Breville Espresso Machine Error Codes Guide

Understanding Breville Error Messages

Most Breville espresso machines don't use numbered error codes. The Bambino, Bambino Plus and Barista Express talk through flashing button lights, while the Barista Pro, Dual Boiler and Oracle show words like FLUSH, CLEAN ME!, DESCALE or FILL TANK on their screens. Almost every alert means a cleaning cycle, a descale or a water tank problem, and the machine clears it once you complete that task.

True numbered faults (E1, E2 and E3 on the Dual Boiler, ERR on the Oracle, ER codes on touchscreen models) are rarer and usually point to a part that needs service. The fastest way to decode yours is to work out which kind of machine you have, then match the exact light pattern or word below. Two alerts that look alike can mean different things on different models. On a Bambino Plus, for example, alternating 1 CUP and 2 CUP lights ask for a cleaning cycle. On a plain Bambino, a single flashing 2 Cup light asks for a combined clean and descale.

Everything in this guide comes from Breville's own instruction books for each model, plus clearly labeled repair-technician sources for the service codes Breville doesn't publish.

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Quick Error Code Reference

The most common alerts by far are the cleaning and descale reminders. Neither is a fault. They're counters telling you routine maintenance is due, and the machine keeps brewing while they show.

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Which Type of Breville Do You Have?

Breville machines fall into three groups, and each group signals problems differently:

If you're in Europe or the UK, your machine is sold under the Sage name. The model numbers swap the B for an S (a Sage SES500 is the Bambino Plus BES500), and the alerts work the same way.

This matters because a lot of online advice mixes the groups up. A button-light machine can't show a code like "E01" or "ER07", because it has no screen to show it on. If a guide tells you your Bambino Plus is displaying a numbered code, it's describing a different machine.

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Bambino and Bambino Plus Light Codes

The Bambino Plus (BES500) has four lights to work with: 1 CUP, 2 CUP, STEAM and the milk temperature and foam indicators. The original Bambino (BES450) has fewer, and its maintenance alert works differently. If you're not sure which one you own, the Bambino Plus is the one with automatic milk texturing and milk temperature buttons. Our Bambino vs Bambino Plus comparison shows the differences side by side.

Bambino Plus: 1 CUP and 2 CUP Lights Alternating

The machine counts extractions and asks for a cleaning cycle after 200 shots. This is a back-flush with a cleaning tablet, separate from descaling.

1. Put the cleaning disc into the filter basket, then place a cleaning tablet on top.
2. Lock the portafilter into the group head.
3. Empty the drip tray, put it back and set a 68 oz (2 L) container under the portafilter and steam wand.
4. Fill the water tank to MAX and seat it fully.
5. Press and hold the 1 CUP and 2 CUP buttons for 5 seconds. Both lights stay on.
6. Press either button to start. The lights alternate while the cycle runs, and the machine returns to ready mode when it's done.
7. Rinse the portafilter, cleaning disc, drip tray and container.

Can't clean right now? Press STEAM to skip the alert. It returns the next time you turn the machine on.

Bambino Plus: 1 CUP + STEAM and 2 CUP Flashing

When the 1 CUP and STEAM lights flash alternately with the 2 CUP light for about 15 seconds, the machine wants a descale. Pressing any of those buttons dismisses the alert, but scale keeps building, so plan the descale soon. The short version:

1. Fill the tank to the DESCALE line and add the descaler.
2. Turn the machine off by pressing 1 CUP and STEAM together, and let it cool completely.
3. With the machine off, hold 1 CUP and STEAM for 5 seconds. Both lights come on.
4. Press either button to start. When the solution runs out, the cycle pauses. Refill the tank to MAX with fresh water, empty the container and press 1 CUP or STEAM to rinse.
5. When 1 CUP and STEAM flash alternately again, the descale is done and the machine goes to standby.

Never remove or empty the tank mid-cycle. Our Bambino Plus descaling guide walks through each stage and what the lights do, and the Bambino Plus error lights guide covers the patterns that show up when something is actually wrong.

Bambino Plus: Milk Lights Flashing

Two different milk-light patterns catch owners out:

• MILK TEMP and MILK FOAM lights stepping downward: the steam wand is still raised. Lower it so the machine can purge the wand automatically. Leaving it up after steaming is a common cause of blocked tips.
• MILK TEMP and MILK FOAM lights both fully on and flashing, STEAM light off: the machine detected a blocked steam wand and stopped. Unscrew the tip, clear the holes with the pin on the cleaning tool (stored under the water tank), rinse, refit and purge. The lights keep flashing until the wand has been cleared and purged.

If steam stays weak after clearing the tip, see the Bambino Plus auto steam guide.

