Breville The Oracle BES980
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Absolutely amazing
Amazing coffee machine!! I hardly ever have outside coffee anymore as this machine produces reliably amazing coffee. It is semi automated, grinds, tamps and produces a very smooth microfoam. One of my best ever purchasesZ Show detailsMy Experience with the Breville Oracle BES980BKS fault within a month
Before reading all the good points below the first paragraph I would like to point out that I upgraded from the Breville Barista Expresso Pro.After receiving the unit, it was only a matter of about three week and the Oracle started to play up and would not heat up past 70 degrees. Because of this issue you could not use it as it had to reach 93 degrees. I persevered for a week or so as it worked off and on I then rang Breville. They were helpful in respect to sending all the required paperwork to send it away on the 2nd of February for a warr... Read more
anty repair some 900 kms from my home. When I googled the issue, it was an issue that did pop up. I spoke to the repairer, and they had a backlog of 14 days before he could look at the unit (not just Breville Repairs). Luckily I kept my old Breville Expresso Pro as I have not received the unit back from the repairer yet. ** Update on the repair issue. I received the unit back on the 26th of February and have used it daily for the last 5 days and all is well again and the unit has performed as it should. One of the down sides is the lack or repairers in other parts of Qld. So now the good points when it did perform correctly. The Breville Oracle BES980 has been a delightful addition to my morning routine. As a coffee enthusiast, I appreciate its blend of convenience and quality. Here’s my take on this semi-automatic wonder: Design and Build: The Oracle’s sleek stainless-steel exterior adds a touch of elegance to my kitchen. Its compact footprint ensures it doesn’t dominate the counter space. The lever press mechanism is not only visually appealing but also ergonomic, minimizing strain on my wrist during operation. Ease of Use: Navigating the Oracle’s menu is straightforward. The LCD display provides clear instructions, and the intuitive buttons make selecting my desired coffee a breeze. Whether I’m brewing a single shot or a double, the machine handles it effortlessly. Coffee Quality: The true test lies in the cup. The Oracle consistently delivers rich, aromatic espresso with a velvety crema. The PID temperature control ensures optimal extraction, and the conical burr grinder grinds beans to perfection. I’ve experimented with various coffee blends, and each cup has been a delight. Milk Frothing: As a latte lover, I appreciate the automatic milk frothing wand. It produces silky microfoam for lattes and cappuccinos. The temperature control allows me to customize the froth to my liking. Cleanup is a breeze, thanks to the self-cleaning steam wand. Customization: The Oracle caters to individual preferences. I can adjust the grind size, coffee dose, and water temperature. The dual boilers ensure quick transitions between brewing and steaming, allowing me to serve multiple guests without delay. Maintenance: Regular cleaning is essential for any coffee machine. The Oracle prompts me when it’s time for descaling or cleaning the drip tray. The removable components are dishwasher-safe, simplifying maintenance. Conclusion: The Breville Oracle BES980 strikes a balance between convenience and barista-level coffee. If you’re passionate about your brew and seek a semi-automatic machine that delivers consistently, the Oracle won’t disappoint. Remember, coffee preferences vary, so I encourage you to explore and personalize your Oracle experience. Happy brewing! ☕Great coffee machine
- Looks amazing in the kitchen- Coffee tastes great
- Love how the press is just a lever and I dont have too use my wrist too much. Show details
If you are tossing up between this and the Delonghi La Specialista
I forked out the extra money for this after going through two Delonghi La Specialista (I've been a delonghi person for twenty plus years but the build quality just isn't there any more). A broken frothing wand on the first and broken grinding motor on the second (all within about six months) led to getting the oracle.Very quick comparison though:
Oracle is close to $1000 more than the Specialista. (score 1 specialista)
Oracle lets you use the wand and portafilter at the same time, the specialista doesn't. (score 1 Oracle)
Oracle takes forever ... Read moreto heat up (about five minutes) Specialista is much quicker (score 2 Specialista) The auto froth function on the Oracle produces much better quality froth than the auto function on the Specialista (score 2 Oracle) Specialista tells you when you are running out on beans and water, Oracle will keep grinding air until you think its going to catch fire and then it will stop, you have to check the portafliter to see how much coffee grinds you have (score 3 Specialista) Oracle lets you fill the water reservoir from the front or remove the reservoir from the back and fill it. Specialista does both from the back, filling from the top at the back is not easy if you have a confined area (height wise) (score 3 Oracle) Specialista puts water in first on a long black so if you use different size cups it becomes a guessing game not to over fill it (score 4 Oracle) Specialista