A home coffee brewer is a dream come true for any coffee enthusiast. Every coffeeholic can testify of those irritating scenarios where you crave the perfect cup of coffee but end up settling for the bleak taste of instant coffees because the good stuff is too far away or simply unavailable.
With your own coffee machine in the kitchen or at your workplace, you never have to struggle to get a good cup of coffee again. In this product review, we share our take on the Breville Oracle Espresso Machine and tell you exactly why this is our favourite coffee brewer of 2022 and why it is the best gift to offer the coffee lover in your life.
The Breville Oracle BES980XL Product Review
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There are quite a few different types of coffee machines available online and a great many of them are much more compact and more affordable than the Breville Oracle. But if you ever tried this machine then you will undoubtedly have a tough time switching back to cheaper models.
This advanced coffee maker is a full-scale barista machine moulded into a compact size. It is an ideal piece of equipment for making anything from a simple black coffee to restaurant-quality beverages that is sure to thrill all your friends and family.
Product Specifications
Machine dimensions: 44.4 x 53.6 x 46.1 Centimetres
Weight: 400 Grams
Reservoir capacity: 2.5 Litres
Colour: Silver
Materials: Stainless Steel
Power: 1100 Watts / 220 – 240 Volts
Tamper pressure: 9 Bar
Interface: LDC Screen with button control
Modes: Grind, single shot, double shot, hot water, long black and steam
Built-in grinder: Automatic grinding and tamping
Grinder bin: Mini bin included
Milk frothier: Self-cleaning steam wand is automatic or manual
Warming duration: 5 to 7 minutes from start
Heating system: Dual boiler
Pros
- Automatic coffee grinding
- Automatic coffee tamp
- Automatic or manual milk frothing
- Also allows manual control for precision brewing
- Easy enough for complete beginners to use
- The dual boiler is ideal for multi-tasking
- Produces fine tasting coffee
- Extremely easy to clean and maintain
Cons
- Some buyers feel it is pricey
- The large machine can take up a lot of counter space
Reasons to Love the Breville Oracle Espresso Machine
The Oracle has many great features to love. When you consider all its features and the functionality of the machine, it becomes quite clear that a lot of careful planning went into its pristine design. Here is a quick look at some of the main features of this elite coffee brewer.
Automatic Grinding and Tamping
Coffee made from pre-ground beans just can’t compete with the rich fragrance and fine taste of coffees that are made from freshly ground coffee beans.
With many other coffee machines, you either have to buy ground coffee beans or you need to invest in an additional coffee grinder. But that is not the case with the Breville Oracle.
This coffee machine has a small bean hopper fitted on the top and it will automatically grind your coffee beans for you. But that is not all. You can also adjust the grind size of your beans to your liking. Those who prefer an extra-strong coffee can set the grinder on a fine setting while those who prefer a weaker coffee can set it on a coarser level.
The ground coffee beans are then dunked into the stainless steel tamper and are then pressured with a 9lb force level to create a compact coffee pod that is perfect for brewing.
Quick Brewing
Once your coffee pod has been created, you can lock it into position in the brewing section of the barista machine. The brewing section is pretty easy to use since you can choose between a single and double espresso with the push of a button.
There is however plenty of room for barista experts to explore because it also has a long black function that allows you to adjust the size and strength of the brewed coffee shot manually.
In addition to these brewing settings, there is also a hot water function so you can add water to your cup for beverages like an Americano, lungo, long black, or a plazzo coffee.
Since the Oracle is a double boiler, you can brew coffee and steam milk at the same time. This is a terrific function to save you some time on those fluffy milk coffees.
Auto or Manual Frothing
The BES980XL coffee brewer is ideal for those who love creamy coffees like lattes, cappuccinos, cortados, mochas, or flat white coffee because it comes with a built-in milk steamer.
This built-in milk frother is very easy to use. All you need to do is add milk to the little stainless steel milk jug, set the steamer temperature, and flip the switch to auto and it will instantly start frothing the milk. Baristas love the steamer on this machine because it also has a manual function so you can whip up froth or foam to a thickness you like.
Easy Auto Cleaning and Refilling
No one likes to scrub loads of small components every time they whip up a single cup of coffee. If your coffee machine is difficult to clean, it is only going to end up unused in the back of the cupboard.
The Breville Oracle is easy to clean and maintain – one of the main reasons it is our favourite coffee brewer. Let’s take a quick look at the breakdown of maintenance and cleaning requirements for this handy machine.
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Water reservoir refilling and cleaning
At the back of the coffee machine, you will find a large 2.5 litre reservoir that can detach from the machine so you can easily give it a thorough clean. Inside this reservoir, you will also find a small water filtration system. Yes, you can use tap water in your barista machine and the filter is replaceable – How fantastic is that?
