Barista Coffee Machine - Need Advice

chrismatt on 01/01/2025 - 09:53

I recently completed a barista course, and now I’m really excited about making great coffee at home! While I don’t have a massive budget, I’ve been eyeing the Costco Breville Barista Express Coffee Machine and is little over my budget but stretcable.

I also checked Facebook Marketplace and noticed quite a few Breville machines being sold at around half the price. It got me wondering—are there so many second-hand units available because people are unhappy with the product? Or is it just a popular machine that’s being upgraded frequently?

appreciate any advice and recommendations.

Home & Garden Coffee Machine

Comments

  • ballofspam on 01/01/2025 - 10:04
    +1

    A few things come to my mind:
    WFH is drying up, not enough use
    CBF with it (i.e fully auto machines)
    Its more of a "Starter" machine

    Have a think what you want out of this? as in how obsessed will you come with the idea of the "perfect cup"

    Overall its fine. But if you keep looking into it you will go down a rabbit hole

  • AlgoTrading on 01/01/2025 - 10:12
    +3

    I have the Barista Express at home and the Dual Boiler in office. The biggest difference between the Express and the BDB (at twice the price) is that the BDB's steam wand is much more powerful. The milk I make with the BDB is frothier (plus you can steam the milk at the same time etc but these are minor points). So if you're ok with just average coffee, the Express will be sufficient. Would I have dropped ~1.2k on the BDB + separate grinder when I can pay $500 on a Barista Express? Probably not. I do suspect there are lots of Barista Express on marketplace because, as the other poster has said, it's the entry machine so people might be upgrading.

    P.S. if you do end up getting one. Look up how to change in the internal burr setting. You might want to make the grind setting finer.

      • mjwills on 02/01/2025 - 10:10
        +9

        No need to do a barista course.

        He has already done the course.

        Aldi Expressi coffee machine with Nespresso frother works perfectly every time.

        Many people will live with the quality of a pod machine. But "great coffee at home" - they definitely aren't. Tolerable, maybe. But not great.

        Also the cost of pods is substantially more than than grinding your own. Aldi pods are 7.1g - so you'll need to use 2.5 of them to get an equivalent of a Barista Express double shot. That is 42c x 2.5 = $1.05 per coffee. Aldi beans are around $15-20 a kg (cheaper options are available elsewhere). That is 36c a coffee (assuming $20 a kg). If you have a single coffee per day, that is $251 difference per year. Obviously larger if you have multiple people drinking, or have more than one coffee a day. That kind of saving quickly recoups the cost of buying the Barista Express vs pod machine + frother.

        To get a sense of what people who want barista level coffee think of pods - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvMwNnAtTL8 .

        • shutuptakemymoney101 on 02/01/2025 - 20:15
          +2

          My Breville DB is in the workshop getting a service, until I get it back I'm existing (barely) with an Aldi Expressi machine.

          The Expressi wins hands down on convenience, is better than instant but in comparison to what I get out of the Breville dual boiler the Expressi coffee is complete shit.

      • johnno07 on 02/01/2025 - 22:39
        +12

        Your ability to deliver absolutely braindead sh*t takes on a variety of topics is truly remarkable.

        • spaceflight on 03/01/2025 - 09:52
          -1

          What do you mean?

          My local cafe has a row of Aldi Expressi coffee machines and Nespresso frothers.

          You go in, make your own coffee and and the barista only charges $6.50 for a small

      • yokel on 03/01/2025 - 13:51
        +1

        The minimal commercial use bit made me LOL

    • mikkeyg on 03/01/2025 - 10:19

      I do suspect there are lots of Barista Express on marketplace because, as the other poster has said, it's the entry machine so people might be upgrading.

      These machines also have parts that degrade over time. One nice thing about Breville is that they sell some parts you need to refurbish an old/second hand machine.

  • sumyungguy on 01/01/2025 - 10:18
    +5

    I reckon many owners come to realise their passion for the process is somewhat less than they expected; then upgrade to a bean-to-cup machine. I believe Breville/Sage machines are quite highly regarded. I expect you'll soon want a stand-alone grinder.