gives easier control on bean grind and dosage amount, Oracle requires a bit of a work around (score 4 Specialista) Oracle comes with a nock box If it wasn't for the build quality of the Specialista (the ones I bought anyway) I would say this is a very hard choice. The Oracle does make a better automatic cappuccino but both are equally good manually (you can just do the coffee and milk at the same time with the oracle). Specialista lets you play with the coffee more but I hate the way it does the water first in a long black. On the other hand, you're not going to get a quick coffee from the Oracle, so if you're on the run don't expect to hit the power switch and have a cup of coffee two minutes later. A minor point, the Specialista handles my bigger cups. The oracle, they hang up on the bottom of the portafliter and you spill coffee when you try to get the cup out (a pain if you like long blacks in a big cup). I love the dual function of the Oracle, and making coffee and froth at the same time. I love the quality of froth produced by the automatic function and the fact that it does coffee first when making a long black, but I hate that it will grind away at air if it runs out of coffee beans, and I really hate that it takes so long to heat up! For me, the Oracle is better than the specialista (just), the real question thought, is it $1000 better. If you love experimenting with coffee and are full on manual for froth, then I'd say give the Specialista a go (you might get a good one) and save the money. If you are not fussed about playing with your coffee and want the machine to do the work (and you have the extra money) then go for the Oracle.
3 machines, 3 failures
I bought my first Oracle for home in March 2020. It is a great machine to use. Features are user friendly. I was so impressed I also bought one for the office. The office machine was just out of warranty when it had a catastrophic failure with the boiler seals and destroyed the circuit board.One month later the machine I bought for home did exactly the same thing. I was able to get my home machine repaired for $600 but was shocked to see the 10 Oracles at the repair shop for exactly the same problem.
Thinking I had contributed to the probl... Read more
em by not descaling regularly enough, I bought another brand new Oracle for the office, this time it took exactly 5 months for it to have the same catastrophic failure, I took it back to the retailer for a full refund. Three machines, three failures - enough is enough to convince me this machine is poorly designed and poorly constructed with substandard parts. I've moved on from Breville now. They know this machine is a dud but continue to sell it to unsuspecting coffee lovers. It is not a case of 'if your machine fails', it is a case of 'when your machine fails' - it will fail. Disappointed is an understatement.Cant fault it
If you want a new hobby, this machine is NOT it. This is designed for those wanting as little input as possible which is exactly what I wanted. I did not want to learn to froth and dial in pressures and shot times and shot sizes etc. This machine comes out of the box with a preset set of conditions (that can be altered if you want) but mostly you only alter the grind size. This still takes between 3 to 7 shots to dial in the consistency of a 1:2 ratio (22g bean (preset) to 44g liquid) when in first use or with a new bean.If you intend to buy ... Read more
this machine you should intend to use it every day or second day. Like with any machine with a lot of internal moving parts with water included, if left for to long unused it may eventually develop some problems. Just a general rule for electronics with water or pumps etc. Positives - * I switch it on and 4 minutes later, I have a coffee. Including, cleaning the portafilter, milk jug, wand and getting rid of coffee grinds. * Low maintenance really. Have stable water with no contaminants so it's never had an issue. * I'm no connoisseur, however in my opinion I have mine dialed in better than most cafe's I have been to. * Simple screen layout, no need for complicated touch screens and more buttons and options to get in the way. Grind, filter and froth, pour and clean. Done. Negatives - * Only one real main negative, The grind setting / grind result can change depending on how long the machine has been on, or how many shots it has grinded. Often after tuning for a new bean I will need to adjust it again the following day. Even then If I pull a bunch of shots I can notice a difference between some of them. This has to do with the heat and the grinding blades. However, it's like a 3 to 7% difference nearly not noticeable. I would say if anyone wanted to do better they should be going prosumer grinder instead. * Like with probably any grinder, it's loud, louder than I was expecting when I got it, like a cafe, but can't complain because it's a grinder... * This machine does not play nice when swapping between filter baskets aka from the double shot filter basket to the single shot filter basket. If anyone reads this, you should really intend on sticking with one or the other. * Costly but you get a lot for it. Plus the black version goes on half price specials occasionally. Which makes it an acceptably priced product. Would I buy this again - Yes - It does what it says, Does it fast, Saves on space and works reliable and well.Amazing Machine!
