How to Use a Breville Espresso: 6 Steps for the Best-Tasting Espresso

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Beginner’s guide to steaming, frothing, and cleaning your Breville

Co-authored by Mason Martinez, BA Reviewed by Chef Jeff Woodward

Last Updated: April 17, 2024 Fact Checked

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Using a Breville Espresso Machine

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Techniques for Best-Tasting Espresso

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Setting Up

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Cleaning & Maintenance

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Video

Crafting elegant Americanos and Cappuccinos is easy with a Breville, whether you're using the Breville Barista Express or another machine. So, if you’re trying to figure out how to work your espresso machine, don’t fret. Using a Breville only requires the right portion of ground coffee and the press of a button to make your favorite café drinks. In this guide, we'll teach you everything you need to know to master your Breville espresso maker!

Quick Guide to a Breville Espresso Machine

Fill the water tank and preheat the espresso maker to 200°F. Grind and measure your coffee. Then, pack the portafilter with coffee, lock it into the ground head, and select a single or double shot. Pour cold milk into the jug. Use the steam wand to texturize the milk. Add to your espresso and enjoy!

Section 1 of 4:

How to Use a Breville Espresso Machine

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1
Fill the water tank up to the "MAX FILL" line. Detach the water tank by lifting the handle on the back of the Breville machine. Then, fill the tank with water until it reaches the fill line. Press the “Power” button on the left-hand side of the display to preheat the water.^{[1]
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- Always ensure the machine has enough water to get the best-tasting cup of coffee.
2
Load medium or dark-roast coffee beans into the hopper and grind. Pour enough beans into the hopper on the left-hand side of the machine until it reaches the rim.^{[2]
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Research source} Grab the portafilter with a single or double-cup wall filter basket. Slip the portafilter (located on the right of the grinder) into the grind cradle beneath the hopper and nudge it forward to start grinding.^{[3]
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- Fill the hopper as needed; its purpose is to store the fresh coffee beans.
- Select a wall filter basket based on how much espresso you're brewing—one shot or two.
- Medium or dark-roast coffee beans will give you a stronger taste and better hold up to cream and sugar than light coffee.^{[4]
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Carefully tap the portafilter against your hand or a flat surface to collapse the small mound of grounded beans. Then, grab your tamping tool (included with your machine) to pack the coffee firmly. Remove excess coffee with the included razor by twisting it in full circle for the perfect dose.^{[5]
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Insert and lock the portafilter into the group head to brew. Slip a small coffee cup beneath the group head where the espresso will trickle out. Then, insert and lock the portafilter by twisting it into the group head. Select a single or double shot to get started. Your espresso should have a thick honey consistency when it comes out.^{[6]
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- A portafilter is a device with a handle that the machine pumps water into. A portafilter basket holds the coffee grounds and sits inside of it.
- The group head is on the grinder's right-hand side.
5
Fill the jug with fresh, cold milk to texturize. Choose your choice of milk and fill the jug just below the spout mark. Insert the steam wand with the tip below the milk's surface. Then, on the right side of the machine, turn the steam dial to the steam icon (it looks like a cloud). Allow it to texturize until the jug is too hot to touch; it should take 5 to 10 seconds. This means the milk is at the right temperature.^{[7]
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- Purge the wand by twisting the steam dial on the right side of the machine to remove milk buildup.
Wipe the steam wand with a damp paper towel or rag to keep the milk from drying. This will help prevent any weird lingering tastes while keeping your machine in good condition. Slowly pour the milk into the espresso and enjoy!^{[8]
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Section 2 of 4:

