can you do back to back shots with this machine? I'm starting an espresso cart rental business and shopping around for a machine that can keep a high pace. i don't want to go over 2500$
NOTICE: As I clearly said in the video, while I am affiliated with Breville by way of teaching classes for them, this video was not expected, sponsored, or even approved by Breville. I strictly teach classes. I've even decided NOT to use an affiliate link for these videos even though I have sold dozens of machines (losing out on lots of money) from my videos. Please do not come in the comments thinking you're sly by pointing out my very willingly admitted connection to Breville. Authenticity is my main staple, my muse, my highest priority. I wore the Breville shirt and made the disclosure to be above reproach. I could've easily kept mum about it, but the fact I'm confident it doesn't sway my opinion, I decided to disclose. I get no payments from any machine sale. I get no money from this endorsement. I simply teach people at home to make better coffee through Williams-Sonoma by way of breville End of story. Thanks for reading and I sincerely hope you all will maintain the trust I've hopefully cultivated with you all. Cheers!
I'm new to coffee making and your videos are the best! I recently bought the BDB and the coffees are just as good if not better than at the local cafes!
@@LanceHedrick Hello Lance. Thanks for your videos and love your relax presentation. Which grinder would you recommend ? Thanks in advance ! Keep it up !!!
Just to add on. I originally purchased my BDB refurbished, and after 9 years I had to send in my machine for repairs. Breville support was great. They gave me two offers since my machine was so old - After some discussion they offered to just send me a new model (they made some changes to the BDB over that time) for what was ~50% off, and reduced the repair quote by about half. The repair ended up that they just shipped me the newest model anyway, and since I ended up with 2 machines I then resold one. Between the discount for the original refurb, and the extra machine that I pawned off, the total cost of my BDB is so small, and is crazy that they'd just do a solid replacement for something that was around for so long.
@@LanceHedrick Does the resolution of issues maybe depend on the luck of the draw on the person who answers your phone call? I haven’t taken mine out of the box yet. I’m watching your videos so I can get a general understanding of the Breville Barista Express machine just received for my birthday.
I love how this machine seems like an intersection of the espresso and maker community. This seems like an absolute endgame machine, I just wish it would look a bit better. It seems hard to justify spending so much money something I hate looking at, especially if I'll use it every day.
I have a BDB w/ niche combo too, it’s a great machine! Would love to see videos of all the mods from you!! I like the sound of making it a quieter machine!
Man. Lance, you're hitting it out the park. So natural in front of the camera, super easy to follow, really entertaining - you make a 19 minute video seem too short! I have the UK version - Sage - and I have no remorse whatsoever, it's been such a fantastic machine, especially the quick group head heating, and the cherry on top is pre programmed time for it to wake up and begin heating. Absolutely love it. I'll probably hold off on mods for some time, as the rabbit hole that is espresso is already so deep, but the flow mod is certainly something I'll consider in the near future! Thanks for the amazing content, and keep it up, my dude!
Absolutely! And know you don't need to mid in order to pull shots in pre infusion mode. Just hold down the shot button! Can do low pressure shots without any mod
I've had the bdb for 4 years now and I'm on my 3rd machine with warranty.. couldn't care less. What am I going to do? Go to a 5k machine with less features? I'd buy one of these bad boys every year if I had to, still cheaper than buying takeaway coffee. Plus I'm in Australia so this machine only costs about $650 USD here. It's just untouchable for the money, quality be damnned, give me features!!
I love my Breville DB, however, it cannot be stressed enough about the maintenance issues. If you are a DIY type of person, then the link Lance indicated is quite valuable and you will almost certainly encounter many of these issues within a year or two (which is unfortunate). However, some of the replacement tasks are quite hard to do and require quite a bit of dexterity with the tiny parts. The other issue regarding maintenance is that most espresso machine repair places won't touch Brevilles. I live in Seattle, which is a coffee mecca town with lots of cafes as well as espresso repair places. There is only one place (Seattle Coffee Gear) I'm aware of that touches Brevilles and they're not cheap. You can certainly send in your machine to Breville but that will be costly as well. Anyways, I love my DB and just hope it survives until something equivalent with better durability and maintenance simplicity comes along.
Hey there, I just got my BDB, and out of the box, the hot water knob on the side of the machine does not rotate/turn in either direction, and I'm afraid to "force it" since I don't want to break it...any thoughts?
