Review on ☕ Breville BES840XL Infuser Espresso Machine: A Premium Stainless Steel Brewing Experience by Kenneth Bryan

When I started this I had no idea how to make espresso. I've been using a French Press for years and decided to up my coffee game a little. This review is for those who are considering this machine and have no idea what they are doing. Keep in mind that I paired this machine with a Breville Smart Grinder Pro, which is important in this review. I recommend a grinder as an add-on to this espresso machine. **Why you should buy this machine over the cheaper ones** To put it simply, this coffee maker offers professional quality features that are packed into an entry level coffee maker that will produce much better. quality espresso than cheaper machines like Mr Coffee. If you're thinking about getting into espresso, don't waste your time on cheaper products or you'll likely be disappointed with the results or just upgrade everything in a few months. BAD ESPRESSO FROM "CHEAP" MACHINE IS WORSE THAN A CHEAP CUP OF COFFEE. Understand that "cheap" is relative here. This is an expensive drink, but it takes money to make a great drink. My perfect craving tastes EXACTLY like a coffee shop (at least to me). I can make caramel macchiato and it tastes and looks better than Starbucks. WHY DO YOU NEED AN ESPRESSO MACHINE? Let's face it, most of you want your lattes and cappuccinos to be delicious, so there's no need to spend five bucks a day at a coffee shop. You're not just gulping down black espresso shots and absorbing subtle flavor notes to share with your friends. YOU WILL NOT GET THIS QUALITY WITH CHEAP MACHINES. It tastes watery, sometimes a bit bitter and just not worth the money. You will spend a few hundred dollars and be completely disappointed. This machine is expensive, but at least I feel like I can actually get good espresso out of it. and I have no desire to go back to another cafe when I can do it just as well at home. 2. This is the only device under $500 that lets you make decent latte art with a milk steamer wand. Other cheaper machines just don't have enough power to give your milk the right consistency. This also goes back to the quality of the drink. Would you like to pay 300 euros for a really mediocre espresso every day, or pay a little more money and drink really good espresso every day? You can get better milk steamers, but if you're looking for a standalone device that also makes great milk, this is it. If you don't drink a latte, then you don't mind much. But trust me when I say that frothed milk makes or breaks your latte/cappuccino. Perfectly frothed milk is sweet, frothy and creamy. Poorly frothed milk tastes like microwave milk or just warm milk. Fu.3. The pressure gauge and pre-infusion (the introduction of a small amount of water into the espresso before the actual draw begins) make it a great tool for learning how to properly brew espresso. The sensor is extremely useful, helping you understand what you're doing wrong and when you're really doing something right. Few things are as satisfying as brewing the perfect espresso and watching the scales sit in the perfect spot. Integrated temperature control for more consistent espresso results. In my opinion, cheaper devices that don't have it aren't worth the money. Poorly brewed espresso is terrible, and honestly, you can make a better drink with a $10 French Press and a $50 grinder. Finally, you must understand that espresso is actually difficult to prepare if you have never made it before. It's not a Keurig, it's not the kind of machine Starbucks uses (they cost almost as much as your house). You won't be able to make the perfect espresso the first time. It took me TEN sips before I was even remotely drinkable, and then I downed half a pound of coffee beans before taking my first GOOD sip. This machine makes it easy to make really good espresso, but it takes a lot of work and calibration on your part to get it right. However, once you understand this, it will be very easy for you to get it right every time. In my opinion, this is the "best point" for making espresso. With this coffee machine you can prepare a really tasty espresso at an affordable price. A little more money and you're paying A LOT more for a little better drink quality, but this isn't a day-to-night comparison between this machine and a $200 Costco or Mr Coffee machine. Highly recommended!**If you own this machine, the following may help**The biggest challenges I had when trying to figure out how to make espresso were:1. Grind coffee to the perfect size2. If you realize that single shot mugs are terrible, save yourself heartache and use Double Shot (not double wall)3. My shot on time (25-30 seconds) **Grill Size** This was the most confusing part for me because it was in my head that I should be able to grind all of my beans with the absolute best smart grinder -Attitude to grind Pro so I spent all my money on a good coffee grinder right? I've seen a few videos of people using my rig and grinding to 1 or 2 settings on the grinder and getting perfect shots in the infuser. THAT IS NOT RIGHT. Get rid of the grind level completely and understand that it has more to do with the ideal grind level for your particular coffee than the grind count itself. With the Lavazza Super Crema I could not grind the grinder finer than 17, otherwise the machine would open maximum pressure and I would end up with just a few drops of disgustingly acidic water. Using fresh coffee beans from a local roaster I was able to get a finer grind and in fact the size 17 was too coarse for this coffee and ended up ruining the shots. It's ok if you need to use 17 or 18 with coffee. You buy a good grinder because those 17 and 18 grinds are exactly the same, meaning the pressurized hot water spreads out evenly, rather than finding a weak point to channel and ruin your espresso. Do you understand what I'm talking about? That's not Kerig. You'll have to recalibrate the grind for each new coffee you try, which can be either a huge pain or a huge pleasure depending on why you're buying this machine. I found it fun, but I'm also glad I took the whole day to play around with this machine. When I found this out, I was amazed at the quality of the espresso that came out. ** Single Shot and Double Shot + Shot Pull Time Cups ** This is where I succeeded after many failures. Look, I don't drink a ton of espresso in one sitting. I'm quite happy with a small latte consisting of a shot of espresso. I actually put the double mugs in my desk drawer because I didn't think I was going to use them. I made a drinkable espresso after several hours of testing, but my shots came out too quickly (15-20 seconds), despite knowing that the ideal shots should be around 30 seconds after pressing the button. A helpful online user advised me to ditch single-use cups and switch to double cups, as the old cups seemed finicky. So I switched to a single wall double cup and my first hit was ABSOLUTELY PERFECT. It flowed like golden honey, lasted the perfect 30 seconds and had an amazing lather. It was wonderful and I wanted to cry. Obviously shots from double cups are more stable than single cups. Note that I am talking about cup size (single or double shot) and not double wall cups which are junk and intended for pre-ground espresso. Anyway, do yourself a favor and just use a double-shot single-wall mug. If you only need a shot of espresso, move the cup so you only catch liquid from one of the cups. You will waste your coffee, but it will be much, much smoother and more delicious than if you used a single glass cup. Now I get near perfect shots every time whereas before I got 2/5 when lucky. The best advice I've ever received.