The Breville Espresso Machine BES900xl Review

I love all things coffee and it is not often that one gets to review a product and find very few negatives, but such is the case with Breville BES900xl. This machine is considered by many to be the best espresso maker in the $1000.-$1500. price range. It’s many features have caused it to be labelled a prosumer product, meaning it has features from the professional and home consumer market.

Breville, known for it’s small appliances has developed a machine for those who are looking to move up from the less expensive machines on the market and experience excellent tasting espresso. They seem to have done considerable market research to move beyond the reputation of their other espresso machines. However, among the ‘espresso geeks’ Breville has no ‘street creds’ with this new machine, but as you will see current users are very satisfied. The company has incorporated semi automatic features in the bes900xl, which may entice those who ‘don’t want to think too much’ preparing their espresso, yet have retained the manual function for those who consider espresso making an ‘artform’.

What Makes the BES900xl a Prosumer Product?

If you, like me enjoy your coffee hot then you will appreciate the features listed below:

  • a PID (which allows precise temperature control)
  •  espresso boiler is adjustable (190°-205°F)
  •  separate steam boiler offers instant and powerful steam on demand
  •  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. This feature appeals to many because you can steam and brew at the same time, which allows the beverage to be ready with no lag time and loss of temperature.

Additional Features of the Breville BES900xl

  • a large drip tray which indicates when it is time to empty, preventing those always inconvenient, messy, accidental overflows
  • a large 84 fl. oz. water tank that can be filled from front or back
  • dedicated hot water outlet
  • programmable pre-infusion duration and pre-infusion power with manual override
  • a temperature display in either °F or °C
  • optional Auto Start setting preheats the machine at a programmed time
  • preset/manual-override/programmable shot volume
  • a shot clock and pressure gauge to help you improve your barista skills over time
With these many features plus the electronics one is curious to know what others think about this particular Breville espresso maker.

What Users are Saying About the BES900xl

The following excepts are from people who have actually purchased and using this espresso maker:

” ….  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.” Davey Williams …. Amazon

“After using the machine for a few weeks and understanding the nuances of the 900XLS I could not feel better about the purchase decision.” Steve …. Amazon
“I wanted something that was professional grade, somewhat idiot proof with the ability to completely manual if I was in the mood. It pulls perfectly every time if you get the grind and the tamp right …. I would buy it again.” Kevin …. Amazon
If you want a listing of all the specs check out this site: http://www.brevilleusa.com/dual-boiler-espresso.html

The Cons of the BES 900xl Breville Espresso Machine

Unfortunately the OPV’s on the first release of the Brevile BES900xl  were incorrectly calibrated, which doesn’t help with the reputation, however Breville has either replaced the product or given detailed instructions on how to adjust the OPV, according to the wishes of the customer. All who have encountered this inconvenience have rated the customer service as excellent.
Another reported minor issue by some is that the hot milk burns onto the wand requiring immediate wiping with a cloth or scrubby pad.

Finally…

Most of the current owners of the Breville BES900xl are upgrading and have had prior experience making espresso. Even though this machine is semi automatic it still requires knowledge about the espresso making process. If you are new to espresso making, then like any new culinary venture, additional research and understanding of grind size, dosing, tamp pressure, temperature, extraction pressure, timing of the shot and type of bean will go a long way to having a successful first experience with the Breville espresso machine.

Click here to order  the Breville BES900xl

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