Brewing hardware
A 15-bar pump feeds a 58mm commercial-size group head, with a PID-controlled thermoblock and single/double shot presets.
BrevilleEspresso machines · VCF187
VCF187
The Breville Barista Sense is a semi-automatic espresso machine with a built-in conical burr grinder, a 15-bar pump, a 58mm group head and a TempSense steam wand that stops at one of four set milk temperatures.
VCF1871.8 L1400–1550 W
22 original reviews to read 2 video summaries Good to know
Start your decision here
The Breville Barista Sense is a semi-automatic espresso machine with a built-in conical burr grinder, a 15-bar pump, a 58mm group head and a TempSense steam wand that stops at one of four set milk temperatures. Buyers and testers find it easy for beginners and like its slim look, its café-style coffee and smooth milk. Expect some practice with grinding and milk texturing. Some find the portafilter and other plastic parts feel light for the price, and one tester found it noisy. The 1.8L tank is modest for heavy milk use. Its list price is about £600, but it has been reported for nearer £400 on promotion. It suits someone moving from pods to fresh-bean espresso who wants guidance without a fully automatic machine. Long-term reliability is unproven: there is no independent durability test, and one owner reports a failure within months.
Before you buy
What the features mean in everyday use.
A 15-bar pump feeds a 58mm commercial-size group head, with a PID-controlled thermoblock and single/double shot presets.
Built-in conical burr grinder with Tap & Go auto dosing and anti-static grinding meant to reduce mess on the worktop.
The TempSense steam wand offers 4 milk temperature settings (for dairy and plant milks) plus manual Hi/Lo steam, and switches off on its own at the selected temperature.
The removable water tank holds 1.8 litres, which is smaller than on the older Barista Max (2.8L). Livingetc counted 'around 10 or more coffees' before refilling, and one Currys reviewer called the tank small for heavy milk steaming.
Operated with buttons and dials (one cup, two cup, manual shot, steam/hot-water dial, steam temperature dial, Clean & Descale); there is no display screen.
Reviewers at all three retailers most often describe it as easy to set up and use, including for beginners, helped by the QR-code video guide and clear instructions.
Buyers frequently praise café-style coffee with good crema and say the steam wand produces smooth, creamy milk for lattes and cappuccinos.
Several reviewers say milk texturing and dialling in the grind take practice. One Amazon Vine reviewer described a steep learning curve before the coffee became 'genuinely superb'.
A minority of reviewers find the portafilter light and plasticky, some plastic parts flimsy for the price, and the grind adjustment or hopper fitting stiff. Ideal Home found the portafilter hard to twist in and said it loosened after a few months.
Opinion on the grinder is split. Several reviewers praise its wide range and quiet running, but one Amazon reviewer found it noisy and messy and not quite fine enough even at the finest setting. Ideal Home found the machine noisier than others when pulling a shot.
Reviewers note a slim footprint that suits smaller kitchens. One Argos reviewer warns it is quite tall and may not fit under all wall cupboards.
There is a one-button cleaning programme and a cleaning alert. Several buyers call cleaning easy, while one Amazon reviewer finds keeping it pristine a chore.
One Amazon buyer reports the machine failed after 7 months and the refund was refused. Independent long-term reliability data (e.g. a Which? test) is not available, so durability is unproven.
Most retailer reviews are syndicated from Breville: 11 of the reviews shown on Currys come from Breville product testers, and the Argos reviews were written on Breville.co.uk, mostly as part of a prize-draw promotion. Ratings at those stores are therefore likely to lean positive. Amazon, with mostly verified purchases, has a wider spread including 1-star reviews.
Ideal Home (3-month test) rated it 4/5 and Livingetc 4.8/5. Both call it beginner-friendly with good automation. Criticisms: noise (rhythmic thumping during extraction), a chunky steam wand, a drip tray that fills quickly, and trouble getting a thick crema.
