Breville BES840XL Infuser Espresso Machine review

Why choose Breville BES840XL Infuser Espresso Machine over others?

The Breville BES840XL Infuser Espresso Machine comes with technical advantages many other espresso machines don’t have. The main feature I loved about BES840XL is the digital temperature control function (PID), which controls the temperature of water going through the group head. The PID keeps water at the constant, perfect temperature, which thus yielded creamy espresso of great quality.

Here are some distinct features of Breville BES840XL Infuser Espresso Machine:

• Robust functionality that allows users to brew phenomenal espresso, cappuccino, lattes, tea and americano
• Excellent feature set that allows users to control more aspects of the brewing process (temperature)
• Advanced temperature system for heating water and controlling water temperature throughout brewing
• Customizable volume
• Easy, convenient and fast to use, operate and brew coffee

What is the difference between BES840XL and BES870XL?

The main difference between Breville BES840XL and BES870XL is the inclusion of an integrated burr grinder. Breville BES870XL Barista Express comes with an integrated grinder, while Breville BES840XL Infuser Espresso Machine does not.

Further, BES840XL is significantly smaller than BES870XL. Unlike BES870XL, BES840XL is actually a pretty compact espresso machine that should fit into a variety of different spaces (including smaller kitchens).

BES840XL sets itself apart thanks to a very interesting feature: the pre-infusion technology. Basically, the infuser soaks coffee grounds before brewing while applying low, steady pressure on them. This allows coffee grounds to expand, ensuring that any gaps or cracks are filled with water.

However, the size and lack of an integrated burr grinder are not disadvantages of this espresso machine. On the contrary, this machine saves me time and money. To be specific, it saved me somewhere around $150, and a couple of minutes in brewing time.

Who is Breville BES840XL Infuser Espresso Machine perfect for?

As I was testing the product for this Breville Infuser review, I really wanted to understand who would most likely fall in love with this product. And, I believe that Breville BES840XL can be a very compelling choice for some individuals.

I am really passionate about GREAT quality coffee. I love strong, high-end coffee, and I pride myself for being knowledgeable about coffee-brewing. Breville BES840XL Infuser was a perfect choice for me.

Further, I feel like this machine might be a very compelling choice for those who are beginners in their coffee brewing journeys. The machine is fairly simple to use. I can easily see how many coffee starters could benefit from this machine to learn different brewing techniques.

I feel that Breville BES840XL Infuser Espresso Machine can be perfect for those who are looking for an espresso machine that has any or all of the following characteristics:

✓ Flexible and customizable coffee brewing

✓ Ability to control some aspects of the brewing process (e.g. temperature)

✓ Compact yet powerful espresso machine

✓ Pre-infusion of coffee grounds for tastier and richer coffee flavors

✓ Families and individuals who value a strong brand and high quality

✓ Great choice for those who begin a journey of coffee brewing

Who is Breville BES840XL Infuser Espresso Machine NOT perfect for?

Just like with other coffee maker reviews, I would love to remain honest in this Breville Infuser review. I think that there are a couple of examples where where Breville Precision Brewer might not be a perfect choice:

✗ Low budget

✗ An espresso machine with an integrated coffee burr grinder

✗ Experienced users who would like a much more advanced and complex espresso machine

✗ Not caring about high-end quality and great coffee flavors

Breville Infuser Review and Evaluation 🕵️

→ Appearance

I was really in love with Breville BES840XL Infuser Espresso Machine. I enjoyed its sleek and elegant design. I also loved that there were three different colors to choose from, specifically the following: Stainless Steel, Cranberry Red and Black Sesame. The simple look of the Stainless Steel model is my favorite because it has the potential to look good in any kitchen setting.

The machine is made mostly of solid stainless steel, and weighs about 17 pounds. It can be heavy, if I want to move it around frequently. I simply decided to put the machine in one place.

I was surprised how small and compact this machine was, when compared with others. It was measured 12.5 x 12.5 x 13.2 inches. This machine is certainly much smaller than Breville BES870XL Barista Express. Finding a place for my Breville Infuser on the kitchen counter was definitely not a problem for me, at all.

The water tank is located at the back of the machine. I was able to remove it by pulling the handle up. Not the best design, as it took some vertical space underneath my counter. However, since the machine is compact, it posed no difficulties for me.

→ Features and technical specs

Voltage: Breville BES840XL Infuser Espresso Machine is made for 120V, and can be used in Canada and the US only.

Basket size: The size of the coffee basket is 54 mm, and the machine comes with two pressurized and two unpressurized baskets (single and double dose).

