Sage (Breville) Dual Boiler Full Review (Part 2/2)

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

What do you guys think about this dual boiler? Check prices here: geni.us/BrevilleEspressoMach (Breville/Sage affiliate link)

[@thethirdman225]

Well, I think you’ve talked me into it. There doesn’t seem to be any serious competition for it in that price range.

[@latenightinterview291]

Tom I really enjoy your relaxing and friendly nature.

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Thank you kindly!

[@petes_CE]

I love this machine. Compared to the typical E61 machines, the BDB doesn't have that classic look or the mechanical tactile feel, but it's so much easier to live with and comes loaded with convenience features. Especially when it comes to maintenance and cleaning.

[@SerfonteinL]

I do enjoy the Breville Espresso machines since I bought my first one in 2016. They are good quality machines and great value for money. Great video Tom ... !!! I don't miss out on any of your videos. Enjoy the honest pro's and con's... Happy coffee drinking...🙂

[@beozzie690]

Oh this machine is a nice piece of kit. The grinder is awesome. Great video as usual Tom!

[@ChristopherMichaelR]

Hi Tom, I agree that this is the best value dual boiler on the market right now. With the recent price increases though it brings it close to the Lelit Elizabeth. I think if you can catch a sale on the BDB for around 1300 its an even better value but as it inches closer to the Elizabeth it'll be a hard choice between the two. If possible i'd love to see a review on the Elizabeth and possibly a comparison between the two. Keep up the great work!

[@ronnyskaar3737]

I think this is my next machine. But would love to see you compare it to the Lelit Elizabeth, which seems very similar (now owned by Breville). I like the Lelit a little more when it comes to design and build, but wonder if it is as complete...

[@wsteele5864]

I have been using a BDB for the last 3 years. I am always looking out for the next espresso machine as I know my BDB is very much consumer grade appliance and worry it will up and quit one of these days. The irony is I have come to the conclusion if it does and I can’t easily fix it, I am just going to buy a new one. The feature set that when I bought it I didn’t even know I needed (auto on, front fill, lever actuated pivot to make moving it around a breeze, etc., etc, etc.) just isn’t matched by any machine on the market. I have become snobbish enough about my espresso that I know one of the more automated higher end Brevilles won’t satisfy me and anything more classically built won’t have the features I have come to adore, so I am stuck. I have actually pondered buying another and just keeping it as backup for that inevitable day. I haven’t don’t that….yet. :)

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

I totally agree with that sentiment. Breville puts a lot of thought into the consumer, and how they can improve ergonomics when they design something. I think that's great. It might not look as fancy as a Bianca or ECM offering, but it offers great results and excellent handling for a lower price.

[@someguy9520]

Was looking forward for the 2nd part Nice one!

[@Trendsfreak]

As I just recently became a dual boiler owner, this video helped me a lot in the learning process and getting to know all the possibilities that this awesome machine offers! Many thanks!

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Great to hear! Enjoy it!

[@Alexander-sz1jh]

Had no idea it could do volumetric shots. This is my future setup 🤩

[@Kbaum752]

or weight

[@full_metal2452]

Excellent! I’m excited to receive my new Dual Boiler in two days. Very first espresso machine

[@JulesOfCards]

I’ve watched and read so many reviews on the breville machines, and yes this Dual boiler is hands down the best, now I’ll have to get one, waiting for amazon Prime day 😂

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Good luck - I hope you find a good deal!

[@droid931]

I would be interested to know how it compares to the Lelit Elizabeth.

[@orrinbelcher6593]

Superbly done and super fun video, a very nice value packed espresso machine

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Thank you very much!

[@filiplarsen5117]

Well prepared down to earth and practical video. Thank you

[@ronnyskaar3737]

Wonder why I would need it? I feel I do, but don't know why.

