Breville Leaking Water? 5 Fixes That Work

Where Exactly Is It Leaking?

Breville espresso machines can leak from half a dozen different spots, and pinpointing the location tells you almost everything about the cause. Grab a dry paper towel, wipe down the machine, and watch carefully during the next brew to see exactly where water appears.

Identify your leak:

• Under the portafilter/group head — gasket issue (Fix 1) — the most common by far
• From the bottom of the machine — internal hose or drip tray overflow (Fix 2 or Fix 4)
• Around the water tank area — tank seal or crack (Fix 3)
• From the steam wand — valve not fully closed or internal seal (Fix 5)
• Drip tray fills abnormally fast — internal overflow, not really a "leak" (Fix 4)

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Fix 1: Replace or Clean the Group Head Gasket (Works About 38% of Time)

The rubber gasket inside the group head is the single most common leak source on every Breville espresso machine. It seals the connection between the portafilter and the brew head. Over time — usually 1-2 years of regular use — it hardens, shrinks, and cracks. Water squirts out the sides during extraction instead of flowing through the coffee.

How to Fix:

1. Remove the portafilter
2. Look up inside the group head — you'll see the rubber gasket ring
3. Check its condition: Is it hard? Cracked? Compressed flat? Shiny instead of matte?
4. If it looks worn, pry it out carefully with a flathead screwdriver or butter knife
5. Clean the gasket seat (the groove it sits in) — old coffee oils collect here
6. If the gasket is less than a year old and just dirty, soak it in hot water for 10 minutes and reinstall
7. If it's hard or cracked, install a new one — press it in firmly with your thumbs
8. Reinstall the portafilter and test with a shot — no drips should appear around the edges

Time: 10-15 minutes
Cost: Free (cleaning) or $6-12 (new gasket)
Success Rate: 38%
Difficulty: Easy

Model Notes:

• Barista Express (BES870): Uses a 54mm gasket — make sure you get the right size, NOT the commercial 58mm
• Barista Pro (BES878): Same 54mm gasket as Barista Express
• Bambino/Bambino Plus: Smaller group head — uses a different gasket size
• Infuser (BES840): 54mm gasket, same as Express
• Dual Boiler (BES920): 58mm gasket — commercial size
• Oracle: 58mm gasket

Pro Tip: Buy a 2-pack of gaskets. They're cheap and having a spare saves a future coffee emergency. I replace mine every 12 months regardless of whether it's leaking — preventive maintenance.

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Fix 2: Check the Internal Drip Tray Connection (Works About 22% of Time)

Water pooling under the machine is alarming, but it's not always a serious internal leak. Often, the drip tray is overfull, slightly misaligned, or the internal drainage tube that routes overflow water to the tray has popped loose.

How to Fix:

1. Pull out the drip tray and empty it
2. Look at the back of the tray slot — there's a small drainage opening or tube
3. Check if the tube is connected and seated properly
4. Clean the drainage path with a pipe cleaner or thin brush
5. Check the drip tray itself for cracks — hold it over a sink and fill with water
6. Reinstall the tray and push it in fully until it seats
7. Run a brewing cycle and watch underneath for new leaks
8. If water still appears under the machine, the leak is internal — see Fix 4

Time: 10 minutes
Cost: Free
Success Rate: 22%
Difficulty: Easy

Common Scenario: After cleaning your machine, the drip tray wasn't pushed all the way back in. Water from the drip/purge cycle misses the tray and lands on the counter instead. I've seen this one dozens of times — simple but easy to overlook.

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Fix 3: Fix the Water Tank Seal (Works About 18% of Time)

The water tank connects to the machine through a valve mechanism. If the tank seal (O-ring) is worn, cracked, or has a piece of debris stuck to it, water slowly seeps out around the connection point. You'll notice a puddle forming under or behind the machine, usually getting worse over days.

How to Fix:

1. Remove the water tank
2. Look at the valve/seal on the tank and on the machine's receptacle
3. On the tank: check the rubber O-ring at the outlet — is it cracked, flat, or missing?
4. Clean the O-ring and seat with a damp cloth
5. On the machine: check the tank receptacle for debris or mineral buildup
6. Clean with a cotton swab dipped in vinegar if there's scale
7. Reinsert the tank firmly
8. Dry the area completely, then wait 10 minutes and check for new moisture

Time: 10 minutes
Cost: Free (cleaning) or $5-8 (O-ring replacement)
Success Rate: 18%
Difficulty: Easy

Model Notes:

• Barista Express/Pro: Tank slides in from the back — check the top lip seal as well
• Bambino: Side-loading tank — connection point is on the left side
• Dual Boiler/Oracle: Rear-loading tank, similar to Express

If the tank itself is cracked: Replacement tanks run $20-35 from Breville. Check the tank against a bright light to spot hairline cracks that aren't visible otherwise.

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Fix 4: Address Internal Hose Leaks (Works About 10% of Time)

If water appears under the machine and it's not the drip tray or tank, you have an internal leak. This is more serious but still often fixable. The internal silicone hoses on Breville machines can loosen at their clamp points, especially after years of heat cycling.

