I've been waiting for the Breville BES920 to return to a similar price to earlier in the year
It doesn't come with the grinder, but it has great reviews, and seems to be well loved by the OzBargain community as well.
Does require the AmEx $100 Harvey Norman cashback (which has now closed to new cards), so if you had been holding out on using it until Boxing Day in hope of something like this, this is your chance.
Can't find an expiry date on the HN website, but assume it is limited.
Yes they do.
Online?
Ah. Not sure. I meant you could do it in store.
Afterpay?
I've used that a couple of times now.
This intrigues me. Do you simply change your payment method in after pay after you have made you're initial payment?
EDIT: Looked into afterpay and they don't accept AMEX. So I'm guessing you were making a suggestion for purely splitting payments, and not necessarily for getting the most out of the AMEX offer.
Pretty much, it's just a way of splitting your payments over time, without any interest.
This is a fantastic coffee machine, we would buy coffees everyday at a cost of $4-5 but now we just make our own soo much cheaper and taste a lot better.
get urself coffee club memebership card, good cofffe only cost u couple dolllars
"good"
you need a membership card for dishwater?
Very different machine in terms of output quality. One is a single thermoblock machine and the other is a dual boiler.
Was going by the deal description and tag:
[Breville Bes920 The Dual Boiler Espresso Machine $798
Not on website though.
As pointed out buy hamza32, TGG have the BES920 for $798 as well.
You can't seem to order it online due to some error but I picked one up instore today and they had at least 10 other machines on the floor in the Kotara store.
https://www.thegoodguys.com.au/breville-the-dual-boiler---st…
From TGG catalogue, you can only purchase the BES920 with smart grinder for $798 in store only.
https://www.thegoodguys.com.au/catalogue03
Smart grinder is not included in this HN deal and you don't get the 3 months 12x250gm free coffee subscription valued at $149.
Myer's selling the smart grinder for $199.
http://www.myer.com.au/shop/mystore/electrical/kitchen-appli…
@grababargain: I think the grinder at Myer is different? It's a Smart Grinder Pro whereas I believe the one that comes with the BES920 is just a Smart Grinder.
I'm trying to get my head around all these little differences as I bought a Sunbeam PU6910 from TGG a couple of days ago for $499 with $50 store credit, haven't opened it and wondering if I should return it for this BES920 instead. Was originally intending to sell the grinder that came with the Sunbeam and get a Smart Grinder Pro, but then though maybe I could save doing that by swapping the Sunbeam for the BES920 until I discovered that the Pro only comes with the BEP920, and not the BES920.
Anyone have any thoughts on PU6910 + Smart Grinder Pro for a net cost of $650 (getting TGG to match Myer, less the $50 credit I have) vs BES920 inc Smart Grinder for $798?
The Good Guys sale does NOT include the Smart Grinder. It is only the BES920 for $798.00 in store only as advertised in the brochure.
@Jiyujin:
Scroll through the TGG catalogue below and click the Breville machine. You'll see that the smart grinder is included.
https://www.thegoodguys.com.au/catalogue03
I can't find that on the catalogue, and bought one today and didn't get the grinder?!?
I just saw it, will call the store tomorrow. Thanks for that!
I've just had a look through that link, I can see the BES920 on the top left of the 8th page, but it doesn't include the Smart Grinder for $798.
What page are you looking on?
@aleayr:
You'll see this after you click the Breville machine on page 8:
"Dedicate stainless steel boilers. 9 Bar regulated extraction pressure. Low pressure pre-infusion. Simultaneous extraction & steam. Includes a Smart Grinder."
One reviewer bought the item last year and had to return to the TGG store to collect the grinder.
Really good pickup! I'm going to guess that it's a typo given the model number is for the standalone unit, but what a fantastic buy if you can get it!
I'm nowhere near a Good Guys store while I'm on Christmas hols (but dammit, there are multiple Good Guys close to home!) so still reasonably happy :)
@dubrex: My upgrade path was 6910 > 870 > 920!
Shot quality is very good - very comparable to the brevilles. The sunbeam is VERY loud in comparison. This was fixed with later models (EM7000 and above) with additional insulation inside the machine. Just worth mentioning if your kitchen backs onto a bedroom - you may as well return it now.
