Well, quite a bit judging from the latest espresso effort from Breville. Since I love espresso, this is going to be a lengthy review. My apologies.
If you would rather not read all my ramblings, the bottom line is this is a great consumer-level machine with some "prosumer" features. It is very user friendly and has an abundance of well thought-out convenience touches. My concerns are that it has to be professionally serviced every 4-5 years and that it lacks a proven track record regarding reliability. I think it''s a good match for someone who wants a feature-rich machine that offers ease-of-use automation, but also the ability to take a hands-on approach should one desire. The brand name won''t impress the "serious" espresso crowd, but it hits the mark where it counts tasty espresso.
Full review:
Breville is one of my favorite small appliance companies since they spend a lot of time on the little things that make a difference when using their products. However, when it comes to espresso, I''ve not been satisfied with their products (I''ve tried their die-cast espresso machine and the Modena). Decent looks, decent price, but mediocre performance.
Their so-so past espresso efforts, plus the fact that they are a general kitchen appliance maker, never earned Breville much love among the "serious" espresso crowd. Their view is: want a juicer or toaster oven? Go for a Breville. Want an espresso machine? Go for one made in Italy.
Breville has made a big effort to change that perception with this machine. It is packed with features seen on prosumer-level machines: a PID (which allows precise temperature control), a heated group head, the ability to tweak a wide range of settings, and even a timer for start-up and shut-down. For me it''s the best of both worlds I can play with the settings when I feel so inclined, or just push a button when I want an espresso RIGHT NOW.
A big change from past models is the dual boiler setup. This means there is one boiler dedicated to brewing, and another dedicated for steaming milk. The benefits include the ability to steam and brew at the same time, faster recovery time, and more consistent temperature. According to Breville, the water comes into the steam boiler first, then goes to the brew boiler so you don''t get a big influx of cold water that drops the temperature.
Other nice features include an automated cleaning cycle (more on that later) and a hot water dispenser. Little helpful touches abound, such as a cubby behind the drip tray to hold cleaning supplies and a wheel that pops up to help move the machine when you need to get to the back of the unit. It''s indicative of the thought that Breville puts into their designs clearly the people who design these products actually use them as well.
The overall design is similar to many of their other appliances. It looks like a Breville, with lit buttons and nicely shaped stainless throughout. Plastic, when used, looks and feels high quality. Very sleek looking, but to my eye it lacks the beauty of the high-end Italian machines. I''d say it''s "handsome" rather than "gorgeous."
I paired this initially with a Breville Smart Grinder, but was not pleased with the results. I couldn''t get the grind fine enough (I''m using the non-pressurized basket). It''s important to note that I have NOT modified my grinder with the shims. If you get the shim kit (free from Breville) their Smart Grinder should be an OK choice. I had much better results with a Baratza Vario grinder. Remember, a great espresso starts with the grinder don''t bother spending good money on a machine unless you also budget for a good grinder.
After only a few failed experiments I was turning out very nice shots. Granted, you can get great shots from a much less expensive machine, but the Breville saves you from having to temperature surf or worry about other such variables. All you have to do is concentrate on the grind, dose and tamp.
My only quibble regarding shots was that occasionally the puck stuck to the shower screen. It''s easy to dislodge (gently nudge it with your finger and it pops off) but was irritating. Nice dry puck.
The tamper included with the machine is OK. It has a standard 58mm portafilter so a third-party tamper is easy to get (my Rattleware 58mm worked great).
Steaming prowess seems quite good. I can''t give you a detailed description of how a latte tastes since the idea of adding milk to espresso makes me cringe. But I had no problems foaming milk, and the results were judged excellent by friends who are willing to drink what I term milk-tainted espresso. The fact that I had no problems foaming milk speaks highly of how easy this machine is to use, since I lack much time using a steam wand. The steam control knob is graduated so you can easily change the steam volume; there is a nice plastic grip on the wand to prevent burned fingers; the wand has a ball joint for flexibility; and the steam itself is very dry. It does not have a double-insulated wand, so you have to make sure you clean it well after use or the milk bakes on (found that out the hard way).
The tanks are stainless steel. Any respectable espresso geek would sneer at that since copper or brass are preferred for holding uniform temperatures. But with the PID control and an heated group head, temperature fluctuations are nil. I don''t see the tank material to be an issue at all.