How to Diagnose:

1. Place the machine on a dry towel
2. Remove the drip tray so it's not a factor
3. Run a brew cycle
4. Watch where water appears — under the front, back, or sides?
5. The location narrows down which hose is the culprit

What You Can Do:

1. Unplug and let the machine cool completely
2. Remove the top panel (usually 4-6 Phillips screws on the back)
3. Run a brew cycle and visually identify the leaking hose connection
4. Tighten the hose clamp or push the hose back onto its fitting
5. If the hose is cracked, it needs replacement (food-grade silicone tubing, matched to diameter)
6. Reassemble and test

Time: 30-45 minutes
Cost: Free (loose connection) or $5-10 (hose replacement)
Success Rate: 10%
Difficulty: Moderate to Advanced

Warning: Only attempt this if you're comfortable working on small appliances. Breville machines have electrical components near the water paths. Always unplug first and let the boiler cool.

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Fix 5: Fix Steam Wand Dripping (Works About 8% of Time)

A steam wand that constantly drips — even when the steam knob is fully closed — wastes water, fills the drip tray quickly, and can make a mess. The usual culprit is a worn steam valve seal or mineral buildup inside the valve preventing a complete closure.

How to Fix:

1. Make sure the steam knob is fully closed — turn it clockwise firmly but don't force it
2. If it still drips, purge the wand: turn steam on for 5 seconds, then off
3. Clean the steam wand tip — unscrew it and soak in warm water for 10 minutes
4. Check for mineral deposits inside the wand by looking through the tip opening
5. Run a descaling cycle — scale inside the steam valve prevents it from closing fully
6. If dripping continues after descaling, the internal steam valve seal needs replacement

Time: 10-20 minutes
Cost: Free (cleaning/descaling) or $15-25 (valve seal — professional recommended)
Success Rate: 8%
Difficulty: Easy (cleaning) to Advanced (valve replacement)

Model Notes:

• Barista Express/Pro: Manual steam wand — knob controls valve directly
• Bambino Plus: Auto steam — dripping usually means a stuck solenoid, not a manual valve
• Oracle/Oracle Touch: Auto and manual steam — more complex valve system

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Repair vs Replace Decisions

Easy fixes (do it yourself):

• Group head gasket ($6-12, 15 minutes) — always worth replacing
• Drip tray alignment (free, 2 minutes)
• Water tank O-ring ($5-8, 10 minutes)
• Steam wand cleaning (free, 10 minutes)

Worth professional repair:

• Internal hose leak on machines costing $400+ (Dual Boiler, Oracle)
• Steam valve replacement
• Any leak you can't identify externally

Consider replacing:

• Budget models (Bambino, Infuser) where repair cost exceeds $50
• Machines over 5 years old with multiple leak points
• Internal boiler corrosion (smells metallic, water has a rusty tint)

Breville Warranty: Most models carry a 2-year warranty. Leaks from defective parts are covered — leaks from worn gaskets after years of use generally aren't. Call 1-866-273-8455.

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Preventing Leaks

• Replace the group head gasket every 12 months (or when it feels hard)
• Empty the drip tray daily — overflows damage countertops and hide real leaks
• Descale every 2-3 months to prevent mineral damage to seals and valves
• Don't overtighten the portafilter — firm is enough, gorilla-grip destroys gaskets faster
• Store the machine with an empty water tank if you won't use it for a week+
• Backflush regularly if your model supports it (Barista Express, Dual Boiler, Oracle)

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FAQ

Why is my Breville leaking from the group head?

Almost always the group head gasket. This rubber ring seals the portafilter to the brew head, and it hardens and shrinks over time. Replace it — takes 10 minutes and costs under $12. It's the most common repair on any Breville espresso machine.

How often should I replace the Breville group head gasket?

Every 12-18 months with daily use. If you brew less frequently, you might get 2 years. Signs it's time: water seeping around the portafilter during extraction, the gasket feels hard when you touch it, or the portafilter suddenly turns more easily than before.

My Breville is leaking from the bottom. Is it serious?

Not necessarily. Start with the simple causes — overfull drip tray, misaligned tray, or water tank seal. If those aren't the issue and water is genuinely coming from inside the machine, it's an internal hose. Fixable but may require opening the machine or professional help.

Can descaling fix a Breville leak?

Descaling can fix steam wand dripping (mineral deposits in the valve) and sometimes group head seepage (scale pushing the gasket out of position). But it won't fix a cracked hose, worn gasket, or damaged O-ring. Think of descaling as maintenance, not a universal leak fix.

Water leaks from my Breville only when I steam milk. Why?

The steam system operates at higher pressure than the brew system. A marginal seal that holds during brewing may fail under steam pressure. Check the steam wand valve and knob first. If the leak is from elsewhere during steaming, the increased internal pressure is revealing a weak point — usually a loose hose clamp or worn seal.