Great machine as is…. Makes great coffee and actually I think the grinder is very good. Had it for like 8 years and I am very happy with it. Did have some o rings replaced, that is pretty much it I do descale every 2 months, run it without filter and clean the brewer head 1* a week
Well I upgraded the grinder burrs in my BrevOrc and I assure you, its worth doing! Yes, Im a coffee snob but this is an awesome all in one and mines been refurbed twice now and then I upgraded the grinding burrs. Yes, it takes a little effort to find the right setting manually on the burr ring but once its nailed and you get the fill, dose and grind right! Its a great buy used, even after all these years! Mine must be 10 years old now and has another 5-6 left.
"Best" is very subjective. My best = Whichever produces the best possible coffee. Others will argue that the EASIEST one to use is the best. I always recommend working out these steps. 1. How much do you want to SPEND? 2. How much EFFORT do you want to apply 3. How GOOD do you want the coffee to be. Once you know the answers to those, you can then narrow down your list. Because the Oracle is a very easy to use machine, but it is expensive & doesn't make a great coffee everytime in my opinion. Where as other proper espresso machine companies produce a product that makes a better coffee, but requires more effort.
@@mitchdoescoffee Newer models come with the upgraded burrs. I have the Oracle Touch (thought it was going to be easier, but due to the inconsistent dosage it just isn't usable). Not sure if I should just try to return it (paid around USD 1400 for it during BF). Already purchased a separate grinder and upgraded the shower screen to an IMS one with the metal parts instead of the plastic that it comes with out of the box.
@Toss3 it's honestly not acceptable in my opinion. There are ALOT of great options in that price range. The ONLY thing breville has covered is the convenience.
Thanks for the great video even though the title is a bit clickbaity. I've used this excellent coffee machine for a while and it makes really great coffee. I'm not a barista but I love my coffee. It's not just me saying this. I've got a few friends who are coffee snobs and they're amazed at the taste. I get that this machine isn't for hobby baristas but you've gotta accept that unless one is committed and on the game a manual machine won't make great coffee. So for everyone not a barista wannabe this is the best machine out there. [EDIT: Please see my comments below. I realised only a few months later that @mitchdoescoffee is right. The machine is really crap. But I learnt that only later] And maybe I've been lucky but I haven't had any issues with the grinder [EDIT: This bit also turned out wrong as the grinder became inconsistent]
In comparison to a $1500 gaggia & Eureka grinder combo... this doesn't even come close to a machine when you are trying to build the best possible coffee & a machine that will outlive most other machines. YES, The Breville is easier... But the majority of my viewers are happy to put a little extra effort for a bigger reward. 👍
@@mitchdoescoffee I guess when you put it into context of your viewership then your video makes more sense. But that's not how new viewers who stumble across this will perceive it.
And that's what separates a hobbyist from the rest. I thought long and hard about buying a manual machine. But I realised the pursuit of perfection has been the bane of my existence and I don't need to enter another rabbit hole. I chose consistency, ease of use and a good cup over the ultimate. Not saying what you're doing is wrong but it's not for me.
As someone severely disabled and who paid $600aud fully refurbished it's worth every cent. As long as you replace the upper burr the grinder is more than useable. Not the best but I can easily best the major coffee chains and a few cafe's
Hey Mitch. I’m slowly making my coffee journey from an all in one bean to cup, to the oracle. Do you have any other recommendations when this one inevitably dies? Looking forward to seeing your mod list video as mine is now out of warranty and I’m willing to play until it kicks the bucket.
I purchased a Barista Touch for $800. Thought about a prosumers machine but didn’t know how much I would use it. So far I love the touch, instant very good coffee drinks. I have been to many coffee shops over the years and to me the touch is equal to any in taste.
Hey mate, most machines will produce a half decent espresso, especially if paired with a good grinder... You will most likely find the coffee quality will deteriorate almost as quickly as the machine internals... These "appliances" are simply never going to last long enough in my opinion... Nobody should have to buy a new coffee machine every 2-3 years.
@@mitchdoescoffee Time will tell, the convenience of the touch is nice. Might be the future of all machines. Instant hot water is common for many home uses. The frothing and auto purge is another nice feature others should copy.
Gave you a 👎 I have had this machine for 7 + years in my office and made over a thousand coffee's for workmates and myself and the machine is still going strong, I own a Z10Jura machine at home which cost more and makes average cold coffee...
