Breville Barista Express vs Touch – Which Is Good for You?

Espresso lovers know that the right machine can change a morning completely. The Breville Barista Express and Breville Barista Touch both promise café-quality coffee, but they take very different approaches. The Barista Express offers a hands-on experience with precise control over grinding, tamping, and brewing.

It appeals to those who enjoy mastering the craft of espresso. The Barista Touch, on the other hand, brings convenience with its touchscreen interface and automatic settings, making specialty coffee drinks quick and easy.

Each machine balances power, precision, and user experience in unique ways, appealing to different types of coffee enthusiasts. Comparing these two models reveals how design, ease of use, and customization affect daily coffee routines.

This guide explores features, performance, and value, helping coffee lovers decide which Breville machine fits their style and kitchen best. Experience, taste, and control meet in this detailed showdown.

Breville Barista Express vs Breville Barista Touch

Freshly brewed coffee at home feels special. Breville offers two popular espresso machines that help you make café-quality drinks: the Barista Express and the Barista Touch.

Both machines include a built-in grinder and use the 4 keys formula for perfect espresso. This article compares the two machines in detail to help choose the right one.

Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine

 

Product Details

The Breville Barista Express allows home baristas to grind, dose, and extract espresso in under a minute. Its integrated conical burr grinder delivers freshly ground coffee directly into the portafilter.

The machine features digital temperature control (PID) to maintain precise water temperature and low-pressure pre-infusion for balanced extraction. The steam wand allows manual milk texturing for microfoam, ideal for latte art.

Features

• Dose control grinding with integrated conical burr grinder

• Low-pressure pre-infusion for even extraction

• PID digital temperature control for precise water temperature

• Manual microfoam milk texturing with steam wand

• Adjustable grind size dial

• Built-in coffee grinder with grinding cradle

• Single or double shots with manual override

• Included accessories: Razor Dose Trimming Tool, 54mm stainless steel portafilter, single & dual wall filter baskets, coffee scoop, integrated tamper, milk jug, cleaning disc & brush, water filter

• Bean hopper: 1/2 lb; Water tank: 67 oz

• Power: 1600 Watts; Voltage: 120 Volts

• Warranty: 1-year limited

What is the good?

• Fresh coffee with integrated grinder

• Manual milk steaming allows control over texture

• Precise temperature control for espresso

• Adjustable grind size for all bean types

• Includes all essential accessories for home barista

What is the bad?

• Manual operation can take practice

• No digital display for settings or customization

• Smaller water tank compared to some high-end models

Overall Opinion

The Barista Express suits coffee lovers who enjoy hands-on control. It delivers fresh espresso and allows practice with milk texturing and grind adjustment. Its simplicity and quality make it perfect for home baristas who want to learn the craft.

Breville Barista Touch Espresso Machine

 

Product Details

The Breville Barista Touch combines convenience with precision. Its integrated grinder delivers the right dose at a single touch. The ThermoJet heating system reaches extraction temperature in 3 seconds.

Digital temperature control ensures perfect espresso, and the automatic steam wand textures milk for barista-quality microfoam. The touch screen allows selection of drinks, adjustment of strength, milk texture, and temperature, and saving of up to 8 personalized coffees.

Features

• Dose control grinding with integrated conical burr grinder

• Low-pressure pre-infusion for even espresso extraction

• ThermoJet heating system for 3-second heat up

• PID digital temperature control for precise water temperature

• Automatic milk texturing with adjustable temperature and texture

• Touch screen display for drink selection and customization

• Create and save up to 8 personalized coffees

• Included accessories: 54mm stainless steel portafilter, single & double wall filter baskets, 480ml milk jug, water filter, Razor Dose Trimming Tool, cleaning kit, water hardness test strip

• Bean hopper: 1/2 lb; Water tank: 67 oz

• Power: 1680 Watts; Voltage: 110–120 Volts

• Warranty: 2-year limited

What is the good?

• Fast heat-up with ThermoJet system

• Touch screen makes brewing simple and intuitive

• Automatic milk steaming produces consistent microfoam

• Customizable drinks saved for repeat use

• Precise grind and extraction control

What is the bad?

• Higher price than Barista Express

• Less hands-on control for manual brewing experience

• Touch screen may require adjustment for first-time users

Overall Opinion

The Barista Touch is ideal for those who want café-quality drinks with convenience. Its automatic milk texturing and touch screen simplify coffee making, while maintaining high-quality espresso. It suits busy users who value consistency and ease of use.

Detailed Comparison for Breville Barista Express vs Touch

Both the Barista Express and Barista Touch deliver high-quality espresso with integrated grinders and PID temperature control. The Express focuses on manual control, allowing practice with milk texturing and grind adjustment.

The Touch emphasizes speed and convenience with automatic milk texturing, touch screen drink selection, and programmable personalized settings.

The Barista Express is perfect for hands-on baristas who enjoy crafting their espresso. The Barista Touch suits users who prefer quick, consistent results with minimal manual effort.

Heat-up speed is faster on the Touch due to the ThermoJet system. Both machines have similar water tank and hopper capacities, but the Touch offers more power and a longer warranty.

FAQs

Q: Can both machines make latte art?
Yes. Barista Express requires manual milk texturing, while Barista Touch textures milk automatically for microfoam.

Q: Which machine heats up faster?
Barista Touch with ThermoJet heats up in 3 seconds. Barista Express takes longer due to conventional heating.

Q: Can I adjust grind size?
Yes. Both machines allow grind size adjustment, but Barista Express uses a manual dial and Barista Touch uses the touch screen interface.

Q: How many coffees can I save on Barista Touch?
Up to 8 personalized coffees with strength, milk texture, and temperature settings.

Q: Are accessories included?
Yes. Both machines include portafilters, filter baskets, milk jug, cleaning tools, and tamper.

Conclusion

Both the Breville Barista Express and Barista Touch offer excellent home espresso experiences. The Express is ideal for users who enjoy manual control and hands-on practice.

The Touch is perfect for convenience, fast preparation, and customizable drinks. Your choice depends on whether you prefer a manual barista experience or automatic, touch-screen convenience.

Both machines deliver fresh, flavorful espresso and allow home users to enjoy café-quality coffee.