Customer Reviews

Breville BES400XL Ikon 15-Bar-Pump Espresso Machine

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Updated: New rating 2 stars due to longevity issues.

We've owned 3 or 4 different espresso makers over the years, paying big bucks for some. This was the first that delivered for us day in and day out... at least at first. It lasted a lot longer than most until it failed about 14 months after buying it. We have replaced it with the Le Cube Nespresso 180 espresso maker (see our other review there)

Pro:
+ Consistent brew with a great flavor
+ Creates a good (but not best) coffee crema, unlike many other brands
+ A good solid feel to it, does not feel cheap or flimsy to us
+ Overflow tray is huge (and much appreciated I might add)
+ Comes with a stainless frothing cup and scoop for coffee (the other end of the scoop doubles as a coffee tamper too)
+ Seems to handle/tolerate a variety of grinds, fine and course, something other brands seemed to hate
+ Very easy to see remaining water/water level at a glance, thank you!
+ For those who put their appliances away instead of leaving them on the counter: the power plug has a thumb-sized hole in it to more easily (and more safely) pull the plug. I've never seen this feature before.
+ Overflow tray that sits under your cup has a novel "full" indicator/float that pops up when the tray is full and needs to be emptied
+ Comes with espresso cups

Con:
- The clear water container a little awkward with the frothing wand and/or when the coffee holder is inserted in the machine. We find that these items are in the way and need to be moved to slide the water container out of the unit. Probably a picky comment that should not detract from your impression of this gem.
- Water container also has some awkward angles, complicating cleaning.
- Overflow tray "full" indicator noted in the "pro" section above only warns you when the tray is absolutely full with no margin for error, making for an interesting and exciting trip to the sink
- Lasted longer than other models, but ultimately failed shortly after the warranty ended

Neutral:
x Priming/heat-up process, while fast, was very different from our other models. Not an issue, but you need to get used to it.

Bottom line: no longer recommended due to low quality of internal mechanism(s).

So apart from a cheap espresso machine for christmas several years ago...this is the first espresso machine I have ever owned or operated. I could never figure out how to us the old machine and resorted to using the attached coffee maker. This machine is extremely easy to use! However, you should read the manual thoroughly to understand what you need to do. Don't expect to pull this thing out of the box and start making the best latte's in the world if you don't read the manual. Once you understand the simple procedures it really is quick and easy to make espresso and latte's. I'll be quick and to the point:

POSITIVE FEATURES
1. Design: It's amazing how much thought went into this machine. The frothing wand swivels out, the machine is tall enough for normal size coffee mugs, high quality materials, cup warming try, Assist plug to make unplugging easier, visible water tank the removes extremely easily, easy to dump waste tank, all the tools needed to clean the machine come packaged with it, hidden tray behind the waste tank to store cleaning tools and filter pods, small sign that displays to let you know when the waste tank is full, hot water dispenses out the steam wand for hot tea if you wish, simple three button operation, powerful pump, etc...do you see my point? Anyone who puts this much thought into making a neatly organized and easily operated machine will spend just as much time making sure it's designed to last.

2. Ease of Operation: It's simple. You want espresso? Fill the filter pod with espresso grounds, tamp them in, attach the filter, push the coffee button once. Got enough espresso in your cup? Tap the button again and it stops. Same type of deal for creating steam to steam milk for latte's. Want hot water for tea? Turn the dial on the steam wand to max and hold the coffee button.

3. Excellent results: I use Starbucks espresso grinds and Starbucks syrup. I will never pay for another cup of coffee unless I'm out with friends! The steam wand produces thick, rich foam. Use cold milk and cool your frothing pitcher before use. Also, use a thermometer and you will get good results. As for the reviewer commenting on his espresso cooling to room temperature by the time he cleaned the wand....froth your milk first. Then make the espresso. While your espresso is being made wipe the wand off. By the time you wipe the wand off your espresso is done and ready to be added to the milk (which if you heated it to 160 degress or more like you should it will still be hot!!).

I can't say enough about this machine!!

