I Spent $$$ on a Fancy Coffee Machine – Was It Worth It? ☕
In 2018, fresh into my first corporate job, I was overworked, underpaid, and struggling to stay motivated in the day-to-day grind. My company was pressuring me to study for fellowship exams, despite the fact that I was barely holding it together—new job, new city, living alone for the first time. It was a lot.
I decided I needed something to look forward to, a shiny goal. Originally, I planned to reward myself with a coffee machine after passing my exam. But then—it went on sale. And I thought: Why wait? The reward wasn’t for the end goal; it was for my effort, my discipline—all the sacrifices I made.
All the outings I had to say no to.
All the weekends I spent indoors, studying, staring longingly at the clear blue sky outside.
All the 6 AM mornings, braving Sydney’s winter (yes, it’s cold AF if you grew up in Brisbane) just to grab an iced long black before work.
This coffee machine? It was what all of that was for.
The Doubters
When I told my family and friends I wanted to buy a coffee machine, the reactions were... less than supportive:
❌ “You’ll never use it. It’s just a glorified toy.”
❌ “Oh, now that you have a real job, you’re just wasting money?”
I knew it wasn’t cheap, but I also knew I wanted it.
I was sick of waiting in the morning rush just to get my caffeine fix. I had a barista who memorised my name just because I ordered an iced long black at 6 AM in freezing temperatures (dedication or insanity?). Plus, I was waking up before dawn every day to slave away for my exams—don’t I deserve a little reward?
The Machine: Breville Barista Touch – My Honest Review
After a lot of research, I settled on the Breville Barista Touch. Here’s why:
✅ Semi-Automatic – I needed something easy but still customisable. I have zero barista skills and terrible hand-eye coordination, so a fully manual machine was out of the question.
✅ No Pods – I didn’t want the environmental waste, the recurring cost, or the mediocre taste.
✅ Built-In Grinder – No need to buy a separate grinder (at the time... more on that later).
✅ Touchscreen Interface – Easy to navigate, saved my preferred settings.
At the time, I got it for $1000, plus an extra $200 worth of accessories and coffee beans. Now? This machine retails for $1400. Pre-COVID, before the home barista craze—what a steal.
The Coffee Experience – From First Shot to Daily Ritual
Setting It Up
Unboxing it felt like Christmas morning. The stainless steel finish gleamed, the touchscreen lit up, and I could already hear the imaginary whirr of the grinder in my head.
Setup was stupidly easy. The touchscreen guided me through:
Choosing a grind size
Adjusting the extraction time
Dialling in the perfect milk texture
I was pulling espresso shots within an hour of unboxing.
The First Sip
The grinder hummed, the espresso trickled down, and the crema was golden and thick.
I took my first sip.
And damn.
It was 80% café experience, 100% made by me. And because I’d already paid for everything upfront, this was now free forever. (girl maths).
Daily Use – How It Changed My Mornings
Making my own coffee quickly became a ritual:
☕ Grind. Fresh beans, rich aroma.
☕ Tamp. (Try to tamp evenly. Fail. Still gets a decent shot.)
☕ Extract. Watching the espresso drip into my cup.
☕ Froth. Silky milk, café-level texture.
Instead of standing in a queue, I was sipping my coffee in my pyjamas, on my own time.
Is It Actually Good?
☕ Espresso Quality:
For a home machine? Solid.
Super forgiving—even if you mess up the grind size or tamping, you’ll still get a drinkable shot.
I eventually got a separate grinder to avoid cross-contaminating my decaf and normal beans—but I’m just extra like that.
🥛 Milk Frothing:
The auto-frothing wand is a game changer.
Can it make silky microfoam for latte art? Yes, but it takes some practice.
Best part: This machine makes perfect matcha lattes too.
⚡ Speed & Convenience:
Start-up is instant. No waiting.
Way faster than a café (and cheaper in the long run).
🚨 Iced Long Black Rant:
I still don’t understand why an iced long black costs more than a regular long black. Am I eliminating steps for you, or am I just paying extra for ice cubes? 🤨
Five Years Later – Was It Worth It?
Five years later, this machine is still the most-used appliance in my home.
It’s survived early-morning work grinds, late-night matcha cravings, and more impulse I-need-coffee-now moments than I can count. It still pulls smooth, rich espresso shots just like the first day. If anything, I’ve only gotten better at using it.
Would I buy it again? 100%.
Breville has newer models now, and I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t been eyeing the Breville Oracle Jet—fully automatic shots plus cold brew and cold espresso extraction. I didn’t think I could be more excited about a coffee machine, but here we are.
Final Verdict
🚀 Best. Purchase. Ever. 🚀
If you’re thinking about it—take the leap.
If you actually use it, it’s worth it.
And honestly? Imagine having this during COVID lockdown. A dream come true. 😌☕
Side Note: My Breville Era ☕📈
I loved this machine so much that I even bought Breville stocks. No regrets. Fully invested—literally.