This is a pretty amazing coffee machine for a domestic appliance. Some days it would churn out 10 or more coffees and is still going strong. You can get beautiful coffee out of these machines and the maintenance is very low. Show detailsBetter made coffee than some cafes
Was purchased to replace Breville Barista BES870Large water tank capacity with decent size filter. Water level is easy to read at the front
Automatic grinding dosing and tamping
Variable milk texturing with ability to extract espresso and texture milk at same time so coffee is fresh and creamy
We like our milk hot (69C) and milk temp can be set precisely so no thermometer is required
Quick and easy to use
Comprehensive instructions cover all the features and maintenance
Perfect coffee every time even better than what some coffee shops give you and cheaper to run Show details
Breville your coffee machine is outstanding!
Purchased our Breville The Oracle 26/9/23 have to admit it's our second purchase of this beauty but purchased the matt black one this time from Joyce Mayne for $2,300 it's such an outstanding coffee machine we wouldn't buy any other so easy to use, great frother, easy to clean, we have our coffee extra hot so you can control the temp to your liking, tampers down well for a good brew, water level indicator is in the front so easy to fill when low, the only gripe I will say is I wish it came with a bigger knock box just so no splatter goes on the bench when knocking. The matt black is so attractive sitting on the bench it's a centrepiece.Must have addition to your Kitchen
If you are like me, i need a coffee to start my day and I got tired of paying $5 for a coffee at my local. This is not a cheap purchase, but the money spent upfront will see you break even in year 2 of use. Sooner if you have more than 1 coffee lover in the home. I have owned a Breville Oracle for 3 years and have never regretted the purchase. it's so easy to use and the display and functions are intuitive. All the thinking is done for you. The built in grinder can be calibrated according to how you like your grind. You only really need to keep... Read more the machine supplied with coffee beans and follow the prompts when it's time for cleaning and descalling. Be sure to keep stock of filters and cleaning tablets. I would encourage you to go on You tube and watch the Breville "how to" guide on how to look after your machine.Impressive Machine, but will it stand the test of time?
The Breville top of the range model comes in two versions, The Oracle and The Oracle Touch, my model is The Oracle (BES980BKS).It is a semi-automatic, dual boiler with advanced features, such as auto tamping and auto texturing. It uses a café industry standard size group handle with 58mm baskets. Appearance wise, the machine looks impressive, but it is quite large, so you will need to check accessibility on where you will be placing it.
One thing I have found from past experiences, coffee machines can have a short life. They can have a high ... Read more
failure rate and for me personally, if you get two years (three, if you are really lucky) out of the machine, every day after is a bonus. I have had a number of coffee machines, mostly Breville. My Breville Barista Touch (BES880) has just failed, so this is its replacement. I had three Barista Touch machines, the first one lasted 3 months, the second 6 months and the third one, 3 years. The Good Guys gave excellent service in getting the first two machines replaced under the warranty period. I actually think, given the failure rate and the expense of these machines; they should come with a manufactures warranty of three years (Aldi $399 Coffee Machine with built-in grinder, has a 3-year warranty). Some people have reported a lot of their warranty time has been lost waiting for repairs. This time, I have paid a lot more than I intended to for a coffee machine, but given the discount specials and Breville bonus offers, I relented; but took out a five-year warranty. I also own a Breville Fresca Expresso (BES860), it has developed faults, such as I have to control the pour manually, and the programming of shots no longer works. But it has proved to be a great backup machine when the need arises. One thing you do need to do with all coffee machines is maintenance, I have always gone above and beyond when it comes to keeping them clean. I always use filtered water and my water hardness is only two. As well as keeping the steam wand and group head clean, you also need to clean inside the tamp mechanism for consistent dosing. I also checked inside the failed Barista Touch, it was as clean as a whistle, no calcium build up whatsoever, all the hoses and connections were in perfect condition. From my experiences, I do not like on-demand heating machines, such as the Barista Touch, this seems to be where failures can occur with the Thermal Jet heating system, the Fresco BES860 has a Thermal block system which takes a little longer to heat up, but seems more reliable and you have an area on top of the machine that radiates heat for your cups and glasses. My previous machines were single boiler machines, so you cannot brew and froth at the same time. After the steaming process they must pass water through the thermal coil to reduce the temperature in case you want to brew another cup. This means they use more water, so you will be filling the water tank and empty the drip tray more regularly than a dual boiler machine. On the Fresco it is a regular chore. From cold, the Oracle takes a few minutes to reach