BES920XL

The things others here are saying (puck prep, grinder, etc.) are certainly applicable, but a lesser known factor is pressure. A lot of Breville machines (aside from the Dual Boiler) have an issue where the pressure hitting the puck is far, far higher than the claimed 9 bar figure. The over-pressure

i had a bambino and love it. i use a breville dual boiler now and miss it occasionally

I have a breville dual boiler, however I haven't used it since I got the Robot... I initially got it as a fun toy, but since it's easier to use + tastes better, I stopped using my actually expensive machine for espresso. I still use it for steaming milk occasionally, but the Robot is just that good.

The BDB is no slouch. It's way beyond entry-level espresso making. That machine regularly retails for very roughly the equivalent of $3000 AUD outside of Australia and is still considered a good deal and good buy at that price. That's more than 3x what you're paying! For what you get, if you're seri

The dual boiler is an excellent machine, great choice The breville grinder is not famed to be really, i would recommend a baratza grinder but im not an expert on them, but if you have the budget maybe go for a niche zero

For milk drinks with medium to dark roasts, Breville Dual Boiler and a Niche Zero would suit you well.

My first machine was the La Pavoni. I had trouble with the workflow and couldn't get more than one or two good shots out of it for every 10 I pulled. So I picked up a used Breville Dual Boiler.Two totally different machines. I love my BDB, and I'm starting to really master getting good espresso out

You are already end game with the bdb and niche zero if you are making medium dark / dark traditional espresso and milk drinks. Anything else is just changing to change to get nicer gear, it won’t improve cup quality. I had the niche zero and compared to the 01 (3k) and the Weber key 2 (2.2k) the ni

Save up more for a Breville Dual Boiler, Lelit Elizabeth, Silvia Pro X, or Profitec Move. This is what it is going to take to solve your problems.

Breville Dual Boiler and single dose grinder on the side. All in about $1250 + $750 for grinder, if you wait for it to go on sale. Probably doesn't pass the "not too big" criteria but I can make Barista quality coffee with my setup these days.