That done, the group handle needs to be locked into place. I certainly found that I could get enough force to compact the beans. There’s a plastic tamper in the box, but this is far more rugged than the cheap one provided with the Breville Bijou. To help, the screen shows you how much coffee you’ve ground, helping to get the right dosage for a single- or double-shot. I required a little more force than expected, but once I achieved the ideal pressure, subsequent uses became easier. With a filter installed into the group handle, you just slide the head into the plastic chute and press down on the handle.
It’s refreshing to see 58mm professional-sized filters here, rather than the smaller size included with entry-level machines.
Follow my guide on how to use a coffee grinder for more tips.īreville supplies two filters in the box for single- and double-shots of espresso. I started the Breville Barista Max+ just below its mid-point setting, making adjustments to achieve the right grind. You simply twist the hopper to adjust the grind, following the clearly labelled grind size underneath: the smaller the number, the finer the grind.Īs with all burr grinders, the advice is to adjust the grind only while the grinder is turned on. The bean hopper on top can hold up to 250g of beans, which is the same size as your average bag of roasted coffee beans. Finished in a neat matte black colour, the Breville looks smart and professional.Īt 407 x 347 x 322mm, it’s quite large – although since it has a grinder built-in, the overall amount of counter space it takes up doesn’t differ hugely from having separate units. Design and Featuresĭesigned as an all-in-one coffee station, the Breville Barista Max+ delivers everything you need to start making coffee the barista way.
Not so with the Breville Barista Max+, which is a mid-range manual machine with a matched grinder built-in.Įxcellent resulting coffee and good milk frothing help this machine stand out, although it does lack a pressure gauge and customisable options.
However, finding the right combination of grinder and machine can be tricky – and expensive. Making espresso manually, using freshly ground coffee and tamping yourself, is the path to achieving the best cup of coffee.