  • El cheepo on 01/01/2025 - 10:47
    +5

    are there so many second-hand units available because people are unhappy with the product? Or is it just a popular machine that’s being upgraded frequently?

    The novelty wears off and people go back to taking the quick easier way.

  • MS Paint on 01/01/2025 - 10:49
    +3

    People have realised that keeping up with the Jonses is expensive and offloading their machines due cost of living. Nothing wrong with breville machines.

  • uncyspam on 01/01/2025 - 10:54
    +5

    My first machine was a Sunbeam EM7000 about 11 years ago. It served me well while I was learning, and I'm glad I bought it. The breville you've linked is a similar machine in terms of market position and capabilities, so I'd definitely recommend that as a starting point.
    The second hand market can be misleading. Right now people are offloading thier first machine as they got upgrades for christmas or similar. You could take advantage of that and pickup a second hand machine at a good price, knowing that if you do enjoy making your own coffee that you will be likely to upgrade sooner rather than later anyway.

  • Baebs on 01/01/2025 - 11:15

    There is a decent amount of work that goes into a manual coffee machine alongside a learning curve. Lot of owners will make the swap for an automatic or go the other way and upgrade. The BBE and other entry models like Duo temp happens to sit in that resell/upgrade area.

    Definitely worth considering a 2nd hand machine if the price is right.

  • miicah on 01/01/2025 - 11:59
    +9

    If you are saving a few bucks going second hand, make sure you get a machine WITHOUT a built in grinder. It will make upgrading later much easier.

    Nothing wrong with the Breville Dual Boiler, Breville Infuser, Breville Bambino or Sunbeam EM6910/EM7000 as a first espresso machine.

    • bargaino on 01/01/2025 - 12:21
      -2

      Normally I'm all for separable components, but there are two clear advantages with integrated models such as the Barista Express:
      - saves benchtop space. This is a scarce resource for many people, especially in apartments.
      - lets be honest, it looks cool.

  • zombrex on 01/01/2025 - 12:24
    +5

    Breville Barista Express is an exceptional machine for the price, especially if you get on sale.
    People often sell simply because they are lazy and don't use.

    • Uprising14 on 02/01/2025 - 18:11
      +1

      Seconding, have used my Barista Express nearly daily for twelve months and it’s been a consistently good machine to use

  • RockyRaccoon on 01/01/2025 - 12:46
    +3

    Given all the above, we have no idea of why people are selling their old machines, there are so many various reasons why.

    To me its how often you will drink coffee at home. Given also you say you have a dollar limit

    and is little over my budget but stretcable

    If you WFH and have a family that enjoys coffee, then a higher end machine might be better otherwise realise what you can afford, how often you will make it, and how important coffee taste is to you, and stay there.

    • chrismatt on 01/01/2025 - 22:25

      makes sense

  • dimmies on 01/01/2025 - 13:05
    +3

    I would say Breville make some really nice coffee machines. I'm not sure how serious you plan to get, but having a machine with an inbuilt grinder means you'll need to change both if you decide to upgrade in the future.

    As you probably learnt from the course, consistency and fresh beans are important in making a good repeatable cup.

    • chrismatt on 01/01/2025 - 22:24
      +1

      I watched a few videos and looks like Burr grinder setting can be done on this machine. I need to try a couple of times to get a good fine-ness.

  • coffeeinmyveins on 01/01/2025 - 13:20
    +6

    If you're going to actually be a barista get a proper machine.

    The weapon of choice for amateurs that don't want to break the bank is the rancilio silvia. You'll learn to temperature surf and you can get a seperate grinder.

    Are there so many second-hand units available because people are unhappy with the product? Or is it just a popular machine that’s being upgraded frequently

    It's because people get them and realise that making coffee consistently good is actually hard and they give up and go back to nespresso

    • Nebargains on 02/01/2025 - 19:31
      +1

      I'd recommend the Silvia too, go second hand. The parts are easily bought online and it's a very simple machine on the inside, as such it's extremely well documented online on how to do repairs if needed. Also plenty of mods that can be done.

      I bought a second hand Silvia in 2018, the machine is now 12 years old and still makes great coffee.

