There are a few things you need to know in order to make a great espresso using a Breville espresso machine. First, it’s important to choose the right beans. Breville recommends using a medium to dark roast coffee for best results. If you’re not sure what kind of beans to use, ask your local barista or coffee shop owner for recommendations. Once you have your beans, it’s time to grind them. The Breville espresso machine comes with an integrated conical burr grinder, so all you need to do is select the coarseness of your grind and how many shots worth of coffee you want to grind. Then just press the start button and the machine will do the rest. Now it’s time to actually make the espresso. For best results, Breville recommends using filtered water that’s been heated to around 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Fill the water tank on the machine and then insert your coffee filter into the portafilter. Next, use the included tamper to compact the grounds in the filter. Finally, attach the portafilter to the machine and press the start button. In just a few short minutes, you’ll have a delicious espresso shot (or two) ready to enjoy!
I’m on my second Breville Infuser 840XL. I kind of use them a lot. There are many ways to use it, but I usually just make a cafe latte for my wife and I each morning. The simple steps are: Insure water tank is filled with enough water to complete the job. In other words, just keep it filled. It’s a big tank but eventually will run dry if you’re not careful. And you never ever want the pump running dry. Turn on the machine with the button on the extreme left. There is a thermo block in the machine that creates hot water very quickly. I always steam my milk first, so I’ll fill a pitcher with milk up to the beginning of the pour spout. Turn the knob on the right of the machine clockwise to begin a stream of water coming from the hot water spigot. Then quickly turn it anti-clockwise to direct water to the steam spout. It’s a good idea to catch the water coming out of the steam spout because it will take a few seconds before the hot water turns to steam. Here’s a pro tip: place your coffee cup under the hot water spout when you turn the switch. Then place it under the steam spout as it’s working. This will heat up your coffee mug. When steam is coming from the spout place your frothing picture under the spout to where it’s just a little below the surface of the milk. This will form bubbles and aerate the milk a bit. Do this for just a few seconds and then place the wand at an angle to actually create a whirlpool in the pitcher. You’ll see the milk spinning around. I also place a thermometer in the pitcher so as not to burn the milk. I want to make sure that the milk does not heat up beyond 160ºF (71ºC). I’d like to stop it around 140F (60C). While the milk is frothing, I grind my beans. This takes practice to “dial in” the correct grind setting for the beans I’m using. Even different bags from the same brand require a dialing in process. That’s a whole other discussion. I place the ground coffee in the portafilter and install it in the machine. When the milk has reached the desired temperature remove the pitcher turn the steam wand off and remove the pitcher. This is very important: you must turn the steam wand on briefly to purge the milk that may have creeped up the spout. You do not want leftover milk in your machine. Wipe the steam wand and place the pitcher to the side. Place your empty coffee cup under the portafilter and select your desired amount of coffee by pressing the left or right button on the right side of the machine. The left button is for a single shot, the right for a double. Once the coffee has been dispensed stir the espresso. That’s important because the first drops coming out are very thick and the remainder is thinner. Pour the milk in the espresso slowly to incorporate. Enjoy. Those are the basics.
There are a few things you need to know in order to make a great espresso using a Breville espresso machine.
First, it’s important to choose the right beans. Breville recommends using a medium to dark roast coffee for best results. If you’re not sure what kind of beans to use, ask your local barista or coffee shop owner for recommendations.
Once you have your beans, it’s time to grind them. The Breville espresso machine comes with an integrated conical burr grinder, so all you need to do is select the coarseness of your grind and how many shots worth of coffee you want to grind. Then just press the start button and the machine will do the rest.
Now it’s time to actually make the espresso. For best results, Breville recommends using filtered water that’s been heated to around 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Fill the water tank on the machine and then insert your coffee filter into the portafilter. Next, use the included tamper to compact the grounds in the filter. Finally, attach the portafilter to the machine and press the start button. In just a few short minutes, you’ll have a delicious espresso shot (or two) ready to enjoy!
I’m on my second Breville Infuser 840XL. I kind of use them a lot.
There are many ways to use it, but I usually just make a cafe latte for my wife and I each morning.
The simple steps are:
Insure water tank is filled with enough water to complete the job. In other words, just keep it filled. It’s a big tank but eventually will run dry if you’re not careful. And you never ever want the pump running dry.
Turn on the machine with the button on the extreme left. There is a thermo block in the machine that creates hot water very quickly.
I always steam my milk first, so I’ll fill a pitcher with milk up to the beginning of the pour spout.
Turn the knob on the right of the machine clockwise to begin a stream of water coming from the hot water spigot. Then quickly turn it anti-clockwise to direct water to the steam spout. It’s a good idea to catch the water coming out of the steam spout because it will take a few seconds before the hot water turns to steam.
Here’s a pro tip: place your coffee cup under the hot water spout when you turn the switch. Then place it under the steam spout as it’s working. This will heat up your coffee mug.
When steam is coming from the spout place your frothing picture under the spout to where it’s just a little below the surface of the milk. This will form bubbles and aerate the milk a bit. Do this for just a few seconds and then place the wand at an angle to actually create a whirlpool in the pitcher. You’ll see the milk spinning around.
I also place a thermometer in the pitcher so as not to burn the milk. I want to make sure that the milk does not heat up beyond 160ºF (71ºC). I’d like to stop it around 140F (60C).
While the milk is frothing, I grind my beans. This takes practice to “dial in” the correct grind setting for the beans I’m using. Even different bags from the same brand require a dialing in process. That’s a whole other discussion.
I place the ground coffee in the portafilter and install it in the machine.
When the milk has reached the desired temperature remove the pitcher turn the steam wand off and remove the pitcher.
This is very important: you must turn the steam wand on briefly to purge the milk that may have creeped up the spout. You do not want leftover milk in your machine. Wipe the steam wand and place the pitcher to the side.
Place your empty coffee cup under the portafilter and select your desired amount of coffee by pressing the left or right button on the right side of the machine. The left button is for a single shot, the right for a double.
Once the coffee has been dispensed stir the espresso. That’s important because the first drops coming out are very thick and the remainder is thinner.
Pour the milk in the espresso slowly to incorporate.
Enjoy.
Those are the basics.