Breville BCG800 Smart Grinder

[sads]

Are any reps available to comment on this increasingly common issue of slipping?

Simply want to know if it is economical and curable by replacing parts or if the machine is a write off.

[paulau]

Mine has starting doing this slipping thing, and grinding to fine also. Mine is well out of warranty.

Any ideas on a fix?

[bxp]

Just purchased another one of these for $199 shipped through Myer. Happy with the first one so now I'll have two on the bench, one for regular and one for decaf. :-)

[cookychan]

Hi Sads, I am in the same boat. My grinder has been playing over the last few months. The problem first occurred about 4 weeks outside of warranty. Mine is a strange issue. It's grinding too fine and doesn't get any coarser even after removing all the shims and changing the grinder setting to the coarsest setting. As a result of being super fine the clutch engages if more then 1 bean is fed through at a time and it is so fine that my BES900 can't push a shot through. not even close. I have cleaned and reset the machine numberous times and fiddle with the grind size back and forth. A couple of times it has 'reset' itself and started to grind correctly but this seems to have been as a result of random turning of the knobs. THen all of a sudden it will click back into grinding the coffee super fine again. Frusting because it's like the grinder is working too well!

Assume cost of repair could be more than $50 and perhaps it might be useful for someone for spare parts or repair. Not sure I'll get anywhere if I try to take it apart.

[sads]

Unfortunately my BCG800 motor has also started to slip. I've always kept it clean inside, being extra thorough since slipping started, but it has gotten worse to a point it now no longer grinds (constant slip)
Mine is about 2 years and 6 months old, performing duties of around 5 aeropress grindings per week - so definitely not demanding or excessive.

There seems to have been quite a few posts about this topic, but most being replaced under warranty. However what I am chasing is information on what the fix would likely cost and what is involved for an out of warranty machine.

Breville have kindly offered a new machine at a reduction from RRP as a good will gesture, but I am unlikely to take up this offer as the money would be better spent on a different machine IMO. Having said that i'd still happily opt to repair the current machine if it could be done around the $50 mark, as I don't want a forced upgrade if i can help it - hence my query if anyone knew what replacement parts were involved for a guaranteed fix to this slipping problem.

[dan1337]

I purchased the BCG800 yesterday and have had issues with grind size. I'm getting a <15s double shot with very hard tamp on my Gaggia Classic on the finest setting.

It's a 13xx series grinder and I have checked that it comes with no shims, so it appears that the newer machines still have the issue many others have had with earlier machines.

Have contacted Breville for a shim kit so hopefully I get it in a reasonable time over the festive period.

[mctubster]

Interesting ... my BCG800 clogged up a couple of years ago, and I found a white fibrous material jammed in with coffee grinds in the exit path (front RHS) ... I thought there had been something mixed in with my beans, but perhaps it was part of the grinder after all.

Cheers

[herbie]

My one year old BCG800 motor started to labor and became worse until the clutch started to slip a little. I removed the burrs and vacuumed and brushed the cog underneath the burrs which pushed the ground coffee into the exit shute. After reassembly the grinder was no better. I repeated the cleaning procedure and this time the cog stuck to the vacuum cleaner nozzle and came off the shaft revealing a small strip of felt which I believe was a broken felt washer that had become dislodged into the exit shute. I then discovered that the brushing and vacuuming I had done previously had not completely cleaned the exit shute of grinds which until the cog was removed was not visible. Since reassembling the grinder the motor has run normal speed and grinds perfectly even better than before. I am hoping this post may help others who have experienced similar problems as there seems to have been quite a few posts about this topic.

[Dazzler]

Sadly my SG also succumbed to the stripped internal gear sound and no more grinding.

This seems rather common reading the posts above.

Took it to the Breville service centre in Ashburton, but it is 25 months old. Out of warranty. Wait to see Breville's response and/or price of repair vs replace.

[klinkpc]

To answer my own question:
The grinder was faulty. Breville agreed to replace the unit - very polite service over the phone. The new machine works well.

[klinkpc]

I have just picked up a smart grinder and have everything going well except that I cannot get it to auto stop. I set it to one dose and have moved the dosage to the far left of the dial. I press the start button ( not hold) and it grinds to way past overflowing the portafilter. Any ideas?

[Craigs90]

Been using my grinder for 6mths and it just gave up this morning. Sounded like a stripped internal gear, course grind wax ok but as soon as it got down to fine grind gear slip. Rang Breville and no worries just take it back with invoice and change it over. Thank god I bloody missed my coffee this morning.

[Roubaix]

Does anyone know if Breville sell a burr set (top and bottom) for the smart grinder?

[Barry_Duncan]

Interesting to see that the Catler versions of the Breville machines have a 3 year warranty.

Barry

[kissmycoffeeart]

A popular subject this. I emailed breville tech support for assistance when I couldn't achieve a slow enough pour on the finest grind setting. They sent me the shim kit and I carefully installed it. Some trial and error was required to find the right shim which would produce a finer grind without damaging the burrs. I am happy enough with the result. Thank you breville.

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