Breville Oracle Espresso Machine BES980XL, Brushed Stainless Steel
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Description
• The Breville Oracle fully automatic delivers third wave specialty coffee at home using the 4 keys formula; It has a professional Dual Boiler construction that delivers unparalleled temperature control and simultaneous extraction and steaming • DOSE CONTROL GRINDING: The integrated precision conical burr grinder automatically grinds, doses and tamps 22 grams of freshly ground coffee, for maximum flavor • OPTIMAL WATER PRESSURE: The Over Pressure Valve limits the maximum pump pressure throughout extraction, helping prevent bitter flavors; Low pressure pre infusion gradually increases water pressure to gently expand grinds for an even extraction • Receive 2 free bags of specialty coffee when you purchase and register any Breville coffee machine; T and Cs apply • PRECISE ESPRESSO EXTRACTION: Dual stainless steel boilers and heated group head controlled by digital temperature control (PID) delivers water at precisely the right temperature, ensuring optimal espresso extraction • AUTOMATIC MICROFOAM MILK TEXTURING: Self-cleaning steam wand, powered by a dedicated boiler, automatically textures milk to your liking and delivers barista quality microfoam that enhances flavor and is essential for creating latte art at home • SHOT CONTROL AND LCD DISPLAY: Choose between one shot, two shots or manual control on the LCD display to control how much espresso ends up in your cup to make the perfect coffee/espresso every time • ONE TOUCH AMERICANO: Delivers a double espresso, and then separately through a dedicated spout, fills the cup with hot water • INCLUDED ACCESSORIES: Mini Grinds Bin, 58mm Full Stainless Steel Portafilter, 1 and 2 cup Single Wall Filter Baskets, 16oz Stainless Steel Milk Jug, Steam Wand Spare Parts, Cleaning Kit, Water Hardness Test Strip, Water Filter Holder and Water Filter • CAPACITY & SETTINGS: 1/2 lb Bean Hopper; 84 oz Water Tank; Adjustable Grind Control; Programmable Milk Temperature and Texture; One/Two Shots; Long Black; Hot Water; WARRANTY: 2 Year Limited Product Warranty; Power: 1800 Watts; Voltage: 110 to 120 Volts
Details
Features & Specs
- Other Special Features of the Product
- Jug
- Coffee Maker Type
- Espresso Machine
- Specific Uses For Product
- Espresso
- Recommended Uses For Product
- Espresso, Latte, Cappuccino
- Operation Mode
- Manual
- Wattage
- 1800 watts
- Voltage
- 120 Volts
- Human Interface Input
- Touchscreen
- Coffee Input Type
- whole bean
- Filter Type
- Reusable
Measurements
- Capacity
- 5.3 Pounds
- Item Dimensions D x W x H
- 14.7"D x 16.1"W x 17.8"H
- Item Weight
- 35.54 Pounds
- Number of Items
- 1
- Unit Count
- 1.0 Count
Materials & Care
- Material
- Stainless Steel
- Exterior Finish
- Stainless Steel
- Is the item dishwasher safe?
- No
Warranty & Support
- Warranty Description
- 2 Year Repair Warranty
Item Details
- Brand Name
- Breville
- Included Components
- Filter
- Model Name
- BES980XL
- Model Number
- BES980XL
- Manufacturer
- Breville
- Part Number
- BES980XL
- Item Type Name
- Espresso Machine
Style
- Color
- Silver
- Style
- Modern
Frequently asked questions
- What is the price of the Breville Oracle Espresso Machine?
- The price is $2199.95.
- What accessories are included with the machine?
- Included accessories are: Mini Grinds Bin, 58mm Full Stainless Steel Portafilter, 1 and 2 cup Single Wall Filter Baskets, 16oz Stainless Steel Milk Jug, Steam Wand Spare Parts, Cleaning Kit, Water Hardness Test Strip, Water Filter Holder and Water Filter.
- What is the warranty coverage?
- It comes with a 2 Year Limited Product Warranty.