      The problem is I think a lot of people just want to put their cup under the machine, press some buttons and walk away with a good coffee while using supermarket beans.

      Truth is an enthusiast making great coffee is buying good beans, quality milk, has a good grinder (I spent more on the grinder than the machine), weighs their grind, times the shot and weighs the yield etc.

      Then again plenty of people have pretty low standards and any old machine or bean will do.

      Edit:
      In the time I've owned my Silvia my mum has gone through 2 Breville machines (they often don't last and not easily repaired yourself) and has now bought a good machine which would have lasted had she got it in the first place.

      • serpserpserp on 02/01/2025 - 22:31

        Or your mum doesn't look after her machine and have it serviced?

        • renza on 03/01/2025 - 01:17
          +1

          I've owned my Silvia v1 for 21 years now, build date 2003. Spent the first 14 years of its life in Adelaide with super hard water, and the last 7 in Melbourne. In that time, I've descaled it only a handful of times, backflushed every few months when i remember, and change the grouphead seal once to a silicone one. I recently pulled apart the boiler to inspect, and expected the worst, but was completely fine with minimal scale to my surprise.

          These things are bulletproof. Parts are so easy to get if you need them.

          I've done the Gagguino mod on it, so can do pretty fancy things like pressure profiling and brew by weight.

      • coffeeinmyveins on 03/01/2025 - 16:17

        I'd recommend the Silvia too, go second hand. The parts are easily bought online and it's a very simple machine on the inside, as such it's extremely well documented online on how to do repairs if needed. Also plenty of mods that can be done.

        eh…I bought brand new because you don't know how other people maintain, or dont, their machine. If you get a second hand one you're best to rip it apart and open up the boiler. I've seen some horrors to the point where it's worth just buying it new.

        Then again plenty of people have pretty low standards and any old machine or bean will do.

        And that's perfectly fine, they should just buy a pod machine in that case. The automatic ones are still crap IMO.

  • cuethebush on 01/01/2025 - 13:30
    +1

    Keep in mind that the equipment that comes with the Barista Express is probably not going to cut it if you are serious about making a good coffee. My mum has one and she has gone all out with special tampers, a rubber counter pad, better portafilters, special milk jug that has a temperature sticker on the side, etc. Unless you don't care about coffee taste you will probably add some extra accessories later on. Some of the extras were off Amazon, others are genuine Breville but 'd guess she's spent over $150 on bits and pieces.

    It also takes a lot of time and effort to make a cup with one of these. Mum is standing there for I swear almost 10 minutes by the time cleaning is done and it's time to switch off. She is a bit of a stickler for getting it exactly right so not everyone will be that long but gives you an idea.

    My dad on the other hand has just upgraded to a Delonghi Rivelia and its the bees knees in affordability versus function. It's fully auto right down to milk steaming and self cleaning. You literally turn it on, attach the milk carafe, select your option and it spits it out. It takes about two minutes from turn on to coffee out and ready to close down. And mum, who sees herself as a bit of a coffee snob, can't tell the difference between this and her 10 minute per cup version. Plus you get a more consistent coffee every time.

    If it was me I'd be trying to save a bit more for a fully auto. The time spent stuffing around with the BBE is enough to turn me off of it.

    And yes, there is a market for secondhand coffee machines. Dad recently sold his used Philips semi auto after upgrading. Some bloke off Marketplace bought it after he demoed it to him, apparently to put in his daughter's place (mainly for his benefit so the story goes!).

    • chrismatt on 01/01/2025 - 22:23
      +3

      I might be feeling a bit excited after finishing the barista course and wanting to get a proper coffee machine. I learned that making great coffee comes down to things like how coarse the coffee is ground, the water quality, milk temperature, pressure, tamping, and how you froth the milk. But I've run into a problem with automatic machines: you can't control any of these factors, and you can't even see what they're doing.

      I looked at the De'Longhi Rivelia that was mentioned. It seems to be completely automated and costs over $1.3K. I'd like to give Breville a try with a little investment to see if I can really get into this hobby. The good thing is I have some spare time in the mornings right now to make a proper cup of coffee.

