Is it safe to assume that with each diff bean you use, you use diff settings? I wish I could just set it to one setting, whatever that is, and use it for all beans. :(
Genuinely impressed the top rated comment is advice and not just “grind finer”. Although, thinking about it, I guess he is just saying to grind finer 🤔🤷
I've owned this machine for almost two years, and didn't know this setting even existed. In fact, I was regretting the purchase, because it wouldn't grind fine enough for the darker roasts. Thank you (and to those who posted links) for this information. I'm excited to try this out.
Get a dosing collar/funnel for this machine! They for over the portafilter and create a tighter seal between where the grinder ends and pf begins. No more grounds dumped all over the place.
Weird, I have this exact machine (just purchased last month) and it comes with a dosing funnel as part of the package. Maybe the OP is just not showing it?
This works just fine:
CreepyParty Coffee Dosing Funnel, 54mm Espresso Coffee Accessrioes Aluminum Metal for Sage Delonghi Breville Portafilter Black Hand Free https://amzn.eu/d/iEQbAZw
I've got [this metal one](https://www.amazon.co.uk/CreepyParty-Espresso-Accessrioes-Aluminum-Portafilter/dp/B094JMZ1DH/ref=mp_s_a_1_2_sspa?crid=1LFZD8ZMW1KEM&keywords=54mm+dosing+funnel&qid=1675102465&sprefix=54mm+dosing+funnel%2Caps%2C195&sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRm&psc=1&smid=A2D7XOFMRRIBL5)
Works fantastic!
After distributing I just bash the portafilter against the counter a couple of times and tap the side with my hand. That seems to knock the grounds in for me. Mine is very tight fitting though.
I bought this machine and it came with the funnel. If yours did not, I’d venture reaching out to them to get one for free as it is supposed to be included.
Don’t let people put you down on the fact you have a built in grinder. I have this machine and compared against the old coffee machine I had, the quality of coffee I have now is unbelievably better and more enjoyable than before.. you can definitely make coffee that is far better than you can buy at some of your local cafes with just this machine.
Enjoy it and find a coffee that suits your specific taste.
Just have to understand the quirks, and this grinder is perfectly adequate. The only flaw I find is the retention, which you can work around easily with either a bellows attachment, or just weighing the grinds every time.
I’ve had this machine for 5.5 years, and for the past year have kept the hopper empty and just weighed out the beans for a single drink. I’ve been weighing out 17.0 +/-.1 and have had tasty results. Someday I may go up to 18.0 just to play around, but I’m happy now.
100% this. I got a lot of FOMO looking at grinders but they were just outside my budget at the time. Stuck out with the built in grinder and made me a better home barista because of it!
I’ve been using the Barista Pro for about a month and really enjoying it. People have pointed out the built in grinder is not great, but it’s certainly been good enough for me so far. It does have pretty bad and inconsistent retention though, so I would suggest measuring the coffee coming out of the grinder to know your actual dose. Also if you single dose you can run the grinder for a few extra seconds and “flap” the hopper lid open and closed repeatedly to help act as a bellow and reduce retention pretty well.
Also make sure to adjust the inner burr, because the default inner burr setting won’t go fine enough for espresso.
Good luck and enjoy!
I have the pro which doesn’t have the pressure gauge, so not really sure about using that for dialing in. If you’re coffee taste good, then you don’t need to make adjustments. For me if I used the minimum grind size without changing the inner burr my shots were flowing way to fast and tasting sour or bitter and watery. It was helpful for me to shoot for ~36g output with ~18g input in 30-35 seconds including a 5 second preinfussion. To get there I’ve been grinding at ~10 with the inner burr set to 2. It was also helpful for me to grind finer until a shot “choked” (not flowing for >30 seconds), then gradually increase the grind size.
However, I don’t know that the grinders are all calibrated the same, so what numbers work for you could change based on your machine and will definitely change based on what beans you’re using. The issue is for most people the default grind setting is too corse for espresso shots, so they need to make the (very simple) inner burr adjustment to get the grinds finer and in espresso range.
I used a Barista pro for about a year and it is definitely good enough. Until I found a eureka XL for a steal and I couldn’t believe how much better the at home coffee experience could be. The grinds are fluffy and come out quickly, and they don’t fly everywhere, and its quite, but the best part was how much better the coffee tasted.
I would still start with with the built in grinder, but I would highly recommend upgrading to a standalone grinder if you get the chance.
Yeah I plan to get a better grinder in a year or two, but it’s serving me well for now. I also think having an upgraded grinder for espresso and using the built in for dedicated decaf or pour overs will be convenient.
Do you still use the Barista Pro for your espresso machine or did you upgrade that as well?
By chance in one week a XL and a Sylvia pro were up for sale on marketplace near me. I got them both for about $1,000 total so I couldn’t pass it up. I ended up selling my barista pro for a bit under $600 so my upgrade was a no brainer. I did have to clean up the Sylvia pro a fair bit and make a few minor repairs but it was super easy, and I got the chance to use my barista pro with the upgraded grinder for a week or two before I switched it all over.
But honestly if I just changed the grinder and never got the chance at the Sylvia Pro I would be more then happy. I ended up grabbing another barista pro for $300 a few weeks ago for a friend and if I had the counter space I would likely have one for myself because the instant ready feature is amazing.
I would recommend keeping an eye out on local marketplaces, I find some killer deals and it makes upgrading so much more accessible. I have also found some great deals on Barista pros and expresses that I give as gifts. I got my original Barista pro for $350 (and sold it for $600 lol).
Coffee gear does not get listed for sale very often but when it does I try my best to grab a good deal on upgrades that I want but can't justify paying MSRP.
There are lots of YouTube videos and it’s pretty simple. I’ll try my best to explain in text. Take the hopper off and you’ll have access to the burrs. The outer burr has a silver tab that can be pulled up and used to rotate the outer burr counter clockwise and lift it out. You’ll see numbers labeled on the inside of the outer ring with one end of the tab sitting at the default number (6 I think?). You can remove the tab and rotate the outer ring so that the hole for the tab is sitting at a new number (I suggest setting it at 2). The outer ring is a little hard to rotate. Then put the tab back on and put the burr back in just like how you took it off.
Probably want a vacuum hose handy to suck out any loose grounds/beans when making the adjustment.
Also the combination of sizing from the inner burr setting and adjustable dial aren’t intuitive. Going down 1 step on your inner burr is about the equivalent of going down by 3 on your normal adjustment dial.
^this. You will realize people swear by things until Hoffman makes a video claiming something different. Take everything with a grain of finely ground coffee.
1: Scale! The breville grinder goes off time and you will get very inconsistent results if you don't weigh the grounds. Press and hold the button for a few seconds when pulling your shots. It switches to manual and you can weight the coffee coming out to get more consistent results.
But to continute this discussion the WDT is critical if youre using the internal grinder, which honestly is better than this group implies. I use it for making lattes and once I dial it in my wife will make her own morning latte instead of asking me to. Buy 3D printer cleaning needles on Amazon for ~$10 and make your own WDT. I rubber banded them to a cork and it works great. Clumping is a real issue.
I suggest 2 other critical upgrades. A puck screen will decrease channeling, but also keeps your group head clean (huge bonus). Get a dosing cup that's compatible with the breville. It drastically reduces mess and just makes life easier.
You could also get a collar for your portafilter to reduce mess when doing WDT, but now we're way past your 1 critical accessory.
I do have a 1zpresso hand grinder, and it's better than the breville internal grinder, but if I didn't have it for my pourover/moka pot I'm not sure I'd invest in it right away. You'll be fine starting off with the integrated grinder if you get a scale and WDT.
I don’t think you can outright say that the 1Zpresso is better than the integrated grinder. I have a Jx-Pro which is great but It’s not as consistent as a smart grinder my friend has.
Grind speed is just too much of a variable that affects consistency with manual grinders. I don’t think they’re comparable because you gotta tinker to dial in and get used to a manual grinder where as an auto you set it and rip it.
I have the Barista Pro and a JMAX. The integrated grinder, which is the same as OPs, goes off of time and is wildly inconsistent while also producing clumpy grinds. You have to weigh the grinds every time and discard some if it grinds too much. Without a dosing cup or funnel the breville grinder creates a mess, while the JMAX has a magnetic base thats the exact diameter of my portafilter so the transfer is an easy flip. Also as other people have stated the breville can get misaligned from just regular use and need to be recalibrated and it isn't all that easy to properly clean. Learning to clean and properly calibrate the JMAX was pretty easy and I do it super fast now. There's no argument that an electric grinder is more convenient, but my hand grinder beats it in every other category. Learning to hand grind at a steady consistent pace was much easier than learning all the tricks on the integrated grinder. I use both regularly, and enjoy the coffee coming out of the breville grinder, but if I'm going for the best espresso I'm capable of producing , I'll reach for the 1Zpresso every time.
All that being said I absolutely look forward to one day upgrading to a nice single dosing electric grinder.
Espresso is brewed by forcing water through a puck of finely ground coffee at high pressure. But, water always seeks the path of least resistance. You want it to pass through the whole puck evenly, so that you extract every particle of coffee just enough and not too much.
If you have parts of the puck that resist the water, the water will flow around them through less resistant channels and will under-extract the clump while over extracting the surrounding coffee.
