Both the Breville Oracle Touch vs Barista Touch are ideal choices for coffee enthusiasts who prefer a more hand-free, automatic approach to creating cafe-quality beverages. Just press a few buttons on their touch screens and let them do the rest. And overall, the former is clearly the better one.
They share a lot of features and functions, but the Breville Oracle Touch is more automated, from grinding, tamping, and dosing to frothing the milk. Additionally, it has more grind settings and two boilers for multi-tasking. But, and it’s a big but, the trade-off for these enhanced features is its notably higher price compared to the Breville Barista Touch.
Breville Oracle Touch Vs Barista Touch: Specs & Features Comparison Chart
Last update on 2024-12-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Breville Oracle Touch Vs Barista Touch: Differences
The Barista Touch won 2-1 against the Oracle Touch. Now is the time to delve into a detailed comparison of two touch-screen models in Breville’s bean-to-cup machine lineup!
Coffee Flavor & Brewing System
Winner: Breville Oracle Touch
Built-in Grinder
Both you and I know that a grinder is almost as important as the bean-to-cup machine itself. Breville saves users from the additional expense of purchasing a separate grinder by giving the Oracle Touch and Barista Touch built-in stainless steel conical burr grinders, and it’s an excellent start.
Conical burr grinders provide a much more consistent grind size compared to blade grinders since they crush the beans between two abrasive surfaces (burrs) rather than chopping them. This is crucial for the quality of the brewed coffee.
What’s more, the conical shape of a conical burr grinder does indeed contribute to a reduction in noise during its operation. This means you can enjoy your early morning coffee-making routine without worrying about disturbing your household or neighbors with loud grinding sounds.
The Barista Touch has 30 grind settings, while the Oracle Touch gives you a wider range of 45 settings, which goes further than the Barista Touch and any espresso machine. Both generally allow you to make micro-adjustments to fine-tune the grind size to perfection for your espresso shots.
Dosing and Tamping
The Barista Touch uses a 54-mm portafilter, smaller than the 58-mm commercial-grade one that comes with the Oracle Touch. Is this a big deal? The 58-mm portafilter’s larger size can lead to a higher extraction yield. Moreover, a wider diameter means greater surface area and a thinner puck, potentially resulting in a more balanced and evenly extracted shot.
Incidentally, the Oracle Touch only comes with two single-wall filter baskets for both single and double shots, whereas the Barista Touch comes with both single- and dual-wall baskets.
In case you don’t know, single-wall baskets (or non-pressurized baskets) are typically used by more experienced baristas or those who like to have more control over their espresso extraction. They require a precise grind size and tamping pressure, as they rely on the coffee puck itself to create the necessary resistance for proper extraction.
On the other hand, dual-wall baskets (aka pressurized baskets, or I like to call them amateur baskets) are more forgiving and are designed for use with a wider range of grind sizes. They are especially useful for beginners or for those using pre-ground coffee, as they help to create a decent extraction and crema even if the grind size and tamping are not optimal.
Some baristas may recommend discarding pressurized baskets, but I think you should keep them in your coffee toolkit. Even if you’ve mastered the art of grinding and use non-pressurized baskets all the time, they are still the ideal choice for pre-ground coffee.
Manually tamping the grounds is another factor that separates the Barista Touch from the Oracle Touch. Yes, the Oracle Touch has a tamper and requires manual tamping, while the Barista Touch boasts an automatic dosing and tamping station. Many home baristas favor the manual tamping method for its tactile feel and greater control over the brewing process, and the stainless steel tamper of the Barista Touch is well-made.
But if you prefer to be as hands-free as possible, the automatic tamping system on the Oracle Touch is so appealing. After selecting a grind setting, all you have to do is simply insert the portafilter into the grinding gate and let the machine take care of the rest. Plus, the whole process is enclosed, so your counter surface is mess-free.
Heating System
The Barista Touch is a single-boiler bean-to-cup machine, meaning it can’t multi-task. If you steam your milk first, you’ll need to use the wand and purge it before pulling a shot, and vice versa. But a blessing in disguise is that it uses a thermoJet system to heat up, which only takes about three seconds, even faster than thermoblock systems!
The Achilles heel of the ThermoJet system is that it doesn’t heat up the built-in cup warmer and group head. It’s not a big deal, after all, since you can pull a plank shot to heat up the group head and portafilter to bring them up to the right temperature.
As for the Oracle Touch, it has two independent boilers to handle both tasks at once: one for brewing espresso and one for steaming milk. Each boiler in the Oracle Touch can maintain its own specific temperature more consistently, so the machine generally has greater thermal stability.
Design & Convenience
Winner: Tie
Dimensions & User Interface
| Breville Oracle Touch | Breville Barista Touch | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 17.9 x 14.7 x 15.4 inches | 16.0 x 12.5 x 12.7 inches |
| Weight | 37 lbs | 26.8 lbs |
The Oracle Touch and Barista Touch are aesthetically pleasing machines that are still stylishly retro but a bit more modern than other Brevilles with a bright, eye-catching LCD touchscreen. Every part of them is built to last and doesn’t feel “cheap” at all.
