Breville Dual Boiler BES920XL Espresso Machine Review 2024

Are you the kind of person who thinks that using a superautomatic is cheating? Would you rather handcraft your favorite custom coffee creations? If you answered yes to either of those questions, then you’re going to love what you read here in our Breville dual boiler BES920XL review.

While Breville is not one of the giants in the industry, they do make well-designed products. Although one recurring complaint about the brand is that quality and longevity are sometimes a bit lacking.

On the other hand, their products are pound-for-pound more capable and feature-rich than most of their peers. So at the end of the day, it comes down to which of those is more important to you.

While we have seen a few quality complaints about the 920XL, the overwhelming majority of consumers who have purchased one have nothing but good things to say about this model.

The Breville 920XL is actually an upgrade of an older model offered by Breville – the now discontinued BES900XL. That machine was superb, and as you’ll see in the sections that follow, this updated model is a worthy successor indeed.

The one word of warning we’d give to prospective buyers is this: this is not the machine you want if all you’re looking for is a good cup of coffee. This machine doesn’t brew coffee. You use it to pull shots of espresso, which you can either drink or use to create other specialty coffee drinks.

This also isn’t the machine you’re looking for if you want the push-button convenience of a superautomatic.

This model was designed for folks who love the art and science of handcrafting their favorite coffee drinks.

If that’s what you’re looking for, read on and prepare to be impressed.

An Overview of the Breville Dual Boiler Espresso Machine

Form Factor, Footprint & Aesthetic

If you’re a fan of the industrial aesthetic, then you’re going to love the look of the Breville dual boiler new model. It would fit in seamlessly with any commercial kitchen.

Unfortunately, that means that if your kitchen’s décor scheme runs more to homespun, this coffee machine will stick out like a sore thumb. That makes its aesthetic somewhat hit or miss. Some people will love it, and others, not so much.

As was the case with its predecessor, this is a pretty sizeable machine. The Breville dual boiler’s dimensions are 14.7″ W x 14.8″ D x 14.7″ H, and it weighs in at a hefty 30 pounds.  

Given those dimensions and the fact that the cup warming tray is on top of the unit, it may be too tall to stash under your kitchen’s cabinetry, which means you’ll need an island or a table to serve as a dedicated coffee bar to give it a permanent home.

The weight is in some ways more than you might expect and in some ways less. On the one hand, it’s heavier than comparably sized home espresso makers because it’s crafted from stainless steel.

On the other hand, it’s lighter than most comparably sized commercial espresso makers because the plating and cladding are thinner than what you usually find on commercial machines.

Reservoir Size of Breville Dual Boiler

Because we’re power drinkers, we prefer it when we find machines that can be plumbed with a dedicated water line. Unfortunately, those kinds of machines are few and far between, and the Breville dual boiler BES920 isn’t one of them.

That said, it does boast an impressive 84-ounce water tank, which is big enough to satisfy even the most avid coffee drinker or even a whole house full of them!

Even better, and this is one of the many cool design flourishes of this machine, you can add water to the tank via a hatch at the top of the machine or via the main access panel in the back of the machine – very convenient!

It gets better because the design team behind the Breville dual boiler BES920XL knows how frustrating it is to run out of water in the middle of drink preparation. This is why they made sure you could see, at a glance from the front of the machine, the water level of the tank. That way, you’ll always know how close you are to needing a refill.

While we’d never recommend buying a coffee machine just because of the size of the water tank, we do love it and regard this as one of the 920’s many strong selling points.

No Built-In Grinder

An important thing to keep in mind where the Breville BES920XL is concerned is the fact that it does not include a grinder, so you’ll need to buy one separately.

Naturally, this has good and bad points. On the one hand, this is already a pretty expensive machine, and knowing that you’re going to have to shell out more money for a grinder doesn’t help matters.

On the other, this is really more of a “prosumer” device – more robust than comparably priced consumer machines but not quite as capable as consumer devices with comparable specs (which, as you might expect, also tend to be more expensive).

What’s cool about getting your own grinder, though, is that the grinder isn’t tied to the machine itself, and you can get exactly the grinder you want. If you buy a fancy superautomatic with a built-in grinder, you’re stuck with whatever sort of grinder the design team decided you should have.

Another point to consider is that built-in grinders that come with super automatics don’t tend to play well with oily beans. So if you’re fond of dark roast, you’ll want to invest in a separate grinder anyway!

