Introduction
Welcome to my bes870bss Review.
Breville and Sage are sister brands, owned by the Breville Group Limited so they are one and the same to solve any confusion. If you’re based in the US, you probably know Breville. If you’re from the UK, Sage is much more familiar.
The Breville Barista espresso machine offers great tasting coffee in less than a minute. With an in-built grinder, digital temperature control and manual/automatic control options the bes870bss has a lot to offer. But how good is it? Is it reliable? In terms of value for money, does its performance and features really match its asking price?
Even if the bes870bss is one of the most popular and highly rated machines out there, by the end of this review you will know enough to make an educated decision on whether the bes870bss is for you, or not.
Specifications – bes870bss
| Brand | Breville |
| Color | Brushed Stainless Steel |
| Product Dimensions | 13.8″D x 12.5″W x 15.9″H |
| Special Feature | Manual |
| Coffee Maker Type | Espresso Machine |
| Item Weight | 23 Pounds |
| Wattage | 1600 watts |
| Material | Stainless steel (mostly) |
| Capacity and settings | 1/2 lb Bean Hopper; 67 oz Water Tank; Single or double shots; Adjustable Grind Amount and Manual Override |
| Included accessories | Razor Dose Trimming Tool, 54mm Stainless Steel Portafilter, 1 & 2 cup Single & Dual Wall Filter Baskets, Coffee Scoop, Integrated Tamper, Stainless Steel Milk Jug, Cleaning Disc, Tablets, Brush Tool & Allen Key, Water Filter & Filter Holder |
| Manual | Extensive Guide |
| Best Place to Buy | Buy on Amazon (US) Buy on Amazon (UK) Sold as Sage in UK. Same as bes870bss model(aside from stainless milk-froth cup has included thermometer) |
Build Quality – bes870bss
The body of the bes870bss is formed from stainless steel plate but has some plastic parts at the bottom and, back section of sides and the top. The build quality is good enough for the price and is tougher made than some De Longhi or Mr. Coffee machines. Even the portafilter is formed from thick steel plate.
As on the top end machines, a burr grinder, large sized bean holder and pressure gauge is present on the bes870bss. As these features are present this clearly shows Breville thinks deeply about retaining top end features whilst maintaining a fairly low asking price. That’s a plus.
Performance and Features – bes870bss
Pressure Gauge
To have have a gauge is important as you can check to see if the correct pressure has been applied to extract maximum flavor. Also you can see if there is an inconsistency in the quality of taste/flavor as it will be obvious to see in the gauge. So it’s absolutely a positive element to include on the machine. When reading the pressure gauge on the bes870bss the red ‘gauge’ needle should be pointing to the center of the darker grey band during the brewing process.
Controls/Buttons
There’s a dial(left of pressure gauge)which turns to increments of ‘less’ or ‘more’ to control your grind amount. There are three buttons around the gauge which operate Program, Filter size and Power. Two more nearby control options for a single or double espresso shot. The included guide explains it all clearly.
Breville Infuser
By using the right balance of amount of beans, temperature, water pressure and micro-foam milk the infuser increases success rate in delivering quality and optimum tasting coffee.
Espresso always at right temperature
With the auto-purge feature the bes870bss automatically purges the heat system after steaming. This means you get constant espresso brews at the correct temperature.
Grinder
The in-built grinder is the conical Burr type and offers 16 accurate grind settings. It works effectively enough and is durable.
Portafilter
The head is built from thick stainless steel. Full flavored coffee is achieved with using 18g of freshly ground coffee beans delivered with the 54mm portafilter.
Water pressure is vital
The bes870bss offers a low pressure pre-infusion stage. This means pressure gradually increases at the start to enhance the extraction process to bring you all the flavor potential and a wonderfully balanced brew.
Micro-foam milk
The power of the element which blasts steam through the steam wand is an impressive 1600W. This means the bes870bss has enough force to create the correct micro-foam for Lattes. By this I specifically mean micro-foam from the milk that possesses a silky texture that’s ready to pour for your Latte.