That's awesome to hear... My issue with this machine is that is doesn't make GREAT Coffee... and for $2500 it damn well should. P.s Mine is in the bin after MANY failures. 👍
@richlili that's awesome to hear. This isn't an attack on the machine or anyone that has purchased one. This machine is now in the bin after multiple failures & power issues... and years of inconsistent coffee. It has nothing to do with the 100s of different beans I have used.
Yeah... I think you've missed the point. The market for these machines are people like me who want decent coffee without having to have a separate $1000 tamping grinder or have spilled coffee grounds and other paraphernalia distributed around my kitchen and have to go through an interpretive dance every time I make a cup of coffee. Would I buy this machine again? TBH - probably not. I would likely go with a Delonghi Eletta or something like that - of course these are now made in PRC too.
Yes but how many machines have an awesome auto-tamping grinder built in? I’ve heard rumours that the new Jura ENA8 might but I’ve not experienced it myself.
"please don't buy a machine with an in-built grinder" dead. A few weeks ago I was looking into delonghi, Breville, etc. But I knew these type of machines were just shine only. Thank you for the honest feedback. 🙏🏻
I started my espresso journey with this machine and it didn't take long to figure out and get frustrated with the inconsistencies of the grinder - just as every one has commented. I'd get rid of it and go another route but I do love the auto milk system. I think it really makes a great latte milk and foam and I don't have to touch it. I bought another grinder and I've now been able to get good expresso milk drinks while I salvaged my $2500 investment. If I can just figure out how to soothe an angry wife who's mad about having another device on her counter!
I have the Breville Dual boiler after owning in order: a Gaggia, Oracle, Domobar Junior and an Aparttamento. So far I haven’t missed any of the previous machine and the shot quality and control have been way better after the mods: SS shower screen, VMS Basket and a DF64 to pair it with. I paid 400 for it and in 2 years have only replaced the o-rings that’s all. No more temperature surfing, cooling flushes etc. now, although the Dual Boiler are basically the same machine, the Oracle sucks, the grinder is bad, auto tamping inconsistent and the dose was not flexible as it was always around 22gr+. Oracle also was hard to repair and maintained due to space but so far happy with the dual boiler.
@@mitchdoescoffeeits very frustrating because its different every time i grind never consistent at all. One shot will be spot on the next shot will be over or under by a little or even alot
I had one of these a few years ago. Had it a week and it got sent back 😂 the auto tamping didnt work, dose was all over the place and the grinder is terrible. They can male good coffee, you jet don't know which one you make will be good
talking crap my oracle lasted almost 10 years I always used a filter but never did a descale on it if I had it would probably still be in use, I bought another oracle a few weeks ago ,if it lasts as well as the first one I will be well pleased ,they do make lovely coffee, and the grinders on them are as good as anything else out there, on this one I will probably do a yearly descale.
🤣 Funny you say that... since making this video, the Oracle has been thrown in the bin... It is an over-priced, very basic machine. How can an Oracle cost $2500 when you can buy the dual boiler & a BETTER Breville grinder for $1800?
@@mitchdoescoffee haha touche ! I got to confess I am now looking for a separate grinder for my machine which will be worth it for me as I bought this machine for the way it makes the steamed milk perfect something I could never achieve doing myself, I will say the previous oracle I had really was brilliant and I could always get the grind to where I want it. But on this new machine it just never seems to get it right its either too coarse or too fine and does appear to go from just one notch on the grinder being extremely coarse to extremely fine, so am going to bite the bullet and splurge out on a decent separate grinder, hopefully I can get something in the 6 to 7 hundred quid mark just having to do a bit of research on this one.
@mydogky it's all an journey... your grinder will be the most important part of your setup... spend as much as you can, even if you end up with a good quality used grinder... DF83 is my pick of the crop... the DF64 is a good sacrifice for a damn good budget grinder.
