Hi Kev, my girlfriend has recently bought me this machine, should be arriving today. I’ll be following your videos, so thank you for taking the time to make these. She’s asking where you got your apron from, she wants one for the kitchen.
I've been struggling with an SGP and a Bambino Plus for months (and a Dedicated before that) to get consistently good shots, despite working on grind size, shot volumes, levelling, tamping, extraction - all the key steps. I'm very tempted with this machine as frankly, I'm starting to tire of the aggravation. (they've already sold out of all versions apart from the brushed stainless one too!)
Hi Tim, It depends what you want from a machine, The Impress if for some one who just wants a quick, delicious cup of coffee without the hassle of having to grind, tamp and create coffee manually, If you wanted to become more of a home barista this is not the machine for you.
@@Coffee_Kev Absolutely it isn't, I agree. I've followed your channel for a long time and I see you getting great results from an SGP and a Bambino Plus and I'm really struggling to replicate that. Even with your coffee ;-) ...
Hi Tim, yeah there's certainly a learning curve, and this machine is made for people who don't want that. I'd advise persevering because you're already probably well on your way through the learning curve. Feel free to drop me an email if you need a bit of guidance, kev@coffeeblog.co.uk
Just bought one of these and taking your advice on dialling it in Kev! New to this but looking forward to getting it right. In the UK, got it at a bargain too, on offer in Costco for just under £500!! Winner 😊
I've watched many of your other videos to help me choose which coffee maker to buy. Thanks for all the good work you do. However, the reason I wanted to watch this particular video was for the bit you skipped... the best way to get the machine out of the box. It's not a great user experience - they need to be a bit more 'Apple' in that respect. But I'm sure the coffee masking experience will be excellent.
Sorry! Actually these days we do all the unboxing in shorts, including the actual unboxing bit. Yeah, to be fair just about every machine I receive, is like this, I'm like "how many flipping pairs of arms do these people think their customers have!" 😆. See : th-cam.com/users/shortsYfjhlAWHEaA - now that's a master class in how to make a machine easy to unbox! Not only have they put a strong strap around the foam to enable you to lift it out, but the instructions inside the box flaps and the "this way up" imprinted on the foam, and then the way they've put everything, and the simplicity of the instructions. If only all manufacturers would take a leaf out of Niches book! Ta, Kev.
Hey :-). The only way to find out is to dial in. Assuming you're using the standard baskets, I'd start out at around grind size 10, assuming you've not changed the internal burr setting, and just dial in from here. Cheers, Kev.
Hi Kev 👋 I'm more of an americano drinker, is there an extra button to add hot water ? Or is it just as easy to boil the kettle and add water to the espresso 🤔
Hi Danielle, The Impress has a dedicated hot water spout and the steam dial has steam on one side and hot water on the other so you won't need to boil your kettle! Cheers Kev
I have a question about this too. Is there a maximum amount of water that can be adjusted to, more than the 30 /60 grams. My husband would probably prefer to just let more water run through the sieve. Thanks for the great videos!
Hi, good time, I recently got the Sage876 espresso machine but I still couldn't give the app to the device and what the best grade of the mill is for this device Thank you for the guidance you see
Looking forward to seeing it in action and very much hoping there might be a discount when it launches. When reviewing machines could you please advise how easy it is to fill the water tank if it's stored on the kitchen worktop with cupboards above. I suspect that might be a flaw
Hi Gem, most machines are similar in this regard in that you have to pull the machine out in order to remove the water tank, there are a few bean-to-cup machines that have front-accessed water tanks so you pull the water tank from the front instead of having to move the machine out, but even with these you'd probably have to pull them out to access the hopper. Cheers, Kev.
Hi Gemma, It depends on what you mean by beginners. If you're a beginner in the sense that you want to hone your home barista skills and no longer be a beginner, by going through the learning curve associated with developing home barista skills, then I'd say the Impress wouldn't be for you. If, on the other hand, you're someone who doesn't want to go through this learning curve, but you want better cup quality than the alternative for people who want home espresso without going through this learning curve (bean to cup coffee machines) then I'd say the Impress would be a great option. Cheers Kev
Just ordered this machine, looking forward to using it and tasting the coffee. As this is my first expresso machine I'd better check out your other videos so I'll have a clue how to use and make decent coffee...Thanks...
