Espresso Machine Review: Breville Dual Boiler BES900XL

A quick note before you read on: the Breville Dual Boiler BES900XL reviewed below has since been discontinued — Breville has released several newer models in the years since I wrote this. I'm still a loyal Breville customer (my Breville Smart Grinder is still going strong daily), so rather than point you to one specific model that will likely also be discontinued in a few years, I'd recommend browsing Breville's current espresso machine lineup at Amazon and reading the latest reviews to find what suits your budget today. Everything below still holds true as a guide to what makes a great prosumer machine, and why I fell in love with mine.

Review of the Breville Dual Boiler BES900XL Espresso Machine

It didn't start out that I was going to buy a Breville "Dual Boiler." I'd been happily pumping out espresso shots with a Gaggia Evolution for about five years (original Gaggia Evolution review here). Five years is a long time to keep a domestic espresso machine running, something achievable mainly by only ever using distilled water like I have the whole time. (I distill my own using this water distiller.) But it came down to either having the Gaggia serviced — I suspected it needed a new gasket around the group head, since there was a small stream of water coming out of the center of the filter basket during extraction — or replacing it. So off I went to Amazon to see what was available. Just like when I went looking to replace my grinder, one review led to another and I ended up on the page for Breville's "Dual Boiler" BES900XL. I read all the reviews on Amazon and searched the web, and everything seemed to agree this was a well-designed machine that would only improve on my old Gaggia. What's more, it had a double boiler, which meant proper milk steaming too.

I've now lived with this machine for years, and I've never had one regret about the purchase.

Here's what's to love about the Breville "Dual Boiler" BES900XL

• Most important of all, it turns out the most amazing crema-rich espresso shots I could only imagine getting from behind a commercial machine in my old barista days, without fail every time.
• As its name suggests, it's a "double boiler" machine — one tank stores and heats water for the espresso, another for steaming milk. This matters because steaming milk needs water near boiling point, which is far too hot for brewing espresso. Most domestic-grade machines are single-boiler, which is why I've always recommended foaming milk with an Aerolatte whisk if you have a single-boiler machine (read my post on foaming milk, which includes a video of using an Aerolatte whisk). The steam from this machine's wand is as good as anything you'll see on a commercial café machine.
• Extraction pressure comes from a 15-bar Italian pump, controlled down to 9 bars at the group head by an over-pressure valve (OPV). A dial on the front displays the pressure in bars during extraction.
• Water temperature is controlled with PID — a controller that continuously monitors and adjusts to maintain a set value, the same principle behind cruise control in a car. On the BES900XL, you can set your extraction temperature within a range and the PID keeps it there (mine's set to 200°F/93°C). Even the group head itself is heated separately for constant temperature at every point.
• Extraction can be done via the pre-set timed single or double shot buttons, or manually to your own judgment — and the factory timings for the single/double buttons can be customized.
• Pre-infusion is included. Rather than slamming the coffee puck with full pressure from the start, pre-infusion lets water enter at a lower, controlled pressure first, saturating the grounds and letting any small cracks in the puck fill in before full pressure is applied. This helps prevent water channeling through cracks and causing a poor extraction — pre-infusion is designed to all but eliminate that. I've never had a single poor extraction from this machine.

Cool Design Details

Apart from the technical details above, here are the design touches I love:

• No need to worry about the machine's weight — a dial under the easily removed drip tray lifts it onto three wheels (two front, one back), making it fully maneuverable. That same weight also means it won't slide when you lock the portafilter into place.
• A compartment under the machine, accessible via the drip tray, stores the filter baskets not currently in use.
• The overall design is sleek, with a brushed stainless-steel finish and smart backlit buttons and displays.
• Auto power-on: set the machine to turn itself on at a set time each day so it's warmed up and ready when you are.
• Auto power-off: the machine shuts off after 4 hours of idle time, so there's no need to worry whether you turned it off before leaving.
• Built-in hot water dispenser — perfect for Americanos or quickly heating a cup.
• A backlit water level indicator, viewable from the front, tells you when it's time to distill more water.
• The water tank fills from the front top or the back — though it's hard to imagine using the back option when the front is right there.
• The steam wand connects via a ball joint, so it moves freely in any direction.
• A silicone finger ring on the steam wand lets you move it without burning yourself.
• The steam lever has a quarter-turn range, giving you easy control over steam pressure.
• Every setting behind the automatic single and double-shot buttons is customizable — pre-infusion pressure and duration, overall extraction time, and extraction temperature.
• A large cup-warming surface sits on top of the machine.

Two caveats

• The machine is reasonably large and tall. You'll need more counter space than with many domestic machines, and at least 15in/38cm of clearance underneath your kitchen cabinets — and that doesn't account for cups sitting on the warming surface.
• You'll fall in love with this machine, so be prepared for some domestic rivalry as your spouse, partner, or pets vie for attention! You might also find friends dropping by for a latte or flat white rather than paying for one at their usual coffee shop. Start charging now!

The down-and-dirty

This is a "prosumer" espresso machine — with one of these, you're really stepping up into the role of home barista. I'm here to help with that, with my step-by-step guide to making espresso like a pro at home. A machine like this costs more than many domestic options, but it's worth it. If this is your passion and it's within budget — did I hear a shout of "coffee snob"? — don't look past this class of machine.

If you're an aspiring home barista without that kind of budget right now, the Gaggia Evolution or Gaggia Classic (Gaggia reviewed here) served me very well for seven years. Whatever machine you choose, stretch your investment further with a water distiller and use only distilled water — it prevents limescale buildup in the internal plumbing and will add years to your machine's life compared to using tap or fridge-dispenser water. Over time, that more than pays for itself against the cost of buying an expensive coffee out every day. Cheers!

Ready to look at current options? Take a look at Breville's full espresso machine range at Amazon and read the latest reviews to find the right one for your budget.

Related Reading

• 9 Steps to Perfect Espresso at Home
• Recommendation for an Affordable Espresso Machine
• Coffee Grinder Recommendation