@@mitchdoescoffee thank you I just got myself a DF64 gen 2 with upgrades burrs and my god wow wow wow what a damn difference that makes, I was lucky to have had the upgraded burrs pre installed for me so am a happy bunny
I would have to agree at $2600 is not worth it but at $950 for a referb but with a 12 month warranty for me it's worth the risk and at that price good bang for my $$$ ... I hope. What we plan on doing with mine is to use the inbuilt grinder for our morning get up and go coffee, its fine for that but in the evening and weekends when we have more time to use a good single dose grinder and all the other its of coffee gear to play with and to make something really nice or if we want a decaf or a specialty coffee. We also don't have a lot of room so we have that limitation as well as we have a TINY kitchen. The shot counter is really low and the overall wear and tear is low it looks brand new just some chips in the shiny black paint. That black shiny paint peels off really easily. I have had a Rocket Giotto and Mazzer Mini grinder about 10 - 15 years ago TBH while it made good coffee initially it was unreliable it went through 2 elements then sprung a leak and took out the controller at which point i sold it all as we couldn't afford the repair and brought a Nespresso Creatista so long as you don't use real nespresso pods (I hate every single one of them) some of the supermarket off brand ones are ok well you get use to them and it's better than instant. That thing has just trucked along the first one lasted about 5 years and the Pro version we got after that is at about 4 with no signs of dying. So the Breville's lasted as long or longer than the Rocket and I did take care of it. So far we really like the Oracle and i forgot how much i enjoyed making coffees when this one dies I'll look at getting something better. So with that in mind the damn thing will probably last forever ;-) I will also be getting back into roasting my own coffee which I also loved doing and picking the coffee bits and bobs, things have changed a bit in 15-20 years we have been making espresso at home in one form or another. I have had a Rancilio Silvia and matching grinder, the original Sunbeam 6900 then the Rocket... roasted with a heat gun and colander . One of the things my wife LOVES about it is the inbuilt grinder has virtually no mess unlike the Mazzer Mini, wow it was a static monster and coffee went everywhere. If you still have the machine would love to see the full upgrade and repaint on it if you can be bothered 🙂 Looking forward to more content...
This is exactly what I have explained to many people... the grinder/dosing/distributing is definitely the weak point on this machine... but it is convenient. Unfortunately, our breville didn't last much longer after making this video... lots of power issues & water leaks. Do you know about the oracle manual extraction hack???
@@mitchdoescoffee no I don’t sounds interesting. What does it do? Just out of habit I usually polish it off with a spin of my old tamper that I used on the Rocket way back when. I usually prefer milk based drinks (tummy issues) but I was going to dump one side so I thought I would catch it and try half a shot and it was actually really good. Like real good. Sweeter than I expected and no tummy issues.
@PubRunner ah its great! Hold down the extract button (single or double) until the preinfusion light comes on, let the button go once you are happy with your pre infusion duration, then tap it again to finish the shot once you hit your goal extraction weight/time. 😎
Ok, let me be a devil's advocate. For $2,000 Breville Oracle (the original one) was obviously expensive, but it's value was OK compared to bunch of other boutique and more expensive espresso makers. If you don't like the grinder, you don't need to use it. Consider the grinder free and benchmark it against La Marzocco Linea Mini. Once you compare Oracle to the reigning king, Linea Mini, on the taste alone - I wonder if you can call Breville the worst machine just because it's made by a huge corporation. If anyone thinks Breville Oracle is a ripoff, then what is Linea Mini? A germ spreading prost*t*t*?
I've made it publicly known that the Linea is just as over-priced due to good marketing. 👍 If you arent going to use the "fancy" grinder... then it's just a really bad version of the much cheaper dual boiler. (Arguably the best breville made) with a steam wand that is rubbish. There is NOTHING OK about the value of this machine. Pull one apart yourself and you will see what I'm talking about... I literally just threw this one in the rubbish due to MORE issues. 👍
Hey @mitchdoescoffee , what machine/grinder would you recommend for under $2000. I previously had a breville express but want to up the game on that. Thanks mate
@joshgibson506 hey mate. I would definitely recommend a Gaggia Classic Evo or Rancillio Silvia with a DF64 OR DF83 grinder. Great combo that will last forever.
The Oracle Touch is even worse, bought one em December 2021 (doing two cappuccinos per day)and in march 2023 died! After the nightmare of trying to reach the costumer service here in Uk they gave me a new machine that lasted until few weeks ago! The amount of money you pay for a Sage machine is not worth it!
You are forgetting there is an enormous market of people that do not want hands on/manual grind, tamp etc. Ie. my 75 year old mother is never going to bother with this stuff. Offices that are catering for staff etc. All the fuss of manual is not for everyone, I think you are underestimating how big the market is. Oracle has auto grind, dose, tamp, dual boiler, auto milk, adjustable settings, easy enough for a novice through to dialing in as you like... Virtually hands off without breaking the fundamentals (grind, dose, tamp, 9 bar pressure, powerful steam) with a few button presses and the repositioning of a portafilter. Makes a decent coffee consistently with your usual adjustments and good beans. Has cleaned up at SCAA, red dot etc. awards around the world. Reviews extremely well (including Seattle Coffee Gear) and tonnes of other reviewers/sellers of espresso machines. What more do you want from this category?? It's not a La marzocco - what brand would you fairly compare it to in its price/functionality category?