My sunbeam was an absolute tank and gave 5 entirely faultless years before the steam wand and pressure gauge packed it in at the same time. The bundled grinder now resides with a family member and her EM7000. I love my Brevilles now but deep down I know neither of them will realistically last that long - which constantly irks my inner cheapskate.
Thanks.
I ended up with the bes920 with smart grinder pro for under $500.
Much appreciated
@jackary: thanks for that, great to hear from someone who's had both machines. Sounds like I can't go wrong either way, but there's a couple of things that probably sway me towards the 920 such as noise and consistency if this deal does indeed include a Smart Grinder.
$798 +$240 was spent over counter yesterday. (End cost after amex cashback $748)
The staff at HN refunded $240 as store credit today.
$508 for the pair to be exact
(Eyeing the Garmin GPS and Breville coffee disposal bin)
@dubrex: If you're apart of the Amex offer and can get the 920+SG for $699 or $748 or whatever, id be recommending it over the Sunbeam :)
what about BES870 with grinder for 678 before amex.
Nowhere near as good, completely different tech inside.
in features, yes. In coffee quality it's the same, I own both. Dual boiler is greatl if you're making more than 1 coffee at a time.
Pay the extra $120. You won't regret it.
Great price with or without the AMEX offer. I've had mine for a couple of years, great machine.
Do you have a favorite place to get water filters and cleaning tablets?
I use the cafetto s15 tablets from officeworks (60 for $25) for the group head/ shower screen cleaning. The Breville brand are $20 for 8. Crazy.
I've never replaced the water filter.
water filters are available on ebay. buy the 10 or more pack
and for descaling use citric acid from Mckenzies which you can get from woolies
$3!! for like 20 uses
instead of the $7/bottle
These generic filters seem to be cheapest ….. Albeit shipped from the U.S.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/322259895366
About AUD$27 for 12 instead of $36 for 6 for the Breville box.
Edit:
Aliexpress cheaper still : http://www.aliexpress.com/item/32770503095/32770503095.html
Aud$12.50 for 12.
And before someone says they're not buying filters from China……guess where the genuine ones are made?!
@ash2000: the question is more to do with whether the unbranded ones from china are using legit charcoal and didnt just scrape together some ashes from a side street food vendor's waste basket or use fake charcoal made from lead scrapings and plastic
Stuff made in china comes in both supervised, licensed and vetted forms as well as dodgy
dont generalise
Yes indeed……. The comment was made a tongue in cheek……
But …. for those who buy generic filters from Australian resellers on eBay and are happy with them, may I suggest they buy them from the cheapest source as it is almost certainly where the seller sources them from.
@ash2000: i dont disagree
i told Flyerone to buy from ebay because i bought generics there myself
I just looked for one that didnt seem dodgy as hell
When i got it there was one huge difference in that the generics seemed to be light (as in the pods werent completely filled and seemed 80% filled with charcoal)
i just change them out more regularly
I've never been diligent replacing water filters in these things…… I never replaced the one in em6910 and it functioned for 10 years. So I wonder if it's really necessary if you live in metropolitan Australia (with clean town water) to regularly replace them or even have one attached?
@ash2000: well mine turns noticeably yellow after about 2 months
i only use boiled or filtered water anyway so the filter is just a bonus
anyway i bought the one in your link to check out their quality
The Aliexpress ones? I hope you remembered cashrewards!
I've ordered the same…..not a huge financial loss if they don't look satisfactory.
mine turns noticeably yellow after about 2 months
Oh dear god….I really should check mine then…. I only ever fill from the front!
@ash2000: im a bit obsessive when it comes to upkeep of my machine thats why
i ended up spending like 50 bucks on additional coffee accessories via aliexpress -_-
@ash2000: well i received the filters last week and they turned out to be the wrong size. they were only half the size of the correct filters
I bought the BES920 (with the grinder) a few weeks ago from TGG for $1050 or so along with the free 3 months of freshly roasted beans offer.
It's pretty good especially the foam, and I already had a Breville milk jug, which gives awesome foam itself.
The only downside I'd say is that I don't personally feel there's much of a difference from Nespresso except the milk quality (hence my jug). My partner disagrees though. So if you were upgrading from one to the other I'd think seriously about whether it's worth it.
if there's not much difference to the nespresso you're either buying god awful coffee, the wrong grind of coffee or using dirt instead of coffee. Go talk to someone in a cafe about how to make it (grind fineness, pull time, tamping) and see if you get an improvement.
