Breville BFP800XL Sous Chef Food Processor

Breville vs. Cuisinart Chop Wars!
2012 Year End Update: I continue to use and appreciate both the Breville food processor and the Cuisinart. I do reach for the Cuisinart more frequently than the Breville but that is mainly because I use it to make some sort of dough on an almost daily basis. Please see the comments section of this review for a discussion of the cheese grating issues and the resolution for the Breville Food Processor. (Kudos to the company for resolving this issue.) Also please note, I have added a Cleaning section to this review based on issues with the Cuisinart food processor lid.

Update:

Cuisinart - After 4 months of regular use I have to say that this has become my "go to" machine. I typically need to make some sort of dough with my meals and so I use the large bowl for my dough and then the smaller bowls for slicing and dicing. My only complaints about this machine are that sometimes there is spill over from the smaller bowls to the larger bowls when processing the food and...
Just in time for Thanksgiving prep.
The Breville Sous Chef is a powerful food processor. It has a 1200 watt motor, a size found in many restaurant food processors. My son-in-law has been a kitchen manager at several restaurants. He said this is very similar to the Hobart food processors they used to chop a case of onions at one time. He was impressed with the 25 year warranty on the motor. He did say they would have to replace the bowl every couple of years in the restaurant from running it through the dishwasher. Breville did say in the instruction book to not use the dishwasher regularly on the bowl, so that sounds like the restaurant's experience with theirs.

Breville has included several safety features in their machine. It will not turn on if the bowl, lid, and large shoot pusher are not in place. They have a finger hole on the plug to help you remove it safely from the outlet. The cord is also retractable for storage. The instructions frequently remind you to be careful with the blades and...
Will Burn Your Hand!
I love the features of this food processor. I was replacing a Black and Decker unit I picked up at Walmart that was about ten years old, so the step up to this model was more of a leap. The two bowls (the big one is huge, while the little one is perfect for tiny jobs), the giant chute, and the slicing blade that changes the width of a slice with a simple twist, are all favorite features of mine. I also like the storage case, the look of the machine(the base is easy to keep clean), and the way the large bowl has no hole through which contents can spill.

BUT, there are drawbacks, and a few of these would be enough to have me looking at alternative models were I to shop for a processor in the future.

First, and most troublesome (even dangerous), is that the metal spindle at the top of the blade attachments gets HOT. I mean burn-your-hand when you acccidentally touch it, hot. And you can't help but touch it. If you run the unit for more than a couple of minutes, the...
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Breville BOV450XL Mini Smart Oven with Element IQ

Five plus stars except for buzzer
When our trusty, cheap, Black and Decker toaster oven started spewing smoke out of its side, we began a quest for something that would fit on our cramped counter. There were few choices garnering any consistently high reviews so we opted for a new Breville product hoping that the price would somehow be justified. And it IS!

We've never had an oven that cooks so perfectly. My husband loves it and now makes all his own toasted and baked items; that alone is worth five stars.

I have only two complaints. First, I think the handle is a Breville design signature with the intention of giving the oven aesthetic substance. However, it's just too big and sticks out too far. I think it's the same handle they use on much larger ovens. It eats up needless space and when inches count, it matters.

Second, and this bothers me so much I knocked off one-plus stars, the buzzer that alerts you when the oven comes to temperature, when the oven time has finished, and...
Great Digital Toaster
A bit pricey, but you get what you pay for. This is a great looking toaster oven with a lot of functions. People immediately notice that this is not just any toaster. The clean finish and simple interface, coupled with perfectly toasted bagels, gets this product 5 stars. HOWEVER, unlike most cheaper toaster ovens I've owned, the Mini's rack does NOT slide out when you open the door. So be careful removing hot food from the oven, or have a pot handle close by. In my book, this subtracts a star.

I debated between the Compact and the Mini. I wanted a toaster that I could place on my microwave. I was a bit concerned that the depth of the Mini might be too much. It didn't help that the product summary states the dimensions of the Mini as BOTH 16x13x9 inches and 15.5x14x8.8 inches? The Mini actually is smaller than expected, because the door handle added ~2 inches. With that in mind, the actually footprint is closer to 15.5x10.75 inches(Height 8.5 inches).
I love the Breville!!
I should have bought the Breville years ago instead of wasting money on those cheap toaster ovens that you replace over and over. It toasts, bakes, broils, does everything great. Plus it looks great in my kitchen. The mini smart oven does not take up too much counter space (I used to have a toaster oven and a toaster, now one great appliance does it all) even though I have a galley NYC kitchen. I bought a second wire rack so I can use two levels at once. I love the "a bit more" button if you just want something toasted or heated a little more. It knows just how long to do it depending on if it's toasting, baking, etc. The settings are easy to manage and work great. I don't find the beeping noise that sounds when the oven is done preheating and when it is done cooking too loud or annoying at all as some reviewers have written. I never write reviews, but this is hands down better than any toaster oven I have ever owned. It's worth the investment.
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Breville BTM800XL One-Touch Tea Maker

This is the One You Have Been Waiting For
I have had 2 other machines. The Zarfina and the TriniTea, neither was truly impressive. This machine blew my socks off.

