Breville is renowned for creating high-quality espresso makers that bring the café espresso experience home.
Their range of machines, which includes manual and automatic models, honors traditional techniques and provides quality-focused features such as pre-infusion and commercial-level components.
The Breville Barista Pro and Touch espresso machines are high-end semi-automatic machines that offer quality espresso.
The main difference between these two machines is the display: the Barista Pro has a blue backlit LCD screen with buttons, while the Barista Touch has a full-color touchscreen with more customization options.
The Barista Touch also has a steam wand with 10 texture settings and granular control for temperature, while the Barista Pro has a manual steam wand.
Both machines feature Breville’s Thermojet heating system and built-in grinders and are easy to use and suitable for beginners and baristas alike.
This article will compare the Breville Barista Pro vs. Touch to help you decide which machine best suits your needs.
We will also go over their key differences and similarities to better give you an understanding of which device is best suited for your preferences.
Breville Barista Pro vs. Touch: Ease Of Use And Display
We will start this comparison with the most significant difference between the Breville Barista Pro and Touch, which is their displays.
The Breville Barista Pro uses an LCD digital display, while the Breville Touch uses a full touch screen.
Let’s compare their displays, and we’ll also compare these two espresso machines in terms of ease of use.
We will review each display individually and then give you our verdict of which display we think is better.
Barista Pro LCD Digital Display
The Breville Barista Pro LCD digital display is an intuitive interface that offers users all the information they need to make the perfect third-wave specialty coffee at home.
The classic Breville styling has been given a modern and minimalistic makeover, and the LCD digital display shows you the grinding time, grind size, and one or two espresso shots.
To change the settings or navigate the Barista Pro, you use the grind amount dial, as this machine does not have a touch screen like the Barista Touch.
With a faster, quieter, and more advanced design than its predecessor, the Barista Express, the Barista Pro is an ideal choice for anyone who loves great coffee.
One of the advantages of the Breville Barista Pro is its pre-infusion customization.
The pre-infusion feature allows you to adjust the amount of time the hot water is in contact with the ground coffee before the actual extraction, resulting in a better-tasting espresso.
You can program the Barista Pro’s one and two-shot settings, including a longer pre-infusion time.
The pre-infusion customization is excellent, as a longer pre-infusion leads to a better puck and avoids channeling issues.
The Breville Barista Pro is an incredibly user-friendly espresso machine.
It includes 30 grind settings, allowing users to customize their espresso to their exact preference.
The LCD digital interface is intuitive and easy to use, providing effortless control over the coffee grinding and brewing process.
The advanced steam wand also makes milk frothing simple, with pre-programmed presets for optimal temperature control.
The Breville Barista Pro is an excellent choice for an easy-to-use machine that delivers consistently delicious espresso drinks.
Barista Touch Display
The Barista Touch stands out amongst Breville’s mid-range espresso machines with its intuitive touchscreen interface.
This makes programming more straightforward than traditional analog controls, as users can tap the screen to adjust the temperature, grind size, and more.
With the machine’s color screen, users can easily customize up to eight of their favorite drinks, from programming favorites and profiles to adjusting drink strength and temperature.
Furthermore, its automatic steam wand and pre-infusion feature make for an even more personalized experience.
The Barista Touch from Breville is an excellent choice for those looking for a machine that is both easy to use and offers plenty of customization.
It’s full-color touchscreen and one-touch buttons allow users to craft their favorite espresso beverages easily.
Although it comes with a premium price tag, the Barista Touch is worth the investment for those who love to tinker with brewing methods and create delicious drinks.
Breville Barista Pro vs. Touch: Who Has The Better Display?
If you are a modern person and love touchscreen interfaces, you’ll prefer the Barista Touch over the Barista Pro.
We like the Barista Touch display slightly more than the Barista Pro.
It has a full-color touchscreen with more customization options than the Pro, allowing users to choose espresso strength and milk temperature and create eight saved drink profiles.
The Barista Pro is more basic and has a blue backlit LCD screen with buttons.
The Barista Pro LCD allows you to view information about the grinding time, grind size, one or two espresso shots, and extraction controls.
If you are more of an old-school person and you like having buttons instead of a touchscreen, then the Barista Pro would be the better choice.