      • coffeeinmyveins on 03/01/2025 - 16:20

        But I've run into a problem with automatic machines: you can't control any of these factors, and you can't even see what they're doing.

        That's because those machines aren't designed for people who want barista style coffee.

        There's a compromise when you automate things.

        I posted above, get something like a Rancilio Silvia, or at least one that doesn't have a built in grinder.

        I looked at the De'Longhi Rivelia that was mentioned. It seems to be completely automated and costs over $1.3K

        You can get a Silvia for that much and it'll give you much better coffee, once you've learnt how to use it.

  • Brick Tamland on 01/01/2025 - 13:31
    +2

    hard to go past that Breville especially with a built-in grinder. Entry level 'pro-sumer' machines and grinders will cost you thousands. Breville is an awesome starter machine.

  • ForkSnorter on 02/01/2025 - 09:10
    +2

    I love my new Barista Express, just love seeing the pressure dial go up when I get the dose right. But I would not get it if I was practicing to be a Barista or wanted the best coffee every time. Probably spend a bit more.

    There are probably several reasons why there are so many on the Facebook marketplace. 1. It's the most popular manual coffee machine in Australia, so there will always be a lot of 2nd hand ones for sale. 2. They were so cheap during Black Friday (<$500) that probably a bunch of people got a new one and sold their older one. Or they upgraded to a higher model (Impress/Pro/Touch/Dual Boiler), which were also extremely cheap.

  • mjwills on 02/01/2025 - 09:26
    +1

    Many people that buy these machines don't run the clean cycles often enough, or realise the effort involved in dialling in the machine with each bag of beans. So their enthusiasm dies off very quickly.

    As such, if you can get a second hand one for say $300 it is worth a punt. I bought a BES 860 second hand (predecessor to the Barista Express) and it has worked great for the 4 years or so I have had it.

    Also consider bidding on an Oracle - e.g. https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/306004897798 .

  • mjwills on 02/01/2025 - 10:21
    +7

    Alternatively, wait for a Bambino Plus for $400 or so. https://www.ozbargain.com.au/search/node/bambino%20plus%20ty…

    Start on it with the pressurised baskets with pre-ground coffee until you have saved up for a grinder, then use that grinder and switch to the non-pressurised basket.

    • DONMAI on 02/01/2025 - 22:01

      I also recommend bambino plus. It was initially recommended to me by a Barista (who also used it himself at home)

  • pencilhead on 02/01/2025 - 11:03
    +1

    The Breville BES920 is an excellent machine. That and a separate high quality grinder would be ideal.
    Breville have fixed the issues on new BES920s (since 2022) that caused leaks from o-rings. They should be very reliable now.

    • OBEY YOUR MASTERS on 02/01/2025 - 12:39

      Yep separate machine and grinder. Breville dual boiler would be a minimum requirement.

      • mjwills on 02/01/2025 - 14:53

        "Minimum requirement" is a stretch. The Barista Express or Bambino Plus will be just fine for a newcomer. It will serve them well for many years. A huge step up from a pod machine. Are there benefits with a Dual Boiler? Sure, but the quality jump there is much lower than from pod to BE or BP.

        • pencilhead on 02/01/2025 - 22:31
          +1

          Having had single boilers, I would say dual boiler is a minimum. It's night and day going from single to dual.
          I started with a Sunbeam single boiler and it was painful to use. Best thing I did was go to BES920.
          I "upgraded" to LELIT Elizabeth at double the price of the breville and have regretted it.

          The features on the BES920 are excellent for beginner and experienced baristas and is a great learning machine.

          • mjwills on 03/01/2025 - 09:23

            @pencilhead: A Bambino Plus will be perfect for the average newcomer. It has far less wait time on turning on - no need for the boiler to warm up. And the automated steaming is excellent, and very fast. In terms of the average newcomer's workflow, it will be way faster than the BDB.

            Sure - 58mm dual boilers have their place. But they are likely overkill for the OP.

            • OBEY YOUR MASTERS on 03/01/2025 - 13:55

              @mjwills: I disagree about the BDB being "overkill". I still think it is a minimum requirement for people who are "interested" in coffee making.