The machine comes with 4 baskets (single and double in both pressurized and non-pressurized) plus a whole host of goodies including a frothing jug (and a rather nice one at that) and the cleaning supplies. The manual is clear, easy to understand, and a provides a great deal of helpful information to step you through the program options.
Now the bad parts. Let''s start with cleaning. On the plus side, it offers an automated backflush system that is easy as pie to use basically just push a button. It comes with a rubber insert to create a blind portafilter and 2 cleaning tablets. It will prompt you to run a cleaning cycle after roughly 200 shots, but you can also run it on-demand.
They also include enough water filters for one year (2 month replacement cycle). Filters cost $30 for a 6-pack at the Breville site (could not find them yet on Amazon). The other regular replacement item would be the group head gasket, as in all espresso machines. It is not yet available on the Breville site.
What concerns me is that you cannot repeat CANNOT descale this machine yourself. They state it has to be professionally descaled. The following quote is from the support section on the Breville website:
"To ensure a long life of optimal brewing and steaming performance, it is important the machine is serviced by an authorized Breville service agent when the `SERVICE'' prompt scrolls across the LCD screen. The `SERVICE'' prompt will appear after 6,000 cycles approximately 4-5 years of regular use in a domestic environment. The frequency of this prompt will depend on your frequency of use."
I emailed Breville to find out the cost of the service and was told it would run $60 to $100. There are only a few service centers, however, and none anywhere near me. So that means boxing it up and shipping, which will add to the cost and trouble.
I don''t care for that at all. I don''t have confidence that the filters will reduce the scale to the point where it doesn''t need to be removed for 3-4 years. Scale is an unavoidable issue in any machine that heats water. Having to pack up the machine and send it in for a "professional" descaling is going to be really irksome not only in terms of cost, but also in terms of potential shipping damage.
That''s a big issue that you need to be willing to deal with should you buy this. I''d suggest checking with Breville to see if there is a service center near you before purchasing.
The other issue that nags at me is reliability. There''s a lot of electronics in this puppy, and electronics have a way of needing expensive repairs. Plus, the guts of the machine (from pictures I''ve seen of tear-downs) is loaded with plastic rather than metal. The warranty is only 1 year. I would be more comfortable with at least a 3 year warranty given the price point of the unit. A 3+ year warranty tells me the manufacturer is confident that the unit will last. One year makes me a bit apprehensive.
Both those concerns tempted me to drop the rating, but I''m going to stick with 5 stars since it works well (right now at least), yields great shots, is easy to use, and was thoughtfully designed. Add those up and you get 5 stars in my book. I''ll revise the rating down the road should problems occur.
I would rank this as one of the top choices in the $1000 to $1500 segment of the market. (I''d suggest the Gaggia Classic for the sub-$500 segment, the Crossland CC-1 or the Silvia for the $500 to $1000 segment; and the Rocket Giotto or the Quick Mill Andreja the $1,500+ segment. I''m also VERY impressed with the Breville Infuser, which is the baby brother of the double boiler. It''s a great value machine, and I compared it to the double boiler in my review: Breville BES840XL the Infuser Espresso Machine). You get a lot of machine for your money and, if paired with a little practice and a good grinder, you can pull some very, very nice shots. Just don''t put milk in them, OK?
I don''t even know where to start. I just got this "Lamborghini" of espresso machines, about 2 hours ago and after about 6 tries I pulled a perfect shot.
When I say perfect, I mean double-shot-single-wall-filter-14gr-30-lbs-of-tamper-pressure-200F-9-bars-30-second-extraction-2oz-full-of-crema PERFECT.
I have been using a BES820XL for quite some time and I was very happy with the quality and all my friends always said that my espresso was the best they''ve ever tried. True, my espresso has always been consistent and close to the coffee I drank throughout Italy.
UNTIL NOW.
I can''t believe the difference this machine made. I mean the same coffee (same amount of coffee & same tamper pressure & 30 second extraction) tastes like it''s not from the same beans. It tastes like dark chocolate with a very long finish and a delicious aftertaste. The same coffee pulled through BES820XL lacked the finish and wasn''t as full-bodied.
The machine is a lot bigger than my BES820XL (I will try to upload a photo later) but it''s pure sexinness. I don''t even mind that my espresso cups don''t fit on top of it when it''s under the cupboards (my cabinets are hung a little low).