Bambino (BES450): 2 Cup Light Flashing

The original Bambino has one maintenance alert. A continuously flashing 2 Cup light means it's time for its combined clean and descale cycle. Fill the tank to the DESCALE line with descaler added, put a 68 oz (2 L) container under the group head and steam wand, then hold 2 Cup and Steam together for 5 seconds to start.

Pressing any button cancels the alert, but Breville's manual specifically warns against ignoring it. Scale reduces flow, brew temperature and steam power over time.

Bambino (BES450): All Lights Flash 6 Times

If every light flashes six times over about 3 seconds, the machine didn't detect water in the tank. Fill it and push it down until it seats. If the tank is full and the lights still flash, lift it out and check that nothing is stuck under the base. For a Bambino that lights up but won't pump, see Bambino not working.

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Barista Express and Barista Pro Error Codes

The Barista Express (BES870) has a single CLEAN / DESCALE light that does two jobs, and it's the most misread light on any Breville. The Barista Pro (BES878) replaces the lights with an LCD, so its alerts are written out.

Barista Express: CLEAN / DESCALE Light Flashing

A flashing CLEAN / DESCALE light means a cleaning cycle (back-flush) is due. It is not asking for a descale.

1. Insert the 1 CUP filter basket, then the cleaning disc, then one cleaning tablet.
2. Lock the portafilter in and put a large container under the spouts.
3. Make sure the tank has cold water and the drip tray is empty.
4. Press POWER to switch the machine off.
5. Press 1 CUP and 2 CUP together, then also press POWER. Hold all three for about 10 seconds.
6. The cycle runs for about 5 minutes, with water flowing from the spouts in bursts. Two beeps mean it's finished.
7. Check that the tablet has fully dissolved. If it hasn't, run the cycle again.

A tablet that keeps failing to dissolve can mean the machine isn't pushing enough water through the basket. If that happens twice in a row, check flow with our Breville low pressure guide.

Barista Express: CLEAN / DESCALE Light Solid

A solid CLEAN / DESCALE light means descale. The Barista Express descales the coffee, steam and hot water circuits separately:

1. Dissolve one Breville descaling sachet in 34 fl oz (1 L) of water and fill the tank.
2. Press and hold 2 CUP, then press and hold POWER at the same time to enter descale mode. The POWER light flashes while the machine heats.
3. It's ready when POWER, 1 CUP, CLEAN / DESCALE and the STEAM / HOT WATER light are all solid.
4. Press 1 CUP to descale the coffee circuit (about 25 seconds).
5. Turn the steam dial toward the steam icon (about 13 seconds), then toward the hot water icon (about 8 seconds).
6. Repeat steps 4-5 until the tank is empty. About half the solution is left after the first round.
7. Rinse the tank, fill it to the 68 fl oz (2 L) maximum with fresh water and repeat steps 4-5 to flush the descaler out.
8. Press POWER to exit.

If you leave the machine untouched for 5 minutes in descale mode, it switches itself off and you'll need to start again from step 2. That timeout is behind a lot of "descale light won't go off" complaints. See descale light won't turn off and the full Barista Express descaling guide.

Barista Express: Other Lights That Look Like Errors

• FILTER SIZE lights flashing: the bean hopper isn't locked in place. Twist it until it locks. If the hopper is locked and the lights still flash or no coffee comes out, the grinder chamber or chute may be blocked or damp. Our Breville grinder not working guide covers clearing it.
• STEAM / HOT WATER light flashing at power-on, machine won't heat: the steam dial isn't in STANDBY. Turn it back and the machine starts its normal heat-up.
• POWER light flashing: the machine is heating. It stops flashing and all the button lights come on when it's ready.
• POWER light flashing slowly: sleep mode, which starts after 1 hour idle. Press any button except POWER to wake it. After 3 hours it switches off completely.
• Empty Me! showing in the drip tray: the tray is full. If it won't go away after emptying, see the Empty Me error guide.

Barista Pro: FLUSH and DESCALE Alerts

The Barista Pro writes its alerts on the LCD.

• FLUSH means a cleaning cycle is due. With the cleaning disc and a tablet in the basket, the tank at MAX and the drip tray empty, press MENU, turn the GRIND AMOUNT dial to FLUSH, press to select and press 1 CUP. The screen counts down the time left. If any tablet remains afterward, repeat the cycle.
• DESCALE means scale needs removing. Take the water filter out first, fill the tank to the DESCALE line with descaler, then choose DESCALE from the menu and press 1 CUP. The cycle has three stages (coffee, hot water, steam), and you turn the steam dial when the LCD tells you. A three-stage rinse with fresh water follows.

The full procedure for the Pro is in the Barista Pro descaling guide. For a blank, frozen or garbled screen, see Barista Pro display errors.

