Breville BES920 Dual Boiler - Owners thread

[jnorwood]

Hi all,

Been having a few issues with my BES920 recently which led me to changing the coffee brew pump and putting new o-ring seals throughout the machine.. this is in addition to replacing the solenoid valve about 6 months ago.

I was closing up the machine after installing the new pump and found this..
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ivu7JiF95tSLFXeV6

This connection is from the steam opv to the steam boiler. So much scale build up that in attempting to remove the fitting the plastic hose came off and the nipple is stuck inside the boiler opening along with the o-ring.

Anyone swapped out the steam boiler in one of these machines before/are the parts even available/is it even worth the effort or am I better off just turfing this unit and buying s new one? I’ve got a solid 5 years out of it now.

Cheers

[theonetruepath]

Hi all,

Been having a few issues with my BES920 recently which led me to changing the coffee brew pump and putting new o-ring seals throughout the machine.. this is in addition to replacing the solenoid valve about 6 months ago.

I was closing up the machine after installing the new pump and found this..
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ivu7JiF95tSLFXeV6

This connection is from the steam opv to the steam boiler. So much scale build up that in attempting to remove the fitting the plastic hose came off and the nipple is stuck inside the boiler opening along with the o-ring.

Anyone swapped out the steam boiler in one of these machines before/are the parts even available/is it even worth the effort or am I better off just turfing this unit and buying s new one? I’ve got a solid 5 years out of it now.

Cheers

You are massively ahead of the game with 5 years of operation. Of course that's not a reason to chuck it, usually the opposite. But these machines are engineered to last 'at least two years' and many of them don't quite make that. So the componentry in general is not going to be much chop after three years let alone 5. To proceed with repairs on this machine is now a hobby not a paying proposition. IMO of course. So in other words, only if you like working on intransigent failing machinery. I don't, many do.

[BOR15]

Hi all,

Been having a few issues with my BES920 recently which led me to changing the coffee brew pump and putting new o-ring seals throughout the machine.. this is in addition to replacing the solenoid valve about 6 months ago.

I was closing up the machine after installing the new pump and found this..
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ivu7JiF95tSLFXeV6

This connection is from the steam opv to the steam boiler. So much scale build up that in attempting to remove the fitting the plastic hose came off and the nipple is stuck inside the boiler opening along with the o-ring.

Anyone swapped out the steam boiler in one of these machines before/are the parts even available/is it even worth the effort or am I better off just turfing this unit and buying s new one? I’ve got a solid 5 years out of it now.

Cheers

You could look for a cheap on marketplace lace 920 that has problems. You can build the best of both units leaving yourself with parts.

[jnorwood]

Thanks for your input. I'd like to say I've taken good care of it but I obviously omitted to change the o-ring in that particular connection for the entire time I've owned the machine. In my defence it is quite hard to see ��

I think I've decided to upgrade to something that will last me a few decades. Love the look of the Lilit Bianca - just need to convince the other half that it's a justifiable purchase

[jnorwood]

Okay so the deed is done. Purchased a new machine today.. I can't seem to start a new thread in the hardware for sale section so given its relevant to any Breville DBer owners out there I'll just post it here.

BES920 Dual Boiler for sale - not in working condition.. see posts above. However would be very useful as a spares machine. I have replaced the following:

- Solenoid valve ($80 replaced June 19)
- Steamer ball arm valve ($88 June 19)
- New Ulka brewer pump ($35.95 Oct 19)
- Breville 900 series service kit ($17.95)

This is over $220 in parts I've recently put through the machine. Other than the service boiler the rest of the machine is in fine working condition to the best of my knowledge.

I'm only looking to recover the cost of the parts I recently installed into the machine including the postage I paid so I'm asking $250 for the machine. PM me if interested. Pick up from Greensborough, Victoria

Also selling the Breville Smart Grinder for $100

[rtyuiop]

Hi folks,

New dual boiler/smart grinder owner here... I've gotten my single shots to the point where I'm pretty happy with the taste, but if I switch to a double shot, I don't get quite the same taste, and the pressure gauge reads much lower than pulling a single shot. I think I'm using an equivalent dose (same grind coarsness, weight higher, and grounds to the same height according to the 'razor') in the double shot basket.

The other weirdness is actually with the single shot basket - it's leaving the puck 'stuck' to the shower screen, so I may be overdosing, but I can't figure out how. Perhaps relevant - with the single shot basket installed I think the whole assembly rotates further when locking it in... But the coffee is good!

Any suggestions? I am very much a novice with manual coffee machines, so it's likely I'm doing something stupid...

Thanks,

Danny

[level3ninja]

How many grams are you dosing in the single basket and how many in the double? You'll have to change your grind setting between the single and double baskets.

[rtyuiop]

14 grams in the single and from memory 21 in the double.

When changing from single to double I've been changing grind time to get to the weight I want, but not the fineness - should I be going finer for a double? I guess that could explain the underpressure with double shots?