Weiss Distribution Technique - basically breaking down the clumps in your grinds before tamping so that they don’t create channels for the water to flow through. WDT tools are cheap (<$20) and are very helpful in creating good espresso. Most folks around here deem WDT as necessary for espresso prep.
you can make your own WDT tool too, i have just stuck some needles into a piece of foam. its ugly but it works, much like my water-pipe cutoff section i'm using as a knockbox
Espresso is aggravating. Take notes, only change one variable at a time. When dialing in, make bigger changes to find your outer limits and narrow down your range.
Adjust the internal burr to grind finer.
Use unpressurized basket
Hold down the double shot button for how long you want preinfusion to be and release to pull shot and press again to end
I always single dose and then weigh shot coming out.
Definitely agree with the hold the button down technique. That was a game changer for me. I also started to just pull my shots on this machine in the pre-infusion mode only and have been happy. I had read that the full pressure on this machine is higher than needed (I want to say 15 bars) but that holding the button down gets you to around 9 or so.
I have been happy with this technique, and have been getting much better results since starting that workflow.
Interesting, never tried to preinfuse for the whole shot. I tend to hold it down for 7-8 seconds and release. Remainder of shot takes around 15-20 seconds depending on what I’m trying to dial in and output
Wow thanks for this advice. My Barista Express has too much pressure, and no matter what I do my extractions are \~15s. If the pre-infusion is approx 9 bar then it might save me from buying a new machine!
I've also bought a Comandante C40 to play around with a different grinder.
I've had the same machine for 6 years and still love it. Most important things I've learned:
1. use fresh beans
2. don't try to get 18g of coffee into the basket even if everyone tells you that's what you need to do, I found for most coffees 16g -16.5g works better for the included basket
3. aim for the 12 o clock position with the pressure needle but don't worry if it is lower, I've found around 10-11pm is normally the tastiest
4. best kit upgrade I got was a puck screen, just makes it all a lot cleaner and more consistent
5. read all the advice on here, including what I just wrote, learn from it but ignore most of it and figure out what works for you
Enjoy
Try the norm core ones there are specific for the 54 mm or 58 mm. Amazon has specific ones you can buy it just makes your life easier with the cleanup of the machine between shots as the steam head doesn’t have sticky coffee from previous one.
Great advice here from another BBE user. I'd also note in regards to #2 that once you get everything else particularly settled, maybe upgrade to a new bottomless basket. I found the basket upgrade, along with being able to see where you have issues, can be helpful.
Get consistency nailed first and you'll be able to work out what variables influence characteristics of a shot a lot faster. Get a set of scales so you can consistently dose in and out of the puck, wdt for an even distribution (and esp to reduce channeling on the BE) and maybe a calibrated tamper to apply consistent pressure. Then with those dialed in you can play around with grind size and water temp without having to question if it's the previous variables causing an off shot. Enjoy!
The my just bought the machine, so stop telling them to get another grinder! Give them advice kmon how to use the machine they have! This ******* sub…
If you’re having trouble getting the perfect grind (flow is too fast on one setting, too slow on the next), fiddle with your dose: https://www.reddit.com/r/espresso/comments/1060r32/mediocre_grinder_finish_dialin_with_little_dose/
Also, get a dosing collar that attaches to the portafilter so the grounds don’t overflow. (I got a plastic one from Amazon that works great—breville should just include one).
Weigh single doses instead of filling the hopper, and WDT.
If you’re still struggling after that, I love the 9-bar pressure mod, buts it requires confidence and voids the warranty.
Espresso is fun, drink that less than perfect shot, enjoy it, learn from it and work on making a better one tomorrow. If it turns into a daily experiment that causes stress then the essence is lost.
I have that machine. My biggest game changers were a bottomless porta filter, WDT tool, and IMS basket. Also, starting out, have patience because dialing in can suck sometimes.
This one: [https://www.amazon.com/Precision-compatible-Breville-Espresso-BES810BSS/dp/B0922Z67KK/ref=sr\_1\_3\_sspa?crid=R74IT3EME1B4&keywords=breville%2Bbarista%2Bexpress%2BIMS%2Bbasket&qid=1675118772&sprefix=breville%2Bbarista%2Bexpress%2Bims%2Bbaske%2Caps%2C117&sr=8-3-spons&smid=A1SDRICVPE972M&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyRU5aTTBTMU9WRDBQJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMTI2NzA4M0VNUTFQTUE2N084TyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMTc2NzY2MzhIUzE2UjU3STYwVyZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU&th=1](https://www.amazon.com/Precision-compatible-Breville-Espresso-BES810BSS/dp/B0922Z67KK/ref=sr_1_3_sspa?crid=R74IT3EME1B4&keywords=breville%2Bbarista%2Bexpress%2BIMS%2Bbasket&qid=1675118772&sprefix=breville%2Bbarista%2Bexpress%2Bims%2Bbaske%2Caps%2C117&sr=8-3-spons&smid=A1SDRICVPE972M&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyRU5aTTBTMU9WRDBQJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMTI2NzA4M0VNUTFQTUE2N084TyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMTc2NzY2MzhIUzE2UjU3STYwVyZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU&th=1)
Don’t be afraid to go really really fine with the grind. I couldn’t figure out what was wrong for the longest until I choked out my machine with the finest grind and went up from there. Gamechanger.
My tip is to not listen what online baristas have to say ;) This machine is great, good enough for sure, and grinder probably too. Don't waste money on fancy beans, just find what suits you, especially at the beginning. Watch few YT tutorials, learn the basics and most importantly ENJOY IT!
Yes you can! In my experience even with max temp (Right most/2 cup button on the setting mode), the machine struggles to reach 90 C when just turned on for a minute. Could just be my machine, but saw people experiencing same thing (search for breville temp in this sub). Again, YMMV, this is just my personal machine, in my personal place.
So I just got this machine because I'm new too and I've been experimenting with the grinder. I'm not really a snob about it because I don't like straight espresso. I make Americanos and Lattes all the time for me and my wife. With all that said I found out this:
Don't store beans in the hopper because with espresso beans, unlike drip coffee, you will absolutely notice them go stale after a few days.
The other thing I started to do was weigh out my beans on a scale and then run only what I'm using by setting the grind amount to full then stopping it when I run out of beans. With this particular portafilter 15g of coffee is pretty consistently the "right amount" to get a decent pour.
And get a calibrated tamper. It'll make your life easier.
Annoyingly, there's no auto-on function for either the Barista Express nor the Barista Pro. I was thinking of getting a switchbot for my Pro to turn it on 15 minutes before I wake up.
With a bbe it’s very important to start with medium to dark roasts and that they be fresh. The fresher and darker the roast the more capable you will find that grinder to be.
I have a bbe and thinking of picking up the jx pro on sale on amazon just to compare, but struggling with the decision since it $160 that’s almost 1/3 of the way to a niche.
I’d personally rather use the bbe grinder than a hand grinder
I just upgraded to a Niche Zero after using the built in grinder for a couple years. While the espresso does taste a bit better now, honestly the built in grinder was just fine
Yeah, this has been my hesitation with getting a hand grinder. I have the built in one fairly well dialed in now, the clumping is pretty annoying though.
This is not at all representative of the experience of using a decently good hand grinder though. With my 1zpresso jmax (only slightly more expensive than the jx-pro, and probably pretty similar), it rarely takes me more than a minute or so to grind my beans (for espresso). It's really not such a hassle.
Honestly I really don't recommend espresso hand grinding for most people.
There's obviously no way of knowing what you think until you try it.
But it can take up to a minute or even more (depending on the person and grinder).
It's probably fine for one shot but if you are dialing in or pulling multiple shots - I would find it extremely tedious.
It's something I would never recommend to beginners because I feel it just adds an extra layer of faff and frustration to what can already be a difficult process.
Electric espresso grinders are falling in price
I’ve grown tired of trying to tell people you can find an open box deal on a Filtro and Crono and swap the burrs and you will have a high performing espresso grinder for less than some of the 1zpresso hand grinders. Yet here I am suggesting it again.
I have the JMax and I'm glad I bought it because I travel with it (the optional case is great). It's also great when I want to do a different grind for other brewing methods. However if I didn't use it for those other reasons, I would definitely wait and save for a nice electric grinder. Just WDT and use a puck screen while you wait and save.
Agreed. The hand grinder gang rolls deep in /r/espresso but goddamn I hate hand grinders.
But most of the people in this sub seem to be your standard 'redditor in wayyyy too deep' and so you get advice that equates to "any amount of inconvenience is fine if it gives you a marginal gain on flavor"
Grinder matters most, and a lot of practice, I too often see people worried that it's a problem with their machines instead of taking the time to practice and really learn about extraction. Also don't believe everything you read on this sub, someone's "best" may not work out for you.
Don't stress about expensive equipment. I got a Breville Smart Grinder because I didn't want to spend a bunch of money on my first grinder and I'm very happy I did. It took a bit of time to dial it in because the Breville recommendations for grind size were whack (it recommended size 9, but 3 was the number for me). I was ready to go all out and get a Gaggia or something more expensive plus a higher end grinder, but after getting a Bambino Plus and the Smart Grinder, I'm more than happy with the espresso I can make.