Customer reviews
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Perfect amount of manual in an automatic espresso machine
I have been using it for about a week. I have wanted it for about 2 years, since I saw it at a William Sonoma and tried a sample and loved how it operated. I have a Saeco super automatic machine that I have used every day for over 10 years. It is slowly breaking (display stopped working, water tank occasionally leaks, can't run the decalcifying program anymore). So, I didn't need this machine now. But, I was going to need it. The Saeco is a workhorse and I never expected to last as long as it has. I thought the coffee tasted fine from the Saeco. But, I realized it tasted like crap once I got this machine. Very easy to set up. There are a few things to know about operating it that requires reading the manual. But, day to day operation is pretty simple. It takes way longer to get ready than my Saeco. But, you can easily program it to turn on at a designated time. The main display is more old school than it needs to be. In this day and age, they can use something more than an old school lcd display. For some of the functions, if you don't know what it supposed to be displaying, you won't understand it. Probably used it for the aesthetic. I really like the manual part of this machine. It is still essentially an automatic machine. But, you have an espresso basket to put in one port for the grinds to be dispensed into and tamped. Then, you move it to the other port and it makes the coffee. If you make a triple cappuccino, like I do, it is a bit more work than pressing the espresso button 3 times, like I did on my old machine. With this, I have to move the basket from one port to the other, then bang out the grounds in the included barista ground disposal thing, rinse it off and start the cycle again and do that 3 times. You also have to move the cup for the coffee off the machine when you remove the espresso basket or you risk knocking it over. That takes slightly more time than a fully automatic machine but it is more the attention it requires. If you want to multitask while the machine does all of the work, this machine is not for you. One nice feature that saves time is that you can froth the milk while the espresso is being made and you can do that hands free. So, compared to my Saeco, the active time making a beverage is about the same, since the Saeco required my attention in frothing the milk. I think this machine provides the perfect amount of manual interaction in an automatic machine - and the interaction that I want. I would love to get a shiny La Pavoni and a professional grinder, learn the perfect amount of pressure to tamp and have that for the weekend and a fully automatic machine for the work week. But, I don't have the money or the counter space for that. This machine gives me close to both experiences. I get to use an espresso basket (which makes it feel more like an authentic coffee making experience) but still not have to worry about tamping it perfectly and watching the coffee come out and stopping it when it makes the right amount. Yet, you can still experiment with the time for the water flow to control the strength of the coffee. You can control the water temp, the tamping pressure, the grind and a bunch of other options. Or, you never have to fool with those settings. Did I mention it makes amazing coffee? It does. It tastes incredible and the froth is perfect every time. I haven't even used espresso beans in it yet. I have been using some light roast that a local roaster made and was given to me as a gift mixed with some Philz dark roast that I had left over. Only comment/complaint is that you only have one portafilter size. It only dispenses a fixed amount of grounds. So, the button for a double espresso isn't really a double, compared to the single. At a coffee shop, they would use a different size filter for a single and a double and a different amount of coffee in each. So, if you want a full strength double, you really have to make 2 singles. You will have something different if you just let water flow through the same grounds for an extra 10 seconds. Small price to pay, though. Other comment/critique is that the milk can be tough to clean off the bottom part of the frother and you really should do it each time.you use the frother. Didn't have that issue with the Saeco that used a plastic frother tip.