If you can't tell the difference between a good cafe and nespresso though, it could just be personal taste. Still cheaper to not use pods though so may as well stick with it.
Agreed. We had the older model at work and it was very sensitive to the grind. Too coarse and it tasted terrible but just right and it was great.
Still cheaper to not use pods? I like the fact that I can drink an ok quality pod from Coles at 37c per pod and not have to boot up the ol' coffee machine for 10 minutes while I grind, pack, extract, froth, then clean for another 10 minutes afterwards. Sure I could go buy a big block of horrid vittoria and run it through a machine if I want an ok coffee too, but for the slight premium per cup the pods are fine.
Dual boiler heats up in about a minute. Wait for 15 if you want peak performance but yeah, give me an extra 5 mins work for a quality coffee anyday
Don't buy this machine if you're looking for convenience… I love the additional time it takes and always clean the machine even after one coffee… I found it annoying at first but there great coffee makes it worthwhile….
You're doing something wrong if you can't get better results than a Nespresso.
It is an art and takes skill to pull a good shot. Several variables have to line up.
It's worth going for a barista course if you are going to spend the money on a machine like that.
If we don't want to invest time into learning how to pour a great coffee than you probably should just stick to the Nespresso for convenience sake.
I watched a lot of videos and I'm using the right technique on a variety of freshly roasted beans. I can evaluate whether the grind is right from the tamper and the provided edging tool, the impression on the puck after a draw, and mostly how the coffee comes out as a thin dribble rather than thick and watery, and then the result of how the coffee looks in the cup with the crema and sometimes tiger striping. I also use the 12/3 technique with the milk and get really good microfoam.
But I don't like the taste of espresso, I only drink cappuccino, and there is not much to differentiate a "pretty good" cappuccino from an "excellent" cappuccino. To my tastebuds a Nespresso diluted in milk is extremely similar to the output of this machine, though, my partner says she prefers this machine and that my coffee is as good as the stuff from the roaster/cafe where we buy some of our beans.
So I'm not saying anything bad about the machine, and maybe there are coffee snobs who can tell the difference, or even pull better shots than me (surely!) but I also think Nespresso is pretty up there for this purpose and so I felt a little disappointed because I was expecting a bigger leap on quality.
To each their own.
Exactly. Considering you can get great coffee pods now such as -> https://www.podandparcel.com.au/products/padre-coffee-pods, for a milk coffee you'll do fairly well out of just buying a ~$100 Nespresso and buying these expensive pods than buying a $700 machine + grinder + other accessories then expensive coffee beans + time for boot/clean etc.
Fair enough.
I do agree that once you add milk it becomes harder to differentiate, but a true coffee aficionado can still pick the differences between various beans with or without milk.
I will say that YouTube videos aren't the same as doing an actual course because you aren't being trained in what to taste for. During an actual course the barista will show you what taste profiles to look for.
At the end of the day all that matters is what tastes good for you, so it's awesome that the Nespresso system delivers the goods!
do the pods come out to taste like padres?
Why do people keep using the words Nespresso and coffee in the same sentence?
Advice, make sure the bean has been roasted within the last two weeks. Check your grinder. Throw away the single cup basket, every shot should be a double shot, else sell your machine and drink tea.
The other important thing, if ground correctly, your needle needs to be above 9 through the whole shot, starting just under 10 and finishing above 9. If not then the puck is drying out too quick and there is something wrong with either the grind or the bean. Shot should only last up to 26 seconds with the 8 second infuse.
Keep trying and you will get it right. Other factors are temperature and humidity.
P.S. I have heard that some of those smart grinders have been slightly dodgy or just need adjusting though I have no experience with those, I am still stuck on a modded 480 Sunbeam.
P.S.S Never buy beans from a supermarket and never touch pre ground or beans that say best by. Only buy beans with a roast date.
Have a good new year everyone.
P.S. I bought this machine when they had it at that price with the $100 cash back from Breville.
Charles.
Mate, all the settings etc you mentioned will vary based on your particular type of bean. Some beans work better with a finer grind and that means sometimes 8 bar is better for the flavour, and again, the length of the dose will vary for your particular taste too.
Yup! There are 2 models of smart grinder that look identical but are functionally slightly different.