Besides the obvious difference in the looks between the two machines, this machine is a technological marvel. The PID controls alone are worth it. The PID controls let you keep the temperature pegged at 200F with just over a 1 degree variation. Instant steam means I never have to wait again or hear that pumping noise.
I love the wheels underneath. It makes it so easy to maneuver the machine on the counter. And I also love the fact that you can fill it up right through the top lid.
The ONLY disappointment is the weight of the included tamper. I mean it''s great that you can store it right on the machine but for my big hands it''s a bit small and too light. I will have to get another tamper (this machine usees a 58mm tamper as opposed to the 51mm on the BES820XL). I''ve been used to using a nice heavy tamper with a rosewood handle, so I''ll probably look for the same one in 58mm.
In conclusion, I LOVE the BDB (Breville Dual Boiler).
I''ve only had it for 2 hours, so time will tell if it will continue to deliver the results. I will keep updating the review, so stay tuned.
***UPDATE***
I''ve uploaded 2 photos. On one of them you can see the difference in size between BES820XL (same size as BES830XL) and the new BES900XL.
***UPDATE***
Didn''t even read the instructions until now, but it says to soak the water filter for 5 minutes before inserting. I didn''t do it (hopefully it won''t be an issue). And I just ordered the Smart Grinder Breville BCG800XL Smart Grinder will my wife kill me? We''ll find out tonight. :)
***UPDATE***
This machine is MASSIVE. I don''t know where to put it in my small kitchen... It''s intruding into the cooking space. I might have to put it somewhere outside of the kitchen. I may have to get a bigger apartment to accommodate this espresso machine. I think in the new apartment I will have a separate coffee & wine room with just my coffee stuff and wine refrigerators, how cool would that be?
***UPDATE***
I keep on pulling perfect shots at 9 bars and get 2 oz in 30 seconds. I am using Lavazza "perfetto espresso" ground coffee, which seems to be the perfect grind size. The Smart Grinder should come in within a few days, but I don''t see how it can get any better. The espresso I pulled (see the pictures I posted) is as perfect as I''ve ever had anywhere, even in coffee shops in Italy from freshly roasted and ground coffee.
***UPDATE***
Ran out of Lavazza "Il Perfetto Espresso" which was a perfect grind size. Opened a gold can of Lavazza and found the grind size to be too small I tried pulling shots even with very little tamper pressure and the shots were coming out too slowly about 40 seconds. The Smart Grinder is coming in tomorrow so I am excited. I already bought the Lavazza and Illy whole beans. Will update my review tomorrow.
***UPDATE*** 11/23/2011
Received Breville''s Smart Grinder (Breville BCG800XL Smart Grinder) today and started grinding my own coffee. I bought a 2.2 lb bag of Lavazza beans (Lavazza Super Crema Espresso Whole Bean Coffee, 2.2-Pound Bag) from Amazon, which was delivered super fast by the way.
I played with different settings on the grinder until I got to my double-shot-30-seconds-9-bars perfect shot. The coarsness setting is all the way to the right (the finest setting) and the amount setting is all the way to the left (when the amount setting is in the middle I got too many grinds which is an unnecessary waste of coffee).
The result left me speechless. I got so much crema that my eyes literally popped out of my head like in a cartoon. The taste and aroma were superb. I am finally "there". It doesn''t get any better than this. You can have a $10,000 espresso machine and the best shot you''ll make would be equal to my shot, because there is no room left for improvement.
BES900XL & BCG800XL are a match made in heaven.
***UPDATE*** 11/25/2011
I keep pulling perfect shots. I haven''t had a single shot end up in the sink. I haven''t even experimented with the pre-infusion or different temperature (I have it at 200F).
***UPDATE*** 11/27/2011
I just thought I''d say that this machine is not for someone who doesn''t understand how the correctly pulled espresso shot is supposed to taste like. This machine is not "set it and forget it" type of machine. It''s not a Nespresso or Keurig. To pull a perfect shot you absolutely HAVE TO make sure all the variables are correct and you have to know what you are doing, which means you HAVE TO do additional research on the following: 1. grind size 2. dosing 3. tamper pressure 4. temperature 5. extraction pressure 6. timing of the shot 7. type of bean, etc. If you are not sure what even one part of this means, please do your research BEFORE buying this machine! This machine does its magic only if you do the CORRECT PREP first!! I guarantee that if you pull a 10-second shot or a 50-second shot, you WILL BE disappointed even with your favorite coffee beans!!!
