Breville Barista Express BES870XL vs. Oracle BES980XL

Breville is one of those lines of products that you can almost trust blindly anywhere and anytime. In fact, if you can afford their models, I always suggest going for Breville because they provide you with the highest level of functionality, versatility, efficiency and durability.

Frankly speaking, if I were to make a list of companies that operate in almost all kitchen appliance fields and were equally perfect everywhere, Breville might top the list, no exaggeration.

Yet, it should be pointed out that the models that Breville brings to the table are often far more expensive than any other model available out there and not as many people can afford them. That doesn’t mean that we don’t consider them, anyway. For those who can go for it, there’s almost no reason to browse any further or to look at any other model.

So, with that said, there are several models within the Breville line of espresso makers, itself! And in today’s article we are going to compare two of them to see which one might be worth buying. Today, we are going to compare Breville’s Barista Express BES870XL and the Oracle BES980XL.

What are the main features of the Barista Express BES870XL?

The Breville BES870XL is one of the more affordable models from the Breville line, although it’s still a high-end product for the market. As such, it is one of the biggest selling products in this category. However, let us take a look at the main features that it offers you:

  • First of all, this machine let’s you to select the temperature that you want in increments of 2 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • It follows a specific method to make the best coffee for you: it applies low water pressure at the start of the shot to gently expand grinds for an even extraction.
  • It comes with a fully automated interface, complete with presets. However, it still allows you to manually program it in the way you like, making it a highly flexible machine.
  • It also makes cleaning up much less of a hassle than other models by removing excess water from the ground coffee in the filter basket after extraction to turn it into a coffee puck.
  • This machine can also serve your purpose as a hot water dispenser.
  • This does have a pretty high electricity consumption, with a rating of 1600 watts. However, it still tries its best to be efficient, with an automatic shut off mode to provide you with as much electricity conservation as it can.

So, though it is undeniable that this model still costs much more than quite a few other models of this kind, it makes up for the cost and, given the fact that it can replace some separate household machines, too, it actually proves its worth. Click here to check current pricing on the Barista Express.

What are the main features of the Oracle BES980XL?

Even if we treat the last model as economically viable, the Oracle BES980XL is certainly a really high end model that costs a whole lot. However, it isn’t right to only look at the price without taking a look at the features that it provides. So, let’s take a look at the main features of the model before coming to a conclusion:

  • It has dual, stainless steel boilers as well as dual, Italian pumps to ensure speed and efficiency, making this model worth the high initial investment that it calls for.
  • 3 presets and 6 customizable settings make this model one of the most versatile in the entire industry. If you’re looking for versatility when it comes to your espresso machine, then this is, by far, the best model you can get ( assuming, once again, that you’re fine with investing such a huge amount).
  • This machine gives you an entirely new level of automation- it automatically grinds, doses and tamps the required amount of coffee for a mess free, barista-quality espresso. In fact, it even provides you with the perfect foam texture without you having to touch a button!
  • However, one of the main complaints people seem to have about this model is that it’s really delicate seems to break while operating- at least for quite a few people who were otherwise loving it . That’s the only concern people seem to have about this machine, so I’d recommend research on that before you go for it. (Keep in mind that Breville does seem to actually talk to you, properly, about inquiries.)
  • And finally, though I’ve already said it a lot of times, the price of this model. This model costs in the neighborhood of two thousand dollars! That’s a hefty amount of money, so you must be sure that your budget can accommodate it before you go out and get this machine. For actual pricing of the Oracle make sure to click here as it can fluctuate from time to time.

Which model should I go for?

Both the models are really nice and each of them has its own share of benefits. So, you have to know what you’re looking for. For example,

  • If you’re looking for a dual boiler model, the Oracle BES980XL is a better idea. However, if you’re looking for a better level of durability and cost, the Barista BES870XL seems to be a great idea.
  • If you’re looking for a model that’s completely automated, the BES980XL is the right choice here while if you’re on a comparatively tighter budget you might want to consider the BES870XL.
  • If you want to buy a less expensive model than either of these, you can also check out other models available on the market, as there are a lot of products available that are far cheaper than both of them.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, both the models are available for you to consider and are both great choices in general. However, you must examine their features and choose the one that serves you the best. Keep in mind that the best model is the one that serves all your purposes.

Please comparing pricing for the two products and choose accordingly but let me push you in the direction of the Barista Express. It’s better tailored to the average person and it is a best seller in the category. If however you just need (or really really want) a dual boiler and you’ve got some serious coin to drop then by all means opt for the Oracle – you won’t be disappointed.

Gamble Bay Coffee is here for you and will continue to bring more informative articles to your screen in order to help you on your quest to find great purchase options! We hope you learned something new from this article and we thank you for taking your time to read it!

Brian Mounts

Head blogger, editor, and owner of "Top Off My Coffee", a website that has been educating readers about coffee brewing techniques and equipment since 2012.

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