Breville Dual Boiler 900 vs 920: Which One Makes The Best Coffee?

I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Read more

For most coffee lovers and enthusiasts, the best coffee machine for their home kitchen is a semi-automatic model. These models offer much more control than automatic ones, without the need for rigorous training like manual coffee machines. And in today’s market, the Breville Dual Boiler 900 vs 920 is a hot topic for debate.

After trying both machines myself, I found the Breville Dual Boiler 920 to be the better option between the two. The 920 is definitely an upgrade on the 900 and offers more advanced features such as an adjustable steam boiler, so you can control your frothing, shot duration timers, and quick and easy descaling features that make it much easier to pull cafe-quality shots at home.

While the 920 was the obvious pick in my eyes, it was a very close fight. The 900 is one of the first models in the Dual Boiler series and was groundbreaking upon release. This model features dual boilers to give you quality espresso shots and steamed milk simultaneously and is still a great pick for home kitchens.

Breville Dual Boiler 900 vs 920: Comparison Chart

Image
The Winner (#1)
Breville BES920XL Dual Boiler Espresso Machine,84 oz, Brushed Stainless Steel
The Runner-up (#2)
Breville BES900XL Dual Boiler Semi Automatic Espresso Machine
Model
Breville Dual Boiler BES920
Breville Dual Boiler BES900
Dimensions (LxWxH)
14.1 x 14.6 x 14.7 Inches
14.1 x 14.6 x 14.7 Inches
Weight
30 Pounds
30 Pounds
Color/ Material
Stainless Steel/ Brushed Stainless Steel
Stainless Steel/ Brushed Stainless Steel
Power / Voltage
1800W / 220-240 V
1800W / 220-240V
Adjustable Steam Boiler
Descaling Features
Shot Control
Volumetric & Duration
Volumetric
Warranty
2-Year Limited
1-Year Limited
Product Type
Semi-Automatic Coffee Machine
Semi-Automatic Coffee Machine
Heating System
Dual Stainless Steel Boilers
Dual Stainless Steel Boilers
Reservoir Size
2.5L
2.5L
Grinder
None
None
Digital Temperature Control System (PID)
Milk System
Professional Steam Wand
Professional Steam Wand
Volumetric Control
Yes (1 cup & 2 cups)
Yes (1 cup & 2 cups)
What I Like
Price
$1,599.95
Price not available
The Winner (#1)
Image
Breville BES920XL Dual Boiler Espresso Machine,84 oz, Brushed Stainless Steel
Model
Breville Dual Boiler BES920
Dimensions (LxWxH)
14.1 x 14.6 x 14.7 Inches
Weight
30 Pounds
Color/ Material
Stainless Steel/ Brushed Stainless Steel
Power / Voltage
1800W / 220-240 V
Adjustable Steam Boiler
Descaling Features
Shot Control
Volumetric & Duration
Warranty
2-Year Limited
Product Type
Semi-Automatic Coffee Machine
Heating System
Dual Stainless Steel Boilers
Reservoir Size
2.5L
Grinder
None
Digital Temperature Control System (PID)
Milk System
Professional Steam Wand
Volumetric Control
Yes (1 cup & 2 cups)
What I Like
Price
$1,599.95
More Info
The Runner-up (#2)
Image
Breville BES900XL Dual Boiler Semi Automatic Espresso Machine
Model
Breville Dual Boiler BES900
Dimensions (LxWxH)
14.1 x 14.6 x 14.7 Inches
Weight
30 Pounds
Color/ Material
Stainless Steel/ Brushed Stainless Steel
Power / Voltage
1800W / 220-240V
Adjustable Steam Boiler
Descaling Features
Shot Control
Volumetric
Warranty
1-Year Limited
Product Type
Semi-Automatic Coffee Machine
Heating System
Dual Stainless Steel Boilers
Reservoir Size
2.5L
Grinder
None
Digital Temperature Control System (PID)
Milk System
Professional Steam Wand
Volumetric Control
Yes (1 cup & 2 cups)
What I Like
Price
Price not available
More Info

Last update on 2023-09-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Breville Dual Boiler 900 vs 920: The Differences

So, now that you know that the 920 is simply an upgrade on the 900, what are the exact differences? While the Dual Boiler 900 was a favorite amongst many coffee-lovers upon its release, there were some customer complaints that Breville fixed when they released the 920.

Since the 920 is a definite upgrade, it takes the cake in this comparison, beating out the 900 model 4-0 due to the fact that it improved upon all the complaints customers had with the original Dual Boiler.

1. Adjustable Steam Temperature

The Winner: Breville Dual Boiler 920

Breville Dual Boiler 920 Adjustable Temperature
Breville Dual Boiler 920 Adjustable Temperature

The first upgrade Breville gave the 920 is an adjustable steam boiler. The common complaint that customers had with the 900 models was that the steam output was lackluster, to say the least. But with the 920, you can adjust the steam output as you need, giving you more control over the density of the froth in your milk.

