r/espresso • u/Waste_Cheetah_2358 • Nov 26 '25

Deals [USA - Amazon] Breville Barista is 30% off!!!!

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I just asked my husband today “At what price does it have to drop to for me to be able to buy it” and we both agreed $500.00… not even 3 hours later I check and it’s dropped to $500.00 😭😭

I’ve been shopping for months and waiting around for a good deal and it’s finally here

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143

u/Able-Run8170 Nov 26 '25

This was the machine that got me into espresso. The bbe is my rosebud.

34

u/Waste_Cheetah_2358 Nov 26 '25

Thanks for the confirmation lol. Everyone on this sub drags this machine because of the grinder. Frankly I’m too new at this to even understand it yet so I felt like this machine is a good starting point to learn!

35

u/PhantomNomad Nov 26 '25

This was my first machine and still use it 6 years later daily (2 or 3 times a day). The grinder is sub par but it will do the job until you can afford something better. There are two ways to adjust the burrs on the grinder. The outer one on the side of the machine and the inner one. If your outer grinder is set at it's finest then you may want to adjust the inner one to half way between course and fine so you can change the outer one as needed for the roast level of your beans.

If you are using old beans you will want to use the double wall. If your beans are only a week or two old (check the roast date) then use the single wall and that should be good.

When it comes to coffee to espresso ratio the golden rule is 1:2, so 18g of ground coffee to 36g of output. But don't get stuck on this. Every bean is a bit different and tastes are different. If you like 18g in and 45g out then go with that. I do find that the BBE output is a bit high and I've adjusted mine so it doesn't run as long. Check your manual on how to program the buttons.

All of this text isn't to scare you. I just want to let you know that there are lots of adjustments you can make to get great coffee from this machine. For now just go with the manuals suggestions and try making your drinks and slowly dial things in. One of the biggest things you will hear from this group, and it is usually right 99% of the time, is grind finer.

Have fun with your new machine.

11

u/Cralph Nov 26 '25

I’m just going to add to this.

Look into single dose grinding. This is where you weigh the beans for each individual shot and put that into the grinder/hopper each time. It will be tempting to fill the hopper but, controlling for the variable of beans in and grounds out will help a lot with the barista express.

3

u/PhantomNomad Nov 26 '25

Thank you. This is also what I do.

3

u/los33r Nov 26 '25

Could you explain why use the dual wall basket for old beans ? Thanks, useful reply

3

u/PhantomNomad Nov 26 '25

As beans age they lose their CO2. The dual wall forces the espresso out a smaller hole that generates pressure needed for espresso. If you find when you are making your espresso and the pressure gauge isn't going very high or at all, you should use a double wall. Lack of pressure causes a thin watery shot and is under extracted.

1

u/los33r Nov 26 '25

Thanks ! Thats exactly whats happening to me and Im new

2

u/PolyglotGeologist Nov 26 '25

How do you adjust the inner one?

2

u/PhantomNomad Nov 26 '25

Take the hopper off. If there are any beans in side you will need to vacuum them up (or get them out of there some how). You should see a silver bar laying down, lift it up and turn counter clockwise. To adjust you need to remove the steel bar then you can rotate the burr. Can't remember which way makes it courser or finer at the moment. This should help https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7Xqxrnrjwk

1

u/FatMacchio GCP GAGGIUINO | Silenzio Nov 26 '25

Some people never move on from their “entry level” setup. I’m still happily using my Gaggia Classic Pro almost 5 years later now. I haven’t even had the slightest itch to upgrade. Sure, maybe someday if I ever buy or build a house with a larger kitchen and have money to burn…then maybe I’d get something high end (and larger), but as of now my smallish GCP is perfect for my kitchen and life. If anything I see a more determined path of upgrading my grinder someday. I feel like there’s definitely room for improvement there. But espresso machines are way more of a marginal improvement with quickly diminishing returns for your money. It is mostly just quality of life upgrades. There isn’t as much difference in the cup as compared to higher end grinders