Breville Bijou Espresso Machine | Automatic and Manual Espresso, Cappuccino & Latte Maker | 15 Bar Pump | Steam Wand | Silver [VCF149]

I’d used a filter and a pod machine for many years but both were tired and owed us nothing. We decided to replace both with a more capable coffee maker. We liked the features and appearance of the Breville Bijou and decided for our modest coffee needs (total of 3-4 cups a day) this would do the job. We have not been disappointed. Initially I was not impressed by the lack of heat in the drink, but soon realized that the problem was not with the machine but the very cold temperature of the milk. Solution – warm the milk in the microwave for 15-20 seconds and brew the coffee! Excellent temperature and delicious taste and texture. I actually use less coffee and probably less electricity than the filter machine, so I feel that the Breville has been a winner in every way.

As the owners of both several budget (now defunct) pump espresso machines from DeLonghi and Cookworks, as well as a manual Pavoni machine, we wanted a quick, easy machine to use alongside the Pavoni. The Breville Bijou is a good size for a smaller kitchen and has a sturdy build. However, it overheats and burns the coffee. It then takes a long time to cool down, so making more than 2 cups at a time is difficult. Wish now we’d stuck to the cheaper pump option as to be honest it made better coffee!

I drink espresso, and occasionally produce a long coffee (so-called American style) for my son. So, a simple espresso machine is all I need. My simple Delonghi machine produced nice espresso for two years only, then started taking 5 minutes to produce an espresso. Looking for a replacement, I decided to try a new model (again simple) from Lakeland, but after two faulty machines, I got a refund, and looked again. The reviews for most of the simple expresso machines include 1 or 2 stars due to coffee not hot enough, leaks, etc. (even from some bid name brands). Finally, I came across this Breville machine (which I seemed to have missed in my previous search), and Amazon had it on sale (Black Friday perhaps), at a price lower than the current reduced price. All reviews were at least 3 stars, so decided to give it a go. So far, so good – indeed ‘excellent’. Simple start-up, and it produces a very nice (and hot) espresso with that characteristic coffee foam that we all love about espresso. My only potential complaint is that the filter basket is a bit fiddly to remove for cleaning. Note that if you use the steam wand, it does take more than a few minutes for the machine to dispense coffee again. I don’t normally use it ever, but thought I would pre-heat my cup using the steam wand – bad decision because I had to wait at least 5 minutes before the coffee indicator light stopped flashing fast and went solid (i.e. ready to to dispense coffee). The DeLonghi filter basket is held in by a wire spring, whereas the Breville basket only comes out if the embossed button on its side aligns with a gap in the filter holder. (This filter holder and basket look identical to that of the Lakeland model). Anyway, I am loving my espresso again, and let’s hope this Breville continues to work so well.

I love this machine, it’s so easy to clean and use. The steam wand is so much better than I was expecting and really easy to use. Definitely worth a try for this price 🙂