tldr; Entry all-in-one. Grinder included, entry espresso. Outgrow it fast.
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Best praise vs top criticism for Breville Barista Express
“Consistency and stability from the temperature in the boiler and group head as well as the flow of water to the group head every extraction of your espresso. And those usually comes from use of metal (brass, copper, stainless steel) parts for the tubing down to the boiler. Durability too that you don't need to call for a technician 3-5 times a year for minor issues (you only need to call them for the annual scheduled maintenance to prolong longevity). There is a reason why La Marzocco, Nuova Simonelli, Slayer, Rocket, Gaggia, etc. are well known since their machines can last 10 years or so. Factors where you can control pressure, temperature, flow, and other variables only comes as an extra bonus. Even for the digital screen display that most modern espresso machines have. In your example, Breville aka Sage has been around long enough that their espresso machine is already well regarded by industry professional as a machine for home use. As for the Krups model, you can see it is made up of plastic entirely for its exterior and it is actually a superautomatic bean-to-cup machine. It is a different category than the Breville Barista Express. Superautomatic espresso machines cater to those people who just wants their coffee in a push of a button. No hassle, it's convenient, easy to use, one touch system. Most superautomatics are also cheaper since they dont use a boiler system but rather a heat exchange or a thermoblock system which is cheaper but not that reliable in the long run.”
“I don't think you should get a Breville Barista Express if you're not interested in espresso! Whole bean is definitely the way to go. Preferably from a good roaster, rather than the supermarket. For an automatic drip coffee maker, I would forget the two-in-one options (there aren't really any good ones, in my opinion) and just buy a separate brewer and grinder. Your best bet is something like a Technivorm Moccamaster brewer. You can buy a washable metal filter insert for the Moccamaster to avoid using paper filters. For grinders, the Baratza Encore is probably the cheapest electric grinder that would be worth getting for filter coffee. You don't need to replace the burr grinder itself unless it breaks or otherwise malfunctions. You might need to replace the burrs inside (which are much cheaper than a new grinder and can be done easily at home) after several years, depending on how often you make coffee. If you're open to hand grinding, which is pretty easy for filter coffee, there are lots of good hand grinders in a similar price range (or cheaper) than the Encore.”
109 Reddit opinions analyzed • Last updated 2/24/2026