Love the coffee content, especially the in depth info on the new Impress, thank you!! I came across your channel looking for Breville Barista Impress reviews and have since been diving into your back catalog. How do I find out where Breville is releasing the different colour options. I’m a Brit living in USA. My only option here is silver, I want Black Truffle but only see it available in NZ/AUS. Cheers.
Hi Timothy, It was only available in silver when it first came out in the UK, So hopefully it won't be long until they bring it out in different colours in the US Thanks for enjoying my posts, It really does mean a lot to me. Cheers Kev
Whoa, where did this thing come from?? I've been researching home espresso machines to probably buy one in september and had zero idea that Breville was coming out with a new Barista Express!
I couldn't find a single video that showed all the steps to obtain, for example, a double espresso: 1) choice 1 of setting for grind 2) test with appearance and extraction time 3) correction with choice 2 of grind setting 4) test with appearance and extraction time 5) etc until you get the correct result 6) once arrived at this result, show that it is reproducible without modifying anything which is 'normally' the strong point of this machine (personally I had to part with my manual machine because I was the only one the house to be able to produce good espresso)
Hi, That all depends on what you are looking for in an espresso machine. The Impress is an assisted machine, it takes away a lot of the need for barista skill. So if you just want decent cup quality and proper espresso without the learning curve, the impress (876) would be the one to look at. Ta Kev
Hi Simon, It all depends on what you are looking for in a coffee machine, The Impress is for someone who wants decent coffee quickly without the faff, The Classic is for someone who wants more input in their coffee experience. Ta Kev
@@Coffee_Kev thanks Kev I think if I put more input in to make a coffee and the coffee was really that much better I would go for the gaggia but if the difference is not that great I might prefer the convenience of the sage?
Part of doing unboxing is showing exactly whats in the box, not just taking out the main thing and talking forever. You have 4 unopened boxes on your desk by the time video ends...
On the basis of your great videos and reviews we bought one of these….and sadly our experience has been a huge disappointment. We spent ages trying to get decent coffee….wasting a lot of beans and a lot of time and energy producing terrible acidic drinks, in spite of perfect pucks and near perfect shot times. We were so caught up in the whole “learning curve” thing that we assumed we were getting it wrong. Finally light dawned that we should go back to basics and check the water temperature coming from the machine. 76c…so no wonder every coffee was like battery acid. The machine went back and a week later its replacement arrived….and it’s exactly the same. The two machines are from the same batch….so possibly a batch wide fault. It’s left us with doubts about the quality of the build, the lack of quality control, the longevity of the machine if you did get a working one….and as it’s impossible to get through to Customer Service on the phone the hassle of trying again doesn’t feel worth it.
Hi, Thanks for your message, saying that your coffee was acidic tasting , please watch this helpful guides: th-cam.com/play/PLpvTS0sPQCo_ukCdc0rByrspcAlIpmkaU.html Cheers Kev
@@Coffee_Kev Thanks for getting back to us. We’re using high end, freshly roasted, espresso roast beans from a local artisan roaster with a roasted on date and we’ve tasted the coffee in their place and know we like it. We’re preheating the machine and warming the portafilter and cups before we start. We’ve spent time adjusting the grind and dialling in using your detailed videos, getting shot times between 25 and 30 seconds and still the coffee is really acidic. It doesn’t taste remotely like the coffee we know and love. Sage have come back and said that 76c is the temperature that you’d expect in the cup after extraction….and that 93c is from the boiler and during extraction….but the water coming through the group with no portafilter in place is only 76c….so by the time it’s gone through the coffee it’s a lot lower than that in the cup. We’ve given up and we’re taking a refund.
This "assisted" approach is a step backwards in this instance actually. It's a return to the old days when portafilters were just filled to the top, smoothed off and tamped. No regard to dose weight at all. I get it's all for convieniance and if all coffees weighed the same it would be brilliant. But that is not the case. It's pretty much an extention of why i have issues with the "razor" tool that i have discussed with Kev in another video. There is so much randomness being introduced with this machine and the whole ideology of using a set leveled off approach to puck prep. I really thought the days of pucks being prepared to a predefined height (not weight) were long gone. Breville/Sage seems intent on reviving it.
