The Breville Barista Pro and the Barista Touch offer café-quality espresso at home, but they cater to very different users. The Pro focuses on hands-on, semi-automatic control with an LCD screen and manual steam wand, while the Touch prioritizes a guided experience with its full-color touchscreen and automatic milk frothing.
Here's everything you need to know to choose the right Breville machine for your morning coffee ritual.
Breville Barista Pro
The Barista Pro is designed for the aspiring home barista who wants manual control and a professional-grade experience. It combines a high-quality integrated grinder with an intuitive LCD interface that provides all the feedback you need to dial in the perfect shot. Its fast heat-up time and powerful steam wand make it a favorite for coffee lovers who enjoy the craft of making espresso.
- What it is: A semi-automatic espresso machine with a built-in conical burr grinder and manual milk texturing.
- Key features: Intuitive LCD screen for grind and shot feedback, ThermoJet heating system with a 3-second heat-up time, integrated conical burr grinder with dose control, powerful manual steam wand for creating microfoam.
- Price: Around $700–$800 USD.
- Dimensions: 13.9" x 13.5" x 16" (W x D x H)
- Materials/Construction: Brushed stainless steel body and high-quality internal components for durability.
- Style: Sleek, modern, and compact with a utilitarian aesthetic that emphasizes function.
- Pros: Provides excellent manual control over extraction and milk frothing. ThermoJet system heats up in only 3 seconds. Great value for the number of pro-level features. The hands-on process is rewarding for coffee enthusiasts.
- Cons: A significant learning curve for mastering manual milk frothing. Less convenient for quick, automated drinks. Interface lacks the premium feel of the Touch.
This machine is for the coffee enthusiast who values control, enjoys the process, and wants to develop their barista skills without investing in a more complex setup.
Shop this product: breville.com/us/en/products/espresso/bes878.html
Breville Barista Touch
The Breville Barista Touch brings a new level of automation and convenience to home espresso. Its centerpiece is a vibrant, full-color touchscreen that guides you through every step, from grinding and brewing to milk frothing. With pre-programmed cafe drinks and the ability to save your own creations, it delivers consistent, high-quality results with minimal effort, making it ideal for beginners and busy coffee drinkers alike.
- What it is: A user-friendly espresso machine with a touchscreen interface, built-in grinder, and automatic milk texturing.
- Key features: Color touchscreen with pre-set menus for popular drinks (latte, flat white, etc.), automatic steam wand with adjustable milk temperature and texture, integrated conical burr grinder, 3-second heat-up time (ThermoJet).
- Price: About $1,000–$1,200 USD.
- Dimensions: 12.7" x 13.1" x 16" (W x D x H)
- Materials/Construction: High-quality brushed stainless steel housing, comparable in quality to the Pro model.
- Style: Sleek and high-tech, with a premium feel that looks great in modern kitchens.
- Pros: Extremely easy to use for all skill levels. Automatic milk frothing delivers consistent results every time. Ability to create and save up to 8 personalized drinks. The touchscreen visually guides you through the process.
- Cons: Significantly more expensive than the Pro. Less hands-on control for baristas who like to manually manage variables. The reliance on a touchscreen may not appeal to everyone.
The Barista Touch is perfect for anyone who wants consistently delicious coffee with push-button simplicity, especially if you want a machine the whole family can use easily.
Shop this product: breville.com/us/en/products/espresso/bes880.html
Breville Barista Pro vs. Touch Comparison
Interface & Ease of Use
This is the most significant difference between the two machines. The Barista Pro uses an intuitive LCD screen combined with physical buttons and a dial. It gives you all the essential information - like grind size, dose, and shot time - and requires you to make manual adjustments. It's clear and functional but ultimately a more traditional user experience.
The Barista Touch is centered around its brilliant color touchscreen. You swipe through pre-programmed drinks, tap to adjust settings like shot strength and milk texture, and can save your favorite creations with a custom name and icon. It's a completely guided process, perfect for beginners or anyone who values a seamless, modern workflow.
