Sage / Breville Barista Pro: what the lights mean
Portafilter espresso with grinder and LCD screen (Sage SES878 in the UK and Europe, Breville BES878 elsewhere)
The Barista Pro writes most of its alerts as words on its LCD — FLUSH, DESCALE, PAUSED, HOT WATER, STEAM — and uses the 1 CUP and 2 CUP buttons’ lights alongside. Breville’s US book and Sage’s UK guide describe the same screen, with one difference: a paused grind holds for 15 seconds in the US book and 10 seconds in the UK guide. The screen also has FILL TANK and LOCK HOPPER segments, but neither manual explains them in words, so they have no page here.
Every Sage / Breville Barista Pro light we could source
| What you see | What it means |
|---|---|
| FLUSH alert on the screen | Cleaning due: A cleaning cycle is required. |
| DESCALE alert on the screen | Descale needed: A descaling cycle is required. |
| FLUSH on the screen and the 1 CUP button lit, the first time you switch on | Mode running: FIRST CYCLE mode: the machine must rinse itself and prime its heating system before first use. |
| PAUSED on the screen while grinding | Mode running: Grinding has been paused because the portafilter was pressed and released. |
| 1 CUP or 2 CUP button flashing, PRE-INFUSE on the screen | Mode running: A shot has been selected and is running: low-pressure pre-infusion first, with the shot clock counting up, then the extraction, which stops by itself at the preset volume (about 30 ml for 1 CUP). |
| HOT WATER on the screen | Mode running: Hot water has been turned on with the STEAM dial. |
| STEAM on the screen | Mode running: Steam has been turned on with the STEAM dial. |
| Error symbol on the screen (error mode) | Fault or blockage: The machine is in error mode. |
When Sage / Breville says to get help
Contact Breville Consumer Support in the US and Canada, or Sage Customer Service in the UK (the manuals’ wording).
Sources
Sage / Breville’s own documents only, read on the date shown.
- Breville: the Barista Pro™ — Instruction Book: First use cycle, Functions, Flush cleaning cycle, Descaling, Error mode and Troubleshooting — Barista Pro BES878, US and Canada instruction book (K22 edition). assets.breville.com Checked 2026-09-29.
- Sage: the Barista Pro™ BES878 / SES878 — User Guide: Functions, Care & Cleaning, Error mode and Troubleshooting — Barista Pro SES878, UK user guide (UG2 A25 edition). assets.sageappliances.com Checked 2026-09-29.