Hi Tass, it's the complete opposite of that, I think you may be misunderstanding what this machine is and how it works. The machine senses the dose, volumetrically. It knows what the dose height is supposed to be, and it guides the user to achieve that. All the user has to do is follow the machine's prompts to achieve the correct dose, while also adjusting the grind size accordingly. Once the grind size is about right and the dose is also right, there'll be about 18g in the basket. If you watch my various videos, you'll see that it's always around 18g, and the consistency from one shot to the next is within point two of a gram. Cheers, Kev
Are you referring to the tamp lever? This is the only similarity, but what makes the express impress special isn't the tamp lever in and of itself, it's that in combination with the intelligent dosing, which makes it a completely different machine. I'll be doing a side by side comparison with the DeLonghi la specialista soon. Cheers, Kev.
I’ve been using this machine for 2 months here in Australia Kev, it’s an absolute cracker. That impress tamp system is fab. Even my wife can use it 😉
I'm glad you like it Ian :-)
Cheers for the feedback, I think my wife could probably use it too & she doesn't drink coffee ;-).
You are a fantastic teacher into this hobby.
Thanks Gary :-)
Nice work Kev, you have a video for everything my friend.
Bravo!!
Hi Tim,
Thanks :-)
Please let me know if you have further ideas for future videos :-)
Cheers
Kev
My OG barrista express i bought 7 years ago and is still going strong, just bought this one a few days ago so hopefully its built like a tank too
Let me know what you think of the impress when you get it :-)
Hi Kev, my girlfriend has recently bought me this machine, should be arriving today. I’ll be following your videos, so thank you for taking the time to make these. She’s asking where you got your apron from, she wants one for the kitchen.
Thank you for your video. You don’t mention the manual / auto dial. What does it do and how is it operated
A great watch - took delivery of mine today & loving how simple it is to use 👍🏼
Glad you are enjoying it Paul :-)
Looking forwards to you comparing this more closely to the Oracle. We tested both in store and found the Oracle more “solid” to the touch.
Cheers Peter, comparison vs the Oracle coming soon. Ta, Kev.
I've been struggling with an SGP and a Bambino Plus for months (and a Dedicated before that) to get consistently good shots, despite working on grind size, shot volumes, levelling, tamping, extraction - all the key steps.
I'm very tempted with this machine as frankly, I'm starting to tire of the aggravation.
(they've already sold out of all versions apart from the brushed stainless one too!)
Hi Tim,
It depends what you want from a machine, The Impress if for some one who just wants a quick, delicious cup of coffee without the hassle of having to grind, tamp and create coffee manually, If you wanted to become more of a home barista this is not the machine for you.
@@Coffee_Kev Absolutely it isn't, I agree. I've followed your channel for a long time and I see you getting great results from an SGP and a Bambino Plus and I'm really struggling to replicate that. Even with your coffee ;-) ...
Hi Tim, yeah there's certainly a learning curve, and this machine is made for people who don't want that. I'd advise persevering because you're already probably well on your way through the learning curve. Feel free to drop me an email if you need a bit of guidance, kev@coffeeblog.co.uk
Just bought one of these and taking your advice on dialling it in Kev! New to this but looking forward to getting it right. In the UK, got it at a bargain too, on offer in Costco for just under £500!! Winner 😊
Fantastic Ian :-)
Happy brewing!
Cheers
Kev
Ive just received this machine and this video is incredibly informative. Thank you
Glad you have found my posts helpful :-)
I've watched many of your other videos to help me choose which coffee maker to buy. Thanks for all the good work you do.
However, the reason I wanted to watch this particular video was for the bit you skipped... the best way to get the machine out of the box. It's not a great user experience - they need to be a bit more 'Apple' in that respect. But I'm sure the coffee masking experience will be excellent.
Sorry! Actually these days we do all the unboxing in shorts, including the actual unboxing bit. Yeah, to be fair just about every machine I receive, is like this, I'm like "how many flipping pairs of arms do these people think their customers have!" 😆. See : th-cam.com/users/shortsYfjhlAWHEaA - now that's a master class in how to make a machine easy to unbox! Not only have they put a strong strap around the foam to enable you to lift it out, but the instructions inside the box flaps and the "this way up" imprinted on the foam, and then the way they've put everything, and the simplicity of the instructions. If only all manufacturers would take a leaf out of Niches book! Ta, Kev.
Hey Kev just bought this machine. I have Starbucks blonde beans. What’s the best grind size?
Hey :-). The only way to find out is to dial in. Assuming you're using the standard baskets, I'd start out at around grind size 10, assuming you've not changed the internal burr setting, and just dial in from here. Cheers, Kev.
