The first thing that springs to mind when you think of Australia is perhaps not a famous coffee brand. Breville is an Australian company started and founded in Sydney in 1932, and in 2016 the brand also manufactures coffee machines for Nespresso.
In this review, we’ll take a look at No products found. and see if it’s the machine for you. As always, you should consider a few factors before purchasing a machine. It’s important to decide on your budget, but also it’s worth considering how many coffee drinkers will be using the machine. This should help you in deciding what machine to go for.
Let’s jump into the Breville ESP8XL review.
Breville ESP8XL Review
No products found. is a smart-looking Espresso machine. It’s made entirely from stainless steel so it will look great in any kitchen or office space. The machine is an excellent compact size measuring 9 x 9 x 12 inches and weighs 13 pounds.Breville has also included a 1-Year Warranty with the machine so you can have peace of mind that your machine is covered for at least a year after your purchase.
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The machine also comes with a stainless steel frothing pitcher, a tamping tool, a measuring spoon, and a cleaning tool. The Breville ESP8XL is an ideal machine for single households but also small teams in a work or office space.
How The Breville ESP8XL Works
When you turn on the machine, a light will show on the front of the machine to indicate that the machine is heating up. When that light turns off, this means that the machine is hot enough and is ready to use.
There is a dial on the front of the machine which allows you to choose whether you want to brew your coffee or steam your milk. This makes the machine very easy to use.
You are also not limited in choice with the Breville. The machine can take pods, or you can use ground coffee. This is a nice feature as some users will prefer pods of coffee while others prefer ground coffee.
It’s important to remember that the Breville ESP8XL is a manual machine so you’ll have to keep time yourself when making an espresso. Based on using the machine, it takes around 15-30 seconds to brew a cup once the machine is heated. The machine is also quite quiet when it’s brewing your coffee; this is nice as one of the things that can let down many Espresso machines is how noisy they are during the brewing process.
Steaming The Milk
The machine comes with a frothing jug with you can use to froth your milk. You don’t want to put milk into your jug straight away, the first thing to do is to turn the frothing wand on. As it heats up, it will leak water which then turns into steam once it’s heated up. So, let the wand heat up before you add the milk to your jug.
Once the steam wand is heated, you can add the milk to your jug and froth the milk. Be sure to clean the steam wand after you’ve finished frothing the milk to keep it nice and hygienic.
The Water Tank And Drip Tray
No products found. comes with an inbuilt 40.6 oz water tank. This can be accessed on the far right of the machine and is easy to remove and refill. The size of the water tank is perfect compared to the size of the machine, and you will be able to enjoy a good few cups of coffee before it needs refilling.The machine comes with a removable drip tray which will capture any overflow or spills that you may make when making your coffee. The drip tray is easy to take off the machine, so be sure to clean it regularly to keep it looking and smelling fresh.
Breville has included two espresso mugs and two matching saucers to go with the machine. This is a nice touch as it means you’ll have the exact size cup you need instead of going and buying mugs separately.
One of the only real problems with the Breville is that it doesn’t fit standard size mugs under the spout unless the drip tray is removed. Espresso mugs will fit fine, but anything more significant than that won’t, and any users noted this as a drawback of the machine.
Added Features: What Comes With The Breville ESP8XL?
As mentioned earlier in this review, Breville has included a warranty with the machine. It’s a real positive that they include many useful items with this machine. It can be frustrating when you buy a new espresso machine, but then you have to make a separate trip to go and buy things you’ll need for the machine.
They also included a cleaning device which you can use to clean the frothing wand. It can also help to remove any excess coffee which gets stuck when the machine is brewing. The machine also comes with a scoop that you can use for your coffee; his tool also doubles up as a tamper, so you don’t need to go and buy one separately.
Pros & Cons Of The Breville ESP8XL
✔ The Breville is a very smart looking machine made entirely from stainless steel.
✔ Quick to brew your coffee, taking between 15-30 seconds
✔ Lots of add-ons included with the machine
✔ 1-year warranty
✔ The light on the front of the machine will indicate when the machines heated and ready to use
✔ Capability to use pods or ground coffee
✗ We noticed the machine could get very hot when you use it
✗ It’s hard to fit a regular cup under the spout where the coffee is dispensed; you can only do this when the drip tray is removed
Despite the cons of No products found., users like the machine. It’s very sturdy, and users have noted that the machine has lasted for a long time and they’ve certainly got their money’s worth
Alternatives To The Breville ESP8XL
Breville BES870XL
The Breville BES870XL is a much larger machine than the ESP8XL. It will be a better option if you have a large group of coffee drinkers who will be using the machine. It has a sizeable 19-22g dose size, which will give you full-flavored coffee.