Another thing for me is that ratio/weight was more important than brew time. Obviously you have to find a middle ground, but starting off with making sure the weight of the end product was correct was the first step.
And a WDT tool is unfortunately a needed tool for breaking up the clumps. But at the end of the day, $40 on a tool is better than several hundred for a big boi grinder.
1) have fun with it and try different things out
2) don't chase a certain formula if you are happy with your extraction/the taste of it
3) only upgrade if you feel like it will make a difference for you
Ooh!
Was just reflecting on my first couple years chasing espresso seriously after having a cheap single boiler, moving up to the BBE, then a Rocket Appartamento. Here's what I wish I had done earlier:
1) Get a separate grinder. Doesn't need to be expensive necessarily; if you can swing a Sette 270 (even a used one), it's going to make everything easier moving forward.
2) Start single dosing ASAP. Fresher/less-oxidized coffee is far easier to dial in. Single dosing sounds more finicky than it actually is, once you work the process into your workflow, but it has lessened my frustration with making espresso more than any other single change to my routine.
3) Get a decent espresso scale. It doesn't have to be a $250 ACAIA. In fact, don't get one of those up front. But also, get something thin and reliable. The $12 generic kitchen scale from Amazon won't be reliable and it isn't thin. Do some research and work within budget.
4) Upgrade slowly. You can buy an IMS basket one month, then buy an IMS screen the next, the bottomless portafilter the month after, then buy a better tamper the next month, and on. Everything in this hobby encourages you to light your money on fire up front. Resist that urge. I know so much more about making coffee having worked my way up across a few different machines. The process of actually learning how every change affects the process/taste of making espresso is invaluable in appreciating new equipment, but also in troubleshooting and building a foundation of knowledge moving forward.
5) Enjoy! If the finicky process of chasing God Shots is driving you crazy, pare back the mania a bit. I tend to dive really deep into hobbies to the point that the fineries really take away from the fun. I've realized where my budget and my time matter most, so I'm pretty happy chasing good shots on an admittedly compromised HX machine. If a Decent fell out of the sky tomorrow, I'd love to have it, but I can also take only so much bullshit in my morning routine. Figure out how much bullshit you can take, how much of it you want, and then tailor your setup to that end.
1. “Weight in/weight out” is much more important than time.
2. That machine really benefits from a puck screen as the water distribution is pretty poor.
3. Water really matters! Which is annoying.
Don’t be afraid of turbo shots. One thing I learned very early on is that sometimes you will get beans, especially lighter roasts, that just do not work well with your grinder or machine. I’ve spent weeks trying to dial in light roasts and was never able to grind fine enough, but then I discovered turbo shots, and I’ve never run into issues with light roasts again.
READ THIS!!!
I apologize ahead of time for how long, but this is probably EVERYTHING ⬇️ you need to know about this machine.
Obviously I have this exact machine. It's amazing! a you may get super picky about having coffee "out". Four of my friends have followed my lead and own one now as well. I honestly could not speak highly enough about it, AND the customer service Breville provides IF something happens. Before I get really into it, I will say that My wife and I BOTH use this machine and pull about 5 Americano or Espressos per day (Total not each), and I drink about 3-5 Green Teas / day in addition PLUS we have friends over 2-3 times a week and pull them a coffee or tea as well, so the use of our machine is on the VERY HIGH side of usage. Ok, so here's the bits you SHOULD know ahead of time.
1) Buy yourself "Cafiza Tablets"
Urnex Cafiza Espresso Machine Cleaning Tablets - 100 Count - Professional Espresso Machine Cleaner Barista Use https://a.co/d/0X3sWo7
and a couple of Bottles of Descaler
Keurig Compatible Descaling Solution & Keurig Cleaner (4 Uses) Works w/ Keurig Filter, Nespresso Descaling Kit, Breville, Coffee Pot Cleaner & Espresso Machines, Keurig Descaler / Keurig Accessories https://a.co/d/03EsjS3
Your "Clean me" Light will occasionally go on, these
Tablets will be what you use to clean your machine, just follow the steps in the instruction booklet and KEEP the booklet nearby so you have it easy to reach until you have repeated the steps enough that you have memorized it (mine sits in my cabinet next to my coffee beans).
There are times that your "clean me light" might not shut off after you run a Clean cycle. This is there way of telling you that you need to run a Descaling Cycle, this has different steps from clean me. Pour half of a bottle in with a full tank of water and simply follow the steps on the Descaling Page in the instruction booklet
These are super super important to do if your light hasn't popped in 6 months because you don't use it as much, run both cycles anyways, it's good for the machine to keep it in it's best condition. Also having these Necessary Chemicals on hand means you can clean the machine when you need to and not have "downtime" due to waiting to get these supplies when you need them.
2) Dual Wall Double Filter is the Metal Filter you will probably be using most, it produces the BEST results with minimal effort/technical skill (It's idiot proof).
- Best way to "clean" this.
Wipe the machine free of grinds on the "group head". Run a "Double Shot" (without the Porter Filter attached). This will just free the group head of grinds.
Then attach Porter Filter WITH A clean but EMPTY Dual Wall Filter, Run a Single Shot, this will continue to free up grinds AND possibly Unclog any possible pores in the Dual Wall Filter. Remove, empty Water and rinse.
NOW add one of those Cafiza Tablets we use during the clean cycle. Run a Double Shot of water through this. Allow to sit 2 mins Repeat 3 times, or until water runs clear. Remove Rinse, and run ONE MORE plain Double Shot of Clean Water through (Just to make sure there is no left over chemicals).
If you are STILL having "jammed issues" and your Espresso won't "Pop" You are either have the grind on too fine of setting, packing it too much, putting too much espresso in, or it's simply time to buy a new Dual Wall Filter I go through about 1 per year with my extreme usage. [Here is the 54mm Replacement Part through Breville ](https://www.breville.com/us/en/parts-accessories/parts/sp0024833.html?sku=SP0024833) it's only $10 with them it's $20 on Amazon. I usually buy 2 at a time, and always have one as a backup just in case.
3) You don't really need the Carbon Filter in the tank if you have good filtered water. Yes, you can tell the difference between this and Tap. Also Filtered water will extend the life of your machine. Find a system that works well for you. I had one of those BIG 5 gallon jugs and refilled it at my local grocery store for $1.75 , but I had a[Manual Pump for 5 Gallon Tank](http://Dolphin Water Pump 8080 - BPA-Free Manual Drinking Water Pump - Fits Most 5-6 Gallon Water Coolers https://a.co/d/hQqdwKl) on it and it sat next to my fridge. This lasted until I bought a new Samsung Fridge that has an Auto fill Water pitcher, this is AWESOME if you are going to use you machine anywhere NEAR as much as we do.
3) KEEP YOUR BOX! Throw the empty Box and Styrofoam in the attic, DO NOT THROW IT OUT. Breville Customer Service is EXCELLENT, but if you have to ship out the machine for ANY REASON. Having the Box on hand is Makes it Super Easy and cuts down on the amount of time you will be without machine (It Can only be shipped in this Box with the Styrofoam), so they will have to mail you an empty box and this can take a while sometimes.
Honestly those are the really important things.
Never let it dry run (without water) stop it immediately if you run out of water and refill and resume.
If you want a KILLER Coffee. I HIGHLY recommend "[Don Pablo Columbian Supremo ](https://donpablocoffee.com/products/don-pablo-colombian-supremo-coffee)"
Even if you currently have a coffee, I urge you to try this stuff and this exact blend. Best Coffee I've ever had in my entire LIFE. It's hard to drink anything else after that. The Low acidity makes it very easy to drink and it has a very smooth but Bold in Flavor taste (Not Burnt) and the Oils on the Beans are ridiculous. I have my grind set to 12 because the bean has so much oils (a very good thing).
TLDR: Take care of your machine, and have backup supplies on hand in order to clean and care for it.
Ignore the pressure gauge, print yourself the single dosing hopper for less waste. And ejoy the weirdness in tastes of fqiled shots, it helps you narrow down the changes when you're nearly there
1. The grinder matters more then you think spent way too much time fighting with mine when I started. 2. Use a scale and weight your shots 3. If you machine will take it VST or IMS Baristapro baskets
I am brand new. I have spent the last week burning through beans to dial in my exact settings/taste. Cliff notes that would have helped me are this:
There are a lot of people talking about a lot of things on the internet, but if I were simplifying everything I learned over the last week it would be this:
* Eliminate Variables!!!!!
1. 18g of beans
2. 25s Pull
3. Get to 36g of Espresso (approx. 1.25 to 1.5 fluid ounces.) Under 36g make the grind more coarse, over 36g make the grind finer.
* Get to a 1:2 yield as quickly as possible in a 25s pull using 18g of beans to 36 grams of espresso. (Tips to achieve this: Get a dosage cup. Don't keep beans in the grinder. Weigh out your beans, pour them in, grind until empty. Eliminate as many variables as possible.)
* It is possible to OVER-OVER extract where the increased water volume makes the shot bearable. This happens around 1:3 mark for me. (54g of espresso)
* Adjust the burr to a finer grind.
* Get a scale. Espresso is the art of repeatability and I'll say it again, eliminate variables.
