Breville Espresso Machine Comparison Guide and Model Numbers Decoded 2024
Breville espresso machines represent a fantastic entry point for those seeking to learn how to brew great espresso at home. With standalone and all-in-one machines that include a grinder, Breville’s semi-automatic espresso machines come in a variety of shapes and sizes and can fit a wide range of budgets. Here’s some tips for picking out your first Breville espresso machine, figuring out the wide array of model numbers, or choosing an upgrade:
Jump To: Breville Bambino Plus | Breville Barista Express | Breville Barista Pro | Breville Barista Touch | Breville Oracle Touch | Comparison Video | What do the Breville Model Numbers Mean?
Breville Bambino Plus (BES500)
Do you want the option to upgrade your grinder separately from your machine? The Bambino Plus espresso machine is the pick for you. the Bambino Plus is a powerful platform for new users With a compact footprint, ThermoJet heating for lightning fast start and steam times, and optional automatic steaming. The Seattle Coffee Gear Exclusive Bambino Pro offers everything that makes the Plus great, plus a better portafilter and an un-pressurized portafilter basket, giving you more control over extraction and drink quality.
Breville Barista Express (BES870)
The Barista Express espresso machine is one of the most popular introductory models on the market. This machine is Breville’s best-seller, and it’s easy to see why. With a palatable price point and built-in burr grinder, steam wand, and hot water spout, the Barista Express is all you need to brew great cafe style drinks at home. You’ll also be able to learn and improve your espresso and milk steaming game with a manual steam wand as well as both pressurized and unpressurized portafilter baskets. Perfect for the new user!
Breville Barista Pro (BES878)
Looking for the perfect upgrade from the Barista Express? The Barista Pro espresso machine is the perfect fit. With an updated look and digital display, as well as much faster heat up and steam times thanks to Breville’s ThermoJet heating tech, the Barista Pro does everything the Express does, but with a little more oomph. A great upgrade from an aging Barista Express, the Pro also makes a solid first machine choice for new users looking to go beyond what the Express offers.
Breville Barista Touch (BES880)
The Barista Touch espresso machine takes the concept of the Barista Express and adds a vibrant touch screen that walks you through each step of the brewing process. Featuring the same performance and consistency present in the Pro, the Touch adds some extra automation with it’s optional automatic milk steaming and programmable drink recipes. Combined with the simple to use interface, the Barista Touch is a great option if you want the control of a semi-automatic espresso machine but with some degree of automation.
Breville Oracle Touch (BES990)
The Oracle Touch espresso machine takes everything about the Barista platform and adds deeper automation features to create a nearly automatic experience. From automatic dosing and tamping to PID controlled heating elements that provide rock-solid temperature stability from bean to cup, this machine offers prosumer features and superauto-like automation. Rounding out the package is a professional style 58mm portafilter and custom drink recipes, providing a high degree of control without sacrificing ease of use. The Oracle Touch is a fantastic option for anyone wanting the simplicity of a superauto with the performance of a semi-automatic.
Breville Espresso Machine Comparison Video
Check out John's expert advise as he walks you through five different mid-range Breville Barista line Espresso Machine models: The Breville Barista Express, Breville Barista Express Impress, Breville Barista Touch, Breville Barista Touch Impress, and the Breville Barista Pro!
So What Do Those Breville Espresso Machine Model Numbers Actually Mean?
When looking at the model number of a Breville Espresso Machine, you may have seen codes such as "BES990BSS" or "BES840XL". We get lots of questions on what these model codes mean, so here is a quick guide on how to decode these.
Product Line
"BES" means Breville Espresso, it indicates the product line that Breville is producing. All current espresso machines from Breville will start with "BES". "ESP" was also used on previous model lines, such as the Breville Cafe Roma (ESP8XL).
Model Number
Numbers such as "990", "870", or "500" after the "BES" are the actual model number of the machine itself. "990" is the Breville Oracle Touch, "870" is the Breville Barista Express, and "500" is the Breville Bambino Plus. Here is a list of current model numbers:
Color Code and "XL"
The letters or numbers you see after the model number is often a color code for the specific color of the machine you are looking at. The only time when this isn't the case is when you see "XL" at the end. The models with "XL" at the end generally don't have any other colors available and it appears that this is a depreciated code for machines that only came in Stainless Steel originally and were potentially larger than a previous, similar model.
We do not see this designation on any newer models like the Breville Barista Touch Impress or Breville Oracle Jet. If you see any other letters after the 3 number model number, those will be colors, and here is what they mean:
- BSS - Brushed Stainless Steel
- SST - Sesame Black
- CRN - Cranberry Red
- SS - Stainless Steel
- BLK - Black Sesame
- RCH - Royal Champagne
- DBL - Damson Blue
- SIL - Silver
- SSUSC - Sea Salt
- BBL - Black Truffle
- BLK/SS - Black Stainless Steel
- RBR - Red Velvet Cake
- SHY - Shy Blue
- TRF - Truffle
- BSK - Black Stainless Steel
Therefore, what you see is a combination of Product Line + Model Number + Color Code. For example, a Breville "BES878BSS" means that this is an Espresso Machine (BES), The Barista Pro (Model Number 878) in the Brushed Stainless Steel Color (BSS).
Note that not all machines come in these colors, but hopefully this handy guide helps you clarify what these full model numbers mean!
1BNA1
Very recent Breville espresso machines now have an additional set of numbers and letters at the end of their model number. We believe this is an updated model number to reflect the region the machine is used in. For example, 1BNA1 is a machine made for North America whereas 4IAN1 reflect Australian markets. This has no bearing on the specific features of the machine outside of the voltage requirements and region it is sold in.