Granted that specialty coffee shops are flourishing, it is not always convenient to go out for a good cup of coffee. Furthermore, frequent visits to such branded shops also become expensive in the long run. One good alternative to overcome the hindrance is to consider buying your own gourmet coffee machine such as Breville Due Temp Pro espresso maker, formely known as the 800ESXL.
An Australian brand that came into inception in the early 1930s, Breville has now become synonymous with quality appliances for home use. The company entered the espresso machine market in 2001 and earned high praises for its very first model the Breville ESP10. While that model was only marketed in Australia, its exceptionally positive response led to the introduction of future models in the U.S market.
Breville Duo Temp Pro Espresso Maker
The espresso machine is built to last with its die-cast stainless steel body that guarantees to resist corrosion. The sleek design, professional look, and silvery finish give it a look of a professional espresso maker similar to industrial models. The illuminated dial selector and buttons are also totally crafted out of die cast stainless steel. By simply switching the selector to left or right you can select from steam to hot water or espresso. But that’s not to say there is no plastic on this machine, the weight has significantly gone down since its’ predecessor, which means the stainless steel plating is now hiding a plastic shell.
Otherwise, the solidly built steam wand is also constructed out of stainless steel and is used to froth milk as well as dispense hot water. To enhance its maneuvering, it is mounted over a revolving ball. The frothing wand opens the options for a host of coffee based drinks like lattes, cappuccinos, Americanos, hot chocolates, and herbal teas. This means you can enjoy a different drink every day of the week and don’t have to limit yourself to just an espresso. But keep in mind, all the coffee drinks have to be espresso shot based, simply add the necessary amount of shots and milk, or use the hot water dispenser for coco and tea.
For a medium ranged priced machine, I found little to complain about on the Duo Temp. This specific model has been on the market for many years, and used to be sold under the name of Breville 800ESXL Duo Temp Espresso Machine. Throughout the years, improvements were brought to the precise low pressure infused extraction and slight re-branding to Duo Temp Pro. But otherwise, the same 1.8L water tank and a hot water function is available. Those of you who own an 800ESXL will be familiar with the hot water button next to the steam button top right of the machine, this has now been replaced with a single select button to choose between steam or hot water.
Another important change is that the 800ESXL used a thermoblock heating mechanism versus the superior thermocoil system that is also employed on the higher tiered Breville Barista Espress machine. Although I never used the older model, some reviewers complained the coffee did not always come out hot. As mentioned, more plastic is used in the updated shell.
Features
- It makes use of a 1600 watt thermal coil heating system that is capable of maintaining the perfect temperature of 204 °F for every extraction and a consistent 160 °F ranged espresso shot.
- Like the best machines in the market, the Duo Temp pro employs bar-pump pressure, not steam to extract the maximum flavors from the grounds. The auto purge function flushes the whole system at the completion of each brewing cycle so the next shot can be prepared at temperature.
- For full range of beverage options, the Duo Temp Pro comes with a single seven gram filter, double fourteen gram filter in addition to a pod filter. All the filter are available with single wall or double filters. Breville’s unique Dual-Wall technology which makes use of an initial wall with 333 pores succeeded by a second wall of a single pore. This double wall system produces a “back” pressure that in combination with the Triple Priming pump extracts maximum flavors and rich golden crema out of the grounds. Doubel wall can often be preferable with pre-ground coffee, However, using only single wall filter for freshly ground coffee is the most popular method.
- Another outstanding feature of this espresso maker is the fifteen bar Triple Prime pump which automatically discharges three pulses of hot water into the filter head. This gives the coffee grounds or the espresso pods the opportunity to expand and as the pressure increases, the espresso maker is able to squeeze greater volume of crèma from the grounds or pods. This gives your drink a richer, smoother taste compared to something out of the ordinary espresso machine.
- The Breville Duo Temp offers a number of extra perks not found in most machines which add to the convenience of the user. For example, the drip tray is a large 1 litre size and it is fitted with an indicator that sends out a warning when it is full. The four and a half inch clearance is great for housing those extra-large travel mugs. The conveniently lit water tank is a hefty 61 ounce capacity and accessible from front and back sides of the machine.
- There is also a steel warming tray, cord storage, and a hidden storage compartment in which you can keep your filters and other tools so you don’t have to go searching for them in every drawer in the kitchen. Also notable is the tall cup height that can accommodate coffee mugs.
- The machine also comes with a charcoal water filter of standard coffee maker size, a tamping tool that can be integrated or handheld, a measuring spoon, and a stainless steel frothing jug. Finally, it also features a razor dose trimming tool, which is just a fancy flat card tool to slice off extra grounds from the top of the filter.
- It is backed with a one year warranty.
Drawbacks:
One of the drawbacks with a unit of this caliber is the lack of an automatic off switch. Hence if you are the forgetful kind, take care, this machine will not turn off on its own. It does have a standby mode for when the machine is being used. A second most commonly sighted issue is that the water reservoir and drip tray are not dishwasher safe and require hand washing.
I always yearn the option for manual vs complete automatic machines. It’s always a plus when you can control your shot, as it doesn’t require your measurements and tamping to be as consistent for the same results. Automatic machines often require a few tests before you find the right balance for every coffee bean used.
There are some complaints regarding the updated Duo Temp modifications when compared to their old beloved 800ESXL. Users obviously complained about the new light weight plastic construction. Unless you had an older model, you could not tell. But this possibly suggests to me that some parts have gone down in build quality to balance out the improvements.
Last Word
People who have used the Breville 800ESXL found it to be a sturdy, good looking unit. The newly branded Duo Temp Pro espresso maker has continued to garnish popular consumer reviews. They like the fact that it does not require much in terms of maintenance and that it makes a great tasting coffee. A few people have mentioned that the coffee it makes is not very hot and the puck does not come out dry. However, on that front it is recommended that the machine should be allowed to warm-up before pulling a shot of espresso and the wet puck is a result of the technology the machine uses. The instruction manual states that the puck will come out wet. Additionally, the complaints of low temperature output have not resurfaced with the Duo Temp Pro upgrade to thermal coil heating.
The Breville Duo Temp pro is not a high end machine. However, you can’t get a more solidly built unit that is capable of making a very good shot of espresso in the same price level. It is definitely worth checking out if you are in the market for a versatile gourmet coffee maker. But it does require the user to follow the suggested instructions for measurements, filters, grounds, and tamping for best results.
