Brewing the perfect cup of espresso at home is a dream for many coffee enthusiasts. The Breville Barista Express Impress aims to make this dream a reality, promising to bring café-quality espresso to your kitchen with ease. This blog post delves into the features, benefits, and potential drawbacks of this impressive machine, providing a detailed analysis to help you decide if it’s the right fit for your home.
- The intelligent dosing and assisted tamping make it accessible to beginners.
- Saves space and eliminates the need for a separate grinder.
- Produces reliable and good-quality espresso shots.
- The steam wand heats up quickly and produces good microfoam.
- Comes with all necessary accessories, including a tamper, milk jug, and cleaning tools.
- Some users might find the grind settings not precise enough for perfect shots.
- The automatic volume dispensing can be inconsistent, requiring manual intervention for the best results.
- The machine needs a short recovery time between back-to-back shots, which can be a minor inconvenience for heavy users.
Key Features of the Breville Barista Express Impress
The Breville Barista Express Impress stands out in the crowded market of home espresso machines with its innovative features designed to simplify the complex process of espresso making. Here are some of its key highlights:
- Integrated Grinder: The built-in grinder is a major convenience, eliminating the need for a separate piece of equipment. It features 25 grind settings, allowing for a decent range of customization. This grinder ensures that the coffee grounds are fresh, directly ground from the hopper to the portafilter, which is crucial for achieving the best flavor.
- Intelligent Dosing System: This system automatically adjusts the amount of coffee grounds based on previous extractions, aiming to provide a consistent dose every time. This feature is particularly beneficial for beginners, as it removes the guesswork involved in dosing the correct amount of coffee.
- Assisted Tamping: A lever-actuated tamper ensures a level and polished coffee puck, reducing the learning curve associated with manual tamping. Consistent tamping pressure is vital for even extraction, and this feature helps to achieve that with minimal effort.
- Steam Wand: The steam wand allows for milk frothing, essential for creating lattes and cappuccinos. It is designed to reach steaming temperature quickly, minimizing waiting time between shots and milk preparation. The steam wand produces fine microfoam, ideal for latte art and enhancing the texture of milk-based drinks.
- User-Friendly Interface: The machine is equipped with intuitive controls and a digital interface that guides users through the process, making it suitable for beginners. The illuminated buttons provide clear instructions and feedback, ensuring that each step of the espresso-making process is easy to follow.
Testing and Performance
In various tests conducted by experts and coffee enthusiasts, the Breville Barista Express Impress has shown commendable performance. Here’s a summary of the findings from different tests:
Espresso Quality
Consistency: The intelligent dosing system and assisted tamping mechanism work well to produce consistent shots. The variance in shot quality is minimal, though some users noted slight differences in shot volume and taste. This consistency is crucial for achieving reliable results, especially for those new to espresso making.
Ease of Use: Beginners can achieve good results without much tinkering. The guided steps and automated features reduce the trial-and-error aspect of home espresso making. The machine’s design helps users feel confident in their ability to produce high-quality espresso without needing extensive experience.
Grind Settings: While the machine offers 25 grind settings, some users felt the need for more granular control to perfect their shots. However, the available range is adequate for most home users. Adjusting the grind size allows users to experiment with different coffees and find the perfect balance for their tastes.
Milk Frothing
Speed: The steam wand heats up quickly, allowing users to froth milk almost immediately after pulling a shot. This is a significant advantage for those who enjoy milk-based drinks, as it reduces the overall preparation time.
Quality: The wand produces fine microfoam suitable for latte art, although the pressure is lower compared to commercial machines. This makes it user-friendly while still delivering quality results. The ability to create silky microfoam enhances the overall coffee experience, allowing users to enjoy café-quality drinks at home.
Build and Design
Durability: The machine is well-built with a solid feel, ensuring it can withstand regular use. The materials and construction are of high quality, typical of Breville products. This durability gives users confidence that their investment will last for many years.
Aesthetics: The sleek design and compact footprint make it a stylish addition to any kitchen. It combines functionality with modern design, appealing to a broad audience. The machine’s appearance is complemented by practical features, such as the easy-to-read water level indicator and the convenient storage for accessories.
Detailed Analysis of Features
Intelligent Dosing System
One of the standout features of the Breville Barista Express Impress is its intelligent dosing system. Traditional espresso machines require users to manually measure the coffee grounds, which can be a challenging task for beginners. Inconsistent dosing leads to variations in shot quality, which can be frustrating. The intelligent dosing system in this machine addresses this issue by automatically adjusting the amount of coffee grounds based on the previous extraction.
When you initiate the grinding process, the machine measures the bed depth of the coffee puck and adjusts the dose accordingly. If the previous shot had too much coffee, the machine reduces the dose; if it had too little, the machine increases it. This ensures that each shot is pulled with the right amount of coffee, leading to consistent results. The system’s accuracy is impressive, with most doses falling within a 0.2-gram variance.
Assisted Tamping
Tamping is another critical step in making espresso. Proper tamping ensures that the coffee grounds are evenly compressed, which is essential for even water flow during extraction. Manual tamping can be difficult to master, especially for beginners. The Breville Barista Express Impress simplifies this process with its assisted tamping feature.
The tamping lever on the machine applies a consistent amount of pressure with every use, ensuring that the coffee puck is level and properly compressed. This not only improves the consistency of the shots but also reduces the risk of repetitive strain injuries associated with manual tamping. While the assisted tamping might leave a few loose grounds around the edge of the basket, the overall performance is impressive.