The better news about this water reservoir is that you don’t have to open it at the back to fill it up. If you want to refill the tank, you can simply pop open a small hatch on top of the machine to fill it.
Grinder refilling and cleaning
The coffee grinder is also pretty easy to clean since the little hopper detaches from the machine and there are few compartments to keep track of.
Milk Steamer Cleaning
The milk frother has an auto-cleaning function. After frothing thick foam and wiping down the spout, it will send out a forced jet of steam that is caught by the drip tray to thoroughly clean the spout on the inside.
Brewer Cleaning
The brewer section of the Breville also has an auto-cleaning function. To clean this section of the machine, you can place a cleaning disk inside the stainless steel tamper and lock it in place. Next, you can only select the auto cleaning function and the coffee machine will automatically wash all interior components. When it is done flushing, it will automatically shut off.
Drip Tray Cleaning
The drip tray on the brewing machine is pretty impressive since it has a larger capacity compared to most coffee machines.
When the drip tray is full, a small lever will lift up to indicate that you need to empty it. The drip tray is very easy to detach from the main unit so you can thoroughly clean it in the sink.
Other Important Features
Besides its basic functionality, the coffee machine consists of quite a few additional features you might love. Here is a quick look at other design elements that might be a tiebreaker when you are comparing this fine quality machine to other more affordable units.
Sleek design
With dimensions of 44.4 x 53.6 x 46.1 centimetres, this coffee machine certainly does take up a lot more space than mini brewers that you can pick up at a very affordable price. But we love how sleek the coffee machine is even though it might seem bulky.
All components are fitted in its boxy design so there is no freestanding milk frothier or grinder that can clutter up your countertop.
Loose components like the cord and tools are also securely tucked away inside the coffee machine because it features cord storage provisions and a small tool drawer that is hidden away behind the drip tray. This little tool drawer keeps accessories like screwdrivers and cleaning brushes nicely tucked away so you will never lose them.
Good mobility
The coffee machine only weighs about 400 grams but can be quite heavy once the reservoir and hopper have been filled. Despite the extra weight, it is pretty easy to move around on the counter. When you remove the drip tray, you can unlock the coffee machine’s wheels.
This ingenious design feature allows you to easily turn the machine around so you can access the water reservoir or slide it sideways on the counter so you can clean up spills below the machine.
Just remember to turn the lock back on before attempting to return the drip tray because it won’t slide in unless the wheels are firmly secured on your kitchen counter.
Timer and auto on
Coffee in bed can finally become a reality because the Breville Oracle has a timer and is programmable. You can program the coffee machine to turn on and brew coffee at a set time.
For this feature to function you will, of course, have to grind the coffee beans and lock the pod into place beforehand. This preparation phase can result in a slight loss of flavour since your beans will no longer be freshly ground. But a slight aroma sacrifice is probably one you are willing to make if you have a tough time getting out of bed in the morning.
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Who Should Buy the Oracle Coffee Brewer?
The coffee brewer isn’t the cheapest machine on the market which is exactly why you might want to make sure that it is the right fit for you or the right gift to offer a partner. Here is a quick look at the type of people who are most likely to fully appreciate this fine appliance.
Those Who Drink Milk
If you take your coffee black or are lactose intolerant then you might need to rethink this coffee machine. It is a fine machine for brewing black coffee and for making a wide range of milk coffee recipes. But the steam wand is going to be a complete waste if you take your coffee black, especially since you can get a much cheaper machine if you pick one that doesn’t come with this additional feature.
Those Who Have Lots of Space
The Breville is bulky and might not be a good investment if you have a teeny tiny kitchen. There are quite a few semi-automatic machines that are a lot more affordable and a lot more compact in size that might be a better fit.
Those Who Want To Splurge
If you love luxury appliances or enjoy spoiling a loved one with top-quality gifts without even glancing at the price tag then this certainly is a good coffee brewer to consider. But those who might be shopping on a tight budget can find it hard to commit to this unit.
Small Businesses and Offices
The Breville Oracle is an ideal coffee machine for office use and for small diners. It won’t give you the functionality of a professional-grade barista machine but it is an ideal tool for a coffee bar since you can make a wide range of fine-tasting coffee and cater to a wide range of coffee snobs.
Review Summary and Takeaway
The Breville Oracle Espresso Machine is a perfect coffee machine for anyone who wants something durable that can whip up great-tasting coffee. This all-in-one barista machine is ideal for complete beginners who want to learn how to make luxury coffee as well as for coffee snobs who already mastered their brewing skills.
When you consider the many features of this automatic coffee maker then it becomes pretty easy to see why it is our favourite coffee machine of 2022. But if you feel that this coffee machine might be a bit too bulky or too much then you should have a look at some of the other product reviews we have on Only Coffee Lovers. With our coffee site, you can find helpful information on all the best coffee presses, machines, beans, and accessories to get for your coffee bar.
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