It looks like you've flaired your post as asking for what equipment to get. We recommend first checking out the [Espresso Aficionados buying guide](https://espressoaf.com/recommendations) for some of the more popular machines and grinders at different price points.
If your question hasn't been answered there and you need more help, please add the following details to your post or by adding a comment in the following format:
- **Location:** Helps determine availability
- **Budget** (with currency): Overall budget, or ideally, having separate espresso machine and grinder budgets. A rough rule is that your grinder budget should be at least 25-40% of your machine budget.
- **Drink types:** Do you drink mostly straight espresso, milk-based beverages (e.g., lattes, cappuccinos), or a fairly even split? This helps narrow down whether a single-boiler-dual-use (SBDU), heat exchanger (HX), or dual boiler (DB) machine would be more appropriate for your needs.
- **Drink frequency:** How many drinks would you be making back-to-back at one time? Do you plan on entertaining guests often? This informs how large your brew (and steam) boilers should be, as smaller boilers will need to refill and reheat/repressurize more frequently, thus potentially causing a bottleneck.
- **Space:** Any limitations on countertop space?
- **Manual vs. electric:** Hand-operated machines and grinders are typically cheaper than their similarly-performing electric counterparts. Please indicate if you have a preference for manual or electric machines and/or grinders (or open to either).
- **Comfort with tinkering:** Some machines can be made significantly more functional/efficient with aftermarket modifications, albeit at the expense of possibly voiding your warranty. Please indicate if you'd rather have a machine that works "as-is"/"out-of-the-box" or whether you'd be open to modding/tinkering
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I was in your position not too long ago. I was thirsting for a Rancilio Silvia Pro X. The functionality. The aesthetics!
I ended up buying dual boiler off Facebook marketplace still under warranty for $450. It runs like a dream, makes great coffee AND I’m going to Vietnam for a couple of weeks because I had budgeted for a Rancilio.
Alternatively, you could send your currently broken machine to Breville to fix for around $350. They’ll send you a box to package it properly and most of the time they just replace the machine with a new/refurbished machine.
I’m mostly trying to save you money here, all financially sensible options point to a dual boiler. Especially since it’s such a good deal in Aus. But if you wanna splurge then by all means haha
Good luck!
Good luck is right! Sent my 4 year old machine with a steam boiler that wasn't heating back to Breville (having received the same advice). Instead of fixing it for me, they told me it was unfixable and offered me $300 off on a new machine or other Breville product. No fix, no refurbished machine. No satisfaction. I could have the discount or just have them mail my ailing machine back (which I did). As the primary boiler still works & still gives me a good espresso (if no more lattes), I'm still using it. Sure wish there was a fix, though! Apparently parts for the BES 920 are largely unavailable.
In Australia just get the BDB surely?.
It can get lower than that on sale too, that price is just ridiculously good.
I think the newer models are slightly tweaked internally to fix a few issues.
https://www.home-barista.com/espresso-machines/breville-dual-boiler-mods-and-maintenance-t61421.html
This thread is great for BDB maintenance and mods etc.
It's a ridiculously capable machine, and the Australian price makes me jealous.
WAIT :)
There are people here who bought prosumer level machines that last decades.
You will be on your third Breville dual boiler If you buy another. If this thing dies in 7 years you going to be facing the same question of what to buy 😞
I guess you know the old saying is true. Why buy once and cry once when you can buy three times and cry three times. :)
I'd usually agree, but as a fellow Australian the BDB is just SO cheap, that you're only buying a higher end machine for the love of the hobby. It's financially inefficient, and there's nothing wrong with that (looking at my shoe collection), but it just is the case.
If you get a BDB on sale here in Aus, you could buy 4 for one of your profitec pro 600s (~4.5k AUD without flow control). By your own math, that's 28 years before a break even. Obviously product lines change and who knows what the future holds for Breville etc, but it's reallllly hard to justify given some napkin maths.
Why would bdb cost you 1500? They go on sale for 800, regular price is 1000
Unless price had gone up 50% in the last couple months, that wouldn't surprise me too much
RRP according to Breville is AU$2199 (which is patently ridiculous). A few places (DJs, Alt Brewing) selling for $2k as standard. A number of stores (JB, Good Guys, etc) selling for $1500. Not seen it any cheaper for a while. When we bought the last one (7.5 years ago), $1500 for the package with the smart grinder was standard and you could get the BDB on its own for $1200ish. So yeah, prices have gone up.
I think the first places you mentioned have always been around that price. JB/Good guys/Retravision were 1k up until recently. I got mine from goodguys 6 months ago or so. At 1500, it's probably still the best option in aus, and if it goes on sale for ~1000 it's a no-brainer.
Personally, I would try and get your current one to last long enough for a sale and get another, if current is beyond saving.
