Breville Barista Pro review

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After testing dozens of espresso machines over the years, we think Breville makes some of the best options for home baristas. The brand's machines combine thoughtful design, reliable performance, and beginner-friendly features that make dialing in great espresso much easier.

The Breville Barista Pro is one of our longtime favorites. With a built-in grinder, quick heat-up time, and intuitive controls, it delivers consistently excellent espresso without the complexity of a professional machine, making it one of the best espresso machines for most people.

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Is the Breville Barista Pro still worth it in 2026?

Yes. If you want a semi-automatic espresso machine that doesn't require a steep learning curve, the Barista Pro still stands out for its quick heat-up time, intuitive controls, and integrated grinder. Even when compared with newer machines we've tested, it remains one of the best options for people who want high-quality espresso drinks at home without having to spend thousands on on prosumer espresso setup.

We originally tested the Barista Pro alongside dozens of other espresso machines and continue to use it. It's our favorite Breville machine.

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Breville's Smart Grinder Pro

Having a high-quality burr grinder is essential for making espresso, and one of my favorite things about Breville's all-in-one espresso machines is that they come with a Smart Grinder Pro. It is by no means a perfect grinder (there are almost always concessions with two-in-one anything), but it's entirely sufficient and would run you $200 on its own.

Having more settings allows you to make the necessary adjustments to accommodate different roasts and levels of freshness. There are 30 fine grind settings on the new Barista Pro, more than the Express's 18 and the Express Impress's 25, not to mention the dozen-plus internal grinder adjustments you can make. You can read our Breville Barista Express review, as well as our Breville Barista Express Impress review, for more information.

(Note: While testing the machine out with old, stale beans, I called Breville's customer assistance and left them with my number, not letting them know who I was. A call came back within an hour, and a representative walked me through making fine adjustments with a whole lot of grace and patience.)

The portafilter shown in our testing photos no longer comes with the Barista Pro. Breville now ships the machine with its standard 54mm proprietary portafilter, which also works with most Breville models.

Tamper and leveling tool

We have to tip our hats to Breville's research and design team. Espresso nerds everywhere praise this tamper not just because it's real and heavy steel, but because it's magnetic and fits tidily into a slot beside the grinder so you never misplace it.

Our only bone to pick here is that the portafilter measures 54mm rather than the industry standard 58mm, so if you want to upgrade the baskets or the portafilter itself, you'll be stuck with Breville or a few aftermarket brands that design products specifically for Breville machines. Still, this is part of what keeps the machine so compact. (Check out our guide to the best tampers if you want to learn more.)

Breville's machines also come with their proprietary Razor, a precision leveling tool. It's something many baristas will argue is even more important than tamping. Here's a video by Breville on how it works.

Accessories

Breville's portafilter basket empties swiftly and cleanly, even if you forget to knock it out for a few days. The metal also holds up well over time, resisting staining and scratches even when you need to dig out stubborn grounds, though it's still best to avoid using metal tools when possible.

The included Razor tool helps level the grounds before tamping, though some enthusiasts recommend using a WDT tool for more precise distribution. The milk-frothing pitcher isn't our favorite design — the spout could be more pronounced — but it still works well for steaming and even a little basic latte art.

Breville also includes cleaning and a backflush disc for maintaining the group head, where hot water flows into the portafilter. The machine comes with just a single packet of descaling powder, so you'll want to stock up on a good one (like Cafiza's) and plan to clean your machine every couple of months to keep it running smoothly.

LCD interface and pulling shots

Rather than the cylinder heating coil that Breville has been using for years in other machines, the Pro comes with a faster, quieter, and more powerful "ThermoJet" heating block. If speed is of the utmost importance to you, Breville's models with the ThermoJet heating element, like this one, will fill your cup the fastest.

The LCD interface also shows you how far along the infuser is, proving that the water is hot and ready to go at the touch of a button. More importantly, it times your shot, which should give you a very good idea of whether you've dialed your grinds and tamped them properly. If your double shot finishes pouring before the 25- to 30-second range (Breville recommends about 20 seconds for a single shot), you either need to set your grinder to produce finer grounds or tamp your shot better (chances are your grind settings are off).

Still, we miss the pressure gauge, which always served us well.

Milk frother

Breville's representative explained that the milk wand on the Pro is still manual but a bit more robust, which makes frothing a little easier and more pleasant. That said, there wasn't anything wrong with the frother on the Express. If you aren't satisfied, we've tested the best milk frothers and found solid alternatives.

What are your alternatives?

The Pro Express is among the most convenient all-in-one machines for most people because it's the quickest to start, intuitive, and not overloaded with functions. Among the Barista line, we also like the Breville Barista Express Impress. With a nanometer and semi-automatic tamper, the Impress makes home espresso even easier, tidier, and more foolproof. Check out our full Breville Express Impress review.

outside Breville, our favorite semi-automatic machine is the Gaggia Classic Evo Pro. It requires a bit more practice, but once you dial in, the espresso will blow your mind. Find the rest of our top picks in our guide to the best espresso machines.

The bottom line

Inherently, this machine is a big improvement over the Barista Express. The thermal coil has been updated, the LCD screen lets you time your shot and grind time more accurately, and you'll get your morning shot a good bit faster than you would with the Express.

The main difference between the Express, Pro, and Express Impress is that the Pro doesn't have a pressure gauge. The nanometer (pressure gauge) is just a guideline; you'll be able to tell a decent pour from a poor one in no time, but the meter makes things easier. If you're like me and blearily dialing the machine at six in the morning before work, consider the slightly slower but more foolproof Express Impress over the Pro.