Thanks,

Danny

[robusto]

Grind setting and extraction time should be the same for a single and double. The number of perforations in the baskets allow for the different coffee weight.

But 14 grams for a single seems waaay overweight, and in pedantic Italian terms would constitute a double (7 grams for a single).

Hence puck sticking to the shower screen. The opposite---having too little coffee -- results in a very watery puck.

[level3ninja]

In reality grind setting has to change for pretty much every brand of basket. Breville is no exception. Their singles are bigger than most but I think 12g is a better dose. 18-20g for the double. Sounds like you need to grind finer overall and dose a bit less. As a rule of thumb you normally need to grind finer for single baskets than for double baskets.

[rtyuiop]

Thanks folks. I will try going finer and lighter. I had major over extraction issues during my first attempt to dial things in, and maybe that set me down the path of too coarse a grind.

Pretty happy with the coffee taste regardless !

[Sullo]

I saw above somewhere someone asking silvia em7000 or bes920
Ive owned all three, wouldn't buy another silvia, great lil machine, emphasis on lil
now the bes900 I still own since it came out almost 10 years ago and have only replaced the solenoid and group seals, the pump and solenoid is now finally needing replacement and Im too lazy to repair it myself as I got hold of a em7000
despite reviews its a very capable machine, being twin block thermowhatsitcalled it heats up quick does great milk and once you dial in grinder for bes/em pulls a pretty decent shot.
Now my experience with machines is also an azkoyen bravo two group which I rebuilt myself, a grima mia few weeks ago and working on a nuova simonelli mac v atm.
The bes900 is a damn simple easy to use machine if you buy the dosing grinder. So a few cups each day a VERY VERY capable machine, now if you believe you can tell the difference in that the farmer watered his bean plants once a day or three and have such a discerning palate you MIGHT notice a difference, but not everyone has this ability, I certainly don't and well, I do believe some that reckon they can are full of starbucks….
In order Id get a bes900/920 then a em7000 THEN the silvia, I don't believe the capability of the boiler is up to task of several cups and milk. Did I buy one and thought the world of it hells yes I did. But I also had problems with the whole temp surfing marlarky.
Im older and in need of simple. The bes/em win outta these hands down.
Having said all that we currently have a EM7000 and Grima Mia at work now.
Rebuke my comments if you want Ill happily(read brgrudgingly) explain myself. And again one - three yeah go for the bling of a silvia, want something more consistant, em or bes.

Steve "I own too many coffee machines and love plagiarising Javphiles quotes thingy " Sullos

[PeterB666]

14 grams in the single and from memory 21 in the double.

These were the settings the supplier of the commercial machine was set up by our supplier (Iberital IB7). While it worked fine in the commercial machine, it was no-go for my home machine (Saeco SE50 which is similar to the Sunbeam Torino). The result was pucks stuck to the head regardless of the grind. Following a TAFE barista course, we set it to the more normal 7 for single and 14 for a double and it is so much better. The supplier also wanted us to buy their coffee.

For home use I use around 9 for a single and 14 for a double. These work fine and to be honest, really no difference in the strength of the coffee and minimal effect on the extraction which is far more dependent on the grind. With the higher dosage, no grind would result in anything other than the puck clinging to the shower head.

Suggest you try 7/14 which is what most machines are designed for and then adjust up if needed. It will depend on the shape of the basket and the grind as to the minimum that will fit in the basket and most seem to be set to take 7 single, 14 double (and 21 triple) as standard.

[TheDolphin]

I can't seem to find the BES920 for sale on its own. They only seem to come in the dynamic duo package but I don't want that as I already have a grinder.

Perhaps they are discontinuing these with a new model on the way? does anyone know?

[CafeLotta]

I can't seem to find the BES920 for sale on its own. They only seem to come in the dynamic duo package but I don't want that as I already have a grinder.

Could be a case of having a well priced product selling too well as it had no direct competition in it's price range. For a long time prices were as low as $640 odd to around $900. Now they're probably left with other products in a price range people aren't interested in such as the Duo set. Making the BES920 unavailable on its own won't sell the Duo set at it's comparatively inflated price as most people probably don't want or need the Breville Smart Grinder. If they inflate the price of the Breville Dual Boiler individually, the strong support it had will almost totally disappear I'd suggest.

P.S. The last listings I just came across for the BES920 at Myer and David Jones showed a price for the Dual Boiler of $1699!!!! Some bright spark at Breville probably saw masses of the Dual Boiler marching out the door when the special prices of $640 to $700 were available and thought we've got to cash in on this. The point is the price was the driving force behind the numbers jumping out of the warehouse and not the product itself. The longevity question mark was accepted at the lower price but is unacceptable at a higher price. A 10 year new for old replacement, no questions asked is the only thing that would even start to justify such price gouging.

In the profound words of Daryl Kerrigan, "Tell 'em they're dreaming!"