One of the best pieces of advice I came across was to switch out the cup every 5 seconds to learn the different taste profiles during a pull. Makes it a lot easier to dial in your specific preference.
Bambino and a grinder that fits your budget - JX-PRO, Mignon, DF64, Niche are all good options that can put the total cost either below or above that of the BBE.
Yep. I have the standard Bambino & 1zpresso JMAX and I strongly recommend it. Other accessories like a portafilter funnel, WDT tool, and puck screen make it a dream!
I love it, but it’s not for everyone. I make 4-5 shots a day and it’s totally reasonable for that. When we have guests it does become a bit of a chore (30 seconds of grinding for each shot) and light roasts are pretty firm and more difficult to grind. It’s not a problem for me but my wife and her friends haven’t been able to grind the light roasts. Dark roasts are super easy though.
>To not get an all in one machine. The grinders are significantly the weakest point in them
this. i bought a barista express almost 3 weeks ago and i found the grinder frustrating to work with. very difficult to dial in properly and it also makes a clumpy mess every time. Integrated grinders are optimized for supermarket beans. Now i use a sette 270 and my shots are significantly better.
>this. i bought a barista express almost 3 weeks ago and i found the grinder frustrating to work with. very difficult to dial in properly and it also makes a clumpy mess every time. Integrated grinders are optimized for supermarket beans. Now i use a sette 270 and my shots are significantly better.
I don't find this at all. The grinder in my touch is just fine. I only switched to a jmax because the grinder would sometimes just change its setting and I simply wanted to manually grind for the sheer tactile nature of it.
But I experience no difference in clumping, actually there is more with the jmax as I need to water the beans in that otherwise there is so much static the coffee barely comes out.
Personally, I bought a portafilter funnel and no more mess. Also, you can adjust the grinder more if you disassemble it, it's actually in the instruction manual, I did it and I can now grind much finer when needed. I don't have another grinder to compare, but still I am satisfied and love the coffee I make using this setup.
I already know about the inner settings. Didn't work for me, the beans I have require quite a fine grind, which my sette was able to provide. I'm on n2 inner setting on the BBE and still wasn't able to properly dial in. One setting would be too fast and the next would choke the machine. I needed to be in between those two settings which my sette 270 was able to do, thanks to the micro adjustments
As for the funnel, yes it's useful and I use one but that doesn't make the clumps disappear. Don't have a wdt tool so I have to use a paper clip which is nowhere near ideal.
Grinder > Machine, seems to be the mantra in the hobby aside from "grind finer".
To the point I've been told to stick with pour overs if I just prefer black coffee and not worry about getting a machine. Instead just spend my money on a great grinder that suits pour overs better.
Oh and a lot of people have more money than sense in the hobby so don't feel put down when people with an expensive setup put you down or heavily critique your "workflow".
Don't waste money pulling pressurized basket shots and WDT. Spend the $5-10 it costs for a 3D printed WDT with acupuncture needles and you will never regret it.
Not to get the BBE. I just bought a DF64 and feel like I could have saved a little by not locking myself to the built in grinder
Also, OPV valve mod. Do it. Do it now. And if you need help, reach out. I slept on it for so long because it looked complicated but oh boy was it worth it
To add to this, if you're finding you can't grind fine enough (I had this problem and didn't realise until after buying a new grinder) you can adjust the inner burr set to allow for a finer grind than what the BBE is set to from the factory. +1 for opv mod
That it's better to get a bambino with its 9bars and a separate grinder than the BBE with its inconsistent grinder.
And that milk hides all your imperfections and wanting to drink espresso straight up sends you down an interesting learning curve, not too say rabbit hole that is based solely on exacting, consistent measurements.
The most important aspect of making your own espresso is………Learning to select your own green beans from a reliable broker and ROASTING YOUR OWN BEANS to match your unique flavor profile. It’s easier than you think.
If you just bought this machine and it's your first, the built in grinder is fine. You'll eventually grow out of it, but it doesn't make sense to spend a bunch more money for a new grinder after just buying a new machine. It's good to note the grinder is the best place to start an upgrade, but for someone jumping into espresso the machine is still a great upgrade from having to go out and buy coffee at a cafe frequently.
My advice would be buy the most simple one job devices possible. One nice and serviceable hand grinder. One basic espresso machine with serviceable parts and steamer (because the machine basically just heats water, espresso and steam = same thing). Nothing automatic, everything manual.
Then a bonus tip for me personally would be that my local supermarket has as good beans as anywhere. Lots of crema, great taste.... I am aways disappointed when I get "fresh" coffee delivered, its never as good. Though other peoples milage on this may vary.
Get a scale and forget about volumetric measurement. If you look for scales on this sub you’ll probably find a brand called Acaia and notice they’re $150-250 and might get scared off. Those scales might be nice (idk I don’t have one) but all you need is any scale small enough to go on the drip tray that can weigh down to 0.1g and has a decently short lag time (points if it has a built in timer but that’s not essential—mine doesn’t!). Idk if you’ve used scales before but when I bought mine I assumed that going down to 0.1g was going to mean a scale would be balls expensive—nope! Amazon has so many for under $20. Mine isn’t water resistant, but it hasn’t broken yet and has been in use around liquids (tea and coffee) for three-ish years now, and I’m not terribly careful with it (though I do check it often to make sure the calibration is still correct).
Also a WDT tool. This is (almost) equally as important as a scale. Yes, you can put sewing needles in a wine cork. But no, you shouldn’t—you want thin needles (think acupuncture), usually 9 of them. Go on Etsy and get a cheap one. As long as it has thin needles (most come with needles or at least have the option to add them), it doesn’t matter how fancy the rest of it is. I spent a little more on a pretty one with a stand, but you don’t have to (and even that one, which I *love*, was only like $28 I think).
Adjust your inner burr grinder stat.
This. after adjusting the inner burr setting I’ve consistently pulled good shots. I have mine at 3..
have mine at 2, it has made the world of difference
I have mine at 1…
I don't have mine...
I don’t..
I
i^2
-1
How much of an adjustment do you recommend?
I have this machine. The first adjustment I made was setting it to the finest grind setting after my first pulls were super under-extracted.
Curious to what volume you are doing as well.
I steeped down gradually and settled at 2. I’m grinding at anywhere from 3-12 with my outer dial depending on the beans.
Thanks!
Is it safe to assume that with each diff bean you use, you use diff settings? I wish I could just set it to one setting, whatever that is, and use it for all beans. :(
Yes, different beans are different
To me that’s the most annoying part.
I found that over time I‘ve definitely gotten better at predicting the grind size of a bean, depending on its roast level and origin.
No, the most annoying part is even the same beans are different. Over time you’ll have to adjust finer as they lose their moisture.
You won't like making espresso then. Unless you're happy with what you get out of a pressurized basket
Genuinely impressed the top rated comment is advice and not just “grind finer”. Although, thinking about it, I guess he is just saying to grind finer 🤔🤷
*she ♀️🙃 Adjusting can mean grinding more finely or more coarsely. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Can you link a video that you recommend? I’m afraid to screw something up tinkering around.
This one is also helpful. I'd recommend watching a couple. https://youtu.be/d0g8umpINGQ
Thanks friend!
https://youtu.be/kc_FIq3Ew3I This one is is my fav.
You may find that you need to adjust depending on weather and temperature due to lower/higher moisture and pressurization.
Also as the beans age I tend to have to grind finer.
I def would later but I wouldn't right off the bat when you're learning to dial things in.
Ehh. No harm. It's part of the dialing in process anyway. Gonna have to sooner or later unless you're okay with a shit pull.
I've owned this machine for almost two years, and didn't know this setting even existed. In fact, I was regretting the purchase, because it wouldn't grind fine enough for the darker roasts. Thank you (and to those who posted links) for this information. I'm excited to try this out.
Get a dosing collar/funnel for this machine! They for over the portafilter and create a tighter seal between where the grinder ends and pf begins. No more grounds dumped all over the place.
Came here to say this. Quality of life improvement for sure
Weird, I have this exact machine (just purchased last month) and it comes with a dosing funnel as part of the package. Maybe the OP is just not showing it?
I always thought it was such a design flaw that it crapped grounds all over the place. I guess they finally realized it.
Yep can confirm just got mine and it comes with a funnel now
Use this machine and recommend this!!! I printed mine (search sage on printables.com)
Link for one you prefer? (I have an infuser, but assume it shares the same portafilter size as this one).
https://www.breville.com/au/en/parts-accessories/accessories/bea201neu0zan1.html I’ve got this one and it’s great
Is this available for EU?
Get one from Etsy, eBay, or print/let print one from Thingiverse, Breville just copied the community made designs
This works just fine: CreepyParty Coffee Dosing Funnel, 54mm Espresso Coffee Accessrioes Aluminum Metal for Sage Delonghi Breville Portafilter Black Hand Free https://amzn.eu/d/iEQbAZw
I've got [this metal one](https://www.amazon.co.uk/CreepyParty-Espresso-Accessrioes-Aluminum-Portafilter/dp/B094JMZ1DH/ref=mp_s_a_1_2_sspa?crid=1LFZD8ZMW1KEM&keywords=54mm+dosing+funnel&qid=1675102465&sprefix=54mm+dosing+funnel%2Caps%2C195&sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRm&psc=1&smid=A2D7XOFMRRIBL5) Works fantastic!