Hi Kev 👋 I'm more of an americano drinker, is there an extra button to add hot water ? Or is it just as easy to boil the kettle and add water to the espresso 🤔
Hi Danielle,
The Impress has a dedicated hot water spout and the steam dial has steam on one side and hot water on the other so you won't need to boil your kettle!
Cheers
Kev
I have a question about this too. Is there a maximum amount of water that can be adjusted to, more than the 30 /60 grams. My husband would probably prefer to just let more water run through the sieve. Thanks for the great videos!
Hi, good time, I recently got the Sage876 espresso machine but I still couldn't give the app to the device and what the best grade of the mill is for this device
Thank you for the guidance you see
Do you think the colored ones red blue black etc would mark quicker then the stainless one
Looking forward to seeing it in action and very much hoping there might be a discount when it launches. When reviewing machines could you please advise how easy it is to fill the water tank if it's stored on the kitchen worktop with cupboards above. I suspect that might be a flaw
Hi Gem, most machines are similar in this regard in that you have to pull the machine out in order to remove the water tank, there are a few bean-to-cup machines that have front-accessed water tanks so you pull the water tank from the front instead of having to move the machine out, but even with these you'd probably have to pull them out to access the hopper. Cheers, Kev.
Kev, how would you say this compares to the standard Express? Is the Impress a lot better for beginners?
Hi Gemma,
It depends on what you mean by beginners. If you're a beginner in the sense that you want to hone your home barista skills and no longer be a beginner, by going through the learning curve associated with developing home barista skills, then I'd say the Impress wouldn't be for you.
If, on the other hand, you're someone who doesn't want to go through this learning curve, but you want better cup quality than the alternative for people who want home espresso without going through this learning curve (bean to cup coffee machines) then I'd say the Impress would be a great option.
Cheers
Kev
Thank you for this good video. Is it possible to change temperature on this machine for light roasted coffee ?
Hi Phi,
Yes you can, it's got 5 temperature settings in 1C or 2F increments.
Cheers
Kev
Just ordered this machine, looking forward to using it and tasting the coffee. As this is my first expresso machine I'd better check out your other videos so I'll have a clue how to use and make decent coffee...Thanks...
Let me know how you get on Trevor :-)
@@Coffee_Kev will do!
Love the coffee content, especially the in depth info on the new Impress, thank you!! I came across your channel looking for Breville Barista Impress reviews and have since been diving into your back catalog.
How do I find out where Breville is releasing the different colour options. I’m a Brit living in USA. My only option here is silver, I want Black Truffle but only see it available in NZ/AUS.
Cheers.
Hi Timothy,
It was only available in silver when it first came out in the UK, So hopefully it won't be long until they bring it out in different colours in the US
Thanks for enjoying my posts, It really does mean a lot to me.
Cheers
Kev
Hi I have this sage in black I can't find the replacement drip tray it not on sage website any help of getting one for me please
Looking forward to see a comparison with the Barista Pro or the Barista Touch.
Definitely on my to do list :-)
I'm in the UK and I've just unboxed and set mine up today. This is my first bean to cup machine. Can't wait to see your video next week.
Thanks Lisa,
Hopefully it will be available to watch on Wednesday after 4
Cheers
Kev
Whoa, where did this thing come from?? I've been researching home espresso machines to probably buy one in september and had zero idea that Breville was coming out with a new Barista Express!
I was surprised too ;-). Keep an eye out for further youtube video's on it in the next few weeks :-)
I couldn't find a single video that showed all the steps to obtain, for example, a double espresso:
1) choice 1 of setting for grind
2) test with appearance and extraction time
3) correction with choice 2 of grind setting
4) test with appearance and extraction time
5) etc until you get the correct result
6) once arrived at this result, show that it is reproducible without modifying anything which is 'normally' the strong point of this machine (personally I had to part with my manual machine because I was the only one the house to be able to produce good espresso)
can I ask between breville 878 and this 876 , which one would you recommend please? Thank you .
Hi, That all depends on what you are looking for in an espresso machine. The Impress is an assisted machine, it takes away a lot of the need for barista skill. So if you just want decent cup quality and proper espresso without the learning curve, the impress (876) would be the one to look at.
Ta
Kev
Would you still go with the gaggia classic pro and separate grinder over this?