Breville needs to spin off the espresso machine piece of its business and make its own division with a different brand name. After that, make a pro version of the BDB with rotary pump and the needle valve mod and sell it for 2k. Mission Accomplished
I hope they do! I use my dual boiler on my home cafe and it's been a champ so far. I really like the blend of automation and tweakability the dual boiler has but I do know it's not really a commercial machine. I hope Breville makes a 2-group pro unit!!
@@LanceHedrick Oh I hope you convince them! 2-group commercial/pro grade with the "slayer mod" built in! I just did the mod today and it was fairly easy. I thought it won't change the flavor much but damn, I was wrong and I'm happy I was wrong!
Ive been looking at this machine for a while now, would people recommend buying the dynamic duo package? Does the Smart grinder match the capability of this machine?
B “the Infuser” owner here with 7 years and one pump replacement. Glad the brand is getting lots of love and that this upper model is more solid and can be modded. My machine is fine with a good grinder but sadly I can’t control the temp nor the flow so towards the end of the shot the pressure always increases. Cool video, ofc now I’m considering this model, someday 😅
A little late to the party here - possibly buying a BDB soon!!! - but can the Slayer mod replicate the pump kill switch if you just cut the flow using the knob? I'm trying to figure out why you'd need the switch if you've already done the Slayer stuff. (Also, Lance, if you see this - any competitors to the BDB at its current price point?)
I’ve had two breville coffee machines first one I got second hand and it lasted me 10 years. I’ve now got the dual boiler ( replacing a small delonghi) and swear by it. They are a great machine without mods and just so much better afterwards
Lance, Great vid! I've had my BDB for several years now and I got lucky as my machine is quite capable of flow profiling right out of the box. I understand this is not true with every BDB, but my water valve allows quite a bit of profiling before disabling the group flow. I can go from 9 bar to 3 bar with no mods at all. Again, Great vid. I very much enjoy your channel!
Lance, thank you so much for sharing your experience! These E61 grouphead espresso machines are getting all the craze these days but really, they're considerably much more expensive and less functional than the Breville dual boiler. An equivalent dual boiler, PID and flow control machine would cost atleast 3000$!
I know! It's insane. People complain about longevity on breville, but at half the cost, you can make any fix necessary and still come out way on top and finance a much nicer grinder haha!
Hi Lance, I was wondering about d) in the description. I can't find any more info about this and would love the opportunity to get finer control when using the slayer mod. Is there any chance you could point me in the right direction? Love the video - it led me to finally take the plunge and get a BDB!!
Lance, so glad I found your channel. I’m on my second Breville infuser and have really liked them. 7 years for first, 2 years for second. I’m thinking some day of upgrading and want to learn how to control flow rate, temp, etc but am too scared of making any modifications.
Aghh I'm on the same boat my first infuser is pretty much dead now after 7years. Agonizing on what to do now , just rebuying the same or changing, wish I could upgrade. 🥲😂
I really like breville’s ergonomics and design but sadly my father and I together both had longevity issues on 3 different machines, usually after 2-4 years… I think the idea to move to gear pump in the LH edition should be spread across the bdb line… Hell, the LH edition should replace the bdb line entirely.
Thanks for sharing all this information. I have enjoyed soaking up your wisdom and I have learned a ton. My big question is when do you think they will do another refresh on the BDB? I don’t want to buy too soon and then they switch things up on me.
Please keep telling me how cheap a $1500 machine is xD Joking aside, it does look like you get a hell of a lot for the money, but waaaaay outside my budget
@@SpektrikMusic it's also currently out of my budget used. I'm very new to coffee so I'm thinking at most a used Gaggia Classic Pro or something like that.
