If you find it difficult to decide on the better espresso machine between Breville Barista Express vs Oscar 2, allow me to help! Due to the giant price gap between these models, comparing them almost seems like an impossible task. But I have the answer now: Breville Barista is the product with a better price and value relation of the pair.
With Breville Barista Express, you can expect a lot for a small price tag. The espresso flavor is balanced with highlighted sweet and bitter notes. Also, the machine is designed with a big 0.55 pounds hopper that feeds beans smoothly into a 16-settings conical burr grinder. Overall, my hands-on experience with this machine has been very positive, and I highly recommend the product to small households, especially for its low price.
As for Nuova Simonelli Oscar 2, I’m impressed by its huge 101oz water tank that can easily brew cups after cups at a party. Also, its potent 2-hole steam wand is worth spending money on since it can froth foam to microfoam in 10-15 seconds. However, it still loses to Breville because I believe it is a tad overpriced for its simplistic design.
Breville Barista Express vs Oscar 2: Comparison Chart
Last update on 2023-05-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Breville Barista Express vs Oscar 2: Differences
Thanks to its affordable price, overall stable functionality, and authentic espresso flavor, Breville Barista Express wins 3-2 against Oscar 2. I find the former much more beginner-friendly regarding entry-level machines, with all the necessary tools like a grinder and milk wand. You won’t have to worry about purchasing any extra accessories and spending more money on your first coffee machine experience.
Grinder
Winner: Breville Barista Express
With Breville Barista Express, we get an integrated 16-setting conical burr grinder, one of the best durable grinder types that cause less jam than blade or flat grinders. I have brewed with this model many times, and never once did I experience a jam.
Regarding the coffee ground texture, I’m nearly 100% satisfied with the results. The final ground I usually get is very even and doesn’t include noticeable clumps. Sometimes I still encounter coarser bits mixed with the fine ground, but they aren’t significantly bigger than the rest to affect the final taste of the espresso shot!
As for Oscar 2, Simonelli doesn’t design this product line with an integrated grinder, so you must purchase a separate one or constantly use pre-ground coffee. In other cases, I wouldn’t say this is a major minus point. It’s no big deal that a commercial machine doesn’t have a built-in grinder. The problem is this model isn’t made for commercial purposes. It’s a home-use one for family reunions at best. Thus, it should have come with a grinder, especially for its price.
Milk frother
Winner: Oscar 2
There is no comparison. Oscar 2 is notably better than Breville Barista regarding milk frothing. With its 2-hole steam wand with an extremely potent steam flow, it only takes me 10 seconds to get steamed milk with light foam and a few seconds longer to get thick foam. The versatility in milk foam texture allows us to recreate more recipes, from flat whites to cappuccino.
Looking at a wider panorama, this feature is highly convenient when you need to serve coffee to various guests at a time. You won’t have to wait long between brewings and risk the cups running cold, which is unpleasant given that it’s coffee.
What about Breville Barista Express? This model’s hands-on milk frothing feature is quite standard and good enough for its price tag. It’s not exceptionally impressive, but I can still get some fluffy foam out of it after about 50-60 seconds of frothing before the milk pitcher gets too hot. So, it definitely requires more time to froth, but nothing too crazy.
Heating system and warm-up time
Winner: Breville Barista Express
With a Thermocoil heating system, the Breville Barista Express only needs 30 seconds to finish its warm-up cycle, ready for brewing. As for Oscar 2, it’s a dual boiler vs a giant water tank, so it takes much longer to heat up completely. I usually leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes to get the best water temperature. It’s not unreasonable for commercial or big machines, and this model fits into the second category.
Water tank size and target consumers
Winner: Oscar 2
Breville Barista is a compact model with a 67oz water reservoir, while Oscar 2 boasts a giant 101oz water tank. Needless to say, the former model is made for basic home use, and the latter is more well-received for larger groups of users. If you want an espresso machine for 2-3 users, I highly recommend the Breville. On the contrary, if you think of frequently serving family members coffee and putting up a classic model for your office, Oscar 2 will seal the deal.
Size and weight
Winner: Breville Barista Express
For home use, I always recommend a more compact machine. And Breville Barista Express fits in the compact category. It will easily sit on any kitchen stand without taking up too much space. As for Oscar 2, the bulky design with the asymmetrical shape of the machine will require more attention regarding placement.
Breville Barista Express vs Oscar 2: Similarities
Alongside the obvious differences, there are 2 small similarities between Breville Barista Express and Oscar 2. I will briefly introduce them below!
Straightforward interface for classic espresso brewing
Being entry-level machines, Breville Barista Express and Oscar 2 aren’t so different in interface design. With a touch of a button, you can get a single or double espresso with ease. What I like more about Barista Express is that it has an indicator light that tells when it’s time to clean or descale.
Cup warmer
With a cup warmer, you can keep the coffee hot for longer. Also, a cold cup will definitely cool down the coffee temperature from the first impact. When you prepare cups after cups, leave the first one on the cup warming tray so that when you serve 4-5 cups at a time, all of them are at the right temperature for the guest to sip and relax with ease.
Quick Rundown Of Breville Barista Express
- Please refer to user guide or user manual or user guide (provided below in PDF) before first use
Last update on 2023-05-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Quick Rundown Of Oscar 2
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 16" x 12" x 16"
- Espresso Machine Type: Semi-Automatic
- Voltage: 110
- Water Source: Pour-Over
Last update on 2023-05-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Product Video
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Refrerences:
I am Ralph Mason and I am a passionate coffee drinker. I worked as a barista for a few years and since 2012 I have been trying to convince as many people as possible of good coffee.
I started writing on the barista blog on RepublikCoffeeBar in 2018. It was a pure hobby site and I tested coffee products like coffee machines, beans, mug, and other accessories. After the first year, my blog is becoming a well-known coffee site with about 100 thousand visits per month.
In 2019 I decided to focus on RepublikCoffeeBar only. I became a full-time coffee blogger and was declared crazy by many.