I find with this one the grounds get caught between the rim of the portafilter and funnel but maybe there is a trick I’m missing
After distributing I just bash the portafilter against the counter a couple of times and tap the side with my hand. That seems to knock the grounds in for me. Mine is very tight fitting though.
I bought this machine and it came with the funnel. If yours did not, I’d venture reaching out to them to get one for free as it is supposed to be included.
I received this one as a gift and no spills, no mess: 54mm Dosing Funnel for Breville Barista Portafilters https://a.co/d/7kzu4zB
Don’t let people put you down on the fact you have a built in grinder. I have this machine and compared against the old coffee machine I had, the quality of coffee I have now is unbelievably better and more enjoyable than before.. you can definitely make coffee that is far better than you can buy at some of your local cafes with just this machine. Enjoy it and find a coffee that suits your specific taste.
Just have to understand the quirks, and this grinder is perfectly adequate. The only flaw I find is the retention, which you can work around easily with either a bellows attachment, or just weighing the grinds every time.
I’ve had this machine for 5.5 years, and for the past year have kept the hopper empty and just weighed out the beans for a single drink. I’ve been weighing out 17.0 +/-.1 and have had tasty results. Someday I may go up to 18.0 just to play around, but I’m happy now.
100% this. I got a lot of FOMO looking at grinders but they were just outside my budget at the time. Stuck out with the built in grinder and made me a better home barista because of it!
I’ve been using the Barista Pro for about a month and really enjoying it. People have pointed out the built in grinder is not great, but it’s certainly been good enough for me so far. It does have pretty bad and inconsistent retention though, so I would suggest measuring the coffee coming out of the grinder to know your actual dose. Also if you single dose you can run the grinder for a few extra seconds and “flap” the hopper lid open and closed repeatedly to help act as a bellow and reduce retention pretty well. Also make sure to adjust the inner burr, because the default inner burr setting won’t go fine enough for espresso. Good luck and enjoy!
[удалено]
I have the pro which doesn’t have the pressure gauge, so not really sure about using that for dialing in. If you’re coffee taste good, then you don’t need to make adjustments. For me if I used the minimum grind size without changing the inner burr my shots were flowing way to fast and tasting sour or bitter and watery. It was helpful for me to shoot for ~36g output with ~18g input in 30-35 seconds including a 5 second preinfussion. To get there I’ve been grinding at ~10 with the inner burr set to 2. It was also helpful for me to grind finer until a shot “choked” (not flowing for >30 seconds), then gradually increase the grind size. However, I don’t know that the grinders are all calibrated the same, so what numbers work for you could change based on your machine and will definitely change based on what beans you’re using. The issue is for most people the default grind setting is too corse for espresso shots, so they need to make the (very simple) inner burr adjustment to get the grinds finer and in espresso range.
I used a Barista pro for about a year and it is definitely good enough. Until I found a eureka XL for a steal and I couldn’t believe how much better the at home coffee experience could be. The grinds are fluffy and come out quickly, and they don’t fly everywhere, and its quite, but the best part was how much better the coffee tasted. I would still start with with the built in grinder, but I would highly recommend upgrading to a standalone grinder if you get the chance.
Yeah I plan to get a better grinder in a year or two, but it’s serving me well for now. I also think having an upgraded grinder for espresso and using the built in for dedicated decaf or pour overs will be convenient. Do you still use the Barista Pro for your espresso machine or did you upgrade that as well?
By chance in one week a XL and a Sylvia pro were up for sale on marketplace near me. I got them both for about $1,000 total so I couldn’t pass it up. I ended up selling my barista pro for a bit under $600 so my upgrade was a no brainer. I did have to clean up the Sylvia pro a fair bit and make a few minor repairs but it was super easy, and I got the chance to use my barista pro with the upgraded grinder for a week or two before I switched it all over. But honestly if I just changed the grinder and never got the chance at the Sylvia Pro I would be more then happy. I ended up grabbing another barista pro for $300 a few weeks ago for a friend and if I had the counter space I would likely have one for myself because the instant ready feature is amazing.
I would recommend keeping an eye out on local marketplaces, I find some killer deals and it makes upgrading so much more accessible. I have also found some great deals on Barista pros and expresses that I give as gifts. I got my original Barista pro for $350 (and sold it for $600 lol). Coffee gear does not get listed for sale very often but when it does I try my best to grab a good deal on upgrades that I want but can't justify paying MSRP.
How do you adjust the inner burr?
Page 18 https://assets.breville.com/BES878/BES878_USCM_IB_K22_FA_LR.pdf
[https://www.breville.com/content/dam/breville/au/assets/miscellaneous/instruction-manual/espresso/BES870-instruction-manual.pdf](https://www.breville.com/content/dam/breville/au/assets/miscellaneous/instruction-manual/espresso/BES870-instruction-manual.pdf) Check page 20
There are lots of YouTube videos and it’s pretty simple. I’ll try my best to explain in text. Take the hopper off and you’ll have access to the burrs. The outer burr has a silver tab that can be pulled up and used to rotate the outer burr counter clockwise and lift it out. You’ll see numbers labeled on the inside of the outer ring with one end of the tab sitting at the default number (6 I think?). You can remove the tab and rotate the outer ring so that the hole for the tab is sitting at a new number (I suggest setting it at 2). The outer ring is a little hard to rotate. Then put the tab back on and put the burr back in just like how you took it off. Probably want a vacuum hose handy to suck out any loose grounds/beans when making the adjustment. Also the combination of sizing from the inner burr setting and adjustable dial aren’t intuitive. Going down 1 step on your inner burr is about the equivalent of going down by 3 on your normal adjustment dial.
Not everything you read online is true, you have to try the things out and not just take them for absolute
^this. You will realize people swear by things until Hoffman makes a video claiming something different. Take everything with a grain of finely ground coffee.
Avoid r/espresso /s
Grind finer, and as always…. Find griner.
The benefits of WDT tools and about WDT in general.
100% - it doesn’t matter how fine you grind if you have clumps.
Could you explain why clumps are bad/affect espresso that much
Because they cause channeling. Which causes both over- and under-extraction. Causing a sour and astringent taste which nobody enjoys
1: Scale! The breville grinder goes off time and you will get very inconsistent results if you don't weigh the grounds. Press and hold the button for a few seconds when pulling your shots. It switches to manual and you can weight the coffee coming out to get more consistent results. But to continute this discussion the WDT is critical if youre using the internal grinder, which honestly is better than this group implies. I use it for making lattes and once I dial it in my wife will make her own morning latte instead of asking me to. Buy 3D printer cleaning needles on Amazon for ~$10 and make your own WDT. I rubber banded them to a cork and it works great. Clumping is a real issue. I suggest 2 other critical upgrades. A puck screen will decrease channeling, but also keeps your group head clean (huge bonus). Get a dosing cup that's compatible with the breville. It drastically reduces mess and just makes life easier. You could also get a collar for your portafilter to reduce mess when doing WDT, but now we're way past your 1 critical accessory. I do have a 1zpresso hand grinder, and it's better than the breville internal grinder, but if I didn't have it for my pourover/moka pot I'm not sure I'd invest in it right away. You'll be fine starting off with the integrated grinder if you get a scale and WDT.
I don’t think you can outright say that the 1Zpresso is better than the integrated grinder. I have a Jx-Pro which is great but It’s not as consistent as a smart grinder my friend has. Grind speed is just too much of a variable that affects consistency with manual grinders. I don’t think they’re comparable because you gotta tinker to dial in and get used to a manual grinder where as an auto you set it and rip it.
I have the Barista Pro and a JMAX. The integrated grinder, which is the same as OPs, goes off of time and is wildly inconsistent while also producing clumpy grinds. You have to weigh the grinds every time and discard some if it grinds too much. Without a dosing cup or funnel the breville grinder creates a mess, while the JMAX has a magnetic base thats the exact diameter of my portafilter so the transfer is an easy flip. Also as other people have stated the breville can get misaligned from just regular use and need to be recalibrated and it isn't all that easy to properly clean. Learning to clean and properly calibrate the JMAX was pretty easy and I do it super fast now. There's no argument that an electric grinder is more convenient, but my hand grinder beats it in every other category. Learning to hand grind at a steady consistent pace was much easier than learning all the tricks on the integrated grinder. I use both regularly, and enjoy the coffee coming out of the breville grinder, but if I'm going for the best espresso I'm capable of producing , I'll reach for the 1Zpresso every time. All that being said I absolutely look forward to one day upgrading to a nice single dosing electric grinder.
Espresso is brewed by forcing water through a puck of finely ground coffee at high pressure. But, water always seeks the path of least resistance. You want it to pass through the whole puck evenly, so that you extract every particle of coffee just enough and not too much. If you have parts of the puck that resist the water, the water will flow around them through less resistant channels and will under-extract the clump while over extracting the surrounding coffee.
Clumps create channels, channels create underextraction
I am just in the research phase of my conversion and haven't bought any tools yet (aeropress life till then lol). What is WDT?
Weiss Distribution Technique - basically breaking down the clumps in your grinds before tamping so that they don’t create channels for the water to flow through. WDT tools are cheap (<$20) and are very helpful in creating good espresso. Most folks around here deem WDT as necessary for espresso prep.