Bad things:
1. Poor troubleshooting in the manual: The troubleshooting basically offers answers like...do you have water in the container? or Is the machine plugged in? Useless information when I couldn't prime the machine. I held down the coffee button to bring water out of the steam wand and no water would come out. It turns out that I didn't have the water container pushed all the way in.

2. That's it....I can't think of anymore.

BUY THIS MACHINE!!

I spent the summer of 2007 looking for a new espresso machine. There was one criteria: my wife must enjoy her mocha.

My first choice was this machine the Breville IKON, but as budget was not an issue for this purchase I went for the Cuisinart Cuisinart EM-200 Programmable 15-Bar Espresso Maker, Stainless Steel. I spent over two weeks and two pounds of beans trying to make this machine spit out a good shot. The beans I use are Tully's decaf espresso bean and they are bit oily, so it does take some expert manuvering to get a good shot...however this machine failed miserably. It worked well with Peets' Espresso Forte bean, but this is not the beans we use for my wife's mocha so it was of no issue, other than the machine obviously performed fine with "normal" beans.

I decided to return the machine and go for the gold...I bought the Jura E9 Jura-Capresso 13204 Impressa E9 Automatic Coffee and Espresso Center. This machine is AMAZING, it too however had a real hard time pulling a consistent shot with the Tully's Decaf Espresso bean. If it wasn't for this damn bean I would have kept the Jura in a heartbeat. As I stated before the main purpose of our new machine was to pull Tully's Decaf Espresso shots and nothing else. I had to return the Jura...which I kept for a week and made as many shots as possible. I loved this machine and it was hard to give up...self-tamping, self-cleaning and with any other bean a perfect shot everytime.

I decided to go back to my first instinct and purchase the Breville IKONBreville BES400XL Ikon 15-Bar-Pump Espresso Machine. From the first shot, and now 36 shots into it, it has pulled a perfect shot everytime. Using the Capresso Capresso 560 Infinity Burr Grinder, Black Burr Grinder set to 1.5 the Tully's Decaf Espresso bean actually tastes better than in the store...an outcome we did not anticipate.

I cannot speak more highly of a $300 espresso machine...if you do not have the budget for a Jura, this is the next best thing....yeah you have to tamp and clean yourself, but you also save $700.

I want t love this machine a lot. But not yet. I replaced a 10-year old Starbucks/Saeco Estro Vapore (and Starbucks still sells the same solid design!) when the boiler finally cracked & leaked. I purchased at Williams & Sonoma with guaranteed satisfaction. Great design and solid equipment. Good frother (Some suggest removing the metal tube for better frothing, I like it better left on). The viewable water tank is good but you have to move the frother wand all the way to the right to get the tank out. The buttons work great, except the frothing button shuts off at peculiar times during long frothing stints and you have to watch to press it on (so it blinks) again. The portafilter is uniquely designed: a kind of double walled basket fits into it & it has a basket eject button between the bottom 2 spouts. And the espresso coffee is ... so-so. Here are the 2 main drawbacks I have, after using this machine for 5 months: (a) CREMA: very thin to no crema (because of the double-walled baskets?) and (b) DUAL SPOUT: impossible to get espresso to drip out of both portafilter spouts evenly - I have NEVER gotten it even and I have no way to know how to get it so. The machine itself is wonderfully designed. Just be careful if you want true rich crema espresso, and want it in 2 cups at the same time! I rate it 3 out of 5.

Tried to make my morning latte today and the Breville Ikon will not power on. No response at all. I'm not thrilled when a product dies within 8 months of the warranty. I have kitchen appliances that are still kicking after 30 years. I'll update when I know the cause (and cost) of the problem.

Returned machine to Breville and had it replaced with a new (not refurbished) machine. I'm happily making lattes again. Thank you Breville for doing the right thing.

I'm really enjoying my Ikon. As a former barista (*cough* Caribou *cough*), I missed making my own drinks with a manual bar, and this is about as close as I'm ever going to get.

It looks great and feels nice and sturdy compared to some other espresso machines I've looked at. In other words, I don't feel like I'm going to break the machine whenever i use it.

It comes w/the 3 different filters (1x 2x shot & the pod), which is nice. Although, I haven't used the pod filter yet. Its also very easy to lock the filter into position, which avoids fumbling around with a filter full of coffee grounds.