The Oracle Touch, in particular, is the larger of the two, demanding a significant amount of counter space. What’s more, its considerable height might also pose a challenge for fitting under your kitchen cabinets. It is also very heavy, so relocating it isn’t an easy task and might require the Hulk’s strength or help.
Water Reservoir & Bean Hopper
| Breville Oracle Touch | Breville Barista Touch | |
|---|---|---|
| Water Reservoir | 2.5 liter | 2 liter |
| Bean Hopper | 0.24 liter | 0.24 liter |
Their water reservoirs are quite large and generally don’t need to be refilled very often. The Oracle Touch’s water tank is slightly larger, and loading it is easier thanks to a door on the top of the machine and in front of the bean hopper. It also has a front door to effortlessly keep track of the water level.
Breville Oracle Touch Vs Barista Touch: Similarities
Brewing System
The Oracle Touch and Barista Touch essentially use the same extraction system, or at least they both brew espresso at 15 bars of pressure, while 9 bars of pressure are generally considered optimal for espresso extraction.
Before that, they also automatically soak the coffee grounds with slow bursts of hot water for seconds, which we often call pre-infusion. This allows carbon dioxide to escape, which is vital to the development of the bean’s aroma. My only gripe is that it isn’t feasible to play with the pre-infusion duration on both machines, a shame, really.
Milk Frothing System
One of the wow factors about these Brevilles is their automatic ball-joined steam wands, which really is a step up from the Panarello wands that can be found on low-end machines.
Just fill the stainless steel jug (included in the package) with your milk, put it under the wand, tap the screen, and get the perfect micro-foam for your selected milky drink. They can even create the microfoam needed for latte art with zero skills. Well, you ultimately still need some skills to do the latte art. For those who prefer to do things by hand, these wands can also be used as manual ones, allowing them to manually texture milk.
After each milk frothing cycle, these machines automatically release a burst of steam, purging any residual milk from the system. Your only task is simply to wipe down the exterior of the wand with a damp cloth to keep it clean and hygienic.
As mentioned above, both allow you to fine-tune the temperature and texture of the milk. The Barista Touch’s drip tray features a sensor that monitors the temperature of the milk and halts the wand when it reaches the set temperature. Likewise, there is a minor sensor on the tip of the Oracle Touch’s wand to do the same thing.
Spout & Cup Clearance
| Breville Oracle Touch | Breville Barista Touch | |
|---|---|---|
| Spigot Type | Dual | Dual |
| Cup Clearance | 4 inches | 4 inches |
There is a 4-inch clearance under their portafilter spouts, which is enough to retain the eye-catching crema layer on top of your espresso. If you’re inclined to use a travel mug or a larger insulated mug, you can simply remove the drip tray to provide the necessary room to accommodate your mug of choice.
Pre-programmed Coffee Options & Programmability
| Breville Oracle Touch | Breville Barista Touch |
|---|---|
| Espresso Americano Long Black Latte Flat White Cappuccino Hot Milk Hot Water | Espresso Americano Long Black Latte Flat White Cappuccino Hot Milk Hot Water |
These machines don’t overwhelm users with a long list of one-touch drinks, yet they cover all the popular coffee choices. And if you are also a lover of tea, you’ll be glad to hear that they both have a dedicated spout for dispensing hot water. In terms of customization, you can adjust the grind size, the shot length, and the temperature and texture of the milk foam. You can also choose between single and double shots.
Cleaning & Maintenance
The portafilter and brew head can get disgusting very quickly because of leftover coffee oil. So unless you want them to be a mecca for bacteria and mold and lead to off-flavors in your espresso, clean them by pulling a few blank shots after each use and rinse the portafilter thoroughly under the tap. Don’t forget to empty the drip tray and the coffee grounds box daily.
You also need to descale these machines every couple of months, but this interval can extend considerably if you utilize the provided water filter. Their milk steam wands blow hot water automatically after each use, so you just need to wipe them with a damp cloth.
Other Features
User Profile
These machines don’t have any individual user profiles, but there’s room to name and save up to eight custom drink creations on the menu. It’s nice that they have a way to keep your favorite recipes just a touch away and ensure that they are never altered.
Stand-By Mode
These Breville machines incorporate an eco-friendly automatic ‘auto-off’ feature that activates after 30 minutes of inactivity, ensuring safety and energy efficiency. That’s great, but the ability to customize this time period would enhance its versatility.
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 2024-12-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Quick Rundown Of Breville Barista Touch
- Please refer to user guide or user manual or user guide (provided below in PDF) before first use.Tamping : Manual removable magnetic tamper. Grind Settings : 30 precision grind settings. Integrated Burr Grinder : Hardened steel conical burrs.
Last update on 2024-12-19 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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References:
- Breville Oracle Touch: breville.com/us/en/products/espresso/bes990.html
- Breville Barista Touch: breville.com/us/en/products/espresso/bes880.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.