I also guarantee that if you do all the prep correctly you will be amazed at the quality of your espresso shots!!
I would really hate to see someone write a bad review of this machine because of their own mistakes in grind size, dosing and other variables.
***UPDATE*** 12/9/2011
I keep pulling perfect shots every single day. I did change the settings on the grinder to the finest (all the way to the right) and the amount is two ticks from the left between weaker and 0. If the amount is set to 0 it results in too much wasted coffee.
All in all, I am still extremely happy with BDB and the Smart Grinder.
If anyone has any questions, please feel free to ask me in the comments below.
***UPDATE*** 1/28/2012
Here is a quick update. I have not had a "sink shot" for 2 months straight. Every single shot I pull is absolutely perfect.
I went on a vacation to PR and stopped by a coffee shop, which had a La Marzocco Strada with 2 group heads. La Marzocco Strada is an incredible espresso machine with a hefty price tag and I just couldn''t imagine how you can screw up a shot, yet the barista managed to screwed it up! I don''t know whether it was his tamper pressure, grind size or something else but it was absolutely disgusting!! Even though I didn''t even finish the coffee, it actually made me feel pretty good to be able to pull better shots than La Marzocco Strada! The moral of the story is, prep prep prep!!
***UPDATE*** 3/10/2012
I have been using this machine for almost 4 months. I have pulled probably close to 200 double shots.
The consistency of the machine is incredible. I haven''t changed any settings in months and it still pulls perfect shots every time.
I haven''t mentioned this before, but it is very important that your espresso cups are warm.
Here is a tip: the quickest way to warm up your espresso cups is to put a little bit of water in them and stick them in a microwave for 30 seconds while you are grinding the coffee.
*** UPDATE *** 11/23/2012
I have now had this machine for over a year. I have not changed any settings in almost an entire year and I still keep pulling perfect shots every single day.
Buy Breville BES900XL Dual Boiler Semi Automatic Espresso Machine Now
My heart was set on a Rocket. I decided to try the Breville even though it didn''t have the E61 group head nor the proven track record of quality. The group head is controlled by an element rather than the Rocket''s mechanical E61 approach. I shy away from Breville because their products aren''t great quality, but this machine is very well thought out:
Pros:
the drip tray tells you when it''s time to empty so you don''t accidentally overflow it; the tamp stores nicely with a magnetic insert; the choice between manual and the automatic volume buttons make pulling the shot easy; the PID temperature control on the group head lets me choose brew temp almost on the fly; the pressure gauge helps me adjust my grind and tamp; the lever action steam wand is much easier to use than a round knob; there is a wheel that drops down beneath the drip tray to make it easy to maneuver the machine on the counter; the water tank will overflow into the drip tray if you overfill; you can pour water from the boiler with the left knob (no lever, though not needed) for Americanos; you can program the machine to turn on at a specified time in the morning; you can pop up the lid in the front if you want to fill the water tank from the front rather than always needing to turn the machine to access the tank; the steel casing is easy to clean (though it shows finger prints); it is stable enough that the machine doesn''t turn when you twist the portafilter in; the dual boiler for the steam wand makes milk frothing easy and quick; overall spacing and placement of controls works well; heats up fast, I can pull as many shots as I want with this machine, it can easily handle your dinner guests.
Cons:
It''s not as pretty as the Rockets and some other machines; Brushed steel housing shows finger prints; 57mm [58mm: correction by Greg in comments] portafilter (no naked filter available yet); tamp is plastic and metal (though it works fine); Breville''s poor quality history [Greg in the comments said he''s been happy with Breville quality]; requires service every 4-5 years because you can''t back flush [can''t descale: correction by Greg in comments] it yourself (though, it''s dual boiler rather than heat exchange so you have the option to use distilled water so you can cut down on mineral deposits); Noisy vibration pump (though, rotaries are a huge price increase); Did I mention it''s Breville?
Grinder Requirements:
The machine requires a good grinder to get the most out of it. I have a step-less Mazzer Mini (apprx $500). Because of grinder quality I am able to dial in my shots to the exact extraction time. If you used a lower quality grinder you might have a hard time getting grind just right. The only reason I mention these grinders and their prices is to reinforce the fact that espresso machines are limited by grind quality. Uneven grinds are no problem with drip coffee but it will cause variations in espresso quality.