The results are encouraging because the system really delivers good results and consistently. After you steam your milk you must take a preventative measure. You must vent your ‘steam wand’ in order to clean the wand channel of any milk that’s may have crept in there. This is to avoid milk going directly into the boiler next time you steam your milk and risk ruining it.
Low Maintenance?
On the left of the pressure gauge there is an LED labelled ‘clean me’. It lights up when tray is full. Replace any Filter cartridges for consistent clean water and have something handy to force release of cartridge from holder. Use cleaning tablets for the Portafilter as specified in the supplied guide. It really pays to follow the de-calcification guide! There is an automated cleaning cycle anyway which cleans all the cant get at deep innards of the machine which gives you reassurance.
Pros and Cons – bes870bss
Pros
- Coffees taste great
- Stainless steel plate formed
- Steel portafilter
- Large bean hopper
- Pro spec pressure gauge
- High end temperature control ability
- Excellent milk frothing performance
- Fresh roasted espresso coffee brings out full potential
- Bottom side parts are plastic as is top part (however is enough as most body is steel)
- Machine fits well under kitchen units
- Easy to clean
- A very handy and extensive guide manual is included(even tells you how the ‘dialing in’ process works. This shows you how to dial in grind-size and amount for a great brew.
Cons
- It takes around 20 minutes to heat up for optimum operation once you switch machine on.
- The lowest grind amount maybe too much when using the ‘double’ setting.
- Frothing cup is on smaller side but easily replaced for larger if you need.
Final Verdict – Is the Breville Barista espresso machine worth it?
First off you get a machine which is entry level but with some high end features. You can achieve coffee shop quality and taste if you input some work and persistence with the bes870bss. I mean that you have to put some hours of practice in, to be at that stage where you can make an amazing brew every time.
The price may seem a lot for a good many people but the performance does match the asking price. With the built-in temperature control, the pre-infusion and the pressure gauge, Breville has delivered pro specs of the higher end machines to the bes870bss.
The pressure gauge works well and is very useful for letting you know where you are going wrong or when you’re doing it correctly. The Milk frothing system is effective and accurate and delivers sweet creamy froth with decent texture and body for Lattes which many cheaper machines don’t really deliver on.
There are some reports of beans overheating that are left in hopper. So just pouring in the amount you need each time should solve this and store your beans in a separate container and not in the hopper.
The grinder does take some time to work out your favorable settings and while not being the best it works well enough(as you’ll find out).
The cleaning maintenance and filter change really is a deciding factor impacts on the duration of the Breville bes870bss’s lifespan. So it’s a worthy investment of your time and a little money to keep a ready supply of filters and cleaning tablets. It pays to be familiar with the routine suggested in the cleaning section of your guide manual too.
Final Words – bes870bss
If you want a machine which you can put your input to and get superb coffees as a result and enjoy that process, the Breville bes870bss is definitely a great option. If you look after this machine you will have a durable brewing machine with pro features with a price that’s hard to beat. The bes870bss is worth it!
Specifications – bes870bss
| Brand | Breville |
| Color | Brushed Stainless Steel |
| Product Dimensions | 13.8″D x 12.5″W x 15.9″H |
| Special Feature | Manual |
| Coffee Maker Type | Espresso Machine |
| Item Weight | 23 Pounds/10.6 kg |
| Wattage | 1600 watts |
| Material | Stainless steel (mostly) |
| Capacity and settings | 1/2 lb Bean Hopper; 67 oz Water Tank; Single or double shots; Adjustable Grind Amount and Manual Override |
| Included accessories | Razor Dose Trimming Tool, 54mm Stainless Steel Portafilter, 1 & 2 cup Single & Dual Wall Filter Baskets, Coffee Scoop, Integrated Tamper, Stainless Steel Milk Jug, Cleaning Disc, Tablets, Brush Tool & Allen Key, Water Filter & Filter Holder |
| Manual | Extensive Guide |
| Best Place to Buy | Buy on Amazon (US) Buy on Amazon (UK) Sold as Sage in UK. Same as bes870bss model(aside from stainless milk-froth cup has included thermometer) |
Thanks for reading my bes870bss Review. I hope you found it helpful in deciding.
(All images courtesy of Breville/Sage)