I have never seen someone compare the “hands-on” timing of the machines during a comparison video. It’s a very important factor to consider when buying a machine that I think gets overlooked. Very informative and easy to digest! Thanks! 😊
This is one of the best comparisons I've seen. There's a "hack" to using the Dual Boiler which I've been doing for years now, after seeing how Dritan Alsela does his milk. What I do is balance my milk jug against the steam wand, tilting back with the pouring spout against the wand, so that the wand tip is just touching the surface of the milk. Then I go about other things while the milk is getting textured. I have a temp sticker on the milk jug so I can see when it's done without needing my hands on it all the time. The texture is always perfect latte too. I've been using my Dual Boiler (first gen) for over 5 years, and I purchased it second hand when it was a few years old already. I've been looking at upgrading but I can't find a premium machine that even has an auto-on feature, so apart from asthetics, I feel like it would be a downgrade really...
I've been meaning to make a hands-free steaming tutorial, its a great workflow hack! In terms of auto-on, I have my Appartamento on a smart outlet, so not only is it warm when I wake up each morning, but I can say "Alexa, coffee time!" and it switches on ;)
On the dual boiler shot, your bar pressure has dropped from 9bar to about 7.5 in the space of 5 seconds run time, shouldn't have dropped at all! Noticed you didn't use any pressure in the tamp either so likely the reason for it. I use a similar spreader/tamp as well for mine, they work wonders! Appears the automatic tamping on the Oracle is likely the reason for the spraying as well, you seemed to have tamped properly on that shot for the Dual Boiler ;) My only criticisms though :D I use the Breville Dual Boiler myself along with the Breville Grinder and have found them to be very capable. The Oracle seems like excess to me as I much prefer the manual side/being hands on. The Oracle to me seems like a BMW M3 with an SMG transmission, semi-manual and pointless. I can understand if you're working through a lot of coffees then yeah it'd be an advantage and if you're the sort of person who is regularly entertaining then it'd be a good option, but for the everyday use, the Dual Boiler is perfect. I was looking into the Nuova Simonelli Musica Lux but complete lack of features over flow control/temperature/pre-infusion etc didn't justify the significant price difference.
Hi there. Just ordered the oracle. I’ll be donating my barista express to family. Enjoy the manual process, but having tasted the oracle, it’s blindingly good. You could of course use a separate grinder and tamp yourself and do the milk manually l, but no need. The quality is great. You’ll never drink it and aay, I have a better one in me. Not cheap though.
I'm really glad I got the Dual Boiler as I enjoy the manual process a lot. Coffee needs to breathe and vary a bit every time, just as beans react to temp and moisture. If I wanted the same result every time I'd gotten a full auto machine. The Dual Boiler is as close to pro quality as it gets.
Had an Oracle for 6 months, upgraded from a fully automatic one touch bean to cup machine. The Oracle has limitations but I'm more than happy with it since I didn't want to get into dosing and tamping. It suites my need for decent coffee without too much work on my part.
If you want more hands off on the dual boiler (or any machine with a slow steam time), place a support of some kind (I use a small cardboard box) about 80mm high off to the right of the steam wand to sit your milk jug on. Position the steam wand tip (more precisely the steam holes) just above the surface of the milk. This will require a little experimentation for the best spot. Start steaming at full pressure. Stick in a thermometer and then start to prepare and make your shot while the milk is steaming. Keep an eye on the thermometer. I have cut down my prep times a lot using this method as I'm not just standing there holding the jug. Big bonus is my latte art has improved greatly as the milk is coming out a lot more consistent.:) Thanks for the vid.
Your reviews are by far the best on RUclips! And all of your reviews are A1 keep up the great job! Also if you get the chance i would love to see you do a review on the breville oracle touch, there is plenty of reviews but no one does them as good as yourself. Thanks again my friend 👍🏽
I'm binge watching your videos on Breville. I love how you cover the differences between machines and is it worth the uncharge. I was looking at Barista Pro over Express, but after your video I am saying no to the Barista Pro.
