Breville Barista Touch Espresso Machine

Name: Breville Barista Touch Espresso Machine - Expert Reviews
Brand: Breville

3.9

(6)

Verdict

Choose the Barista Touch if you want true, hands-on espresso with a modern touchscreen and excellent automatic milk, especially when it’s discounted. It’s best for milk-drink lovers who don’t mind manual dosing/tamping and are willing to do a quick preheat routine for the best first shot.

Pros

Milk, steam & frothing ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5 reviews 4.9
Espresso & beverage quality ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5 reviews 4.8
Warranty & Customer support ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 review 4.8
Overall user experience ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5 reviews 4.7

The touchscreen-led workflow is approachable and customizable, and the ability to edit preset drinks directly (instead of creating new profiles for small tweaks) keeps daily use fast and uncluttered once you’re dialed in.
Automation & sensors ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 4 reviews 4.6

Automation on the Barista Touch centers on the touchscreen guidance and hands-free milk steaming; espresso prep remains manual (dose and tamp), so it feels interactive rather than fully assisted.
Cup, tray & carafe handling ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 review 4.6
Brewing performance & consistency ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 4 reviews 4.6

Once warmed up, the machine excels at repeatability—after dialing in, it can pull near-identical shots run after run using on-screen timing feedback and guidance, though users rely on the machine’s programmed volumes rather than fully controlling dose weight.
Grinder, hopper & dosing system ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5 reviews 4.5
Speed & time-to-cup ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 3 reviews 4.5
Build quality & durability ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2 reviews 4.5
Capacity ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 4 reviews 4.5

Capacity is generous for home use, pairing a 12oz bean hopper designed for cleaner swaps with a large 2L reservoir that can be filled in place or removed, plus sensing and filtration features that support daily convenience.
Design, ergonomics & footprint ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 4 reviews 4.4
Value & Price ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 4 reviews 4.3
Accessories ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 4 reviews 4.3

Included accessories cover most essentials (multiple baskets, milk pitcher, water-filter parts, and cleaning supplies) and the machine adds handy hidden storage, but it still skips a knockbox and at least one included tool doesn’t properly fit the updated steam wand.
Guided tamper convenience ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 review 4.2

The lever-driven assisted tamping is highly convenient and satisfying for beginners, producing a level puck and reducing uneven tamp errors; the added polishing twist is present but described as mostly marketing rather than a major performance changer.
Assembly & Setup ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 3 reviews 4.0
Water system, maintenance & descaling ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 4 reviews 3.9

Cons

Boiler type (single vs dual) ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 4 reviews 3.3

The heating approach prioritizes rapid water heating, but cold-start temperature stability can suffer because the grouphead and portafilter aren’t warmed automatically, making a preheat routine important for avoiding sour, under-extracted shots; the reviewer suggests a quick flush routine to get to brew temperature before the first pull.
Accuracy of marketing claims ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2 reviews 2.8

Marketing and appearance can imply a more hands-off experience than the machine delivers: it heats quickly and feels guided, but espresso prep is still manual and the best results benefit from a brief preheat routine, so expectations should be set clearly.
Design flaws ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 3 reviews 2.5

Notable design missteps include a frustrating hot-water implementation (oversized presets, no early stop, and tepid output) and UI friction for quick flushing, made worse by the lack of firmware updates to correct these issues.
Pot function ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2 reviews 2.5

As an espresso based machine the Barista Touch does not offer a traditional pot or carafe mode, so users who need multiple coffees must repeat the single serve brew cycle when preparing drinks for several people.
Environmental packaging sustainability ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 review 2.0

Packaging is criticized for heavy styrofoam use and a glossy retail box, lagging behind newer eco-friendlier approaches that use recyclable molded inserts and simpler cartons.