Milk Frothing
The cappuccino or latte experience is worlds apart on these two models. The Barista Pro features a powerful manual steam wand, similar to what you'd find on commercial machines. It gives you complete control to create silky microfoam perfect for latte art, but it takes practice and skill to master.
The Barista Touch automates this process entirely. You simply place the milk jug under the auto-steam wand, select your desired temperature and texture level on the screen, and the machine does the rest. It purges itself automatically after steaming. While it may not offer the fine-tuned control enthusiasts crave, it produces consistently great frothed milk time after time with zero effort.
Price & Value
The Barista Pro typically costs around $200-$400 less than the Barista Touch. For that lower price, you get the exact same ThermoJet heating system and a high-quality integrated grinder. Its value is in delivering the core components of great espresso making, leaving the skill-based part (milk frothing) to you. It's an excellent value for someone who wants to learn the craft.
The higher price of the Barista Touch buys you convenience and technology. The touchscreen and the automated milk system are the premium features you're paying for. If consistency, speed, and ease of use are your priorities, the extra cost is absolutely justified, as it removes the learning curve and guesswork.
Who Each One Works Best For
The Barista Pro is built for the aspiring home barista. It's for the person who sees coffee making as a hobby, wants to understand the variables of a good shot, and enjoys the satisfaction of manually crafting a perfect flat white. If you find the process of grinding, tamping, and steaming to be part of the fun, the Pro is your machine.
The Barista Touch is for the coffee lover who prioritizes results over process. It's perfect for busy households where multiple people make coffee, for hosting guests, or for anyone who just wants a delicious, foolproof latte before heading out the door. If you want café-quality drinks without the barista training, the Touch is the clear winner.
Which One Should You Choose?
Both machines deliver fantastic espresso using the same core Breville technology, but they serve two very different kinds of coffee drinkers.
Choose the Breville Barista Pro if:
- You want to learn and master the hands-on art of making espresso.
- You enjoy the full control of manually texturing your own milk for latte art.
- Your budget is under $1,000, and you value function over automated features.
- You prefer tactile buttons and dials over a modern touchscreen interface.
Choose the Breville Barista Touch if:
- Convenience, speed, and consistency are your top priorities.
- You want perfectly frothed milk every time without any practice or effort.
- You're a beginner looking for a guided experience that makes perfect drinks.
- You like the idea of saving personalized drinks for everyone in the family.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the main difference between the Barista Pro and Touch?
The main difference is the user interface and milk frothing. The Barista Pro uses an LCD screen with buttons for hands-on control and has a manual steam wand. The Barista Touch features a full-color touchscreen with pre-programmed recipes and an automatic steam wand for hands-free milk frothing.
Do both machines have a built-in grinder?
Yes, both the Barista Pro and the Barista Touch feature an integrated stainless steel conical burr grinder for grinding fresh beans on demand.
How long do they take to heat up?
Both machines use Breville's innovative ThermoJet heating system, which achieves the optimum extraction temperature in just 3 seconds. There's virtually no waiting for either machine to be ready to brew.
Which machine makes better espresso?
The core brewing components - the grinder, portafilter size, and temperature control - are very similar. An experienced user can pull an identical quality shot from both machines. The Barista Touch offers more shot-to-shot consistency for beginners thanks to its guided process.
Is the Barista Touch worth the extra money?
It depends entirely on what you value. If you want maximum convenience, push-button simplicity, and consistent results, then yes, the extra cost for the touchscreen and automated milk system is absolutely worth it. If you enjoy the hands-on process and are on a tighter budget, the Pro offers better value.
Can I save custom drink settings on the Barista Pro?
No, the Barista Pro does not allow you to save custom drink profiles. You adjust the grind size, dose, and shot time manually for each use. The Barista Touch allows you to create and save up to 8 personalized coffee settings.
Which one is easier to clean?
Both machines have straightforward cleaning and maintenance routines, including descaling cycles. However, the Barista Touch makes the process slightly easier with on-screen prompts that guide you through each cleaning step.
Are these machines good for beginners?
The Barista Touch is one of the best machines on the market for beginners due to its guided touchscreen interface. The Barista Pro has a manageable learning curve and is a great option for a beginner who is enthusiastic about learning the craft of espresso making.
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