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Breville The Dual Boiler Espresso Coffee Machine BES920 $1079.20 (C&C) @ TGG eBay

760
CTREAT20

Breville BES920 Website

Had been interested in the deal going here for the Breville BES870 but knew I wanted to move towards a dual boiler model to be able to pull a shot and steam the milk at the same time etc.
Also from looking in store today before ordering, has a nicer build quality and feels a bit sturdier. Also an easier manual mode to use.

Says on description comes with a Smart Grinder. Have called and confirmed this is the Breville Smart Grinder Pro BCG820 - Retails at $299 however cheapest on sale is around $199.

Only thing I added on was a Knock Bin so I could get 20% off as well. Cheapest for that model I could find currently, but has been much cheaper before. I am also pretty sure you can get much cheaper ones from elsewhere.

Also available for delivery from about $10 extra.

Don't forget your 2.5% back cash rewards.

Original CTREAT20 deal

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closed Comments

  • +1

    This deal is pretty darn good - especially good as you get the Smart Grinder Pro with it.

  • +2

    Damn good deal if it comes with the grinder. Been running with this machine for a year now and the grinder and it hasn't skipped a beat. Lots of fun playing around with it and drinking lots of coffee :D

  • +8

    (grumpy voice) This isn't a deal, when you can get a tin of International Roast for $5.

    (just kidding)

    • +4

      International Roast isn't a deal, when you can get water for less.

      • +2

        And clean water at that.

        • +1

          Protip, it's totally free in public toilets Australia wide.

  • How does this compare with an automatic machine that steams your milk, grinds, etc. everything for you?

    • +2

      I used to have a Saeco which was fully automated and it reliably churned out passable coffee for years. When it finally gave up I replaced it with this. The Breville was cheaper than the Saeco by about $750 from memory but the coffee is MUCH better and I would never go back to a full auto now.

      The caveat is that there is some skill involved with a manual machine and I did make a fair few bad coffees before I got the hang of it. At time of purchase Breville was including a free 2 hour course at toby's estate to help owners get the best out of their machines. Purchase price then was just under $1200 I think which I was quite happy with at the time.

      I've owned this model for two years now and its still going strong. Only downside I can think of is that you can't descale on your own (or at least are advised not to) and Breville suggest you send it for a service to do that.

      My brother-in-law also swapped over to this from some incredibly expensive auto machine after coming to the conclusion a manual can make a far better coffee. (I can't remember the brand - Roger Federer features in the promotional material though.)

      • Which Saeco did you have beforehand? I have a Saeco Magic Comfort that was given to me but the coffee from that machine taste very bitter and bland regardless of what beans go into it, which is why I'm looking at a new machine although I am scared they'll all make coffee like this.

        • It was a Saeco Royal Professional and my experience was that it made decent coffee, also I got somewhere close to 10 years usage out of it so it was a pretty good purchase all things considered. If there's a grind setting on your machine perhaps it needs a tweak, maybe your coffees are overextracted?

      • +1

        Cheers forge for all the info.

        From my reading its the BES900 that you can't descale yourself. This BES920 i'm pretty sure you can. It has two screws on the front that you loosen and the two boilers empty into the drip tray.

        • Thanks for that, you're absolutely right..I saw 'dual boiler' but didn't pay attention to the model number. I actually own the BES900 and the BES920 is an upgraded version of that which allows you to descale.

        • +1

          Do you really need to descale these machines in most parts of Australia? (I accept that there's probably some areas with hard water).

          I used to live in UK and forever battled lime scale…. but since moving here (Sydney and Central Coast NSW) I haven't noticed any need for descaling of anything, and I've had my BES900 since 2012

        • @womble: I've always wondered, and I agree. But that said, I finally did a descale on a couple of my machines… and MAN, what-looked-like tobacco came flushing out. I must've spend 20min doing flush-after-flush… new bits every time. That's capsule machines. Maybe traditional is tighter filter/sieve/mesh etc.

      • If roger federer featured, i think you are talking about Jura - a swiss brand of coffee machine.

  • +1

    I didn't actually noticed it come with a free bcg820, very good deal!!

