
It is our review of the Breville Cafe Roma ESP8XL espresso machine.
Coffee Aim’s Ratings
Our readers send us more than 4150 emails about the Breville Cafe Roma across the US. The below table shows our rating for the Breville Cafe Roma espresso machine:
Overall Score | 94.85/100 |
Easy to clean | 9.90/10 |
Temperature Control | 9.75/10 |
Flavor | 9.65/10 |
Easy to use | 9.55/10 |
Blending power | 9.45/10 |
Value for money | 9.20/10 |
Brand Reputation | 9.50/10 |
The Bottom Line
The mid-range, easy-to-use entry-level model of Breville’s espresso machines, the ESP8XL Cafe Roma, has a small 41 oz water reservoir than other Breville espresso machines and includes a 16 oz stainless steel milk frothing pitcher and an integrated milk frother for lattes and cappuccinos. Its Thermoblock heating system extracts espresso at the right temperature, and a full 15 bars of pressure maximizes crema for a rich, barista-style aroma and taste. Café Roma features a heating indicator light that glows orange as the machine is heating up, then turns off when the temperature and pressure are ready to make espresso. Now discontinued, check out the Breville ESP8BSS1BCA1 instead.
Key Features and Specifications of Breville Cafe Roma ESP8XL Espresso Machine
- Product Name: Breville Cafe Roma
- Product Type: Pump espresso machine
- Machine Price: $249.99
- Model Number: ESP8XL
- Color: Brushed Stainless Steel, Black Truffle
- Skill Level: Intermediate
- Manufacturer: Breville
- Dimensions (WxDxH): 9.0″ x 9.0″ x 12.0″ in
- Item Weight: 13.2 lbs pounds
- Pressure: 15 bars
- Water Tank Capacity: 41 oz
- Integrated Burr Grinder: Not available
- Settings: Manual control over espresso shot volume
- Machine Construction Material: Brushed Stainless Steel
- Warming Tray Material: Aluminium
- Milk Texturing: Authentic café coffee with high powered steam for velvety smooth or creamy thick milk texturing
- Portafilters: Pressurized, single and double shot
- Portafilter Size: 51mm
- Accessories: Stainless Steel Milk Jug, Tamping Tool/ Measuring Spoon/ Cleaning Tool
- Power: 1000 Watts
- Voltage: 110–120 Volts
- Warranty: 1 Year Repair Warranty
- Pod Friendly: E.S.E. Pod Compatible
- Auto Shut Off: No
Pros | Cons |
Easy-to-use entry-level espresso machine | It comes with pressurized portafilters only |
It comes with a milk frother for lattes and cappuccinos | Its frother doesn’t create microfoam very well |
The $249.49 price for the Breville Cafe Roma ESP8XL is ideal for a household budget | The machine has no auto-off feature |
– | The ESE pods may need to be trimmed because the machine’s double-shot attachment for the portafilter is a little undersized |
Introduction
The Breville Café Roma aims to bring users third-wave specialty coffee, all from the comfort of their homes. It is a machine with a highly advanced pressure and heating system. The Café Roma also gives users a lot of control over how they’d like to create and enjoy their coffee. It indeed does provide an at-home barista experience. This machine is also incredibly well constructed and comes with many cool accessories like a frothing jug and a removable drip tray. The Cafe Roma is the perfect machine for the beginner as it allows users a lot of autonomy while still being straightforward to use and operate.
15 Bar Italian Pump
The Café Roma makes use of a 15-bar Thermo block pump. This immense pressure maximizes crema for a rich aroma and professional taste.
Accessories
Stainless steel frothing pitcher, Tamping tool/measuring spoon/cleaning tool, Removable drip tray and grid, Frothing jug included.
Water Tank Capacity
The Café Roma has a removable water tank with a capacity of 41 oz. While this isn’t as much as other Breville machines, it’s still enough to give you a while before you have to refill. Also, unlike many other machines, the Cafe Roma’s water tank level is visible from the front of the machine. So, you’ll visually be able to figure out when a refill is required instead of resorting to guesswork.
Construction Materials
The Café Roma is made from high-quality materials and has an entirely stainless steel exterior. The warming tray in this machine is constructed from aluminum.
Dimensions
The Café Roma measures 9″ x 9″ x 12″ (w x d x h).
Heating System
The Café Roma makes use of a Thermo Block heating system. This heating system preheats the filters, and the portafilter primes the pump and heats the internal piping. The Cafe Roma’s heating system automatically adjusts the water temperature between extraction and milk texturing. A red light will indicate when the heating system is in operation, and it will turn off when it has achieved the perfect temperature.
Milk Texturing
The Café Roma comes with a separate steam wand. While this wand isn’t automatic, it isn’t that hard to operate. Once you’ve figured out how exactly to use it, you’ll be able to make great lattes and cappuccinos.
Power
This machine uses 1000 WATTS of power.
Settings
The Café Roma comes with a selector dial to allow you effortless control. It also enables you to have manual control over espresso shot volume.
Voltage
The Café Roma uses a voltage of 110 to 120 Volts.
Warranty
The Café Roma has a limited product warranty of 1 year.
Is Breville Café Roma For You?
FAQ
Is the Breville Cafe Roma ESP8XL model discontinued?
Yes! The Breville ESP8XL model has been discontinued. But the Cafe Roma line is still available; check out ESP8BSS1BCA1 instead. It is pretty much the same as the ESP8XL and the most up-to-date model in the Cafe Roma line.