Looks like Amazon is matching Appliances Online
https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/575108
Lowest price according to camel x 3
CamelCamelCamel.
Thanks, ordered from AO after I saw another comment about 2-3 mth expected delivery from Amazon
I've had one (in silver) for about 4 months. Gets used for about 3 or 4 coffees a day. Works well, reasonable warm up time and have been very happy with it. Was originally looking at the BES870 but grabbed this as it was cheaper. Happy to recommend it!
I have had mine for around the same time. Makes amazing coffee and couldn’t recommend it enough.
4 coffees on average 5 days a week the past 3 months. It’s been great so far.
Is this a dual thermoblock or boiler or do you have to wait between steaming and making an espresso?
Thermoblock so have to switch between group head and steam. For $374 it's been a pretty decent machine. I picked it up at TGG for price match and have made probably 10 coffees in the past 2 days with it. Aldi Columbia beans on grind 16-18 seems on the money.
I've been hanging out for the dual boiler deal with grinder sub $1k, this will tie me over till then.
I use 18-20 grind size and 17-18gms with Aldi beans. And single shot. Tastes really good. Aldi beans as good if not better than specialty beans almost 4 times the price!
Name of brand and type? I'll look it up next time
@Azoo: Hey mate I use the Lazzio beans, have tried both the medium and dark roast blends. And recently also tried the Brazil and Colombia single origins. They are all good but preferred the blends better than the single origins.
I too would like to know what bean your using from Aldi.
@Gatto: Also try buying the 500gms so you finish them off quicker than a 1kg pack. Generally in my local Aldi, their roast dates are also fairly fresh as the stock keeps moving fairly quickly.
This is the way.
been going strong for 1.5 years. got it free with qantas points. makes great coffee with the correct grind setting. i use 16 with aldi beans.
only issue is sometimes the grinded beans spill over easily into the cup thing. other than that its been amazing.
hmmm! I was looking at this (cheapest), the Breville BES870 (mid 500s) or a sub $1k dual boiler as well.
No rush (I can just make vietnamese coffees in the meantime hehe), just wondering what people here would recommend as the best value of the 3 options? and why?
Which one may last the longest even? Thanks!
If you want long lasting then Breville probably isn’t the optimal, though some have better longevity than others depending on how well you look after it.
If you’re after a sub-$1000 espresso machine then seriously consider the Gaggia Classic. It’s single boiler, but knocks out excellent results once you master the workflow.
RRP for the stainless steel colour is $899 but gettable sub-$650. The coloured versions are always up closed to $1K for some reason.
Note - you’ll need to source a separate grinder. No integrated grinder in the Gaggia.
New Gaggia classic is sub $700 on AO. Thinking about getting it on back order.
$623 - out of stock but can still buy I think?
https://www.appliancesonline.com.au/product/gaggia-886938003…
My Breville BES920 is 3.6 years old. Just had it serviced, and Breville even covered most of the parts.
The guy at service said if we service it every couple years it will last for years to come.
Honestly love my dual boiler.
Where do you get it serviced? And how much? Was there something wrong that prompt for service? I just descaled mine, still working well.
the Gaggia Classic looks amazing and I know its highly rated! Thanks. Tempted by the AO price too.
What's a good basic grinder for newbies like me that enjoy a good coffee but wanting to elevate the experience.
Breville smart grinder pro will do fine, but if you can stretch the Baratza sette 270 is the entry level grinder benchmark, just know it's hella loud. I have a Gaggia Classic as well, highly recommended if you want to learn manual espresso.
Forgot to mention the even cheaper alternative of manual machines and grinders such as a Flair lever espresso maker $300, and a hand grinder like 1zpresso JE $250. You can make espresso at absolute top tier with just $550 outlay, it just takes more learning, time and effort, and not suitable for making multiple coffees.
@TRANCE: Can definitely recommend the Gaggia if you want to get into espresso as a hobby as it's capable of pulling some amazing shots once you get your barista-mojo happening. I recommend doing the OPV mod, which is super easy and cheap (changing an internal spring) to calibrate it to 9bar pressure and, if you're inclined, installing a PID will give you brilliant control over the boiler/water temp.
The Silvia, which others have mentioned above/below, is a lovely machine - well built and ergonomic - but IMO is overpriced for the feature-set. If you're looking to outlay $1,100 up front there would be other machines I'd recommend. Or get the Gaggia and put the difference towards a good grinder, as a better grinder will lift your game significantly more than your machine.
That all said - monologue over - if you're more casual about your coffee, then the Breville in this thread is certainly going to give you better brew than any pod machine, and you'll start to learn coffee workflow, which will set you up should you wish to get more creative going forward. Playing with freshly roasted coffee is the best. Enjoy whatever way you go.
