Nine Bar Basics product guide
Breville Barista Express BES870BSXL, Black Sesame
A grinder-and-espresso machine in one, in a black finish, for hands-on shots and milk
The Black Sesame BES870BSXL pairs a sixteen-setting conical burr grinder with a 15 bar pump, PID temperature control and a manual steam wand. Colour models come with a drip tray guard the manual says to keep. Expect to tamp, dial in and texture milk yourself, and check the wattage and dimensions on your unit because Breville's documents disagree.
Listing checked . Confirm the model, included parts and availability before ordering.
Published specifications
- Model BES870BSXL, Black Sesame finish
- Integrated conical burr grinder, 16 grind settings
- 54mm portafilter with single- and dual-wall baskets
- 15 bar pump, Thermocoil heating, PID control
- Maker lists 67 oz tank and half-pound hopper
- Maker lists 1600 W; manual rating line 1750 W
Fit and limits
Strengths
- Grinder, dosing funnel and trimming tool built into one package
- Single- and dual-wall baskets cover fresh beans and pre-ground coffee
- Colour models include a drip tray guard against dents and scratches
Caveats
- Tamping, dialling in and milk texturing are all manual
- Wattage and dimensions differ between Breville's page, manual and listing
- Back-flush cleaning and descaling are separate routines to keep up
What this Black Sesame listing sells
This listing is the Barista Express in the Black Sesame colour, model and part number BES870BSXL. Breville's US product page shows the same model number under the Black Sesame colour option. It is a single machine that combines a conical burr grinder with a pump espresso machine and a manual steam wand, so you grind, tamp, brew and texture milk yourself.
Breville's technical panel lists the accessories as a dosing funnel, the Razor dose trimming tool, a 54mm stainless steel portafilter, one-cup and two-cup baskets in single-wall and dual-wall versions, a coffee scoop, a tamper, a stainless steel milk jug, cleaning disc and tablets, a cleaning brush, tool and Allen key, and a water filter with holder. The Amazon listing's own 'in the box' field only says 'Filter', so check the carton against Breville's list.
A colour-model detail: the drip tray guard
The BES870 instruction book lists a drip tray guard among the accessories and notes it is included with machines in colour only, with the instruction not to discard it. On the general operation page it tells owners of colour machines to attach the drip tray protection guard cover on the drip tray before sliding the tray into the machine.
The same page calls the guard optional but says it can protect the drip tray from dents and scratches. That matters for this Black Sesame listing specifically: look for the guard when unpacking. Breville's technical panel for the Black Sesame selection still lists construction materials as 'Brushed Stainless Steel', and the listing's materials field says stainless steel, so the colour is a finish rather than a different material claim in either source.
How the grinder and baskets work together
Breville lists sixteen grind settings and steel conical burrs. The manual says the machine is designed only for whole roasted beans and warns against grinding unroasted green or under-roasted beans, which it says can damage the burrs. It suggests starting at grind setting 5 and the grind amount dial at the three o'clock position, then adjusting using the extraction guide on page 20.
A FILTER SIZE button tells the grinder whether a one-cup or two-cup basket is fitted. Pushing and releasing the portafilter in the cradle starts an automatic dose that stops on its own; pushing and holding gives manual dosing. The manual pairs single-wall baskets with freshly ground beans and dual-wall baskets with pre-ground coffee, and gives approximate basket capacities of 8 to 11 grams and 16 to 19 grams.
Brewing and milk are hands-on
Breville describes low-pressure pre-infusion followed by a 9 bar extraction from a 15 bar pump, a Thermocoil heater with PID temperature control, a pressure gauge, and one-cup, two-cup or manual shot control. The manual adds volumetric control and an advanced temperature mode. None of this weighs or tamps the dose for you.
Milk texturing is manual through a 360-degree swivel steam wand, and there is a separate hot water outlet. The manual's milk section tells you to turn steam off before lifting the tip out of the milk, then wipe the wand and purge it. Allow bench room for the milk jug beside the machine.
Cleaning and descaling are separate jobs
The manual says a flashing CLEAN/DESCALE light calls for a back-flushing cleaning cycle with the cleaning disc and a tablet, and a solid light calls for descaling, which is a separate routine. Follow the exact steps and quantities in the instruction book rather than a summary; this guide does not reproduce them.
Other care in the manual: replace the supplied water filter about every two months, sooner in hard water, and remove it if you use filtered or bottled water; and clean the conical burrs. The manual also says to clean all parts by hand and to put no part or accessory in the dishwasher, while Breville's product page calls the dosing funnel dishwasher safe.
Figures that disagree between sources
Power is listed as 1,600 watts on Breville's technical panel and on the Amazon listing, but the instruction book's rating line reads 120 volts, 60 hertz, 1,750 watts. Neither source explains the difference, so read the rating label on the machine you receive. Breville lists a half-pound bean hopper and a 67-ounce water tank; the manual gives 8.8 ounces (250 grams) and 67 fluid ounces (2 litres).
Dimensions also conflict. Breville's panel gives 15.9 by 13.1 by 12.4 inches, labelled width by depth by height, while the Amazon listing gives 13.8 inches deep, 12.5 wide and 15.9 high. Measure your space against both before buying for a tight spot. Breville's panel states a one-year limited warranty and 22.09 pounds; the listing only says the warranty is handled directly with the manufacturer.
Check the current listing
Confirm the model, included parts and availability before ordering.
Primary sources
- Breville the Barista Express, BES870BSXL Black Sesame product page and technical specifications
- Breville BES870 US instruction book
Primary sources checked .
Compare with
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A separate-grinder setup with manual milk texturing
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An integrated grinder with manual espresso preparation and milk
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