"Do you want a new hobby?" oh man, if you only knew then what 2020 would bring.

I need to sleep why I am I watching videos of expensive espresso machines I'll never buy

I would definitely like to see a ‘Barista Express’ review!

Thank you for this. Years later, still a valuable review. Nicely done, and now, of course, i watch a lot of your videos.

My grandmother, during comunism: Had to queue at the store for hours to be able to buy some low grade, pre ground coffee bulked out with chicory and almond shells and was super happy with it. Me, today: Well, if the steam wand doesn't purge itself automatically, then I don't want it

What I like about you and your reviews is that you are willing to reveal your biases and point of view, and understand that others may have valid differences with your experiences and perceptions. When I come to you, I never feel that you are trying to sell me something. Rather, I come away with a sense that you have helped me to understand what I am looking for and would want. Thank you James, for sharing your knowledge and passion with us.🙏🙂

You are one of the best reviewers I've seen, ever. No frills. No BS. Well structured, well-paced, clear-spoken, thoughtful. You know the most pragmatic points a savvy viewer needs to know, explaining things exceptionally clearly. You explain things as a range of potentials, and offer the contrasts to give the audience a sense of proportion to help them known where things are in the field at large, to get a better idea if the item is a fit, or if not what someone might rather want to steer toward. It really helps put things in perspective. Great job!

Great, informative video! Good point about whether you want a hobby or not. I bought the Breville Barista Express and enjoy the granularity of control over the brewing steps. This machine you reviewed makes the process a bit too easy, but purposeful for those who want a good coffee drink with minimal fuss.

I really appreciate your reviews. I've had this machine for several months and love it. I like being able to fix a few variables and optimize on others. One thing I would add is that you do not have to brew for the full time set on the machine. You can manually stop the brew at any time. What I do is set the brew time for 30 seconds and manually stop the brew when I've hit my target brew ratio. If that happens in less than 25 seconds, I adjust the grid until I hit my brew ratio in 25-30 seconds.

I completely agree with your analysis of home espresso machines. In my case it has definitely become a hobby, but the reason it started this way in the first place is because there are no real cafes in my town. We have a Starbucks, but I would sooner go to a local dinner for coffee then that place. So after some real time thinking I got myself the machine and honestly can't say I regret it.

I have had one of these machines for over two years and I believe it is the best coffee machine (For my requirements) that I have owned. Before continuing: I would like to mention that I thought your review very fair and exactly “on point”. I don’t know if this was the case with your review machine, but my machine came with two baskets for the portafilter (22g and 17g); I personally found the 17g filter a “game changer”. Whilst I am by no means a coffee expert I enjoy a latte or cappuccino and just wanted a machine that could, consistently, produce a decent example. I have had numerous bean to cup machines including a Jura Z5, Jura Z8, two Delonghi machines and a Miele (Possibly built by Jura?). My personal opinion is that all the Sage “semi automatic” bean to cup machines have an essential component that is missing from current fully automatic bean to cup machines: A proper metal portafilter. The “brew units”, in every fully automatic machine I have come across so far, are made of plastic and have a long (Variable length for coffee strength) narrow profile cylinder with a small diameter filter at one end. Metal is a heat conductor whereas plastic is heat insulator. So: The hydraulic and thermal characteristics of a traditional portafilter and a fully automatic bean to cup “brew unit” are very different, which I believe is the reason I find the latte and cappuccino produced by my Sage “Touch” much better than from previous machines I have owned. In conclusion: I have seen numerous bad reviews of the Sage “Touch” and I believe this is mainly due to a combination of the machine looking more manual than automatic and the price; this attracts a customer that is more interested in, as you would say, a coffee making “hobby” as opposed to the customer, that this machine is actually aimed at: somebody that just wants a decent coffee, with minimal fuss. Many thanks for your informative and entertaining videos.