              However i think that your suggestion for a more econimical approach with the Bambino is a good one. If the budget cant stretch to the dual boiler the bambino looks like it will still make a half decent coffee for probably half the price.

              • mjwills on 03/01/2025 - 14:26

                @OBEY YOUR MASTERS: You are certainly free to have that view.

                But experts like Hoffmann and Hedrick sing the praises of the Bambino Plus, and I am inclined to agree. Plus it fits in the OP's likely price point, which the BDB definitely doesn't.

          • kiitos on 03/01/2025 - 14:42

            @pencilhead: Why do you regret the Elizabeth? I was considering that before eventually jumping on a BDB.

            • pencilhead on 03/01/2025 - 21:35
              +2

              @kiitos: Lelit Elizabeth vs Breville BES920.

              Pros of the the Lelit.
              Small footprint.
              Looks nice ( nicer than the photos)
              All stainless steel construction including drip tray
              Steam pump is quiet (compared to bes920)
              Steam wand pressure is very good/

              Cons of Lelit.
              Build quality is meh.
              steam knob basic plastic.
              coffee tamp basic plastic.
              Drip tray had a hole when from brand new (replaced under warranty)
              water container cracked and leaked
              group handle leaks from day one.
              group handle not compatible with bes920 handle (leaks).
              software/features basic compared to bes920
              slow to get to temp (compared to bes920)

              Pros of bes920 (compared to lelit).
              Water filling from top and back.
              Large container
              Standard group handle.
              Group handle tamp proper metal.
              Drip tray full indicator
              Software control features miles above lelit. eg. auto turn on / off - lelit has hard switch
              coffee shot volume control (missing with lelit only does time)
              more than 1/2 price of lelit

              Cons of bes920.
              plastic driptray.
              big footprint
              noisy steam pump.
              leaky hose internals (fixed since 2022)

              • shutuptakemymoney101 on 03/01/2025 - 22:09

                @pencilhead: Was seriously looking at a Lelit Elizabeth to replace a Breville dual boiler (prices were silly for new BES920's at the time), thankfully I managed to pick one up after all on sale.

                Lelit is now owned by Breville so who knows what that will mean down the road, maybe things could improve if they continue to market Lelit as their premium brand.

      • ruthlesskid on 03/01/2025 - 10:01

        All about perspective on "minimum requirement" by whom?
        As recommended by James Hoffmann - youtube coffee snob, the Breville Bambino Plus as an espresso machine, noting that it's easy to use and has consistent temperature. He also recommends the Breville Barista Express Impress, which has a built-in grinder and tamping arm.

        I got trained up in Coffee shops with the three header coffee machines for a good amount of time, customer often comes asking me to make them a cuppa.
        I found my Coffee out of the BBE is not far off from the commercial machines at work, provided I have my settings and procedures followed through.
        The more larger/complicated the machines are, the higher the ceiling, AKA the "skills issue" is real here.

        Back to the minimum requirement statement, BDB should not be a minum requirement for home IMO, as there is no need to cut extra 3-5 mins to have extraction and frothing at the same time, matter of fact, I found my self leaving the frothed milk to set for a short duration before homogeneising(shaking) it for pouring. By that time, all the extraction is probabily done (if your grinded your beans whilst you froth)

        Not to disrespect the BDB fantastic when entertaining a large group of friends over, the higher output and frothing power slaps hard.

  • seraphim2017 on 02/01/2025 - 11:40

    Rental i was at had the BBE. Made reasonable coffee, took 3 minutes including clean up. My own setup is SGP (better grinder but still not best), and solis barista perfetta (steel version of breville infuser). Basically, seperates versions. I had no challenge using them and if you keep them descaled I'd imagine they'd be fine for a while, they come on marketplace for $250-350 regularly. If you go down the coffee snob route, you can spend thousands. I found the BBE pretty relaxing to use to be honest, no harder in reality than a pod and worked on finest setting with unpressurised basket and bottomless portafilter. Can't do latte art but that’s just me not the machine!

  • dasher86 on 02/01/2025 - 14:15
    +2

    If you want to put your barista course to good use get a second hand Gaggia and pair it with a grinder.