EDIT - thought I clicked to reply to snippy. Apols Trance.
@fookos: I got my Gaggia from AO new for $520, can't beat that price to performance ratio. OPV mod is a must. I had a Breville dual boiler before and it had zero charm also made cheap sounding operational noises. The Gaggia just feels right, it has it's shortcomings but it's plain fun to use.
@TRANCE: You got a terrific price :) Agree with your sentiment. It also doesn't take up half the kitchen, which is another plus.
If you're looking to outlay $1,100 up front there would be other machines I'd recommend.
What would you recommend at each price point? I want to move on from Nespresso, Aeropress and plunger and get a machine, but I fear I'd be disappointed that I'd wasted money if I can't make it taste at least as good as a cafe. So then I start the spiral of looking at more and more expensive machines with HX, double boilers, PIDs, etc. And I have a small kitchen too.
@kiitos: Your output of espresso is only going to be as good as the skills you develop, and your commitment to learning and improving. You can certainly make cafe quality espresso at home if you put the time in to get there, and you won't need the best of the highest-end machine to do that. A very competent grinder is a must, though.
Moving from single boiler to HX or double double boiler becomes more about convenience and ergonomics. If you want to knock out multiple coffees in quick succession on a regular basis, and pull shots and steam milk at the same time, then that is where they shine.
If not, start with a single boiler of smallish footprint, learn to temp surf between shots and milk and back, and put some solid cash into a good grinder as well.
Making good espresso is as much about enjoying the process of doing it as it is about the end result. It's a bit of a mindfulness exercise for me.
Alternatively, get a good grinder and delve into the world of pour overs as that is a lot of fun too.
@fookos: there's a lot to take in from this sort of a post - i realise I've got a lot to learn, esp if this Sunbeam is my first adventure outside instant coffee… got any tips or resources you recommend where i could get the most out of these initial steps?
Also wanting to know this
I have this Sunbeam at work and the BES870 at home and both are honestly great machines. I've had them for about a year so I can't comment on reliability at this stage but we make at least 6 coffees per day on the work machine and 3 per day on the 870. With the right settings, you really can't tell the difference in the quality. For me that just comes down to the beans, tamp and grind settings. The grinder on on the sunbeam is slow and can be pretty messy but I love the steam wand and it felt a lot easy to master and get right every time. The 870 is a better looking machine ( I own the lack and get a lot of compliments and the grinder is quick and cleaner.
At this price, it's a steal and you really can't go wrong.
Don't forget about the EM7100 too. Fantastic machine, as you can pull a shot and texture the milk at the same time, which, now that we are used to it, would be really annoying if we didn't have that feature! Then again, you do have to purchase a separate grinder. I contacted AO and I managed to get it for $589. Its on order at the moment, but I am happy to wait.
I have the sunbeam EM7000 that I purchased from Catch for $399 about 5 years ago. Dual thermoblock so no waiting between coffee and steam. I service it myself and it's still going strong.
Coming from a Gaggia Classic, I also prefer the thermoblock to a boiler because it's much faster to first coffee, even with group head preheat.
Sunbeam forgot the brew pressure gauge.
The review isn't that good it looks like everyone having water leaks and electric shock problems after 12 months
https://www.productreview.com.au/listings/sunbeam-barista-ma…
Most have water leaks. Worth spending the money on a well-reviewed one.
860s, 870s and Dual Boilers I've seen after many years don't have leaks.
That said, all machines will leak from the group head when you fail to ensure the group seal is free from grinds. I think that's where most people suffer. These machines seem to have incredibly reliable machined aluminium surfaces, stainless valves and long lasting seals and fittings now.
Amazon now showing "Usually dispatched within 1 to 2 months."
Still prefer getting a dual boiler Breville, but don't need the grinder as we already have the smart grinder.
What is Breville option these days, the BES seems so rare
The BES920 is the dual boiler breville (with no grinder), not really a fair comparison though - currently ~4x the price of this.
Thanks OP, bought one,
How does this compare to the Breville BES870?
Bought EM5300 last year, just after 1 year (out of warranty - 12 months) the machine start leaking. As out of warranty so I sent it to service in freo, somehow the guy in service managed to ask sunbeam to replace it (brand new one) for me, they gave me brand new one with the newer version EM5300S, very happy!!!
so far coffee is really good, no complaint with that price :)
My EM5300 had a grinder issues about 3 months after purchase, they simply asked me to take a photo of my power cord cut and sent me a new one express. No questions asked.
I couldn't fault their after sales service.