Machine Stops Mid-Use With No Alert

If a Barista Pro switches itself off in the middle of grinding or brewing, Breville's manual points to the safety thermal cut-out, which trips when the pump or grinder overheats. Press POWER to switch off, unplug the machine and let it cool for 30-60 minutes. It usually happens after grinding lots of doses back to back. If it keeps happening with normal use, call Breville rather than opening the machine.

A machine that shows no lights at all is a different problem, usually power supply or a failed internal fuse. Start with Breville won't turn on before looking at the thermal fuse replacement guide.

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Dual Boiler (BES920) Alerts and E1, E2, E3

The Dual Boiler has an LCD with icons. Most of its alerts are routine:

• CLEAN ME! appears at start-up once 200 shots have gone through since the last clean. Put the cleaning disc and one tablet in the 1 CUP basket, lock it in, press MENU until the CLEAN CYCLE icon flashes and the LCD shows PUSH, then press MANUAL. The cycle counts down from 370 seconds.
• FILL TANK means low water. If the tank is full and FILL TANK stays on, the tank isn't fully inserted and latched. Push it in and close the latch.
• Steam light flashing at start-up: the steam lever is open. Close it and the machine starts heating.
• Hot water light flashing at start-up: the hot water dial is open. Close it.
• Hot water light flashing during use: hot water has been running for over 1 minute. Close the dial to return to standby.
• Descale alert: choose the descale function (dESC) from the menu and follow the on-screen steps. Allow about an hour.

E1, E2 or E3 is different. Breville's manual describes these as errors the user can't reset, and the only listed action is contacting Breville.

What technicians look at: the BES920 keeps an internal fault log. Out West Coffee, an Australian Breville repair shop, publishes the log's meanings: codes 00-05 are temperature sensor (NTC) faults on the steam boiler, coffee boiler and group head, 06-07 are steam boiler water level problems, 08 is a coffee water flow failure, 09 is no water in the coffee boiler at start-up, and 10-12 are over-temperature readings. Treat this as information to pass on to a repairer, not a DIY checklist. Most of those faults involve sensors, triacs or boiler parts inside a machine with mains wiring and pressurized hot water.

For heating, pressure and steam problems that don't throw a code, see the Dual Boiler troubleshooting guide.

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Oracle / Dual Boiler Specific Codes

The Oracle (BES980) grinds, doses and tamps automatically, so it adds grinder and hopper alerts to the Dual Boiler's list.

Oracle (BES980) Screen Alerts

• CLEAN ME! means about 200 shots since the last cleaning cycle. With the grey silicone cleaning disc and one tablet in the basket, press MENU, turn the SELECT dial to CLEAN CYCLE, and press SELECT. Afterward, pull one espresso and discard it to clear any remaining cleaner. The Oracle is the only machine here that lets you turn this reminder off, through the Clean Me! alert setting (Cln) in the menu. It's on by default. Turning it off doesn't make the cleaning any less necessary.
• FILL TANK means low water. The Oracle won't make coffee or hot water until you refill.
• HEATING shows while warming up, or if the temperature drops too far during use. Pulling several shots and steaming back to back can trigger it. Give it a minute.
• LOCK HOPPER means the bean hopper isn't locked. Automatic grinding and tamping won't run until it is.
• ERR on the LCD is listed in Breville's troubleshooting table as a machine fault, with Breville support as the fix.

One Oracle-specific tip from the manual: after cleaning the steam wand, make sure the tip is screwed on tightly. A loose tip can cause a temperature-sensing error on the wand.

Oracle Service Codes

Breville doesn't publish meanings for the numbered errors stored in the Oracle's service menu. Out West Coffee lists several from repair work. Error 15 is a steam wand temperature sensor failure, Error 18 means the steam boiler sensor isn't responding (often a thermal fuse or element), Errors 20-21 relate to the steam boiler water level probes, Errors 23-24 are coffee water flow problems, Errors 25-27 are over-temperature alerts, and Error 30 is a grinder motor timeout.

These codes belong to a service menu, and every fix they point to needs the housing opened. If you see numbers like these, write them down and give them to Breville or a repairer. It speeds up diagnosis.

Oracle Touch and Barista Touch Messages

Touchscreen machines explain most alerts in plain language, so each one has its own guide. See Oracle Touch not working, Barista Touch not working and the Barista Touch Impress troubleshooting guide. The Barista Express Impress, which adds an assisted tamping arm to the Express, has its own light patterns covered in the BES876 error codes guide.

A few touchscreen models can show "ER" numbers. Breville doesn't publish a public list for these either. BrevTech, a Breville parts and repair specialist, links ER05 on the Barista Touch (BES880) to the milk jug sensor, and reports ER07 and ER08 after repairs where internal wires were pinched or twisted. Before assuming a part has failed, Breville's own Barista Touch manual suggests a factory reset (Settings > Factory Reset) for purge-setting errors.