[@chriseast9056]

Great video Tom, thanks very much for the content. 1 question - did you set the volumetric output using the menu instruction (page 14 of manual I have) or did you go through the advanced menu options ? I'm confused whether you have to go through the advanced option 1st - to switch it to volume rather than time - and then go to the output piece or whether I'm making it unnecessarily difficult for myself. Maybe a new mini video for you ? thanks

[@venanciocastroviejojimenez6414]

Ahora fuera de bromas,pienso que éste modelo facilita mucho la vida a los Novatos,de hecho con poca práctica podrías hacer un buen café, siempre que tengas un buen molido de Referencia

[@sagedorantes2766]

is this machine capable of cranking out shot after shot for a high pace enviorment?

[@DBDiez]

@TomsCoffeeCorner sincerely thanks for this review! I had modded Dedica (I made It using your channel years ago), now I have a Bambino Plus and an ARCO grinder. I doubt buying this Sage Dual Boiler or the Ascaso Steel Duo PID (I live in Spain so Ascaso is local brand). This costs 1200€ and the Ascaso 2100€... You reviewed it recently and loved it, what is your opinion? Thanks in advance and thanks for this channel!

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

I like the BDB better than the Ascaso. Mainly because the Ascaso costs almost 2x the price, and offers similar features, except that it cannot hold a candle to the BDB when it comes to milk steaming. The BDB makes the BEST damn milk froth I've ever managed. It's like cafe quality.

[@DBDiez]

@TomsCoffeeCorner Sincerely thanks! I will let you know when I have purchased it! I hope that the grinder can handle the requirements of this machine! From now I am loving it because in the morning I can make coffee manually without any noise and also use it electrical! Sincerely thanks for your reply. Might be Breville/Sage are hated by serious coffee lovers but I am impressed by the functions. I have been in the coffee for about 12 years and I love filter coffee, I have V60, Aeropress, Scales, Orea, Kalita... This Christmas my wife bought me a Sage Precision Brewer: oh, the best filter cover ever😮 had, and what is most important for me, everyday I have repeatability! Sincerely impressive in comparison with the large difference I had from manual batches (same coffee, same grind...). Thanks for your lovely channel and sincere reviews! Greetings from Spain!

[@davidcarlin3850]

Can you warm espresso cups on the top of the machine ??

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

To an extent, yes.

[@JoseGabelaCuesta]

Hi Thomas, I really enjoy watching your videos. Are you an espresso machine technician? What is the espresso blend you use, it looks yummy 😋 and where can I get those amazing clear cups. Thanks and cheers ☕️

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Hi there! I'm not a technician, but sometimes I take machines apart. There are my beans: martermuehle.de/m-espresso/ The clear cups are only available in Germany it seems...

[@gizmo1252000]

backlit water tank .interesting idea :) :) . just like the mod i suggested for the Delonghi epc range 🤔🤔

[@VoltaDoMar]

I love mine! Full of features

[@damianhbk1]

I love this machine so much. Such a value with all it's features at an affordable cost. I only wish this unit would come with a rotary pump, however it would drive the cost up. Excellent video! Cheers ☕

[@overthetopblues]

Very nice review. I’m really curious does anyone know if this machine come in other colours? I saw Lance Hendrix had one in black, but I’m not able to find one.

[@jeehar1]

Great video, thanks Tom

[@PaweZakrzewskiDex]

what portafilter are you using? james hoffman mentioned that typical 58mm portafilters do not seem to work with sage dual boiler

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

It's a Neouza - works great!

[@venanciocastroviejojimenez6414]

Pienso honestamente que harías lo mismo con mi Cafelizzia de Cecotec,pura magia amigo

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Lol, not so sure about that. Cheers!

[@JD.007]

Tom, do you use the filter that comes with this machine? or do you use something else?

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

I switch between the OEM and the Big Bang from IMS. My shots spray less with the OEM...

[@JD.007]

@@TomsCoffeeCornerim sorry i meant water filter.

[@renaaaaa]

where can i purchase the bottomless portafilter and the tamper?

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Any two tabbed one should do. I'd recommend this one from Normcore: amzn.to/4gNzsgV (Amazon affiliate link)

[@renaaaaa]

@@TomsCoffeeCorner thank you!

[@danielmaksimowicz6299]

Hey Tom, I see you reviewed this machine as well as the Ascaso Steel Duo. Any preference in choosing one over the other?

