Breville BES870 espresso only drips, or does not flow
Cause 1 of 7Coffee is ground too finely. Source: Troubleshooting, p. 28
First checkUse a slightly coarser grind setting.
Causes and checks
Coffee is ground too finely. Source: Troubleshooting, p. 28
- Use a slightly coarser grind setting.
Too much coffee in the filter basket. Source: Troubleshooting, p. 28
- Lower the dose of coffee with the GRIND AMOUNT dial.
- After tamping, trim the dose with the Razor tool.
Coffee is tamped too firmly. Source: Troubleshooting, p. 28
- Tamp between 30–40 lb (15–20 kg) of pressure.
The water tank is empty. Source: Troubleshooting, p. 28
- Fill the tank.
The water tank is not fully inserted and locked into position. Source: Troubleshooting, p. 28
- Push the water tank down completely to lock it into place.
Filter basket holes blocked. Source: Troubleshooting, p. 29
- Clear the holes with the pin on the cleaning tool.
- If they stay blocked, soak the basket and portafilter for about 20 minutes in hot water with a dissolved cleaning tablet, then rinse.
The machine needs descaling. Source: Troubleshooting, p. 29
- Descale the machine (page 24).
All 7 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 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.
- Drip tray fills quickly or water appears under the machine4 causes in the manual. First: 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.
- 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.