operational temperature, it displays the water temperature on the display as it is heating. You can set the clock timer to turn the machine on and off, if you wish. It will switch off automatically after 20 mins (configurable). The boiler remains hot for a long period, so the startup time will depend on the water temperature in the boiler. One problem some people often find with semi and auto machines, is getting a hot coffee to their liking. When using a manual machine, some will regulate their temperature preference through the steaming process. However, for connoisseurs the brewing process should be around 93% and the milk temperature 60-65%. This machine allows you to regulate both temperatures within certain boundaries. What works for me; is pre-warming everything beforehand (with group handle installed and glasses on heated tray area) and setting the milk temperature to Summer 60-65%, cooler months 70% and Winter 75%. The doubled walled bonus latte glasses are great for retaining the heat and they are not hot to handle. There are many options (some advanced) within the settings menus. It is reassuring that you are able to fine tune the unit to your liking. I really like some of the features of the machine. It shows they have put a lot of thought into the hardware design. For example, even though the water tank is at the back of the machine, you can fill it from the front top panel. Take the drip tray out and there is a knob (drops wheels) you can adjust to make it easier to manoeuvre this heavy machine around on your bench. One area where they could improve the design is the advanced menu options. Not all of the advanced menus require expert knowledge, such as clock, sound, lights, etc. It cannot be accessed from the normal menu settings, you are required to have the machine off and hold down button sequences, (Power & 1 Cup). If you access/change any individual menu items, you will be thrown out of the advanced menu and have to turn the machine off again and go through the same sequence to access the advanced options again. Many of the menus are cryptic, why they could not put the full meaningful name is puzzling. It also times out fairly quickly and you will be thrown out again, if you don’t respond (have manual handy). The flow measurement menu option is poorly explained, I thought I would see a change during the brewing process where it would show millilitres instead of seconds. After changing this setting to flow, the default setting stops the extraction of coffee at 15 seconds. The option ‘vol or secs’ sounds simple enough, but given it dispensed the same amount of coffee (30ml) in 15 secs as opposed to 25 secs, I cannot see how this can be good. An explanation on why and what is the purpose, is lacking. I also found a strange quirk after accessing this feature (tested twice), I had to press the power button twice to turn on the unit, even after changing back to the default ‘secs’ setting. The only fix is to power the machine off at the power point, I don’t know if this happens with all the other advanced options. One thing you get hammered with by Breville, is you must use fresh coffee beans and it is not very forgiving if you don’t. It is only supplied with single wall filter baskets and there are no dual wall baskets available. Of course, fresh coffee beans are the ideal way to go, but some people may find this limiting. On my previous machines, I have had a good cup of coffee using dual wall filters with some brand name beans. In comparison, I was able to extract more crema/flavour from these beans with the pressurized filter baskets (dual wall) than I could using single wall baskets. But having said that, you will never get as good a coffee as using freshly roasted beans. The built-in Grinder has a wide range (1-45) for adjusting the grind density and the ease of how you make these grind adjustments is impressive. The large adjustment dial is conveniently placed and you see the results displayed on the front LED panel. There is no mention you need the grinder running while you are making the adjustments, probably some sort of indirect mechanism. I am not sure, but you may get more consistent results, if you make the changes while it is grinding. The LED screen shows whole numbers, but it feels like it is still adjusting when moving between the grind numbers displayed. It may require a bit of tinkering after the grinder has settled to get the final adjustments right. My experience on the three stages of the coffee making process. Grinding/Tamping, Extraction and Milk Texturing. *Grinding/Tamping* The auto tamp system works well. It tamps just right with no mess and it will dispense the right amount, regardless of which filter basket (single or double) you are using. *Extraction* You have a choice of Single, Double Espresso, Long/Short Black (Americano) All shots can be controlled manually, including the pre-infusion time and you can make your extraction preferences permanently in Settings. Breville (manual) claims the Long black and the Americano are an identical coffee. A quick search on the Internet, will give the correct answer; while the ingredients maybe the same, it is the order on how they are dispensed that differ. Americano should have the expresso shot first followed by hot water to your liking. The long/short black has the hot water first with a shot of expresso on top. You could however, perform this task manually. Both the Australian and American models deliver the expresso shot first and the hot water afterwards. The only difference