For anyone reading this, you can adjust the dose on any of the Oracle machines. The machine judges when to begin the tamping process by using a sensor in the gearbox that will feel when the tamper fan is resisted by the ground coffee underneath it. By changing the height of the fan, this will tell the machine to stop grinding and begin tamping. To do this, remove the tamper fan (it pulls down, just magnetic) then unscrew the metal fitting that the fan sticks to. It should not require tools to unscrew as it should just be finger tight. Once removed, you will see a small grub screw in the side. Loosen that screw and now you can adjust the fitting by screwing the thread in or out. Usually, one full rotation in or out will equate to 1g dose change. The machine has a limit, usually only 3g or so each way. If you go too far, the machine may not engage the tamper or give an error.

I bought my Oracle non touch, for my kids and wife to give to me for my birthday ;-), refurbished in Germany for 700€ from the official repair warranty as well. Besides a few scratches it looks and performs like new. Its the single best eff'in thing in the kitchen. Im not a coffee hobbyist, but I still get up an hour before everybody else in the morning to make coffee. Love the channel!

I am not even into coffee that much, but somehow I love your videos. You have a really good approach in your vidoes, and you know what you are talking about!

I have the Sage Dual Boiler with a Sette and I really enjoy using it, I think Breville are doing great things for coffee in the home. I think they've placed themselves in the right space with their line up for enthusiastic amateur user and seasoned barista too.

I just discovered James last week (probably saw a video or two over the years but nothing I recall off hand). It is fascinating after watching his new videos to watch this older one and see the differences a few years make.

i wish i could take a coffee class of yours! 101 to pro level, that would be so much fun/very helpful. for now, I'll just making my way through all your vids--thank you!

I have this machine. I was also frustrated with the portion of grounded coffee it puts by default. Found out you can twist the valve right above the portafilter, to lower it as much as you want. I started with 22g and reduced it to 18g.

I have and love my old school Oracle w/buttons and dials. Use it every day for 4 or 5 years now. If it broke today I'd have a new one delivered before the weeks end. Awesomeness on demand pays for itself in short order!!!!

Excellent review James. I have the Barista Express and I love it. It's what my budget allows for and even though many espresso enthusiasts find it lacking, I can pull a shot that beats anything I can get at Starbucks, Dunn Brothers, or Caribou Coffee. Good enough for me and at a reasonable price as well. Well done Breville! I have a request for a future video. Would you please consider looking into the Decent Espresso machine? What I have seen on KZfaq is very exciting and would love to hear what your thoughts are. Thanks!

awesome review love that you include the price alot of other ppl don't

I was scared of the commitment of an espresso machine. But I bit the bullet and bought a breville bambino plus and a baratza sette 270 grinder. I don’t get every setting in the world available to me, but I am consistently pouring shots tastier than my local shop. Which is great considering I can’t go into my local shop during the pandemic.

Breville BES920 (dual boiler with standalone grinder) - Owner for 7 years. Overall I am happy with the machine. It has had its faults but kinda understandable given it gets a regular workout and there is all that heat and pressure going on inside. So far I have replaced the plastic collet/surround that the porta filter fits into, the steam valve thinking it was faulty but it wasn't. The fault was a thermal fuse that has blown. Absolute bugger to get to and a solenoid that was chattering before extraction.

James One thing that is worth mentioning is that you can switch it to the volumetric mode in the settings at least on the non-touch model that I have. Otherwise, I'm personally still using time based mode.

Great review. I would love one of these when we have our new kitchen so we have somewhere to put it.

Hi. Really nice review. Have you tried Sage Bambino Plus? Would be great to hear your opinion about that machine. Thanks.

I think when it’s about coffee and quality there is no other KZfaqr I search for then this one. Strait to the point, explains every thing that really matters and no compromises with sponsors

James! Great channel - amount of knowledge just amazing! Really love your videos! Take care

I have the Oracle and still going strong 3 years on, touch wood. I did have trouble when I first brought, the grinder would not display the value but Breville (Australia) replaced on the spot with a new machine. I was worried at our wedding as it got quiet a big workout but survived. I think your review summaries why we brought, it is expensive and there are cheaper models, but the variables it handles are the things beginners get wrong. It stills makes the coffee the same way a manual espresso machine does. I didn’t want another hobby. Part of the fun is having guests over getting them to try being barista for the night and the machine helps them make a good one. If anything it helps them want try and make a better coffee themselves which is a good thing. It is also great for hot chocolate, or warm milk for porridge. If I get 5 years out of it I would be happy.