  • +1

    If my BES860 wasn't working absolutely perfectly Id buy this in a heartbeat. Especially since 860's steam is slow as hell.

    For anyone comparing fully automatic machines to a semi auto or full manual machine the difference is huge.
    Once you settle on the bean varieties you like get the grinder dialed in set the shot amount you like and learn how to steam the milk you will never go back to anything else.

  • Very good deal. Would have bought this in a heartbeat, had i not purchased the Lelit PL042EMI few months ago (http://www.jetblackespresso.com.au/shop/p/lelit-pl042em/#gsc…).

    • +2

      Top machine the Lelit, had the same machine by a different name for 14 years, replaced it with the Breville when the boiler went earlier this year. Reckon you made a better choice.

  • Nice deal. I didnt realise that it comes with smart grinder.

  • For any peace of minders here (not relying on ACL warranty laws), you can extend warranty with their concierge option instore when you pick & collect.

    I think total of the 24month (not sure why it states 1 year on ebay) + 3 extra years for $165 extra, giving u 5years? I didn't bother and I've had mine approx. 1 year without a glitch.

  • Why is it that a knock bin is so expensive??

    • +2

      printer cartridges. buy a generic one

    • $32? It is huge. I managed to get it for $23-4 ages ago but that rare. $32 isn't bad.

  • This would be the cheapest i've ever seen it. Good deal. However where does it say that it includes the smart grinder?

    • +1

      Right above the Green "Buy It Now" button in the actual description.

  • Brilliant deal, super cheap. I have this setup and its excellent.

  • This is such a good deal. I almost wish I didnt get the cheap Breville from https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/206025
    Even though it makes such good coffee I had been wanting a dual boiler for ages.
    The benefits over the BES810 are:
    - it has a heating circuit that preheats the portafilter/group
    - you have separate water and steam outlets
    - you can adjust the brew temperature to tweak for your bean/grind/tamp liking
    - its much heavier, so when you lock the portafilter in it doesnt move (the BES820 is so light it moves about when you lock the portafilter)
    - it has a clock to show your extraction time
    - I can steam the milk (90 sec) while extracting the coffee (30 sec).

    The only downsides I see are:
    - filling the BES920 with a jug into the top flap looks cumbersome. I prefer a removable water tank like the BES810, although the ES800 front mounted tank was the best IMO.
    - costs about $800 more
    - only saves about 1 minute to prepare a coffee. Generally I only make one at a time, so if I made more coffees the dual boiler would be much better.
    - It is HUGE (by comparison to the BES810) so you will take up a fair bit of benchspace.

    also, the bcg820 smart grinder is awesome (I have one of these). The benefit over the cheaper BCG4000 is that you can set the timer for the grind, and it has a button hidden that the portafilter triggers when you push it in to fill.

    • +1

      You can fill the tank by removing it from the back of the machine as well :), for me it's more hassle but the option is there.

      I've had one for 18 months and love it. This is an amazing price for it.

      • AAAAHHH. must. resist.
        makes another (possibly the final) double ristretto on the cheap BES810

  • Is it time to upgrade our Sunbeam 6910?

    Anyone here upgraded from the Sunbeam to this? Any thoughts?

    • Yes, upgraded from a 6910. No looking back. Steam pressure is amazing. Pre infusion. Variable group head temp. I own the 820 grinder too. At this price tempted to buy a spare 😉

    • Let me know when your Sunbeam goes on the Market ;-)

    • I have the BES980 at home and bought the Sunbeam6910 at GF's (now used with a Smart Grinder). Very tempted to get this for GF's place just to try it.

      This machine just doesn't have the 980's temp sensing and steam quality (cappuccino to Latte) steam wand. Nice to have but no biggie. Oh and the auto tamping.

  • +1

    For me coming from a Nespresso I had a few things I wanted, and had done a bit of research on exact features etc.

    Knew I wanted a fairly good grinder, with a timer option for consistent grind quantities. With the 820 being included with this 920 deal was a pretty good sell.

    The hardest part was getting me to part with an extra $500 over the Breville 870, especially coming from a pod machine to something where technique is going to matter.