Both grinders clump (used both + Barista express). With BDB you have control over Puck prep. Uneven density due to clumps and center pile causes spraying. As you know, spray is an indicator for major channeling and does negatively impact brew (most of the time). You can also see a donut extraction on Oracle which indicates lower density on the sides compared to the middle. Both machines are capable in making cafe quality drinks. Its up to the barista to learn more or not. Good content.👍
If you don't like too much tinkering and experimenting with your espresso, Oracle is a great choice. I like the dual boiler better, I like to be more in control, I like to have a separate grinder which I can replace if it's not being consistent, I like using my own tamper/distributor tool and fine tuning my technique to get the best espresso possible. The auto frother option on dual boiler would be nice, I have to admit, but I can live without it.
Great reviews, I have been looking and comparing but am still trying to decide what machine under $1000.00 to buy. A friend of mine will sell me the oracle for under 1k but that dual boiler looks really nice.
Not to mention that if the dual boiler breaks it will be very easy to access and change parts, like gaskets, pumps, solenoids, and such, the Oracle would be far more difficult to fix!
Thanks for the comparison, have you tried adjusting the tamp pressure/time on the oracle to compensate for the channeling on the bottomless portafilter? I'm currently torn between buying these two machine. If I go for the DB I would get the Niche Zero grinder also, I would like to get more into espresso as a hobby but you can't beat the convenience of the Oracle especially when entertaining.
I did try to balance grind size and tamping pressure to improve the channeling problem, but it's still going to happen on some level. The Dual Boiler / Niche combo will undoubtedly make better coffee, so its up to you to decide how much you REALLY value that convenience of the Oracle. The DB / Niche setup also brings its own convenience in that you can use the Niche to grind for all types of coffee, not just espresso
@@LifestyleLab_ Thanks for your advice, keep up the great work with the channel! It's been really helpful as newbie in learning the basics before I make that first purchase! All the best!
Am confused, I do not know if I should compromise time or taste. For now I have time in the mornings for making coffee, but in the long run I will need a machine making good coffee fast. And the oracel will be on sale soon, the price will be the same.
Advice: Will other people in your household use the machine? And do you plan to entertain and serve four or more cups of drinks at once? In either of those cases, the Oracle’s ease of use will be a huge plus. The dual boiler lets you get the very best taste, if you’re willing to work at it. However, even a very small amount of milk is so sweet that it will mask bitterness. What I chose is to use the manual brewing approach along with a separate, $100 milk frother. More time spent on espresso, no time spent on the milk. If you buy Oracle, the automated milk steamer is also there. So there is no right or wrong, there is only choice. My choice? Oracle. You can always add a grinder later if you want.
If you want a machine that’s small but also has a Pid but also has a 58mm portafilter then I have heard good things about the ascado dream pid and the Rancillio Silva (via Seattle coffee gear)
@@LifestyleLab_ Got it, that makes sense. It was just a bit confusing since there’s also a product called the Oracle Touch. I’ve been watching a bunch of videos of various Breville machines so this just caught my attention.
Awesome comparison. I was contemplating purchasing an oracle but I'm hesitant since people complain about the reliability of the machine. What do u think?
No you cannot, that’s rarely even a feature seen on professional machines. Only ones I know of that can do a water mix are the Decent DE1 and the La Marzocco GS3.
I find Oracle shot-to-shot consistency very poor and don’t like the very high grind-retention -> would you recommend a scale and Niche for shot-consistency and quality improvement? FYI - using Oracle for 7 years (given new one recently), upgraded to IMS: screen & basket (15g)
The main source of inconsistency in the Oracle is that it is handling the puck prep. This will never be as good as a human properly distributing and doing WDT. In terms of quality, the Niche would be a nice step up, yes
@@LifestyleLab_ interesting… so, not the grind quality? I have an old Breville Smart grinder, is this the same burr set to demo to myself better puck prep? I had the idea the fan-tamper was also doing a “layered rotary distribution”, which was decent puck prep
The Oracle doses around 21g on average I believe. The Dual Boiler is obviously just whatever you dose on your standalone grinder. The oracle can be changed slightly by playing with the tamping settings but there is no direct “dose” setting
I have an Oracle and this morning the power button continue to flash and it seemed as the boilers kept trying to fill water inside of them. I was just wondering if you’ve ever experienced this issue? What’s the solution...I turned it off for approx one hour and it worked again. I’m not sure why this happen. Thanks
Yes you can, I do it every day,. It's actually very easy, you just need to hold the jug in the beginning for introducing air and then set it down with the wand in the right position to make the milk move around. That way it will take much less time than it did in this video. Also you can save time by grinding the coffee directly into the portafilter, the grinder has an attachment for that but in this video it is not used. I usually start the grinding, then start steaming the milk, and when the grinder finishes, I set down the milk jug, tamp the coffee, pull the shot and then at about the same time the milk will be ready, and done :)
This video is made wrong the names on the machines and video cuts are mixed up with the wrong names while showing the machines and saying the others name, and even pointing your hand at the Breville while say Oracle? I was noticing the name on top of the Machine wondering what was going on.....
