Breville Oracle Touch vs Barista Express are both powerful espresso machines that every coffee addict wants to own, no matter their skill level. After comparing these two competitors, I have concluded that both machines rank the highest for their automatic and precise functionalities.
But in terms of ease of use and affordability, the Barista Express is the winner. Though I have to admit that Breville Oracle Touch comes very close as it is more feature-rich.
Simply said, the Barista Express is the ultimate choice for users with some experience in espresso machines. It has an adjustable grinder, precise temperature controls, and smooth espresso extraction; all this at an incredibly low price.
The Breville Oracle Touch is a fully-automatic maker while the Barista Express is semi-automatic. And this is the feature that makes this machine ideal for beginners. It is a neat pick for users that just want delicious espresso without making adjustments. The pre-programmed drinks and customizable settings are to die for!
Breville Oracle Touch vs Barista Express: Comparison Chart
Last update on 2023-03-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Breville Oracle Touch vs Barista Express: Differences
The Breville Oracle Touch the Barista Express win this battle of wits with 3 – 3 scores.
Only that the latter has a cheaper price tag and offers total control over the brewing process. While the Oracle Touch is a dream come true for an avid coffee drinker at a premium cost and no hassle whatsoever!
1. Espresso Quality
The Winner: Breville Oracle Touch
You can’t go wrong with the Oracle Touch. It does the espresso brewing better than the Barista Express. Not only because it features a touchscreen display which is absent in the Barista Express. But it has 5 pre-programmed café drinks and a faster, quieter grinder than Barista Express.
The Oracle Touch uses a separate espresso boiler and a steam boiler to maintain optimal temperature. Digital PID with thermal stability to make sure you don’t lose temperature between cups.
All this plus the ability to save up to 8 customizable drinks after you’ve adjusted the grind, temperature, and milk temp and texture variables. It makes espresso taste much richer, intenser, and bolder than the Barista Express. And you don’t even need to be a coffee geek to get it right.
What the Barista Express has are the pressure gauge, the grind size dial, the program button, and single and double espresso shot buttons. It’s fast, yes, but not as nuanced as the Oracle Touch when it comes to espresso brewing and milk texturing.
You also have to consider that the Barista Express features a single Thermocoil, not the dual boiler, like the Oracle Touch. This may make the former lightweight but it’s not as precise and performance-driven as the Oracle Touch.
2. Dose Control
The Winner: It’s A Tie!
The Breville Oracle Touch automatically grinds 22 grams of ground coffee for a rich and full-bodied flavour. There’s a tamper and an intricate locking system that keeps everything going smoothly and mess-free. Once you pull the shot, you can steam your milk either by placing the milk jug on the drip tray or angling it sideways to get a better milk texturing effect. But the latter is more awkward to do.
The all-in-one functionality, the precision with which it extracts espresso, and the custom drink home screen. All these features make the Breville Oracle Touch a premium choice. But if you want a more hands-on experience, go for the Barista Express.
It’s a fully automatic espresso machine with user-friendly and intuitive functions. Everything from grinding the beans to pulling the shot is automatic in the Barista Express but you can also override it to manual. It grinds the coffee directly into the portafilter.
You don’t have the option to control the brew time on the Barista Express. Nor does it offer temperature control which the Oracle Touch does.
In the Barista Express, as it is semi-automatic, you can access a few basic functions. It’s not like you have to do all the work to pull a shot of rich espresso. The machine will apply the pressure but you have to set it. You also have access to the grind amount and filter size to control the intensity and volume of espresso.
Only in functionality and accessibility of features, the Breville Oracle Touch is for someone who wants the machine to set up all the right standards to brew delicious espresso. While with, Barista Express, it will require a bit more effort in setting the machine. But you will get the most optimum coffee taste according to YOUR tastes.
3. Milk System
The Winner: Breville Barista Express
The Breville Oracle Touch features the same stainless steel steam wand with a finger loop design like the Barista Express. But the reason why the Barista Express is better is that you can pull out the steam wand from on top of the drip tray to easily steam the milk in the jug.
With the Oracle Touch, this is a bit tricky to do. It’s better that you don’t hold the milk jug and just place it on the drip tray with the steam wand. So you do have to let go of some of the angling control that is necessary when steaming the milk using a steam wand. Ask any barista and they’ll tell you the exact same thing.
But with regards to milk texturing quality, temperature, both machines are great.
4. Ergonomics
The Winner: Breville Barista Express
The Barista Express has more buttons on its control panel for better flexibility. This is a ‘dream-come-true for a lot of coffee enthusiasts out there. And it gets it just right. You can control all the important variables of making espresso.
It features everything from a high-speed steam wand, a sturdy and intricate burr grinder with adjustable size measurements, and a fool-proof locking mechanism that keeps everything in place.
This coffee maker also is much more lightweight than Oracle Touch. If you can’t stand a dirty kitchen and wants a more compact machine, this one will make your cleaning sessions easier.
