Breville Barista Express BES870 vs Breville Barista Pro BES878
As of June 13, 2026, the Breville Barista Express BES870 ($700) is about $150 cheaper than the Breville Barista Pro BES878 ($850).
Both are prosumer-tier machines, so neither is a clear step up — pick on boiler design and features rather than prestige. Both use a fast-heating thermoblock, so the brewing experience is broadly similar — the gap is in features and price, not boiler type. At today's prices the Breville Barista Express BES870 saves you about $150 (21.4%), a meaningful gap worth weighing against the features above. Both are MAP-priced, so retailers hold the line — shopping around won't move the price much on either. Factor in the full kit: a complete, ready-to-brew setup runs about $820 for the Breville Barista Express BES870 versus $970 for the Breville Barista Pro BES878.
Price history
Key differences
- Boiler / architecture: Breville Barista Express BES870 — semi-auto ThermoCoil; Breville Barista Pro BES878 — semi-auto ThermoJet
- MSRP: Breville Barista Express BES870 — $750; Breville Barista Pro BES878 — $900
- Current price: Breville Barista Express BES870 — $700; Breville Barista Pro BES878 — $850 (21.4% gap)
- Complete setup from: Breville Barista Express BES870 — $820; Breville Barista Pro BES878 — $970
| Breville Barista Express BES870 | Breville Barista Pro BES878 | |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest now | $699.95 | $849.95 |
| Cheapest at | seattlecoffeegear | wholelattelove |
| MSRP | $750 | $900 |
| Savings | save $50 vs MSRP | save $50 vs MSRP |
| Tier | prosumer | prosumer |
| Type | semi-auto ThermoCoil | semi-auto ThermoJet |
| Retailers tracked | 3 | 1 |
| Price spread | 0% (MAP-tight / near-zero dispersion) | 0% (MAP-tight / near-zero dispersion) |
| Complete setup from | $820 | $970 |
Which is cheaper, the Breville Barista Express BES870 or the Breville Barista Pro BES878?
The Breville Barista Express BES870 is cheaper at $700, about $150 less than the Breville Barista Pro BES878 at $850 (as of June 13, 2026).
How big is the price difference between the Breville Barista Express BES870 and Breville Barista Pro BES878?
About $150 (21.4%) at today's prices — the Breville Barista Express BES870 is $700 and the Breville Barista Pro BES878 is $850.
Is the Breville Barista Express BES870 or Breville Barista Pro BES878 better for a beginner?
They're both prosumer-tier, so neither is a clear beginner pick over the other — choose on boiler type (semi-auto ThermoCoil vs semi-auto ThermoJet) and price.
Does either the Breville Barista Express BES870 or Breville Barista Pro BES878 have a built-in grinder?
Yes — both the Breville Barista Express BES870 and Breville Barista Pro BES878 have a built-in grinder, so each is closer to ready-to-brew out of the box.
Prices last updated June 13, 2026. The cheaper pick is highlighted; “complete setup” adds a recommended grinder + essentials (see each product’s setup builder). Confirm the final price at the retailer.