Breville the Barista Express (BES870) vs Lelit Anna PID (PL41TEM)
Community-voted by verified owners — not a single reviewer's opinion. Who wins depends on how you make coffee.
Breville the Barista Express (BES870)
The one-box espresso starter kit
Lelit Anna PID (PL41TEM)
Compact PID machine with prosumer traits
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☕ Choose the Breville the Barista Express (BES870) if...
- You want a one-box setup with a built-in grinder to start immediately
- You mostly make milk drinks and want an easy learning platform
- You do not want to shop for a separate grinder right now
- You value a big community of tips, accessories, and tutorials
- You want good espresso without building a ‘separate grinder’ bar
🔧 Choose the Lelit Anna PID (PL41TEM) if...
- You want a compact machine with more traditional prosumer traits
- You plan to buy a dedicated espresso grinder for better shots
- You care about cleaner workflow (3-way solenoid and dry pucks)
- You primarily drink straight espresso and want consistency
- You want a foundation you can upgrade around over time
The Matchup
Our editorial take — what makes each machine tick and who each one is for.
These two get cross-shopped by people who want “real espresso at home” without spending four figures. Barista Express is the all-in-one convenience play, while Lelit Anna is the “separate grinder, more traditional machine” approach in a compact prosumer-leaning package.
Breville the Barista Express (BES870): The Breville Barista Express is popular because it bundles the core espresso tools into one box: built-in grinder, 54mm portafilter workflow, PID-controlled thermocoil heating, and enough steam power to learn milk drinks. It’s especially attractive if you want to get started quickly without buying a separate grinder. The compromise is that the built-in grinder is the ceiling. You can make great drinks, but as your taste gets pickier, most owners eventually feel the grinder is the limiting factor before the machine itself is.
Lelit Anna PID (PL41TEM): The Lelit Anna (PL41TEM) is a compact single-boiler machine with PID control, a pressure gauge, and a 3-way solenoid, which makes it feel more like “real espresso machine behavior” than most entry appliances. It uses Lelit’s 57mm group, and it rewards you if you pair it with a solid espresso grinder. The compromise is workflow friction: single boiler means you manage brew-to-steam transitions, and because there is no built-in grinder, your total setup cost depends on what grinder you choose.
Specifications
Side-by-side specs — the numbers that matter.
| Breville the Barista Express (BES870) | Lelit Anna PID (PL41TEM) | |
|---|---|---|
| Boiler Type | Thermocoil | Single boiler (brass) |
| Heat-Up Time | — | — |
| Portafilter Size | 54mm | 57mm (LELIT57) |
| Pump Pressure | — | — |
| Water Tank | 64 oz (approx. 2.0 L) | 2.7 L |
| Milk Steaming | — | — |
| Dimensions | Approx. 13.8 x 12.5 x 15.9 in | 23 x 38 x 34 cm (approx. 9.1 x 15.0 x 13.4 in) |
| Weight | — | — |
| Warranty | — | — |
What Owners Report
Based on our research from owner reviews across Reddit, YouTube, and specialty retailers.
Breville the Barista Express (BES870)
- Built-in grinder means fewer separate purchases to get started
- PID-controlled thermocoil helps temperature stability
- Good learning platform for espresso + milk drinks
- Large water tank for the category is convenient
- Strong resale and huge community support for dialing tips
- Built-in grinder is the main long-term limiter for shot quality
- Takes counter space compared to a separate compact machine
- 54mm ecosystem is smaller than 58mm prosumer standard
- Workflow can feel fiddly if you chase perfect repeatability
Lelit Anna PID (PL41TEM)
- PID control plus pressure gauge feels ‘prosumer’ in a small machine
- 3-way solenoid gives cleaner pucks and cleaner workflow
- Brass boiler and traditional single-boiler behavior
- Great foundation if you plan to pair a strong grinder
- Compact footprint for a real espresso machine setup
- Single boiler means managing brew-to-steam transitions
- No built-in grinder so total setup cost depends on grinder choice
- 57mm accessory ecosystem is smaller than 58mm standard
- Less beginner-friendly out of the box than all-in-ones
Owner Insights
Where to Buy
Current prices from trusted retailers — plus the gear owners pair with each machine.
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From the Community
Real takes from verified owners. No sponsored reviews, no PR samples.
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The Bottom Line
If you want the simplest path to pulling real espresso with the fewest separate purchases, Barista Express is still a strong one-box solution. If you are willing to buy a separate grinder and want a more traditional compact machine with PID + solenoid behavior, Anna is the cleaner foundation and tends to win with people who plan to upgrade strategically.
Choose the Breville the Barista Express (BES870) if you want convenience, speed, and incredible lattes from day one with almost no learning curve.
Choose the Lelit Anna PID (PL41TEM) if you want a machine that grows with you, love tinkering, and care more about shot quality than convenience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the Breville the Barista Express (BES870) and Lelit Anna PID (PL41TEM), answered by our community data.