Question 1

I'll be using this mainly for long black/americanos. Any tips or downsides to getting the most brewed liquid? I love a big, hearty mug of joe.

Accepted Answer

Do not let the water run through the coffee in the portafilter once the shot is done, like others suggest. For long black and americano, put the hot water in the mug first, then pull the double onto the water. For a nice long black, I suggest just 100ml of hot water before pulling your double shot (doppio) of 60ml from 18g of coffee. For an americano, use 200ml of water more or less to taste. Do not pull more than 65 ml from portafilter. My idea of a long black is actually stronger, 60ml water and 60ml from shot.

Question 2

Will the machine fit on top of this protective mat? I'm not sure of the dimensions. http://amzn.to/2l8g4zZ

Accepted Answer

It will not fit on top but you can definitely lay it in front of your machine as it looks like it intended for  tamping your grounds...

Question 3

What are the significant improvements of the 870 over the 860 Express besides hot water and 1600W?

Accepted Answer

In addition to Randy B.'s CommentOne of the Most Important features/ changes to the 870 is the ThermoCoil Change, as the 860 had a Bolt together two Halfs with a seal sandwiched in between the two halfs this was a Possible failure point and could Leak down the road. I have seen reports of the thermo Block of the 860 leaking, But the new 870 uses a ThermoCoil,  it is a Full length of Stainless Steel tubing (the water only comes in contact with the stainless steel) that coils around a few times nothing is Bolted together as the tubing is one continuous length to eliminate Leaks, and is surrounded by Aluminum, this alum houses the heater and makes for Fast heating up, for steaming and cooling down to 200 degrees for pulling the shot, so temps are more precise than before. This New ThermoCoil is a big Improvement over the 860 model. I saw a cut away version of both the 860 thermo block and the 870 thermoCoil the 870 is a much better design and should last a long time, as long as you don't run it out of water and burn it up. The Grinder Burrs have a little better/tighter tolerance for a little finer grinds. In addition to Randy B.'s Comment

Question 4

Do I need to buy any other thing besides the coffee beans to use this machine well? For example, "Stainless Steel Frothing Pitcher".

Accepted Answer

This machine has been great. I use it in my cafe in Mexico. Its on all day and makes alot of coffee. I did buy a stainless steel frothing so I could make certain espressos. I have a couple of extra of all excersories. They are much cheaper in the States. I also have a themostat to tell me how hot the milk is.

ASIN	B00CH9QWOU
Amazon Bestseller	#325,471 in Home & Kitchen ( See Top 100 in Home & Kitchen ) #1 in Steam Espresso Machines
Brand Name	Breville
Capacity	1 Cups
Coffee Input Type	whole_beans
Coffee Maker Type	Espresso Machine
Color	brushed stainless steel
Customer Package Type	Standard Packaging
Customer Reviews	4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars (25,915)
Exterior Finish	Stainless Steel
Filter Type	Reusable
Global Trade Identification Number	00021614055514
Human Interface Input	Dial
Included Components	Brush Tool & Allen Wrench, Built in Tamper, Cleaning Disc, Coffee Scoop, Filter, Stainless Steel Milk Jug, Tablet, razor quantity trimming tool
Is the item dishwasher safe?	No
Item Dimensions D x W x H	35.1D x 31.8W x 40.4H cm
Item Type Name	Espresso Machine
Item Weight	22.09 Pounds
Manufacturer	Breville
Material	Stainless Steel
Model Name	Barista Express
Model Number	BES870XL
Number of Items	1
Operation Mode	Manual
Other Special Features of the Product	Manual
Part Number	BES870XL
Recommended Uses For Product	Espresso made
Specific Uses For Product	Espresso
Style	Espresso Machine
UPC	021614055514
Unit Count	1 Count
Voltage	120.0
Wattage	1600 W

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