocolate, and a cup warmer to keep your drinks at the perfect temperature. With its sleek design and intuitive features, the Breville Barista Touch is the perfect choice for anyone looking to make cafe-quality espresso drinks at home.
Differences in Design
Both machines have a slim and compact design, but the Barista Touch is slightly more modern-looking. The main difference in the design between the two espresso machines is the integrated 3.5” LCD touch screen on the Barista Touch, that also serves as an intuitive display to select your favorite drinks.
The Barista Touch also has a sleek stainless steel finish, while the Barista Express has a more traditional black and stainless steel look. The Barista Touch also has a built-in steam wand for frothing milk, while the Barista Express requires a separate frothing pitcher. Both machines have a cup warmer on top, but the Barista Touch has a larger capacity for warming multiple cups at once.
Differences in Features
The Barista Express comes with adjustable grind control and 5 precise grinding settings to adjust the size and texture of your espresso grinds to perfection. The Barista Touch has this feature as well, but it also offers pre-programmed grind settings and automatic tamping for easy espresso extraction. Additionally, its digital thermometer accurately reads the temperature of each shot to make sure the flavor profile remains consistent.
Comparison of Brewing Results
The brewing results for both machines are excellent. The barista Express uses a pre-infusion process which applies a gentle amount of water into the grinds first, before starting the full extraction process. This helps create an even more flavorful espresso with more harmonious tasting notes. The Barista Touch has the same pre-infusion process, along with its digital thermometer for consistent extractions.
Comparison of Milk-Steaming Results
Both machines have powerful steam wands that make frothing milk easy and consistent. The Barista Express’ steam wand can produce up to 10% more steam pressure than the Barista Touch’s, which makes it a better choice if you’re looking to quickly steam a larger portion of milk. However, the Barista Touch can offer more precise temperature control for steamed milk, which may be more important for people who want to create more complex latte art.
Cost Comparison
One of the biggest differences between the two machines is the price. The Barista Express retails for about $400, while the Barista Touch retails for around $500. This may be an important factor if you’re on a budget.
Pros and Cons of Each Machine
The Breville Barista Express has many great features and it is considered to be a great entry-level home espresso maker. However, if you want finer temperature control and pre-programmed grind settings then the Barista Touch may be a better option. Here are some of the pros and cons of each machine.
- Breville Barista Express:
- Pros – Affordable, easy to use, powerful steam wand.
- Cons – No digital thermometer for temperature control.
- Breville Barista Touch:
- Pros – Intuitive touch screen panel, digital thermometer for precise temperature control.
- Cons – Higher price tag.
Final Verdict
When it comes to deciding between the two espresso machines, it largely depends on your budget and the features that are most important to you. If you’re looking for an affordable entry-level machine, then the Breville Barista Express is an excellent choice. However, if you prefer having more precise temperature control and pre-programmed grind settings, then the Breville Barista Touch is a great option that may be worth the extra cost.
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