Hi Simon, It all depends on what you are looking for in a coffee machine, The Impress is for someone who wants decent coffee quickly without the faff, The Classic is for someone who wants more input in their coffee experience.
Ta
Kev
@@Coffee_Kev thanks Kev I think if I put more input in to make a coffee and the coffee was really that much better I would go for the gaggia but if the difference is not that great I might prefer the convenience of the sage?
Part of doing unboxing is showing exactly whats in the box, not just taking out the main thing and talking forever. You have 4 unopened boxes on your desk by the time video ends...
Does this have the same heating element as the Bambino Kev?
Hi David,
No, the Bambino has the newer thermojet heater while the Barista express impress has the original thermocoil.
Cheers
Kev
@@Coffee_Kev thanks mate- think the Barrista Pro will be the way forwards for me then
Gimme gimme gimme!
Shiny thing!
Haha, and this is from someone who doesn't even drink coffee! ;-)
On the basis of your great videos and reviews we bought one of these….and sadly our experience has been a huge disappointment. We spent ages trying to get decent coffee….wasting a lot of beans and a lot of time and energy producing terrible acidic drinks, in spite of perfect pucks and near perfect shot times. We were so caught up in the whole “learning curve” thing that we assumed we were getting it wrong. Finally light dawned that we should go back to basics and check the water temperature coming from the machine. 76c…so no wonder every coffee was like battery acid. The machine went back and a week later its replacement arrived….and it’s exactly the same. The two machines are from the same batch….so possibly a batch wide fault. It’s left us with doubts about the quality of the build, the lack of quality control, the longevity of the machine if you did get a working one….and as it’s impossible to get through to Customer Service on the phone the hassle of trying again doesn’t feel worth it.
Hi,
Thanks for your message, saying that your coffee was acidic tasting , please watch this helpful guides: th-cam.com/play/PLpvTS0sPQCo_ukCdc0rByrspcAlIpmkaU.html
Cheers
Kev
@@Coffee_Kev Thanks for getting back to us. We’re using high end, freshly roasted, espresso roast beans from a local artisan roaster with a roasted on date and we’ve tasted the coffee in their place and know we like it. We’re preheating the machine and warming the portafilter and cups before we start. We’ve spent time adjusting the grind and dialling in using your detailed videos, getting shot times between 25 and 30 seconds and still the coffee is really acidic. It doesn’t taste remotely like the coffee we know and love. Sage have come back and said that 76c is the temperature that you’d expect in the cup after extraction….and that 93c is from the boiler and during extraction….but the water coming through the group with no portafilter in place is only 76c….so by the time it’s gone through the coffee it’s a lot lower than that in the cup. We’ve given up and we’re taking a refund.
Sean Coffee-Bean
Hahaha, Winter has passed, Coffee is Coming...
هههه 😭👌 dideca احسن❤️👍💪 منها بي كتير 🇩🇿
This "assisted" approach is a step backwards in this instance actually. It's a return to the old days when portafilters were just filled to the top, smoothed off and tamped. No regard to dose weight at all. I get it's all for convieniance and if all coffees weighed the same it would be brilliant. But that is not the case. It's pretty much an extention of why i have issues with the "razor" tool that i have discussed with Kev in another video. There is so much randomness being introduced with this machine and the whole ideology of using a set leveled off approach to puck prep. I really thought the days of pucks being prepared to a predefined height (not weight) were long gone. Breville/Sage seems intent on reviving it.
Hi Tass, it's the complete opposite of that, I think you may be misunderstanding what this machine is and how it works.
The machine senses the dose, volumetrically. It knows what the dose height is supposed to be, and it guides the user to achieve that. All the user has to do is follow the machine's prompts to achieve the correct dose, while also adjusting the grind size accordingly.
Once the grind size is about right and the dose is also right, there'll be about 18g in the basket. If you watch my various videos, you'll see that it's always around 18g, and the consistency from one shot to the next is within point two of a gram.
Cheers,
Kev
Lesson learned on how to steal someone’s design (cough cough Delonghi) and pretend no one else made this before. Great ideas. Wrong timing. 😂
Are you referring to the tamp lever? This is the only similarity, but what makes the express impress special isn't the tamp lever in and of itself, it's that in combination with the intelligent dosing, which makes it a completely different machine. I'll be doing a side by side comparison with the DeLonghi la specialista soon. Cheers, Kev.