Breville Cafe Roma vs Barista Express, the one who wins is the Breville Barista Express which contains more modern functions and precise espresso extraction. If you are looking for an espresso machine, I think Barista Express will be the perfect one.
The Breville Barista Express has a hands-free operation function that is very convenient and simple to use for everyone, including beginners. With this function, you can grind any roast of coffee beans without any difficulty, thanks to its built-in grinder!
The Breville Cafe Roma has a lower price and it is more compatible for someone with a tight budget. If you’re really craving delicious espresso drinks, the Café Roma comes with a strong portafilter, fast steam wand, and compact body!
Breville Cafe Roma vs Barista Express: Specs & Features Comparison Chart
Last update on 2024-04-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Breville Cafe Roma vs Barista Express: Differences
In the debate between Cafe Roma vs Barista Express, Breville Barista Express wins 5-3 against the Breville Cafe Roma. Intuitive dose control grinding, superior build quality, and better espresso flavor have brought Barista Express this victory. With more outstanding improvements, Barista Express deserves to be the choice for your kitchen.
1. Espresso Flavor
The Winner: Breville Barista Express
Bar Pressure
That’s because Cafe Roma features a full 15-bar pressure while the other Breville uses only 9-bar pressure for the extraction process. But both give you single-shot and double-shot filters for producing rich crema and maintaining consistency.
But let’s not forget that there is a major difference between the brewing mechanism of the Café Roma and the Barista Express. The portafilter of the Café Roma measures 51mm while that of the Barista Express is 54mm. Between the two, the 54mm is a commercial-grade standard. It holds more coffee, extracting a stronger espresso flavour.
Coffee Grinder
That’s right! The Barista Express features a built-in grinder and a bean hopper. It has a conical burr grinder which delivers accurately the amount of coffee ground directly into the portafilter.
The bean hopper’s capacity is 220g which is convenient. You can adjust the grind amount using the grind dial that’s right under the bean hopper, on the control panel. Right next to it is the tamper that quickly and effectively tamps the portafilter and you can snap it back once it’s done!
Coming to the Café Roma, it does not come with a built-in conical grinder. You can use pre-ground coffee for a single and double shot of espresso. It does feature 3-filter baskets – for single shot, double shot, and coffee pod. But no bean hopper or grind size dial or grinder like the Barista Express.
Heating System
The Café Roma uses a 1000W Thermoblock heating system which is automatic and efficient to use. It doesn’t offer any temperature controls but the machine heats up the water for espresso extraction and steam fairly powerfully.
Compare that to the Digital PID temperature control of the Barista Express – which is better, faster, and more in control. The Barista Express uses a 1600W Thermocoil which creates the perfect setup for keeping hot temperatures hotter for longer.
It also comes with Pre-Infusion and Purge functionality which works twice as hard to maintain optimal brewing and steaming temperatures. So it’s better than the Café Roma in that it is more precise and durable.
This should also explain to you the higher price tag of the Barista Express, right?
2. Dose Control
The Winner: It’s A Tie!
With the Barista Express, you get custom controls. Such as dose control grinding with a built-in conical burr grinder and the grind size dial that works with every type of coffee bean. So that explains the comparatively higher price tag of this particular model.
Moving on, you can manually override the Barista Express to experiment with different doses. Or stick to its default automatic dose which, I think, is good enough for single and double shot volume.
The Barista Express does feature automatic dosing which means it dispenses the precise amount of coffee either for a single or double shot. And the ability to go manual is a great alternative if you want to learn about how espresso is made.
The dose control in Café Roma is a bit different. While you do have manual control over the espresso volume, it comes with 3 stainless steel filters. The single-shot filter lets you add 7g of coffee grounds, the double shot about 14g, and the coffee pod which makes the process a lot smoother if you want an espresso quickly.
On account of flexibility and ease of use, both the Café Roma and Barista Express have good qualities. Even though both offer slightly different methods of controlling the brewing mechanism.
3. Milk System
The Winner: Breville Barista Express
Can both also prepare delicious cappuccinos and lattes? Well, yes of course. All thanks to the standard steam wand that comes well-equipped with a froth enhancer.
In both cases, you have to learn to froth the milk since both machines aren’t automatic, which means it can be challenging for beginners but there is a learning curve. Nevertheless, the process of frothing milk certainly becomes much easier because of the inclusion of the stainless steel 360-degree steam wand. With it, you get the perfect angle for the steaming pitcher.
On top of that, the infuser, in both Cafe Roma and Barista Express, doesn’t disappoint. Be it for preparing latte-quality silky microfoam or cappuccino-style milk froth.
But the Breville Barista Express features a steam wand that is slightly longer in length than the Café Roma. This makes steaming milk easier in a milk jug. You don’t have to hold the milk at an awkward angle. The steam wand gives you more control that way which might feel a bit limiting when you’re using the Café Roma.
4. Cleaning
The Winner: Breville Café Roma
It just doesn’t make sense if you’re going to end up wasting your time cleaning the coffee maker after every brewing cycle, right?
Fortunately, that’s something you don’t need to worry about with Cafe Roma or Barista Express. Thanks to the simple design of both machines and their stainless steel construction. Along with the removable water tank, which has a large capacity for less frequent re-filling.
Needless to say, Barista Express does require a little extra cleaning since it’s outfitted with a burr grinder as well. But for cleaning that, just take out the bean container with a twist to reach and remove the burrs.