    • danwylie on 02/01/2025 - 15:34

      Yeah that seems to be a common recommendation I've seen for people starting out in espresso. Big modding scene for the Gaggia as well, if that's something you're into

  • belongsinforums on 02/01/2025 - 16:27
    +4

    Bambino has been very reliable for me. Once you get the grind right it's a two button operation

  • gromit on 02/01/2025 - 18:08

    Most people simply realise they don't love barista coffee enough to justify the weekly trips to get beans, the cleanup and process of making coffee. What they really want is good coffee without the hassle which they soon realise is more likely a pod machine or even instant coffee.

    • mjwills on 02/01/2025 - 20:47

      Instant coffee is nowhere near "good coffee".

      to justify the weekly trips to get beans

      Aldi's beans, when fresh (just read the due date and subtract 15 months, or read the other number backwards - you want them optimally within 2 weeks of roasting but up to a month is tolerable), are more than adequate and great for < $20kg. If that won't do, get others delivered from a plethora of vendors. No-one is doing a weekly trip to buy beans…

      • gromit on 02/01/2025 - 22:27

        Agreed, but many will decide instant is good when the effort is to much. I get my beans every second week, doesnt change the fact it is more effort than most people are willing to do when faced with the reality.

        • mjwills on 03/01/2025 - 09:23

          There is definitely some merit to "try a friend's machine first and see what you think".

      • randysal on 03/01/2025 - 14:50

        My partner, who for some reason I am still with, actually prefers the flavour of instant. I on the other hand don't like the pod machines even. Everyone will have a different taste profile.

        I generally find the coffee shops will have the beans that are mostly compatible with milk use, so I don't like coffee from coffee shops.

        I found coles coffee beans are slightly better than Aldi (to my taste)

  • outofgamut on 02/01/2025 - 18:58
    +4

    Each to their own.

    Been using manuals for about 30 odd years, slowly worked my machines up the chain. Your appreciation for what you can achieve increases as you learn and saturate - are stuck - with what your machine can do.

    I’ve been using a ProfiTec 700 for the last 5 years together with a Eureka Mignon XL. Yes, that’s a significant initial investment.

    But my coffee is simply outstanding. It’s as good - and often better - as what the top cafes here in Melbourne serve. Not because my skills are at the same level - but I don’t have the time pressure these baristi have.

    I mostly use Ona Maple beans which costs me $60/kg and use 20g/double shot, so coffee cost per drink is about $1.2 + milk (I use Schultz at $3.50/L), so about $1.80/coffee total. Servicing is about $150/yr. Weekdays see about 4 of above pulls/d, weekends 10.

    Total/year around $2,870 for home made.
    Would be about $8,300 cafe made assuming $5.5/coffee (though they only use one shot vs my two)

    But that’s not why I have this setup.

    It’s the joy of having a coffee at home very early in the morning or anytime, really.

    Yes, truly took years to master it all, I’m not denying it. But now it’s easy as pie. Wouldn’t go back.

    • kiitos on 03/01/2025 - 14:49

      What do you think would be the percentage contribution of each component (beans, milk, grinder, espresso machine, etc) to the overall quality?

      • mjwills on 03/01/2025 - 19:47
        +1

        It is more determining what is the weak point and improving that. If you have a terrible grinder, for example, the rest is irrelevant. And that is true for each of the variables.

        Any of the Breville machines will be a great starting point in terms of grinder, espresso and milk frothing. Are there better options? Of course there are. Are there better options at that price point? No.

      • outofgamut on 03/01/2025 - 19:56
        +1

        Traditionally people say to put a lot of emphasis on the grinder. I don’t think I know enough to give solid advice in this area. But I did own three grinders - an ECM grinder, purchased >25 years ago with my ECM Mechanica - a heat exchange machine that was very good and an excellent entry. Back then I didn’t weigh coffee bean shots but I think this grinder was rather hit and miss in the quality it produced.

        My next grinder was a Compaq - a Spanish cafe house grinder that I got for a pittance back when Grays online still had bargains. I still have it. But it’s a workhorse made to grind through multiple kilos of beans an hour in a production environment, rather than producing pristine single shots. So, that’s where my Eureka came in.

