Deciding a winner between the Breville Oracle Touch vs Barista Pro is a breeze. The Oracle Touch, no doubt, is the better one!
The Breville Oracle Touch is designed with automation and ease of use at its core, resulting in a significantly lower learning curve. Indeed, it takes care of almost every step of the espresso-making process: automatically grinding, dosing, tamping, and even frothing milk.
The Breville Barista Pro, on the other hand, is a more classic semi-automatic machine. It involves a more hands-on approach, including manually tamping the grounds and steaming the milk. So, after all, it is slightly less beginner-friendly than the Oracle Touch.
Breville Oracle Touch Vs Barista Pro: Specs & Features Comparison Chart
Last update on 2024-11-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Breville Oracle Touch Vs Barista Pro: Differences
This match ended with an overwhelming 4-0 victory for the Oracle Touch. So is it really for you? Keep reading to see more!
Coffee Flavor & Brewing System
Winner: Breville Oracle Touch
Built-in Grinder
One similarity between the Oracle Touch and Barista Pro is that both have an integrated burr grinder with various grind sizes. This means you can skip the hassle of a separate grinder, though having a good standalone one doesn’t hurt either.
In my opinion, the steel conical burr grinder does a really good job since it crushes the beans rather than just chopping them like blade grinders, resulting in a much more consistent grind. You know, it’s all about the quality of the grind and consistency?
The Barista Pro has 30 grind settings adjusted via a dial on the left side – plenty of options to play with and perfect your espresso shots. But if you think that’s impressive, please turn your eyes to the Oracle Touch, which takes it even further with up to 45 settings adjusted via its screen.
Dosing & Tamping
All right, both are semi-automatic machines, so they must have a portafilter and a pair of baskets. And this is when things become more interesting than ever.
The Oracle Touch boasts a 58mm commercial-grade portafilter, a step up from the 54mm one found in the Barista Pro. Still, the Oracle Touch only comes with two unpressurized filter baskets (for both single and double shots), while the Barista Pro offers a bit more variety with four baskets, including both pressurized and non-pressurized options.
Pressurized baskets are great for beginners, allowing you to pull a decent shot without the need to meticulously dial in your settings. Non-pressurized baskets, on the other hand, can elevate the quality of your espresso to new heights, provided you dial in everything just right.
By including only non-pressurized baskets with the Oracle Touch, it seems like Breville is hinting that this machine is not geared towards novices. But hey, who knows?
Speaking of tamping, the Oracle Touch automatically grinds, tamps, and doses the coffee grounds, while the Barista Pro doesn’t. Yep, with the Oracle Touch, all you need to do is attach the portafilter to the grind outlet and then move it to the brew head – everything is enclosed and mess-free.
On the other hand, the Barista Pro requires manual tamping, and its tamper isn’t bad at all. The tamper can also be attached to the machine itself thanks to a magnetic mechanism for neat and tidy storage.
Heating System
The Oracle Touch, similar to the Dual Boiler, has two boilers with two different temperatures, one for brewing and one for steaming. That means it can steam milk while dispensing espresso at once. My only gripe with it is that it takes almost 15 minutes to initially heat up since it lacks any sort of quick heating technology.
On the flip side, the Barista Pro is quite impressive with its 3-second ThermoJet heating system for faster results. So, it can really heat up before you even know it.
Still, the ThermoJet system doesn’t heat the portafilter, so you’ll need to run a blank shot through it before brewing your coffee. This does add an extra step and a bit more time to your routine, but it’s crucial for getting that perfect espresso extraction. As always, you can’t win ‘em all.
Brewing System
You’ll find a pre-infusion function on both of these Breville machines. It involves soaking the puck with a small amount of hot water before the water is forced through the coffee at high pressure, resulting in high-quality espresso shots.
The Barista Pro gets a bit of an edge by enabling you to tweak the preinfusion’s duration, but that isn’t possible with the Oracle Touch. As for the Oracle Touch, this is a step down from the non-touch Oracle version since this customization can be a lot of fun and really lets you dial in the flavor profile you’re aiming for
As for the other one, both have a PID controller to keep the brewing temperature consistent and a 15-bar pump to ensure the brewing process gets the right pressure. All of them result in nothing less than a great-quality espresso every single time.
Design & Convenience
Winner: Breville Oracle Touch
Dimensions & User Interface
| Breville Oracle Touch | Breville Barista Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 14.7 x 15.4 x 17.9 inches | 13.5 x 16.1 x 16 inches |
| Weight | 37 lbs | 27.5 lbs |
Both machines boast that quintessential “Breville look,” characterized by their brushed stainless steel exteriors, synonymous with durability and sleek design. The Barista Pro is also available in several other color options, such as Smoked Hickory, Sea Salt, and Red Velvet Cake – quite the gourmet palette, don’t you think? It’s as if Breville let a chef pick the names.
Now, the Oracle Touch is a bit heftier and bulkier compared to its counterpart, but it comes with a roller system, making moving the machine around a breeze. The real challenge, though, is finding the perfect spot for this one and the Barista Pro.
The Barista Pro features a straightforward, user-friendly interface with its basic blue backlit LCD screen and buttons, which you can navigate by using the dosage dial. Meanwhile, the Breville Barista Touch lives up to its name with its full-color touchscreen display. Both are intuitive, bright, and quick to get used to.