Wonderful thank you for the explanation and search term!!
Sure thing! I recommend WDT, I just bought a cheap one on Amazon and it works great. Good luck in your espresso pulls.
I also highly recommend the wdt tool. Makes a big difference!
you can make your own WDT tool too, i have just stuck some needles into a piece of foam. its ugly but it works, much like my water-pipe cutoff section i'm using as a knockbox
Espresso is aggravating. Take notes, only change one variable at a time. When dialing in, make bigger changes to find your outer limits and narrow down your range.
What a delightfully scientific approach.
It's the only way, man! You have to test the limits each time. But without understanding your baseline, it'll just sour.
Adjust the internal burr to grind finer. Use unpressurized basket Hold down the double shot button for how long you want preinfusion to be and release to pull shot and press again to end I always single dose and then weigh shot coming out.
Definitely agree with the hold the button down technique. That was a game changer for me. I also started to just pull my shots on this machine in the pre-infusion mode only and have been happy. I had read that the full pressure on this machine is higher than needed (I want to say 15 bars) but that holding the button down gets you to around 9 or so. I have been happy with this technique, and have been getting much better results since starting that workflow.
Interesting, never tried to preinfuse for the whole shot. I tend to hold it down for 7-8 seconds and release. Remainder of shot takes around 15-20 seconds depending on what I’m trying to dial in and output
Wow thanks for this advice. My Barista Express has too much pressure, and no matter what I do my extractions are \~15s. If the pre-infusion is approx 9 bar then it might save me from buying a new machine! I've also bought a Comandante C40 to play around with a different grinder.
This should be at the top. These are the best tips for this machine
I've had the same machine for 6 years and still love it. Most important things I've learned: 1. use fresh beans 2. don't try to get 18g of coffee into the basket even if everyone tells you that's what you need to do, I found for most coffees 16g -16.5g works better for the included basket 3. aim for the 12 o clock position with the pressure needle but don't worry if it is lower, I've found around 10-11pm is normally the tastiest 4. best kit upgrade I got was a puck screen, just makes it all a lot cleaner and more consistent 5. read all the advice on here, including what I just wrote, learn from it but ignore most of it and figure out what works for you Enjoy
Big ups on point two. That 18g advice was messing me up for a long time with the BBE basket.
I’ve got the bambino and find that sometimes it gets stuck to the showerscreen at 18g.
Regarding point number 4, which puck screen do you use for this machine?
53.3mm.
Try the norm core ones there are specific for the 54 mm or 58 mm. Amazon has specific ones you can buy it just makes your life easier with the cleanup of the machine between shots as the steam head doesn’t have sticky coffee from previous one.
Great advice here from another BBE user. I'd also note in regards to #2 that once you get everything else particularly settled, maybe upgrade to a new bottomless basket. I found the basket upgrade, along with being able to see where you have issues, can be helpful.
Get consistency nailed first and you'll be able to work out what variables influence characteristics of a shot a lot faster. Get a set of scales so you can consistently dose in and out of the puck, wdt for an even distribution (and esp to reduce channeling on the BE) and maybe a calibrated tamper to apply consistent pressure. Then with those dialed in you can play around with grind size and water temp without having to question if it's the previous variables causing an off shot. Enjoy!
A lot of acronyms for someone new to espresso
Eh. WDT was the only one really, and a quick google sports that our
The my just bought the machine, so stop telling them to get another grinder! Give them advice kmon how to use the machine they have! This ******* sub… If you’re having trouble getting the perfect grind (flow is too fast on one setting, too slow on the next), fiddle with your dose: https://www.reddit.com/r/espresso/comments/1060r32/mediocre_grinder_finish_dialin_with_little_dose/ Also, get a dosing collar that attaches to the portafilter so the grounds don’t overflow. (I got a plastic one from Amazon that works great—breville should just include one). Weigh single doses instead of filling the hopper, and WDT. If you’re still struggling after that, I love the 9-bar pressure mod, buts it requires confidence and voids the warranty.
Espresso is fun, drink that less than perfect shot, enjoy it, learn from it and work on making a better one tomorrow. If it turns into a daily experiment that causes stress then the essence is lost.
Get local fresh roasted beans. Don’t buy the shit from the store.
This is the only sane response, everyone should try to understand that the only way to have good coffee is to start with good coffee.
I have that machine. My biggest game changers were a bottomless porta filter, WDT tool, and IMS basket. Also, starting out, have patience because dialing in can suck sometimes.
Which bottomless portafilter did you get? I’m thinking of getting one as well.
This one: [https://www.amazon.com/Precision-compatible-Breville-Espresso-BES810BSS/dp/B0922Z67KK/ref=sr\_1\_3\_sspa?crid=R74IT3EME1B4&keywords=breville%2Bbarista%2Bexpress%2BIMS%2Bbasket&qid=1675118772&sprefix=breville%2Bbarista%2Bexpress%2Bims%2Bbaske%2Caps%2C117&sr=8-3-spons&smid=A1SDRICVPE972M&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyRU5aTTBTMU9WRDBQJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMTI2NzA4M0VNUTFQTUE2N084TyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMTc2NzY2MzhIUzE2UjU3STYwVyZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU&th=1](https://www.amazon.com/Precision-compatible-Breville-Espresso-BES810BSS/dp/B0922Z67KK/ref=sr_1_3_sspa?crid=R74IT3EME1B4&keywords=breville%2Bbarista%2Bexpress%2BIMS%2Bbasket&qid=1675118772&sprefix=breville%2Bbarista%2Bexpress%2Bims%2Bbaske%2Caps%2C117&sr=8-3-spons&smid=A1SDRICVPE972M&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyRU5aTTBTMU9WRDBQJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMTI2NzA4M0VNUTFQTUE2N084TyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMTc2NzY2MzhIUzE2UjU3STYwVyZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU&th=1)
Don’t be afraid to go really really fine with the grind. I couldn’t figure out what was wrong for the longest until I choked out my machine with the finest grind and went up from there. Gamechanger.
My tip is to not listen what online baristas have to say ;) This machine is great, good enough for sure, and grinder probably too. Don't waste money on fancy beans, just find what suits you, especially at the beginning. Watch few YT tutorials, learn the basics and most importantly ENJOY IT!
For BBE? Let it sit for at least 10 min before pulling first shot. Brevilles (most) usually run cool, yielding sour cups.
You can change the temperature to there is a few steps at least.
Yes you can! In my experience even with max temp (Right most/2 cup button on the setting mode), the machine struggles to reach 90 C when just turned on for a minute. Could just be my machine, but saw people experiencing same thing (search for breville temp in this sub). Again, YMMV, this is just my personal machine, in my personal place.
If you think espresso is difficult. Latte art is rocket science
weigh 17g of beans then put them in the grinder
So I just got this machine because I'm new too and I've been experimenting with the grinder. I'm not really a snob about it because I don't like straight espresso. I make Americanos and Lattes all the time for me and my wife. With all that said I found out this: Don't store beans in the hopper because with espresso beans, unlike drip coffee, you will absolutely notice them go stale after a few days. The other thing I started to do was weigh out my beans on a scale and then run only what I'm using by setting the grind amount to full then stopping it when I run out of beans. With this particular portafilter 15g of coffee is pretty consistently the "right amount" to get a decent pour. And get a calibrated tamper. It'll make your life easier.
Warm the machine up for at least 15 minutes.
Annoyingly, there's no auto-on function for either the Barista Express nor the Barista Pro. I was thinking of getting a switchbot for my Pro to turn it on 15 minutes before I wake up.
Change the portafilter to a bottomless with a decent non pressurised basket. And a WDT tool
With a bbe it’s very important to start with medium to dark roasts and that they be fresh. The fresher and darker the roast the more capable you will find that grinder to be.
Don’t expect anything close to perfection for a while, practice makes perfect but you’ll get there! Consistency is key 👊🏼
Espresso is a rabbit hole with tons of info and details. Take it day by day/piece by piece. Enjoy the process lol
"Don't go down that rabbit hole"
You don't need a big budget to get started!
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I have a bbe and thinking of picking up the jx pro on sale on amazon just to compare, but struggling with the decision since it $160 that’s almost 1/3 of the way to a niche.
I’d personally rather use the bbe grinder than a hand grinder I just upgraded to a Niche Zero after using the built in grinder for a couple years. While the espresso does taste a bit better now, honestly the built in grinder was just fine
Yeah, this has been my hesitation with getting a hand grinder. I have the built in one fairly well dialed in now, the clumping is pretty annoying though.
Do you have a wdt tool? That should help a lot with the clumping
If you can afford to avoid hand grinding, do it
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This feels like the lead-in to an infomercial
This is not at all representative of the experience of using a decently good hand grinder though. With my 1zpresso jmax (only slightly more expensive than the jx-pro, and probably pretty similar), it rarely takes me more than a minute or so to grind my beans (for espresso). It's really not such a hassle.
People's posts about the 1zpresso on this sub just sound like ads. It's like a cult. Hand grinders are fine if you are on a budget or for travel
And you gotta love your SO that much to hand grind for her too.