I have been using it for about a week. I have wanted it for about 2 years, since I saw it at a William Sonoma and tried a sample and loved how it operated. I have a Saeco super automatic machine that I have used every day for over 10 years. It is slowly breaking (display stopped working, water tank occasionally leaks, can't run the decalcifying program anymore). So, I didn't need this machine now. But, I was going to need it. The Saeco is a workhorse and I never expected to last as long as it has. I thought the coffee tasted fine from the Saeco. But, I realized it tasted like crap once I got this machine. Very easy to set up. There are a few things to know about operating it that requires reading the manual. But, day to day operation is pretty simple. It takes way longer to get ready than my Saeco. But, you can easily program it to turn on at a designated time. The main display is more old school than it needs to be. In this day and age, they can use something more than an old school lcd display. For some of the functions, if you don't know what it supposed to be displaying, you won't understand it. Probably used it for the aesthetic. I really like the manual part of this machine. It is still essentially an automatic machine. But, you have an espresso basket to put in one port for the grinds to be dispensed into and tamped. Then, you move it to the other port and it makes the coffee. If you make a triple cappuccino, like I do, it is a bit more work than pressing the espresso button 3 times, like I did on my old machine. With this, I have to move the basket from one port to the other, then bang out the grounds in the included barista ground disposal thing, rinse it off and start the cycle again and do that 3 times. You also have to move the cup for the coffee off the machine when you remove the espresso basket or you risk knocking it over. That takes slightly more time than a fully automatic machine but it is more the attention it requires. If you want to multitask while the machine does all of the work, this machine is not for you. One nice feature that saves time is that you can froth the milk while the espresso is being made and you can do that hands free. So, compared to my Saeco, the active time making a beverage is about the same, since the Saeco required my attention in frothing the milk. I think this machine provides the perfect amount of manual interaction in an automatic machine - and the interaction that I want. I would love to get a shiny La Pavoni and a professional grinder, learn the perfect amount of pressure to tamp and have that for the weekend and a fully automatic machine for the work week. But, I don't have the money or the counter space for that. This machine gives me close to both experiences. I get to use an espresso basket (which makes it feel more like an authentic coffee making experience) but still not have to worry about tamping it perfectly and watching the coffee come out and stopping it when it makes the right amount. Yet, you can still experiment with the time for the water flow to control the strength of the coffee. You can control the water temp, the tamping pressure, the grind and a bunch of other options. Or, you never have to fool with those settings. Did I mention it makes amazing coffee? It does. It tastes incredible and the froth is perfect every time. I haven't even used espresso beans in it yet. I have been using some light roast that a local roaster made and was given to me as a gift mixed with some Philz dark roast that I had left over. Only comment/complaint is that you only have one portafilter size. It only dispenses a fixed amount of grounds. So, the button for a double espresso isn't really a double, compared to the single. At a coffee shop, they would use a different size filter for a single and a double and a different amount of coffee in each. So, if you want a full strength double, you really have to make 2 singles. You will have something different if you just let water flow through the same grounds for an extra 10 seconds. Small price to pay, though. Other comment/critique is that the milk can be tough to clean off the bottom part of the frother and you really should do it each time.you use the frother. Didn't have that issue with the Saeco that used a plastic frother tip.
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A great, if pricey machine!!
I've been a fan of Breville's espresso machines for years going back to a really inexpensive one I bought 9+ years ago that is still working. It isn't the greatest machine, but it produces decent, if not great espresso. A little more than a year ago I got a Breville 920XL that is still working fine with an easy repair I did recently. So I decided that the Oracle would better fit me because I'm remodeling the kitchen and would like to reduce the counter space usage. Got the Oracle a couple weeks ago and it was DOA! Called Breville and they offered a fix I could do, but it didn't work. They sent me a replacement which did the same thing. But this time I remembered that air locks are sometimes a fact of life. So I opened the 2 boiler drains and then turned it on and let it run until some water came out. Closed the drains, the machine kept going and filled the boilers and heated up. All is good!! BTW, I had called Breville on this second unit and they were going to pull one from the warehouse and fully test it before sending it out. That's going above and beyond IMO. Now for the review of the Oracle itself. After doing all the preliminary things such as bringing it up and flushing things as the instructions said, I then proceeded to brew an Americano with the default settings. Nearly perfect, though it was a bit thin. Well within range of dialing it in. After 2 more runs with changed grind settings, things are spot on! Pulled a very sweet Americano. Next was to test out the automatic frothing/heating of milk for a Cappuccino. Worked perfectly, I was impressed by how well it does it. The milk was at the proper temp (140F) and the consistency was like wet paint, just like it is supposed to be. The cleaning flush for the steam wand is wonderful! You do the milk, wipe the steam arm down with a damp cloth and push it back into place and it automatically does a few cleaning spurts. Very nice. Overall this machine is excellent IMO. Looks good, works good and my experience with Breville says it will last quite awhile and they do back up their stuff quite well. There are all sorts of adjustments that you can do as you learn this machine. Brew temp, pre-infusion time and pressure, Americano volume, shot temp and volume and Tamp time and pressure are all there, as are auto-start and auto-stop. BTW, Americano has 3 built in settings and you can add 6 more settings depending on how you like your Americanos. The auto-steamer has temp and type adjustment so you can set the temp you want the milk to get to, and the type for a Latte or a Cappuccino or anywhere in between. It is a well thought out implementation. I noted some other reviews that saw issues with descaling. I think that is probably earlier models as there has been a firmware change to aid in that not being an issue. I've descaled my 920XL which is the same basic design as the Oracle's espresso side a few times with no issues.