Hi there - this is an old video, but felt moved to add my experience here. I'm on my second Oracle machine and fourth Breville/Sage machine. These things are great initially, but in my experience, after a year or so, they develop problems internally. With my latest Oracle, the auto steaming only worked for a month or so (so I just use it manually and have since a month after I got it) and now, just like the last one, I can hear hissing internally and the machine's surface is getting hot. These things are just not designed to deliver even just a few drinks per day over a period of more than a year or so. I've taken them to the Breville-designated workshop for repair (always under warranty, 'cause here in Australia we have great consumer protection that ignores manufacturer warranty durations). Every time I do, the machine comes back and it's never the same. Lower pressure, other faults emerging. Just never the same. Once the internally-escaping steam caused the grinder to report that it was overheating and stop working. Once the machine just starting endlessly tripping the breaker in the kitchen. Once the repair guy told me that I should never wind the grind up tighter than about half way on the adjustment because "the pump just can't handle it". He then adjusted the grind in some way such that I could never get a satisfactory grind again fine enough to stop the flow enough, no matter what I did. So every year or so, I'm faced with this invidious choice - go through the pointless repair exercise again, give away the machine (last time to our cleaner), because I can't sell them in good conscience and buy another one, knowing that I'll get a year out of it, or spend much more and get a machine that will actually endure. I know that if I do, I'll pay a lot more for a machine and grinder, it will take up more space and I will have to do more work. So, I usually just bite the bullet and buy another one. The features are great, they are great for a year or so, but then the key pressurised components will fail, in my experience. If you take it for repair it will not help and will just result in more frustration. It seems that the internals are just not up to delivering pressurised water and steam for as long as you would think would be reasonable. Yes, of course I descaled, backflushed, changed the filters and cleaned religiously. Our water is very soft and high quality here in Sydney, anyway. So, perhaps a Linea Mini and a Ceado this time, or maybe I'll roll the dice again on an Oracle...

Can't love your videos more. absolutely brilliant.

You have a wonderful way with words. Very eloquent.

Brilliant review! The full range of initial questions are all answered.

I know this is an old video but I rewatched it as i have had the original oracle (no touch screen) for 3 years now and I absolutely love it. I noticed you mentioned that the touch can only be programmed using time, the version I have also uses volumetrics. I’ve used it to great effect over the years as it does compensate if the grind is slightly out. (At least you always get same amount in the cup, an acceptance of not wanting / having time for a new hobby! Did they not keep that option when they moved to touch screen?

as a man who has nothing but time I have so many hobbies, and skills that go with them, and I would say that coffee is one of those hobbies.

I’d be curious to see you do a breakdown of steaming milk vs just heating and frothing it (i.e., through agitating hot milk), which still seems to be the preferred domestic option.

Although I have watched quite a lot of James's other videos I came by this one on behalf of someone who was looking for a replacement for his broken Sage machine and wanted a bean to cup one. Although I'm sure he didn't want the high price of this I thought that it gave a good introduction to the process and confirmed what I had said that this is also sold as a Breville in other countries which my contact did not know being puzzled by the Breville reference to Sage part numbers. However the point that I loved is the question "Do you want a new hobby?" - well that's what I have did in getting an ECM Classika 2 with PID and a Rocket Fausto grinder, oh and all the other paraphernalia that upgrades bring. Of course the other component in this process is the beans themselves and their roasting - wow that opens up a whole new hobby even if you are just buying them!

Thank you so much for sharing that review!! That is really important, because to buy a sooo expensive machine and find out that it doesn’t worth what you have paid, it is really not fun at all!! 😉

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Thank you for everything. You, Gwylim and Matt Perger are for me the most important people in third wave coffee scene.