All and all, it is pretty straight forward: start heating the water, prime the steamer, steam the milk (if needed), pull the shots, and enjoy!

Only 4/5 stars because nothing is ever perfect :)

I got mine from the Breville factory outlet here in Australia at half the retail price. My budget was limited and I believe I struck gold with my Ikon.

What you need to know when comparing this machine to other machines in the same price range is that this is a boiler machine - others are typically thermoblocks. All proper (expensive) espresso machines use a boiler. The Breville Ikon is a category killer if you single out boiler machines at this price range (if there are any)! If you want a thermoblock, the Sunbeam 6910 is the minimum choice (and a good one) but much dearer, bigger and noiser than the Ikon.

As others may have pointed out, there are a few things you need to know:

1. Get the unpressurised basket (ask Breville rep for 1-2 cup replacement basket for Breville Bar Italia - perfect fit).

2. Pair it with a good conical burr grinder (minimum sunbeam EM0450). If you are a newbie like I was, do not ignore the fact that the machine itself is only half of the investment, the grinder is equally if not even more important!

3. Stay away from pre-ground coffee (you'll soon understand why).

4. Get a proper tamper (52mm)

5. Ditch the froth enhancer.

6. You WILL get wet pucks because there is no 3-way solenoid valve which releases the remaining pressure when you stop brewing. You need to pay more for machines with that feature!! However, do not remove the handle until after you've steamed the milk and it will drain dry in the meantime.

6. Practice, practice and do some reading, you'll understand what a good espresso is all about.

The above applies to whatever espresso machine you buy, but with the Ikon and my tips you will not be disappointed. People's negative reviews are typically with the lack of understanding of the above.

Good luck!

There is nothing about this machine that I don't like. I use it everyday. It is a piece of cake to use. You can see how much water is left, at a glance, the wand froths perfectly without the enhancer, and the espresso it produces is excellent. As for the wiping of the wand, wet a cloth or paper towel and set it next to the machine. Froth your milk, set it aside, and while you are waiting for your shots to pull, use the wet cloth or paper towel to wipe the wand. It takes less than five seconds to wipe the wand and it takes 20 seconds to pull a double shot. If your milk cools to room temperature in that amount of time, then you need to keep it under the wand a few more minutes before removing it, to make sure it is hot enough in the first place.

If you are looking to buy an espresso machine, this one is the one. It has everything.

I'm impressed with this machines performance. I was concerned about buying a home espresso machine because I used to be a barista at a cafe and was a little spoiled by the professional equipment. However, I love using this one! It has a lot of great features-
-Great frothing wand, perfect froth every time, and I don't even use the frothing sleeve that comes with it. Also, it rotates really well.
-Great size for a kitchen counter top, plus the machine has a great little storage space hidden inside for accessories.
-Very sturdy and well built, especially the portafilter which seemed cheaply made on other machines in the same price range.
-I am loving the water storage container! Easy to see, and holds plenty of water for brewing shots and steaming milk
-The machine heats up quickly and is ready to brew right away.
-The brewing pitcher is a great size for the machine and can fit enough milk for a large to-go cup.

There are only a few things I don't like about this machine-
-It's impossible to pull a double shot evenly into two pitchers. This isn't a big deal for us since we almost always pull a double for each of us. If you need 2 single shots, brew them seperatly.
-The filters are a little difficult to get out of the head. The eject features only pushes it out so far, then you have to do the rest. Thank goodness I'm a girl have some nails!
-And last, the warming tray does not heat as well as I would like. It does alright once it's been on for a while, but doesn't heat cups enough to use as soon as the machine is ready to brew.

All in all, I am really enjoying this machine. If needed, I would purchase it again. It's really great for a home machine, and the price is good too. Hope this helps!

I recently bought the Breville Ikon after reading every review I could find on the Internet. The other reviews on Amazon highlight all of the features so I won't repeat them here.

In brief, I am totally satisfied with this product. How often does anyone say that these days? The design and function are superior to other machines, as is the espresso. Because the Amazon reviews helped me make a good choice, I wanted to report back that I also highly recommend this product. It's a good value for the money.