The Gaggia classic pro is solid. Just some minor mods to bring pressure down, etc But yeah- this isn't cheap, but for end game machines, it is super cheap, which is why I discussed it thusly. Didn't mean to imply it was cheap in general! But against machines like the GS3, Linea Mini, Lelit Bianca, etc, this machine is a percent of the price and just as good with these mods
Oh yeah, I get you weren't saying it's cheap in general, just cheap for what it is. Looks to be a really good machine. I was kinda making a tongue in cheek comment. Thanks for the reply though :)
Love your work, Lance! Recently made some discoveries on the BDB that avoid me having to change the OPV and thereby void the warranty. Still, the flow-rate mod would still be worth trying, but I'll wait till after the warranty has expired... Here's my post to Cpffee and Coils's instructional video on modifying the OPV (ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-a-0dQOFlIkA.html): Thanks for the instructional video! For those who don't want to void their warranty, or would like to try a non-invasive and arguably easier and more versatile solution to changing pressure, use the settings on the LED screen... Change pre-infusion time from the default 7 seconds to well above your usual shot time (I've set mine to 60 seconds, but 35 would do). Then, change the pre-infusion pressure to around 75% (change from PP60 to PP75) and watch the pressure needle as you pull your next shot. You're effectively running the shot completely in pre-infusion, but you can alter the pressure percentage from 55 to 99%. Along with adjusting your grind size according to your bean type and roast, adjust the pre-infusion pressure percentage until you have achieved your desired pressure profile. One variation I've had is something like this: First seven seconds or so at 1-3 bar, then a steady, relatively quick climb to 8.5 bar gradually dropping to and stabilising at around 7 bar. Thanks to the many Choobaz out there for their contribution to me working this out, especially Seattle Coffee Gear (ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-XxY_hG8NwRg.html) and Lance Hedrick (ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-JmQgxQ5Higw.html). Also, watch Emilee Bryant's vid on steaming with the Breville/Sage dual boiler (ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE--1y_qI7AL34.html) Cheers! ☕😊 👍
Hey Lance Bro, need your help, I know you got connrlections in Breville, I’m looking for a black Brev double boiler like yours bro. Hook a brother up, where can i get one in the US, thanks, holla
I've had the DB for a year and I love it - will definitely consider some mods when it's out of warranty. I was lucky to get it half-price in the UK so bought a Niche Zero too.
Just got a fairly well used 900 for free and really enjoying fixing it up, descaling, etc. For a consumer product it's really well designed, spare parts are a plenty and there's a good community around it. Comparing that to the 2 group head commercial machine I have where I have to call the manufacturer whenever I need to ask if a spare part exists.. the Breville dual boiler is awesome.
Breville is so approachable. My first espresso machine was a Barista Express with the integrated grinder and until you lived with a machine it's often hard to understand why some features matter. I hestiated hard between the Breville Dual Boiler and a Profitec and only landed on the latter because the accessories are not as easy to find online (outside the US) and I had the budget for it. Yes the Dual boiler is technically a 58mm group head but you can't just purchase any cool looking 58mm portafilter for it. But just for the fact you can do your own descaling at home, front access to the reservoir (we don't all have a beautiful kitchen), it's a great GREAT machine. Endgame is a strong word because once you get into the rabbit hole, like you said the Decent becomes an option, but for the majority of people this will be the best machine they ever had.
I say end game with the caveat of budget end game. It can out perform machines 3 times it's price regarding flow control, heat stability, and pressure accuracy due to the location of the reading. It's just a freaking beast. Put in the kill switch and you have a JV Decent
Even James Hoffman in his comparison of 5 sub £1500 machines narrowed it down to the BDB and the Profitec 500… when it’s on sale in Australia it’s like 1,200 AUD. That’s like 850 USD.
Yeah! Though, to be fair, James looks at machines as they are and goes into his preferential fodder with work flow. I try to show machines in as much depth as possible. I'd rather have terrible workflow and insane temp control and pressure stability than vice versa, tbh. But yeah! James is a big sage fan.
Lance what is the ideal pressure at the group head. Is it 8 bar accounting for the losses from the pump, assuming it’s pumping at 9 bar? These machines can be purchased née for around $600 usd on sale. One thing people say about it is that it fails on the descale setting. When descaling some part of it overheats and fails.
Hey! It is relative. Hendon and co wrote a paper showing 6 bar might be ideal. You can change the OPV to what you want. Or you can mod it for profiling. And that cheap?! You must be in Australia!
Thanks for this video Lance. Really appreciate it. Always wondered about the longevity of these but as you say everyone has different experiences. Having owned various Italian made machines over the last 10 years and had parts on them fail I'm at the point of wanting the features that have been in the BDB for ages. It certainly helps to be able to self repair whatever machine you own but having a community of modders and support around with information is a massive plus. Breville launched the BES900 back in 2011 and some in the coffee forum community said at the time it was too good to be true. Well 10 years later Breville have improved on that base and still have features that outperform other manufacturers. 💪💖
I bought a refurbished bes900xl BDB in early 2015 for around 700.00 Brand new cost was 1299.00, Now brand new is around 1600-1800.00 It came in pristine condition and with even MORE extras and accessories than the norm. I only used it on average of once a day for a year, made a big move from one state to another,.. got really sick, never unpacked it for 5 years. Just recently dug it out, did all the back flushing, ordered more new cleaning tabs and water filters. It is up and running like brand new. It still has years of use ahead. Since then they launched the 920 which gives you the ability to descale the machine on your own, the 900xl doesnt have that. I figured when and if I get to the point of it needing to be sent to manufacture for any repairs, as I have seen from other posts that instead of repairing the old machine and the time and costs, they just send you a replacement of the newer model. I have to say, this BDB IS an AWESOME machine!
