Both the Breville Oracle vs Oracle Touch produce some of the richest and smoothest espressos in all of Breville’s brewers. So it makes sense to compare these top-ranking products and see which one is better for you.
At first glance, you can separate the 2 espresso machines based on their appearance. For starters, the Oracle Touch features a touchscreen display while the Oracle doesn’t.
This makes the Oracle Touch more user-friendly and automated than the Oracle. But their functionalities with regards to customizations, making adjustments to key variables are the same. Both machines are fully automatic but the only difference is that the Oracle Touch is a better, more intuitive barista (for you) than the Oracle.
Let’s understand them better, shall we?
Breville Oracle vs Oracle Touch: Comparison Chart
Last update on 2023-09-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Breville Oracle vs Oracle Touch: Differences
Even though the similarities between the Breville Oracle vs Oracle Touch are more than their differences, it’s a tie between Oracle and Oracle Touch for the best espresso-based automatic machine.
The Oracle Touch does have better user benefits (twice as more to be precise) as it offers more customizations than the Oracle. You can save your coffee drinks easily and directly select the drink you want to have with their amazing animated touchscreen display. It makes home brewing look good which is exactly what you want in a fully automatic espresso machine.
1. ‘Swipe & Select’ Touch Screen
The Winner: Oracle Touch
The first point of difference, and the most important one, is the touch screen display. Using the touch screen of the Oracle Touch is quick and sheds seconds off your time when you’re in a hurry.
You can select from a wide variety of delicious coffee drinks such as an espresso shot, long black, latte, flat white, and cappuccino. You can also save drinks that you’ve customized with a unique brewing time, grind size, and volume.
Apart from these 5 incredible pre-programmed coffee drinks, you can save up to 8 customized coffee drinks. The adjustable grind size and programmable temperature settings are easy to adjust using the Touch Screen with a visually aesthetic interface!
The Oracle, on the other hand, features an LCD display with buttons. While it is fully automatic, it doesn’t have pre-programmed coffee drinks nor can it save yours. The buttons on the control panel are direct and informative. For single or double espresso shot, Long Black, size and strength, and texture and temperature settings.
You also have a smaller LCD display window for adjusting grind and steam settings. So it’s definitely organized – just without the pre-programmed coffee settings.
2. Cost
The Winner: Oracle
Another major difference between the Oracle and Oracle Touch which is also the most compelling deciding factor between the two is the price. The price of the Oracle Touch is extravagant. The Oracle is $500 cheaper than the Oracle Touch.
Comparing the features and design of both espresso machines, you’re paying $500 more for the Oracle Touch on account of its customizable settings, touchscreen display, and slightly bulkier design which also contributes to its durability. But even that, when you compare the size of the Oracle with the Oracle Touch, there’s barely any difference at all.
3. Size
The Winner: Oracle
The water reservoir on both espressos is reasonably spacious. You will not face any problems refilling the tank. They offer the same water reservoir of 84oz and a half-pound bean hopper capacity.
What’s different though are the dimensions. The Oracle measures 14.5 x 14.7 x 17.6 inches and the Oracle Touch measures 17.5 x 17.7 x 21.1 inches. While both machines are made of superior stainless steel, the Oracle Touch does take up more space than Oracle in your kitchen.
4. Material
The Winner: Oracle Touch
Speaking of stainless steel construction, the Oracle features a stainless steel exterior which indicates that it does contain a few plastic parts in the mix. You won’t find the same description under the Oracle Touch which has an all-stainless steel housing with durable and sturdy stainless steel parts.
Both machines, however, have dual stainless steel boilers which are a workhorse and produce the richest and most consistent espressos.
Breville Oracle vs Oracle Touch: Similarities
1. Pre-Infusion Function
This is a special feature that makes all Breville espresso machines unique and powerful. When the coffee grounds are pre-infused which means they are soaked for a few extra seconds in hot water before traveling through the puck, this intensifies flavor.
By pre-infusing them, the coffee grounds expand to release more flavor and a smoother texture. The result is a more balanced (and consistent) espresso extraction plus a stronger coffee aroma per shot!
Thankfully, both the Breville Oracle and Oracle Touch offer Pre-Infusion.
2. Conical Burr Grinder with Adjustable Control
While both espresso makers brew exactly like a barista, they come with powerful burr grinders that work effectively and consistently.
With the touch of a button (in Oracle) and swipe and select (in Oracle Touch), you can choose your preferred grind size. The machine will grind, dose, and tamp the coffee grounds. You don’t have to do it by yourself. Just lock the portafilter in place and watch the magic happen!
Both machines also control the dose amount to avoid loss of flavor or texture, no matter your drink. The professional standard for barista-grade espresso machines is 22g of ground coffee. And that’s exactly what these machines offer for the home brewer as well.
3. Temperature
Both espresso makers feature temperature controls with an easy and accessible display. You can easily see the temperature without doing the guesswork. The Digital PID control lets you choose precisely what you want. It also introduces thermal stability which means you won’t lose heat between pulling an espresso shot and steaming milk.
And since both espresso makers come with stainless steel boilers, it accelerates brewing and steaming time so you spend fewer minutes of the day standing in front of the machine to get rich and delicious espresso every time.
Quick Rundown Of Breville Oracle BES980XL
- Note: 1)Too coarse a grind, too little coffee, or insufficiently tamping the grounds before brewing can all lead to inadequate pressure for a proper brew. 2)It is important to note that the amount of espresso extracted will vary depending on the grind size and amount and reprogramming may be needed when the size and amount are adjusted
Last update on 2023-09-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Quick Rundown Of Breville Oracle Touch BES990
- Note: 1)Too coarse a grind, too little coffee, or insufficiently tamping the grounds before brewing can all lead to inadequate pressure for a proper brew. 2)It is important to note that the amount of espresso extracted will vary depending on the grind size and amount and reprogramming may be needed when the size and amount are adjusted.Please refer to user guide or user manual or user guide (provided below in PDF) before first use
- The Breville Oracle Touch Espresso Machine with automation at every stage with touch screen operation to simply swipe and select for espresso, long black, latte, flat white or cappuccino and enjoy third wave specialty coffee at home.
- Dose Control: The integrated conical burr grinder automatically grinds, doses and tamps 18-22 grams of coffee, similar to the commercial espresso machine in your favorite cafe.
- Espresso Machine with precise water temperature: Achieve balanced tasting espresso with the Breville Oracle Touch Espresso Machine complete with a digital temperature control (PID) technology, which ensures the temperature is kept at its optimum range
- Optimal Water Pressure: The Over Pressure Valve (OPV) is a commercial feature included in the Oracle Touch. This limits the maximum pressure throughout the extraction, helping prevent bitter flavors in the coffee shot. It also has true low pressure pre-infusion, which gradually increases the pressure to gently expand the grinds for an even extraction.
Last update on 2023-09-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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References
- Breville Oracle BES980XL from Breville https://www.breville.com/us/en/products/espresso/bes980.html
- Breville Oracle Touch BES990BSS https://www.breville.com/us/en/products/espresso/bes990.html
I am a passionate coffee drinker. Since I left my job as a barista a few years back in 2012, I’ve been sharing my expertise on coffee and buying the best coffee equipment online. That’s how Wild Boar Coffee came to life.
I write about everything coffee-related under the sun. Where to buy the freshest coffee beans from? How to test coffee beans based on texture, aroma, and acidity?
I know all this from scratch – all thanks to my years and years of experience as a barista. So I’ve gotten real up-close-and-personal with coffee beans and different brewing techniques.