Beverage size: Breville BES840XL Infuser offers a variety of beverage sizes thanks to its adjustable shot programming feature. The machine has 1 shot and 2 shot buttons and the volume of the shots can be programmed thanks to the volumetric control function. Of course, I can always also use the default shot sizes.

Weight: Breville BES840XL Infuser Espresso Machine weights about 17 pounds. This is 6 pounds less than the BES870XL model. The difference in weight is mostly due to the fact that the Infuser doesn’t have an integrated burr grinder.

Unit size: With the size of 12.5 x 12.5 x 13.2 inches, Breville BES840XL Infuser has a nice medium-to-small size. The machine fits easily on my small kitchen counter, and I can definitely see how it could fit on a lot of different kitchen counters (from small apartments to large mansions). While there are smaller espresso machines out there, of course, most of them do not have the features of BES840XL, and they do not brew such delicious coffee.

Water reservoir: The Breville BES840XL Infuser comes with a large 61-oz removable water reservoir. The reservoir is quite large for such a small and compact espresso machine. The water reservoir is located on the back. The tank has a handle that makes it easy to remove by pulling up. The tank comes also with a replaceable water filter. I would like to caution that the reservoir can burn if there is no water in the machine. I found it very important to refill it regularly, and never leave it empty.

Additional perks: One of the things that I learned about Breville BES840XL Infuser Espresso Machine is that it continued to positively surprise me, over and over. While I did take the time to learn how to use the machine at its full potential, there were so many functions and possibilities to brew an even better and more tasteful cup of coffee.

In my opinion, there are a couple of features that make this espresso machine very attractive. They are as follows:

✓ Breville BES840XL Infuser Espresso Machine brews coffee at perfect temperatures at all times thanks to the digital temperature control (PID). PID monitors any fluctuations between coffee grounds during extraction, and adjusts to keep temperature at its optimal range, at all times. This in turn ensures that coffee is brewed smoothly and evenly.

✓Breville BES840XL Infuser Espresso Maker brews stronger and more aromatic coffee due to infusing coffee grounds with water while applying low yet steady pressure on them.

✓ Thermocoil heating system provides better temperature consistency through circulating water in a stainless steel coil coated with aluminum.

✓ The volumetric control function allowed me to customize coffee shot volume. Though there were some preset volume options, I was able to override them with your own preferences. Once I figured out what volume I liked, I was able to program it to remain at my desired setting.

✓ The espresso pressure gauge helped me monitor espresso extraction pressure, so I knew whether the espresso is being over- or under-extracted.

In addition, there’s some other perks of this coffee maker. It comes with a 61oz water reservoir. Inside the reservoir, there are water filters that, in my opinion, further improve coffee flavors.

There were plenty of other add-ons. The list is really endless, and I could dedicate several pages to describe what the machine came with. From the important and impressive features, the machine came with a “sleep mode,” which snoozed the machine for an 1, and auto-off after 3 hours. There was an advanced temperature mode that allowed me to adjust water temperature ±4°F in 2°F increments from the default temperature.There was also a descale/clean light that came on when it was time to descale and clean the machine.

Last but not least, I feel like it’s important to highlight in this Breville BES840XL Infuser review that the machine came with a bunch of additional accessories. Those included but were not limited to the following: the “razor” dose trimming tool (patented twist blade that trims down the puck to the right level for precise coffee dosing and thus a consistent extraction), 54mm stainless steel portafilter, 1- and 2-cup single and dual wall filter baskets, coffee scoop, allen key, cleaning tool, integrated magnetic tamper, stainless steel milk jug, water filter holder and water filter, cleaning disk, cleaning tablets. WOW!

→ Performance

Brewing time: The machine can take about 3-4 minutes from start to finish. However, because hot water is available almost at all times, I was able to brew a shot of espresso in less than a minute. Of course, the brewing time depends on the cup size I select. The machine takes longer to deliver a double shot than it takes to deliver a single shot.

As I mentioned earlier, this machine comes with a volumetric control function that allows me to preset my own shot volumes. This also affects the brewing time.

However, I was really happy with the Infuser’s efficiency. Once water was heated up, it took no more than 1.5-2 minutes to deliver coffee.

Flavor: No matter the cup size, I was mesmerized with rich, flavorful coffee. I had high expectations after testing Breville BES870X Barista. BES840XL Infuser went above and beyond what I had expected.

Breville BES840XL Infuser Espresso Machine delivered high quality espresso thanks to its technology. First, the pre-infusion cycle soaked coffee grounds before brewing to yield stronger and richer flavors. Second, the PID technology allowed to reach and maintain perfect brewing temperature.