Love this thread you started. I'm glad you come from Italian made machines, too. I love the looks and quality of them, but just not a fan of the e61 platform. BDB is on another level for the price. Sure, it isn't gorgeous and sure, the materials for the shell aren't stainless steel, but if you, as Pete Russell says, practice preventative maintenance, it'll last a long time!
You didn’t help me. I want the descent but it is so expensive I keep holding off. Now I can go this route and have money left over. But will it scratch my itch or will I still buy the descent a year later. First world problems!….lol
I've had the BDB and Niche combo for almost a year now. Heard of the Slayer mod before but I'm still struggling with other aspects of espresso making so want to master that before moving on. I especially like the idea that you can install a rotary pump too! Keep up the good work!
I just got my BDB, and out of the box the hot water knob on the side doesn't seem to rotate/turn in either direction, and I don't want to "force it"...am I missing something?
@@wtortoriello That's a bummer. I can't recall having to do anything special with it .. it should just rotate freely out of the box. Not sure if opening up the machine to fix it yourself would void any warranty if you're inclined to try and fix it yourself. Might be best to let the vendor know about it - they should accept a return/swap.
This is my favourite video so far. I think you've already hinted yourself at what you could cover next with the drip coffee from an espresso machine and the super fast shots. I bet breville/sage are delighted with this!
It`s a nice tutorial, however, this machine unfortunately can`t be recognized as a masterpiece. Its PID is a decoration only. You can compare the temperature on your display with the real water temperature. You will be surprised. It`s 87-88 C as max. No quality espresso can be made with such low temperature. I can say, it has a lot of nice ideas implemented, but intend to make it as cheap as it was possible turned it into an enter level toy for not too demanded coffee snobs :)
Sounds like you're measuring the water temperature in the actual cup with a probe thermometer. Have you read it at the puck? The scace certainly isn't cheap. Pair that with a fluke thermometer and you're looking at $800.
@@LanceHedrick I have no such expensive equipment :) However, I can compare with my old Bezzera. It gives me 92-94 degree and 87-88 (by the same probe) with Breville. Also, lots of plastic parts in infusion track (including a coffee spout, a group head collar). It`s a very nice for a cost efficiency, but it`s too bad for temperature stability in comparison with a solid brass. The display shows it before brew head. However, may be your particular unit works better and mine requires for a readings adjustment... or a temperature sensor replacement. Unfortunately I can`t find any electric diagram to sort it out...
I've read multiple machines. Not just mine. And you can find many other readings. The BDB is perhaps the most temp stable machine below $3000. Inarguably. Perhaps you have a horribly defective unit or there is some sort of issue in how you are measuring
@@LanceHedrick It might be. However I still can`t find a temp sensor to try to sort it out. I would be happy to find any kind of wiring diagram and localize this sensor. Probably it needs to be replaced or its reading slightly tuned. However I have one more negative point of BDB... It`s hydraulic system is a very weird. It uses water from coffee boiler for hot water spout. In contrast, the most of more advanced brands use hot water from the bottom part of steam boiler. It gives us a water changing option while Breville is designed for hot water to be arrested in its steam boiler. It can be there for ages, And its level can be topped up due to evaporation only. I can`t imagine what can we have in a couple years only re-heating and re-heating the same volume of water... All the rest can be fixable or acceptable.
Few mins into video and talking about making modifications. Consider to buy a machine that works well straight out of the box and with less plastic. In the same price range there are good Italian and German machines. Don’t get me wrong, Breville (Sage) have decent machines and they can make good coffee, but do mind that there are others out there that are equally good if not better.
Any comments on the steam boiler dying after descaling? This happened to me, had to ship the machine for an expensive repair. No explanation from Breville Canada at all. My water is soft so it wasn't caused by hard water...
