Bezzera Hobby vs Breville Barista Touch Impress BES881
Two espresso machines side by side. They differ on boiler / heating, pid temperature control, portafilter size, water tank. The Bezzera Hobby has to switch between brewing and steaming, while the Breville Barista Touch Impress BES881 heats on demand through a thermocoil.
Bezzera Hobby
Breville Barista Touch Impress BES881
What actually differs
- The Bezzera Hobby has to switch between brewing and steaming, while the Breville Barista Touch Impress BES881 heats on demand through a thermocoil.
- The Breville Barista Touch Impress BES881 has PID temperature control; the Bezzera Hobby does not.
- Portafilter size: the Bezzera Hobby has 58 mm, the Breville Barista Touch Impress BES881 has 54 mm.
- The Bezzera Hobby has a larger water tank (3 L against 2 L for the Breville Barista Touch Impress BES881).
- The Bezzera Hobby is lighter at 10 kg; the Breville Barista Touch Impress BES881 weighs 11 kg.
- Voltage: the Bezzera Hobby has 110-120/220-240, the Breville Barista Touch Impress BES881 has 120V/60Hz.
- The Breville Barista Touch Impress BES881 has a longer warranty (2 years against 1 year for the Bezzera Hobby).
- Size, Bezzera Hobby against Breville Barista Touch Impress BES881: width 22 cm against 41.4 cm, depth 25 cm against 35.1 cm, height 35 cm against 33.8 cm.
Which one should you buy?
Home baristas moving up to a real portafilter machine for straight shots and the occasional milk drink
3 L boiler, 58 mm portafilter, and 3 L water tank. The trade-off is no PID control and a wait between brewing and steaming.
Skip it if: You make several milk drinks back to back
Full specs and review →Home enthusiasts looking for a semi-automatic espresso machine with grinder and quick warm-up.
Home users who need a compact mains-powered unit with quick heat-up and temperature control may consider this model. It runs on 120V/60Hz and includes a 2-year warranty.
Skip it if: You make several milk drinks back to back
Full specs and review →Where each one wins
- A larger water tank
- PID temperature control
- A longer warranty
Specs compared
Rows where they differ are highlighted. Specs are from manufacturer sources; blanks are left blank, never estimated.
| Spec | Bezzera Hobby | Breville Barista Touch Impress BES881 |
|---|---|---|
| Typical price | $$$ $700–1,500 | $$$ $700–1,500 |
| Machine type | Semi-automatic | Semi-automatic |
| Boiler / heating | Single | Thermocoil |
| PID temperature control | No | Yes |
| Portafilter size | 58 mm | 54 mm |
| Can be plumbed in | No | No |
| Needs mains power | Yes | Yes |
| Water tank | 3 L | 2 L |
| Width | 22 cm | 41.4 cm |
| Depth | 25 cm | 35.1 cm |
| Height | 35 cm | 33.8 cm |
| Weight | 10 kg | 11 kg |
| Voltage | 110-120/220-240 | 120V/60Hz |
| Warranty | 1 year | 2 years |
What they have in common
Both record the same value for: machine type (Semi-automatic); can be plumbed in (No); needs mains power (Yes).
Bezzera Hobby vs Breville Barista Touch Impress BES881: common questions
What is the main difference between the Bezzera Hobby and the Breville Barista Touch Impress BES881?
The Bezzera Hobby has to switch between brewing and steaming, while the Breville Barista Touch Impress BES881 heats on demand through a thermocoil. The Breville Barista Touch Impress BES881 has PID temperature control; the Bezzera Hobby does not.
Do the Bezzera Hobby and the Breville Barista Touch Impress BES881 use the same portafilter?
No. The Bezzera Hobby has 58 mm and the Breville Barista Touch Impress BES881 has 54 mm.
Is the Bezzera Hobby or the Breville Barista Touch Impress BES881 more expensive?
Both sit in the same typical price band, $$$ $700–1,500.