Breville Barista Pro (BES878) vs Calphalon Temp iQ Espresso Machine with Grinder and Steam Wand
Same class, different tax brackets.
About US$250 apart — the split below is what the gap buys.
Breville
Strong consensusUS$699–849
The Barista Pro threads a real needle: genuine PID temperature control, a 30-setting conical grinder, and a 3-second heat-up in a single machine at a mid-range price. The ceiling on shot qua…
Full record & live prices →
Calphalon
US$349–699
The Temp iQ packages enough hardware — conical burr grinder, PID, pre-infusion, manual steam wand — to get a beginner brewing espresso from one box, and it does most of it acceptably. The ce…
Full record & live prices →The split
Where they actually differ
On 7 of 11 measures these two tie. The 4 rows below are the entire argument.
Barista Pro (BES878)
Temp iQ Espresso Machine with Grinder and Steam Wand
The price
Temp iQ Espresso Machine with Grinder and Steam Wand costs less, decisively
US$699–849· US$349–699
Parts & repair
Barista Pro (BES878) leads, clearly
Value per dollar
Barista Pro (BES878) leads, clearly
Shot ceiling
Barista Pro (BES878) leads, clearly
Forgiving to learn on
Barista Pro (BES878) leads, clearly
weakerstronger
The counter’s vote
Looks barely figure in either machine’s record — the counter can sit this one out.
Barista Pro (BES878): Sleek, minimalist stainless design has broad kitchen approval, but polarizes against heirloom-lever and industrial aesthetics some espresso enthusiasts prefer.
Where they tie: milk & steam · back-to-back drinks · ready when you are · reliability record · built to last — don’t let a spec sheet invent a difference.
On the counter
The size difference, to scale
So — which one?
Take the Barista Pro (BES878) if —
- You plan to fix, not replace
- Every dollar has to earn its place
- The shot itself is the hobby
- You want the more forgiving of the two
Take the Temp iQ Espresso Machine with Grinder and Steam Wand if —
- The difference stays in your pocket — or goes into beans
The Barista Pro (BES878) at ~48% more buys real things: parts & repair and value per dollar. If those aren't your mornings, the Temp iQ Espresso Machine with Grinder and Steam Wand does the job and keeps the difference in your pocket.
Known weak points
Barista Pro (BES878)
Thermal stability issues under sustained pulling, solenoid wear (steam side), inconsistent pre-infusion calibration over time, non-standard 54mm portafilter locks accessory ecosystem.
Temp iQ Espresso Machine with Grinder and Steam Wand
Temperature ceiling documented; pressurized baskets limit espresso quality ceiling; thermoblock shot consistency limitations in specialty coffee use.
For the row-by-row readers
The whole sheet, side by side
Matching rows fade back — the ink is where they differ.
Barista Pro (BES878)
Temp iQ Espresso Machine with Grinder and Steam Wand
Type
Thermoblock / thermojet
Thermoblock / thermojet
Heat-up time
3 seconds
30 seconds
Steam power
2.5/5
2.5/5
Brew + steam at once
No
No
Guest recovery
2/5
2/5
Shot quality ceiling
3.5/5
2.5/5
PID temperature control
Yes
Yes
Milk system
Manual steam wand
Manual steam wand
One-touch drinks
2
2
Removable brew group
No
No
Hot-water tap
Yes
Yes
Cup clearance
10.2 cm
11 cm
Workflow demand
3/5
2/5
Maintenance
2.5/5
2/5
Noise
3.5/5
3/5
Build longevity
3/5
2.5/5
Dimensions
35.6 × 40.6 × 39.4 cm
39.6 × 36.8 × 43.9 cm
Wrong match-up? Change one side → — any two on file compare.
Still torn?
This page weighs them against each other. The finder weighs them against your mornings.
Two minutes of questions — milk, noise, budget, space — scored across everything on file. It’s honest when the answer is neither of these.
Take the two-minute finder →