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Breville Alerts by Model at a Glance

The 200-shot cleaning interval is the same across these models. Descale timing depends on your water hardness and filter use, not a fixed shot count.

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When to Contact Breville Support

Stop and call Breville if you see:

• E1, E2 or E3 on a Dual Boiler, or ERR on an Oracle
• The same alert returning immediately after a completed cleaning or descale cycle, more than twice
• A burning smell, tripped breaker or water pooling under the machine
• Repeated shutdowns from the thermal cut-out during normal use
• No lights at all after checking the outlet and cord

Breville Consumer Support (US): 1-866-273-8455 (1-866-BREVILLE), or through breville.com. In Australia the number is 1300 139 798, and in New Zealand 0800 273 845. Have your model number and serial number ready.

Warranty: coverage length depends on the model and country, so check yours on Breville's site. Opening the housing usually voids it. Cleaning cycles, descaling and clearing a steam tip don't.

Repair vs replace: most service-code faults involve a sensor, triac board, pump or thermal fuse. On a Dual Boiler or Oracle, which cost well over $1,000 new, a professional repair nearly always makes sense. On a Bambino, an out-of-warranty repair that needs a new pump or control board can get close to the price of a new machine, so ask for a quote before agreeing to the work.

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Prevent Future Error Codes

Two habits cause more false alerts than anything else. The first is pushing the water tank in without seating it fully. The second is using distilled or fully demineralized water. Breville's Dual Boiler manual advises against water with no or very low mineral content because it affects how the machine works. Cold, filtered tap water is what the machines are designed around.

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FAQ

How do I reset my Breville espresso machine?

It depends on what you want to reset. On a Barista Express, holding PROGRAM until you hear three beeps restores the default shot volumes and temperature. On a Barista Pro, choose RESET DEFAULTS from the menu. On a Bambino Plus, switch off, hold 1 CUP and 2 CUP for 5 seconds, then press either button, and the light flashes 3 times. None of these replaces a cleaning or descale cycle.

Do Breville Bambino or Barista Express machines show numbered error codes?

No. The Bambino, Bambino Plus and Barista Express have no screen, so they can only signal with button lights. Numbered codes such as E1, ERR or ER05 only appear on machines with an LCD or touchscreen. If you're reading about an "E01" on a Barista Express, the source has the wrong machine.

What does ER07 mean on a Breville?

Breville doesn't publish a meaning for ER07 in any instruction book we've read. Codes like ER07 can only appear on machines with a screen (the Barista Touch, Barista Touch Impress, Oracle Touch), never on a Bambino, Bambino Plus or Barista Express. BrevTech, a Breville parts and repair specialist, reports ER07 and ER08 after repairs where internal wires were pinched. If you see it, switch off and unplug, let the machine cool, restart, and contact Breville Support if it returns.

Can I keep brewing while a Clean Me or descale alert is showing?

Yes. These alerts are maintenance reminders, not lockouts, and the machine keeps working. Waiting weeks has a cost, though. Coffee oil builds up behind the shower screen, and scale gradually reduces flow, temperature and steam power. The Bambino's manual specifically warns against ignoring its alert.

Why does my Breville say FILL TANK when the tank is full?

The tank usually isn't fully seated. On the Dual Boiler and Oracle, push it in and close the latch until it clicks. Very low-mineral water can also interfere with how the machine senses water, so switch to filtered tap water if the problem started when you changed water.

Are Sage and Breville error codes the same?

Yes. Sage is the name Breville uses in the UK and Europe, and the machines are the same underneath. A Sage SES500 Bambino Plus shows the same light patterns as a Breville BES500, and Sage model numbers simply start with S instead of B.

What does it mean if the cleaning tablet doesn't dissolve?

The cleaning cycle didn't push enough hot water through the basket. Run the cycle again without adding a new tablet. If it still won't dissolve, check that the cleaning disc is in the basket, the tank is full, and the machine isn't struggling with flow from heavy scale.

Should I try to fix an E1, E2 or E3 error myself?

No. Breville classes them as faults the owner can't reset, and the likely causes are temperature sensors, level probes or control parts inside the boiler housing. Note the code and when it appears, such as at start-up or mid-shot, and give that to Breville support. It shortens the repair.

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Related Breville Fixes

• Bambino Plus Error Lights Decoded: patterns that point to a real fault
• Breville Descale Light Won't Turn Off
• Breville Oracle Touch Not Working
• Breville Barista Express Impress Error Codes
• Breville Steam Wand Not Working: weak or no steam without an alert
• Breville Grinder Not Working

Sources: Breville instruction books for the Bambino (BES450), Bambino Plus (BES500), Barista Express (BES870), Barista Pro (BES878), Dual Boiler (BES920) and Oracle (BES980).