Breville Barista Pro for the cheapest I have seen it in quite a while. I bought it last week from JB for $680. Express is more than the recent sales. Bonus barista kit with the pro via redemption and bonus beans for the express.
why? got one at JB last week when it was on special, after a bit of playing its making great coffee - didnt seem like many differences to the Pro for an extra $200 (last week)
Do your research, not being rude but $500+ is a good sized purchase for most people.
I'd hope that anyone buying a coffee machine checks out a few of them first. But believe me, it's worth it just for the three second heat up time not to mention everything else!
I did and thats why the express was chosen
time is hardly a factor - 3sec or 30 sec not big difference in making a coffee
Each to there own and im sure it has its advantages but i just wouldnt write off the express
@macmanluke: Okay… heat up time, brilliant. It's not just start time but it makes switching between shot and steam so much better. The grinder is arguably the BCG820 internals. More 'resolution' and better settings, able to be manually adjusted as well. The shot timer, now you know how long your pour is. Once you get the hang of your grind, tamp and shot time you really don't need the gauge.
Not to mention in my opinion it's built a bit better
Just going from memory here - but I thought the Barista Pro didn't have a pressure gauge. That is a major turn off for some people (myself included). I have two Barista Express machines - one at home and one at work. Warm up time not an issue for me, but frothing milk can indeed take quite a long time.
I have the pro, folks have the express. The major difference is that with the express you need to wait for the boiler to heat, the pro you do not. I do miss having a pressure gauge.
@NoCodeMonkey: I think the lack of a pressure gauge kills the deal.
You can't adjust settings based on individual taste, it just adds another variable where there a too many other variables.
Agree with Mac. IMO unless you're pumping out shots in a hurry like a cafe, the Express does the job fine.
Why? Turning the machine on, then getting milk and my cups alone is 30 seconds. Making coffee is a process that I enjoy taking time and shouldn't be rushed, but that's just me though.
TBH I wouldn't buy any espresso machine with an integrated grinder, unless you can easily replace the burrs yourself.
They don't tend to fail too often. I'd rather have the Barista Pro vs a separate BCG820
I mean worst case you just buy a new grinder and it looks a bit silly on your bench, no?
I've been using the Express for 4yrs and it's been great.
As mentioned before, the milk warming can be a little slow but aside from that - zero complaints.
This or the Delonghi La Specialista for $150 more?
No question the pro. I did a lot of research between the 2 before buying. Better grinder and more adjustment is possible. And the free barista kit is actually pretty decent for free.
As much as I hate to say it, Delonghi are fighting back! After they've cornered the auto market they are coming for Breville.
I haven't had experience with the Delonghi but at this price range I'd be starting to seriously look at the dual boiler. That's on another level entirely.
Purchased the Pro in black, been waiting for a good price and been torn between whether to buy the Express or Pro for a while. Hope the missing pressure gauge is not a big issue for first introduction into a machine like this.
If it chokes keep backing the grind off and tamp with less pressure. The gauge tends to vary with different beans in my opinion anyway.
Of course the gauge varies with different beans.
That's why you need the gauge to tell you how to grind the different beans to maintain a consistent pressure.
LMAO! Shot timer…
@kronicmacstigator: You negged my comment because you are wrong? Yes I am LMAO! Good luck with the shot timer…
@kronicmacstigator: Sorry I forgot to check your credentials. Your knowledge should have been obvious, my mistake!
Anyone had luck with GG click and collect in getting them to transfer the product from one store to another?
ie. this is showing as available in only one store in SA for pick up, which happens to be a 2 hour round trip.
The other thing is it's showing as in stock at a closer store on the GG website, but not on their eBay site.
To anyone considering buying this. Don't lose or damage the tiny rubber cleaning disc that's included in the box or you'll have to fork out $11 shipping to get the tiny $2 disc sent to you - maybe they use AusPost Premium ;) And you can't even get a third party blind basket cause Breville uses a 54mm disc that no one else uses. Sigh
Local appliance repairer should be able to order it in with the rest of their stock
I was hoping the BES920 would've been in this current 20% off eBay sale, but alas it's not.
I still haven't unpacked the one I bought for $632
cant seem to pull a shot properly on the express always goes overextracted. Any tips? ive tried grinds 5 and moved to 10 today and im HARDLY tamping whatsover but still struggles to extract. could it be the beans?
Are you using fresh beans from a local cafe?
Are you running at least one grind through (and throwing it away) when changing the grind setting?
Ive only had 2 shots from my local cafe fresh beans but run out of beans so have been mostly using lazzio and grinders beans for now. no i havent actually maybe tommorows shot will be better. thanks
If you weigh the ground coffee you will also get a good idea if you have got the amount right. As a guide:
10-12 grams single shot basket.
18-20 grams double shot basket
I don't have any experience with that machine specifically but usually that would indicate the grind is too fine or you have overfilled the basket.
Age of the beans can also impact how fine/coarse they need to be ground as well. How hard you tamp could impact extraction time but seeing as you are hardly tamping that seems unlikely.
Check out the coffeesnobs forum, people have no doubt discussed issues like that with this machine there.
How old is the machine? When did you last do a backflush, shower screen clean and a descale?
I had this issue with mine. I use the auto fill on the beans grinding but I find just switch coffee beans is enough to sometimes adjust the extraction altogether, especially combined with a different tamping weight
I use the pro everyday.
It's fast. Grinds well. And consistent quality everytime.
Milk steamer requires technique and skill but after few attempts it froths rather well.
For this sub $600 price point it's worth it.
I used a $1500 Delonghi fully automatic everything for 2 years and never had a great coffee from it. After switching to this Breville Pro in would never go back to automatic machines.
The taste and quality are world's apart.
It also has a rinsing function (on activation) which I like and use alot.
Didn't realise I need to update my coffee machine until I saw this deal :)
Unless your coffee tastes bad on existing machine due to poor performance (or unfixable fault) …..then you don't :-)
I'm on my way to collect my machine, we shall find out :)
……..and exactly how does this relate to Barista Pro deal……perhaps listening to tunes while making a coffee or the likes?
I saw they also have the Jura S8 coffee machine, working out to about $1600…anyone know of a better deal?
Also anyone have experience with Jura?
I am after a fully automatic coffee machine (wife wouldn’t do well with manual) and I hear Jura are the best in the business.
Next contender would the DeLonghi Primadonna line or Gaggia Codorna Prestige.
TIA
Don't even bother with the Barista Express, just pay your monies and get the pro!