- Does the Barista Touch grind beans itself?
- Yes. It has a built-in conical burr grinder with an adjustable dose, so you fill the hopper with whole beans and grind per shot. It holds one bean type at a time.
- Do I steam milk by hand?
- No. The steam wand textures milk automatically to the level you pick on screen, though you can adjust temperature and texture. You still need to purge and wipe the wand after each use.
- How is it different from the Barista Express?
- The Barista Touch adds a color touchscreen, saved drink presets and automatic milk texturing. The Barista Express uses manual steaming and analog controls.
- Can I save my own drink settings?
- Yes. You can store custom grind, dose, shot volume and milk settings as presets, which helps when several people share the machine.
- What do I need to maintain?
- Expect to empty the drip tray, clean the steam wand after each milk drink, and run the descale and cleaning cycles the machine prompts. The grinder also benefits from periodic cleaning.
- Is it good for straight espresso?
- It can pull good espresso, but its strengths are milk drinks and guided use. People who mostly drink straight shots may prefer a machine with more manual control.
- Where is the Breville The Barista Touch Espresso Machine BES880BSS cheapest?
- At Newegg, for $1,038.99, as of our latest check.