I recommend the Rancilio Silvia, been going strong for 11 years so far and expect it will outlive me. Separate grinder required
Have you used consumer coffee machines like this post as well? How does the Silvia compare? I've been looking at it and the Gaggia classic, and reading about needing to temperature surf and things like that, but I'm not sure if these caveats are because these machines are in the next level above consumer and the users have more demanding expectations.
Yes, I had a cheapie thermoblock prior to the Silvia. It does take some time to master but there's plenty of info online.
https://www.swisswuff.ch/wordpress/?p=385
I did buy a PID kit but never got around to installing it.
I like the Silvia because of the lack of electronics, seen too many stories of these failing in other machines.
Not the Breville, but if anyone is interested, I've owned Sylvia and her bother grinder Rocky since 2003. Serviced every 2-3 years or so, but easy to do yourself and much more satisfying. All parts are commercial grade and very easily found. I once burnt out the boiler because I let it run dry, as I had a habit of never turning it off, meaning the little water left after your shot and milk prep just kept warming all day. The trick is always filling it back up when you rinse the group head after your shot. Never had a problem with the grinder and never been serviced. I can't fault either, and yes, better than the Gaggia classic, my best friend has it and we both prefer the Rancillio.
No pressure gauge? How do you use it without one?
I'd be lost without a brew pressure gauge
All about the grind and tamping. If you get it right, you should pull a double shot in 26-28 seconds, just gotta get the feel for it. Consistency is key.
Geewiz I'm seeing a lot of sales on coffee machines lately. This pandemic turning everyone into bakers/stock market analysts/baristas?
Also, I'd appreciate if anyone can ping me on any sales on a Breville Oracle Espresso. The wifey wants a new toy.
Dont forget 3% off amazon gift cards via Suncorp.
I called goodguys to price match. No bingo!
They price matched the sunbeam in black for me at $374 against AO.
How long do the gift cards take to arrive via email?
I price matched at the good guys no problems today… gonna give it a whirl tomorrow. Can’t wait :)
Is the appliancesonline extra warranty worth it for this coffee machine?
For Sunbeam, you might need it
Thanks.
When compared to the BES870, the slight price bump is absolutely worth it if you wait for a reasonable deal.
I've used both, just my 2c. This machine will beat a pod experience, however shot consistency isn't easy and it takes forever to foam a cup of milk.
How far down does a reasonable deal go? Cos its roughly double the price from what I can see.
I think i've seen it as low as $500, I paid $750 around two years ago.
The entry market for home espresso is damn competitive, but anything under 500 you will be accepting major design drawbacks for sake of compact design and keeping costs down.
I could justify upgrading even from the 870 at this point as a dual boiler comes in handy when making a few cups for guests, however is perfect for 2-5 shots per day.
Can this machine be set to turn on and heat up at a certain time?
Edit: Just noticed it heats up in 60 seconds so no need
It heats up within the time you finish grinding you beans. Very quick
Got mine in March around same price. And have smashed 2 coffees a day. Gone through 4.8kg of beans so far. I like to buy 250g at a time and try different roasters.
I struggle to get a good espresso that tastes like a cafe but a flat white or iced coffee its all good as the milk and sugar help.
I cant really see the value in a 2x more expensive machine. Unless you REALLY know your coffee tastes and are fussy
This is my sort of mileage too! Makes an okay coffee. The best experience I've had so far is with the Inglewood beans, tastes better than Cafe.
ohh will try them out. Just been trying to support the smaller bean roasters. Driving to new places on weekend to grab some beans. I feel pretty cool when I ask for beans. Not gonna lie. Feel like a pro :)
With all the electrical faults in product reviews, remember to buy a multimetre after a year and check it before use!
nice machine
How long does it take to warm up before you can make your first coffee?
My partner doesn't drink coffee so I will probably turn it on/off as I need one.
Thanks
I have mine on a timer to turn on 20 minutes before I get up in the morning.
Does anyone know if David Jones is price matching appliances online?
nabbed one, thanks OP
I have been a lazy, cheapo instant coffee bloke all my life (curently buying Aldi instant brand - tastes fine to me, meh).
The cost of a machine like this has always been a bit too high for me to justify, but this looks a good deal (reviews and comparing price to other retailers), so finally going to branch out and go past the instant coffee world :) Interested to see the Aldi beans also getting positive comments here too, so that will be my first step.
Enjoy the journey :)
Beans are at their best for six weeks from roasting, so buy smaller amounts more often - depending on your daily consumption!
ok thanks, good advice - will try and factor that in to my learning experiences
Good stuff
Good price - silver colour still appears to be cheaper on Appliances Online ($350 inc free delivery) for those who aren't set on the black option. I just bit the bullet and decided to give this a go.