Is the Breville Barista Touch Impress Worth It?
Based on tests by TechRadar (Jun 2023). How we score
Save $700Depends. Barista Express for most people.
Amazon prices as of Sep 29, 9:38 PM EDT (details)
Why
TechRadar gave the Barista Touch Impress 5 out of 5 after two months as the reviewer's daily machine. It grinds and doses, helps you tamp, tells you on screen how to adjust the grind, and froths dairy, oat, almond or soy milk while you walk away. It's not flawless: "the device did occasionally run an errant shot," about "1 or 2 in around 300." The same review is blunt about who needs it: "If you can operate a manual machine you can get the same coffee from the Barista Express" for far less. TechRadar rated the Barista Express 4.5 stars; it has the grinder, but you tamp and steam milk by hand. The Bambino Plus (also 4.5 stars from TechRadar) froths automatically but has no grinder. Splurge if you want the machine to dose, tamp and froth milk for you; save if you're willing to learn to tamp and steam by hand.
Cheaper alternatives, scored against the Barista Touch Impress
Barista Express Espresso Machine
From 1 tester: TechRadar
From 1 tester: TechRadar
TechRadar rated it 4.5 out of 5. It grinds straight into the portafilter, but you tamp, trim and steam milk yourself. The reviewer needed eight cups to dial it in, then got "consistently great espresso every time." The con: "Coffee dispensing, tamping and using the razor can be messy." Steaming was easy to learn "no matter whether it was dairy or non-dairy milk." It has a 1-year warranty.
Sources: TechRadar: Sage (Breville) Barista Express review (July 20, 2022), TechRadar: Breville Barista Touch Impress review (June 9, 2023), Manufacturer specs via Amazon listing
Bambino Plus Espresso Machine
From 1 tester: TechRadar
From 1 tester: TechRadar
TechRadar rated it 4.5 out of 5 and liked that "you can simply select what you want and let the machine do the rest": automatic frothing with three temperatures and three textures, and espresso with "a fantastic thick crema." It has no grinder, so budget for one. The Touch Impress review itself names it the pick "If you're tight on kitchen space or you don't mind sacrificing a bit on coffee quality." It has a 2-year warranty.
Sources: TechRadar: Breville Bambino Plus review (June 24, 2021), TechRadar: Breville Barista Touch Impress review (June 9, 2023)
Common questions
Is the Breville Barista Touch Impress worth it?
Only if you want the machine to do the barista work. TechRadar gave it 5 stars for dosing, assisted tamping, grind advice and automatic frothing of dairy and plant milks. But the same reviewer says anyone who can run a manual machine can get the same coffee from the Barista Express.
Barista Touch Impress or Barista Express?
Both have built-in grinders and TechRadar rated them 5 and 4.5 stars. The Touch Impress adds assisted tamping, a touchscreen with grind advice and automatic milk frothing. On the Barista Express you tamp, trim and steam by hand, and TechRadar found that step messy but easy to learn.
Sources: TechRadar: Breville Barista Touch Impress review (June 9, 2023), Manufacturer specs via Amazon listing
