The Breville Barista Express BES870 is a favorite for people who want to make coffee shop-style drinks at home. This guide will teach you how to use, care for, and get the most out of your Breville Barista Express.
You can find the complete manual for the Barista Express BES870 below.
Table of Contents
Breville the Barista Express BES870 Manual
Barista Express BES870 Features & Specs
Product Specs:
Dimensions (WxDxH): 12.5″ x 13.8″ x 15.9″
Construction Materials: Brushed Stainless Steel
Capacity
- Bean Hopper Capacity – 1/2 lb
- Water Tank Capacity – 67 oz
Features:
- 4 keys formula used by professional cafe machines
- Auto grind & dose with an integrated conical burr grinder with 16 grind settings
- 54 mm stainless steel portafilter delivers full flavor with dual and single wall filters
- Low pressure pre-infusion followed by 9 bar extraction
- Thermocoil heating system delivers 200°F with PID temperature control
- Manual hand-crafted microform
- Simple interface with volumetric shot control
- Includes Dosing Funnel™ attachment to reduce mess and waste
- Easy step-by-step 3D interactive setup
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How big is the Breville bes870?
The Breville BES870 is a relatively compact appliance, measuring roughly 13-17 inches wide, 12-17 inches deep, and 16 inches tall.
How much does the Barista Express weight?
The Breville Barista Express BES870 weighs around 12 kilograms (approximately 26.5 pounds).
How many watts is a Breville Barista Express?
The Breville Barista Express BES870 has a wattage of 1600 watts.
How much electricity does a barista machine use?
The Breville Barista Express uses 1600 watts, but the actual electricity used depends on how long it’s on. Brewing a single espresso uses less electricity than steaming milk for a latte.
Can Breville Express make regular coffee?
The Breville Barista Express is an espresso machine, but you can hack it for regular coffee. Make an Americano (diluted espresso) for a stronger coffee taste, or experiment with a coarser grind and longer brewing time for a more drip-coffee-like flavor. However, a drip coffee maker might be more convenient for everyday use.
How do I use Barista Express in manual mode?
The Breville Barista Express lets you be the barista! Use manual mode for more control over your espresso. Grind fine, tamp, then press and hold the brew button for pre-infusion (5-10 seconds). Release to start extraction and press again to stop when you get the amount of espresso you want (30ml for single, 60ml for double). Experiment with pre-infusion time, grind size, and dose for the perfect espresso.
How to clean Barista Express bes870?
Keeping your Breville Barista Express sparkling clean is key to great coffee. Here’s a quick guide:
Daily: Rinse portafilter basket and shower screen, purge steam wand.
Weekly: Wash drip tray and insert.
Every 2-4 weeks: Descale with Breville solution and clean group head with cleaning disk and tablet.
How to program barista express?
Program your Breville Barista Express shot sizes! Here’s how:
Press “Programme” button.
Pick your button (1 cup or 2 cup).
Brew your desired amount and press the same button again.
Machine beeps twice to confirm the new volume.
Want to go back to defaults? Hold “Programme” until it beeps three times.
How many grind settings barista Express?
The Breville Barista Express BES870 features 25 grind settings. This allows you to precisely adjust the coarseness of your coffee grounds for optimal espresso extraction.
How long to preheat barista Express?
The Breville Barista Express heats up fast (30 seconds), but for best taste, preheat longer. You can:
Grab a quick espresso in 30 seconds (might be cooler).
Wait 5-10 minutes for optimal preheating and consistent flavor.
Experiment with a 10-15 minute preheat for some users’ preferences.
What is the espresso ratio for Barista Express?
A good starting point is a 1:2 ratio (1 gram coffee grounds to 2 grams espresso liquid). The machine doesn’t enforce this, but here’s how you can achieve it:
Experiment with grind size – finer grinds lead to stronger espresso.
Adjust the dose (amount of coffee grounds) in the portafilter.
Use manual mode to control the extraction time and stop when you get your desired espresso amount (2 grams for a 1:2 ratio).
How long does a single shot of Barista Express take?
Your single Breville Barista Express shot ideally takes 20-35 seconds, but it depends on grind size, dose, and tamp pressure.
Start with a medium grind and adjust based on speed: too fast, grind finer; too slow, grind coarser.
Use a scale for consistent dosing and practice good tamping technique.
How much coffee do you put in a Barista Express?
The amount of coffee you use in your Breville Barista Express depends on what you’re making and how strong you like it.
Single Shot (Strong): Aim for 15-18 grams of coffee for a 30ml espresso shot (assuming a 1:2 coffee to espresso ratio).
Double Shot (Strong): Use 30-34 grams of coffee for a 60ml double shot.