Ultimately, we believe Barista Touch has a more user-friendly display and allows for more customization, making it the better option.
Breville Barista Pro vs. Touch: Design And Build Quality
The Barista Pro and Barista Touch both have a brushed stainless steel exterior, with the Touch only coming in silver and black options, while the Pro offers five different color options.
Both machines have modest footprints, with the Pro measuring 13.9 x 16.1 x 16 inches and weighing 20 pounds and the Touch measuring 12.7 x 15.5 x 16 inches and weighing 26.8 pounds.
The Pro is deeper and bulkier than the Touch, as it has thicker parts, while the Touch is wider. Both of these machines can fit in your kitchen without taking up too much space.
The most significant difference, as discussed earlier, is that Barista Pro has traditional buttons and an LCD screen, while the Barista Touch has a touch screen that gives it a more modern look.
The Barista Pro is slightly more futuristic with its redesigned chassis, while the Barista Touch is a modification of the older Barista Express model.
The Barista Pro also features a retractable power cord for reducing countertop clutter, which is not present on the Barista Touch.
Ultimately, both machines look great, giving you the perfect aesthetic to match your coffee bar.
Breville Barista Pro vs. Touch: Drink Options
The Breville Barista Pro and Touch machines offer different drink options for users.
The Barista Touch offers more customizable settings for a latte, flat white, and more, with options to adjust the coffee strength, milk temperature, and texture.
It also has 10 different settings for water temperature and 10 texture settings for the steam wand.
The Barista touch also comes with 5 pre-programmed drink options: Espresso, Americano, cappuccino, Flat white, and latte.
There is also a hot water option for making tea.
The Barista Pro does not come with pre-programmed drinks and relies on manual steaming for drinks like cappuccinos and lattes.
However, the Pro does have better custom shot programming as it is set by volume rather than time.
Breville Barista Pro vs. Touch: Steam Wand Performance
Both have powerful steam wands, but the Touch has a more advanced feature – an automatic steam wand.
This allows the user to precisely control their coffee settings and make drinks like an Americano.
On the other hand, the Pro’s steam wand is still powerful but doesn’t have the same auto feature.
Instead, the Pro’s steam wand offers increased control with a slight learning process to achieve optimal results.
The Breville Barista Pro has a manual steam wand perfect for creating micro-foam to make delicious coffee drinks.
The steam wand texturizes the milk to an incredibly velvety mouthfeel, allowing you to easily craft lattes, cappuccinos, and more.
In addition, the digital screen on the machine will inform you when you are in the infusion and shot phases, ensuring that your espresso drinks are made with precision.
The steam wand on the Barista Pro is also easy to clean, ensuring that you always have perfectly textured milk for your coffee.
There will be a slight learning curve if you’ve never used it before.
The Barista Touch espresso machine is designed for a truly hands-free experience.
It has a steam wand in the Panarello fashion that automatically adds air to the milk as it froths, producing a fine micro-foam with barista-quality performance.
This is all done through an easy-to-use touchscreen display with a pre-programmed coffee menu and automatic milk texturing.
To use the automatic mode, you put the milk in the jug and place it under the steam wand.
The steam wand then keeps the tip of the wand close to the bottom of the container, quickly creating very thick steamed milk that is sure to satisfy your coffee needs.
Overall, both steam wands will allow you to create the perfect latte.
If you want a more automated experience, then the Barista Touch is your best bet.
However, the Barista Pro is better if you want more control and prefer a more manual approach.
Breville Barista Pro vs. Touch: Pricing
Regarding pricing, the Breville Barista Pro and Touch are pretty different.
The Barista Touch is an upgrade pick with an excellent touch display, an automatic steam wand, and a higher price tag.
Meanwhile, the Barista Pro offers an LCD screen operated through buttons at a more affordable price.
Both espresso machines have compact form factors, but the Barista Touch has a wider body.
The control panel is one of the main differences between these two espresso machines, too, with the Barista Touch having a full-color touchscreen display.
Ultimately, both devices offer a tremendous espresso-making experience, and the final decision will depend on your personal preferences and requirements.
Both machines offer great value for money and are made with high-quality stainless steel materials to ensure the devices will last for years.