Summary:
I''ve decided to keep this machine rather than getting the Rocket. It saved me $1000 and I don''t expect to keep it longer than 5 years. In addition, the automatic and manual shot buttons are convenient. With a Rocket you only have manual. Another con on the Rocket is that it you need to use a power cord timer if you want to start it at a certain time in the morning so it has a chance to heat up. The built in Breville timer takes care of that for you.
This Breville vs the Rancilio Silvia:
Would I personally recommend spending an extra $500 to get this machine rather than a Rancilio Silvia? Yes. This machine is larger than the Silvia, but it has a built in PID and pressure gauge. To get a PID installed on a Silvia will cost a minimum of $250 and you still won''t have the pressure gauge or any of the automation features. The extra $500 in this case is worth every penny (provided the Breville PID works, of course).
=== Update 1/5/12 ===
According to Seattle Coffee Gear, Breville will be offering a bottomless portafilter for this machine in early 2012. Keep watch!
=== Update 3/20/12 ===
1) Purchased naked portafilter from Breville. Great learning tool. And it''s messy when you mess up your shot preparation. Of course, that reinforces the learning experience.
2) Took a 2hr espresso class with Cole McBride at Visions Espresso in Seattle today. Learned I''ve been sloppy about dosing my shots and that it actually matters. Now I weigh my shots to help me correct grinder adjustment and consistency. I also learned to avoid some bad habits. If you live in an area where you can take a class I think it''s definitely worth it. If you''re in and around Seattle call Cole at Visions to get his class schedule.
Read Best Reviews of Breville BES900XL Dual Boiler Semi Automatic Espresso Machine Here
I''ll preface this review by saying that I am not a coffee snob. I don''t have lab equipment by which to test the Ph levels of the final product. But I do know food, and I understand that it''s important to most people to get both good coffee and good value from their machines. What you''ll find in this review is a pragmatic and practical discussion of this product.
First off, this machine is innovative. Breville really thought this one through, adding features where they''re useful, resulting in a machine that feels professional-grade and user-friendly and one that gives you the same performance of machines that cost twice as much. This unit looks great, it brews a killer espresso, and it''s priced really well.
There''s a lot to say about this machine. After several months using it, these are my thoughts about this machine:
1. Customization! Breville has handed over control of pre-infusion, shot temperature and shot volume. At first, I wasn''t sure I needed this. But with a little use, I found myself tweaking things a bit here and there...and in the end, it really did help me create the espresso/cappuccino/latte I wanted.
Pros: Very customizable, easy controls, temperature adjust, shot volume adjust.
Cons: None I''ve encountered
2. The coffee! It''s hard to review the coffee because I find that coffee drinkers are VERY particular and have different ideas of what makes a good espresso...or whatever they''re concocting. What I can say is that even as an inexperienced barista, it didn''t take very long before I was pulling 8.5-9.5 bar 30 second shots. I don''t always hit right in the zone, but I usually do. Breville helped me out here by including four filters...both single and dual wall filters in single and double shot sizes. I was able to pull decent shots on the dual wall filters pretty much out of the box, but it took some learning to get consistent on the single wall "regular" filters.
And this is where you have a big PRO and a minor con on this machine. It will make great espresso with out-of-this-world crema...coffee that will make you tilt your head and wonder why the beans you''ve always used never tasted like this before...but doing so takes a little attention and patience. There are mornings where I get lazy with my dosing and tamping, and end up with a 6 bar shot (admittedly totally my fault). But when I measure my dose and tamp it correctly, the Breville responds by pulling a rich, velvety shot that is quite awesome.
I definitely see the value of a double boiler. This unit heats from room temp to ready in about five minutes. It also has a built in timer, so the unit will pre-heat at a specified time...a nice feature. It has a VERY short recovery time. When making 2-3 coffees, it''s ready to go before I''ve gotten the portafilter reloaded. And while I didn''t think it was a big deal when shopping for the machine, I REALLY like being able to steam and brew at the same time...and this machine truly will handle this. The machine is also designed to produce a solid, almost dry puck. It does this almost every time, a HUGE improvement over my last machine.
If there is one con to this unit, it''s that it''s a rather HUGE machine. We have small kitchens in California, and this thing takes up a lot of valuable real estate. Additionally, it''s tall. The size allows the use of larger mugs, but if you want to use the cup warmer on top you really need about 22" of clearance...watch out if you have cabinets above your counters!