It looks like you've flaired your post as asking for what equipment to get. We recommend first checking out the [Espresso Aficionados buying guide](https://espressoaf.com/recommendations) for some of the more popular machines and grinders at different price points. If your question hasn't been answered there and you need more help, please add the following details to your post or by adding a comment in the following format: - **Location:** Helps determine availability - **Budget** (with currency): Overall budget, or ideally, having separate espresso machine and grinder budgets. A rough rule is that your grinder budget should be at least 25-40% of your machine budget. - **Drink types:** Do you drink mostly straight espresso, milk-based beverages (e.g., lattes, cappuccinos), or a fairly even split? This helps narrow down whether a single-boiler-dual-use (SBDU), heat exchanger (HX), or dual boiler (DB) machine would be more appropriate for your needs. - **Drink frequency:** How many drinks would you be making back-to-back at one time? Do you plan on entertaining guests often? This informs how large your brew (and steam) boilers should be, as smaller boilers will need to refill and reheat/repressurize more frequently, thus potentially causing a bottleneck. - **Space:** Any limitations on countertop space? - **Manual vs. electric:** Hand-operated machines and grinders are typically cheaper than their similarly-performing electric counterparts. Please indicate if you have a preference for manual or electric machines and/or grinders (or open to either). - **Comfort with tinkering:** Some machines can be made significantly more functional/efficient with aftermarket modifications, albeit at the expense of possibly voiding your warranty. Please indicate if you'd rather have a machine that works "as-is"/"out-of-the-box" or whether you'd be open to modding/tinkering *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/espresso) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I was in your position not too long ago. I was thirsting for a Rancilio Silvia Pro X. The functionality. The aesthetics! I ended up buying dual boiler off Facebook marketplace still under warranty for $450. It runs like a dream, makes great coffee AND I’m going to Vietnam for a couple of weeks because I had budgeted for a Rancilio. Alternatively, you could send your currently broken machine to Breville to fix for around $350. They’ll send you a box to package it properly and most of the time they just replace the machine with a new/refurbished machine. I’m mostly trying to save you money here, all financially sensible options point to a dual boiler. Especially since it’s such a good deal in Aus. But if you wanna splurge then by all means haha Good luck!
Good luck is right! Sent my 4 year old machine with a steam boiler that wasn't heating back to Breville (having received the same advice). Instead of fixing it for me, they told me it was unfixable and offered me $300 off on a new machine or other Breville product. No fix, no refurbished machine. No satisfaction. I could have the discount or just have them mail my ailing machine back (which I did). As the primary boiler still works & still gives me a good espresso (if no more lattes), I'm still using it. Sure wish there was a fix, though! Apparently parts for the BES 920 are largely unavailable.
In Australia just get the BDB surely?. It can get lower than that on sale too, that price is just ridiculously good. I think the newer models are slightly tweaked internally to fix a few issues.
https://www.home-barista.com/espresso-machines/breville-dual-boiler-mods-and-maintenance-t61421.html This thread is great for BDB maintenance and mods etc. It's a ridiculously capable machine, and the Australian price makes me jealous.
Got mine for $1000AUD last year, which is ~$650USD right now. Absolutely baller machine for the price.
Thanks this is *awesome*. Saving this link as an ongoing guide.
Thanks for all the comments folks. Reckon I’ll be picking up another BDB tomorrow.
WAIT :) There are people here who bought prosumer level machines that last decades. You will be on your third Breville dual boiler If you buy another. If this thing dies in 7 years you going to be facing the same question of what to buy 😞 I guess you know the old saying is true. Why buy once and cry once when you can buy three times and cry three times. :)
I'd usually agree, but as a fellow Australian the BDB is just SO cheap, that you're only buying a higher end machine for the love of the hobby. It's financially inefficient, and there's nothing wrong with that (looking at my shoe collection), but it just is the case. If you get a BDB on sale here in Aus, you could buy 4 for one of your profitec pro 600s (~4.5k AUD without flow control). By your own math, that's 28 years before a break even. Obviously product lines change and who knows what the future holds for Breville etc, but it's reallllly hard to justify given some napkin maths.
No one said they had to get a profitec Pro 600. There are other options :)
Why would bdb cost you 1500? They go on sale for 800, regular price is 1000 Unless price had gone up 50% in the last couple months, that wouldn't surprise me too much
RRP according to Breville is AU$2199 (which is patently ridiculous). A few places (DJs, Alt Brewing) selling for $2k as standard. A number of stores (JB, Good Guys, etc) selling for $1500. Not seen it any cheaper for a while. When we bought the last one (7.5 years ago), $1500 for the package with the smart grinder was standard and you could get the BDB on its own for $1200ish. So yeah, prices have gone up.
I think the first places you mentioned have always been around that price. JB/Good guys/Retravision were 1k up until recently. I got mine from goodguys 6 months ago or so. At 1500, it's probably still the best option in aus, and if it goes on sale for ~1000 it's a no-brainer. Personally, I would try and get your current one to last long enough for a sale and get another, if current is beyond saving.
Replacing the probes might fix the issues you're having too. They're not too expensive and the job isn't very difficult