I fully understand your side of the argument... My job is to help people make BETTER coffee. A $49 pod machine makes coffee even easier & more consistent than the Oracle. It all comes down to a proven theory of "More Effort + More Money = Better Coffee" This machine uses different math... Less effort + More money = Reasonable coffee.
@@mitchdoescoffee I do not think you are right here. Plastics are heat insulators and they exchange heat poorly with surroundings - it takes a lot longer than steel for them to change temperature. Exactly the same size of plastic will retain heat longer than steel: put a piece of plastic and steel in the sun for half an hour and then take them into cool place - steel almost instantly cools down, plastic will take long long minutes. This is why we have steel radiators to get heat in or out quickly. And this is why we have plastic handles on pots or frying pans because they poorly conduct heat. Anyway the coffee machine case likely has minimal to no influence on heat retention in its working components and material it is made of only affects its aesthetic, durability and ease of cleaning. Also please note when you change external plastic parts to steel (electrical insulator to conductor!) you need to make sure they are earthed !!! Otherwise you put users at risk of shock!
@zadzwon112 exactly... if steel takes longer to change temperature, that means it RETAINS temperature for longer. Retention & Dispersion are the very simple thermodynamics at play here. Even aluminium cools faster than stainless steel... softer material = faster heat dispersion...
@@mitchdoescoffee You are wrong again I am afraid. I have written above that steel takes less time to change temp. than plastic. Also stainless steel conducts heat better than aluminium = the same mass of s. steel cools down or heats up faster than aluminium. The concept of heat retention is known as heat capacity in physics: the more energy is needed to change temp. by 1 degree the more heat material stores and longer retains temperature unchanged: Copper (cools down quickly) has heat capacity of 385 Joules per 1 kilogram of mass per 1 degree of Celsius, Stainless Steel (type 316) has 468 J/kgxC, Aluminium 887 J/kgxC, Polycarbonate (ie plastic) 1100 - 1900, Water (cools down slowly) 4187. But this is important for heaters/boilers/radiators/thermal insulators, not for device cases. Anyway all the best for your channel - it is not a science show after all. I am sure you are a brilliant expert on getting perfect coffee taste.Over and out
Great machine as is…. Makes great coffee and actually I think the grinder is very good. Had it for like 8 years and I am very happy with it. Did have some o rings replaced, that is pretty much it
I do descale every 2 months, run it without filter and clean the brewer head 1* a week
Fantastic! 🙏 As long as you're enjoying the coffee experience. That's a win 🏆
Pull the old grinder out and show just why it’s so bad
Not a horrible idea... 👍
Upgraded my burrs, the machines old and just had its second overhaul and then I did the burrs and its bloody awesome!
Hey @mitchdoescoffee, any idea how I can mod the Sage Dual Boiler to hit 9 bar everytime?
Hey mate. This is the easiest way to give you some control.
ua-cam.com/video/Wb_61W4IUk0/v-deo.htmlsi=vTND6YmjA6-I5-NW
Well I upgraded the grinder burrs in my BrevOrc and I assure you, its worth doing! Yes, Im a coffee snob but this is an awesome all in one and mines been refurbed twice now and then I upgraded the grinding burrs. Yes, it takes a little effort to find the right setting manually on the burr ring but once its nailed and you get the fill, dose and grind right! Its a great buy used, even after all these years! Mine must be 10 years old now and has another 5-6 left.
I think the fact that it has been refurbished twice is telling the story of the issues with this machine.
So what is the best one ? What brand and what type of.. i am looking for the semi automatic like oracle thanks
"Best" is very subjective.
My best = Whichever produces the best possible coffee.
Others will argue that the EASIEST one to use is the best.
I always recommend working out these steps.
1. How much do you want to SPEND?
2. How much EFFORT do you want to apply
3. How GOOD do you want the coffee to be.
Once you know the answers to those, you can then narrow down your list.
Because the Oracle is a very easy to use machine, but it is expensive & doesn't make a great coffee everytime in my opinion.
Where as other proper espresso machine companies produce a product that makes a better coffee, but requires more effort.
Can we upgrade the burrs inside the grinder to something better?
Apparently there is a Etzinger 6 blade upper burr upgrade... I haven't done it myself, but I can't see it being a bad thing if it's possible.