I should mention another small con. Like many espresso machines, this one is picky about the grind. I found both Cuisinart and Kitchen-aid grinders insufficient. The Breville really wants fine-as-flour grinds to stay in that much-desired 9 bar range. I am a value shopper and hate to say it, but if you want to get your money''s worth from this machine you really need to opt for a higher-end grinder.
Pros: GREAT coffee consistently, crema to die for, dry pucks for easy cleanup, pretty easy to use, fast heating, internal clock for morning pre-heating, dual boiler...brew and steam at the same time, again...great coffee, which is what it''s all about.
Cons: Picky about grind fineness, you DO have to watch your dose and tamp, BIG MACHINE...allow 22" overhead clearance if you want to use the cup warmer!
3. The steam. The wand is very adjustable, and sits high enough to easily texture in both large and small pitchers. The steam lever is a nice change to the stupid knob on my old machine, and allows precise steam control. The wand tip has three holes, and something I noticed right away was that the steam this unit produces is much "dryer" than my other machines. I''m able to get "wet paint" textured milk most mornings with very few bubbles, although I''m not quite at the level needed to produce latte art (probably me more than the machine). Again, let me point out one small con to the unit. The wand is metal, and very sturdy. But it isn''t insulated that well, usually resulting in some baked-on milk. This is a slight annoyance, and although it washes off with a wet rag...which you''re supposed to do every time anyway...it doesn''t always come off easily. This doesn''t affect the textured milk itself, but it does add to cleanup time a bit.
I have read in some reviews that the steaming time is longer than other machines. Personally, I texture both soy and regular milk in about 50-70 seconds. This works well for me and I don''t find myself wanting or needing the machine to go faster. Remember...this is a DUAL boiler, so it brews at the same time it steams. I usually start texturing my milk and then hit the brew button once it''s getting warm...my coffee and milk are usually done about the same time.
Pros: Professional grade steam wand, sturdy metal construction with rubber handle to prevent burns, great "dry" steam, powerful output, can brew while steaming.
Cons: Steam wand prone to burned-on milk that takes a little extra time to clean.
4. The little things. Breville really thought things through on this one, and the final product is one that solves all the little gripes I''ve had with other machines. Each is worth mentioning, but I don''t want to take up too much space on secondary features, so briefly:
You can fill the unit EITHER from the back by removing the tank, or pour water right into the top of the unit.
They designed it so that if you overfill it, the excess water drains right into the drip tray. Genius! One morning I thought it was empty and overfilled it...let me assure you, you''ll appreciate this feature when there isn''t water running all over your counters and floors.
The water level is viewable looking at the front of the machine. This is a nice feature.
My last machine left black, rubbery marks on my counter when I slid it around. Breville has designed rubber feet that grip really well, but with a simple turn of a knob little wheels drop, allowing you to roll the unit. Again...total genius. Note: the drip tray doesn''t slide in with the wheels down, probably an intentional safety feature. So you won''t go to insert the portafilter and have the machine roll off the back of the counter.
The cord is rather long, but can be pushed up into the body of the machine to prevent counter clutter.
The hot water spout works well, and gets almost as much use as anything else on the machine. The tea drinkers of my house thank you, Breville.
The magnetic tamper is a nice feature. But NO, you can''t tamp with it attached to the machine (I''m pretty sure it''s not made to do this). People are tamper-picky though, and I assume most people buying this machine will get their own rosewood handled gold leaf encrusted tamper than embosses their family crest on the puck (coffee drinkers are an odd lot, lol).
-Breville includes a pretty darn nice froth pitcher, six filters (12 months), two cleaning tablets, some nice cleaning tools and four coffee baskets...overall I was really happy with what the unit came with.
Pros: The extra features really make this machine a joy to use
Cons: Extra features may push unit toward self-awareness and trying to take over the world...ha ha.
5. Care and use. I''m a little disappointed at the one year warranty versus two, but I can deal with this. The unit comes with a years'' worth of water filters. After that you''re looking at about $30 for another years worth (right now I only see them on Breville''s site, but they''ll probably migrate to Amazon eventually.) NOTE: as many have pointed out, the design DOES NOT allow you to descale yourself. I called Breville to get an idea what professional descaling entailed. They said every four years or so I''d need to spend $70-$100 (they were dodgy about quoting me an exact price on something I shouldn''t need until 2016) at a service center. There are a couple in LA, so this process didn''t deter me. BUT...they only have 19 service centers right now, which means most consumers will have to ship this monster machine to and from the center for descaling.