    1. Dual boiler, didn't want to have to wait between finishing a shot, and steaming milk etc.
    2. Controllable steam amount, the 870 just has an on/off for steam, not a lever system.
    3. Filling the water from the from of the 920 seems easier for me, especially since we will probably use a jug with water from our fridge filtration.
    4. PID system built in for better temperature control.
    5. A dedicated manual button. I have read that relying on an auto amount of water each time can be bad, so wanted to be able to have control over it should I ever feel like i'd even notice the difference.

    Really this deal for me could only have been better if I could have gotten a black model (or even the cranberry one). The stainless steel look just seems like it will get dirty to me.

    • +2

      I think having the grinder separate is a good thing.
      1. You can service/replace the grinder and still make coffee
      2. You dont heat up your beans in a separate grinder like you would in the 870 coffee machine.

      • Yeah this was definitely on my list too. Overall a much better grinder from reviews.

        • If I get one I will have 3 grinders. Oh my!

    • The stainless is pretty easy to clean. I give it a wipe over every other day and a quick scrub when I see any spots forming.

      • Thanks. I just know how stainless steel still gets those little rust spots so easily. No where really has the black anyway, especially for a price close to this.

        • +1

          I'm not sure if its the same material (it looks similar), but my 10 year old silver "Professional"(LOL) Breville ES800 did not develop any rust spots after 10 years. Back then they only were available in the one colour.

        • @pete2: Can only hope and try and keep it clean. Think the black looked way better as well. Wish they had the option.

        • @pete2: I can confirm it does lend itself to small rust spots. I find those very easy to scour off though every 3-4 months.

        • @ndenham: Or oil it.
          Stainless Steel is a loose term, unfortunately.
          Many grades & qualities.

        • Well I ordered one last night, but they told me they are now out of stock. They are talking November when they will get them back in…… If others are in the same situation, they did mention that Breville had stock of the black model. I will wait for the silver…

        • @pete2: Damn it, i really wanted the black one. Plus the silver are now back in stock on ebay for sale as well. Did the store call you direct or was it their online section?

        • @kulprit: The store called me direct. The items in NSW are only ex-display models apparently. The store told me that Breville said they have stock of Black, but no silver left in the country.

        • @pete2: I asked the online phone number guys when I called and they said they couldn't source a black one. I might once I receive the items, give my local store a call and see if they can order in a black set for me to swap it with

  • +3

    Do want. Must resist.

    • I'm fighting the same feels

      • I can't fight this feeling anymore…

        …I've forgotten what I started fighting for!

    • come on buy it

  • Is the Original CTREAT20 deal only through their ebay store or can it be used through their main stores as well?

    • Only eBay. Seems to be a concerted effort to turn eBay into an online outlet store. Maybe to leave all the rubbish to Aliexpress.

      • Meh, I was going to go in tomorrow and haggle. :(

        • I think (I'm not sure) that it's eBay that cover the 20% because you get a receipt for the full amount. However, it may end up being the store as otherwise surely all eBay sales would be eligible.

        • @wfdTamar: Tried in store, wouldn't honour it…tried Bing Lee as well

  • Pulled the trigger on this, been looking at a machine for a while.

  • Excuse my ignorance but I have a Nespresso coffee machine with a frother, what difference should I expect between the two types of coffees made by these machines?

    • +1

      You can make good cafe level coffee with this machine (after some practise).

      • I mean the BES920, not the Nespresso.

    • The "Aeroccino" milk frother stirs the milk whilst it heats it up using a heating element. I imagine there is also a rotating mixing whisk to create bubbles. The result is whisked milk, which does not have the texture of steamed milk.

      Steamed milk from the BES920, with paractice, can be like what you get in a flat white or latte at a cafe. Aeorccino will not get you the microfoam and texture of steamed milk.

      Nespresso pods extraction is not like what you get out of an espresso machine with freshly ground and tamped coffee. The pods contain loose ground coffee which is brewed whilst it swirls in/through the pod cavity. The crema from the espresso extraction is different to the foam created in the nespresso process which is expelled through a small nozzle to aerate the coffee to simulate the look of crema.

