5 published specifications differ · Updated
The Impress adds an assisted dosing-and-tamping lever and 25 grind settings to the same PID thermocoil platform. It removes the beginner's most common failure — an uneven tamp that channels the shot — for a hundred dollars. Everything else about the two machines is the same.
$660 · Semi-automatic
The default first espresso machine in the US: PID-controlled thermocoil, integrated conical burr grinder, 16 grind settings, one footprint.
$800 · Semi-automatic
A Barista Express that doses and tamps for you with an assisted lever, and gives you 25 grind settings instead of 16.
On the specifications both manufacturers publish, this machine has no clear advantage — the case for it is price and availability rather than hardware.
Rows where the two machines differ are highlighted. A row is only counted as a difference when both manufacturers publish the figure — an em dash against a number is a gap in disclosure, not a win.
| Spec | Barista Express | Barista Express Impress |
|---|---|---|
| Score (within type)differs | 55/100 | 53/100 |
| List pricediffers | $700 | $800 |
| Machine type | Semi-automatic | Semi-automatic |
| Spec | Barista Express | Barista Express Impress |
|---|---|---|
| Heating system | Thermocoil | Thermocoil |
| Heating circuits | 1 | 1 |
| Boiler material | — | — |
| PID temperature control | Yes | Yes |
| Heat-up time | — | — |
| Pump pressure (marketing) | 15 bar | 15 bar |
| Pressure profiling | — | — |
| Brew pressure at the puck | ~9 bar | ~9 bar |
| Spec | Barista Express | Barista Express Impress |
|---|---|---|
| Portafilter | 54 mm | 54 mm |
| Group type | proprietary | proprietary |
| Built-in grinder | Yes | Yes |
| Grind settingsdiffers | 16 | 25 |
| Spec | Barista Express | Barista Express Impress |
|---|---|---|
| Milk system | Steam wand | Steam wand |
| Automatic texturing | No | No |
| Spec | Barista Express | Barista Express Impress |
|---|---|---|
| Water tank | — | — |
| Bean hopper | — | — |
| Widthdiffers | 15.9 in | 16.6 in |
| Dimensionsdiffers | 15.9 × 13.1 × 12.4 in (W×D×H) | 16.6 × 14.4 × 12.2 in (W×D×H) |
| Weight | — | — |
| Wattage | — | — |
| Made in | — | — |
| Spec | Barista Express | Barista Express Impress |
|---|---|---|
| Removable brew group | — | — |
| Backflushable | No | No |
| Self-clean / auto rinse | No | No |
Both are advertised at 15 bar, and both actually brew at roughly 9 bar — the advertised figure is the pump's maximum, not the pressure at the coffee.
Prices are the manufacturer's published list price plus any snapshots we have tracked; confirm on the retailer's page before buying. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases — this never affects rankings, which are computed from specifications.
Prices are the manufacturer's published list price plus any snapshots we have tracked; confirm on the retailer's page before buying. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases — this never affects rankings, which are computed from specifications.
A 0.3 litre insulated brass boiler with PID control in a 21 cm-wide body, heating up in about seven minutes.
58 mm portafilter, 45 grind settings and Auto MilQ automatic texturing with alternative-milk profiles in one touchscreen machine.
A Dedica with an automatic steam wand — milk texturing without the learning curve, still in a compact body.
Specifications for both machines are transcribed from their manufacturers' official pages — Breville Barista Express and Breville Barista Express Impress. Scores are computed by our published methodology, not a taste test. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.