Steam Wand Performance
The steam wand on the Breville Barista Express Impress is designed to provide quick and effective milk frothing. In tests, the wand reached steaming temperature in just a few seconds, significantly reducing the waiting time between pulling a shot and frothing milk. This is a considerable advantage for those who enjoy milk-based drinks such as lattes and cappuccinos.
The wand produces fine microfoam, which is essential for creating latte art and enhancing the texture of milk-based drinks. While the steam pressure is lower than some commercial machines, it is more than adequate for home use. The ability to produce high-quality microfoam quickly and easily makes this machine a great choice for coffee enthusiasts who enjoy experimenting with different milk textures.
User Experience
Breville has put a significant focus on user experience with the Barista Express Impress. The machine is designed to be as user-friendly as possible, with features that guide users through the espresso-making process. The illuminated buttons and digital interface provide clear instructions and feedback, making it easy for beginners to follow along.
Additionally, the machine comes with all the necessary accessories, including a tamper, milk jug, and cleaning tools. This comprehensive package means that users can start making espresso right out of the box without needing to purchase additional equipment.
Drawbacks and Considerations
While the Breville Barista Express Impress offers many advantages, there are some drawbacks and considerations to keep in mind:
- Limited Grind Settings: Some users might find the 25 grind settings not precise enough for perfect shots. While the range is adequate for most home users, those looking for more granular control might need to consider a separate grinder.
- Shot Volume Variance: The automatic volume dispensing can be inconsistent, requiring manual intervention for the best results. This means that users might need to stop the shots themselves to achieve the desired volume.
- Training Wheels Effect: The automated features might limit skill development for those looking to advance their barista skills. While the machine simplifies the process, it doesn’t teach users the finer points of espresso making.
- High Bean Quality Requirement: Best results are achieved with high-quality, freshly roasted beans. Older beans can lead to inconsistent performance, and the machine might struggle with lower-quality beans.
- Recovery Time: The machine needs a short recovery time between back-to-back shots, which can be a minor inconvenience for heavy users. Allowing the machine to idle for a few minutes ensures consistent performance.
Final Verdict
The Breville Barista Express Impress is a standout choice for anyone looking to simplify the process of making espresso at home. Its intelligent dosing system and assisted tamping mechanism significantly lower the entry barrier for beginners, while still offering enough control to satisfy casual enthusiasts. Despite some limitations, such as the need for high-quality beans and occasional manual adjustments, the machine delivers consistent, café-quality espresso with minimal effort.
In summary, the Breville Barista Express Impress strikes a balance between automation and user control, making it an excellent addition to any kitchen. Whether you’re a novice looking to start your espresso journey or someone who wants a reliable and easy-to-use machine, the Breville Barista Express Impress is worth considering. Its blend of convenience, consistency, and quality makes it a compelling option for home baristas of all levels.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the new features of the Breville Barista Express Impress espresso machine?
The Breville Barista Express Impress features an assisted tamping lever that tamps the coffee for you, and an intelligent dosing system that automatically adjusts the amount of coffee the grinder dispenses to achieve the correct amount every time.
Which is better, the Breville Barista Pro or the Breville Barista Express Impress?
The Breville Barista Express Impress offers innovative features like an intelligent dosing system that provides more consistent dosing than the adjustable dose on the Barista Pro. However, the Barista Pro has a display screen and built-in timer, so the choice depends on your preference for these features.
Can you grind coffee for a French press or drip brewer with the Breville Barista Express Impress?
No, the grinders built into the Breville Barista Express Impress are calibrated specifically for espresso and are designed to grind coffee directly into a portafilter. It is not suitable for grinding coffee for drip or French press methods.
Which Breville espresso machine is best for beginners?
The Breville Barista Express Impress is highly recommended for beginners due to its built-in grinder, intelligent dosing, and assisted tamping, which automate some of the more challenging aspects of pulling an espresso shot. If you prefer a machine without a built-in grinder, the Breville Bambino Plus is also a great choice for its compact size and ease of use.
How should I prepare the machine for the best results?
For optimal performance, let the machine preheat for at least 20 minutes, weigh your coffee to ensure the correct dose, measure your espresso output, and time your shots to achieve the right grind size. Purging the grinder when adjusting grind settings is also recommended to clear old grounds.
Can I use older or lower-quality beans with the Breville Barista Express Impress?
For the best results, it is recommended to use high-quality, freshly roasted beans. Older or lower-quality beans may lead to inconsistent performance, as the machine may struggle to build up enough pressure to push water through the grounds effectively.
How do I adjust the water temperature on the Breville Barista Express Impress?
To adjust the water temperature, turn off the machine, hold down three buttons (depending on the model), turn it back on, wait for a beep, and press the manual dose button. This process can decrease or increase the water temperature by a few degrees Fahrenheit.
What should I do if the machine needs a recovery time between shots?
If the machine needs recovery time between back-to-back shots, allow it to idle for about 10 to 15 minutes to cool down. This is especially important if you have been pulling multiple shots in a short period, as the grinder and water temperature may become unstable.
Does the Breville Barista Express Impress come with all necessary accessories?
Yes, the Breville Barista Express Impress comes with all the necessary accessories, including a tamper, milk jug, cleaning tools, and a distribution tool. This comprehensive package ensures that you have everything you need to start making espresso right away.
How do I achieve the best milk frothing results?
To achieve the best milk frothing results, let the steam wand reach full pressure before immersing it in milk. Turn off the wand, insert the milk pitcher, and then turn it back on to avoid adding excess moisture from lower-temperature steam, ensuring better texture in your foam.