Where grinders are concerned, here are a couple of tips and pointers designed to ensure that you get a good one:

Blade Grinders are nonstarters. Don’t waste your money. They just don’t deliver a good enough grind quality to be worthwhile.
Stainless Steel grinders work but are also problematic, especially if you’re pulling lots of shots back to back. The longer your grinder is in use, the hotter the grinder’s “teeth” get, which can leave you with burned beans that will absolutely ruin the flavor of whatever drink you’re trying to make.
A good Ceramic Grinder is far and away the best choice. Get one with a sufficient number of grind settings to make the kinds of drinks you love.

The Boiler System of Breville 920XL

This is probably the most important part of our Breville dual boiler BES920XL review, and perhaps the best lens to view this machine through is to think of it as being built around its two boilers. The boiler used to pull shots of espresso is controlled via PID, which allows you to precisely set the temperature. The secondary boiler is for steam.

Having two boilers may not seem like a big deal at first glance, but it really is because it allows you to bring water up to temp for shot pulling and milk frothing simultaneously, which saves you time when you’re creating milk-based coffee creations.

Sure, if you only make a latte or two a day, the time savings are nominal. But if you’re a power drinker or live in a household with several power drinkers, the fact that you’ve got a double boiler machine will save you vast amounts of time. It will spoil you, and once you’re used to two boilers, you’ll never want to go back to one!

The default steam temperature is 275 F, while the shot/extraction temperature is adjustable in a range that spans 190F to 205F.

One of the most significant differences between this model and the Breville dual boiler BES900 is that any time the 900 needed descaling, you’d have to drain the boilers and send the machine off to an authorized dealer for service.

That’s no longer necessary.

You can descale the 920XL from home, which is both cheaper and much more convenient, so a very good change indeed!

The Coffee Spigot of Breville Dual Boiler BES920

The coffee spigot on the Breville BES920 dual boiler coffee machine is just under the portafilter.

Remember, this model is built just like the professional-grade machines you see at your favorite coffee shop, and it utilizes a standard 58mm portafilter.

Your coffee cup sits just beneath that and can be about 6″ tall or taller if you’re willing to hold the cup at an angle while your caffeinated goodness flows into it. You can also use a bottomless portafilter (not included) and extend the cup height to about 8.”

The Brew Unit and Control System

This is another incredibly important component of our Breville dual boiler BES920XL review because the control unit that sits on the front face of the machine is your window into its inner workings. The main control panel, in conjunction with the control knobs, buttons, and the steam lever, collectively allows you to control every aspect of whatever drink you’re making.

If you know you like your espresso at a certain temperature, you can do that. It’s also got an Over Pressure valve – like most commercial machines – that limits the maximum pressure throughout the extraction, which minimizes your risk of winding up with a bitter shot.

In addition to that, it’s got a pre-infusion function which gradually increases the water pressure to gently expand grinds for a nice, even extraction.

The controller on the front face also sports a clock and allows you to program an auto-start time if you want one, so no more waiting around for the machine to come to life and warm-up first thing in the morning – those days will be a thing of the past if you buy one of these!

If all of that wasn’t enough, the single and double shot buttons on the front face of the machine are programmable. So you can set a custom shot timer, pre-infusion time, and precise water temperature to taste, which helps you achieve more consistent results over time.

The one complaint we have about the control system is that it is LED-based, which at this point, is decidedly old school.

While we like and admire the old-school design featured here, we also don’t see anything wrong with modernizing certain aspects of the machine. And this model would be well served by a larger LCD screen, which would allow for better error handling (LED error messages can sometimes be a little cryptic) and easier programmatic control in general.

Of course, those changes would also increase the price of the machine, so we understand why the company stuck to the LED system their older model utilized.

The Milk Frothing System of Breville 920XL

In the world of milk frothing, there are two options. Most super automatics like to take the hands-free approach and go with a carafe that does the frothing for you. Plug the carafe into the unit, steam hits it, and you get steamed milk and froth, which can be dispensed into your cup.

This model doesn’t do that.

Instead, you get a steam wand which takes some practice to use well. But it is the approach that coffee purists tend to prefer because once you gain proficiency with the wand, you can get consistently better results from it.

The cool thing about this unit is that the steam lever has a very smooth action. If you want, you can open the valve slowly – gradually ramping up the amount of steam you’re using – or if you’d rather, just go full bore right from the start.

That precise level of control is the real selling point here. And remember, this is a double boiler system, so you can pull your shot and not have to wait for the temperature to shift for the steam. It will be ready when you are.