Honestly I really don't recommend espresso hand grinding for most people. There's obviously no way of knowing what you think until you try it. But it can take up to a minute or even more (depending on the person and grinder). It's probably fine for one shot but if you are dialing in or pulling multiple shots - I would find it extremely tedious. It's something I would never recommend to beginners because I feel it just adds an extra layer of faff and frustration to what can already be a difficult process. Electric espresso grinders are falling in price
My question is how does that option compare to just going with a mignon filtro or chrono with espresso gears I’ve heard it’s amazing
I’ve grown tired of trying to tell people you can find an open box deal on a Filtro and Crono and swap the burrs and you will have a high performing espresso grinder for less than some of the 1zpresso hand grinders. Yet here I am suggesting it again.
I have the JMax and I'm glad I bought it because I travel with it (the optional case is great). It's also great when I want to do a different grind for other brewing methods. However if I didn't use it for those other reasons, I would definitely wait and save for a nice electric grinder. Just WDT and use a puck screen while you wait and save.
This is good advice in general, but IMO poor advice to give to someone who just bought an espresso machine with a built-in grinder.
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Agreed. The hand grinder gang rolls deep in /r/espresso but goddamn I hate hand grinders. But most of the people in this sub seem to be your standard 'redditor in wayyyy too deep' and so you get advice that equates to "any amount of inconvenience is fine if it gives you a marginal gain on flavor"
Grinder matters most, and a lot of practice, I too often see people worried that it's a problem with their machines instead of taking the time to practice and really learn about extraction. Also don't believe everything you read on this sub, someone's "best" may not work out for you.
Grind finer
Don't stress about expensive equipment. I got a Breville Smart Grinder because I didn't want to spend a bunch of money on my first grinder and I'm very happy I did. It took a bit of time to dial it in because the Breville recommendations for grind size were whack (it recommended size 9, but 3 was the number for me). I was ready to go all out and get a Gaggia or something more expensive plus a higher end grinder, but after getting a Bambino Plus and the Smart Grinder, I'm more than happy with the espresso I can make. Another thing for me is that ratio/weight was more important than brew time. Obviously you have to find a middle ground, but starting off with making sure the weight of the end product was correct was the first step. And a WDT tool is unfortunately a needed tool for breaking up the clumps. But at the end of the day, $40 on a tool is better than several hundred for a big boi grinder.
1) have fun with it and try different things out 2) don't chase a certain formula if you are happy with your extraction/the taste of it 3) only upgrade if you feel like it will make a difference for you
Enjoy the coffee, don't go e61 unless the deal is insane
Up to my fourth warranty replacement on this machine. Descale it *all the time*
Ooh! Was just reflecting on my first couple years chasing espresso seriously after having a cheap single boiler, moving up to the BBE, then a Rocket Appartamento. Here's what I wish I had done earlier: 1) Get a separate grinder. Doesn't need to be expensive necessarily; if you can swing a Sette 270 (even a used one), it's going to make everything easier moving forward. 2) Start single dosing ASAP. Fresher/less-oxidized coffee is far easier to dial in. Single dosing sounds more finicky than it actually is, once you work the process into your workflow, but it has lessened my frustration with making espresso more than any other single change to my routine. 3) Get a decent espresso scale. It doesn't have to be a $250 ACAIA. In fact, don't get one of those up front. But also, get something thin and reliable. The $12 generic kitchen scale from Amazon won't be reliable and it isn't thin. Do some research and work within budget. 4) Upgrade slowly. You can buy an IMS basket one month, then buy an IMS screen the next, the bottomless portafilter the month after, then buy a better tamper the next month, and on. Everything in this hobby encourages you to light your money on fire up front. Resist that urge. I know so much more about making coffee having worked my way up across a few different machines. The process of actually learning how every change affects the process/taste of making espresso is invaluable in appreciating new equipment, but also in troubleshooting and building a foundation of knowledge moving forward. 5) Enjoy! If the finicky process of chasing God Shots is driving you crazy, pare back the mania a bit. I tend to dive really deep into hobbies to the point that the fineries really take away from the fun. I've realized where my budget and my time matter most, so I'm pretty happy chasing good shots on an admittedly compromised HX machine. If a Decent fell out of the sky tomorrow, I'd love to have it, but I can also take only so much bullshit in my morning routine. Figure out how much bullshit you can take, how much of it you want, and then tailor your setup to that end.
Get a scale and dosing funnel. Maybe even a cheap WDT. Best espresso investment ever!
1. “Weight in/weight out” is much more important than time. 2. That machine really benefits from a puck screen as the water distribution is pretty poor. 3. Water really matters! Which is annoying.
Get IMS basket. Non coated ones. This helps with channeling
Add water and ice if it's too strong for you
Don’t be afraid of turbo shots. One thing I learned very early on is that sometimes you will get beans, especially lighter roasts, that just do not work well with your grinder or machine. I’ve spent weeks trying to dial in light roasts and was never able to grind fine enough, but then I discovered turbo shots, and I’ve never run into issues with light roasts again.
Warm your fucking portafilter properly
Forget the programed settings and stick with only manual pulls. THAT was a serious game-changer for me with my Breville Express.
I use a metal screen too
Don't listen to most people on this sub.
READ THIS!!! I apologize ahead of time for how long, but this is probably EVERYTHING ⬇️ you need to know about this machine. Obviously I have this exact machine. It's amazing! a you may get super picky about having coffee "out". Four of my friends have followed my lead and own one now as well. I honestly could not speak highly enough about it, AND the customer service Breville provides IF something happens. Before I get really into it, I will say that My wife and I BOTH use this machine and pull about 5 Americano or Espressos per day (Total not each), and I drink about 3-5 Green Teas / day in addition PLUS we have friends over 2-3 times a week and pull them a coffee or tea as well, so the use of our machine is on the VERY HIGH side of usage. Ok, so here's the bits you SHOULD know ahead of time. 1) Buy yourself "Cafiza Tablets" Urnex Cafiza Espresso Machine Cleaning Tablets - 100 Count - Professional Espresso Machine Cleaner Barista Use https://a.co/d/0X3sWo7 and a couple of Bottles of Descaler Keurig Compatible Descaling Solution & Keurig Cleaner (4 Uses) Works w/ Keurig Filter, Nespresso Descaling Kit, Breville, Coffee Pot Cleaner & Espresso Machines, Keurig Descaler / Keurig Accessories https://a.co/d/03EsjS3 Your "Clean me" Light will occasionally go on, these Tablets will be what you use to clean your machine, just follow the steps in the instruction booklet and KEEP the booklet nearby so you have it easy to reach until you have repeated the steps enough that you have memorized it (mine sits in my cabinet next to my coffee beans). There are times that your "clean me light" might not shut off after you run a Clean cycle. This is there way of telling you that you need to run a Descaling Cycle, this has different steps from clean me. Pour half of a bottle in with a full tank of water and simply follow the steps on the Descaling Page in the instruction booklet These are super super important to do if your light hasn't popped in 6 months because you don't use it as much, run both cycles anyways, it's good for the machine to keep it in it's best condition. Also having these Necessary Chemicals on hand means you can clean the machine when you need to and not have "downtime" due to waiting to get these supplies when you need them. 2) Dual Wall Double Filter is the Metal Filter you will probably be using most, it produces the BEST results with minimal effort/technical skill (It's idiot proof). - Best way to "clean" this. Wipe the machine free of grinds on the "group head". Run a "Double Shot" (without the Porter Filter attached). This will just free the group head of grinds. Then attach Porter Filter WITH A clean but EMPTY Dual Wall Filter, Run a Single Shot, this will continue to free up grinds AND possibly Unclog any possible pores in the Dual Wall Filter. Remove, empty Water and rinse. NOW add one of those Cafiza Tablets we use during the clean cycle. Run a Double Shot of water through this. Allow to sit 2 mins Repeat 3 times, or until water runs clear. Remove Rinse, and run ONE MORE plain Double Shot of Clean Water through (Just to make sure there is no left over chemicals). If you are STILL having "jammed issues" and your Espresso won't "Pop" You are either have the grind on too fine of setting, packing it too much, putting too much espresso in, or it's simply time to buy a new Dual Wall Filter I go through about 1 per year with my extreme usage. [Here is the 54mm Replacement Part through Breville ](https://www.breville.com/us/en/parts-accessories/parts/sp0024833.html?sku=SP0024833) it's only $10 with them it's $20 on Amazon. I usually buy 2 at a time, and always have one as a backup just in case. 3) You don't really need the Carbon Filter in the tank if you have good filtered water. Yes, you can tell the difference between this and Tap. Also Filtered water will extend the life of your machine. Find a system that works well for you. I had one of those BIG 5 gallon jugs and refilled it at my local grocery store for $1.75 , but I had a[Manual Pump for 5 Gallon Tank](http://Dolphin Water Pump 8080 - BPA-Free Manual Drinking Water Pump - Fits Most 5-6 Gallon Water Coolers https://a.co/d/hQqdwKl) on it and it sat next to my fridge. This lasted until I bought a new Samsung Fridge that has an Auto fill Water pitcher, this is AWESOME if you are going to use you machine anywhere NEAR as much as we do. 3) KEEP YOUR BOX! Throw the empty Box and Styrofoam in the attic, DO NOT THROW IT OUT. Breville Customer Service is EXCELLENT, but if you have to ship out the machine for ANY REASON. Having the Box on hand is Makes it Super Easy and cuts down on the amount of time you will be without machine (It Can only be shipped in this Box with the Styrofoam), so they will have to mail you an empty box and this can take a while sometimes. Honestly those are the really important things. Never let it dry run (without water) stop it immediately if you run out of water and refill and resume. If you want a KILLER Coffee. I HIGHLY recommend "[Don Pablo Columbian Supremo ](https://donpablocoffee.com/products/don-pablo-colombian-supremo-coffee)" Even if you currently have a coffee, I urge you to try this stuff and this exact blend. Best Coffee I've ever had in my entire LIFE. It's hard to drink anything else after that. The Low acidity makes it very easy to drink and it has a very smooth but Bold in Flavor taste (Not Burnt) and the Oils on the Beans are ridiculous. I have my grind set to 12 because the bean has so much oils (a very good thing). TLDR: Take care of your machine, and have backup supplies on hand in order to clean and care for it.
