Breville BES870 espresso leaks around the portafilter
Cause 1 of 4The portafilter is not inserted in the group head correctly. Source: Troubleshooting, p. 29
First checkInsert the portafilter completely and rotate it until resistance is felt.
Causes and checks
The portafilter is not inserted in the group head correctly. Source: Troubleshooting, p. 29
- Insert the portafilter completely and rotate it until resistance is felt.
There are coffee grounds around the filter basket rim. Source: Troubleshooting, p. 29
- Clean excess coffee from the rim of the filter basket to ensure a proper seal in the group head.
There is too much coffee in the filter basket. Source: Troubleshooting, p. 29
- Lower the dose of coffee.
- After tamping, trim the coffee dose with the Razor tool.
The silicone seal around the shower screen is worn. Source: Troubleshooting, p. 29
- Replace the group-head seal. See Replace the group-head seal.
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.
- 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.