First - the construction. Stainless steel, glass, black rubber, and plexiglass for the kettle handle.

Second - totally customizable brew temperature (160 degrees - 212 degrees, 5 degree increments), customizable brew time (1:00 to 10:00 in 0:30 increments).

Third - amazing magnetically suspended tea basket moves in and out of the tea during brewing.

Fourth - keep warm feature, timed start feature, it also keeps track of the time since you brewed the tea so you can track its freshness.

Fifth - can operate as an electric kettle, and just heat water if you leave out the basket.

One thing to consider is that the kettle cannot be placed in the dishwasher. To clean you boil water or vinegar for 3:00.

The one thing I feel is that I have gotten every bit of my money's worth from this item. Nothing...
Best Cup of Tea You'll Ever Make
After hearing about this tea maker during a recent visit to a tea shop, I logged in to Amazon to read the reviews, and scoured the web for videos of this tea maker in action. The reviews are correct - this is an incredible appliance.

PROS:
- effortless to make perfect tea
- tea comes out exactly right
- tea prepared at the proper temperature
- water temperature is held while tea is steeped
- can be set to brew tea at a programmed time
- can also function to just make hot water
- keeps tea hot for 1 hour after brewing
- includes a tea scoop

CONS:
- pricy, but worth the money
- carafe cannot be washed under running water
- electric cord is a little shorter than I would like (would've preferred 4-6 inches longer)

After unpacking the tea maker, all that's needed is a quick rinse of the basket, and running the tea maker on the hot water cycle with a full pitcher of water, and then you're good to...
Not Made in Germany, But Still Pretty Awesome
It's easy to mistake this brewer as fine German engineering, but it's "designed in Australia" and "manufactured in China"--frankly, I have no idea where Germany comes into play or why it's written in the logo on the carafe.

With that said, I've waited a couple of months to write my review because I wanted the "ooh, shiny!" effect to wear off; that way there would be more objectivity based on experience and the gremlins hiding in the gears could be flushed out.

When I first opened the package the instruction manual intimidated me because it was the size of a small novel, but after a few minutes it became clear that operation would be much simpler than I anticipated (and it was), and I marveled at the brewer's sleek brushed metal style (it's one kitchen appliance that can be displayed on the counter without embarrassment).

While setting it up I took note of the carafe's weight--it's on the hefty side. Since I generally only make 2-4 cups at a time, it's...
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Breville BCG450XL Conical Burr Grinder

A Great Looking Quality Grinder
I have used three grinders in the past 5 years, one blade and two wheel burr grinders, all broke or were dusty and noisy. This is the first conical wheel grinder I have owned and I cannot compare it to its comparable competitor, the Capresso, and I have only used it a dozen times or so, However, I am impressed by its quality, it is beautifully made and the huge reduction in noise was most welcome. The big plus...I set the timer, press start and walk away, no holding lids down, no coffee flying around etc. Just for the reduction in noise, its quality and the fire and forget operation makes it a 5. It grinds coffee very consistently and the grind is adjusted easily. Is it perfect? No. Two items I noticed. It has a 30 second timer...I need more time so I set it for 20 seconds and do two grinds...not an issue but for me, but wanted to tell you. Second, the ground coffee compartment is shaped in a manner that has insets so its not as easy to clean out and I have to empty the coffee...
Best deal going
PROS: good even grind, little static cling, low noise, good price, aesthetics, fairly easy to clean - with some minuses.

CONS: oily beans can clog in bottom of hopper (all grinders seem to have oily bean issues), funky on/off switch location seems to get knocked to off all the time, timer can't be bypassed and seems to get turned down or up by incidental contact - if you are "dosing" be careful.

We've had the Icon for about three months now and are really very pleased with it. It replaced the horrible blade grinder in our dead Cuisinart Grind & Brew. Whatever you do I'd never buy anything but a separate conical burr grinder and coffee maker. The Cuisinart was terrible! Only a couple of minor flaws keep me from giving it five stars. But then the competitors start at $150 to $200, so I'm not complaining. Breville is an up and coming company in an exclusive field and they are giving Jura/Capresso fits at trendy stores. The unit is attractive and fits snugly under...
Still happy after three months
I bought this grinder as a replacement for a previous burr grinder that was dying a slow, painful death. I now wish that I had put the poor old grinder out of its misery much earlier! This Breville unit is a vast improvement over every grinder I've used before.

