
"At the very affordable cost of between $190 and $250, the ESP8XL is an obvious choice if you’re looking for a coffee machine that puts quality first."
The Breville ESP8XL is one of the best coffee machines on the market if you are a true, authentic coffee lover. The ESP8XL sits proudly on your kitchen countertop with its bold, stainless-steel design. This top-quality coffee machine allows you to create expert-level coffee with its professional 15-bar ThermoBlock pump pressure. At the very affordable cost of between $190 and $250, the ESP8XL is an obvious choice if you’re looking for a coffee machine that puts quality first.
Design
The Breville ESP8XL has a stunning, bold stainless-steel design which would be an asset to any kitchen, traditional or modern. You can even buy a matching set of stainless-steel cups if you want to, which will really complete the professional look of this coffee machine. The dimensions of the ESP8XL are 23x30x24cm, so it wouldn’t take up much room on your kitchen counter. This coffee machine also has an integrated water tank and coffee handle, as well as coming equipped with a stainless-steel milk jug, tamper, measuring spoon and cleaning tool. Breville make sure you have everything you need to create a perfect cup of coffee from scratch.
You can only use filter coffee with this top-quality coffee machine however, this is seen by most people as a plus as it gives the best quality coffees. You can choose between single or double espresso shots, and you can even create lattes and cappuccinos using the steam wand if you’d like to. These options don’t leave much to desire at all, especially for such a specialist coffee machine. You do have to froth your own milk but its pretty easy to do once you get the hang of it, so don’t let that put you off.
Coffee Customisation
When it comes to coffee quality, the Breville ESP8XL is one of the best coffee machines on the market. Breville have used a 15-bar pump, which is a professional standard of power, to create the perfect brewing process. The pump is also a ThermoBlock pump which makes sure the espresso is extracted at just the right temperature. Furthermore, a dual-wall filter system creates the perfect crema, so that you can have professional quality coffee at a fraction of the price. So, if you’d love your kitchen to be filled with the enticing aroma of freshly brewed-to-perfection coffee, look no further than the Breville ESP8XL.
The ESP8XL has been designed with some extra special features like a warming tray that can keep up to 6 espresso cups warm. However, overall Breville have tried to keep the ESP8XL as simple as possible, so there are a couple of things you’d need to do yourself. For example, you need to tamp the ground coffee into the handle firmly enough to create a fantastic flavour. A proper espresso machine can be a bit more fiddly to use than simpler pod-based coffee machines for example, but with a little practice, they can be just as easy. Plus, the coffee quality you get in return is far better.
Ease of Use
As well as making sure the ESP8XL produces expert level coffee, Breville have also made this top-quality coffee machine easy to use. The coffee measuring spoon which is included in the price, helps you to measure out the exact amount of ground coffee you need. However, for an even easier option, you can just use pods which have already portioned the coffee out for you. The pods also save on mess which is always a plus! The steam wand is also pretty easy to use although some have commented on its noisiness.
The integrated water tank has a 1.2 litre capacity which means you don’t have to keep running back and forth fill it up, and Breville have used a handy external water level window to help you know when it does need to be re-filled. Unfortunately, the water tank does not have recommended level markers for each drink however, this isn’t too much of a problem; you just have to make sure it doesn’t get too low. You can judge how much water will be needed pretty easily.
Breville have included a very easy to understand manual for the ESP8XL, but the controls are very simple. There is just one dial that you rotate depending on which function you’d like to use. The ESP8XL even has an easy to use plug with careful molding for easy removal. Due to its impressive build quality and industrial style housing, the Breville ESP8XL is very long-lasting so you won’t need to replace it for a long time. And when it comes to maintenance, the water tank, drip tray, and steam wand cover are all removable, so that you can wash them. Even the filter can be removed and rinsed under a warm tap. Be careful to use the correct coffee grounds in the filter though, otherwise, you might find yourself clearing it out a little more often. The Breville ESP8XL also comes with a limited 1-year warranty so you don’t have to worry if anything does go wrong.
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Final Thoughts
With its simple dial control and removable, washable water tank and steam wand cover, the Breville ESP8XL makes creating professional-level coffee easy, even for a novice. If you’re looking for an espresso machine which masters creating industry-leading coffee, as well as standing the test of time, the ESP8XL is the coffee machine for you. It is durable and easy to maintain and comes with a 1-year warranty to give you even more peace of mind that this is a truly great-value coffee machine.