You are doing good. Why don't you take courage and show yourself in full in future videos? I'm seeing you headless for over a year now and can't get my head around it, as to why you want to continue to do that.
Hey! Thanks for continuing to follow the channel! I explain the reasoning for the slightly odd framing in my 10,000 subscriber video from last week: ruclips.net/video/bebIR0IWgW8/видео.html
I had a dual boiler and it made really good coffee until it stopped working. These are not designed to be repaired so are APPLIANCES only and destined for landfill in too short a time. Invest a little bit more and buy a good machine that will last a lifetime other than these pieces of plastic.
But they are not the touch ones!!?!! Its not the oracle touch, its the oracle.. and i dont understand why you stop the timing count on the oracle and let it go for the dual boiler???
This video does not mention the Oracle touch.... and the timers were counting barista contact time for each machine to make a latte. The main timer covers total time.
@@LifestyleLab_ ok, maybe you should have put "contact time" then, it would have been more clear. I didnt know that the dual boiler machine dont existe in touch version.
Oracle: geni.us/gcjCo5
Dual Boiler: geni.us/0yQB12
Smart Grinder Pro: geni.us/ly228
Niche Zero: www.nichecoffee.co.uk/
Dual Wall Latte Cups: geni.us/oVn3pcR
(Affiliate links)
I have never seen someone compare the “hands-on” timing of the machines during a comparison video. It’s a very important factor to consider when buying a machine that I think gets overlooked. Very informative and easy to digest! Thanks! 😊
Glad it was helpful!
It’s also really the main point of the oracle. Really nicely done.
Thank you for the comparison using bottomless portafilter @ 4:02. Very informative.
Thanks for watching Navreet!
Glad it was helpful!
This is one of the best comparisons I've seen.
There's a "hack" to using the Dual Boiler which I've been doing for years now, after seeing how Dritan Alsela does his milk. What I do is balance my milk jug against the steam wand, tilting back with the pouring spout against the wand, so that the wand tip is just touching the surface of the milk. Then I go about other things while the milk is getting textured. I have a temp sticker on the milk jug so I can see when it's done without needing my hands on it all the time. The texture is always perfect latte too.
I've been using my Dual Boiler (first gen) for over 5 years, and I purchased it second hand when it was a few years old already. I've been looking at upgrading but I can't find a premium machine that even has an auto-on feature, so apart from asthetics, I feel like it would be a downgrade really...
I've been meaning to make a hands-free steaming tutorial, its a great workflow hack!
In terms of auto-on, I have my Appartamento on a smart outlet, so not only is it warm when I wake up each morning, but I can say "Alexa, coffee time!" and it switches on ;)
Lifestyle Lab oh that’s cool! I’ll do that if I ever justify a big upgrade.
hope one day, you will be able to fully depend on RUclips and make great home coffee contents. :) I enjoyed your video very much.
Thanks so much Jayce!
With viewers like you, I see that as a real possibility :)
On the dual boiler shot, your bar pressure has dropped from 9bar to about 7.5 in the space of 5 seconds run time, shouldn't have dropped at all! Noticed you didn't use any pressure in the tamp either so likely the reason for it. I use a similar spreader/tamp as well for mine, they work wonders! Appears the automatic tamping on the Oracle is likely the reason for the spraying as well, you seemed to have tamped properly on that shot for the Dual Boiler ;) My only criticisms though :D
I use the Breville Dual Boiler myself along with the Breville Grinder and have found them to be very capable. The Oracle seems like excess to me as I much prefer the manual side/being hands on. The Oracle to me seems like a BMW M3 with an SMG transmission, semi-manual and pointless. I can understand if you're working through a lot of coffees then yeah it'd be an advantage and if you're the sort of person who is regularly entertaining then it'd be a good option, but for the everyday use, the Dual Boiler is perfect. I was looking into the Nuova Simonelli Musica Lux but complete lack of features over flow control/temperature/pre-infusion etc didn't justify the significant price difference.