is the fascia plate on the machines, the Australian version are labelled ‘Long Black’ and the American version ‘Americano’. You can pre-program the expresso shots and the Long Black has no less than six programs stored (plus the 3 presets, long/medium/short). You can set the quantity of hot water to your liking, but you cannot alter the order it dispenses. *Milk Texturing* Unlike the Barista Touch which has the milk thermometer on the base where you place the jug, the Oracle has the temperature monitor incorporated within the wand. This is definitely a better way and seems very accurate, plus manual steam monitoring. It does a perfect job of texturing the milk, but if you follow the guide lines it requires you to have the minimum milk level to the bottom of the jug spout or over the seal on the wand tip. This uses (wastes) more milk than I require for a 200ml glass, maybe ideal for a mug. I found I can get away with a little under using the jug that came with the Barista Touch. Identical in size, except it has two markers, the lower one is just the right amount. A nice touch is the lever on the side, up for manual and down for auto. *Summary* It is extremely well designed for ease of use, the auto tamping and auto frothing components worked flawlessly for me. It is like having a fully automatic machine, but you control the individual coffee making process and you are simulating what you would be doing manually. Overall, an impressive machine, but very expensive. Given I drink 3 to 4 cups of coffee a day, it streamlines the process of producing a great cup at home consistently. Breville have a great online support network, there are video tutorials guiding you through every aspect of the Oracle machine, including how to produce the perfect cup of coffee from barista experts. While I am happy with the purchase, my concern is longevity and the more sophisticated these machines are, the bigger the issues. The Oracle model has been around for many years, so one would hope Breville have ironed out the problems by now (fingers crossed). Pros: Excellent tutorial videos, manual is reasonable up to a point. Looks impressive, should enhance kitchen décor. Consistently produces a great coffee. Ease of use, Design & Functionality. Cons: For the price of the unit, only a two-year warranty. No dual wall filter baskets. Advanced menu design could be improved. Needs better documentation for advanced features. Maximum Glass/Mug height limit about 10cm.Worst customer service ever - broke after 6 months
Our $2500 machine broke after only 6 months. Breville took a week to send a courier out. Then it has taken over a week and "the problem" still hasn't been assessed or fixed. No offer of replacement. To say I am dissapointed is an understatement. This is a VERY expensive machine. Actually the most expensive thing in our kitchen including our fridge and dishwasher! I was previously telling everyone how great it was but after dealing with their after sales customer service I will not recommend this product. Show detailsVery hit 'n miss with poor reliability & long wait times should it need repair
I've had this unit for 1.5 years, making 2-4 cups per day (working from home). I have a reasonable level of expertise in coffee. (i'm one of those who weigh my beens / extraction etc, use VST baskets, buy expensive beens etc)Breville Oracle -
Pros
Semi automated been to cup: great for total beginner & fast, providing you don't have high expectations for your cup. (but its infinitely better than a pod expresso machine)
Steams Milk like a pro - can automatically make an excellent froth.
Cons
Overall reliability: I'm already on my second mach... Read more
Ripped off
Breville customer service are saying there was an issue with my registration for promotion, now saying I've missed the cutoff date to register. The person I spoke to was very rude, she would ask a question then cut me off before I got to answer, she essentially told to to bad tuff luck. Ill be returning the product for a refund and buying another brand. Shame after buying one of the most expensive retail coffee machines this is the sales service we received. Show detailsDangerous Burn Risk - Steam Wand activates by itself
The steam wand activates randomly (without pressing buttons) on the Oracle coffee machine spurting out 100 Degree steam. Sometimes when trying to use it, other times when it is just sitting there, turned on (is on a morning timer). This is dangerous and I have raised the issue with Breville but got a scripted response about warranty eligibility. They didn't seem to care that it might be a safety issue. Show detailsQuestions & Answers
Frequently Asked Questions about Breville The Oracle BES980
Why isn't water flowing from the group head?
A common problem is that the machine won’t pump water through the hot water function or group head. When this happens, it’s possible that the steam wand - which uses a different pump - is still working.
If this is the case, there may be a blockage in the water tube - coffee grounds could be blocking the tube leading to the hot water spout.
Here are a few potential causes and options.
Do a clear water backflush
This helps keep any residual coffee oils from blocking espresso paths. Insert the grey silicone cleaning disc (in the tool storage tray underneath the drip tray) into the filter basket and run a few shots of espresso without any coffee. This flushes clear water back through the espresso path. Do this 3-4 times. Breville recommends doing this after every coffee-making session.