So, if you enjoy making milk coffee drinks, the 920 is the better option as you have more control over the output. Many coffee-lovers enjoy making milk drinks, which is why the 920 gets the point here.

2. Shot Control

The Winner: Breville Dual Boiler 920

Breville Dual Boiler 920 Shot Control
Breville Dual Boiler 920 Shot Control

If you want to brew high-quality espressos, you need to have as much control as possible. And with the 920, you get to choose whether the water in your shot is measured by volume or by time. Different brewers have different preferences when it comes to shot control, and at the end of the day, it all comes down to how you pull your shots.

If you prefer using volumetric measurements in your coffee, then the 900 would serve you fine. However, since the 920 offers both volumetric and duration shot control, it offers much more versatility for coffee drinkers. 

3. Accessories

The Winner: Breville Dual Boiler 920

Breville Dual Boiler 920 Accessories
Breville Dual Boiler 920 Accessories

The accessories that come with the 900 and 920 are almost identical. They both come with filters, cleaning tools, a 750ml stainless steel carafe, and an Allen key. However, the 920 comes with an extra tool called the Razor Trimming Tool.

This is basically a tool you can use to shave off excess coffee when pulling a shot. This isn’t exactly a necessary feature, but it’s a great extra benefit to choosing the 920 models.

4. Warranty

The Winner: Breville Dual Boiler 920

Yet again, the 920 model beats out the 900. Since it’s supposed to be an upgrade to the original model, it should come as no surprise that the 920 even has a better warranty. On the original Dual Boiler 900, customers had access to a limited 1-year warranty to protect against factory defects. This worked fine, especially since Breville has great quality control and customers rarely had complaints about manufacturing issues.

However, to give you an even wider safety net, the Breville Dual Boiler 920 comes with a 2-year limited warranty. You can never tell when something might go wrong with intricate espresso machines, so having a longer warranty is a huge plus. So, if you want a machine that’s protected against defects for a longer period, the 920 easily beats out the 900.

Breville Dual Boiler 900 vs 920: The Similarities

You might have noticed from the comparison table that these two coffee machines share a fair amount of similarities. The reason for this is that the 920 is actually a replacement for the 900. While the Dual Boiler 900 quickly took the market by storm, it was eventually discontinued when the 920 models were released.

Before we dive into the differences between the two, we first need to look at the qualities they share.

For starters, we need to take a look at the heating system. After all, the triple heating system is where the Dual Boiler Coffee Machines get their name. Both machines have two built-in boilers, one is dedicated to pulling espresso shots and the other is solely used for milk. The group head that these machines come with is actively heated and measures in at 58mm, which provides thermal stability when extracting your shot. The more stable the temperatures are when you pull an espresso shot, the better the coffee will taste.

Both machines also have a regulated extraction pressure. With a 15 bar Italian pump, the machine keeps the water pressure at a precise 9 bar-maximum, which is the ideal pressure for pulling an espresso shot.

These are semi-automatic espresso machines, so that means they offer more control than standard automatic ones without the hassle of manual espresso machines. So, you can program the temperature just to your liking and use the commercial steam wand to create lattes and cappuccinos!

Quick Rundown of the Breville Dual Boiler 920

Breville BES920XL Dual Boiler Espresso Machine,84 oz, Brushed Stainless Steel
  • Please refer to user guide or user manual or user guide (provided below in PDF) before first use

Last update on 2023-09-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Pros
  • Equipped with volumetric and duration shot control
  • Adjustable steam pressure
  • Two separate boilers for milk and coffee
  • Comes with a commercial steam wand
  • Comes with a limited 2-year warranty
Cons
  • Heavy and bulky design

Quick Rundown of the Breville Dual Boiler 900

Breville BES900XL Dual Boiler Semi Automatic Espresso Machine
  • Dual stainless steel boilers and dual Italian pumps for simultaneous espresso extraction and steaming
  • Over-Pressure Valve (OPV) limits extraction pressure
  • Electronic PID temperature control for precise water temperature, plus actively heated group head and heat exchanger (HX) to maintain thermal stability
  • Backlit LCD displays brew temperature, shot clock or time. Assists with programming shot temperature and volume, pre-infusion duration and power, and auto-start time
  • Drop-down swivel foot lowers a wheel that lifts the machine upwards for convenient access to the water tank (both rear and top-fill)

Last update on 2023-09-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Pros
  • Separate boilers for milk and espresso
  • Regulated extraction pressure to keep your espresso shots consistent
  • Actively heated group head
  • Comes with a commercial steam wand
  • Offers great control for coffee-lovers
Cons
  • Steam pressure isn’t adjustable
  • Only offers volumetric shot control

Product Videos

References

5/5 - (3 votes)