The Verdict
The Breville Barista Express Impress is a sophisticated espresso machine with grinder that bridges the gap between manual brewing and automated convenience. Its intelligent puck system and assisted tamping ensure you achieve a precise dose and consistent extraction, making café-quality coffee accessible for your home kitchen.
Why We Love It (Key Features)
- Impress Puck System: By automating the dosing and providing 10kg of assisted tamping pressure with a barista twist, this machine eliminates the guesswork and mess often associated with manual espresso preparation.
- Integrated Conical Burr Grinder: With 25 grind settings, you have the granular control needed to fine-tune your extraction and unlock the specific flavor profiles of your favorite beans.
- Advanced Heating and Texture: The Thermocoil heating system with PID control maintains precise temperatures, while the dedicated steam wand allows you to hand-texture silky microfoam perfect for latte art.
- Comprehensive Starter Kit: Beyond the machine, you receive a 54mm portafilter, a 480ml milk jug, filter baskets, and a precision trimming tool, so you are ready to start brewing immediately.
Pros & Cons
- Pros: Intelligent auto-dosing and tamping, integrated grinder with 25 settings, manual microfoam steam wand, and professional PID temperature control.
- Cons: Requires dedicated counter space to accommodate the integrated system, and the premium feature set commands a higher price point than basic appliances.
Who Should Buy This?
This machine is an excellent match for the home barista who wants to experience the craft of third-wave specialty coffee without the steep learning curve of manual dosing and tamping. It is perfect for those who value precision and want a streamlined, mess-free workflow while still maintaining the ability to texture milk manually for lattes and cappuccinos.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I customize my brew settings on this espresso machine with grinder?
Yes, you can adjust the brew temperature and use the customizable volumetric shot control to suit your personal preferences for both single and double shots.
How does the machine assist with the tamping process?
The machine features assisted tamping that replicates a professional barista by applying 10kg of consistent pressure combined with a 7-degree barista twist, resulting in a polished and level puck surface.
What is the capacity of the water tank and bean hopper?
The unit is designed for regular home use with a 2L water tank and a 250g bean hopper, allowing you to pull multiple shots before needing to refill.
5.0 out of 5 stars Happily Impressed! Bought this on Prime Day at a great price. Always been a Breville brand fan. I have several of their appliances and (almost) no complaints, other than an expensive (but functionally impressive) toaster that died after 2 years. I’m replacing a Nespresso machine that I’ve used daily for over 6 years. For the last few months, I think I’ve watched every YouTube video made about setting this model up, using and cleaning it. Breville also has videos about the machine. They are informative but irritatingly corny. I spent the day it showed up reading the manuals, re-watching some videos, packing away my Nespresso machine, inventorying the Breville and setting it up. I also ordered Lavazza coffee beens from Amazon just to get started.The first day, took several presses of the “dose” button to get my green okay light. I thought it was supposed to remember the correct dosage for the same beans but the 2nd day, it over-filled the portafilter. That gave me a chance to test the “razor” and it was simple to use. Since then the dosage has been perfect on the first try. Something I learned from the Breville videos is that start to finish, the extraction should take about 30 seconds or you need to adjust the grind. I used my iPhone to time that. 1st day was about 20 seconds, but the expresso still tasted way better than my Nespresso shots, so I just went with that and adjusted the grind by a couple of clicks (making it finer). Next day, the extraction took 25 seconds, so I adjusted the grind again by a couple of clicks. Extraction took 30 seconds and had a great crema.I should mention that I always used 2 shots on my Nespresso machine and about 10-12 ounces of unsweetened almond milk to make a latte. I also used probably 10 packets of Stevia in the Raw to get past the bitter taste. Over the years, I’ve tried most of the Nespresso original coffees and my favorites are the Italian ones. With the Lavazza coffee (also 2 shots) and my new Breville, I’ve cut that back to 4 packets and it’s perfect. Something else I noticed is that the the Lavazza is not very bitter (I just like my latte on the sweeter side) but I noticed a lot of nuance in the taste of my expresso shot. I’m not an expresso expert, so I don’t know the correct terms. But the latte tasted very, very fresh, light with just a hint of bitterness.I haven’t used the steaming wand and I’m not in any hurry to learn that. I’ve always put my almond milk