I've been a fan of Breville's espresso machines for years going back to a really inexpensive one I bought 9+ years ago that is still working. It isn't the greatest machine, but it produces decent, if not great espresso. A little more than a year ago I got a Breville 920XL that is still working fine with an easy repair I did recently. So I decided that the Oracle would better fit me because I'm remodeling the kitchen and would like to reduce the counter space usage. Got the Oracle a couple weeks ago and it was DOA! Called Breville and they offered a fix I could do, but it didn't work. They sent me a replacement which did the same thing. But this time I remembered that air locks are sometimes a fact of life. So I opened the 2 boiler drains and then turned it on and let it run until some water came out. Closed the drains, the machine kept going and filled the boilers and heated up. All is good!! BTW, I had called Breville on this second unit and they were going to pull one from the warehouse and fully test it before sending it out. That's going above and beyond IMO. Now for the review of the Oracle itself. After doing all the preliminary things such as bringing it up and flushing things as the instructions said, I then proceeded to brew an Americano with the default settings. Nearly perfect, though it was a bit thin. Well within range of dialing it in. After 2 more runs with changed grind settings, things are spot on! Pulled a very sweet Americano. Next was to test out the automatic frothing/heating of milk for a Cappuccino. Worked perfectly, I was impressed by how well it does it. The milk was at the proper temp (140F) and the consistency was like wet paint, just like it is supposed to be. The cleaning flush for the steam wand is wonderful! You do the milk, wipe the steam arm down with a damp cloth and push it back into place and it automatically does a few cleaning spurts. Very nice. Overall this machine is excellent IMO. Looks good, works good and my experience with Breville says it will last quite awhile and they do back up their stuff quite well. There are all sorts of adjustments that you can do as you learn this machine. Brew temp, pre-infusion time and pressure, Americano volume, shot temp and volume and Tamp time and pressure are all there, as are auto-start and auto-stop. BTW, Americano has 3 built in settings and you can add 6 more settings depending on how you like your Americanos. The auto-steamer has temp and type adjustment so you can set the temp you want the milk to get to, and the type for a Latte or a Cappuccino or anywhere in between. It is a well thought out implementation. I noted some other reviews that saw issues with descaling. I think that is probably earlier models as there has been a firmware change to aid in that not being an issue. I've descaled my 920XL which is the same basic design as the Oracle's espresso side a few times with no issues.
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2 years later: Fantastic machine, but not perfect.
