Breville Barista Touch Impress Review

As someone who’s been making espresso at home for quite some time, I can tell you that finding the right machine is a game-changer. Over the years, I’ve used several espresso makers, but the Breville Barista Touch Impress has managed to top them all. This sleek, feature-rich espresso machine brings professional-quality coffee to the home user, and after spending some quality time with it, I’m ready to dive deep into why I think the Barista Touch Impress stands out—and why it’s a significant upgrade over its predecessor.

Whether you’re a seasoned barista or just starting your journey into the world of espresso, the Breville Barista Touch Impress brings all the right features together to ensure that you get consistent, café-quality coffee every time. In this review, I’ll break down the design, functionality, features, and performance of the Impress, and why I believe it’s the perfect option for anyone serious about coffee. 

The Design: Sleek, Modern, and User-Friendly

When I first unboxed the Breville Barista Touch Impress, I immediately noticed how polished and sleek it looked. The brushed stainless steel finish gives it a premium look that fits in perfectly with any kitchen setup. The Impress is a bit more compact compared to other espresso machines in this class, which makes it great for those with limited counter space but still want something that makes a statement.

The most striking feature, however, is the large, color touchscreen that takes center stage on the machine. The touchscreen interface is intuitive, smooth, and responsive. This was a massive upgrade compared to previous models that relied more on buttons and knobs, making it a more user-friendly experience right off the bat. Whether you’re setting up your shot, adjusting your grind, or steaming milk, navigating through all the options is incredibly easy, even for first-time users. The interface is well-organized, and it provides clear instructions, which I found to be incredibly helpful. 

Quick Setup and Easy-to-Follow Instructions

Setting up the Breville Barista Touch Impress was surprisingly quick and painless. It only took a few minutes to fill the water reservoir, set up the grinder, and run the initial cleaning cycle. The packaging was well thought out, and everything was easy to access and unpack. I appreciated how all the parts and accessories were clearly labeled and organized, which made the entire process straightforward. The Impress even includes a helpful guide to walk you through the setup, which takes much of the guesswork out of the equation.

Once I had everything ready, I turned on the machine, and within a few minutes, it was prepped and ready to brew my first cup of coffee. I can’t overstate how nice it was to not have to spend an hour or more figuring out how to operate the machine. Breville really streamlined the process, allowing anyone—even beginners—to get up and running quickly.

Grind Quality: Consistency and Precision

Now, let’s talk about the most important part: the grinder. If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my years of coffee brewing, it’s that the quality of your grind is just as crucial as the quality of the coffee beans. The Breville Barista Touch Impress excels in this department with its 38mm conical burr grinder, which delivers an incredibly consistent grind every single time.

I’ve used other machines that had grinders, but they often left a lot to be desired in terms of consistency. The Impress, however, provides a precise and even grind, which is essential for extracting the perfect shot of espresso. It’s so consistent that I found I could switch between different types of beans without needing to adjust the grind every time. Whether I was using a dark roast or a medium roast, the grind size was always spot on, which meant the Impress pulled rich, flavorful shots of espresso every time.

Additionally, Breville’s auto dosing system is a great feature. It automatically adjusts the amount of coffee grounds used based on the selected grind size, so you get the right amount of grounds every time. This takes the guesswork out of the equation, which I found to be incredibly convenient, especially when I’m pressed for time and want to make a quick but quality cup of coffee. 

Automatic Tamping: Perfect Shots, Every Time

One of the features that I think truly sets the Breville Barista Touch Impress apart from other espresso machines is the automatic tamping system. With this feature, the machine takes care of tamping the coffee grounds for you, ensuring that each shot is packed with the correct pressure. This is a massive upgrade over manual tamping, which can be tricky for beginners and even frustrating for experienced baristas.

The tamping mechanism works by applying a consistent, optimal pressure to the coffee grounds, which results in a more uniform extraction and a smoother, more balanced flavor. This feature really appeals to those of us who want to get the most out of each shot without worrying about mastering the tamping technique. It’s one of those small touches that makes a big difference in the overall quality of the espresso. 

Milk Frothing: Professional-Quality Microfoam

If you’re into making lattes, cappuccinos, or other milk-based coffee drinks, the Breville Barista Touch Impress offers a fantastic milk frothing experience. The steam wand is powerful, but more importantly, it’s easy to use. Unlike other machines where you have to manually control the steam and texture, the Impress simplifies the process with its automatic milk texturing feature.

The steam wand adjusts the milk’s temperature and texture automatically, creating the perfect microfoam for lattes and cappuccinos. I’ve tried different milk varieties, from whole milk to oat milk, and every time the Impress was able to create smooth, silky foam with just the right consistency. The auto purge feature also makes cleaning the wand a breeze, as it clears any milk residue after every use.

This is a big step forward from the original Barista Touch, where frothing was more manual and required a bit more skill. The Impress, on the other hand, is perfect for anyone who wants to get barista-quality foam with minimal effort.

Brewing Performance: Consistency and Precision in Every Cup

At the end of the day, the true test of any espresso machine is the quality of the coffee it produces. I can confidently say that the Breville Barista Touch Impress excels in this department. Every shot I pulled with this machine was rich, flavorful, and perfectly balanced. The PID temperature control ensures that the water is always at the ideal brewing temperature, which is crucial for extracting the best possible flavor from the coffee beans.

