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I’ve had quite a few dreams and aspirations in my adult life thus far. One of them was owning an espresso machine. As someone who would typically choose a cappuccino over a cup of drip coffee, the idea of waking up every morning and enjoying the perfect mug of milky espresso from the comfort of my own home seemed like the pinnacle of luxury. single dose df64
Besides the obvious barriers to entry of price and counter space, one of the main reasons I waited so long to make my dream a reality was that, well, I was intimidated. The world of coffee—and espresso in particular—is one that intrigues me, but I’m admittedly no expert. And while the science nerd in me feels somewhat compelled to spend time delving deep into grind size and ratios and extraction times, the reality is I’ve always felt daunted at the prospect of actually doing so—and wary of investing in a machine that would be so complicated to use, I’d end up forgoing it anyway. At the same time, I shied away from the idea of fully automatic machines that operate at the push of a button, because the wannabe barista in me wants to feel like I’m doing something as I make my morning cup. That, and I’ve never found the espresso those kinds of machines make to be all that good.
That’s why, when I got wind that Breville was launching a new top of the line, not-quite automatic espresso machine that promised to guide me through all of the processes I was intimidated by, I was immediately intrigued. The machine in question? The Oracle Jet, the latest in Breville’s Oracle line after 2017’s Oracle Touch. The Jet shares many of the same features that made contributor Carina Finn fall in love with the Oracle Touch when she tested it—namely, an easy-to-use touchscreen display with a multitude of drink programs, automatic grinding, dosing, and tamping, and an automatic milk frother. But the newer machine has several key improvements that make it an even better pick for home espresso drinkers—and after months of testing, I can say quite confidently that there is no other machine I’d rather own.
The Oracle Jet is about as close to a super-automatic machine as you can get without actually being super-automatic. That is to say, you still have to complete a few steps along the way to your latte.
After unboxing my machine on its arrival, I was delighted to find that there was no need to flip through a physical manual. The entire setup process was explained (very clearly, I’ll add) via the touchscreen display, and the steps were laid out in a logical order, which I really appreciated.
After the initial set up, the display guided me through making my first drink and calibrating the grind size for the beans I had on hand. I had to make several rounds of espresso to get the ideal grind size (which the machine suggests based on extraction speed). As someone with no espresso machine experience but who likes to know why and how things work, I found this process fun and helpful, a great jumping off point in my own espresso journey.
My latte art has come a long way since that first cappuccino!
I won’t bury the lede here: I’m a big fan of this machine. It’s revolutionized my at-home coffee routine, and after owning it for several months, I can’t imagine my life without it at this point. But now you know my stance, I’ll get into some specifics as to what makes this machine so great.
Whether you’re a beginner espresso maker or just tight on time (or both, like me), nothing beats the convenience of a machine that does the hard work of grinding, tamping, and temperature-setting for you. But if the idea of tinkering around with those things is appealing to you, the Oracle Jet offers (some) capability to do so as well. The built-in Baratza burr grinder has 45 grind settings that are easily tweaked by turning a knob on the left side of the machine, or via the touchscreen display, where you can also adjust the temperature at which your drinks are brewed. While there are some 12+ preset programs for drinks ranging from flat whites to cold brew (more on that later), you can also customize your own drink settings and save them to the system.
Everything about the Oracle Jet feels well thought out and intuitive. I’m not just talking about the actual brewing process here, either: There are a number of little design choices that go a long way in making the user experience more enjoyable, like a lever at the base of the machine that lets you lock it in place or unlock wheels if you need to move it around. I also appreciate that there’s a way to fill the water tank from the front of the machine, without needing to remove the whole tank.
One common complaint with espresso machines is that they can take a long time to heat up. Our top espresso machine pick, for instance, takes at least 20 minutes to stabilize the temperature in its boilers. Not so with the Oracle Jet, which can start brewing espresso pretty much immediately after you turn it on. The reason for this is that it uses Breville’s ThermoJet heating system rather than a traditional boiler heating system found in many high-end espresso machines (including the others in the Oracle line). While this means you can’t brew and steam at the same time, you can quickly switch between the two (read: you can start steaming milk immediately after your espresso is extracted). As someone who is often making her coffee in a haphazard rush to get out the door in the morning, that immediacy is crucial for me. This difference in heating systems is also one of the reasons the Oracle Jet is $800 less expensive than the Oracle Touch, which uses a traditional dual boiler.
The advanced touchscreen display on the Oracle Jet is so responsive and smooth that using it almost feels like using a smartphone. And unlike the Oracle Touch, the Jet can connect to WiFi and, therefore, get firmware updates as they become available.
I love that the Oracle Jet has programs for brewing “cold brew” and “cold espresso,” but that “cold brew” is more so an approximation of the stuff than actual cold brewed coffee. It’s made with a three-minute extraction at a lower temperature, and while I found the resulting coffee enjoyable to drink, this will never quite compare to a cup of cold brew made using a several hours-long extraction process.
In short, not much. But there are a few nitpicky qualms I’ve discovered over the course of several months using the machine. One is that the spouts on the portafilter and the hot water spout on the machine are set fairly far apart, which means there have been times when I’ve gone to make an Americano and the hot water has entirely missed my mug. This can, of course, be remedied by using a wider mug or adjusting its position after the espresso is brewed. I also wish there was some kind of sensor that could safeguard against accidentally starting the brewing process when I’ve forgotten to move the portafilter over from the grinder to the group head—though I will say, stopping the process when I’ve made mistakes like this is as easy as tapping the brew icon again.
There is, of course, the matter of price. At $2,000, this is an expensive machine—there’s no getting around that. It is also relatively large, but I will note that it fits quite comfortably on the sliver of counter space between the fridge and the sink in my kitchen. And that $2000 price tag is within the realm of expected for good automatic coffee machines with features like the Oracle Jet.
Look, I’m not going to tell anyone they need a $2,000 espresso machine. But if you find yourself buying milk-based espresso drinks on a near-daily basis and want a machine that makes the process of brewing them yourself fun and easy, I think it’s well worth considering. It’s certainly earned my stamp of approval. If you do buy it, chances are you’ll soon be making drinks that are markedly better than the ones you’re spending upwards of $6 on at your local coffee shop—and if you do the math, the machine will practically pay for itself in less than a year.
If you’re in the market for a cheaper, no-frills (but still very beginner-friendly) machine, you may want to check out our review of the Breville Bambino Plus instead. Or head to our full review of the best espresso machines for even more options, all vetted by our team of product testers.
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