This has strong "parent trying to convince their child that a dog is a ton of work and maybe they should consider getting a fish" vibes 😅

I have the Barista touch. It is very similar but a little more hands on. It may not pull the best shots in the world but I am used to paying $7 for a Starbucks or equivalent in my area. The latte’s I am making at home are absolutely kicking the crap out of anything I have had anywhere else. If there is something better out there I would like to taste it as I am in love with the Breville Barista Touch. Great review James. I thought you would rip this thing to shreds but I think you have given this machine a very good and fair summary.

Yet another great video from James! For coffee fans work a restricted budget, I'd really like to see a review of the Kmart espresso machine (only $99 in New Zealand).

I was purchased this very machine for my 50th birthday.. 3 years later “Gino” is very much a part of the family. Your review is spot on. I’m very much the Sage target customer.. latte, cappuccino etc. One maybe two a day.. The machine has performed flawlessly and I wouldn’t hesitate in getting another. So.. one question. I’m completely at a loss how to do latte art. I’ve tried. So far I’ve had everything in my cup , including a sad looking Homer Simpson this morning.. but can I do a lovely leaf design? No…. Lol

Bought an Oracle without the touch. Thought it great, three years in maybe not so. Had a few internal leaks caused by faulty O rings. I have had a Gaggia classic for 30 years and replaced anything that was needed with no problem. It is not a machine for the DIY repair man! Each time I send it back to the approved repair agent you don’t get change from £100 just for labour costs….recently bought Mignon Specialista 64 XL to give me a better chance of a consistent dose. The new grinder has revived my liking of the Oracle and is producing great consistent espressos. I still use the inbuilt grinder for my decaffs in the evening. The quality of the body of the Oracle is very poor, mine is looking like it went a few rounds with Mike Tyson….. Love your videos, keep up the good work. The more you enjoy a great coffee the more of a hobby it becomes!

So this is the new studio... Amazing! Great video by the way

I have the more analog dual boiler system from Sage and honestly its smooth as when combined with a good quality grinder, and fresh beans.

Interesting product; I just bought their smart grinder pro and am quite happy with it. I spent quite a while looking (in Australia) and couldn’t find anything that had flat burrs in my price range. Having said that I’m not unhappy with it for a first grinder especially as I managed to pick it up half price. Would be interested to hear your thoughts on it James even though I’ve already bought it.

Very informative review. I would really be interested to see if this model is actually better than the previous Oracle and in what ways.

Oh this is fascinating listening to James in this older video and seeing how the audio editing and mic upgrade in his newer videos changes the quality of his voice.

James I love your reviews. And your talking speed is perfect for speeding it up 1.5 times ;-p

perfect review. concise, honest, and entertaining.

Great review. I will look at more of your videos. Thanks man

I have had the OT for 5 months now and it is just fantastic....

Had one for about 6 months now and find it excellent. well done Sage.

Breville does an outstanding job of making products convenient for the customers. He is totally right about the whole expresso home experience. It’s initially fun but when you make one or two for you and maybe spouse, day after day and dialing in and tamping sometimes gets frustrating then you have to clean up the mess. It can get old quick.

Great info Video . Professional executed

Ok. Going to pull the trigger on this. Thanks James!

I have the Breville dual boiler and i love it. I got it half price though i was quite lucky there.

i have this machine and love it. i just found out that indeed you CAN set the amount of grind out on this machine. in the tamp fan, if you twist it clockwise about ten times it will come out and then with your supplied allen key you have to loosen it and twist the sensor out a bit (so it stops earlier) and tighten the allen again and twist it back on and bam, the machine will now grind less. i think its time to do a second video on this and let you play with that and see how you truly feel about about this one

I am somewhat a gear geek and I have been seeing this machine pop up every were on the web. I got to play with one at a store for a bit. I loved it. More control is better but like you said not the goal for this machine.

This is an old video, but I will share it all the same. You can actually control the ground coffee dose by adjusting the tamp fan height by removing the fan, unscrewing a small bold, and rotating the drive shaft's length. You can go between 17-22g or so. Lower doses also result in a cleaner tamp, in my experience.

Having owned this machines little brother,the ordinary Barrista Touch, for over a year now, I’m still a big fan. My machine has produced hundreds of great drinks and is still going strong. There is a learning curve initially that must be overcome but once you have it dialed in it produces consistent shots and textured milk and can make a variety of tasty beverages.