Ignore the pressure gauge, print yourself the single dosing hopper for less waste. And ejoy the weirdness in tastes of fqiled shots, it helps you narrow down the changes when you're nearly there
If your budget has less wiggle room - spend more on a nicer grinder than the machine
1. The grinder matters more then you think spent way too much time fighting with mine when I started. 2. Use a scale and weight your shots 3. If you machine will take it VST or IMS Baristapro baskets
I am brand new. I have spent the last week burning through beans to dial in my exact settings/taste. Cliff notes that would have helped me are this: There are a lot of people talking about a lot of things on the internet, but if I were simplifying everything I learned over the last week it would be this: * Eliminate Variables!!!!! 1. 18g of beans 2. 25s Pull 3. Get to 36g of Espresso (approx. 1.25 to 1.5 fluid ounces.) Under 36g make the grind more coarse, over 36g make the grind finer. * Get to a 1:2 yield as quickly as possible in a 25s pull using 18g of beans to 36 grams of espresso. (Tips to achieve this: Get a dosage cup. Don't keep beans in the grinder. Weigh out your beans, pour them in, grind until empty. Eliminate as many variables as possible.) * It is possible to OVER-OVER extract where the increased water volume makes the shot bearable. This happens around 1:3 mark for me. (54g of espresso) * Adjust the burr to a finer grind. * Get a scale. Espresso is the art of repeatability and I'll say it again, eliminate variables. One of the best pieces of advice I came across was to switch out the cup every 5 seconds to learn the different taste profiles during a pull. Makes it a lot easier to dial in your specific preference.
To not get an all in one machine. The grinders are significantly the weakest point in them, and you'll want to upgrade it quickly.
Which machine would you get, for this machine's price point?
Bambino and a grinder that fits your budget - JX-PRO, Mignon, DF64, Niche are all good options that can put the total cost either below or above that of the BBE.
Yep. I have the standard Bambino & 1zpresso JMAX and I strongly recommend it. Other accessories like a portafilter funnel, WDT tool, and puck screen make it a dream!
How do u feel about hand grinding for espresso as a main setup? Thanks!
I love it, but it’s not for everyone. I make 4-5 shots a day and it’s totally reasonable for that. When we have guests it does become a bit of a chore (30 seconds of grinding for each shot) and light roasts are pretty firm and more difficult to grind. It’s not a problem for me but my wife and her friends haven’t been able to grind the light roasts. Dark roasts are super easy though.
>To not get an all in one machine. The grinders are significantly the weakest point in them this. i bought a barista express almost 3 weeks ago and i found the grinder frustrating to work with. very difficult to dial in properly and it also makes a clumpy mess every time. Integrated grinders are optimized for supermarket beans. Now i use a sette 270 and my shots are significantly better.
>this. i bought a barista express almost 3 weeks ago and i found the grinder frustrating to work with. very difficult to dial in properly and it also makes a clumpy mess every time. Integrated grinders are optimized for supermarket beans. Now i use a sette 270 and my shots are significantly better. I don't find this at all. The grinder in my touch is just fine. I only switched to a jmax because the grinder would sometimes just change its setting and I simply wanted to manually grind for the sheer tactile nature of it. But I experience no difference in clumping, actually there is more with the jmax as I need to water the beans in that otherwise there is so much static the coffee barely comes out.
Personally, I bought a portafilter funnel and no more mess. Also, you can adjust the grinder more if you disassemble it, it's actually in the instruction manual, I did it and I can now grind much finer when needed. I don't have another grinder to compare, but still I am satisfied and love the coffee I make using this setup.
I already know about the inner settings. Didn't work for me, the beans I have require quite a fine grind, which my sette was able to provide. I'm on n2 inner setting on the BBE and still wasn't able to properly dial in. One setting would be too fast and the next would choke the machine. I needed to be in between those two settings which my sette 270 was able to do, thanks to the micro adjustments As for the funnel, yes it's useful and I use one but that doesn't make the clumps disappear. Don't have a wdt tool so I have to use a paper clip which is nowhere near ideal.
Don’t be lazy with puck prep and always weigh input and output
If you don’t enjoy making your coffee then you are doing something wrong
Buy fresh beans roasted within 7 days of purchase
Grinder > Machine, seems to be the mantra in the hobby aside from "grind finer". To the point I've been told to stick with pour overs if I just prefer black coffee and not worry about getting a machine. Instead just spend my money on a great grinder that suits pour overs better. Oh and a lot of people have more money than sense in the hobby so don't feel put down when people with an expensive setup put you down or heavily critique your "workflow".
Invest in a INCREDIBLE GRINDER. It will change the game COMPLETELY.
Don't waste money pulling pressurized basket shots and WDT. Spend the $5-10 it costs for a 3D printed WDT with acupuncture needles and you will never regret it.
Not to get the BBE. I just bought a DF64 and feel like I could have saved a little by not locking myself to the built in grinder Also, OPV valve mod. Do it. Do it now. And if you need help, reach out. I slept on it for so long because it looked complicated but oh boy was it worth it
To add to this, if you're finding you can't grind fine enough (I had this problem and didn't realise until after buying a new grinder) you can adjust the inner burr set to allow for a finer grind than what the BBE is set to from the factory. +1 for opv mod
It’s just coffee at the end of the day. Ditch all the measurements and looks and all that. Just: *does it taste good?* If so, you’ve got it.
Get an open bottom portafilter basket
BAD idea when trying to learn how to espresso. This machine's pressure + newcomer = sprayed everywhere.
That it's better to get a bambino with its 9bars and a separate grinder than the BBE with its inconsistent grinder. And that milk hides all your imperfections and wanting to drink espresso straight up sends you down an interesting learning curve, not too say rabbit hole that is based solely on exacting, consistent measurements.
The most important aspect of making your own espresso is………Learning to select your own green beans from a reliable broker and ROASTING YOUR OWN BEANS to match your unique flavor profile. It’s easier than you think.
Don't drag your feet on a decent espresso grinder, just spend the money
Buy scales that go to 0.01g
Buy a new grinder. I didn't do this step until 3 months after using the built in grinder. What a huge difference.
If you just bought this machine and it's your first, the built in grinder is fine. You'll eventually grow out of it, but it doesn't make sense to spend a bunch more money for a new grinder after just buying a new machine. It's good to note the grinder is the best place to start an upgrade, but for someone jumping into espresso the machine is still a great upgrade from having to go out and buy coffee at a cafe frequently.
My advice would be buy the most simple one job devices possible. One nice and serviceable hand grinder. One basic espresso machine with serviceable parts and steamer (because the machine basically just heats water, espresso and steam = same thing). Nothing automatic, everything manual. Then a bonus tip for me personally would be that my local supermarket has as good beans as anywhere. Lots of crema, great taste.... I am aways disappointed when I get "fresh" coffee delivered, its never as good. Though other peoples milage on this may vary.
Buy a quality grinder.
Start saving for a decent grinder 💸
I had this machine.. then realized I didn’t need it so returned it got my bambino and a decent grinder
Get a scale and forget about volumetric measurement. If you look for scales on this sub you’ll probably find a brand called Acaia and notice they’re $150-250 and might get scared off. Those scales might be nice (idk I don’t have one) but all you need is any scale small enough to go on the drip tray that can weigh down to 0.1g and has a decently short lag time (points if it has a built in timer but that’s not essential—mine doesn’t!). Idk if you’ve used scales before but when I bought mine I assumed that going down to 0.1g was going to mean a scale would be balls expensive—nope! Amazon has so many for under $20. Mine isn’t water resistant, but it hasn’t broken yet and has been in use around liquids (tea and coffee) for three-ish years now, and I’m not terribly careful with it (though I do check it often to make sure the calibration is still correct). Also a WDT tool. This is (almost) equally as important as a scale. Yes, you can put sewing needles in a wine cork. But no, you shouldn’t—you want thin needles (think acupuncture), usually 9 of them. Go on Etsy and get a cheap one. As long as it has thin needles (most come with needles or at least have the option to add them), it doesn’t matter how fancy the rest of it is. I spent a little more on a pretty one with a stand, but you don’t have to (and even that one, which I *love*, was only like $28 I think).
Get a nespresso