Temperature: I was very pleased and happy with brewing temperature. The digital temperature control (PID) delivered and maintained water at the right temperature of about 195 F degrees. Further the PID technology detected and minimized any fluctuations during extraction. All of these, in turn, ensured optimal espresso extraction, every time I used it.

Breville BES840XL Infuser Espresso Machine is equipped with a stainless steel thermocoil heating system that heats water on demand and maintains the temperature at a constant level.

Different beans require a different water temperature to extract their optimum flavor. The Infuser comes with an advanced temperature mode which allowed me to adjust the water temperature ±4°F in 2°F increments from the default temperature.

Milk frother: The 360 degrees swivel action steam wand delivered beautiful, rich milk micro-foam that added an extra layer of delicious taste in my espresso coffee. In the past, some shoppers complained that the frother had worked too slowly. However, I think that this might be a good thing for some entry level users.

Pressure / pressure gauge: Breville BES840XL Infuser works on a low pressure pre-infusion and on a 9-bar extraction pressure. This delivered rich and creamy coffee in my every cup. The pre-infusion soaked coffee grounds, and helped them expand for amazing espresso results.

The machine also has a pressure gauge that indicated pressure levels at which espresso was being extracted.

Noise levels: When the machine creates steam, I was able to hear a noticeable pumping noise. However, this is a normal phenomenon of a 15 bar Italian pump.However, the machine is a bit noisy in general, with tests showing somewhere around 79.8 decibels at peak. This is comparable with the sound emitted by a vacuum cleaner.

Cleaning: I found the machine to be easy and convenient to clean. The auto purge function takes place immediately after espresso, hot water and steam functions. The machine purged water into a drip tray, which is supposed to ensure that the thermocoil remains at the optimal temperatures and is ready for the next use.

The Infuser has a “Descale/Clean” indicator that illuminates a flashing light when a cleaning cycle is needed and illuminates a steady light when a descaling cycle is needed. Both the cleaning and descaling cycles are described in the user manual.

Customer-reported technical issues

The Breville BES840XL infuser comes with a limited one year warranty.

As I was testing and using this product extensively in preparation of this Breville Infuser review, I had no issues with the product. From what I have seen, most users praise the machine both for its durability and quality. However, there were just a couple of users who complained that the price Breville asks for servicing the machines is way too high. Some of these users preferred to open the machine and look for the issue themselves.

There were some individual instances of users complaining that the machine had died on them after a few months of use. However, we cannot be sure about why exactly that happened, and we need to take into account the possibility that bad maintenance might have been the cause.

Also, it appears that Breville’s customer service leaves a lot of room for improvement.

→ Health and safety

Breville BES840XL Infuser has a solid stainless steel body with a few plastic parts (like the cup warmer on the top of the machine). The manufacturer claims that the machine is BPA free and that all the parts that come into contact with coffee and water are BPA free.

I feel like it is such a shame that Breville uses plastic parts in such an expensive yet extremely well-performing machine. My hope is that Breville will offer an option to upgrade to a plastic-free espresso machine.

I was not able to find much detailed information on what kind of materials or chemicals are used, so I am not able to verify. I will be reaching out to Breville so I can include it in the Breville BES840XL review.

→ Price to value: is Breville Infuser worth the money?

Breville BES840XL Infuser Espresso Machine typically sells at about $$$$$ price tag for the Stainless Steel model, and slightly more for the Black Sesame and Cranberry Red models. Though the machine is great for beginning leisure coffee baristas, I loved its attractive features and technical specifications. I feel that the coffee this machine brews is high quality. BES840XL is about $150-$200 less expensive that its more advanced sister version BES870XL. I find this price to be extremely good for the value it offers.

However, I am a bit disappointed that Breville uses plastic parts in this coffee maker. Though Breville claims they are BPA-free, I feel like a plastic-free version would be such an incredible and safe choice for me.

With all these considerations, I really feel strongly for this espresso machine! I feel like it can be such a powerful machine that yields truly delicious coffee.

Should I buy Breville BES840XL Infuser Espresso Machine? Owly’s verdict! 🔨

This espresso machine has a lot of attractive features and I place it at the top of the list when it comes to functionality. It also makes excellent espresso, cappuccinos, lattes and amercanos, so it can be a wonderful choice for all coffee lovers and all the entry level espresso machine users.

I am really glad I gave it a chance to discover its worth.

Do you like your Breville BES840XL Infuser Espresso Machine? Did you enjoy our Breville Infuser review? Let us know in the comments!