I have the breville/sage. The infuser and it takes all of 3-4minutes to make a superb cappuccino

While viewing, my wife overheard your comments on not having an espresso machine at home and the “hobby” aspect for those that do. She laughed. Her Nespresso machine sits beside my pre Mil Pavoni Europiccola and Olympia Cremona 67, both with aftermarket tweaks, etc. so we both enjoyed your comments. But….over the holidays, we visited with my wife’s sister and brother-in-law. He, recently a Krups devotee, just bought a Breville Barista Pro, one of the little brothers to the Breville here in your discussion. After I got over the fact that I could not control pressure, temp, speed of the rotation of the Earth while pulling shots, I started to realize how convenient this was for a decent espresso. Not the best ever, but certainly consistently decent. Perfect for him. Probably for me to if I were to admit it. Thanks for the presentation.

Great review, thank you! I have seen a couple of other reviews that said volume could be adjusted by customizing brew time through the touch menu. Either by customizing the preset drinks or creating your own custom drinks. Thoughts?

Definitely one of the best home espresso machines. We used to use Nespresso pods for at home coffee, and our last one was a Breviile with the smart steam wand (what they now call “MiLQ” 😂). So when we decided that the waste of the pods was too much and we wanted to upgrade, we looked at their range with the smart steam wand. We went top of range, with the Oracle Touch (list price nearly $5,000 NZD, but picked up in a promotion for $3,400). This was in 2018, and I have to say, owning this during the COVID lockdowns made up for not being able to visit barista coffee shops. We use it probably 3-4 times every day, and it’s been so reliable.

Fantastic review!

“It won’t give you enough granularity on the coffee making process” 😂. I know they are not your favourites, but I couldn’t help thinking about Nespresso when you talked about convenience at home. Could you do an elimination taste test with pods, like you did with instant coffee some time ago?

Much thanks for the review! I do worry, that the electronics in that box might go clunk one day, making the machine unfixable for me, vs their previous version using mechanical controls... I guess it would be more to the point to ask what machine I'd be best off with in a location with no possibility of factory service - only my passable plumbing and electric expertise.

This Breville brand is also sold under the Sage name here in Iceland

Great reviews, and tips on your videos! I'm constantly debating if I should buy an espresso machine to replace my Nespresso. But I have a feeling, just like you mentioned, after a few months, I'd want the convenience of the Nespresso, instead of fiddling every morning with the machine. I've heard a lot of good things about the Gaggia Classic pro. Have you tried it before? Do you have any plans to do a $300-$500 machine comparison video?

My thoughts exactly (00 :59 -1:15 ). But my mind is on Lapavoni Europiccola, because i love the hobby. The complicated process makes my cup special each time. Even with pour over and french press and others. I switch from one to another. It's fun.😊

The non-touch version of the oracle is an option for people want more control. Same unit but offers much more customization

Enjoy your videos, thank you. But, I was surprised you didn’t actually use the machine and make a cup during the review.

good video james. ive got an oracle touch myself and got it as i was struggling to stand long enough to barista one due to health. this machine once set up, and it takes a little work to get it right, just does a grand job; even the milk is pretty good. now i will say that you can better it manually but heck, this is much more civilsed and tbh you probably get a better 'regular' flat white set under your own name. you can set a few like that if youve others who regularly imbibe.

Could you please do a review of the Barista Express? You're the man, thank you.

reminds me of dialing in a piston lever espresso machine !

Great video. I have the past model which had buttons rather than a touch screen. It’s exactly the same inside but £600 less. Worth noting.

I agree with everything james said about paying someone else to make espresso except where I live, greater Toronto area, Canada, it’s impossible to find a coffee bar that pulls consistently good shots no matter who is behind the bar.

Thank you for your honesty.

Something I've been looking for on KZfaq, but sadly absolutely no-one has done it, is to demonstrate how thick the milk can be at maximum frothiness setting on the Oracle for cappuccino. Seems everyone likes watery lattés, whereas I much prefer a thicker, layered, creamier, denser, 'whipped' texture - you know, where you could put a cube of sugar on top and it wouldn't sink (not that I normally add sugar).