      If you pulled a shot of espresso from the BES920 (once dialed in) and put it next to a shot of coffee from a nespresso - they would look different, smell different and taste different.

      If you pulled a shot of espresso from the BES920 and put it next to a shot pulled from a LaMarzocco espresso machine from your local cafe, it is possible (with practice) to not be able to tell the difference.

  • I wonder if I could sell my BES810……..

  • Probably not quite as good as this but the Sunbeam EM7000 is a pretty decent dual boiler (15 bar for the espresso pump) for around $650-750.

    • +3

      The EM7000 is twin thermoblock, which is different to a dual boiler. Thats why its cheaper.

    • But for the price still an option. Also the 6910 is a good price during this ebay sale as well.
      http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/NEW-Sunbeam-Espresso-Machine-Grin…

      • +1

        Yes, since the EM7000 has a PID control system on the brew thermoblock, it compensates for the (relative) lack of thermal stability compared with a boiler.
        (PID control measures the brew output temperature, and adjusts the heating quickly to correct the output temperature - e.g. in the BES810 it is apparently held to 93°C +/- 1° while extracting)

        • You're right - the term 'boiler' was incorrect. Still, we've been using the EM7000 as our office coffee machine for a couple of years and providing you have the right grind - seems to very important with this machine - you can consistently get a good pour. I'd recommend it for the money.

  • pulled the trigger.

  • +1

    I've had this combo for a year and it's been great. I pull 3-4 shots a day and it works beautifully.

    A couple of thoughts from a happy owner:

    • There's a learning curve until you get stuff dialed in. While this machine makes life easy with lots of pre-sets, you still need to do some work to pull great shots. It won't do it out of the box and it was a few weeks before I was really making a proper flat white.
    • The place you want to get to is consistency. You want repeatable, great coffee. There are a lot of variables, so try to minimize them.
    • get a scale to weigh your shots. I shoot for 50-60gm per double shot. It really helps, especially when I change beans. Pull a shot, weigh it, see if it matches your tastes.
    • different beans require different grind settings. Play with the amount of grounds via the grind time (I'm using 21s for a double shot in my current basket) and coarseness (I am using setting 5 right now for my Yemeni Mocha Ismali). Grind times and sizes can wildly vary based on the bean.
    • My single biggest recommendation is to not use the built in tamper. I use an Esspro calibrated tamper tuned to 14kg. This is a tamper that "clicks" at a set amount of force ensuring consistent tamping. It's a BIG improvement for me, as it removes the tamping as a variable.
    • I use a 22gm VST basket instead of the stock basket. I think my shots are more consistent, but this is less of an improvement than the calibrated tamper.

    So, my advice is BUY THIS PACKAGE. The Smart Grinder is pretty good for the price but the coffee is excellent if you're willing to work with it for a few weeks.

    • Hey travs, you seem like a guy good for a few questions.

      Weighing the shot, i assume you mean the beans in the permafilter once they are ground? Do you change between the single and double when you make one or two cups (not the dual wall things). Or do you just do a double shot into each cup. I was thinking i'd be using the double shot, but having the coffee go into 2 separate cups.

      • +1

        I use a double shot basket for one cup. I always make 2 shots per cup - I do like my coffee strong. You can do what you are thinking - splitting a double shot into two cups w/o a problem. I've done that and it splits the shots pretty evenly.

        You can weight your grounds of course pre-shot, but I was more referring to the output - the extracted espresso. I weigh my cup, reset to zero, pull my shot, then weigh the cup to get the output weight. I shoot for 50-60 gm of expresso from ~20gm of grounds.

    • Useful tips, I didn't even know there's a tamper that could tune to a pre-set pressure. Will try one.

  • Just got home ready to buy & it says Grinder : NO under the description??

    http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Breville-BES920-Dual-Boiler-Stain…

    • I did call them and ask, and they told me it included the 820. If it turns up in the mail and doesn't have one there will be a politely worded conversation over the phone happening.

      • +1

        Hmm seems a bit risky with it saying No in the item, i'm on the phone to them now.