The Impress has a more precise brewing system than its predecessor, and it consistently produces great results. I was able to experiment with different types of beans, adjust the grind size, and fine-tune the settings to create the perfect espresso shot, whether I was brewing a single or double shot.

Thanks to the automatic tamping and precise dosing, I never had to worry about inconsistent shots. Whether I was making a rich, dark espresso or a light, floral one, the Impress managed to extract all the flavors and nuances of the coffee beans, resulting in smooth, creamy shots with a beautiful crema every time.

Customization: Tailoring Your Coffee to Perfection

One of my favorite things about the Breville Barista Touch Impress is how customizable it is. The touchscreen interface allows you to adjust various settings, including grind size, shot volume, milk texture, and temperature. There are pre-programmed coffee drinks available, but I enjoyed being able to fine-tune everything to suit my personal taste.

Whether I wanted to make a strong espresso with a rich crema or a lighter shot with more acidity, the Impress gave me the flexibility to adjust the settings and experiment with different profiles. For beginners, the preset options are perfect, but for experienced coffee enthusiasts, the level of customization is a welcome touch.

Cleaning and Maintenance: Simple and Low-Maintenance

I’ve used espresso machines in the past that were a pain to clean, but the Breville Barista Touch Impress is surprisingly easy to maintain. The automatic cleaning cycles take a lot of the work off your shoulders. After every use, the machine reminds you when it’s time for a cleaning cycle, which I found helpful. The auto purge function for the steam wand also makes cleaning up after frothing milk incredibly easy.

The water reservoir, drip tray, and portafilter are all easy to remove and clean. Breville has designed the Impress to be user-friendly in terms of maintenance, which is a huge plus for anyone who doesn’t want to spend too much time cleaning their machine.

Conclusion: The Ultimate Espresso Machine

In conclusion, the Breville Barista Touch Impress is hands down one of the best espresso machines I’ve ever used. From its sleek design and user-friendly interface to its consistency in brewing, grinding, and frothing, the Impress brings everything together to create an outstanding coffee experience. If you’re someone who loves espresso and wants to take your coffee game to the next level, this machine is definitely worth considering.

Compared to the original Barista Touch, the Impress offers several notable upgrades, including a more advanced grinder, automatic tamping, and improved milk frothing. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned coffee enthusiast, the Breville Barista Touch Impress has something to offer, making it a worthy investment for anyone serious about their coffee.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What’s the difference between the Breville Barista Touch and the Breville Barista Touch Impress?
A: The main difference lies in the Breville Barista Touch Impress featuring an automatic tamping system, which ensures the perfect tamping pressure every time. It also has a more advanced grinder that offers greater consistency in grind size and better dosing for espresso shots. Additionally, the Impress has an improved milk frothing system with automatic milk texturing, making it easier to create silky smooth foam without any manual effort.

Q: Is the Breville Barista Touch Impress easy to use for beginners?
A: Yes! The Breville Barista Touch Impress is incredibly beginner-friendly. The large touchscreen interface is intuitive and allows you to easily navigate between settings for brewing, grinding, and milk frothing. It also features automatic dosing, tamping, and milk texturing, which makes it a lot easier for newcomers to make café-quality coffee at home.

Q: How does the automatic tamping system work?
A: The automatic tamping system on the Breville Barista Touch Impress applies the right amount of pressure to the coffee grounds in the portafilter, ensuring a consistent and even tamp every time. This eliminates the guesswork involved in tamping manually and helps achieve a more uniform extraction, resulting in better espresso shots.

Q: Can I adjust the grind size on the Breville Barista Touch Impress?
A: Yes! The Impress allows you to adjust the grind size, which is crucial for controlling the extraction of your espresso. Whether you prefer a finer or coarser grind, you can fine-tune the grind size according to the type of coffee you’re brewing and your personal taste.

Q: Does the Breville Barista Touch Impress work with different types of milk?
A: Absolutely! The Impress is compatible with a wide variety of milk types, including whole milk, almond milk, oat milk, and soy milk. The steam wand can handle different milk varieties, producing smooth, creamy microfoam for all your milk-based coffee drinks, such as lattes and cappuccinos.

Q: How easy is it to clean the Breville Barista Touch Impress?
A: The Breville Barista Touch Impress is relatively low-maintenance. It features automatic cleaning cycles, which makes regular maintenance a breeze. The drip tray, water reservoir, and portafilter are all easy to remove and clean, and the auto purge function helps keep the steam wand clean after every use.

Q: Does the Breville Barista Touch Impress have preset coffee options?
A: Yes! The Impress comes with several pre-programmed coffee drinks such as espresso, latte, and cappuccino. These presets allow you to quickly make your favorite coffee drinks with just the touch of a button. However, you can also customize the settings for more specific preferences.

Q: What makes the Breville Barista Touch Impress worth the price?
A: The Breville Barista Touch Impress is worth the investment due to its combination of premium features like automatic tamping, consistent grinding, precise milk texturing, and a user-friendly touchscreen interface. It brings professional-level coffee-making to the home user with ease, making it a great choice for anyone looking to enjoy café-quality espresso without the need for barista skills.

Q: Is the Breville Barista Touch Impress suitable for people with limited counter space?
A: Yes! Despite its feature-rich capabilities, the Breville Barista Touch Impress has a relatively compact design that fits well in smaller kitchens or on countertops with limited space. It’s a great choice for people who want a high-quality espresso machine without sacrificing too much space.