This review is all about honesty, thank you for sharing. I am happy to see you point out all the honest selling features so I got one based on your review. Now I wanna share honest experience to point out what you missed. The machine is very noisy when grinding like it amplifies the sound not muffle the sound. The pressure is poor no matter what the specifications claim the proof is in the end result and the end result is no cream on top of a short black and I did use fresh coffee looking st the used by date and packaging date. No matter what I tried in settings and a very expensive tests I did in wasting lots of coffee beans I couldn’t get that cream on top I love and can get from a cheap unit. Finally the flavours, it doesn’t taste good. I want that coffee flavour and this machine failed to deliver. For those that don’t know what I am talking about I recommend you get a unit, try it for a month and return it because you will not like it. Also one more honest review about milk frothing, it is poor at max froth setting. It doesn’t do a good job. I love your opinion and review but I now know you only talk about how good a piece of equipment is and everything you say about is honest but you do suppress the issues and not mention them. I know cause I got this machine based on you lovely review.

I have tested the Sage Barista Pro and Oracle Touch side by side, directly next to one another. Same Water, same Coffee etc. Both with stock baskets, later with IMS Competition Baskets. I personally find, the Barsita Pro makes for a better espresso shot. The extractions are more even and honeylike with the BP (with correct puck prep!), the OT seems to be suffering a lot with channeling. After 10-15sec of a warm honey like extraction, spurts and sputters occur with the OT. More than in every second shot. Very annoying for a 2k coffee investment. The reason for this is very simple: auto tamper! Yes it grinds at a very consistent grade, but than the coffee grinds are circularly „thrown“ in the basket by the tamping fan. It helps with breaking clumps and air pockets, but it throws and presses the most ground powder to the outer areas of the puck. Once enough grind is filled, tamping beginns. But! Due to the overfill on the outer, it is more compressed. Leading to an very uneven, undercompressed inner party, middle of the puck. You can actually see that by stopping the grind process in the middle: all powder outside, no powder inside until the end. Due to only a rotational distribution you will never really have even distributed from the inside to the outside, or throughout the puck. Leading to? Right, channeling! System failure by design… very annoying and frustrating for a 2k espresso machine. To be honest, the only real downside, but therefore such a hefty and unfixable one, that it ruins the whole experience for me. Bcuz the machine is build to use auto grind with auto tamp. If i could distribute and tamp by myself, problem would be solved, but thats not possible. Since a even distribution of grind is the key to perfect extraction, a great espresso shot is very rare and pure luck. So because you have to prepare the puck yourself with the BP, once you have a consistent method with WDT or OCD tool and tamp yourself, great extractions nearly every time. Bare in mind, BP is only 1/3 of the costs of a OT, wtf… what a design flaw. Still, i love the auto milk steam function and the microfoam is amazing. Upgrading to the precision IMS competation baskets made for a way better extraction and greater tasting shot, what a game changer. But the channeling problem with the OT still exists and makes for quite unbalanced shot due to uneven extraction with over- and underextracted parts of the puck. My go to would be the Sage Dual Boiler with the smart grinder pro. The best bang for the buck from my perspective! In the Sage Magic Duo set its nearly half the price of the OT, but with way better coffee or espresso in the end. Cheers

this review is awesome! THANK YOU James! i love SAGE/Breville products, possibly got most of their pro machines...yes it's a hefty investment indeed for a possible romantic notion but based on what I've seen and read this may be just the machine for me...just thinking of a very justifiable reason to spend 2 grand on a coffee machine!

James you are now the trusted expert on espresso in my community😀. Quick question what do you think of the La Spaziale Luca A53 (Vivaldi 2 mini) as compared with the Sage? Or would you go Rocket Appartamento/Profitec Pro 500? Sorry for the off piste questions.

Thank-you. A very fair assessment.