        What I can say is that the shots with the Eureka have terrific consistency and they seem uniform. The coffee I get from my beans is consistently good - rather than a bit hit and miss as before.

        I can’t give percentages.

        The beans I use nowadays - Ona Maple, a blend - are the right beans for our house. V much on the chocolate/toffee/smooth end of the spectrum. It’s also very consistent throughout the year.

        Milk makes a lot of difference to the mouth feel and Schultz unhomogenised milk is simply very, very good. I’d say it makes a lot of difference if you’re into full fat dairy. Just as there are big differences between oat milks (which are also a good choice if a bit sweet at times). Don’t get me started on the price for non-dairy milks - we’re all being ripped off big time.

        Water of course plays a significant role. I have an inline filter installed but also live in Melbourne, where the water is excellent straight from the tap.

        In the end I think all of this is worth it if it brings you joy and the money you put into it doesn’t make your life suffer elsewhere. When my machine is out of order or we’re out of beans our days just aren’t the same. Not the end of the world, sure, but somewhat less sparkly.

  • tasty-falafel on 02/01/2025 - 19:08

    Honestly just a get a high-end 3d printer, you can print pretty much anything these days.

    • mjwills on 02/01/2025 - 20:52

      Thanks ChatGPT.

  • ocular on 02/01/2025 - 19:22

    Got 2 of these. One for work and one for home. Taught kids how to use this "all in one" when teenagers and they now have them as adults. Instead of upgrading coffee machine when down the track of roasting green beans with a Kaffelogic. Coffee Commune here in Brisbane happy to allow home users access to their commercial range of green beans in 1kg bags. Adds a new dimension of experimentation and lots of good quality brown crema out of the brevilles. Supply the rest of the family with freshly roasted beans.

  • Goremans on 02/01/2025 - 21:11
    +2

    We have to dual boiler, great machine - but only when freinds and family stay do we steam and extract at the same time.

    A sinlge boiler brevile I would recommend - all over Facebook becuase by the numbers they move ALOT of machines - I used to sell coffee machines.

    Also makes it easy for parts. - I've done some work on ours and parts are cheap and available (long story as to why its need repairing - not due to the machine or build quality).

    Also budegt in a good grinder - makes the world of difference - in most* cases a finer grind is better for espresso (ppl not gonna like that comment 😀).

  • Realtightarse on 02/01/2025 - 22:37

    I have got this exact machine (didn't like the fully stainless steel colour as it looks a bit like a milo tine with no wrapper)
    This machine is bloody awesome. I bought some coffee scales a rubber tamping mat and a thermometer big jug for doing 2 coffees from ebay, (each item was about 10-15 bucks) the scales times and weighs you coffee as its happening (to determine if your grind settings are to course or too fine. It should pour your shot in 22 - 30 seconds. I know people with an automatic breville touch? (does not have the pressure gauge, which i believe is a must) that pours a double shot in 7 second and it looks like black tea and tastes like shit. They have no idea what they are doing and don't want my help to fix it.

  • Assburg on 03/01/2025 - 01:51

    Not sure if anyone said it, doesn't appear to have been said:

    Ultra budget option is bambino and kingrinder k4.

    If you enjoy the process, upgrade the grinder in 6 months or so (second hand when it suits you).

    If you still enjoy the process, get a better espresso machine.

    If you don't find joy in the coffee you make with the ghetto bambino setup you probably won't enjoy any home set up you can afford (relative to a commercial setup).

  • ratman on 03/01/2025 - 06:59

    Skip the toys and grab a LM GS3 and a Weber EG-1. That will give you a bit more useful practise with your new found skill, closer to to what you'll be using at work if you choose that career path /s

    Breville looks fine, the entry proper machine is a Silvia and Rocky combo, or it at least the Rocky was the grinder of choice 20+ years when I got mine. This will be much more capable than the Breville.

    • mjwills on 03/01/2025 - 09:24

      LM GS3 and a Weber EG-1

      Haha

  • tjswinno on 03/01/2025 - 07:30

    I have had the same machine (same colour even) for a few years now, as long as you keep on top of the cleaning/maintenance it makes great coffee. Bean selection helps a lot, a medium roast to dark works better in it, lighter roasts tend to not work so well. If you want to start delving in to light roasts it's not the machine for you, but a bag of Aldi medium roast works really well and tastes great.

