Breville BES870 no steam
Cause 1 of 6Still heating. The STEAM/HOT WATER light flashes while it heats; water purging from the wand meanwhile is normal. Source: Troubleshooting, p. 30
First checkWait until the STEAM/HOT WATER light stops flashing.
Causes and checks
Still heating. The STEAM/HOT WATER light flashes while it heats; water purging from the wand meanwhile is normal. Source: Troubleshooting, p. 30
- Wait until the STEAM/HOT WATER light stops flashing.
The water tank is empty. Source: Troubleshooting, p. 30
- Fill the tank.
The water tank is not fully inserted and locked into position. Source: Troubleshooting, p. 30
- Push the water tank down completely to lock it into place.
The machine needs descaling. Source: Troubleshooting, p. 30
- Descale the machine (page 24).
Steam wand blocked. Source: Troubleshooting, p. 30
- Clean the steam wand tip. See Clean the steam wand.
The STEAM/HOT WATER dial is not in the STEAM position. Source: Troubleshooting, p. 30
- Rotate the STEAM/HOT WATER dial completely to the STEAM position.
All 6 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.
- 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.