In the debate of Saeco Incanto vs Breville Barista Express, the Breville model is the ultimate winner. Here is the reason why!
The winner Breville Barista Express has a more stable operation, and it’s able to brew full-bodied and strong espresso without making much noise. For machines in this low price range, Barista Express froths decent milk foam as well. You can make cappuccinos with it. I highly recommend this device to couples and small families.
The runner-up Saeco Incanto specializes in robust coffees, the same as the model above. It also has 4 one-touch beverages, which makes brewing much more manageable. However, I’m not a fan of liquidy milk foam, and this model can’t bring milk texture to a frothy consistency that I prefer.
Saeco Incanto vs Breville Barista Express: Specs & Features Comparison Chart
Last update on 2024-04-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Saeco Incanto vs Breville Barista Express: Differences
Breville Barista Express wins 3-1 against Saeco Incanto thanks to its stable operation, consistent espresso extractions, and amazing milk foam quality. Check out for more details on how these models actually function.
Coffee Flavor: Breville Barista Express
+Grinder
Barista Express does a better job thanks to its wide range of grinder settings that allow us to adjust between 16 levels. The machine is equipped with a conical burr grinder, which we love.
From my experience with the machine, it does a consistent job at grinding even coffee ground while keeping the sound low. Jamming is not an issue either, so overall I’m satisfied with what I get.
Saeco Incanto’ grinders come in 5 levels only, which offers less chance of achieving ideal coffee ground according to each type of coffee beans. But, I don’t think that non-professional users will have any problem with it, given that it makes deciding the texture easier. The grinding process of Saeco Incanto doesn’t make much noise either.
Overall, I enjoy both machines’ grinders.
+Dosing + tamping
Both models offer automatic dosing, but as for the tamping step, we have to do it manually with Barista Express.
Here is my experience with the two espresso makers: Barista Express delivers better flavor and has better crema, which I believe is due to the perfect dosing, and the manual tamping, alongside the 15 bars pump pressure. I describe the flavor as robust, nuanced, and slightly bitter. And the crema layers are thick and have a good mouthfeel.
With Saeco Incanto, maybe it’s because of a not so strong tamping that the crema is not so thick and velvety as I would prefer. But the flavor is good. It is robust and balanced, not as strong as what I get from the Breville model, but still very impressive.
+Heating system
Breville Barista Express uses Thermocoil, while Saeco Incanto uses a Boiler. I enjoy Barista Express’s quick heat-up time, which only takes around 30s, and the coffee temperature comes out hot. Saeco Incanto takes slightly longer, approximately 3 minutes to bring the water temperature to the ideal level.
Utilities: Saeco Incanto
Saeco Incanto wins thanks to its 4 preset drinks which allow users to brew: espressos, lungos, cappuccinos, and latte macchiatos with a touch of a button. This feature is a great plus point for users who aren’t used to making milk-based beverages manually.
With Breville Barista Express, we have 2 buttons to quickly brew espresso or double espresso. You will have to froth milk manually and control its texture for the beverages you wish to make.
Milk system: Breville Barista Express
Even though Saeco Incanto has an automatic milk carafe, I still prefer the milk system that Breville Barista Express has to offer. With Barista Express, I can bring the milk foam texture to be creamy and thick, which is excellent for lattes. When I froth, I don’t move the jug too much, but it definitely is advisable to achieve that thick foam texture that I want.
With Saeco Incanto, microfoam is not a thing. I have tried many times and it is able to make milk foam, but not the thick and airy type that we need to make velvety lattes or cappuccinos.
Cleaning & Maintain: Tie
Firstly, these models don’t have an auto-rinse function, so after each brewing session. You should run hot water through the dispensers and the steam wand to purge them from any leftover milk or espresso.
To clean the entire brew path of Saeco Incanto, most of the time, I would use a cleaning tablet, drop it in the pre-ground slot, and click any brewing cycle to clean the path. Do it while there are no coffee beans and coffee ground in the machine, of course.
It is recommendable to clean the brew groups once each week to avoid smell and mold development, which will make these babies impossible to use and achieve a fresh and clean flavor.
To clean Barista Express, I use a tablet the same way as I do with the model above Then, I simultaneously hold the single and double espresso buttons and press the power button, still maintaining my press on the other two buttons. This will trigger the rinsing process automatically. Remember that it won’t work if the 3 buttons aren’t held simultaneously.
Saeco Incanto vs Breville Barista Express: Similarities
Let me introduce you briefly to 2 small similarities between the two machines.
Stainless steel body
What I like about stainless steel is that this material is well-known for being durable and rust-resistant. So that is what you can expect from these machines: durable and rust-resistant.
If you are thinking about the weight of the machines, they are actually not that heavy, thanks to the combination of stainless steel and plastic parts. You won’t have a hard time moving these espresso makers.
Not too noisy grinder
Of course, it is impossible to get an espresso machine that brews delicious coffees while not making any noise during the fresh grinding process. But in comparison to other models at this price range, Saeco Incanto and Breville Barista Express make fairly minimum noise.
Quick Rundown of Breville Barista Express
- 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, helping you make the perfect cup of Cappuccino or Latte
- 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 2024-04-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Quick Rundown of Saeco Incanto
- Elegant design, best materials, and high quality workmanship
- Creamy cappuccino and latte macchiato at the touch of a button thanks to detachable, hygienic milk carafe
- Professional disc grinder made of 100% ceramic for consistent performance and natural taste
- Easy maintenance and cleaning thanks to removable brewing unit and automatic cleansing and descaling procedures
- Large capacities in compact design: 8.8 ounce bean container, 15x waste container; 60.9 ounce
Last update on 2024-04-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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References:
Breville Barista Express: https://www.breville.com/us/en/products/espresso/bes870.html
Saeco Incanto: https://www.usa.philips.com/c-p/HD8917_48/incanto-super-automatic-espresso-machine
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.