What do you think about the Lelit Bianca? It's a bit more expensive but it is supposed to be way more long-lasting as it used standardised parts. Also, it's very very pretty. What do you think?
It's solid, but I pit this against it for sure. This, too, uses mostly standard parts. And if you check out the links in the caption, many easy ways and intuitive guides to fix any issue
Hi Lance! I was inspired to buy the dual boiler by your and James Hoffmann’s video. However, I’m getting 10.5bars at the group, rather than the expected max 9Bars - as also advertised on their product page. Do you see this as a problem? And should I contact Breville to get this issue resolved? Thanks!
You can adjust the opv by opening the lid and adjusting it with a flat head screw driver, but really you want to control the pressure with the grind better to hit the max 9 bar regardless
Hi Lance, love your vids as always. I now own a 5 year old Rancilio Silvia + PID, and have been thinking about upgrading to this BDB. Can you help me make up my mind? The only few cons comparing to my Silvia are probably the plastic and maybe weaker steam wand?
I would 100% make the switch. The steam pressure is fine, imo. I get incredible texture. I will say to wait, if you can. There may or may not be something in the works...
We ordered the BDB earlier this month. Unfortunately, it was DOA. Called Breville support... power it off, unplug it, wait a minute, plug it back in, power it on again. Nothing. Returned it to the local retail store. After intense cross examination by the store manager, he agreed to process the return. The experience caused me to question Breville and the appliance approach to espresso. I'll continue with our cheap Capresso for now and upgrade to something better down the road.
You just convinced me to pull the trigger on an open box BDB for $699 after taxes and shipping! I'll be pairing it with a eureka mingion specialita grinder. I really love the traditional italian style e61 machines but I feel like this will be a great first setup and hard to beat for the price ($1400 all in).
Superb summary, Lance! Bravo! Another cool thing about it, that admittedly does not make better espresso however, is the stainless steel boilers and solid stainless portafilter, as compared to copper and brass, which are soft and and easier to work, but more reactive. It's a nerdy detail but some of us are nerds ;) In fairness I should say that I am not bothered by copper and brass espresso machines... In fact I have three of them (in addition to my BDB). Just that I think stainless is cool.
Rockets are great! And perhaps will last longer. But I wish the heat stability was better and I wish there was more control on flow rate like with the BDB. I've had a rocket in the past. Great machine, no doubt!
Dude!! That machine sucks a$$ and so DO YOU!! JK! I don’t have that machine. And you def don’t suck. Funny. A lot of my friends have that machine and I’ve never even TRIED to use it! I was considering the Rocket for 1500$ but you’ve given me pause. Thanks for all the content.
So you spend 1500$ up front, then you have to spend more $$$ to DIY mods to make it what you really want? No thanks! I want something ready to go put of the box!
Love the content! I would love to hear your thoughts on ratios vs flow profiling. I have always been using ratios and timing. I wasn’t going to use any mods on my dual boiler since I don’t want to void the warranty.
I am gonna beg them to make a Lance special edition machine with these mods. Limited run. Just had the idea recently. I doubt it'll work, but I'm gonna beg
Yeah, I had a Breville Dual Boiler about 6 - 7 years old and it started not being able to hold pressure and some other issues. Called Breville to see if they could repair it and they told me my model was no longer serviceable. Called a local shop to see if they could repair it and they told me they have stopped repairing Breville Espresso Machines because getting parts was extremely difficult. At this point I had a $1,200 paper weight that we ended up giving to someone to try and part out. Bought an ecm synchronika, granted they are much more expensive but will last much longer and easier to repair. As far as toaster ovens go I love Breville but I feel pretty burned on the Breville Dual Boiler.
I like the Breville or Sage as we call them in the UK, but I am still super happy with my Rocket Giotto 8 years and going strong,also modded massively 😎
Breville machines are crap. Most repair shops won’t touch them and they DO need repairs often. Leaking water and steam valves do to poor design. Lack of parts availability… I had the dual boiler which pulled excellent shots but in the long run wasn’t worth it. Replaced it with an Alex Duetto.
Agreed ! I don't know if it's just my anecdotal experiences but everyone I know that's had one ended up trashing it no more than 4 yrs after purchase..They work well while working and have awesome features,but not a machine that is designed well for the diy'er..I'd rather deal with a single boiler Silvia or GCP and be able to fix it myself and be able to find parts..It may sound crazy,but I also prefer my Kitchenaid artisan dual boiler over the BDB in that regard..Now as far as usability,Breville is hard to beat..