With the earlier version (BCG800) people complained about it not grinding fine enough, burr clogging etc - Breville happily sent out free shims (much like Sunbeam did for the 480…) which seemed to resolve most issues. I believe later stock batches came with them already fitted.
The later BCG820 with lack of a better explanation had this feature built-in.
To any prospective buyers of these grinders on gumtree and whatnot, the easiest way to tell them apart on the fly is the display. This is an 800, this is an 820.
A basic comparison here
Hope that helps someone lol!
I agree the single shot basket is useless. I wasted many a shot trying to get anything decent from it. The double shot basket is way way better.
Any coffee making pointers?
[I have also been told to not use the single basket]
Currently tamping 22g in a double cup basket with supermarket beans.
(Barista mate gifted me a used tamp… he claims the breville in box one is under par)
Extraction set 27seconds single shot.
(A sweetsweet shot comes out from supermarket beans - Grinders. Under $0.45/shot)
Big improvement from nespresso pods.
Next time… $30ish/kg for freshly roasted beans.
Works out to $478 for me with David jones price match
(Muiltiple Discounted gift cards from amex vogue offer little while back)
Good work!
Hey guys - how does the shot quality differ to the BES870? Would there be any actual difference other than time to heat up / steam milk etc, or is this model far better with extraction?
If the grinder fails then you have to take the whole thing in to a tech for repair. I would stick with a 920 and purchase a Rancilio Rocky Coffee Grinder.
Also regarding the post by DoctorOwl. Have a quick look at the following video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVkauIwpwmo
Have to say there are bugger all good video's on making a good coffee, too many American's on YouTube.
Shot is exactly the same. It's all the other features that make it a more premium machine, especially the dual boiler.
Hi, I own both and have done for around 18 months (BES870, BES920) both used with a smart grinder pro (the BCG820, not the 800) - and also use both on a regular basis. Apologies in advance when I begin ranting:
Now I'm sure plenty will scream blasphemy - but in the actual shot quality there is very little in it. With the 870 I personally run some hot water through the portafilter before I attach the group handle - gets everything nicely preheated to keep the temp as stable throughout the shot as possible (ideal).
Using the same beans, and similar settings, they are very, very similar. An exact comparison is difficult though because with the stock baskets, the 920 will hold more dry coffee than the 870 (around ~22g vs 18g in the basket) - the 920 uses a standard 58mm basket whereas the 870 uses a slightly smaller 54mm (I believe) - but it means the brew ratios end up ever so slightly different.
Some would say the built in grinder on the 870 is a drawback because if it breaks, the whole machine is in for repair - but I've never heard of a grinder failing on one.
If the main purpose of your coffee machine is to make your own coffee in the morning, or just one coffee at a time, as opposed to 3 or 4 back to back when guests come over, the 870 is easily worth it for the money.
Pros of the 870:
- Much quicker heatup (1min vs 5-10min)
- Notably cheaper than the 920 when on sale
- I find it much less temperamental and fussy than the 920… family and friends regularly give it a whirl and haven't done any damage yet
- Built in grinder means it is noticably smaller on a bench than the 920
- Thermoblock means the steam wand is much slower than a boiler… this might sound like a con but it means you have much more time to focus on the consistency. And we're still only talking 30-40 seconds to get to 65C.
Cons of the 870
- No simultaneous shot/steam means back to back coffees are doable but a pain
- The drip tray is remarkably small (requires emptying every ~6 shots) and the metal clad drip tray front prone to denting
- 54mm basket is not a standard size so no real availability of aftermarket accessories
- The grinder is matched perfectly to the machine, but it will not grind coarse enough for drip/filter if you're looking for a dual purpose grinder
- The "clean me" indicator comes on after every 200 shots. So… If you run hot water through the group head before every shot, you'll be prompted to clean every 100 coffees
Pros of the 920:
- Even 2 years in, every now and again I pull a shot that makes me go "shit that's good"
- PID is remarkably accurate (tested) and an actively heated group head is unheard of in a sub-2.5k machine
- Will pull shot after shot after shot, each consistently as good as the last
- The steam wand has enough force to blow milk out of a jug
- Steam wand heats milk quickly and you can really get some brilliant latte art out of it with practice
- Easily the cheapest and best value dual boiler machine money can buy
- An almost cult like following means there's heaps of reading material and servicing manuals available online
- Standard 58mm portafilter means you can use Pullman tampers and VST baskets!