Major UK retailers list it at about £600, and a reseller asks more. Ideal Home says it typically sells for just under £400 on promotion, and an Amazon reviewer reports buying during a £399 offer, so waiting for a deal may pay off.
Two-year replacement warranty; Breville asks buyers to register within 90 days to activate the extended 2-year cover.
Compared with the Barista Max VCF126, the Sense has a smaller tank (1.8L vs 2.8L) but adds the auto shut-off TempSense steam wand and anti-static grinding. Breville UK prices it higher than the Max.
The TempSense steam wand offers 4 milk temperature settings (for dairy and plant milks) plus manual Hi/Lo steam, and switches off on its own at the selected temperature.
The removable water tank holds 1.8 litres, which is smaller than on the older Barista Max (2.8L). Livingetc counted 'around 10 or more coffees' before refilling, and one Currys reviewer called the tank small for heavy milk steaming.
Operated with buttons and dials (one cup, two cup, manual shot, steam/hot-water dial, steam temperature dial, Clean & Descale); there is no display screen.
Reviewers at all three retailers most often describe it as easy to set up and use, including for beginners, helped by the QR-code video guide and clear instructions.
Buyers frequently praise café-style coffee with good crema and say the steam wand produces smooth, creamy milk for lattes and cappuccinos.
Several reviewers say milk texturing and dialling in the grind take practice. One Amazon Vine reviewer described a steep learning curve before the coffee became 'genuinely superb'.
A minority of reviewers find the portafilter light and plasticky, some plastic parts flimsy for the price, and the grind adjustment or hopper fitting stiff. Ideal Home found the portafilter hard to twist in and said it loosened after a few months.
Opinion on the grinder is split. Several reviewers praise its wide range and quiet running, but one Amazon reviewer found it noisy and messy and not quite fine enough even at the finest setting. Ideal Home found the machine noisier than others when pulling a shot.
Reviewers note a slim footprint that suits smaller kitchens. One Argos reviewer warns it is quite tall and may not fit under all wall cupboards.
There is a one-button cleaning programme and a cleaning alert. Several buyers call cleaning easy, while one Amazon reviewer finds keeping it pristine a chore.
One Amazon buyer reports the machine failed after 7 months and the refund was refused. Independent long-term reliability data (e.g. a Which? test) is not available, so durability is unproven.
Most retailer reviews are syndicated from Breville: 11 of the reviews shown on Currys come from Breville product testers, and the Argos reviews were written on Breville.co.uk, mostly as part of a prize-draw promotion. Ratings at those stores are therefore likely to lean positive. Amazon, with mostly verified purchases, has a wider spread including 1-star reviews.
Ideal Home (3-month test) rated it 4/5 and Livingetc 4.8/5. Both call it beginner-friendly with good automation. Criticisms: noise (rhythmic thumping during extraction), a chunky steam wand, a drip tray that fills quickly, and trouble getting a thick crema.
Major UK retailers list it at about £600, and a reseller asks more. Ideal Home says it typically sells for just under £400 on promotion, and an Amazon reviewer reports buying during a £399 offer, so waiting for a deal may pay off.
Two-year replacement warranty; Breville asks buyers to register within 90 days to activate the extended 2-year cover.
Compared with the Barista Max VCF126, the Sense has a smaller tank (1.8L vs 2.8L) but adds the auto shut-off TempSense steam wand and anti-static grinding. Breville UK prices it higher than the Max.
User experience
See the common points first, then read the original reviews yourself.
Summarised from the 32 reviews we read. A review can mention several points, so the theme counts can add up to more than 32.
Owners mostly find the Barista Sense an approachable first espresso machine. They say set-up and daily use are simple, the built-in grinder and auto-dosing remove guesswork, and the temperature-sensing steam wand produces smooth milk for lattes and cappuccinos. Many like its slim, stylish look on the worktop and the one-button cleaning. On the downside, several say milk texturing and dialling in the grind take practice. A few find the portafilter light and plasticky, the grind adjustment stiff or the grinder messy, and one wanted a finer grind. Single reviewers mention a small tank for heavy milk steaming, the height under wall cupboards, cleaning being a chore, and a machine that failed after seven months. Many store reviews come from Breville product testers or a promotion, so praise may be overstated.