Both machines also come with an array of features that help increase the quality of your drinks, including a built-in grinder, steaming wands, and fast heating technology.
Now let’s look purely at their pricing. If budget is your main priority, then the Barista Pro is the cheaper option and is roughly about $200 cheaper than the Barista Touch.
For the $200 extra, you get a touch screen, an automatic steam wand, and pre-programmed recipes.
The decision as to whether or not you want to spend the additional money for Barista Touch will come down to your personal preference.
Do you want touchscreen functionality, or are you okay with regular buttons? Do you prefer having a manual wand, or would you like an automatic wand? Are you going to make use of the eight pre-programmed recipes?
You will need to ask yourself these questions to determine if paying the additional cost is worth the money for your specific use case.
Breville Barista Pro vs. Touch: Key Similarities
We’ve compared these machines regarding display, usability, design, wands, drink options, and pricing.
Now let’s go over some of their similarities.
Thermojet Heating System
The Breville Barista Pro and Barista Touch feature the ThermoJet heating system, which heats up water in just 3 seconds.
This impressive system has a PID temperature control that maintains a consistent water temperature of 200°F, perfect for producing balanced flavors.
This sensor ensures the water temperature remains constant, so you can enjoy perfectly balanced flavors every time.
The 3-second heat-up time and precise espresso extraction prove the effectiveness of the ThermoJet heating system.
Furthermore, the built-in grinder delivers the right amount of ground coffee on demand, resulting in a great cup of coffee every time.
The Breville Barista Pro and Barista Touch are sure to make your coffee experience one of a kind.
The Breville Barista Pro and Barista Touch also have a pre-infusion feature that allows users to soak the coffee grounds for as long as 10 seconds before starting the brewing process.
This pre-infusion stage ensures a more even extraction from the coffee grounds, resulting in a tastier cup of espresso.
Both models offer a low-pressure pre-infusion for more consistent extraction, producing a flavor-packed espresso.
With this level of control, users can easily make third-wave specialty coffee with the Touch of a button.
Espresso Quality
The Breville Barista Pro and Barista Touch are semi-automatic machines producing high-quality espresso.
The Barista Pro features a manual steam wand, giving users the control to learn how to create exceptional steamed milk that is better suited for latte art.
The Barista Touch has an automatic steam wand with a selection of customizable drinks and easy-to-follow instructions.
Both machines feature 30 grind settings, the same temperature settings, the same amount of grind steps, the same brewing pressure, and the same filter baskets.
This results in both machines providing the same high-quality espresso.
A human element will be involved in ensuring the shot quality is to your liking.
However, once you learn how to effectively customize the settings on both machines, you will be able to produce an espresso that is consistent in flavor.
Overall, the espresso quality will be the same, whichever device you choose.
Integrated Burr Grinder
The Breville Barista Pro and Barista Touch are designed to make coffee-making easier and more convenient.
Both machines have an integrated conical burr grinder, allowing you to adjust the grind and dose control to get the right amount of coffee for maximum flavor.
With a single touch, the grinder provides the ideal amount of coffee on demand for maximum flavor.
This feature allows users to adjust the grind size from a fine to a coarse setting, providing optimal extraction.
With the integrated burr grinder, you can have a perfect cup of espresso every time.
You can choose from 30 fine-grind settings on this grinder to alter the level of flavor intensity in your coffee.
The grind settings are easily adjustable via a dial on the front of the machine, allowing you to easily control the size and consistency of your coffee grounds.
The Dry Puck feature of the Breville Barista Pro and Barista Touch also removes excess water from ground coffee in the filter basket after extraction.
This combination of features makes these machines perfect for those looking for a coffee-shop-quality espresso.
Included Accessories
The Breville Barista Pro and the Barista Touch come with all the necessary accessories to start your espresso-making journey.
These include a 54mm stainless steel portafilter with both pressurized and non-pressurized options, a 2-liter water reservoir that can be removed for filling at the sink, a built-in grinder for fresh coffee grounds, a milk jug, filter baskets, a cleaning kit, a Razor dose tool, tamper, and complete manuals and guides – all of which come in a predominately metal exterior.
Breville Barista Pro vs. Touch: Which Should You Choose?
Choosing between the Breville Barista Pro and the Breville Barista Touch can be difficult.