- When coffee eventually starts to consume your life and become your overriding hobby (I promise… it will) check out Breville part BES058NP… just hours of fun diagnosing shot, tamp, grind and dose with a naked group handle!
Cons of the 920:
- Slow heat up time
- Much larger than you think… to any prospective owners I urge you to measure your bench space… some DIY work was required in our kitchen to weasel it in… however once there it looks the business
- Reliability a mixed bag and I would factor in a reasonably hefty repair bill around the 2 year mark (common failure points include OPV, front pressure gauge, steam boiler) - my first was personally DOA, the second has been replaced under warranty when something internal leaked onto the main board. Machine 3 seems to be going OK.
- It's a bit of a fussy machine… 1 click or 1g up or down in grind can be the difference between an excellent shot and a crap one
I live with an older lady who is less of a coffee enthusiast but still likes a nice coffee - she prefers the 870 over the 920 - in fact she taught herself to use the 870, whereas the 920 is still witchcraft to her.
I like a double shot flat white - from machine being turned on, to coffee ready, machine cleaned and turned off - I can do it in around 5 minutes on the 870, a bit over 10 on the 920 - this includes respective heatup times.
If the drawbacks of the 870 (no simultaneous milk/shot etc) aren't really drawbacks to you, AND if the price is right in the context of the 920 being so cheap, I'd say go for that. Its maybe 10% less machine for a lower price, and is much less fussy doing it. If you entertain regularly, want to explore the idea of coffee as a hobby, or just want a giant status symbol on your bench, for either $699/$799 the 920 is hard to go by.
One word of caution though is that the 920 (both machines really) will only ever be as good as the grinder used with it. If you get the dual boiler, at the very least get a smart grinder, it matches the 920 nicely and gives best-in-pricerange consistency - but the more you can budget for the grinder, the better. I know someone who owns a 920 and uses a pressurised basket and preground coffee - it makes my heart hurt.
Cheers to anyone that had a read - hopefully it helped in the buying decision of someone. All the best :)
EDIT: In response to the earlier commenter who suggested the Rancilio Rocky as a good grinder - no. It's a long outdated machine still able to sell for what it does purely because idiots like things with "Rancilio" on the side. Much better grinders for similar or less money include… Compak K3, Iberital Challenge, Macap M2M. If you really wanted something chintzy and Italian to go with your povo pack dual boiler, wait for a sale and get a Mazzer Mini! At least you'll end up with a versatile, usable grinder.
EDIT 2: BREVILLE CAN I HAVE A JOB?
Thanks, mate!
Definitely write a blog post (Breville Espresso Coffee machine buyers guide) which makes it more reusable and valuable. Not sure if StackOverflow/StackExchange has a sister-site for coffee lovers.
Do let Breville know ;-)
You are my hero. I'm going to stick with my bes870… never had an issue with my grinder but may consider getting a standalond to improve consistency.
It pains me to admit, but on 9 out of 10 mornings I use the Barista express for my "way out the door" coffee. It's just so much less hassle for 90% of the coffee. The time spent to quality ratio is pretty unbeatable!
I quite like Seattle Coffee Gear's videos on YouTube - informative but without the… coffee snobbery. A comparison of the Barista express and the previous gen dual boiler (BES900… internally almost identical) is available here
@jackary: Mate, there is a stackoverflow (world's most famours Q&A) for Coffee lovers
I strongly recommend that you create a question and answer it yourself, your input is so valuable to people like me ;-)
The built in 870 grinder is remarkably well calibrated for that particular machine. I'd be hard pressed recommending anything in a reasonable price range that would do a much better job - as long as you're only using it for that machine! It's functionally the same grinder used in the much pricier Oracle. A lot of owners have mentioned it won't grind coarse enough for plunger/drip etc, however it's not something I've ever tested. The switch to operate the grinder is behind the basket holder, so to grind into anything other than the portafilter you'd need some pretty fancy fingers…
A reasonable set of digital scales may be more helpful with consistency as you can keep an eye on how much coffee is going into the basket vs how much you're extracting in grams - on the fly, from shot to shot :)
I did exactly this when I got the machine and found that the grinder was consistent within ~0.5g once dialed in and set, so once you've had a fiddle and got your machine programmed as best as it can be, you should ideally be able to drop the scales altogether over time once you get a bit of a feel for what "looks right", and get pretty consistent results shot after shot.