The hot water solenoid has jammed
The solenoid valve controls the water that goes through the coffee machine and out the espresso discharger or hot water outlet. It has an over-pressure relief valve built into it - a safety mechanism to stop the water pressure getting too high if you have a fine coffee grind.
Sometimes, the solenoid valve can become sticky, wear out, or stop working.
You can fix it yourself if you have a new solenoid valve, after taking off the back and top plates off your machine by removing 4 Phillips heads screws from the front left and right of the machine, and two just above the water dispenser. Once at the exposed top of the machine, you’ll need to remove another 4 Phillips head screws and a cable tie on the old solenoid valve to replace it with the new one.
If this sounds tricky, you can also send the machine into Breville for assessment and a repair.
Broken water pump
If the issue is caused by a broken water pump, then sending your machine into Breville for a repair or replacement may be the only solution.
Inadequate temperature
In other cases, the water might not flow because the machine isn’t reaching the right temperature.
What do I do if my machine isn’t heating up to the right temperature?
Sometimes the Breville Oracle heats up to a certain temperature then stops, never reaching the desired temperature. In the experience of reviewers, this can often happen after descaling (though not always). Here are a few reasons that this can happen, and some possible solutions to try out.
Air lock
Sometimes pressure can build up in the boilers, which is also known as an air lock. Some air will need to be removed from the boilers. To do this, turn the machine off, let it cool down for an hour, then open both boiler valves, by looking at the lower right of the machine, where a small rubber plug covers two indents with screws inside.
Turn the machine on, and while it’s running open the left valve by turning the screw on the left - all the way to the left, using a flathead screwdriver. This should drain water from one boiler into the drip tray. Once no more water is coming out, turn the screw all the way to the right again. Repeat this process with the screw on the right.
Incomplete descaling
If you recently commenced a descaling session but it was interrupted, Breville suggests doing another descale (without inserting the descaler cleaning product).
Reset the machine to the original factory settings.
You can do this by following the instructions to ‘Reset Default Settings’ in the Breville Oracle BES980 user manual.
Other reasons
Breville and reviewers suggest making sure the steam wand level is in a neutral vertical position (not pointed upwards) and the water tank is locked in completely. Breville also says that a recent change to soft water could cause inadequate heating, in which case you can try spring water instead.
<FAQ> <Question>
Why don't I get enough coffee, especially from the first shot?
<AcceptedAnswer> Breville states that it should take around 25-30 seconds to get 60mL of espresso, including crema. This amount means your machine is using the optimum range of pressure during the extraction.However, getting less coffee than you should from your first pour is a common problem. The coffee should start coming out of the machine in around 7-8 seconds, and if it takes longer than this, you’re probably getting less coffee than you should.
This can sometimes happen if your grind size is too fine. You can adjust the grind size by 3 numbers to make it more coarse - at least for the first shot. As the group head heats up, any successive shots may naturally be thicker, even with a lower grind size.
Try a coarser grind if your espresso is too bitter as well, as it may be over extracted. Also make sure you’re using beans 4-10 days after roasting, to get the best possible flavour.
If you’re getting too much coffee, change the grind size to make it finer.
If adjusting the grind size isn’t helping, you can send the machine into Breville to check that the circuit board, air pump and solenoids are working correctly. Or you may prefer to request a Breville representative from the White Glove Service to come to your home and teach you how to get the maximum use of your coffee machine. </AcceptedAnswer> </Question> <Question>
Why isn't my milk texturing properly?
<AcceptedAnswer> When milk automatically textures, it uses a combination of air and steam to both heat and stretch the milk to give it a thick volume and creamy texture. If your milk isn’t thick and shiny (and doesn’t look something like white paint or chrome) it may not be texturing properly.Here are some possible reasons and what to do about them.
The steam wand tip is clogged
The steam wand tip has tiny holes in it. While the steam wand will auto-purge after each use, if the wand tip isn’t manually cleaned (and even if it is, sometimes) it can become blocked. To clear out these holes you can use the wand cleaning tool, in the tool storage tray behind the drip tray. Insert the needle into the 5 holes, taking care not to damage the o-rings.
You can give it a more thorough clean by unscrewing the wand tip off once it’s cooled down, and soaking it in a glass of hot water, or with a sachet of Breville’s cleaning powder dissolved in the glass.
Breville recommends manually cleaning the steam wand in addition to auto-purge after every use.