For starters, it generates less than 50% of the noise I've heard from competing grinders. I have no idea why that should be, I just accept it and move on! The grounds are dispensed very neatly. There is no need to wipe up the surrounding countertop once the cycle is complete - all of the grounds arrive neatly in the little plastic receptacle.

When I first started researching burr grinders, I was intrigued by the concept of 'static reducing' technology. Given that grounds clinging to both the machine parts and the receptical can create a real mess, I was wondering if this magical technology was really effective. To my surprise, at least with this machine, the answer is 'yes'. I can flip the lid on...
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Breville BCI600XL Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker

A purchase that makes me smile to this day (a few tips in the review)
This Breville is a workhorse! I bought Jenis Splendid Ice Cream at Home book after I realized that the traditional egg based recipes weren't cutting it for my taste(I strongly urge others to do the same if ice cream is your thing).
This machine replaces my hardly used Kitchen Aid ice cream maker (the kind you freeze the bowl prior). We just didn't get along too well. I also like to make a few batches at a time which is prohibited by a bowl that needs a recharge after every use.
I was surprised how quiet this machine is in use. The controls are well thought out and it is built to Breville industrial-style standards. I found the included spatula useless and instead opted for a silicone spatula for removing finished product from blades and bowl.
Advice to those buying this machine - Shave off 30 minutes of churn time by first chilling the hot cream in a covered smaller metal bowl placed in an ice+water filled larger bowl for 30 minutes. This greatly reduces wear/tear on...
Would have liked 2 quart for the size/weight of the machine
I can't say anything about reliability yet.

PRO:
It works, the controls are easy, it isn't overly noisy.

CON:
It is heavy and bulky - lifting it out of a lower cupboard isn't something you do casually, some grab handles would have been nice.
Not a huge capacity. At 1.5 quart (1 liter) maximum, you're making two tubs of ben and jerrys, maximum.
The bucket is neither dishwasher safe, nor do they recommend you put it in the freezer, or use anything metal to scoop from it. So you need a chilled container ready to transfer the desert after it is done. Although it does have a keep cool option if you know it'll all be eaten. 1.5 quart is what you start with but by the time you're done transferring, you've lost a bit more.
I think they could have been a bit more generous with the recipe booklet, but no matter there is always the internets.

This is the first ice cream / sorbet / gelato maker I've used. The rotary dial selects at what...
Could not be any better: best ice cream possible
First I have to say that I paid over $400 when I got this at Williams Sonoma so the prices, as of this review, on Amazon are stellar (or maybe it has just gone down since it's introduction a year ago).

I have reviewed several ice cream makers, always looking for the holy grail to find one of ease in making, but the golden nugget of taste. Nothing beats this. Nothing.

For many reasons.

First, even if you cook your ice cream base for a custard, this has a pre cooling stage to cool it down for you (don't use it otherwise if it's not warm or your ice cream will freeze too fast on the sides only and stop before it is supposed to.)

More importantly, this is the only one I have found that whips up ice cream just like commercial ice cream so that it does not become a brick once you put it in the freezer and want to eat some the next day. The air being whipped in is what makes grocery store ice cream so light and fluffy. Hard to get in most home...
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Breville BRC600XL The Risotto Plus Sauteing Slow Rice Cooker and Steamer

I'm in love with the risotto feature!
I just got my cooker last weekend and have used it for 4 different types of risotto. All were perfectly cooked and the warmer gives a little breathing room between the end of cooking and serving.
I also used it for plain rice. It also turned out perfectly. I like the sauté feature too. Makes 1 less pan to clean.
I will probably not use it for slow cooking roasts because it is too small. I would use it for stews though.
I do find the interior pot to be cheaply made, but then I am used to my ALL CLAD slow cooker that has a heavy aluminum pan.
I really don't care about anything but the risotto making ability. It saves me time and produces wonderfully cooked risotto.
Easiest risotto ever
I was highly skeptical that this appliance would actually make good risotto without all the stirring that is generally required. Well, I was very pleasantly surprised. The risotto came out perfect with one single stir. And the Breville allows you to saute the onion, garlic or meat prior to making the risotto, all in the same pot. Awesome.
Very satisfied
I think this is a wonderful machine, and a great value for the price.

I've used it as a slow cooker, a steamer, and a risotto maker. It's a little disconcerting not to be able to set a timer on it, but each time the results have been wonderful. The risotto is just as good as the risotto I produce on the stovetop.