The Breville Oracle Touch has a touchscreen display that looks good which is a huge deal! But it has that bigger water tank that contributes to its size and weight. And the dual boiler system which is present in all commercial machines that makes them heavier. For a home espresso machine, the Barista Express offers a compact yet intuitive deal!
The water tank on the Oracle Touch measures 84 ounce and on the Barista Express, it’s 67 ounce. It’s also more compact in its size measuring 12 x 11 x 13.5 inches. While the Oracle Touch is 15.4 x 14.7 x 17.9 inches. As you can see, it is considerably bigger.
5. Value For Money
The Winner: Breville Oracle Touch
Breville Barista Express is much cheaper than Breville Oracle Touch and the machine has every feature that a user with experience needs. Such as a built-in grinder, digital temperature control, powerful steam wand, and purge function for optimum espresso temperature.
You can also adjust the grind size of the coffee beans. I would recommend this machine to any user who prefers a customizable machine out there.
Even though Breville Oracle Touch lacks some features that Barista Express has, it is logical that the machine is over 4 times more expensive because it is super-automatic, powerful and overall a well-rounded coffee maker.
If you are looking for an easy-to-use machine and ready to make an investment for its automated features, I believe that Breville Oracle Touch will be a good fit.
Breville Oracle Touch vs Barista Express: Similarities
Some of the commercial elements of the Breville Oracle Touch vs Barista Express are the same. This includes the conical grinder with adjustable grind settings, the powerful milk texturing steam wand, and the stainless steel parts.
Both machines also offer a cleaning kit with a water filter, a stainless steel milk jug, tamper, removable drip tray and water tank. You can easily set up both machines quickly, it won’t take even 10 minutes, and make your first espresso cup.
What you’re looking for is ease of use, fast performance, and durable design – then it’s something that both the Breville Oracle Touch and Barista Express offer to coffee enthusiasts.
Quick Rundown Of Breville Oracle Touch BES990
- Note: 1)Too coarse a grind, too little coffee, or insufficiently tamping the grounds before brewing can all lead to inadequate pressure for a proper brew. 2)It is important to note that the amount of espresso extracted will vary depending on the grind size and amount and reprogramming may be needed when the size and amount are adjusted
- The Breville Oracle Touch Espresso Machine with automation at every stage with touch screen operation to simply swipe and select for espresso, long black, latte, flat white or cappuccino and enjoy third wave specialty coffee at home.
- Dose Control: The integrated conical burr grinder automatically grinds, doses and tamps 18-22 grams of coffee, similar to the commercial espresso machine in your favorite cafe.
- Espresso Machine with precise water temperature: Achieve balanced tasting espresso with the Breville Oracle Touch Espresso Machine complete with a digital temperature control (PID) technology, which ensures the temperature is kept at its optimum range
- Optimal Water Pressure: The Over Pressure Valve (OPV) is a commercial feature included in the Oracle Touch. This limits the maximum pressure throughout the extraction, helping prevent bitter flavors in the coffee shot. It also has true low pressure pre-infusion, which gradually increases the pressure to gently expand the grinds for an even extraction.
Last update on 2023-03-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Quick Rundown Of Breville Barista Express BES870
- Note: 1)Too coarse a grind, too little coffee, or insufficiently tamping the grounds before brewing can all lead to inadequate pressure for a proper brew. 2)It is important to note that the amount of espresso extracted will vary depending on the grind size and amount and reprogramming may be needed when the size and amount are adjusted
- 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. Grind Settings: 16 precision grind settings
- Precise Espresso Extraction: Digital temperature control (PID) delivers water at precisely the right temperature, ensuring optimal espresso extraction
Last update on 2023-03-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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Final Verdict
With a machine like Breville Barista Express, you will learn more about the basics of espresso extraction to cultivate your personal style of brewing coffee. And you don’t even have to pay an exorbitant amount to do so. Granted that it’s a more hands-on espresso-pulling experience.
With a machine like Breville Oracle Touch, it’s more than a matter of personal preference. With the high price you pay now, the machine will make up for it because you never have to buy barista coffee ever again – unless you’re travelling!
Considering the price and performance of both – which would you choose?
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References
- Breville Oracle Touch BES990 from Breville https://www.breville.com/us/en/products/espresso/bes990.html
- Breville Barista Express BES870 from Breville https://www.breville.com/us/en/products/espresso/bes870.html
I am a passionate coffee drinker. Since I left my job as a barista a few years back in 2012, I’ve been sharing my expertise on coffee and buying the best coffee equipment online. That’s how Wild Boar Coffee came to life.
I write about everything coffee-related under the sun. Where to buy the freshest coffee beans from? How to test coffee beans based on texture, aroma, and acidity?
I know all this from scratch – all thanks to my years and years of experience as a barista. So I’ve gotten real up-close-and-personal with coffee beans and different brewing techniques.