This is a long review with 2+ years of updates: As it can run fully automatic, it is very quick to dial in the perfect shot. Adjust grind to get a nice extraction, then adjust water volume to preference. Automatic milk steaming is very consistent and convenient. Automatic americano function is also great. Pulled dozens of shots in the first few days getting it set up then making espressos for my friends, family, and I. Then, on day 3, it faulted. I turned the steam temperature knob and the main LCD flickered out. Then it came back, flashing randomly (see video attached). All functions still work, but without the main LCD the menu system cannot be accessed. After unplugging the unit for a few hours everything was back to normal. A couple of days later, the the bottom line disappeared from the main LCD again. I have NOT contacted Breville (yet); Amazon is sending me a replacement, no questions asked, and I'll ship the defective one back when the replacement arrives. I will not pass judgement on a single defective unit - yes it is so expensive that anything but top quality is disappointing to say the least - but I'll give it another chance. Will update with a more damning review if the replacement is anything less than perfect. **update 1. Have been using the replacement machine to pull 2-4 shots per day for the last 9 months with no issues. This thing is nothing short of brilliant. **update 2. As reviewer “Doug” notes, at the 2 year mark my machine also started leaking. Small puddles appeared in the morning. I also am finding I can’t even pull 2 shots and steam a pitcher of milk without it stopping to reheat. Last year I could pull shot after shot for guests and it never skipped a beat. Good thing I purchased the extended warranty. They’re sending a cheque for replacement cost, which should cover repairs and then some. For 2 years this thing has brought me joy. Really disappointing turn of events... **update 3 - I contacted Breville Canada and they provided me a free shipping label to ship the machine to their shop in Vancouver for repairs. It was returned to me in 2 weeks working perfectly. All free of charge. My only complaint was that the service technicians did not communicate what was found and what was fixed - Just got a machine in a box that works like new. I called Breville and they confirmed that the seals were replaced. Hopefully it will perform consistently for more than 2 years this time. I wonder how much the bill for new seals will be once I’m out of the warranty period... Beyond the issues I’ve encountered it really is great. When I think about it the failure rate isn’t terrible; I use it at least twice a day to grind and pull at least 3 shots per day, 365 days/year! It leaked after 2 years and was repaired for free. Not sure I could reasonably expect better of a machine this complex...
This is a long review with 2+ years of updates: As it can run fully automatic, it is very quick to dial in the perfect shot. Adjust grind to get a nice extraction, then adjust water volume to preference. Automatic milk steaming is very consistent and convenient. Automatic americano function is also great. Pulled dozens of shots in the first few days getting it set up then making espressos for my friends, family, and I. Then, on day 3, it faulted. I turned the steam temperature knob and the main LCD flickered out. Then it came back, flashing randomly (see video attached). All functions still work, but without the main LCD the menu system cannot be accessed. After unplugging the unit for a few hours everything was back to normal. A couple of days later, the the bottom line disappeared from the main LCD again. I have NOT contacted Breville (yet); Amazon is sending me a replacement, no questions asked, and I'll ship the defective one back when the replacement arrives. I will not pass judgement on a single defective unit - yes it is so expensive that anything but top quality is disappointing to say the least - but I'll give it another chance. Will update with a more damning review if the replacement is anything less than perfect. **update 1. Have been using the replacement machine to pull 2-4 shots per day for the last 9 months with no issues. This thing is nothing short of brilliant. **update 2. As reviewer “Doug” notes, at the 2 year mark my machine also started leaking. Small puddles appeared in the morning. I also am finding I can’t even pull 2 shots and steam a pitcher of milk without it stopping to reheat. Last year I could pull shot after shot for guests and it never skipped a beat. Good thing I purchased the extended warranty. They’re sending a cheque for replacement cost, which should cover repairs and then some. For 2 years this thing has brought me joy. Really disappointing turn of events... **update 3 - I contacted Breville Canada and they provided me a free shipping label to ship the machine to their shop in Vancouver for repairs. It was returned to me in 2 weeks working perfectly. All free of charge. My only complaint was that the service technicians did not communicate what was found and what was fixed - Just got a machine in a box that works like new. I called Breville and they confirmed that the seals were replaced. Hopefully it will perform consistently for more than 2 years this time. I wonder how much the bill for new seals will be once I’m out of the warranty period... Beyond the issues I’ve encountered it really is great. When I think about it the failure rate isn’t terrible; I use it at least twice a day to grind and pull at least 3 shots per day, 365 days/year! It leaked after 2 years and was repaired for free. Not sure I could reasonably expect better of a machine this complex...