Hi there. Just ordered the oracle. I’ll be donating my barista express to family. Enjoy the manual process, but having tasted the oracle, it’s blindingly good. You could of course use a separate grinder and tamp yourself and do the milk manually l, but no need. The quality is great. You’ll never drink it and aay, I have a better one in me. Not cheap though.
I'm really glad I got the Dual Boiler as I enjoy the manual process a lot. Coffee needs to breathe and vary a bit every time, just as beans react to temp and moisture. If I wanted the same result every time I'd gotten a full auto machine. The Dual Boiler is as close to pro quality as it gets.
Had an Oracle for 6 months, upgraded from a fully automatic one touch bean to cup machine. The Oracle has limitations but I'm more than happy with it since I didn't want to get into dosing and tamping. It suites my need for decent coffee without too much work on my part.
If you want more hands off on the dual boiler (or any machine with a slow steam time), place a support of some kind (I use a small cardboard box) about 80mm high off to the right of the steam wand to sit your milk jug on.
Position the steam wand tip (more precisely the steam holes) just above the surface of the milk. This will require a little experimentation for the best spot.
Start steaming at full pressure. Stick in a thermometer and then start to prepare and make your shot while the milk is steaming. Keep an eye on the thermometer.
I have cut down my prep times a lot using this method as I'm not just standing there holding the jug.
Big bonus is my latte art has improved greatly as the milk is coming out a lot more consistent.:)
Thanks for the vid.
This is an awesome tip, just what I want to do!
Your reviews are by far the best on RUclips! And all of your reviews are A1 keep up the great job!
Also if you get the chance i would love to see you do a review on the breville oracle touch, there is plenty of reviews but no one does them as good as yourself. Thanks again my friend 👍🏽
I'm binge watching your videos on Breville. I love how you cover the differences between machines and is it worth the uncharge. I was looking at Barista Pro over Express, but after your video I am saying no to the Barista Pro.
I don’t know whether I missed it, but I didn’t notice you tamping the coffee.
Both grinders clump (used both + Barista express). With BDB you have control over Puck prep. Uneven density due to clumps and center pile causes spraying. As you know, spray is an indicator for major channeling and does negatively impact brew (most of the time). You can also see a donut extraction on Oracle which indicates lower density on the sides compared to the middle.
Both machines are capable in making cafe quality drinks. Its up to the barista to learn more or not.
Good content.👍
If you don't like too much tinkering and experimenting with your espresso, Oracle is a great choice. I like the dual boiler better, I like to be more in control, I like to have a separate grinder which I can replace if it's not being consistent, I like using my own tamper/distributor tool and fine tuning my technique to get the best espresso possible. The auto frother option on dual boiler would be nice, I have to admit, but I can live without it.
I purposely chose convince, and I haven't regretted it.
Great reviews, I have been looking and comparing but am still trying to decide what machine under $1000.00 to buy. A friend of mine will sell me the oracle for under 1k but that dual boiler looks really nice.
Amazing and very useful comparison. Thank you!!!
Not to mention that if the dual boiler breaks it will be very easy to access and change parts, like gaskets, pumps, solenoids, and such, the Oracle would be far more difficult to fix!
Thanks for the comparison, have you tried adjusting the tamp pressure/time on the oracle to compensate for the channeling on the bottomless portafilter? I'm currently torn between buying these two machine. If I go for the DB I would get the Niche Zero grinder also, I would like to get more into espresso as a hobby but you can't beat the convenience of the Oracle especially when entertaining.
I did try to balance grind size and tamping pressure to improve the channeling problem, but it's still going to happen on some level. The Dual Boiler / Niche combo will undoubtedly make better coffee, so its up to you to decide how much you REALLY value that convenience of the Oracle.