So, I have an Infuser since 2013, which is a pre-user temp control. Since I don't do much in way of milk drinks and not really interested in chasing a perfect espresso, I just want a good Americano in the morning. So what's your thoughts on the Infuser?
@@LanceHedrick thanks for responding. Since I don't care much about being able to pull a shot and steam milk simultaneously what are your thoughts in my getting a newer model Infuser so I can control temperature and can the slayer mod be done on Infuser? Although, I do like convenience of hot water tap.
So, I'd definitely recommend the new infuser. And you cannot do the slayer mod BUT you can definitely do the dimmer mod. It's very simple and much more effective and responsive than the slayer needle valve mod. I have a video coming out on it next week! Simple job wiring a light dimmer to the Ulka pump
Hey Lance, i was wondering if you were going to explore/ explain more in depth the flow profiling aspects of this and other machines. what your looking for and what not. I recently upgraded from a Gaggia classic pro to a BDB and I'm very interested in the flow profiling. Love the video's, my favorite channel for espresso so far. Keep up the great content.
I am new to all this espresso stuff, but it fascinates me now that I have been searching for espresso machines. I’m thinking a pout getting the Gaggia Classic Pro (Prestige), Since the BDB looks like too much to learn on and don’t know if I should spend this kind of money when I know nothing much as of yet about making espresso. Can you tell me if spending the money on a Gaggia Classic Pro to start would a wise choice, or should I just splurge out of the gate and get the DBD which is the one I really want, but spending an additional $1000 (once I add a good grinder) would be advantageous at this beginners stage ?
Good info as always, Lance! I went with a Rocket at the end of the day, but this is cool. Looking for a second unit for my office. After it’s all said and done with the mods (including the scale purchase), approximately how much are we really talking about, bud?
In the US, $1499 for BDB, $229 for acaia Lunar. Everything else is completely free if you have random tools and bits lying around. Especially if just doing what I did- slayer mod and tray mod. Just need a Dremel for tray mod and only need needle nose pliers and some sort of silicon you can cut to stuff into the hot water spigot. So, free
@@LanceHedrick Good lookin out man! One more thing, you mentioned brass component replacements as well. I’d probably do that too. Where do you find those items? Thanks again, you’re the goat!
I got a BDB too, 920 XL, paired with a Baratza 270WI. What a great combo. The Breville is an impressive machine for the price, very serviceable and moddable. Great review, my friend :)
Hi Lance: first of all congrats on the entire channel which is excellent. I, too, have a Sage(Breville)Dual Boiler having started with a Barista Express. I totally agree the BDB is THE most under-rated machine. Even in standard form its a performance bargain. Someone needs to champion this machine and who better than you? Yes please work your way thru all the mods, in detail, one by one - and show us how to get the best from each. Its noteworthy that both James Hoffman and John Buckman also highly rate this machine. Thanks and please keep doing what you're doing! Graham
Thanks, Graham! Yes- I know John and James both enjoy it- particularly the former. I know James has some issues with it, but overall enjoys it. I'm a huge fan, although I know lifespan has been an issue for some. Anyway, I'll certainly champion it as a budget "end game" when concerning quality and adaptability. Thanks for the kind words!
Can you do a video showcasing the slayer mod “under the hood”? The description is awfully techie. Plumbing: 1) Took the main brew line, where it enters the solenoid, and put it to the INput of the water valve. Same ends and o-rings so no cutting or modding 2) Took the water valve OUTput line off of the water tap and put it to the newly vacated entrance to the solenoid 3) Capped the water line that used to be on the OUTput of the water valve. EASY way: cut the Breville tip off of it and order any kind of cap for 4mm tubing off of eBay. REVERSIBLE way, (what I did): I used one of my old steam ball valves, CLOSED the valve, and attached the water line to the steam valve since both use that same old Breville brass end, spring clip, and o-ring scheme. You can also make it reversible by cutting the water line in the middle, (save the end with the Breville tip). Order any kind of cap for 4mm tubing from ebayZon, and cap the cut end. When you want to restore it back to stock, order up a union fitting for 4mm tubing and put the Breville end into one end of that and the capped end into the other. You will have that union fitting in place. But for off warranty service, Breville won't care. Heck even for on-warranty service, I'm quite sure they won't care.