@@mitchdoescoffee Newer models come with the upgraded burrs. I have the Oracle Touch (thought it was going to be easier, but due to the inconsistent dosage it just isn't usable). Not sure if I should just try to return it (paid around USD 1400 for it during BF). Already purchased a separate grinder and upgraded the shower screen to an IMS one with the metal parts instead of the plastic that it comes with out of the box.
@Toss3 it's honestly not acceptable in my opinion. There are ALOT of great options in that price range. The ONLY thing breville has covered is the convenience.
@@mitchdoescoffee I got some chinese one for cheap and its better than the orignal ones ever were
@mrsrhardy awesome! Where did you purchase them?
Thanks for the great video even though the title is a bit clickbaity. I've used this excellent coffee machine for a while and it makes really great coffee. I'm not a barista but I love my coffee. It's not just me saying this. I've got a few friends who are coffee snobs and they're amazed at the taste.
I get that this machine isn't for hobby baristas but you've gotta accept that unless one is committed and on the game a manual machine won't make great coffee. So for everyone not a barista wannabe this is the best machine out there. [EDIT: Please see my comments below. I realised only a few months later that @mitchdoescoffee is right. The machine is really crap. But I learnt that only later]
And maybe I've been lucky but I haven't had any issues with the grinder [EDIT: This bit also turned out wrong as the grinder became inconsistent]
In comparison to a $1500 gaggia & Eureka grinder combo... this doesn't even come close to a machine when you are trying to build the best possible coffee & a machine that will outlive most other machines. YES, The Breville is easier... But the majority of my viewers are happy to put a little extra effort for a bigger reward. 👍
However, yes... the title is click bait. 🤣 This video might generate enough income to cover the 3 coffees I made 😅
@@mitchdoescoffee I guess when you put it into context of your viewership then your video makes more sense. But that's not how new viewers who stumble across this will perceive it.
@salmanshami that's also kind of the idea though. Hopefully people can see that the "easy" way isn't going to give you the "best" coffee.
And that's what separates a hobbyist from the rest. I thought long and hard about buying a manual machine. But I realised the pursuit of perfection has been the bane of my existence and I don't need to enter another rabbit hole. I chose consistency, ease of use and a good cup over the ultimate. Not saying what you're doing is wrong but it's not for me.
As someone severely disabled and who paid $600aud fully refurbished it's worth every cent. As long as you replace the upper burr the grinder is more than useable. Not the best but I can easily best the major coffee chains and a few cafe's
Absolutely agree 100%. It's ease of use it's the party trick. 👍
Hey Mitch I can get one of these new for 800 dollars with a business discount, what do you think 🤔
As a complete package, for $800 it will be a great way to start your espresso journey.
Holy shit that's cheap! Worth it at that price
Hey Mitch. I’m slowly making my coffee journey from an all in one bean to cup, to the oracle. Do you have any other recommendations when this one inevitably dies?
Looking forward to seeing your mod list video as mine is now out of warranty and I’m willing to play until it kicks the bucket.
Awesome news! Welcome to the rabbit hole.
I'm definitely a huge fan of the sanremo cube 🥰🥰🚁
I purchased a Barista Touch for $800. Thought about a prosumers machine but didn’t know how much I would use it. So far I love the touch, instant very good coffee drinks. I have been to many coffee shops over the years and to me the touch is equal to any in taste.
Hey mate, most machines will produce a half decent espresso, especially if paired with a good grinder... You will most likely find the coffee quality will deteriorate almost as quickly as the machine internals... These "appliances" are simply never going to last long enough in my opinion... Nobody should have to buy a new coffee machine every 2-3 years.
@@mitchdoescoffee Time will tell, the convenience of the touch is nice. Might be the future of all machines. Instant hot water is common for many home uses. The frothing and auto purge is another nice feature others should copy.
I bought one, dead on arrival. Stupidly went ahead with a replacement. Solenoids burnt out after 2 years. Currently pours inconsistent shots. Hate it!
Oh wow. That's a rough story. 😕
What's next?
Gave you a 👎 I have had this machine for 7 + years in my office and made over a thousand coffee's for workmates and myself and the machine is still going strong, I own a Z10Jura machine at home which cost more and makes average cold coffee...
That's awesome to hear... My issue with this machine is that is doesn't make GREAT Coffee... and for $2500 it damn well should.
P.s Mine is in the bin after MANY failures. 👍
Had this machine since day one release and still making great coffee that people love. Maybe change the coffee brand
@richlili that's awesome to hear.
This isn't an attack on the machine or anyone that has purchased one. This machine is now in the bin after multiple failures & power issues... and years of inconsistent coffee. It has nothing to do with the 100s of different beans I have used.