Damaged o-rings
If one or both of the o-rings in the steam wand are damaged, it can result in hot milk, with no texture. Two spares are provided by Breville, or you can order new ones and replace the existing o-rings, to see if this works.
Using cow milk alternatives
The Oracle machines were designed to be used with full-cream cow’s milk. Sometimes using a milk alternative (or even skim milk, etc.) can sometimes result in thin, untextured milk. Try experimenting with different brands and types of milk to find the right type of milk to texture using the machine.
Another error
Try a factory reset to change all of the machine’s settings back to their default/ original setting. </AcceptedAnswer>
Manual texturing
While this is a little more time consuming, manual milk texturing is also an option.
Latest Consumer Questions
Hiya - my machine has started to ask me to “change filter” but nothing in the manual talks about which filter - could it be the water filter? I don’t remember putting one in as we have rain water so don’t get limescale …. Thanks!
Hi, filter change keeps coming on and i have replaced filter?
The coffee machine will grind coffee but will not tamp any ideas
Probably broken.
Details
Breville The Oracle uses a fully-integrated conical burr that grinds, doses and tamps 22 grams of coffee inside the portafilter for you. After adding the beans to the hopper, you just need to move the portafilter to the right, then release it slowly back to the centre again. You can also select whether you want to make 1 cup or 2 cups.
Features
- In terms of capacity, Breville the Oracle allows you to place 280g worth of beans into the bean hopper at a time, and 2.5 litres into the water tank.
- Designed with dual boilers, one for the espresso shot and one dedicated to steaming.
- Water is brought to the precise temperature for coffee flavour extraction, due to digital temperature control in the heated group head and boilers.
- A powerful 15-bar pump pressure allows for maximum flavour extraction, and thick crema on top of your coffee.
- The boilers, portafilter and milk jug are constructed from stainless steel, and the machine has a brushed stainless steel exterior, for both a resilient and stylish finish.
- Designed with the following settings: Adjustable grind control, programmable milk temperature and texture, option for a single or double shot, long black, and hot water.
- Comes with the following inside the box: A mini grinds bin, conical burr, portafilter, 1 cup and 2 cup single wall filter baskets, 16oz milk jug, steam wand spare parts, cleaning kit, water filter, water filter holder and water hardness test strip.
Points of praise
Plenty of reviewers reported that Breville The Oracle makes a delicious and consistently satisfying cafe-quality coffee. Once you get the hang of using it, it’s easy and a pleasure to use. A high number of reviewers felt no need to visit the cafe anymore.
The White Glove Service that Breville offers was widely appreciated by reviewers. With this service, a Breville representative visits your house and demonstrates how to get the best use out of your new coffee machine.
Points to consider
Finding the right setting on the grinding dial can often require a bit of trial and error at first, but once you get this right for the coarseness of the beans you are using there’s no issues.
Secondly, some reviewers, including those giving positive reviews, reported that the machine doesn’t always work the way it’s meant to. However, reviewers who had minimal issues in this regard stated that this machine does require regular maintenance and regular cleaning, especially when it comes to cleaning or replacing certain parts of the machine (like changing the filter regularly). If you do this diligently, this helps a lot.
Category | Semi-Automatic and Manual Coffee Machines | Semi-Automatic and Manual Coffee Machines | Semi-Automatic and Manual Coffee Machines |
---|---|---|---|
Price (RRP) | $2,799 | $2,799 | $2,799 |
Pump Pressure | 15 bar | 15 bar | 15 bar |
Input Power | 2,400 W | 2,400 W | 2,400 W |
Dishwasher Safe Parts | No | No | No |
Water Tank Capacity | 2.5 L | 2.5 L | 2.5 L |
Dimensions | 409 x 453 x 373 mm | 409 x 453 x 373 mm | 409 x 453 x 373 mm |
Features | Display Panel | Display Panel | Display Panel |
Milk Frother | Steam Wand | Steam Wand | Steam Wand |
Bean Grinder | Integrated Burr Grinder | Integrated Burr Grinder | Integrated Burr Grinder |
Coffee Bean Capacity | 280 g | 280 g | 280 g |
Manufacturer Warranty | 2 year(s) | 2 year(s) | 2 year(s) |
Colour / Finish | Stainless Steel | Black | Black Truffle |
Awards | 2017 and 2018 | 2017 and 2018 | 2017 and 2018 |
Extra Information
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