Breville Dual Boiler Coffee Machine Alternatives

Hi All

Currently have Breville Barista Touch - but I find the touch screen highly pointless - each coffee option is in effect the same thing.

LOOKING FOR:

  • Simple design/buttons
  • DUAL BOILER/THERMOBLOCK for pulling shots and heating milk at the same time.

Not wanting to sell a limb so maybe a max $2k.
Something other than Breville Oracle/ Oracle Touch or Breville DB.

I saw Sunbeam just released Sunbeam Origins but no real reviews out there yet.

Any other recommendations? I love a real Italian looking machine.

Comments

    • That is a big, heavy machine and definitely where my money would be going on (assuming I had the space For it)

      I’d take a second hand Italian machine over any of the usual ozbargain recommendations. They work much better (assuming you know how to use it which is part of the fun of owning one) and are easily repairable when something goes wrong

      • Yeah…they won't skitter across the counter when you try to remove the filter basket. More like a cafe experience.

        Italian too.

  • There's the Sunbeam Torino which looks a bit like an E61 and it's been on sale for well under $1000; no way would I buy it over BDB though.

    Otherwise you're looking at spending 2.5-3k. There are heaps of options at this price point but I'm not very familiar with any of them given the price of the BDB… You can have a read of them here https://espressoaf.com/recommendations/midrange-machines.htm…

    • Thank you for this!

  • I've had my eye on that sunbeams origins too. It looks damn nice in the flesh. Love the design. I can't seem to find anyone that has done a video review either.

    They had about $150 off the price at Myer the other day. Almost bought one but they sold out really quick.

    • Seems a good price for what it offers

  • -1

    they go on sale regularly for 1k, you just have to wait.

    • When you say ‘they go on sale’ are you talking about Breville DB?

    • Last time it was on sale and listed on ozbargin was June. I've been waiting for it to come up again.

      Currently the only place with stock is appliances online. Bing lee have been out of stock for about 3 months. Good guys don't even list it anymore.

      • +1

        if you aren't in a rush i would wait. deals coming up very soon with the holidays coming up. black friday, christmas, boxing day, new years, etc…

        great deals are on the way.

  • I think you have conflicting requirements.

    a real Italian looking machine.

    I am guessing this means E61 group head looking?

    If yes, then they are all lever and knobs machine.

    A dual boiler with buttons are normally not very italian looking (Rancilio Silvia Pro, Breville DB, etc.)

    Another thing you might want to consider is heat up time, well at least that's the reason I chose Breville DB over other E61 machines. :)

    • Thanks - maybe Italian was the wrong description. I mean something less modern - ie not a touch screen. Knobs and buttons :)

  • Maybe an all in one?

    • I'm trying to narrow this down to actual make & model machines…

  • +1

    Sunbeam EMM7200BK is a pretty good alternative, I got it on an Amazon deal for like $580.
    It's on Amazon for $712 currently.
    Had a 4 year old Sunbeam EM7000 before that, it's been reliable. was working perfectly still when i sold it off.

    Runs a 58mm basket so all your aftermarket E61 gear like a VST basket, pullman tamper, normcore screens/wdt/tampers all work with it. if you feel like upgrading to a really nice E61 machine like a Lelit or Profitec, all that accessories you bought can still be used.

    Pair it with a Eureka Specialita from Espresso Coffee Shop and you will pull some amazing shots for $1500~ish

  • +4

    Hi OP, I have recently purchased the Sunbeam Origins Espresso machine (EMM7300SS). I also noticed that there weren't that many reviews, and the few that were up seemed a little too detailed for general customer reviews leading me to believe they were paid/fake.

    Anyways here's my experience with the machine.

    First machine I got was faulty, had a faulty seal and water was leaking out the back. Myer quickly replaced it and i've had the new machine a little over a week now, no issues at all. I haven't heard/seen anyone else having this issue so I think I just got unlucky there.

    This is my first espresso machine, i've previously only had a pod machine and the difference in the quality/taste is really noticeable. I was looking for a machine that was all in one, but also didn't break the budget. I was able to get this machine with a 15% off discount + cashrewards deal, however the machine is currently 20% off at Myer, bringing it down to 719 (though currently saying OOS. Might be able to price-match elsewhere).

    It has a nice power button that's a physical switch, and the overall UI is super simple. No touch screen elements, all buttons/switches. Put your portafilter into the machine, and push down once for 1 shot, or push down twice for a double shot. The machine will then automatically grind the right amount of beans for you depending on what you want. There is also an option to manually grind as much/little as you like. I've just been doing double shots preset and found it works really well.

    It comes with 4 different baskets. A single and double shot variant for a single and dual walled baskets.

    It also has an anti-static technology, so supposedly it's not meant to have coffee grinds spatter out everywhere while grinding. To this date, I have not seen any coffee grinds spill over the portafilter, and I haven't needed to wipe down the machine or seen any coffee grinds on the machine, so i guess it's working.

    As you wanted, it has a dual/double boiler so you can pull a shot and steam milk at the same time. I've been doing this and it's made the routine of making a coffee almost as quick as using a pod machine.

    Another great thing about this machine is that it only takes about 30-ish seconds to heat up. I've seen some really high end ones take minutes to heat up. I usually turn the machine on, get my milk, grind the beans, tamp it and by then, the machine is heated and ready to pull a shot/steam milk.

    Just do be aware that at the start, the portafilter is an extremely tight fit as the seals are new. It was to the point where the machine would slightly move on the bench while putting it in, however after a few uses, it goes in fine.

    There's not really any negatives I have with this machine. It's a fantastic machine for the price, very beginner friendly, and after a few tries, i was able to find the exact grind size/tamp pressure to make a cup exactly how I like it. It even rivals the $5-6 cups you get in a cafe. it has a large 2.8L water container at the back so you'll rarely need to refill it, and its a really nice looking machine to have out. Very sleek design and fits really well with my kitchen.

    In terms of the beans I'm using, I use Airjo Coffee Roasters, often comes up as a sale here on OzB. Great beans and fantastic customer service.

    I have been using the Sumatra blend, however have just ordered their Colombia Blend so I'm excited to try that out too. Can usually get a 1KG back for anywhere between $30-35 (depending on the sale).

    I also put some furniture felt pads on the feet of the machine so i can slide the machine around the bench should I need to wipe it.

    Hopefully that covers everything, feel free to ask any questions and i'll try my best to answer them.

    • Wow thank you so much for typing all that. The machine really does look like a great deal when it’s compared to the cheapest Breville dual boiler.

      Can I ask - with the milk - do you have to watch the temperature yourself or can you leave it and it will stop at a set temperature?

      • No problems!

        Need to watch the temp. I basically do it by feel of the jug. If it's too hot to touch, I've heated it too much. It will just keep steaming until you turn the steam dial off. I really like this machine because it puts complete control to the user. There are a few automated settings but there is also a manual counterpart which means users can really fine tune the exact cup of coffee they want to make.

        I have noticed that given the steam wand size, it can take a little longer to steam milk than larger machines, but for my personal use, its fine

  • A little more expensive. Lelit Elizabeth V3 - Same dual boiler setup, just more refined with a E61 group head, more settings for pre infusion and steam.

    • The Elizabeth doesn't have an E61 group head, does it? Are you thinking about the Bianca?

    • This Lelit Elizabeth was going to be and would have been my 'next' machine after my old Breville Dual Boiler shit itself, Breville DB can pop up on special though from time to time with a bargain too good to resist.

      The Breville Dual Boilers are a great bit of kit if you can get them at a good price.

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