How to Get the Best-Tasting Espresso

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Breville recommends inspecting a bag of coffee's "Roasted on Date" to ensure your beans are as fresh as possible. This differs from the "Best Sold By" date. Coffee beans are best after 5 days of roasting but 30 days at maximum. After 30 days, the coffee loses its flavor.^{[9]
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For the perfect cup of espresso, it should take 10 seconds before the coffee starts to flow and another 20 seconds for a shot to brew. If an espresso starts pouring at the 5-second mark, it's flowing too fast. This means it's under-extracted, and the grind size should be finer. However, if it flows too slowly, it's over-extracted, so increase the grind size by using the dial.^{[10]
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3
Inspect the temperature gauge to ensure the water brews at 200°F (93.3°C). Fortunately, Breville designs machines like the Breville Barista Express to brew water at the perfect temperature. Water below 198°F (92°C) or above 203°F (95°C) can cause the espresso to taste sharp or bitter.^{[11]
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- If your machine isn't getting hot enough, some users recommend pre-warming your espresso mug or running a little water to heat an empty portafilter.
- Contact Breville’s customer support team at 1-(866)-273-8455 for further assistance.

Section 3 of 4:

Setting Up a Breville for the First Time

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Slip your brand-new Breville out of its box and carefully examine the included accessories. Generally, Breville includes a scooper, tamper, milk jug, portafilter, filter baskets, razor, cleaning accessories, and a water filter.^{[12]
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Research source} Rinse each item with soap and water. Dry with a microfiber cloth.
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Soak the filter in water before locking the water tank in place. Take a bowl or a cup and fill it with cool water. Remove the water filter from its package and plop it into the bowl, letting it soak for 5 minutes. Then, insert the soaked filter into the bottom of the water filter holder. Click it inside the water tank before connecting the tank to the back of the machine.^{[13]
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- Fill the tank with cold water to the "MAX FILL" line if you plan to put the machine to work after set up.
The bean hopper is a small circular dish that twists and locks in place atop the machine on the left-hand side. Use the locking mechanism in the center of the dish to keep it in place. Fill with fresh beans if you'd like. Then, snap the cover on.^{[14]
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Select the "POWER" button on the left-hand side of the display. The button will flash until the machine reaches its optimal temperature of 200°F (93.3°C) for a perfect cup of espresso. All the panel buttons will illuminate when it's in standby mode.^{[15]
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Section 4 of 4:

Breville Cleaning & Maintenance

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After every shot you make, run water through the group head. Insert a filter basket into the portafilter. Then, insert it into the group head. Run a single shot to allow water to flow and remove lingering coffee grounds. Press the single shot again to stop the purge.^{[16]
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Backflush to flush residue grinds and water into the drip tray regularly. Once a week, take the silicone blind filter and insert it into the portafilter. Lock it into the group head and run a shot. This will flush all of the water and residue grinds out of the machine.^{[17]
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- This is not required for the Breville Bambino model, as its cleaning cycle takes care of these components.
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Wipe milk residue off the steam wand after each use. Opening the steam wand clears out any condensation, water, and milk-up. After each use, wipe the wand with a damp cloth. Use the steam dial on the side of the machine to purge it. If there's crust on the bottom of the wand, soak the tip in boiling water.^{[18]
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- Or, use the included cleaning tool to poke a hole in the wand's tip to remove the crust.
- Use a toothpick, safety pin, or a similar thin tool as an alternative.
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Replace the water filter every 3 months. Breville machines come equipped with either the claro swiss filter or a charcoal filter. Remove the filter holder from the tank reservoir to pop the filter out. Soak the new filter in water for 5 minutes before replacing it.^{[19]
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- You may need to replace your filter more regularly if you have hard water to avoid constantly descaling the machine.
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Descale your Breville machine every 3-6 months. Breville models have a “DESCALE” light that will flash when it’s time to remove mineral buildup. Remove the water tank and pour Breville’s descaling solution into it. Place the tank back and enter the “DESCALE” mode by pressing the 1-cup button. Turn the seam dial left to descale the steam wand. Then, turn it to the right to descale the hot water component. Repeat until no more descaling solution remains. Then, flush with clean water.^{[20]
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- Descaling should be performed every 3 to 6 months. However, it varies depending on your usage. Follow the owner’s manual instructions to learn how to descale your specific Breville model.