Pros: Easy to install filter, relatively long lasting, easy to use clean cycle
Cons: Breville says to spend $50 have a pro descale every 4-5 years, so we''ll assume $100 every three is a realistic estimate when we consider real-world use and shipping costs.
Overall, Breville has done a standup job with this unit. I wanted a machine that had the power to create a coffee shop-grade espresso/latte, and one that minimized the mess and hassle of doing so. I also wanted a machine that cost less than my car...that may seem like a joke, but there are some SPENDY espresso machines out there. Breville really seems to be trying to make a name for themselves in this product category, and I think they''re on track to accomplish this. The dual boiler is fun and simple to use, and it creates superb coffee. On top of this, they''ve managed to stay right around that $1k mark, which is really where quality espresso machines should be (pumping hot water through a coffee puck at exactly 9 atmospheres isn''t simple...but my iMac does forty trillion calculations a second and it only costs $1k...)
I''m going to give this unit 4.75 stars out of 5. There are a few minor tweaks Breville could look at for future models, but for right now this is a pretty dang perfect machine.
Want Breville BES900XL Dual Boiler Semi Automatic Espresso Machine Discount?
After a year long love affair with Tassimo, a single-serve "bot" coffee machine, Kraft (the distributor of Tassimo) no longer sold my favorite Starbucks brand discs. When Kraft and Starbucks ended their distribution relationship a couple years ago, so did my love for the little single serve bot. While the bot did an absolutely amazing job of duplicating the taste and texture of my favorite coffee house latte, the end of the distribution deal sent me packing. As a result, I have watched countless hours of videos online and have read endlessly on the art of making espresso based drinks and the multitude of machines that are available.
With that information in hand, I set out to find a machine that would not only be elegant but practical. I am not now nor ever have had a desire to be a well-trained barista. I do, however, appreciate a good latte twice a day and have the need to be able to make it quickly. I''ve also learned that a shot pulled properly can be amazingly smooth and delicious! As a result, I focused on super automatic espresso machines that, with one touch of a button, would steam/froth the milk and grind, tamp and brew the espresso in a cup. Thinking this solution would be the best for me, I purchased two super automatic machines (Delonghi ESAM6700 and Saeco Xelsis) to test them out and determine which I liked the best. Keep in mind that these two machines seperately have a retail of over $3,000! For over $6,000, I expected nothing but the best!
After receiving these two machines, I spent the week testing them and trying each one to learn about their differences. One disadvantage that I learned about quickly, even compared to my excellently performing single-serve coffee bot, was the lack of temperature with steamed and frothed milk. I was surprised that even my $100 bot was able to make a hotter drink than either of these expensive machines! With that, I tested and tested some more to see if I could increase the espresso and milk temperatures. I even called the manufacturers to no avail. At this point, I was having a hard time of justifying keeping one of these machines when it made luke-warm drinks.
With great disappointment, I continued my research and came across the Breville Barista Express. After reading the raving reviews, I purchased one and never looked back. With my very first espresso pull I knew that I had found the ONE. Granted, I was never in the market for a semi-automatic machine until finding the Barista Express with the built-in grinder. Even though I was unable to simply press one button and have my drink magically prepared in front of me, I realized that super-automatic machines simply can not prepare a drink the way a real espresso machine like the Barista Express could.
This Breville purchase lead to several more and I eventually ended up upgrading to the Breville BES900XL Dual Boiler and purchased the Breville Smart Grinder. Having used the Barista Express, I realized the need for a bit more power in the steam department for steaming/frothing milk like the pros. Granted, the steam function is not as fast as some other semi-autos on the market (with higher price tags) but the overall list of features that the Dual Boiler provides is well...WELL worth it.
From it''s gorgeous stainless steel exterior and well-enginered design to the ease of operation and clean-up, I have found the little...and I mean little....extra effort I put into making my latte drinks is well worth it and even fun! In addition, the retail cost of this machine is a fraction of the $3000 price of a super automatic! Can I say SOLD!?!?!? No longer do I suffer from improperly heated milk. I am now able to produce perfectly steamed and frothed milk at an acceptable temperature (latte art will be another project for a rainy day)!
Way to go Breville and Thank You for making the Breville BES900XL Dual Boiler! My kitchen has a beautiful new appliance and I have a renewed passion for making my favorite espresso drinks!
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