in the microwave for about 90 seconds (with the Stevia in it) and used a $15 frother wand to whip it up. Then I pour that into the expresso. I don’t do art. I have the Nespresso frother and some 3rd party one I bought. They don’t do any better than the wand and are more work to clean up. I also only drink lattes or cappuccinos (when I over-froth!) and am actually not a coffee drinker. I drink tea the rest of the day.My criteria for upgrading machines were 1) improved taste in my lattes, 2) same ease of use as the Nespresso and 3) same or lower costs to make my lattes. I probably spend $50/month on Nespresso coffee and it looks like I can spend $10-$20 on the Lavazza or close to that amount if I want to try some local brewers (and I will). The Breville machine is (when on sale) twice the cost of a Nespresso. But spread that over 5 years and it’s not much of a factor. Ease of cleanup and setup is about the same. Filling up the water tank on the Breville is a tad more work than the Nespresso and will slosh out if you’re not careful. I’d say if you factor in putting water in and warming up the Nespresso machine, it took me about 4-5 minutes to make a Nespresso latte. Factor in the dosing time and the Breville takes me 7-8 minutes. Close enough.Am I happy with it? Heck, YES!!!! I’d give my Nespresso machine 4/10 stars. I didn’t have to get in the car and drive to a coffee shop each day. I knew I was trading quality for (some) cost and convenience. I’d give my Breville 8.5/10 stars. The expresso shots just taste so wonderful. I know some people go down a rabbit hole trying to get a perfect expresso shot. I rank wanting to do that right next to improving (or even doing) latte art. :-). I couldn’t be more pleased with this new setup.Variation: Color: Brushed Stainless Steel
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Espresso Machine I absolutely love my coffee. I don’t know how people survived before they learned to roast coffee beans and brew their morning cup.My previous fully automatic machine died, repair was $700+ and they no longer had electronic parts. I had to get another machine and quickly. I was a grizzly bear without my coffee! I selected the Barista Express Impress. (Couldn’t they find a better name?)As far as this machine, it is more difficult than making drip coffee in your Keurig. It is designed to give you the tools to make the best coffee that you ever had. However, you need to learn how to use it. It takes a lot of time to master because you have control of parameters I did not know existed.The machine has a nice set of tools for maintenance and daily use. The tool tray attaches to the rear of the drip tray and is easily reached by pulling out the drip tray. The machine senses how much coffee to grind and automatically adjusts to grind the correct amount of beans. On several occasions, the beans stuck in the grinder, so I had to manually grind to get the correct level. No big deal but it mess up the level of beans to grind and it takes several cups of coffee to get it right again. I think that is why there are a lot of complaints about the grind level changing. I have learned to “bump” the bean hopper to free the beans before there are problems. If you listen, you can hear the grinder start to run free. I think Breville needs to redesign the hopper so beans flow freely. That is the only real criticism I have found.There are some things you need to know. First off, the beans you choose are extremely important. They affect the coffee more than anything else. Second, you control the coffee grind. You get to choose exactly how fine you grind. That is a major factor in making coffee. Third, you get to control the brewing temperature. I haven’t figured out how yet, but I am happy with the brew as it is.When I make a latte, I use the microwave oven to heat the milk. If you want latte art, you will need to use the milk frother. I tried it a few times and it works well. There is a lot to clean, so I don’t use it.There are a few problems. My machine would only grind as I was holding the grind button. I unplugged the machine and it worked correctly when I plugged it back in. The machine stopped brewing. The pump would run with a noise that sounded like the machine would explode. When I turned the machine around to get the serial number (it was not on the back like Support told me–I think it is on the machine underside), I realized that I had run out of water! There is no water low sensor, so it is easy for the machine to run dry. Since a dry pump will fail very quickly, this is a major oversight.The machine needs to be descaled regularly, especially if you live in a hard water area. Cleaning supplies are too expensive so I buy citric acid in bulk and generic cleaning tablets. Both work well. My water used to come from a reverse osmosis filter but I no longer have that luxury. I think I need to start buying water from one of those water stores that are popping up all over.On the whole, the machine makes an excellent cup but it takes knowledge and time to learn.Variation: Color: Brushed Stainless Steel
