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Product Description
Commercial features and performance, in a domestic foot print. Espresso perfection requires precision temperature and pressure control, consistently, every time. At the heart of this machine is its dual stainless steel boiler heating system with electronic PID temperature control. The brew boiler, for the espresso shot, is adjustable (190 - 205 degrees F) for different bean roasts and origins, while a separate steam boiler offers instant and powerful steam on demand. So you can extract your shot at the right temperature, delivering optimal flavor, while simultaneously steaming your milk to cafe quality with the 3-hole tipped, 360-degree swivel steam wand. What's more, there is a Heat Exchanger (HX) and another element in the group head, ensuring the entire system maintains a consistent temperature.
The Dual Boiler also features an Over Pressure Valve (OPV) which limits the 15 Bar Italian pump throughout the extraction, preventing bitter flavors in the shot. It also offers a true low pressure pre-infusion, which gradually increases the pressure to gently expand the grinds for an even extraction.
But there's much more to this machine for the coffee geek. A temperature display in either Fahrenheit or Celsius; a preset/manual-override/programmable shot volume; and programmable pre-infusion duration and pre-infusion power. At the same time we’ve kept it simple with user-friendly features. An optional Auto Start setting preheats the machine at a programmed time; a top-fill 84 fl. oz (2.5L) water tank ensures easy access; and the dedicated hot water outlet makes it faster to pre-heat cups or prepare an Americano. There is also a shot clock and pressure gauge to help you improve your barista skills over time. All you'll need are some freshly ground beans and a bit of practice to rival the best cafe.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
43 of 46 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
HOLY ESPRESSO BATMAN! THIS THING IS MAGIC,
This review is from: Breville BES900XL Semi Automatic Espresso Machine (Kitchen)
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!!
19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
What do Australians know about espresso?,
This review is from: Breville BES900XL Semi Automatic Espresso Machine (Kitchen)
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
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). 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?
27 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Innovative, capabl and smart, this Breville carves a solid niche in the semi-automatic machine market.,
By
This review is from: Breville BES900XL Semi Automatic Espresso Machine (Kitchen)
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. We'll look at my favorite things about the machine and then a few minor gripes, which I've broken down into categories. At the end of each category I'll highlight the pros and cons, for those who'd like to speed read this review.First off, let me describe the new Breville unit in one word: innovative. Breville really thought this one through, adding features where they're useful and shoring up the design to create a machine that feels sturdy, reliable, professional-grade and user-friendly - and a machine 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, both big and little. 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 all this customization. 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. Additionally, they've included an all-out manual button, offering total control to those with the temerity and tenacity to take the reigns. 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 very different ideas of what makes a good espresso...or whatever it is 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 little bitty 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 sour 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 really quite awesome. I definitely see the value of a double boiler. This unit heats from room temp to ready in about five to ten minutes (I live in a warm climate; don't ask how it would operate in a Minnesotan kitchen in February). It also has a built in timer, so the unit will pre-heat for you in the mornings at a user-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 find that I appreciate the double boiler and 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...not a lot of grinds floating in the sink with this 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 coffee 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. In fact, I ordered the Breville smart grinder, thinking this would be a perfect match for the machine. But I didn't really like the grind quality I got from that grinder...and neither did the dual boiler. It was okay on the finest setting, but the grinder really struggled to give the dual boiler the exact right grind. I think to make the most of this machine you really need to look at spending a little more for a grinder. My next experiment will be either a Rancilio or Baratza...I haven't decided. 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 steam wand is another area where the company put in a lot of thought. 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 very 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 along the wand. 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! - 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 really go to insert the portafilter and have the machine roll off the back of the counter...hopefully. - 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 the world 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... Read more ›
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