Summarised from 32 reviews; 1 reviews about delivery, packaging or the seller were left out. The summary is drawn from opinions that recur in the reviews read; each theme shows how many reviews mention it. These counts are not a rate and do not apply to every unit.
Unique text reviews counted: Currys/Feefo 13 (1 rating-only excluded), Argos 10 newest, Amazon.co.uk 9 on the product page = 32. Breville.co.uk's 8 visible reviews overlap the syndicated Argos set and were excluded; 1 Currys delivery-only review excluded as off-topic. Most Argos/Currys reviews are Breville-syndicated or incentivised; store AI summaries used only as input.
22 original reviews can be listed on this page. The number of reviews analysed may differ.
D*** 1/5 15 August 2026 Amazon
Machine fall apart after 7 months. Compare to previous models working 4 years. They refused to return money and keep repairs going so I can’t use machine. Don’t buy if you drink coffee everyday.
G*** 4/5 26 July 2025 Amazon Vine review of free product
…However, once you crest that steep learning curve, the machine is a delight. It’s a handsome, surprisingly slender unit that doesn’t dominate the kitchen worktop. … The built-in grinder, while having plenty of settings, is a boisterous and messy affair, especially on the double shot setting. … Some of the plastic components also feel a bit flimsy for a machine at this price point. My main gripe is that even on its finest setting, the grind isn't quite fine enough to produce that perfect, syrupy espresso shot with a rich crema, though the flavour is still excellent.
k*** P*** t*** 5/5 23 April 2026 Amazon
A learning curve, but once you master it, it makes a great cup of coffee Keeping it pristine clean is a bit of a chore
F*** 5/5 5 August 2026 Amazon
…I have been using it for a few months now and it’ been excellent. Regular descale it and look after it. Easy to use and brew time is quick!
R*** F*** 5/5 30 July 2026 Amazon
Delightfully easy to use, easy way to make the coffee drink of choosing. Simple 4 heat setting for automatic temperature setting for perfect temp to your liking. They even thought of alerting you to need cleaning.
D*** 5/5 13 August 2026 Amazon
It’s perfect looks good very well made and makes a great cup of coffee.
J*** A*** 5/5 24 February 2026 Amazon
I am very happy with the machine, it makes great coffee, whether you use beans or ground coffee.
Customer 3/5 25 June 2025 Currys Breville product tester review shown on Currys
The machine has a nice aesthetic to it, but I'm not sure how long that will last as stainless steel tends to show up all the marks. … tamping the portafilter feels a bit neolithic for a £600 machine…
A*** N*** 4/5 1 July 2025 Currys Breville product tester review shown on Currys
I've tested this for a few weeks now and as a beginner's all in one machine, I'm pretty impressed. The grinder is excellent with a really large range in grind size. … the portafilter is very light and plastic'y and doesn't feel particularly robust. The water tank is also small which is an issue if you're steaming a…
K*** 5/5 7 September 2026 Currys Currys buyer
Quite good quality and easy to use but a little expensive.
Customer 5/5 27 January 2026 Currys Currys buyer
Really pleased with my coffee machine, I use it every day for my favourite cappuccino.
A*** C*** 5/5 20 June 2025 Currys Breville product tester review shown on Currys
…The grinder is quiet enough to get my morning brew without waking up the children, which is a huge plus, as I’m the earliest riser. … I still haven't mastered foaming the milk, but it's more like a me problem than the machine's.
L*** B*** 4/5 19 June 2025 Currys Breville product tester review shown on Currys
This is a nice looking machine with a relatively small footprint. It fits in the corner my old coffee machine was but it’s much smaller…
B*** P*** 5/5 18 June 2025 Currys Breville product tester review shown on Currys
…Getting the milk right is a little tricky but that's a skill problem and not a machine issue. I would definitely recommend this machine.