The Cup Warming Tray

This will be a relatively short segment of our Breville dual boiler BES920XL review because there’s not a lot to say here other than the fact that this model has a cup warming tray on the top of the unit, and you should absolutely use it. If you’ve never used one before, here’s the reason you should start:

If you want to enjoy your coffee hot, then you probably don’t want to pour it into a cold cup, which will reduce its temperature. This is especially true if you’re creating a milk-based drink because milk gets steamed at temperatures lower than shots get pulled.

When you combine the ingredients, it lowers the overall temperature of the drink. It has to. No other outcome is possible, and a cold cup makes it even more pronounced.

A cup warming tray won’t perfectly offset the temperature loss, but it goes farther than you might think, and it’s a super simple solution to the problem. Try it and see for yourself!

Surprisingly Easy to Use and Clean

Despite the fact that this is a much more “hands-on” machine than the super automatics, which tend to get most of the headlines, the basics of shot pulling really aren’t that difficult to get a handle on. Yes, it takes a bit of time.

Yes, it takes practice, and learning to use the steam wand effectively will take a bit more practice. But if you enjoy the process of crafting custom coffee drinks or if you feel like you want to learn, those things won’t really feel like work. Many people find it relaxing and enjoyable.

If you fall into that category, then this machine will be a pure joy to own.

Cleaning isn’t as much fun, but the unit makes it fairly easy. Not only is there a “Clean Cycle” easily accessible from the control panel, but the machine will also tell you when it needs attention.

As mentioned, though, sometimes the messages the simple LED throws at you can be a little cryptic. Even so, the user manual spells them out in detail, and keeping the unit clean is a pretty straightforward proposition.

Extras

You get a lot more than just the machine itself when you buy a Breville BES920. You also get:

Those are some pretty good, high-value accessories, though some users have found the quality of these extras to be lacking. If you do, then consider them good enough to get you started and replace them with better options as you’re able.

Even if you ultimately wind up replacing almost everything, it’s still a very nice touch that the company included almost everything you need to get started – save for the grinder itself, of course.

Variants of Breville 920XL

Pros and Cons of the Dual Boiler Espresso Machine

As you can see, this machine has a lot to offer, and it doesn’t really have many points of weaknesses.

Most of the weak points in the design are the result of conscious design decisions.

We like almost everything about this model, but there are a couple of provisos to bear in mind before you spend your hard-earned money:

First, it’s a relatively expensive machine. Unless you drink a lot of specialty coffee drinks, it may take a long while for this machine to pay for itself.

Second, it’s a ‘prosumer’ device, caught partway between a standard consumer-grade kitchen appliance and a professional-grade powerhouse. If you live in a bustling household and there are lots of coffee drinkers living with you, a machine like this can be worth its weight in gold. If not, it may be more machine than you need.

Third, bear in mind that you’ll need to buy a grinder with it in order to start using it.

Finally, remember that this isn’t a superautomatic. This machine is specifically for people who want to take the time to learn to craft their own specialty coffee drinks. If you’re looking for one-touch convenience, then you want a superautomatic, not a machine like this.

Breville Dual Boiler BES920XL Review Conclusion

If all four of the conditions above apply to you, we highly recommend this model. If only three do, we recommend it. If only two of those conditions apply, we provisionally recommend it.  Otherwise, we don’t recommend it. Ultimately, it comes down to exactly what kind of machine you’re looking for. For the right user, this one’s a masterpiece.

Other Options to Consider

Some people just aren’t looking for a machine like this. If you like the sound of it but think you probably want something else, here are a couple of other great options to consider:

This is a superautomatic masterpiece that offers you a wide range of drink options made for you at the touch of a button. If you’re not interested in learning how to handcraft them yourself, this machine is probably a much better fit for you.

This unit is about half the cost of the one we just reviewed. So if you’re on a budget, it may be a better fit for you. The cool thing about this one is that it does come with an integrated grinder, so there’s nothing else to buy, which, again, if you’re on a budget, is a godsend.

Even better, it’s offered by De’Longhi, which is one of the biggest and most respected names in the industry. It’s a good product and well worth considering.

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Official Manufacturer Support

References & Resources

• Breville, Official Brand Website.
• How to Pull Espresso Shots, The Spruce Eats.
• 5 Steps on How to Steam Milk, Barista Institute. 
• 40 Coffee Shop Drinks and Treats You Can Make at Home, AllRecipes.
• Milk and Art, Blue Bottle.