In this article, I’ll be giving step-by-step instructions on how to make coffee in a Breville coffee machine. You’re just 5 steps away from an amazingly rich brew!
How Do I Set Up My Breville?
First, bring out the box containing your new Breville espresso machine and follow my detailed instructions below to properly get it out and set it up.
- Open the box, and remove all of its parts from the packaging—including any labels that might be attached with Scotch tape or elastic bands!
- Feel free to keep (in case you need to return your Breville machine due to any faulty part) or discard those labels and packaging materials; they’re not needed for assembly purposes anyway.
- Wash the water tank, portafilter, filter baskets, and milk pitcher with warm water and a gentle dishwashing liquid.
- Use a soft non-abrasive damp cloth or sponge lightly dipped in warm water to wipe the outer housing, bean hopper, and drip tray.
- Let everything dry thoroughly before putting them back together.
How Do You Put A Filter In A Breville Espresso Machine?
Many Breville espresso machines, including the Breville Barista Express, which is one of the top-performing machines among the Breville line-up, come with a charcoal water filter that can be inserted into the water reservoir to ensure that your coffee tastes great every time.
A lot of home baristas forget that water is one of the crucial ingredients for making coffee. So, better water quality, better coffee quality.
The water filter can also massively decrease limescale buildups, reducing the need for frequent descaling sessions.
Here’s what you need to do:
- Soak the charcoal water filter into a cup of water for 5 minutes.
- Rinse it off under cold running tap water.
- Wash the stainless steel mesh with cold water.
- Insert the filter into the filter holder.
- Set the dial date 2 months ahead so you’d know when to replace it.
- Lock the filter into place.
- Put the water reservoir back into place.
How Do You Use A Breville Coffee Machine For The First Time?
If you’re new to coffee making, you should know that you shouldn’t brew coffee right from the first cycle. Just as you would wipe down and clean the outer machine parts, you need to clean the internal compartments as well.
And, how can you do that? Simply flush the system with an empty brew cycle (just water) should do the trick.
- Add water to the water tank.
- Plug the machine in and turn it on by pressing the POWER button. It may take a while for the machine to reach the ideal brewing temperature.
- Place a cup or container under the group head.
- If you’re using the Breville Barista Express, press the 2 CUP button to run hot water. This should take around 25 – 30 seconds.
- Activate the steam function for 10 seconds to clean it out.
- Repeat steps 4 and 5 until the tank runs out of water.
How Do You Use The Breville Espresso Barista Express?
First, check out how an espresso machine works. After all, “if you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles”.
Below are 5 beginner-friendly steps to help you brew your first shot of espresso using the Breville Barista Express:
Step 1: Preparing
- Add water to the water reservoir until the maximum mark. DO NOT use de-mineralized or distilled water as they may cause corrosion.
- Turn on the machine and wait for it to warm up.
- Preheat the serving cup with some hot water then place it on the warming tray.
Step 2: Grinding
- Set the grind setting to No. 5 (recommended). You can adjust it to suit your personal preference in later batches. The larger the number is, the coarser the ground coffee becomes, and vice versa.
- Add at least 18 g (for a double shot of espresso) of fresh whole bean dark-roasted coffee to the bean hopper.
- Insert either the 1-cup (for a single shot) or 2-cup (for a double shot – recommended) single-wall filter basket into the portafilter. If you’re using pre-ground coffee, use the dual-wall filter basket.
- Lock the portafilter into the grinding cradle.
- Pick the filter size: single (for one shot) or double (for a double shot).
- Push and release the portafilter to start grinding and the machine will stop automatically after the correct amount of coffee grounds has been dispensed.
Step 3: Tamping
- Take out the portafilter and lightly tap it on the counter to level the grounds bed.
- Hover it over a knock box (or a bin, if you don’t have one) and swipe your index finger across the edge of the portafilter to discard any excess ground coffee.
- Place the portafilter on the tamping mat and firmly press down the tamper with 15 – 20 kg of pressure.
Step 4: Brewing
- Lock the portafilter holding tamped coffee into the group head.
- Place the preheated serving cup underneath the group head.
- Press either the 1 CUP (for one shot) or 2 CUP (for 2 shots) button to start brewing. The brew cycle should automatically wrap up once extraction is complete.
Step 5: Steaming
- Add milk to the milk pitcher (around half the pitcher).
- Move the steam wand tip to hover over the drip tray and move the dial to the STEAM position. Wait for the white steam light to stop flashing, which signals that the machine has reached the ideal temperature for steaming milk.
- Return the dial back to the STANDBY position and wait around 5 seconds to let the steam function pause.
- Hold the handle of the milk jug with your left hand. Use your right hand to support its bottom half directly below the spout.
- Submerge the tip of the steam wand in milk and turn the dial back to the STEAM position to start steaming milk.
- Lower the pitcher so that the tip is right below the surface once the milk surface starts spinning.
- Turn the dial back to the STANDBY position when the milk jug feels hot to touch.
- Settle the large bubbles by swirling the jug around and lightly tapping it on the counter.
- Slowly swirl around while adding the steamed milk to the espresso cup.
To Wrap Up
Brewing espresso at home doesn’t have to be difficult – these five beginner-friendly steps will help you make your first shot of espresso using the Breville Barista Express.
Once you’ve got the hang of it, feel free to adjust the grind setting, amount of coffee grounds, and extraction amount to create your perfect cup of Joe. Here’s how to program the Breville Barista Express and instructions for other adjustments!