  • kaleidoscope on 03/01/2025 - 08:34

    I did the course as well out of personal interest snd got myself a BBE from marketplace (it was about $300 with couple of accessories such as tamper and a knock box). Its been 2-3 years since then and have no issues with it…

    You can stretch your budget to whatever you like when it comes to coffee machines. The things you need to consider is how much use you’re going get out of it (how many coffees you make each day/ how much money you’re going to spend on beans etc…)

    The machine has its limits and you can’t compare it directly to a professional machine. That being said it fits my budget and running costs (i mostly make 1-2 long blacks per day and a cappuccino/ hot chocolate for mrs / kid and buy the aldi’s beans)

    are there so many second-hand units available because people are unhappy with the product? Or is it just a popular machine that’s being upgraded frequently?

    They’ve been half price on marketplace as long as i can remember and they move well too. I remember when i was buying had to message about 10 sellers as they got sold so fast 🤷‍♂️. So i guess they’re very popular

  • gentlekoala5906 on 03/01/2025 - 08:44

    The coffee neckbeards at my old workplace said that Expobar was the brand to get.

    • mjwills on 03/01/2025 - 09:25
      +1

      If a BBE is stretching his budget, he ain't getting an Expobar. :P

  • honest-gary on 03/01/2025 - 09:20

    @chrismatt - I have got Breville barista express at home. Bought in June 2021. As others have said, it is all about how picky you are about your coffee. personally, it makes a good enough coffee for my tastes. I would suggest go to the store, sometimes they have this machine, and they can make coffee for you or if you know someone who has this machine.

    Can I also ask where did you do your course ? Thanks mate.

  • Sleeken on 03/01/2025 - 09:26

    I started off using entry level Breville machines and they were great - very user friendly and perfect for a beginner.

    I have been using a Breville Dual Boiler for 7 years now and it makes fantastic coffee. Also worth noting its significantly more expensive in the US than it is here.

    I think the grinder on the Express is the first thing I'd upgrade. When I moved to a quality hand grinder from the Breville Smart Grinder, my coffee taste improved considerably

  • WastedWombat on 03/01/2025 - 09:36
    +2

    My fiancé and I got a Breville Barista Pro nearly a year ago and have not looked back since. We use it every day, sometimes multiple times a day. Have had a lot of fun learning about making better coffees together, trying out new beans and saved A LOT of money.

    Best thing we’ve bought in a while, I would say go for it! Either test out the waters with the BBE or go further with the Pro.

    Have fun’

    • ramb9 on 04/01/2025 - 18:31

      Also just bought the barista pro and a barista for 5 years during uni days.

      Able to produce some really great quality coffee, better than most cafe's that arent meticulous on all the details

      I would probably not recommend the express because the steamer is not great.

      Recommend either you get the pro or bambino
      https://youtube.com/shorts/XbtivfewOVE?si=3YRlO_PZTVvhaLbF

  • drprox on 03/01/2025 - 11:25

    Buy a Breville DB off marketplace instead. I sold mine for $300 recently working fine as had upgraded and just like to move things on quickly :)

  • Kenny Powers on 03/01/2025 - 17:10
    +1

    The express is a great machine. Had mine for about 7 years. Once you dial in the machine (plenty of vids online) it becomes easy to achieve a consistent good coffee.

  • Guerilla89 on 04/01/2025 - 19:46

    I've had fully automatic machines in the past. The milk frother's are always disappointing. Fully manual machines get annoying quickly for me. Semi-automatic machines are good IMO. I like this one:
    de'longhi magnifica s ecam
    https://www.jbhifi.com.au/products/delonghi-magnifica-fully-…

    Here's how to get the best out of the machine:
    https://www.youtube.com/@DeLonghiHowToChannel/search

  • Tall17 on 04/01/2025 - 20:40

    Had a delonghi dedica for 5 years and recently changed to a breville bambino plus + df54 grinder. Don't see myself changing for a long time now. Plenty available off fb marketplace.

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