The DB / Niche setup also brings its own convenience in that you can use the Niche to grind for all types of coffee, not just espresso
@@LifestyleLab_ Thanks for your advice, keep up the great work with the channel! It's been really helpful as newbie in learning the basics before I make that first purchase! All the best!
Thanks for the non-basis reviews! Super helpful
That’s what we do here! Thanks for tuning in
Basically Oracle for office environment and dual boiler for home use sinc it is closer to prosumer standard with loads of mods. 🤔
Am confused, I do not know if I should compromise time or taste. For now I have time in the mornings for making coffee, but in the long run I will need a machine making good coffee fast. And the oracel will be on sale soon, the price will be the same.
you're saving 30s between bdb vs oracle. wake up 1min earlier and you're already way ahead. better quality espresso hands down
Advice: Will other people in your household use the machine? And do you plan to entertain and serve four or more cups of drinks at once? In either of those cases, the Oracle’s ease of use will be a huge plus. The dual boiler lets you get the very best taste, if you’re willing to work at it. However, even a very small amount of milk is so sweet that it will mask bitterness. What I chose is to use the manual brewing approach along with a separate, $100 milk frother. More time spent on espresso, no time spent on the milk. If you buy Oracle, the automated milk steamer is also there. So there is no right or wrong, there is only choice. My choice? Oracle. You can always add a grinder later if you want.
@@breadbaconcheese But now make five of those drinks and cook eggs and make toast
@@marshallgoldberg8376 yea you're definitely right from that perspective!
If you want a machine that’s small but also has a Pid but also has a 58mm portafilter then I have heard good things about the ascado dream pid and the Rancillio Silva (via Seattle coffee gear)
They're on the list of ones to get in the lab!
Just to be clear, during your comparison, the graphics on the video say it’s the Oracle Touch, but it’s just the regular Oracle.
The graphic says Oracle “Touch Time” and Dual Boiler “Touch Time”. We were discussing the actual active time required to make latte on both machines.
@@LifestyleLab_ Got it, that makes sense. It was just a bit confusing since there’s also a product called the Oracle Touch. I’ve been watching a bunch of videos of various Breville machines so this just caught my attention.
Thank you! So do you recommend the oracle over the dual boiler? Or the other way around?
Depends what you’re looking for!
Explained in depth from 4:53 onwards
Love the detail! Thanks
Very good comparison thank you!
Thanks for watching!
Excellent review! Thanks!
Awesome comparison. I was contemplating purchasing an oracle but I'm hesitant since people complain about the reliability of the machine. What do u think?
I have yet to experience any issues with any of my Breville machines, I wouldn't let that deter you
Lifestyle Lab thank you for your feedback. I really appreciated it. Keep up the good work. 👍
U deserve all the support u get
Thank you!
Is it possible to set temperature of water for americano from the tap shown on the video? Specifically can you set it to 60 C degree?
No you cannot, that’s rarely even a feature seen on professional machines. Only ones I know of that can do a water mix are the Decent DE1 and the La Marzocco GS3.
Thank you so much!!!
I find Oracle shot-to-shot consistency very poor and don’t like the very high grind-retention -> would you recommend a scale and Niche for shot-consistency and quality improvement?
FYI - using Oracle for 7 years (given new one recently), upgraded to IMS: screen & basket (15g)
The main source of inconsistency in the Oracle is that it is handling the puck prep. This will never be as good as a human properly distributing and doing WDT.
In terms of quality, the Niche would be a nice step up, yes
@@LifestyleLab_ interesting… so, not the grind quality? I have an old Breville Smart grinder, is this the same burr set to demo to myself better puck prep?
I had the idea the fan-tamper was also doing a “layered rotary distribution”, which was decent puck prep
You could absolutely experiment with the SGP and manual puck prep to see if that helps with your consistency!
is there a way to disable the tamping feature on the Oracle if you want to manually tamp? Also, can you add LED lights anywhere near the group head?
The tamping / distribution blades can be removed with a little handywork
The Oracle had built in adjustable brightness LEDS for the brew area
What was your grind setting on the Breville grinder?
Any plan to review the next level prosumer machines like the profitec 600/700. Rocket r58 etc.?
