Breville BES870 drip tray fills quickly or water appears under the machine
Cause 1 of 4The auto purge feature releases water into the drip tray after the espresso, hot water and steam functions, so the thermocoil is at the optimal temperature. Source: Troubleshooting, p. 31
First checkNo action is required; this is normal operation of the machine.
Causes and checks
The auto purge feature releases water into the drip tray after the espresso, hot water and steam functions, so the thermocoil is at the optimal temperature. Source: Troubleshooting, p. 31
- No action is required; this is normal operation of the machine.
The auto purge feature releases water into the drip tray, which can look like water leaking. Source: Troubleshooting, p. 32
- Make sure the drip tray is firmly pushed in place and emptied whenever the Empty Me! indicator is displayed.
The water tank is not fully inserted and locked into position. Source: Troubleshooting, p. 32
- Push the water tank down completely to lock it into place.
The silicone seal surrounding the shower screen needs to be replaced. Source: Troubleshooting, p. 32
- Replace the group-head seal (Replace the group-head seal procedure).
All 4 causes checked. Contact Breville Consumer Support: 1-866-273-8455.
Service
If the checks above do not clear it, contact Breville Consumer Support: 1-866-273-8455, breville.com/us/support. United States (Canada: 1-855-683-3535; Mexico: 1-800-953-1668). Source: Back cover, p. 112
Other BES870 problems
- No water from the group head4 causes in the manual. First: the machine is still heating.
- Espresso only drips, or does not flow7 causes in the manual. First: coffee is ground too finely.
- Espresso runs too quickly3 causes in the manual. First: coffee is ground too coarsely.
- Espresso leaks around the portafilter4 causes in the manual. First: the portafilter is not inserted in the group head correctly.
- No steam6 causes in the manual. First: still heating. The STEAM/HOT WATER light flashes while it heats; water purging from the wand meanwhile is normal.
- Coffee is not hot enough5 causes in the manual. First: the cups are not pre-heated.
- No crema4 causes in the manual. First: coffee is tamped too lightly.
- Machine is on but stops workingThe thermal cut-out may have tripped because the pump or grinder overheated.
- Grinder delivers no coffee or is loud4 causes in the manual. First: there are no coffee beans in the hopper.
- Too much or too little espresso in the cupGrind settings or programmed shot volumes need adjusting.
Sources
- the Barista Express Instruction Book, BES870 (English, Canadian French and Mexican Spanish edition). Breville Pty Ltd. Document BES870 USCM, revision X20, 2020, 112 pages, en-US. assets.breville.com (PDF). Retrieved 12 November 2026.
Page numbers are the numbers printed in the manual. Where this page and the manual differ, follow the manual.