I have owned this machine for almost six months and it is the best decision a have made. Was first interested to buy a Rocket apartamento with Rocket Grinder. But when a got this for 1500€. The pro-list are long like, it takes about 5-10min for heating the filter and machine, setting the grinder takes a maximum of three shots when you change beans, when a don’t like milk based drinks, it idiot free to steam milk to friends and family and it super easy to clean and use in the home for daily use... went from an Super Automatica, Melitta CI. It was a hassle to clean.

Hey James! Thank you for making so interesting and informative videos about coffee. I really enjoy watching them and learning. I am just about to face my decision about buying a coffee machine. The question you mentioned in a video : 'do you want a cup of coffee or do you want a hobby' is exactly my problem now :D. (very nice problem to ponder I must admit) I am considering buying Siemens Eq6 coffee machine. Fully automatic with quite a few different settings. Are you planning to test this machine any time soon? Also, what good espresso machine would you recommend? Not necessarily below 100p ;) I already did not buy one of those thanks to your video :D

Thank you. Thinking about this one.

Your videos are great! Very good reviews and I thank you! I have a Breville Touch and have had it for several years now. I have mixed feelings about it. I am not sure it is grinding quite properly and perhaps the grind is too fine and I cannot get it coarse enough..even though I have played with the burr settings and thoroughly cleaned the grinder. The dispensing of ground coffee is sometimes too high in the portafilter and so it needs some muscle to get the portafilter to fit properly in the grouphead....with a resulting overspill of liquid around the silicone seal (which I have recently replaced with no good effect). The tamping leaves an imprint of the tamper in the coffee in the portafilter with a couple of very high spots matching the tamp fans final position, so I ultimately have to gently tamp it flat before inserting it in the grouphead. These are all frustrating things that I never had to deal with with my old traditional espresso machine. It is however convenient to have everything in one machine and it does take up less space on the counter. I guess there are compromises with everything!

That's a cool review (I have an older version of this and so it's been interesting to see the new one). One thing - next time, actually using it in the review would be quite useful to see. Thanks.

That was a great piece of insight - "Do you want a new hobby?". I´ll keep that saved

Would be good to see a deep dive into bean-to-cup machines and comparisons of models video: de longhi specialista, all the different sage variations etc

Great, honest and thorough review.

Hello James, thanks for the interesting review. I am searching espresso machine at home. Price is not my biggest concern, but my biggest concerns are user friendly, quality in terms of long term life expectancy. I am in between a new hobby, and having no time in the week when I want as quick as possible a decent coffee. So I am looking to the new Z10 of Jura, but I have my doubts about quality and life expectancy, it's still 2 year guarantee and no longer for such expensive machine. The simpler the machine less things can go wrong. Best regards Ben

I've had mine (non touch but otherwise very similar) for about 6 years. It makes very good but not outstanding coffee. A weakness not picked up by James is that if you froth a second batch of milk within a short space of time from the first, you get hot milk not froth! The grinder blades are getting quite worn and from all accounts, the grinder in this machine is probably the weakest link so rather than spend a lot of money to restore something to "average" new condition I've just bought a Mazzer Super Jolly. More work but it has improved the taste from the machine considerably. I'm not a hobbyist and would buy a fully automatic machine if one existed that could make consistent "Great" coffee. Instead I bought the Super Jolly and now I get consistent great coffee without having to do too much work.

Hi James, My wife and I just got an expresso machine and grinder package for home and the expresso machine has a pressure gauge. We're quite new to coffee making and we are hoping to get your thoughts on set up. So we've been using the pressure as the target in trying to dial in our grind setting. Then using that grind we manually extract to taste. So, we grind and dose out 20 grams of grounds, put it through the machine, see what pressure it read, change grind setting, repeat until 9 bars. Once that happened we manually extracted to determine the duration for extraction based on taste. Any advice is much appreciated.

Hello James, Been watching many of your videos. Thank you for all your advise. I've been a coffee lover for years. Problem I have which is best for me? Tried capsules (don't like) used hob expresso kettle (not consistent and taste) caffiteria , v60 etc etc. With your Experiance what do you recommed I do?

I'd like to know if the espresso and the milk get hot enough for someone who likes really hot drinks?