Both machines have a similar, compact design, making them great for countertop use.
The Barista Touch has 8 programmable user profiles, which is excellent for households or offices with multiple coffee drinkers.
It also has a full-colored touchscreen display, while the Barista Pro has a traditional control panel.
The Barista Pro is slightly cheaper than the Barista Touch but still offers Breville’s ThermoJet heating element.
The Barista Touch helps you create third-wave specialty coffee with ease and has intuitive settings, while the Barista Pro is more aimed at traditional users who like more control over their espressos.
Ultimately, both machines offer excellent quality espresso, so it eventually comes down to the features you value most and the budget you have available.
Let’s briefly go over the best use cases for each machine to help you decide which device suits you best.
Who Should Buy The Breville Barista Pro?
The Breville Barista Pro is the ideal option if you want an espresso maker that’s both high-end and reasonably priced.
It offers an LCD screen operated through buttons, which is both easy to use and intuitive.
The machine also has a more compact body than the Barista Touch, making it an excellent fit for smaller kitchens.
Additionally, the Barista Pro is more cost-effective, with a price tag that’s about $200 lower than the Barista Touch.
So if you’re looking for a quality espresso machine without breaking the bank, the Breville Barista Pro is the way to go.
Here are some of the main reasons to pick The Breville Barista Pro:
- Cost: The Barista Pro is significantly cheaper than the Barista Touch, making it an excellent option for those on a budget.
- Display: The Breville Barista Pro has a basic blue backlit LCD screen with buttons, while the Barista Touch has a color touch screen.
- Customizable One and Two-Shot Settings: The Barista Pro allows you to program the one and two-shot settings, giving you more control over the espresso experience.
- Variety of Color Options: The Barista Pro is offered in five different colors, allowing you to select the one that best suits your style and décor.
- Size: The Barista Pro is bulkier but has a smaller footprint than the Barista Touch, making it easier to fit into tight counter spaces.
- Drink Options: The Barista Pro is a more “classic” semi-automatic espresso machine where you make the espresso and steamed milk by hand, while the Barista Touch has customizable settings for a latte, flat white, and more.
Who Should Buy The Breville Barista Touch?
Suppose you are looking for an espresso machine that is compact in size but offers a superior coffee-making experience.
In that case, the Breville Barista Touch is the perfect choice for you.
It has a full-colored touchscreen display and intuitive touchscreen automatic features that make it easy to use.
Additionally, it has a broader body than the Barista Pro, making it better suited for larger kitchen counters.
The machine is easier to use and has a lower learning curve due to its pre-programmed espresso recipes.
It also offers a more detailed level of customization.
All these features make the Barista Touch an ideal pick for those who want to elevate their coffee-making experience.
Here are some of the key reasons to pick the Barista Touch:
- Touchscreen Display: The Barista Touch has a full-color touchscreen with more customization options than Barista Pro.
- Eight-Saved Drink Profiles: You can save up to eight personalized espressos with individual images and names.
- Customizable Drink Options: Barista Touch offers customizable settings for a latte, flat white, and more, plus you can adjust the coffee strength, milk temperature, and texture.
- Water Temperature Settings: The Barista Touch has 10 different water temperature settings (going from -5 to 5), and the steam wand has 10 texture settings and granular control for temperature.
- Pre-Programmed Drinks: The Barista Touch comes with five pre-programmed drinks: espresso, Americano, cappuccino, flat white, and latte, plus a hot water option for making teas.
Breville Barista Pro vs Touch: Conclusion
The Breville Barista Pro and Barista Touch are excellent semi-automatic espresso machines.
The Barista Touch has a full-color touchscreen with more customization options, while the Barista Pro has a basic LCD screen with buttons.
Both devices have Breville’s Thermojet heating systems and built-in grinders, so you’ll get quality espresso.
Ultimately, it comes down to how much you want to pay for convenience and how much control you want over your espresso.
The Barista Touch is the more convenient and user-friendly machine, with its touch screen and automatic steaming features.
At the same time, the Barista Pro is slightly more robust in terms of build quality and has a retractable power cord.
Ultimately, if you prioritize convenience, the Barista Touch is the way to go, but if you want better control over milk steaming, then the Barista Pro is the right choice.
