BES870 BES920 EM6910 EM7000 Choice Magazine rankings

[byronator]

As per the thread title Choice Magazine ranked these machine as follows (apologies for the formatting).

Overall Taste Ease of use Milk frothing Temp consistency
BES870 82% 85% 78% 80% 70%
BES920 81% 80% 82% 80% 100%
EM6910 80% 80% 77% 80% 100%
EM7000 78% 75% 80% 80% 90%

Please provide feedback as you see fit, do these scores bear any resemblance to members experience? Basically I had decided to buy a BES920 but I'm doing one last round of research for completeness.

Also what size filters do each of these machines use, does filter size influence taste? Choice mentions that the EM7000 has a commercial size filter basket, is this an important feature?

[LeroyC]

As per the thread title Choice Magazine ranked these machine as follows (apologies for the formatting).

Overall Taste Ease of use Milk frothing Temp consistency
BES870 82% 85% 78% 80% 70%
BES920 81% 80% 82% 80% 100%
EM6910 80% 80% 77% 80% 100%
EM7000 78% 75% 80% 80% 90%

Please provide feedback as you see fit, do these scores bear any resemblance to members experience? Basically I had decided to buy a BES920 but I'm doing one last round of research for completeness.

Also what size filters do each of these machines use, does filter size influence taste? Choice mentions that the EM7000 has a commercial size filter basket, is this an important feature?

How many machines of each particular model did they test? If they only tested one machine of each type then you can discount at least some of the results straight away. The only one of the four that doesn't have a 58mm PF is the BES870. Others are probably better placed to comment here, but I know that there are plenty of members that are very happy with their EM6910s and BES920s, whereas the BES870 usually sees people wanting to upgrade sooner rather than later and I believe the EM700 has some new design features that aren't that popular with the techs (is that right noidle?).

[byronator]

The only one of the four that doesn't have a 58mm PF is the BES870. Others are probably better placed to comment here, but I know that there are plenty of members that are very happy with their EM6910s and BES920s, whereas the BES870 usually sees people wanting to upgrade sooner rather than later and I believe the EM700 has some new design features that aren't that popular with the techs (is that right noidle?).

Your comments make sense to me, more so than the choice scores! There is nothing on the Choice review page that indicates value for money is a criteria, they're saying outright that the BES870 makes better tasting coffee than the BES920 which I find hard to believe.

[TC]

Always best to leave choice to evaluating toasters and kettles.

[chokkidog]

Always best to leave choice to evaluating toasters and kettles.

.......and even then. ;-D

but seriously, in the taste test all machines scored within 4 x 1/100ths of each other!!!

Must have some seriously good coffee tasters down there at Choice.

Load of bollocks.

[WantRancilio10]

I'm a member of choice. I don't recall reading anything coffee related useful.

Forums can be a great place for groupthink to thrive. But 'snobs membership is broad and deep enough to be pretty certain that the peer-reviewed assessments here are more reliable. The choice rankings defy everything I've read on the forum about those machines.

[GreenBeanGenii]

I'm a member of choice. I don't recall reading anything coffee related useful.

The choice rankings defy everything I've read on the forum about those machines.

Well said.

Yet another biased report (imho) of a topic. To boot, their new format makes life too hard to dissect a word easily. I have also noticed less users comments. They might be like me and just disenchanted with the company.

[noidle22]

Their temperature stability measurements were probably a milk thermometer into a cold cup with a shot poured onto it. Useless. I doubt they have a scace available.

The BES920 is the best and the other 3 are more or less the same in this regard. The other 3 use PID controlled thermocoils which all perform basically the same. I think the Sunbeam's would have an advantage over the 870 simply because of the increased thermal mass of their group head systems.

Personally: 920>7000>6910>870

Why did all 4 have the same milk frothing score? The 920 is the easiest and best, the EM7000 is more powerful than the EM6910 but the temperature sensor is a gimmick and the 870 uses the brew thermocoil to steam but does do a very good job of it.

Personally: 920>7000>6910>870

Overall taste is subjective and can have no real quantifiable measurement. Read other members experiences with each machine as a guide.

Personally (contrary to what I just said) I would go 920>870>7000>6910 (no OPV on the Sunbeam's)

Ease of use? They're machines with buttons and dials, it can't really be difficult.
I think the Breville's may have an advantage as they have instructions clearly printed on the water tank in regards to changing the charcoal filter and the cleaning cycle is prompted and is easier to do than the Sunbeam's.
Programming is more or less the same across the 4 and steam/hot water functions are simple.

Personally: 920>870>7000>6910

The 58mm baskets mean you can fit more coffee in and have a broader choice of tampers and filter baskets. The 870 has a 54mm basket and there are basically no aftermarket tampers or baskets for it.

[byronator]

Thanks noidle22, great information, you've confirmed my original decision. Although it seems that the BES920 is on the way out, The Good Guys and JB have stopped selling it and one online seller had it flagged as discontinued.

I remember reading a review of several home espresso machines 2 or 3 years ago performed by a few professional baristas. The machines ranged from very cheap manual machines to $3000 fully automatics. The verdict was that the BES900 was clearly the best and one of the baristas said the coffee produced was as good as a commercial machine. Ever since that review I've been aiming to upgrade to a BES900, that is until the BES920 came out.

[TC]

I just received a phone call from them.

They're interested in purchasing some gear (I won't steal their thunder) for their next round of "evaluations" by their team of "experts in coffee".

Don't think my suggestion that they can do a whole heap better went down all that well...

[yellowhornet]

Hi - I am looking at choosing between the 870 and the 6910 - I can get the 870 for $610 (from JB - lowest haggle price) and the 6910 for $549 (TGG - maybe a bit cheaper after haggling) - I only drink a couple of cups of flat white a day so which would be better for me (previously had a capsule machine) - Thanks

[LeroyC]

Hi - I am looking at choosing between the 870 and the 6910 - I can get the 870 for $610 (from JB - lowest haggle price) and the 6910 for $549 (TGG - maybe a bit cheaper after haggling) - I only drink a couple of cups of flat white a day so which would be better for me (previously had a capsule machine) - Thanks

Unless there's a real compelling reason get the 870 due to it having an inbuilt grinder I would go for the 6910 every time. Just make sure you partner it with a half decent grinder, something like a Sunbeam EM0480 or either the Breville Smart Grinder or Dose Control at the least.

[yellowhornet]

Thanks - the Sunbeam comes with a Grinder included (looks like it is a EM0480) - been trying to justify the price for a BES920 but can't justify the price for the amount of coffee I drink.

[WantRancilio10]

Unless there's a real compelling reason get the 870 due to it having an inbuilt grinder I would go for the 6910 every time. Just make sure you partner it with a half decent grinder, something like a Sunbeam EM0480 or either the Breville Smart Grinder or Dose Control at the least.

+1
compelling reason - eg bench space is an issue.
if the 870 machine or grinder broke (outside warranty) would you bother to get it fixed? If not, you're starting from scratch. If you want to upgrade the machine or grinder, you would need to replace both.

[LeroyC]

Thanks - the Sunbeam comes with a Grinder included (looks like it is a EM0480) - been trying to justify the price for a BES920 but can't justify the price for the amount of coffee I drink.

Many people have started with that very combo and had years of happy service from it. Geez I'm even more than satisfied with my little Sunbeam EM4820 at work, so I'm sure you'll be quite happy. Just make sure you get some shims with the grinder as this is the only thing that might need to be done to get those two working well together.