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The Oracle is about the joy of brewing espresso
Why on earth is there so many reviews about the cost of the Oracle? Lets get this out of the way right away. The oracle case more than most espresso makers, you can pick up a super-matic for less that will do one button brewing. you can also buy a very nice grinder and a outstanding high end espresso brewer.. if you are concerned that a bentley tend to need a overhaul each year and that service cost more than life time service on a kia.. then you got the wrong coffeemaker. That out of the way, driving a Oracle is going to cost you money, the beans from Albertson's is a absolute waste of money, I mean its not they are bad at all. but they are NOT that good, and once you are driving a oracle, why not enjoy the flavor it can deliver. So.. Maschine then. if you are reading this, you already know the "WHY". I found myself pondering the Oracle vs the Oracle touch. in the end, i picked the older Oracle to get a little more direct and textured control.. I have not regretted this choice. The grinder is reasonably consistent, I have not had reason to suspect it being inconsistent. I do feel you need to run maybe 2-3 sec after changing grind size when dialing in a bean. so I put the PortaFilter into the grinder and turn it on, then after a couple sec's of grinding, stop by pushing the handle to the right again.. empty and then do a full grind and tamp. BTW> I have left the tamp at default force.. and tweak how fast it runs by the grind size only really. Move the PortaFilter to the Brew Head. make sure to turn it a little extra so its really locked in. push brew and watch your espresso shot brew.. its just so darn beautiful. The thing about the Oracle, I play with beans when nobody is around, and the Oracle will play along all the way. Then early in the morning, just pop in the filter, and do a one button brew. ahhh. you get that fully manual brewer with single button ease when you want it. On and it looks damn good doing what it do. its not looking like a "Im a crazed espresso hobby fanatic", but just like I picked up a really nice espresso maker that suits my lifestyle. and honestly thats really the buying reasoning, its an expensive one of a kind espresso maker, thats in serial production, so its going to be far more reliable than most hand build high end brewers. But what about the barista,? Basically the Barista is just about a Oracle, without the auto-tamp, and the auto-steam.. and actually i think the barista touch now have the auto-steam. I picked the oracle mostly for the dual boiler, auto-tamp convenience (and lack of mess when friends are over) and for the auto-steam.. I wanted a totally step back and enjoy brewer, that I can go nitty-gritty with when in the mood. Ultimately, Not a single regret.
Why on earth is there so many reviews about the cost of the Oracle? Lets get this out of the way right away. The oracle case more than most espresso makers, you can pick up a super-matic for less that will do one button brewing. you can also buy a very nice grinder and a outstanding high end espresso brewer.. if you are concerned that a bentley tend to need a overhaul each year and that service cost more than life time service on a kia.. then you got the wrong coffeemaker. That out of the way, driving a Oracle is going to cost you money, the beans from Albertson's is a absolute waste of money, I mean its not they are bad at all. but they are NOT that good, and once you are driving a oracle, why not enjoy the flavor it can deliver. So.. Maschine then. if you are reading this, you already know the "WHY". I found myself pondering the Oracle vs the Oracle touch. in the end, i picked the older Oracle to get a little more direct and textured control.. I have not regretted this choice. The grinder is reasonably consistent, I have not had reason to suspect it being inconsistent. I do feel you need to run maybe 2-3 sec after changing grind size when dialing in a bean. so I put the PortaFilter into the grinder and turn it on, then after a couple sec's of grinding, stop by pushing the handle to the right again.. empty and then do a full grind and tamp. BTW> I have left the tamp at default force.. and tweak how fast it runs by the grind size only really. Move the PortaFilter to the Brew Head. make sure to turn it a little extra so its really locked in. push brew and watch your espresso shot brew.. its just so darn beautiful. The thing about the Oracle, I play with beans when nobody is around, and the Oracle will play along all the way. Then early in the morning, just pop in the filter, and do a one button brew. ahhh. you get that fully manual brewer with single button ease when you want it. On and it looks damn good doing what it do. its not looking like a "Im a crazed espresso hobby fanatic", but just like I picked up a really nice espresso maker that suits my lifestyle. and honestly thats really the buying reasoning, its an expensive one of a kind espresso maker, thats in serial production, so its going to be far more reliable than most hand build high end brewers. But what about the barista,? Basically the Barista is just about a Oracle, without the auto-tamp, and the auto-steam.. and actually i think the barista touch now have the auto-steam. I picked the oracle mostly for the dual boiler, auto-tamp convenience (and lack of mess when friends are over) and for the auto-steam.. I wanted a totally step back and enjoy brewer, that I can go nitty-gritty with when in the mood. Ultimately, Not a single regret.