@jackery
Cons of the 920: - Slow heat up time
My 920 reached temperature after just 2minutes and 15 seconds this morning. Slow?!
My Oracle took 4min 29sec to get from 21 to 93 degC this morning.
I can't believe I actually got out a timer - My DB took 7 minutes 29 seconds from 21-93 this morning. Well there you go!
It's a dual boiler machine. Your machine is not ready to go the second the display hits "93" - the steam boiler still has 30 degrees of preheating to go. So at the very least, you could double your quoted time.
When a Barista express is cold to boiling in <30s, the slow heat up time will be a dealbreaker for some people. After the first two died.. electrical deaths, I refuse to leave my machine alone to preheat. It means a lot of standing round, and compared to the 870 it's a pain in the ass.
Mazzer is a good grinder Sorry if you think I am a Ranchilio fan, no, their coffee machines are over rated. The grinder is good though and reliable (friend has one).
I was going to go through a list but got bored.
Oh my apologies if I came off abrupt! Certainly wasn't my intention!
I don't mind Rancilio - and it's not a bad grinder. You still see them around a fair bit in coffee shops as the lighter use grinder (decaf, single origin blends etc.). As you say it's very reliable and parts are cheap and plentiful - but it's just so easily outclassed these days. More blasphemy, but I'd even rate the grind and dose consistency as better on the Smart Grinder Pro than the Rocky - and this is the key. The difference between an ok, and a great, replicable coffee is consistency.
A friend has a Doserless rocky and getting the same weight in the basket from shot to shot has been an issue for him since day 1. Variances as high as 2g, which really puts the Rocky right on the borderline of unusable for espresso. If, for example, your brew ratio is 1:2 (2g of extracted coffee out for every 1g of dry grounds in) - that's 4g less or more coffee making it to the cup from shot to shot - and that's definitely something you'll taste. I can't exactly recall why this happens with the rocky offhand, but I'd imagine it's the grounds getting caught/clogged in the chute between the hopper and the basket.
I'd argue that the grinder is a more important part of the overall picture than the machine itself - the machine will only ever be as good as the grind. You will get a better coffee from a $100 machine and a Mazzer than you would from a $1000 machine with a cheapo sunbeam grinder. Just a little tidbit worth keeping in mind. :)
@jackary:
Yes a good grinder is on my hit list and will investigate. Going through too much coffee with my very old EM480 Sunbeam which was bought with my original 6900. Saying that my roaster has died as well. Dam 2017 is going to be an expensive year :-)
great info,
need to comment to come back to this post when I plan to buy
cheers
3x amex
$798
$240 smart grinder
End price = $748
Amex emails received.
Could of got it from GG for $798.00 with grinder price match.
Please do clarify how so?
Good Guys have the same price $798.00 with grinder included.
Effectively this would of cost you just over $500 with your Amex.
I don't see that in the catalogue.
Please do send link.
Ill refund tomorrow.
Ive read links above… will refund and grab at tgg….
Mayb harvey 30day price guarantee?
Got store gift cards.
Used right away with the Garmin Smartdrive 50 and a Breville Knock box
Thanks mate
Did u use multiple Amex online or instore?
OP here, does anyone have suggestions as to a grinder to use with this? Obviously the Smart Grinder is bundled with the more expensive pack, but is that a good option, or should I look for something else?
Rancilio Rocky Coffee Grinder.
55 grind settings, heavy duty motor. Seems very good. Do they ever go on sale? :) What's the difference paying for this as opposed to the Smart Grinder (for instance) in your view?
The Breville Smart Grinder bang for buck does a fantastic job and I would be happy to have on in my kitchen.
If starting out making manual coffee, smart grinder def helps in getting settings right for grind and dosage required. Plus it's quite tidy as it can hold portafilter in place. I started with a sunbeam Grinder, had issues ran through kilos of beans and mess to clean up each time.
Is it worth the extra bucks to go for BES920 from BES870 for home use (2 - 6 coffee daily)? Just thinking about buying a Barista Express to replace the Nespresso Lattissima+.
Read up.
does HN accept split payment? i want to use mine and wifes amex for this deal?