Barista Express and Barista Pro, the Differences the Manuals Name
The BES870 manual states a Thermocoil heater and the BES878 states Thermojet. The manuals name three differences and state no dimensions or weight for either.
The BES870 Barista Express and the BES878 Barista Pro differ in three things their instruction books name: the heating system, the number of grind settings and the rated power.
What the manuals separate
The heating system is the difference the documents name most plainly: Thermocoil in the BES870, Thermojet in the BES878.
| BES870 Barista Express | BES878 Barista Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Heating system | Thermocoil | Thermojet |
| Grind settings | 16 (BES875 ANZ) | 30 |
| Rated power | 1750 W (USCM) | 1680 W (US) |
| Water tank | 67 fl.oz (2L) | 68 fl.oz (2L) |
| Bean hopper | 8.8oz (250g) | 8.8oz (250g) |
| Portafilter | 54mm | 54mm |
| Auto shut-off | not stated | 30 minutes |
| Temperature control | PID | PID |
| Pre-infusion | Low pressure | Low pressure |
Sources: BES870_USCM_IB_O22_LR.pdf and BES878BSS_ANZ_IB_I22_WEB.pdf on assets.breville.com; BES878-instruction-manual.pdf on breville.com; BES875_ANZ_IB_F22_FA_LR.pdf on assets.breville.com. Checked 13 August 2026.
Why two of those rows carry a caveat
The grind setting counts and the wattage figures come from manuals for different regions, so they are not a like-for-like comparison.
The 16 grind settings figure is stated in the BES875 ANZ manual, revision F22. BES875 is the Australia and New Zealand designation for the Barista Express line. The 30 figure is stated in the BES878 manuals for both US and ANZ. The 1750 W figure is from the BES870 USCM manual and the 1680 W figure from the BES878 US manual.
Region matters here and the documents prove it. The BES875 ANZ manual states 1850 W for the same product line the USCM manual states at 1750 W.
What both manuals share
The portafilter, the hopper, the pump behaviour and the temperature control are documented identically for both machines.
Both state a 54mm stainless steel portafilter and a 54mm integrated tamper. Both state PID temperature control and low pressure pre-infusion. Both supply Single Wall and Dual Wall filter baskets. Both give a recommended tamping force of 22 to 33 lbs (10 to 15 kg).
What neither manual states
Neither instruction book gives dimensions, weight, a part number, or any statement about whether components interchange between the two machines.
Both are documented at 54mm. Neither document says a basket from one fits the other, and Breville publishes no parts diagram or parts list that could establish it. Of five espresso manufacturers checked on 13 August 2026, only Gaggia publishes part numbers.
The difference between what the documents support and what a buyer usually wants to know is worth naming: the heating system, the grind range and the power draw are documented facts, and everything about serviceability is not addressed anywhere Breville publishes.