Breville makes some of the best espresso machines you can buy, but it can be tricky to decide which one is right for you. Not only do many of them have similar names, but they also look alike, too. That's where we come in, breaking down all the key differences between two of the company's top models: the Breville Oracle Touch and the Breville Barista Touch.
First, it's important to know that Breville's Barista range includes three different models with similar names: the Barista Touch, the Barista Touch Impress, and the Barista Express Impress. To help avoid confusion, I'll cover them all, so you can see how they compare to the Breville Oracle Touch and to each other.
It's also worth noting that Breville products are branded 'Sage' in the UK. That's because there's an older, unrelated company called Breville in the UK. You might also see some of these coffee machines marketed as 'Sage by Heston Blumenthal'. For simplicity, this guide uses the name 'Breville' throughout.
Breville Oracle Touch vs Barista Touch: price
The Oracle Touch is Breville's top-end espresso machine, with a list price of $2,099.95 / £2,099.95 / AU$3,699.
The Breville Barista Touch costs about half that much, with a list price of $999.95 / £1,049.95 / AU$1,499, while the Barista Touch Impress sits in between at $1,499.95 / £1,199.95 / AU$1,999. The Barista Express Impress is the most affordable model at $799.95 / £729.95 / AU$899.
You can sometimes find Breville coffee makers available for a discount during sales events like Black Friday or Amazon Prime Day. We've rounded up today's best deals on all four machines for you here:
Breville Oracle Touch vs Barista Touch: features
The Oracle Touch is Breville's top-end espresso machine, with features including automatic milk texturizing, a dedicated steam boiler so you can steam milk while pulling a shot, an integrated burr grinder with a choice of 45 grind sizes, and a professional-grade 58mm portafilter. It's controlled with a large color touchscreen that lets you swipe between menu options and create up to eight custom drinks.
The Barista Touch also has a touchscreen display and an automatic texturizing system, but it only has a single boiler. It has an integrated burr grinder with 30 grind sizes and, like all machines in the Barista series, it has a 54mm portafilter.
The Barista Touch Impress also has the touchscreen, grinder with 30 grind sizes, and auto milk texturizing system, but it offers a couple of upgrades. It has a more powerful pump than the Barista Touch (1,750W compared to 1,680W), and has a system called Impress Puck that includes intelligent dosing, assisted tamping, and automatic correction of the next dose of coffee.
The Barista Express Impress has Impress Puck but, instead of the automatic milk texturizing system, it has a manual steam wand. Its grinder only provides 25 grind sizes, and it has physical buttons rather than a touchscreen (which is why it doesn't have 'touch' in the name).
Feeling a little confused? The table below should help clear things up.
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Breville Oracle Touch | Breville Barista Touch | Breville Barista Touch Impress | Breville Barista Touch Impress Express |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power | 2,400W | 1,680W | 1,750W | 1,750W |
| Portafilter | 58mm | 54mm | 54mm | 54mm |
| Assisted tamping | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Grind sizes | 45 | 30 | 30 | 25 |
| Presets | 5 | 4 | 8 | 4 |
| Dedicated steam boiler | Yes | No | No | No |
| Milk texturizing | Hands-free | Hands-free | Hands-free | Manual |
| Interface | Touchscreen | Touchscreen | Touchscreen | Buttons |
Breville Oracle Touch vs Barista Touch: conclusion
If you want the very best bean-to-cup coffee machine, the Breville Oracle Touch is the machine for you. Features like a dual boiler, pro-grade portafilter, and wider choice of grind sizes give you an experience that's close to a professional espresso machine.
If you like the sound of the Oracle Touch but your budget won't stretch that far, the Barista Touch is a great alternative. Its specs aren't quite so impressive (this is definitely more of a mid-range machine in terms of price and features), but it's still an excellent machine that will help you brew good coffee consistently. If you wouldn't call coffee your hobby, it's probably the better option.
Want something a bit easier to use? The Breville Barista Touch Impress takes the guesswork out of grinding and tamping, as well as foaming your milk. You just have to worry about pouring your latte art.
If you prefer your coffee black or are comfortable steaming milk with a manual wand, the Barista Express Impress is a good option. It lacks a touchscreen, but is more affordable and still covers all the essentials.
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