Yeah... I think you've missed the point. The market for these machines are people like me who want decent coffee without having to have a separate $1000 tamping grinder or have spilled coffee grounds and other paraphernalia distributed around my kitchen and have to go through an interpretive dance every time I make a cup of coffee. Would I buy this machine again? TBH - probably not. I would likely go with a Delonghi Eletta or something like that - of course these are now made in PRC too.
I don't think I've missed the point at all... $2500 for a cheap conical burr grinder & an inconsistent vibration pump. 👎
Yes but how many machines have an awesome auto-tamping grinder built in? I’ve heard rumours that the new Jura ENA8 might but I’ve not experienced it myself.
"please don't buy a machine with an in-built grinder" dead. A few weeks ago I was looking into delonghi, Breville, etc. But I knew these type of machines were just shine only. Thank you for the honest feedback. 🙏🏻
Always tell it how it is.
I started my espresso journey with this machine and it didn't take long to figure out and get frustrated with the inconsistencies of the grinder - just as every one has commented. I'd get rid of it and go another route but I do love the auto milk system. I think it really makes a great latte milk and foam and I don't have to touch it. I bought another grinder and I've now been able to get good expresso milk drinks while I salvaged my $2500 investment. If I can just figure out how to soothe an angry wife who's mad about having another device on her counter!
This is a very common conversation I have. What grinder did you opt for out of curiosity?
@@mitchdoescoffee starting out slow to make sure I got the idea right, Breville smart pro. If I get hooked more the niche zero might be on the list
I have the Breville Dual boiler after owning in order: a Gaggia, Oracle, Domobar Junior and an Aparttamento. So far I haven’t missed any of the previous machine and the shot quality and control have been way better after the mods: SS shower screen, VMS Basket and a DF64 to pair it with. I paid 400 for it and in 2 years have only replaced the o-rings that’s all. No more temperature surfing, cooling flushes etc. now, although the Dual Boiler are basically the same machine, the Oracle sucks, the grinder is bad, auto tamping inconsistent and the dose was not flexible as it was always around 22gr+. Oracle also was hard to repair and maintained due to space but so far happy with the dual boiler.
That's awesome feedback mate. The might BDB is definitely a great little machine if you know what you're doing.
Those f’ing o-rings though. So annoying!
$400?dang
I have had this for 6 months now so far its been ok but the grinder can be painful
I would agree. It's almost impossible to get the exact goal weight each time.
@@mitchdoescoffeeits very frustrating because its different every time i grind never consistent at all. One shot will be spot on the next shot will be over or under by a little or even alot
I had one of these a few years ago. Had it a week and it got sent back 😂 the auto tamping didnt work, dose was all over the place and the grinder is terrible.
They can male good coffee, you jet don't know which one you make will be good
That is a perfect description of this machine. Hahaha. Yes, it CAN make a good coffee... occasionally. 🤣
talking crap my oracle lasted almost 10 years I always used a filter but never did a descale on it if I had it would probably still be in use, I bought another oracle a few weeks ago ,if it lasts as well as the first one I will be well pleased ,they do make lovely coffee, and the grinders on them are as good as anything else out there, on this one I will probably do a yearly descale.
🤣 Funny you say that... since making this video, the Oracle has been thrown in the bin...
It is an over-priced, very basic machine.
How can an Oracle cost $2500 when you can buy the dual boiler & a BETTER Breville grinder for $1800?
@@mitchdoescoffee haha touche ! I got to confess I am now looking for a separate grinder for my machine which will be worth it for me as I bought this machine for the way it makes the steamed milk perfect something I could never achieve doing myself, I will say the previous oracle I had really was brilliant and I could always get the grind to where I want it. But on this new machine it just never seems to get it right its either too coarse or too fine and does appear to go from just one notch on the grinder being extremely coarse to extremely fine, so am going to bite the bullet and splurge out on a decent separate grinder, hopefully I can get something in the 6 to 7 hundred quid mark just having to do a bit of research on this one.
@mydogky it's all an journey... your grinder will be the most important part of your setup... spend as much as you can, even if you end up with a good quality used grinder... DF83 is my pick of the crop... the DF64 is a good sacrifice for a damn good budget grinder.