Spout Type & Cup Clearance
| Breville Oracle Touch | Breville Barista Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Spout Type | Dual | Dual |
| Cup Clearance | 4 inches | 4 inches |
The spouts on these machines are fixed, but there’s ample space to accommodate most cups, even larger ones like travel mugs. If you ever find yourself in need of even more space, there’s a simple solution: remove the drip trays.
Water Reservoir & Bean Hopper
| Breville Oracle Touch | Breville Barista Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Water Reservoir | 2.5 liter | 2 liter |
| Bean Hopper | 0.3 kilogram | 0.25 kilogram |
Their water tanks are removable, allowing for straightforward filling and cleaning, and each has a low water sensor too. Both also come with a water filter to ensure your coffee brewed with water is free of impurities, and as a bonus, it reduces the need for frequent descaling of the machine.
To fill the Oracle Touch’s tank, you can even just pour water in from the top slot instead of removing it. In addition, Breville also arranges a small window in front of this one to help you conveniently monitor the water level. See, this one brings a lot of features to the table.
Milk Frothing System
Winner: Breville Oracle Touch
The next difference is the steam wands used. This is actually one of the biggest reasons why the Oracle Touch has a very high price, on par with many super-automatic machines from Jura.
Yes, the Oracle Touch boasts a nice automatic steam wand to froth the milk itself. Just select your desired foam consistency and temperature, and the wand takes over, creating that perfect microfoam with precision. It also cleans itself as soon as you push it back into its original position.
Now, if you’re an espresso enthusiast who likes a hands-on approach, the Oracle Touch gives you the option to texture the milk manually. Just lift the steam wand and get to work. But the wand’s movement is limited to up-and-down motions so you may encounter a bit of awkwardness while figuring out the best angle for your milk pitcher.
On the other side of the coin, the Barista Pro uses a professional-grade manual steam wand. It is on a ball joint for effortless maneuvering in your milk jug. The wand features four holes in its tip, enabling more even and quicker milk texturing than one or two-tip wands.
The steam power on the Barista Pro’s wand might not match up to the more pricey espresso machines, but this is actually a boon for beginners. Why? The slightly lower power gives you more time to work with the milk without the risk of scorching it.
Drink Options & Programmability
Winner: Breville Oracle Touch
Drink Options
| Breville Oracle Touch | Breville Barista Pro |
|---|---|
| Espresso Americano Long Black Latte Flat White Cappuccino Hot Milk Hot Water | Espresso Hot Water |
When it comes to drink options, the Oracle Touch is the winner with eight one-touch drink options and you can customize each one to your heart’s content and save up to 8 recipes. Incidentally, both have a separate hot water tap to make Americano or brew hot tea.
Programmability
| Adjustable Settings | Breville Oracle Touch | Breville Barista Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Coffee Strength | No | Yes |
| Coffee Temperature | Yes | Yes |
| Milk Foam Temperature | Yes | No |
| Milk Foam Texture | Yes | No |
Both enable you to adjust some parameters to tailor your ideal recipe, including brewing temperature, shot size, and the option for single or double shots. The Oracle Touch offers customization of milk foam temperature and texture, whereas the Barista Pro provides control over pre-infusion time and the amount of ground coffee used.
Yes, with the Oracle Touch, you technically cannot tweak the coffee dose, but there is a hack: remove the tamping fan and adjust the screw with an Allen wrench. It’s not difficult, but it’s more complicated than it should be.
The Barista Pro offers the flexibility to fine-tune your coffee dose, but it is about adjusting the grinding time rather than the weight of the coffee. This provides some level of control, but time-based grinding isn’t the most precise method for dosing. So if you’re thinking about getting this one, it’s a wise move to also invest in a coffee scale.
Quick Rundown Of Breville Oracle Touch
- Please refer to user guide or user manual or user guide (provided below in PDF) before first use.Grind Settings : 45 precision grind settings. Portafilter : Commercial grade 58mm portafilter.Portafilter : Commercial grade 58mm portafilter
Last update on 2024-11-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Quick Rundown Of Breville Barista Pro
- Earn up to $200 cashback and receive two free bags of coffee beans when you purchase a selected Breville Espresso or Coffee machine. Valid Sep 18, 2024 until Dec 31, 2025
- DOSE CONTROL GRINDING: With a single touch, the integrated precision conical burr grinder with dose control delivers the right amount of coffee on demand, for maximum flavor
- OPTIMAL WATER PRESSURE: Low pressure pre-infusion gradually increases pressure at the start and helps ensure all the flavors are drawn out evenly during the extraction for a balanced tasting cup
- FASTER HEAT UP TIME: Innovative ThermoJet heating system achieves the optimum extraction temperature in 3 seconds with the instantaneous transition from espresso to steam
- PRECISE ESPRESSO EXTRACTION: Digital temperature control (PID) delivers water at the right temperature +/- 2°C, ensuring optimal espresso extraction
Last update on 2024-11-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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References
- Breville Oracle Touch: https://www.breville.com/us/en/products/espresso/bes990.html
- Breville Barista Pro: https://www.breville.com/us/en/products/espresso/bes878.html
Felix Hendricks is a skilled barista with over 12 years of experience. He excels in crafting coffee and has a strong foundation in coffee machine mechanics. Felix holds a Coffee Machine Maintenance Certification from the Coffee Equipment Technical Institute, showcasing his ability to diagnose and repair coffee machines. He’s also worked as a quality control specialist, selecting premium coffee beans for optimal flavor. Felix has a diverse work history, including stints at renowned coffee spots like Café Euphoria & Starbucks. His expertise in both brewing and machine maintenance makes him a respected figure in the coffee industry.