Sure is!
Question, can the Oracle do a large milk drink, like a 600ml flat white?
Yes
Oracle!
Is it possible to set dose to 18gr?
The Oracle doses around 21g on average I believe. The Dual Boiler is obviously just whatever you dose on your standalone grinder.
The oracle can be changed slightly by playing with the tamping settings but there is no direct “dose” setting
Awesome video
Would you recommend Oracle or Oracle touch, I'm a little nervous about the touch screen (just an additional item that can go bad). Thanks!
I would recommend the base Oracle. Touch versions are not worth the extra money in my opinion
@@LifestyleLab_ that's what I was thinking, thank you! Love your videos, so informative :)
Thanks for watching, happy to help!
Thanks great video
I have an Oracle and this morning the power button continue to flash and it seemed as the boilers kept trying to fill water inside of them. I was just wondering if you’ve ever experienced this issue? What’s the solution...I turned it off for approx one hour and it worked again. I’m not sure why this happen. Thanks
Hmmm, very odd, no I've never experienced something like that before
Wow, not terrible channeling @ 4:00? lol i don't think I ever saw worse channeling than that :)
Can you steam the milk the same was on the 920 as on the Oracle, meaning without holding the mug?
Yes! But it would just take very careful positioning of the steam tip to get proper milk texture as the texturing is not automatic
@@LifestyleLab_ okay, thanks
Yes you can, I do it every day,. It's actually very easy, you just need to hold the jug in the beginning for introducing air and then set it down with the wand in the right position to make the milk move around. That way it will take much less time than it did in this video. Also you can save time by grinding the coffee directly into the portafilter, the grinder has an attachment for that but in this video it is not used. I usually start the grinding, then start steaming the milk, and when the grinder finishes, I set down the milk jug, tamp the coffee, pull the shot and then at about the same time the milk will be ready, and done :)
How many holes in the steam wand does the Dual Boiler have?
The Dual Boiler uses a 3 hole tip
What's the name of those glasses?
Just added a link to them in the description :)
This video is made wrong the names on the machines and video cuts are mixed up with the wrong names while showing the machines and saying the others name, and even pointing your hand at the Breville while say Oracle? I was noticing the name on top of the Machine wondering what was going on.....
At what point in the video did that happen? These are both Breville machines.
The dual boiler seems better. Much nicer heart on the finished product...
I would chalk that up to user error, not the machines
I was able to buy the oracle during Black Friday sales 2021 for 1494 euro.
You are doing good. Why don't you take courage and show yourself in full in future videos? I'm seeing you headless for over a year now and can't get my head around it, as to why you want to continue to do that.
Hey! Thanks for continuing to follow the channel!
I explain the reasoning for the slightly odd framing in my 10,000 subscriber video from last week: ruclips.net/video/bebIR0IWgW8/видео.html
Hi, does anyone know how long does Dual boiler take to start (from the time you turn it on to when it's ready to brew/steam)?
About 4 or 5 minutes to 200 F
I had a dual boiler and it made really good coffee until it stopped working. These are not designed to be repaired so are APPLIANCES only and destined for landfill in too short a time. Invest a little bit more and buy a good machine that will last a lifetime other than these pieces of plastic.
😏 ICUP
But they are not the touch ones!!?!! Its not the oracle touch, its the oracle.. and i dont understand why you stop the timing count on the oracle and let it go for the dual boiler???
This video does not mention the Oracle touch.... and the timers were counting barista contact time for each machine to make a latte. The main timer covers total time.
@@LifestyleLab_ thanks for your reply. But at 1:24 in your "title" when you compare 2 machine it is written; Oracle touch and Dual Boiler touch.
@@LifestyleLab_ and there is people who comment about the oracle touch in this section so i have to not be the only one who understand it this way...
Touch time is the same as contact time. There is no such machine as the Dual Boiler Touch
@@LifestyleLab_ ok, maybe you should have put "contact time" then, it would have been more clear. I didnt know that the dual boiler machine dont existe in touch version.
and I thought headless acting was only a new thing in porn...
Might want to check out our videos from the past year. Not porn, but also not headless
The dual boiler looks like a cheap chinese.