# Breville Barista Express BES870 vs Smeg ECF02: specs and price compared

A sourced, side-by-side comparison of the Breville Barista Express BES870 (Breville) and Smeg ECF02 (Smeg) among espresso machines. Smeg ECF02 is the cheaper of the two at $600.

## Side by side

| Spec | Breville Barista Express BES870 | Smeg ECF02 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| US price | $699.95 | $600 |
| Brand | Breville | Smeg |
| Released | 2015 | 2019 |
| Type | semi-automatic | semi-automatic |
| Boiler | thermocoil | thermoblock |
| Built in grinder | Yes | No |
| Grind settings | 16 | — |
| Milk frother | manual steam wand | manual steam wand (Cappuccino System) |
| Pressure (bar) | 15 | 15 |
| Water tank (L) | 2 | 1.1 |
| Programmable | Yes | Yes |

## Key differences

- Boiler: Breville Barista Express BES870 thermocoil vs Smeg ECF02 thermoblock
- Built in grinder: Breville Barista Express BES870 Yes vs Smeg ECF02 No
- Milk frother: Breville Barista Express BES870 manual steam wand vs Smeg ECF02 manual steam wand (Cappuccino System)
- Water tank (L): Breville Barista Express BES870 2 vs Smeg ECF02 1.1

## What reviewers say

**Breville Barista Express BES870** — Based on one whitelisted hands-on review (Tom's Guide, April 2023). The reviewer set the machine up in the office for extended testing and rates it among the best espresso machines, praising consistently excellent shots with thick crema and superior milk steaming, while flagging the lack of a low-water warning, a fingerprint-prone stainless finish, and a real learning curve. No cross-source verification was possible; treat as a single-source view. (1 sourced review.)

**Smeg ECF02** — Two whitelisted hands-on testers (Tom's Guide, Oct 2024; TechRadar, Mar 2024) agree the Smeg ECF02 is a gorgeous retro machine that pulls decent straight espresso but is undercut by a short, weak steam wand, poor heat management between brewing and steaming, and a price inflated by Smeg styling. Both also flag the flimsy thin-plastic tamper. All quotes and measured values verified against source text; both sources survived verification intact. (2 sourced reviews.)

## Sources

- Breville Barista Express BES870: https://www.breville.com/us/en/products/espresso/bes870.html (breville.com, verified 2026-06-15)
- Smeg ECF02: https://www.smeg.com/us/products/ECF02BLUS (smeg.com, verified 2026-06-15)

Canonical: https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/espresso-machines/breville-barista-express-bes870-vs-smeg-ecf02/
Cite: Per The Front Desk Review, Breville Barista Express BES870 ($699.95) vs Smeg ECF02 ($600) — sourced spec-by-spec comparison at https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/espresso-machines/breville-barista-express-bes870-vs-smeg-ecf02/
License: CC BY 4.0.