Customer 5/5 25 June 2025 Currys Breville product tester review shown on Currys
I really love this coffee machine! It is very easy to use (perfect for beginners), easy to clean (it has one touch cleaning cycle) and the built quality is excellent. It offers different frothing options and also the four temperature settings.…
R*** C*** 5/5 19 June 2025 Currys Breville product tester review shown on Currys
My dreams coffee machine ! Such an amazing and quality of the coffee: from easy to install to prepare a high quality of the various coffee.…
E*** 4/5 15 August 2026 Argos Written on Breville.co.uk, promotion
…It was much lighter than I expected and slim to fit well on your worktop. It is a little tall so may not fit under all kitchen cupboards. There was not much to put together however I found the coffee grinder pot a little stiff and was worried I was going to break it…
C*** g*** 5/5 19 September 2026 Argos Written on Breville.co.uk
…It is compact and well built and isn’t too big on the worktop. It is simple to use and easy to clean. It only took a couple of times using to get the exact quantity of ground coffee for a perfect drink. Great product and excellent value for money.
A*** 5/5 29 August 2026 Argos Written on Breville.co.uk, promotion
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I was surprised how easy this was to set up and use. It has a QR code on the machine so you can watch an easy step by step guide on how to use it. The machine is very easy to keep clean and tidy.
C*** 5/5 21 August 2026 Argos Written on Breville.co.uk, promotion
…Produces great lattes with its handy milk frother and adjustable pressure. Quiet compared to my last coffee machine and feels brilliant quality, so can imagine this is going to be super durable.
F*** 5/5 18 August 2026 Argos Written on Breville.co.uk, promotion
…Love this coffee machine. It’s easy to use and gives a good quality coffee shop coffee at home. The milk frother is great for lattes.
D*** 5/5 2 August 2026 Argos Written on Breville.co.uk, promotion
It looks stylish, high quality, and makes delicious coffee at home. The build in grinder is very convenient, and it’s easy to adjust the settings to get the perfect espresso. The milk frother works really well too, creating smooth creamy foam for cappuccinos and lattes.
No reviews match this choice.
Go to the store's reviews: Amazon · Argos · Currys · breville.co.uk
See it in use
Read the summaries; tap a moment to watch the video from that second.
2 videos · Timestamped summary
YouTube · In use
The Breville Barista Sense Espresso Machine is designed to deliver café-quality coffee at home with an integrated grinder and non-pressurised filter baskets for enhanced extraction control. It features an adjustable Tap & Go dosing system as well as TempSense automated milk steaming tailored to different milk types. This guide demonstrates how to set up the machine, dial in the grind, achieve balanced espresso extraction, and texture milk.
YouTube · Other
The Breville Barista Sense VCF187 features a built-in conical burr grinder and an auto-dose system to simplify making fresh espresso. It offers customisable shot and strength settings, a large portafilter for full-bodied extraction, and TempSense steam technology with 15-bar pressure. Maintenance is straightforward with one-touch cleaning, descaling programs, and dishwasher-safe removable components.
Video summaries and timestamps were taken from the videos with AI (Gemini); the video itself is the source.
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Preliminary infoWhat it has
Technical information with its source.
Where to buy
Check the variant and seller together with the price.
Currys
£599.99
Go to storeArgos
Price could not be confirmed
Go to storeNLR Online (via Amazon.co.uk, dispatched by Amazon)
£599.86
Go to storeMcGrocer (personal shopping service, sourced from Argos)
£749.99
Go to storePrices may have changed.
Where the information comes from, by type; each finding also links its own source.
This page is compiled from manufacturer, store, review and video sources; every piece of information links to the source it was read from. Technical values are as stated by the manufacturer or store; user experiences are summarised from the reviews read and do not apply to every unit. We do not test products ourselves.