- Please refer to user guide or user manual or user guide (provided below in PDF) before first use
You can also select the size of grind you want, which will give you full control if you want your coffee beans finely ground or a bit more course.
- Larger machine than the ESP8XL.
- Allows you to brew single or double Espresso Shots.
- More suited to larger groups than the ESP8XL.
- Allows you to steam your milk manually, just like the ESP8XL.
Gaggia Anima Espresso Machine
The Gaggia Anima Espresso Machine is a smart-looking Espresso machine. It comes with a 2 Year Warranty as standard, giving you peace of mind should you purchase the machine. The Gaggia has a large 60 Oz Water Tank and an 8.8-ounce bean hopper, making it a slightly larger machine than the Breville ESP8XL. We write more about the Gaggia Anima in our review.
- Note: 1)Too coarse a grind, too little coffee, or insufficiently tamping the grounds before brewing can all lead to inadequate pressure for a proper brew. 2)It is important to note that the amount of...
- MANUAL FROTHING FOR MILK-BASED DRINKS: Pannarello steam wand for frothing milk
- PROGRAMMABLE: Programmable brewing options for espresso and espresso lungo
- TEMPERATURE CONTROL: 3 different temperature settings. Min/177.5 °F, Med/182.9 °F, Max/184.5 °F
- EASY ACCESS TO WATER RESERVOIR AND BEAN HOPPER: Features a removable 60 oz water reservoir that can be accessed on the top left of the machine, and an 8.8 ounce capacity bean hopper with access from...
- The Gaggia Anima has a digital display, which the Breville ESP8XL does not.
- More suited to larger groups of coffee drinkers.
- The Gaggia Anima has three different temperature control settings.
- The Gaggia Anima also has a steam wand, which allows you to froth your milk manually.
DeLonghi ESAM3300
The DeLonghi ESAM3300 also has a bean capacity of 8.8 ounces. It has a patented ‘’Cappuccino System’’ which allows you to mix steam and milk that will create a rich, creamy froth. The DeLonghi has 13 different grind sizes that you can select from, so you can make sure your beans are ground just the way you like them.
- Note: 1)Too coarse a grind, too little coffee, or insufficiently tamping the grounds before brewing can all lead to inadequate pressure for a proper brew. 2)It is important to note that the amount of...
- FRESH ESPRESSO FOR EVERY CUP: The professional burr grinder with 13 adjustable settings grinds fresh beans every time to ensure maximum freshness. You can also use pre-ground in the second chamber....
- YOUR FOAM, YOUR WAY: A manual frother mixes steam and milk to create a rich, creamy froth for evenly textured drinks – just the way you like them.
- CONSISTENT BREWING EVERY TIME: Each cup is automatically brewed to the perfect temperature, richness and density. And you can customize the settings to ensure its always just the way you like it.
- EASY TO CLEAN AND HANDLE: The compact, extractable brew unit is not only easy to clean, it self-adjusts for one or two shots of espresso.
- Programmable preferences to save your favorite drinks.
- Both the Breville ESP8XL and the DeLonghi ESAM3300 have steam wands, allowing you to froth your milk.
- The DeLonghi is a larger machine than the Breville ESP8XL and has a digital display, where the Breville ESP8XL does not.
The last alternative is the Breville BES920XL. We fully reviewed the machine in our comprehensive guide.
The Final Word
No products found. is a very easy to use, high-performance coffee machine. The cons of the machine are pretty minor, and it’s the perfect machine to use for a single household or a small workspace.With it only taking 15-30 seconds to brew a cup, you can’t ask for a quicker machine to use. We give the Breville ESP8XL a high-score of 4.3 out of 5.
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Hopefully, this review has given you enough information to make an informed decision of what machine to go for. The other machines listed as alternatives are all larger than the Breville ESP8XL and would be more suitable for larger groups of people. Be sure to consider your budget and how many people will be using the machine before making a purchase.
Hi my name is Larry, a coffee aficionado from the US. I have already visited Colombia, Sumatra, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Ethiopia and Jamaica in my pursuit of finding the best-tasting coffee beans. I currently write from Bali and enjoy the relaxed life that you can only find in Canggu. Welcome to my coffee world!
Last update on 2023-03-25 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API.