Hello Lance! A great video! I'm cross shopping the BDB and potentially a DB E61(and retrofit a flow control kit kinda like the Lelit Bianca). I'd love to exploit the capabilities of flow profiling to get more out of light roast coffee. I also enjoy a nicely textured milk drink with good microfoam. Currently I use a Breville Infuser and one of the gripe I have is the weak steam. Do you enjoy steaming on the DBD? Thanks!
@@LanceHedrick oh trust me, I've seen all the things this sweet baby can do on Reddit. Thanks for always providing that amazing content boss. Keep it up and glad to see that you're getting more popular!
Thanks for your in depth review. We bought our BES860XL from Williams & Sonoma in September 2009. It's still working after all these years with some work-arounds [the grind quantity is no longer reliable, and there is some corrosion on the base at the rear]. We'll invest in a new Breville Double Boiler in the next few weeks.
If there’s a flow meter hooked up to a PID controller which controls the needle valve, it will work the same. But you will need a small actuator to control the needle valve.
All my shots start after the pre infusion ramp at 9.5 bar. With the blind disc in for back flushing/cleaning cycle it’s flowing at 9.5 bar. The Hoffmeister complained about machines set up with the OPV not adjusted correctly out the box, including the BDB. Should I adjust my OPV down to 9 bar with the blind disc in???
Lol you’re sarcastic but funny. Thanks for the review. It’s nice to hear someone support breville. Which was my 1st and 2nd machines “cheaper pressurized” types. Now I am ready to move up to a better machine and considering the Breville infuser vs duo dual vs rancillo Silvia vs solis perfetta. Would love to see those head to head. Always a question of how manual I want and counter size unfortunately.
Huh. Wondering what to get for my first real espresso machine. Currently I have my eyes set on an ascaso steel duo pid. This does.sound tempting though and is cheaper. Breville is Sage in Europe right?
I would really love to get this machine but unfortunately the black version is never back in stock and the wife would not allow the SS color anywhere near the kitchen where I have my coffee bar setup.
Being you are such a Breville Wizard, I'm gonna ask you if you know,...the Duo-temp, it is PID but no user access to adjust...would you know how to increase water temp?
Thank you for the kind words! I understand where you are coming from, but wanted to repeat what I said in the video, which is I can confidently say I'm unbiased because I only agreed to work with breville based on my obsession with the dual boiler. I get hit up constantly by brands and, unless I already love their product, I don't accept. You can gain more confidence by the simple fact I don't have an affiliate link in bio. Me making these claims does nothing for me financially. I just teach classes for them. That's the extent.
@Lance Hedrick don’t get me wrong, I love your videos, subscribed, and watched every single one. I know you said what you said in the beginning of the video, and we (I) appreciate that disclaimer. But to the average, unsuspecting person that stumbles on this video, they’d probably think it was sponsored, you know Breville shirt and all. Just some honest feedback. I liked some of your first videos that are more of a “masterclass”, it would be great if you produced more content like that.
Legally, if it was sponsored, I'd have to disclose that. And I do when sponsored. But I get it. And again, I appreciate it. It's hard since I do believe in it's superiority. And I want to share that. But I want to be above board with it. Anyway, let me know what masterclass you want. My ones on pourovers flopped haha!
@@LanceHedrick I actually used your tips on the Chemex filter so that it was 2 x 2 fold vs 3 x 1, so that was awesome. Aeropress techniques, maybe stuff on coffee beans and grinds, work flow, different kinds of tampers, etc. You seem to really know a lot about technique and chemistry of making a good brew, stuff that James Hoffmann really doesn’t dive into. That’s the stuff that fascinates me, a random RU-vid subscriber. Good luck, you’ve got the presence. With persistence I know you’re going to be a hit!
It has all the boxes ticked on features.. add to this, for once something is actually cheaper here in Aus .. but still not convinced. But it is a sensible proposition..
Easily the most technical and informative videos (I've seen several on your channel). One machine I had hoped you had already reviewed is the Slayer Single Group. I would very much like to know your opinion of that machine, thanks!!
Is this the best home espresso machine? In my experience, the short answer - No. Long answer - reliability of the build/availability of replacement parts is a major issue but don’t take my word for it, do your own research, have a look on the well known coffee forums and come to your own conclusions. Is it a machine capable of making tasty espresso and milk drinks when working properly? Yes, very capable indeed but that’s no good if the consumer is faced with constant faults and failures and a retail company that’s totally unwilling to support its owners outside the warranty period.