@@mitchdoescoffee thank you for the suggestions I will take a look at the df83 and 64,
@@mitchdoescoffee thank you I just got myself a DF64 gen 2 with upgrades burrs and my god wow wow wow what a damn difference that makes, I was lucky to have had the upgraded burrs pre installed for me so am a happy bunny
I would have to agree at $2600 is not worth it but at $950 for a referb but with a 12 month warranty for me it's worth the risk and at that price good bang for my $$$ ... I hope. What we plan on doing with mine is to use the inbuilt grinder for our morning get up and go coffee, its fine for that but in the evening and weekends when we have more time to use a good single dose grinder and all the other its of coffee gear to play with and to make something really nice or if we want a decaf or a specialty coffee. We also don't have a lot of room so we have that limitation as well as we have a TINY kitchen. The shot counter is really low and the overall wear and tear is low it looks brand new just some chips in the shiny black paint. That black shiny paint peels off really easily.
I have had a Rocket Giotto and Mazzer Mini grinder about 10 - 15 years ago TBH while it made good coffee initially it was unreliable it went through 2 elements then sprung a leak and took out the controller at which point i sold it all as we couldn't afford the repair and brought a Nespresso Creatista so long as you don't use real nespresso pods (I hate every single one of them) some of the supermarket off brand ones are ok well you get use to them and it's better than instant. That thing has just trucked along the first one lasted about 5 years and the Pro version we got after that is at about 4 with no signs of dying. So the Breville's lasted as long or longer than the Rocket and I did take care of it.
So far we really like the Oracle and i forgot how much i enjoyed making coffees when this one dies I'll look at getting something better. So with that in mind the damn thing will probably last forever ;-)
I will also be getting back into roasting my own coffee which I also loved doing and picking the coffee bits and bobs, things have changed a bit in 15-20 years we have been making espresso at home in one form or another. I have had a Rancilio Silvia and matching grinder, the original Sunbeam 6900 then the Rocket... roasted with a heat gun and colander .
One of the things my wife LOVES about it is the inbuilt grinder has virtually no mess unlike the Mazzer Mini, wow it was a static monster and coffee went everywhere.
If you still have the machine would love to see the full upgrade and repaint on it if you can be bothered 🙂
Looking forward to more content...
This is exactly what I have explained to many people... the grinder/dosing/distributing is definitely the weak point on this machine... but it is convenient.
Unfortunately, our breville didn't last much longer after making this video... lots of power issues & water leaks.
Do you know about the oracle manual extraction hack???
@@mitchdoescoffee no I don’t sounds interesting. What does it do?
Just out of habit I usually polish it off with a spin of my old tamper that I used on the Rocket way back when. I usually prefer milk based drinks (tummy issues) but I was going to dump one side so I thought I would catch it and try half a shot and it was actually really good. Like real good. Sweeter than I expected and no tummy issues.
@PubRunner ah its great! Hold down the extract button (single or double) until the preinfusion light comes on, let the button go once you are happy with your pre infusion duration, then tap it again to finish the shot once you hit your goal extraction weight/time. 😎
@@mitchdoescoffee I will have to try that thanks.
I am going to order the aftermarket shower screen etc for it at some point
@PubRunner let me know how you go mate.
Ah yea... where are you from?
good video. keen to see what upgrades a home user can do on the machine without it exploding!
Sit tight. We have some pretty cool plans.
Shower screen and basket basically
It's nice when the guy looks like his 'hot take'
I won't lie... I don't even know what that means... 😅
Ok , for $1500 what’s the ‘ SO MUCH BETTER ‘ option then???
Gaggia or Rancillio paired with a proper grinder has always been my recommendation.
Dammit again with the shot timer 😂😂😂
Pressure play on this thing like lances breville 🎉
Ahhahaha. Lance breville on a budget. Haha
Pastel green, or pastel blue. Or an airbrush design, maybe a reproduction of a racing helmet?
Ricciardo’s 2023 helmet is brew bench worthy.
Oooooh... smart
My brother has had the Oracle for years now and loves it. He had it repaired once, can't remember what was wrong.
It's not a horrible machine... it's just not great at making coffee with precision.
Ok, let me be a devil's advocate. For $2,000 Breville Oracle (the original one) was obviously expensive, but it's value was OK compared to bunch of other boutique and more expensive espresso makers. If you don't like the grinder, you don't need to use it. Consider the grinder free and benchmark it against La Marzocco Linea Mini. Once you compare Oracle to the reigning king, Linea Mini, on the taste alone - I wonder if you can call Breville the worst machine just because it's made by a huge corporation. If anyone thinks Breville Oracle is a ripoff, then what is Linea Mini? A germ spreading prost*t*t*?