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

I like the BDB better. Steam is drier, and gives me the best milk texture I've had so far. Espresso is hard to say, as the Ascaso was so long ago. They're probably similar in performance. Then there's the looks...I guess the Ascaso looks better. All in all, I'd take the BDB. Cheers!

[@danielmaksimowicz6299]

@@TomsCoffeeCorner Thank you! Found both for the same price on the used market. Ascoso is the v1. Trying to figure out which one to go with.

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

@@danielmaksimowicz6299 the steaming kind of sucks on the V1, so I would really tend for the BDB in that case. But in the end, you have to choose yourself.

[@minhphan7509]

How is this machine compared to the Lelit Elizabeth if there're no 3rd option for a dual boiler machine under 2000$ ?

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Good question - I will have to try an Elizabeth at some point.

[@Petercoffeee]

Nice chemistry lab you have there 🙂

[@topjets5616]

Great video, loved it :)

[@sergio09p]

I didn't really understand shat you did with the manual ore infusion. Wjat is the difference of hitting the single shot if you programm it to 35grams?

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

You can reduce the water flow at the beginning (so-called pre-infusion), which will allow the puck to get better saturated before hitting it with the full 9 bars of pressure. I find this leads to tastier shots. Cheers!

[@blkbyrd]

Tom would you rather have this bundle with the grinder, or a Profitec Go and a $600 or so grinder?

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

I'd get this and a nice capable grinder like the Eureka Specialita or Libra. I'm not so interested in the Go: a single boiler with PID still has big time ergonomic limitations for a $1k machine.

[@blkbyrd]

@@TomsCoffeeCorner I guess my question is more, if my budget was maxed out by this Breville bundle at $1700 what would you do? I don’t think dual heating machines are an option if I want to pair a nice grinder.

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Then I'd go for this bundle, if you like milk drinks. This machine is the best I've used. If you just want espresso, there's numerous other options.@@blkbyrd

[@merdolo]

Great video. As italian, i´m considering this machine. I´m just looking for a machine to pull a traditional italian espresso single basket (7/8 gr in -> 20 max out). Do you have a raccomendation? Not a fan of cappuccino/latte too and not interested to american/northern europe double shot.

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

This machine is probably overkill, if all you want is espresso. Maybe the ECP Puristika?

[@merdolo]

@@TomsCoffeeCorner Thanks for the reply. What is your opinion on lever machine? Do you plan to review one of them?

[@m_ershov]

Great review! Thanks

[@full_metal2452]

So if clock doesn’t keep time when unplugged does that mean if you have custom shots programmed you will lose them also?

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Well, those are two different things. You would need some kind of pulse cycle to keep a clock going. But you can store settings in remnant memory. So, I’m guessing that the other settings are stored. I’ll have to check on it.

[@air90air]

The other settings are stored. I move my machine to my parents and back on a weekly basis. The clock resets but not my custom shots.

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

@@air90air Thank you for providing that answer! Good to know!

[@robertshetsen8691]

Is this machine reliable in a long run .you hear a lot of reliability issues from comments. Thank you

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

That’s tough to answer now. I would have to use your five years and report back to you. But I think with proper maintenance, and descaling, it should be fine. The main enemy of espresso machines is scale. I will admit however that Sage (Breville) machines are harder to work on than others.

[@air90air]

This machine is known to get bricked while descaling. The community tells you not to do so. But not sure how youd prevent scale in the long run if you dont descale.

[@andrxito]

can't be descaled and at least the newer ones have decent sealing at the top of the boilers. They have been slowly improving this every generation because it keeps giving people trouble.

[@-Vee_]

how long do you have it? any major service? remove that shower head screen and see how that black coat is melting in your cup slowly.

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

I haven't had it that long, so no servicing yet. We shall see...

[@andrxito]

Mine shows signs of needing repairs or reseals every year or two years. Mine is barely 2 years old and the sealing they use at the top of the boilers, if not the nut type, are a nightmare

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Sorry to hear that! Are you using filtered water?