    • I think that is referring to no built in grinder (like the BES870 has)

      • that makes sense but I cant see anywhere in the description that it luncludes a grinder

        • +1

          scroll down - you will see Includes a Smart Grinder

        • @pete2:

          Ok i'm an idiot, can see it now & they confirmed on the phone

    • It also says

      Breville BES920 The Dual Boiler - Stainless Steel NEW
      Model No. Dedicate stainless steel boilers.9 Bar regulated extraction pressure. Low pressure pre-infusion. Simultaneous extraction & steam. Includes a Smart Grinder. 1349.00

  • +1

    I just read that you can set volumetric dose on these (so you can program for exactly e.g. 30ml for your shot) thanks to Chris at coffeesnobs http://coffeesnobs.com.au/brewing-equipment-midrange-500-150…

    This machine seems more and more impressive. I dont think I will be able to resist.

    • Yeah dose by volume or time is available.

      EDIT: I have so much to learn. In the post by chris on coffeesnobs, he says set the 1 cup to 30ml, but then use it with a full double basket. Isn't this the amount of coffee for 2 shots, so should be about 60ml of water? Even travs above says he aims for 50 to 60g (i know weight and volume, but still) for a double shot.

      • +1

        I think using the double basket with a short pull gets you a double ristretto - will be a smooth intense shot and not at all bitter.

    • Yeah and once you've figured out your setup, i.e. grind size, volume, tamp etc it makes sense to change the presets from time based to volumetric because the manual button is always there to allow you to do time based shots.

  • +4

    Guys - an update for those who are interested in this deal.

    I bought this package last night through the Ebay deal and picked it up today.

    It definitely includes the Smart Grinder Pro - however the way the Ebay item is listed, it's a bit confusing for the cashier and warehouse staff who aren't familiar with the product.

    Basically, once the sale is converted from Ebay, the TGG invoice only lists the grinder and I queried this with the cashier - she wasn't sure and fobbed me off to the warehouse guy. He wasn't sure (and suggested the grinder was in the box with the machine - but I knew that was impossible), so I suggested he check with the coffee section sales person who confirmed that the dual boiler package sold by TGG definitely comes with the grinder (which is a separate SKU number and box). I wasn't too concerned, as I was ready with screenshots of the ebay listing and TGG website, which mentions "includes smart grinder".

    And for those of you who don't know, expect to take 2 boxes home - one for the coffee machine and a separate box for the grinder.

    • Yep the grinder will definitely be in a separate box.

    • And guys - insist that TGG give you an invoice which specifically lists the grinder for warranty purposes. Again, TGG were reluctant to do this, however I think it's important.

      • Will see how mine goes with a receipt. Had to get it shipped as no stock close by.

  • purchased thanks

  • -1

    Do you guys think this will ever be listed as eBay group deals?

  • Using BES920, it is a nice unit. It seems it's always bundled with the smart grinder.

  • Great deal. If I was buying again I would strongly consider this. Luckily I don't need to upgrade at this point in time :)

  • If I'm a coffee noob - would this machine still be okay for me? I don't know anything about grind sizes let alone how to properly froth milk.

    • Yes. Read the manuals and watch some YouTube videos and you'll be fine. I've had one for two years and now roast my own beans.

      Bean grind size: if your shot gushes through at less than 9psi grind finer, if it doesn't come through at all grind coarser. That's the basics to get you started. Even with crappy milk froth if you've got decent beans you'll be satisfied.

  • Out of stock…..just as I was about to order one!

    • that's great, you can now go buy ~270 cafe coffees.

  • Very envious of those who are purchasing it, hopefully I can afford this in the near future.

  • Yes its a good coffee machine, (the smart grinder is excellent - I have one).
    The Sunbeam, in my opinion is better value for money and produces as good coffee.

    • I was talking to a barista who has an EM7000 for home - from their feedback it sounds like unless you stay on top of it, it seems trickier to keep dialled in to how you like it - i.e. it seemed much more sensitive to grind/tamp/humidity/bean age variation than the commercial machines.
      That said, I havent spoken to a barista who has a BES920.

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