5.0 out of 5 stars Great value in an entry level semiautomatic We purchased this during one of the regular Breville sales where many of their machines go on sale at the same time at retailers. At that price I think this is a great value.I had been shopping for an espresso machine for a while, and was mostly looking at saving for a more expensive machine, but this seemed like a great choice to just get something earlier. This makes great coffee and is easy enough to use that it isn’t completely overwhelming for novice users. With the integrated tamping and grinder, it’s nice that it’s a “one thing on the counter” setup with a relatively compact package.There are occasional quirks and various light flashings, but nothing that hasn’t been solved by just taking a few minutes to read the manual and do what the machine asks you to do (e.g. backflushing, descaling, brush cleaning the grinder), and a little bit of diligence has kept everything working smoothly. Some more persistent quirks are maybe just preferences; we removed the black plastic fitting from the portafilter and prefer to run an empty shot before preparing a drink to warm the portafilter. You can also warm it by just attaching the empty portafilter to the group head, and letting it sit turned on for 15-20 minutes.Spend the money on some good quality medium/dark roast coffee and you’ll be pleasantly surprised how good of a shot this can pull. We did buy some Lavazzo beans from Costco because we couldn’t resist the pricing, but I think after we finally finish our first 2lb bag this week we’ll stick to better quality beans. It has been a joy every time we have recently roasted beans from a good vendor in the machine.We’ll see how things look long term, but after about 10 weeks of almost daily usage we still like our machine quite a lot.Variation: Color: Brushed Stainless Steel
5.0 out of 5 stars User friendly, high quality, and totally worth the investment I’ve had this machine for about a year and it’s been one of my favorite kitchen purchases. It’s extremely user friendly and strikes a great balance between automation and that hands on espresso making experience. You get consistency, but still have room to fine tune things to your taste.I mostly make Americanos, and I love that it has a hot water spout that pours the perfect amount without guessing. Every morning feels like a café experience, and the instant espresso shots in the afternoon are a lifesaver when you’re dragging after lunch.My only issue has been with the milk frother. I haven’t quite mastered the technique to get that perfect foam, but it still works well enough for lattes and cappuccinos.Yes, it’s pricey—but if it’s in your budget, I’d absolutely recommend it. This machine has made my daily coffee routine something I look forward to.Variation: Color: Brushed Stainless Steel
5.0 out of 5 stars Purchased this is 2022 and it’s still going strong! I really wanted to wait to write my review on this machine to see whether it lasted a whole year. Well, I actually purchased this back in November 2022 and it is still making the same consistent coffee it did when I first got it! One of the things I love about this machine is how durable it is. Of course, I’ve changed the water filters and done the recommended cleaning, but it really does stand up to the test of time and make consistent, fabulous drinks! I use this machine daily and couldn’t imagine being without it.If you’re on the fence and shopping around different brands, I can say that after 3 years of daily use I highly recommend this product! It’s so simple to use and you can get a great cup of “coffee shop” coffee by pressing 2 buttons, pulling down on an handle and steaming some milk with the built in steamer. It’s saved me so much money over the years doing it myself at home. Great investment and enjoyable to do each morning.Variation: Color: Brushed Stainless Steel
4.0 out of 5 stars Solid, well-built — worth the price My purchase is fairly new, but so far, I love this machine. After struggling to make lattes on my Pavoni machine for years, I now can make a great latte with little fuss or hassle every time. My only complaint so far: I wish the steam wand was a little more powerful. The frother does make an incredible foam, though. Expensive, yes, but it seems like a solid, well-designed, well-built espresso machine — and worth the price to me.Variation: Color: Brushed Stainless Steel
5.0 out of 5 stars Definitely worth it! Love, love, love this coffee machine!!!! It makes such great coffee and is super easy to use. Before this product, I had a Keurig, and would have to drink multiple cups of coffee to wake up, due to the poor brew strength. With this Breville machine, I can get by on 1-2 cups per day! Though the machine is expensive, I truly don’t think its that much more of a financial burden than a Keurig or Nespresso; you pay more for the machine, but whole coffee beans are relatively cheap (I recommend Costco) compared to the pods that Keruig/Nespresso require.Variation: Color: Brushed Stainless Steel