Breville has become a name synonymous with high-quality kitchen appliances in both consumer and commercial settings. The Breville BES980XL Oracle espresso machine packs as much punch as you can imagine into an home espresso machine. If you are looking for cafe style espresso at home, you’ll find the Oracle to deliver results. The Breville Oracle is one of the best espresso machines we’ve ever seen, and rivals many machines we’ve seen in local cafes.

Cafe Style Home Brews

The Breville BES980XL Espresso Machine can produce some of the most renowned home-brew espressos and cappuccinos you’ll find. Breville’s deep experience within the commercial espresso machine industry has afforded them a deep knowledge of what produces true cafe flavor. This espresso machine integrates some of the most powerful features seen in commercial espresso machines, but does so with low volume production in mind—making it perfect for home use. The Breville Oracle features a sleek stainless steel design presenting an overall modern feel. Not only will the Oracle make some of the best espresso you’ll ever drink, but it will boost the aesthetics of your kitchen or office breakroom at the same time!

Powerful Commercial Features

Breville is no stranger to commercial features, they have a large line of commercial-grade espresso machines. They’ve spent years engineering what are regarded as some of the best espresso machine designs. The deep knowledge of best-practices and most effective functions help Breville design for true cafe-quality flavor in their home espresso lines as well. The Oracle espresso machine features parts you’d find in commercial machines—the biggest difference being the volume of use it’s designed for. Rather than regarding the Oracle as a cafe-quality home espresso machine, in our opinion it’s more accurate to regard it ‘mini’ commercial espresso machine. Below, you’ll find an overview of some of the most powerful features of this machine that have lead us to this conclusion.

Automatic Conical Burr Grinder

Grinders can get expensive, and the best coffee grinders are usually intended for commercial use with high volumes. The Oracle features an integrated conical burr grinder that is nested atop this espresso machine for convenient use. This feature is completely automated, and grinds, doses, and tamps a 22 gram amount for a perfect double shot of espresso. Many home espresso machines feature manual tamping, which is still effective, but the Breville Oracle’s automated system allows for a unparalleled consistency.

Over Pressure Valve

This feature is common among commercial espresso machines, but rarely seen in consumer models. The Oracle features dual stainless steel boilers, as well as a heated head—all regulated by a digital PID unit. This offers a magnificent amount of temperature control, though still leaves pressure unattended. Breville addresses this concern through their Over Pressure Valve control system which controls the pressure throughout the entire brewing process. This feature gradually increases pressure at the start, and limits the amount applied towards the end. This pressure gradient approach allows the Oracle to better avoid bitter flavors being present.

Automatic Steam Wand

One of the most characteristic aspects of true Cafe-Style espresso, cappuccino, and lattes are the textures applied to the milks and creamers. The Oracles steam wand is powered by a separate boiler that allows for milk texturing and brewing at the same time. This helps lower the overall time needed to produce a cup of espresso. The Oracle’s steam wand is capable of easily providing milks with a lightly frothed texture, as well as more deeply textured for creamy cappuccinos.

One Touch Americano Feature

The One Touch Americano system designed by Breville delivers smooth espresso blends through a dedicated spout. Through another, entirely separate spout the Oracle then adds hot water to the mix. This feature allows the Oracle to better control the overall texture of the espresso, much in the same way that commercial espresso machines do. With this feature, combined with the others mentioned above, makes the Oracle perfectly suited for brewing cappuccino, espresso, lattes, macchiato, americano, and even the often enigmatic ristretto.

Where to Buy

Breville offers an extensive line of quality kitchen appliances ranging from home and commercial espresso machines, to some of the best juicers on the market. Their renowned for quality around the world, and their consistent over-delivery of quality has brought them great success as a company. The products can be found in some local retail stores such as Macy’s, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Williams-Sonoma. Breville features a full listing of their products on their website, but unfortunately does not offer direct sales. The Breville Oracle BES980XL Espresso Machine is available online through Amazon, and qualifies for free shipping thrugh the Amazon Prime program. If you are considering buying a home espresso machine—whether it’s the Oracle or another—Amazon is likely the best option for you. You’ll save tremendously on price, get quick and cheap shipping, and your purchase will be covered by their powerful returns program.

Final Considerations

The Breville Oracle BES980XL is the ‘Cadillac’ of home espresso machines. You’ll find it costs a pretty penny, but it affords the most cafe-style espresso that you’ll find short of spending $5000 on a commercial machine. Breville is renowned for the quality and ingenuity of their products, and the Oracle makes no exception. It’s powerful set of features such as the dedicated boiler system, separate steaming wand boiler, and the over pressure valve make it one of the best espresso machines we’ve seen. If you’re looking to get the closest to cafe-style espresso you can without leaving the comfort and convenience of your own kitchen—your be hard-pressed to find a better option than the Breville Oracle.