I've made it publicly known that the Linea is just as over-priced due to good marketing. 👍
If you arent going to use the "fancy" grinder... then it's just a really bad version of the much cheaper dual boiler. (Arguably the best breville made) with a steam wand that is rubbish.
There is NOTHING OK about the value of this machine. Pull one apart yourself and you will see what I'm talking about... I literally just threw this one in the rubbish due to MORE issues. 👍
Hey @mitchdoescoffee , what machine/grinder would you recommend for under $2000. I previously had a breville express but want to up the game on that.
Thanks mate
@joshgibson506 hey mate. I would definitely recommend a Gaggia Classic Evo or Rancillio Silvia with a DF64 OR DF83 grinder. Great combo that will last forever.
@mitchdoescoffee rightio I'll look into that. Thanks for the reply so quick.
So the gaggia are a much superior machine to a breville obviously?
@joshgibson506 no worries at all. Yes, they definitely are. Gaggia don't also make $20 toasters 😉
The Oracle Touch is even worse, bought one em December 2021 (doing two cappuccinos per day)and in march 2023 died! After the nightmare of trying to reach the costumer service here in Uk they gave me a new machine that lasted until few weeks ago! The amount of money you pay for a Sage machine is not worth it!
Unfortunately, we live in a world of marketing.
You are forgetting there is an enormous market of people that do not want hands on/manual grind, tamp etc. Ie. my 75 year old mother is never going to bother with this stuff. Offices that are catering for staff etc. All the fuss of manual is not for everyone, I think you are underestimating how big the market is. Oracle has auto grind, dose, tamp, dual boiler, auto milk, adjustable settings, easy enough for a novice through to dialing in as you like... Virtually hands off without breaking the fundamentals (grind, dose, tamp, 9 bar pressure, powerful steam) with a few button presses and the repositioning of a portafilter. Makes a decent coffee consistently with your usual adjustments and good beans. Has cleaned up at SCAA, red dot etc. awards around the world. Reviews extremely well (including Seattle Coffee Gear) and tonnes of other reviewers/sellers of espresso machines. What more do you want from this category?? It's not a La marzocco - what brand would you fairly compare it to in its price/functionality category?
I fully understand your side of the argument... My job is to help people make BETTER coffee. A $49 pod machine makes coffee even easier & more consistent than the Oracle. It all comes down to a proven theory of "More Effort + More Money = Better Coffee"
This machine uses different math... Less effort + More money = Reasonable coffee.
I might have misunderstood this, but how stainless steel retains more heat than plastic??? This does not make any sense at all.
It makes complete sense... If you heat stainless steel & plastic to the same temperature, the steel will remain hotter for longer. 👍
@@mitchdoescoffee I do not think you are right here. Plastics are heat insulators and they exchange heat poorly with surroundings - it takes a lot longer than steel for them to change temperature. Exactly the same size of plastic will retain heat longer than steel: put a piece of plastic and steel in the sun for half an hour and then take them into cool place - steel almost instantly cools down, plastic will take long long minutes. This is why we have steel radiators to get heat in or out quickly. And this is why we have plastic handles on pots or frying pans because they poorly conduct heat. Anyway the coffee machine case likely has minimal to no influence on heat retention in its working components and material it is made of only affects its aesthetic, durability and ease of cleaning.
Also please note when you change external plastic parts to steel (electrical insulator to conductor!) you need to make sure they are earthed !!! Otherwise you put users at risk of shock!
@zadzwon112 exactly... if steel takes longer to change temperature, that means it RETAINS temperature for longer.
Retention & Dispersion are the very simple thermodynamics at play here.
Even aluminium cools faster than stainless steel... softer material = faster heat dispersion...
@@mitchdoescoffee You are wrong again I am afraid. I have written above that steel takes less time to change temp. than plastic. Also stainless steel conducts heat better than aluminium = the same mass of s. steel cools down or heats up faster than aluminium. The concept of heat retention is known as heat capacity in physics: the more energy is needed to change temp. by 1 degree the more heat material stores and longer retains temperature unchanged: Copper (cools down quickly) has heat capacity of 385 Joules per 1 kilogram of mass per 1 degree of Celsius, Stainless Steel (type 316) has 468 J/kgxC, Aluminium 887 J/kgxC, Polycarbonate (ie plastic) 1100 - 1900, Water (cools down slowly) 4187. But this is important for heaters/boilers/radiators/thermal insulators, not for device cases.
Anyway all the best for your channel - it is not a science show after all. I am sure you are a brilliant expert on getting perfect coffee taste.Over and out
Coffee is science. 👍