Breville BES900 Dual Boiler - Owners thread

[Vinitasse]

Re: Breville BES900 Dual Boiler - Owners thread

Interesting. The Breville guys reckon they upgraded anything which failed at under 10 years of typical use in their warranty testing...

Hmmm... interesting. When I asked the following:

Silly question perhaps by why not put a proper full on commercial OPV in the BDB in the first place. Sure... the price might have to go up $40 or so but it is a serious machine and the people in the market for just such a machine certainly wouldnt be deterred by a few extra tenners for something a bit more rugged and commercial.

You replied with this:

Pretty easy CW. Its not a commercial machine and its built to a price point.

Therefore, perhaps SS and partner would like an OPV that was NOT built to a price point and choose to install something more in line with a true prosumer machine... after all... this is Coffee Snobs so when did we start sniping at people for modding or improving their machines?

[TC]

Re: Breville BES900 Dual Boiler - Owners thread

Hello CW. Thats one fair old extrapolation....

Pretty much everything I have including the Breville (and my GS/3) is built to a price point.

If Breville have test results to state that something lasts for 10 years in testing for their warranty of 2 years on the machine, that cuts it for me as its hard data, not just an opinion. My valve performs in exactly the way it was intended and I dont assume that I know more than the design and engineering team of the machine. I have huge respect that they have created such a good machine at this price point.

I have been without my GS/3 for a few weeks as there is not a single boiler o-ring in Australia. The Breville has filled the gap created and done so admirably.

Any owner can modify as much as desired and then repair away if required after modification. In this case, I doubt that the modification would make for any improvement whatsoever. It would be unfair to expect Breville to pick up the pieces with support once the box is cracked though.

We could propose a whole heap of work in both directions along the pathway from the valve to create the first KVDW inspired Breville Speedfreak and all for the cost of a Speedster. It still wouldnt be a Speedster though. :-?

[shapeshifter]

Re: Breville BES900 Dual Boiler - Owners thread

Hey CW, funny you should say that, I distinctly remember saying very early on (its in one of the threads here somewhere) when Breville was talking about some problems that they should give it to my OH and he would fix it in no time and more than likely improve on it ;D

I do find the attitude strange in Australia, the americans are modding theirs almost the day they get them.

My money, my choice, sure the average person will probably not do what we do but then were not the average person.

I have no problem with telling people what we are doing because it is our choice and we wear the consequences of those choices without a care in the world

[avsv63]

Re: Breville BES900 Dual Boiler - Owners thread

Well must say a big thank you to Phil for turning a really bad experience into a fantastic one.
In many ways what goes  around comes around..... family, friends and now my own (Im a Real-estate agent  here) customers have placed 4 more orders for machines here in Adelaide.

[dr.a.j.pickering]

Re: Breville BES900 Dual Boiler - Owners thread

the americans are modding theirs almost the day they get them.

Really why, without using it how do you know what needs moding?

or again is it a case moding what you can get to.

Sounds a bit like the school boys who tie there tie really short or backwards so the thin bit is on show.

Its done to be different but they dont look better

My money, my choice

I agree mod away, but why a bit which functions as designed (when adjusted properly) and which once modified will make no difference to the coffee :-?

[frenchey55]

Re: Breville BES900 Dual Boiler - Owners thread

Hi there Snobs. New member here and this is my story. I have just moved from using the EM6910 & EM4080 to the BDB with Smart Grinder.
Now Im finding that whilst I can achieve a decent extraction within about 30secs, I can not seem to get that thick, honey-like pour that is seen in Phils videos.
The coffee is from a local roaster, about 10 days along. I am using the single wall, double basket. Tamping at 15kg.
Is this simply a characteristic of the bean I am using or something else?

[Rusty]

Re: Breville BES900 Dual Boiler - Owners thread

Is this simply a characteristic of the bean I am using or something else?

Could be any or all of the following:

1. The bean as you suggested. Have you used the bean in the EM6910 with different result?

2. Under dosing.

3. Grind too coarse.

4. Machine not at operating temperature.

[frenchey55]

Re: Breville BES900 Dual Boiler - Owners thread

Thanks for the quick reply Rusty.
And yes I have used the bean with the 6910 with a similar result.
If I grind finer, the extraction can take up to 50 secs. (but still doesnt resemble a honey type of consistency)
If I grind coarser, then it gushes out too quickly.
Maybe I do need to change beans.

[frenchey55]

Re: Breville BES900 Dual Boiler - Owners thread

I should also add that I am following Phils recommended strategy of having the cap on the tamper, level with the top of the basket after tamping.
The machine is also at the 93 degree temp before use.

[Rusty]

Re: Breville BES900 Dual Boiler - Owners thread

Maybe I do need to change beans.

I dont think youll get any arguement about that :

[>mcknightp]

Re: Breville BES900 Dual Boiler - Owners thread

Hi there Snobs. New member here and this is my story. I have just moved from using the EM6910 & EM4080 to the BDB with Smart Grinder.
Now Im finding that whilst I can achieve a decent extraction within about 30secs, I can not seem to get that thick, honey-like pour that is seen in Phils videos.
The coffee is from a local roaster, about 10 days along. I am using the single wall, double basket. Tamping at 15kg.
Is this simply a characteristic of the bean I am using or something else?

Hi & welcome. One thing you dont mention is how that coffee tastes? Ive found over many kgs of expereince, when you know a coffee/machine combo well, you really begin to access things before tasting, just on the appearance of the pour alone. Dont get too hung up on the look of the pour to begin with. Extract, taste, access & makes any necessary changes to dose, grind & brewtemp based on whats in the cup. Only change one variable at a time & assess the impact of that change on the cup. With the BDB Ive found using the shot clock is a really great guide to how close you are to your optimum extraction. Using the double basket I look for extractions that drop from somewhere between 10 & 14secs depending on the coffee Im using, its age etc.

Cheers, Phil

[frenchey55]

Re: Breville BES900 Dual Boiler - Owners thread

Thanks for your response Phil. I have to say that I am finding the taste of my coffee is pretty good, even if the extraction seems a little thin.
However, I do think that the BDB and Smart Grinder are a real pleasure to use, after about 6 years with the Sunbeam combo.

[>mcknightp]

Re: Breville BES900 Dual Boiler - Owners thread

So what pressure are you seeing on the gauge during a "normal" extraction?

Cheers, Phil

[frenchey55]

Re: Breville BES900 Dual Boiler - Owners thread

Usually between 9 & 11 bars.

[sn0b]

Re: Breville BES900 Dual Boiler - Owners thread

for the owners of BCG800
I know this varies, but what settings do you use to fill the basket properly?

My first shot with both machines was heavenly, somehow I messed it up and unsure on how it was.