Even 2 years in, every now and again I pull a shot that makes me go "shit that's good" So… If you run hot water through the group head before every shot, you'll be prompted to clean every 100 coffees The "clean me" indicator comes on after every 200 shots. The grinder is matched perfectly to the machine, but it will not grind coarse enough for drip/filter if you're looking for a dual purpose grinder 54mm basket is not a standard size so no real availability of aftermarket accessories The drip tray is remarkably small (requires emptying every ~6 shots) and the metal clad drip tray front prone to denting No simultaneous shot/steam means back to back coffees are doable but a pain And we're still only talking 30-40 seconds to get to 65C. Thermoblock means the steam wand is much slower than a boiler… this might sound like a con but it means you have much more time to focus on the consistency. Built in grinder means it is noticably smaller on a bench than the 920 I find it much less temperamental and fussy than the 920… family and friends regularly give it a whirl and haven't done any damage yet Notably cheaper than the 920 when on sale If the main purpose of your coffee machine is to make your own coffee in the morning, or just one coffee at a time, as opposed to 3 or 4 back to back when guests come over, the 870 is easily worth it for the money. Some would say the built in grinder on the 870 is a drawback because if it breaks, the whole machine is in for repair - but I've never heard of a grinder failing on one. An exact comparison is difficult though because with the stock baskets, the 920 will hold more dry coffee than the 870 (around ~22g vs 18g in the basket) - the 920 uses a standard 58mm basket whereas the 870 uses a slightly smaller 54mm (I believe) - but it means the brew ratios end up ever so slightly different. Using the same beans, and similar settings, they are very, very similar. With the 870 I personally run some hot water through the portafilter before I attach the group handle - gets everything nicely preheated to keep the temp as stable throughout the shot as possible (ideal). Now I'm sure plenty will scream blasphemy - but in the actual shot quality there is very little in it. Apologies in advance when I begin ranting: Hi, I own both and have done for around 18 months (BES870, BES920) both used with a smart grinder pro (the BCG820, not the 800) - and also use both on a regular basis. I bought this machine when they had it at that price with the $100 cash back from Breville. P.S.S Never buy beans from a supermarket and never touch pre ground or beans that say best by. I have heard that some of those smart grinders have been slightly dodgy or just need adjusting though I have no experience with those, I am still stuck on a modded 480 Sunbeam. Other factors are temperature and humidity. Shot should only last up to 26 seconds with the 8 second infuse. If not then the puck is drying out too quick and there is something wrong with either the grind or the bean. The other important thing, if ground correctly, your needle needs to be above 9 through the whole shot, starting just under 10 and finishing above 9. Throw away the single cup basket, every shot should be a double shot, else sell your machine and drink tea. Why do people keep using the words Nespresso and coffee in the same sentence?Īdvice, make sure the bean has been roasted within the last two weeks. So I'm not saying anything bad about the machine, and maybe there are coffee snobs who can tell the difference, or even pull better shots than me (surely!) but I also think Nespresso is pretty up there for this purpose and so I felt a little disappointed because I was expecting a bigger leap on quality. To my tastebuds a Nespresso diluted in milk is extremely similar to the output of this machine, though, my partner says she prefers this machine and that my coffee is as good as the stuff from the roaster/cafe where we buy some of our beans. I also use the 12/3 technique with the milk and get really good microfoam.īut I don't like the taste of espresso, I only drink cappuccino, and there is not much to differentiate a "pretty good" cappuccino from an "excellent" cappuccino. I can evaluate whether the grind is right from the tamper and the provided edging tool, the impression on the puck after a draw, and mostly how the coffee comes out as a thin dribble rather than thick and watery, and then the result of how the coffee looks in the cup with the crema and sometimes tiger striping. I watched a lot of videos and I'm using the right technique on a variety of freshly roasted beans.
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