And lastly, both drip trays are removable for easy cleaning.
But with Cafe Roma, sadly, there’s no warning light to alert you each time the tray becomes full.
Barista Express, on the other hand, gives you the added advantage. But then that’s because the drip tray here is prone to creating more mess because the machine also features a grinder that often gets some coffee grounds into the tray.
5. Build Quality
The Winner: It’s A Tie!
Build quality is one of the most common advantages between the two Breville-made espresso makers. For example, both machines are durable, corrosion-resistant stainless steel units.
Obviously, Cafe Roma has the upper hand here because it exudes such remarkable quality at such an affordable price.
This same machine also has a smaller, thus more compact footprint. That’s 9in x 9in x 12in, as opposed to Barista Express dimensions of 12in x 13in x 13in. So if your kitchen countertop space is limited, you know the former is a more suitable choice.
However, with the larger size, Barista Express is built with more buttons and functions that support you to save your time making espresso.
And both offer a 1-year limited warranty, just thought you should know.
6. Value For Money
The Winner: Breville Barista Express
Now you should know that Cafe Roma is a much more affordable unit than the Barista Express. Even so, the former gives you a reasonable quantity of espresso shots for the price point.
Needless to say, the subtle crema and flavour nuances often a part of thousand-dollar espresso makers cannot be expected with Cafe Roma (since it’s priced below $200). But, at the same time, there’s no weak-tasting espresso here.
Having said that, the Breville Barista Express is more feature-rich because it adds the convenience of a conical grinder which is something you may have to buy separately with the Café Roma. So the extra expense is not exactly luxurious but a necessity when you want an intuitive and barista-quality espresso maker at home.
While both are a great value for money, you should think of investing in the Barista Express as it offers more intricate programmability, a powerful steam wand, and a rich espresso flavour.
Breville Café Roma vs Barista Express: Similarities
There are a few similarities between the Breville Café Roma vs Barista Express. You can control the espresso shot volume on both machines. They also feature a single and double shot filter basket which is made up of strong stainless steel so it’s not prone to chipping or rusting easily.
The powerful steam wand, on both machines, comes with a finger loop for better accessibility during steaming and after. The steam wand tucks back on the drip tray so the machine looks sleek and compact on the countertop. And yes, you can expect great micro-foam froth that is ideal for latte art using both machines.
The water tank capacities, on both machines, are also similar but not the same. The Café Roma features a 41-ounce reservoir and the Barista Express 67 ounce. The little difference between their size is nothing that should concern you.
Quick Rundown Of Breville Barista Express BES870
- Earn up to $200 cashback with a Beanz coffee subscription when you purchase a selected Breville espresso machine. Valid Aug 1, 2023 until Jun 30, 2024
- The Breville Barista Express delivers third wave specialty coffee at home using the 4 keys formula and is part of the Barista Series that offers all in one espresso machines with integrated grinder to go from beans to espresso in under one minute
- DOSE CONTROL GRINDING: Integrated precision conical burr grinder grinds on demand to deliver the right amount of freshly ground coffee directly into the portafilter for your preferred taste with any roast of bean
- OPTIMAL WATER PRESSURE: Low pressure pre-infusion gradually increases pressure at the start and helps ensure all the flavors are drawn out evenly during the extraction for a balanced tasting cup
- PRECISE ESPRESSO EXTRACTION: Digital temperature control (PID) delivers water at precisely the right temperature, ensuring optimal espresso extraction
Last update on 2024-04-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Quick Rundown Of Breville Cafe Roma ESP8
- Stainless-steel espresso machine with 15-bar thermoblock pump
- Dual-wall filter system for excellent crema; froth enhancer, cup-warming plate
- Accesories: Stainless steel frothing pitcher Tamping tool/measuring spoon/cleaning tool
- Removable drip tray and grid; Frothing jug included
- Measures 9 x 9 x 12 inches; 1-year limited warranty
Last update on 2024-04-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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Final Verdict
Go ahead and buy Breville ESP8XL Cafe Roma Espresso Maker if you want an entry-level espresso machine that’s downright straightforward to use. Plus, it has a higher 15-bar pressure for extraction.
As for Breville BES870XL Barista Express Espresso Machine, it’s the best for espresso brewing geeks who want to have it all. This includes an espresso coffee maker with an integrated burr grinder.
No denying that both espresso machines rank among the top choices. It’s just that one, which is Cafe Roma, is a more budget-friendly pick. While the other, Barista Express, offers that built-in grinder and a more powerful, longer steam wand!
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References
- Breville Barista Express BES870 from Breville https://www.breville.com/us/en/products/espresso/bes870.html
- Breville Cafe Roma ESP8 from Breville https://www.breville.com/ca/en/products/espresso/esp8.html
Felix Hendricks is a skilled barista with over 12 years of experience. He excels in crafting coffee and has a strong foundation in coffee machine mechanics. Felix holds a Coffee Machine Maintenance Certification from the Coffee Equipment Technical Institute, showcasing his ability to diagnose and repair coffee machines. He’s also worked as a quality control specialist, selecting premium coffee beans for optimal flavor. Felix has a diverse work history, including stints at renowned coffee spots like Café Euphoria & Starbucks. His expertise in both brewing and machine maintenance makes him a respected figure in the coffee industry.