[@andrxito]

@@TomsCoffeeCorner using Britta filtered plus the Breville filter, but on the home barista forums it happens to everybody

[@Kbaum752]

so the hot water comes from the brew boiler not the steam boiler? thats a plus not a minus

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

It's just something to be aware of, that you cannot pull a shot and pour water at the same time.

[@thethirdman225]

Breville: good Aussie company.

[@peterball4759]

Nope… dualit dual boiler is half the price and similar spec but also has grinder (which isn’t bad at all)

[@fredericl6190]

The value of this machine depends mostly from where you are buying it, and in Canada it’s really expensive. You can get a Profitec or other Italian machines, mostly made of metal, more durable and serviceable, for about the same price. Yes the Breville is sophisticated, and nice, but for a high cost.

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

I agree. It is also super cheap in Australia, but kind of expensive in NA. But all coffee equipment costs way more in NA compared to Europe. Cheers!

[@otajonh]

I think you should look for your best options locally. In EU Sage can be really expensive as well... but profitec are super nice machines too 👍

[@amourb7133]

Great machine but this is definitely not stainless steel bro 😂

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

@@amourb7133 Ok, what do you think it is?

[@philindeblanc]

Nice basic present, but...Oh ya, always a but...lol...Why not point by point mention how it is better than the other models you used to own and now claim this is better. That would add value to the video. Cheers!

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Hi there! Mainly the steam is better because it's dryer. Makes for excellent textured drinks. And you can play with the pre-infusion time and pump level. It's quite good to experiment with, and I've gotten great espresso from it. The brew group is heated. It's ergonomic to use. There's lots of good things about this machine. Cheers!

[@philindeblanc]

@@TomsCoffeeCorner Maybe so, but I have to say, I have not had , SO FAR a hickup with the Mini Vivaldi2. I do give a quick burst of the steam as water can collect at the pipe end, but that is not a "flaw". I do wish and plan to get a timer for it. You should reach out to , I think CliveCoffee so you can test the Lucca53, and see how it compares to what you had, and see your thoughts. If you need any assistance I can offer in connecting with them from EU, let me know! CHeers!

[@philindeblanc]

@@TomsCoffeeCorner nice to adjust preinfusion time and ...pump level is electronic set? I may need to watch the video again to see if you cover that. But even if manual, it is nice to have the option, and fine tune your need.

[@philindeblanc]

@@TomsCoffeeCorner Btw, Tom. I would like to get in touch with you privately if possible. I'm putting together controllers for brewers and perhaps you might find use for some parts.

[@nilshoefnagel5857]

I'm sure the machine is great, but this review just feels way too much like paid promotion. I'm not saying you did get paid, but your lack of nuance and over-complimenting style of presentation sadly does not match some of your previous reviews.

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Thanks for the feedback. Lol, this just happens to be the best machine I've used since I started. I've also had a Rocket Giotto (which leaked and was a pain to fix), and a La Spaziale Mini Vivaldi (which steamed so fast that I couldn't texture the milk). So I'm sorry if you think my sentiments aren't genuine - it's just my reaction to the machine. By the way, this machine is out of stock in most places, so I likely won't benefit monetarily from a positive review anyway.

[@otajonh]

This machine is simply other level when compared to usual machines. Dual boiler is simply better -- you feel this as your experience grows.

[@lbundy4039]

@@TomsCoffeeCorner do you know if all the parts in the boilers are stainless steel? I’m looking for something in which the hot water won’t be going through aluminum or other metals or plastic

[@thethirdman225]

Lance Hendrick said much the same thing.

[@maximkonechno8742]

It is chineese oem garbage. Might as well pay a little more for real thing.

[@ErnstBolder]

I agree. Go fore the real deal.

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

What do you mean OEM Chinese? The company is based in Australia, so the design is not Chinese, although the build is.

[@maximkonechno8742]

@@TomsCoffeeCorner same thing as viatto coffee maker, delonghi le specialista and ton of smaller Chinese "brands". Quality is pretty mid for the price and overall it does not make much better coffee then low budget delonghi. It is shiny and that's the only advantage it got. There in Russia we got a lot of the same Chinese machines sold by local companies and they are all the same. Would rather buy low end Lilit or gaggia.