I disagree with the critics who say it is cheap and flimsy; I think that to make it lightweight and an efficient conductor of temperatures, it needs to be exactly what it is. Frankly, I'm delighted not to have to deal with a heavy ceramic bowl such as my larger slow cooker has.

I'm glad I bought this and would recommend it.
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Breville BKC700XL Gourmet Single-Serve Coffeemaker with Iced-Beverage Function

Excellent coffee maker - but are the cosmetics worth the extra cost?

Quality-Versatile-Quiet----Great Coffee Maker
This is a replacement for a Keurig B-60 which we certainly enjoyed and was a very good machine. One of the reasons we chose the Breville is that our kitchen wall cabinets are 17" over the counter-tops. Could not leave the Keurig under the cabinets while making coffee, as the top would not open far enough to insert a K-Cup; not a problem with Breville, as the height of this unit is less. I know that's not an issue for most people but it was just a pain.

Anyone who owns a Keuring knows the noise they make, they sound like a B-52 coming in for a landing, surprisingly the Breville is quiet, really quiet! Now the dog can sleep through my morning coffee making ritual. This comes with a nice hidden storage space on top where the included reusable K-Cup and measuring scoop are stored, nice feature, if like me, you always misplace goodies like this.

The unit is obviously stainless steel, it is attractive in the kitchen---coffee makers are normally one of those things...
Coffee snobs, rejoice!
Maybe it's an "I spent most of the 90's in coffee shops" thing, but finding an acceptable cup of coffee is not the easiest task in the world for me. And if I'm not going somewhere for coffee, that means firing up my Cuisinart burr mill (potentially waking up my family with the noise... possibly neighbors and nearby dogs, too) and waiting for my Cuisinart coffee maker to take a small eternity to brew a couple cups.

That's fine, if I don't have anything to do. But I'm not a morning guy, and I don't get up any earlier than I need to. Adding 15 minutes for coffee isn't in the cards, and neither is stopping at a gas station or fast food restaurant for their dirt water.

A few years back, I picked up a Senseo Single-Serve Gourmet Coffee Machine, hoping to...
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Breville BEW600XL Hot Wok

Cooks like a dream!
It comes in the factory box, so if it is a gift, be aware of this as it might ruin the surprise. The quality and sturdiness of this appliance is evident immediately out of the box.

The instruction book has a bit of a recipe book in the front of it, so you might check that out if you don't normally read instruction books.

It is very straightforward and easy to use. It heats up very quickly, and sears to perfection. The directions say to let it heat for 10 minutes before using but I've not waited that long.

I love the way the plug has an "O" in it so you can hook a finger in to unplug it. I wish all appliances were like that! It's a cord of decent length too, and it's well insulated. The top detaches from the base. I had no problem detaching mine. Reattaching, now that was a bit of a problem until I realized you have to PUSH DOWN on the turning handle and then turn, like a childproof cap- THEN it was easy.

Clean up is great- it...
Perfect family size
Generally dinner time at my house is our adult son, our teenage daughter, my husband and myself. This wok is perfectly sized for a nice amount of stir-fry with lots of veggies and leftovers to pack in lunches.
Pros:
It easily fits 2 lbs of cut-up chicken and 3 bags of frozen vegetables.
Good non-stick surface, use wood or bamboo utensils.
The base detaches the pan very easily for cleaning up.
The lid has a vent, turn the knob to open it.
The knob doesn't get too hot to handle while you're cooking which absolutely thrilled me.
The probe fits in easily and securely.
The cord itself is long enough that you don't need to be right on an outlet to use it.
It's a grounded plug
The plug has a hole in it to put your finger through and pull it out. Even better, that design feature is big enough for my husband's fingers.
It heats up fast.
Heats to 425 degrees on the sear setting
Very easy to clean using a soft dishrag, even after...
Improvements can be made
I don't even like to cook, but I love Asian food so much so I was delighted to get a wok. I wanted to try out all the recipes that I go to Thai, Chinese and Japanese restaurants to buy. I'd never heard of Breville's brand name, but the product looked pretty easy to use. In person, it's pretty good quality and lighter than it looks.

Cons: The screw on the top came off way too easily. It swirled around to open and close, but I didn't really see the point of it having the little tip in the top. At one point, the screw came out altogether, and I had to guess my way back to putting the accessories for the top back together. I'm not quite sure if I did it right because the instructions don't guide you through it.

The lock on the bottom of the wok is a pain. Once you cook something, you either have to lift the entire wok in order to pour the food into a dish or tip the wok to the side to unlock the wok. However, the instructions say to turn the wok over completely to...
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Breville BDF600XL Deep Fryer

Do not buy - Does not get hot enough!!
The fryer does not get higher than 340F. Bought one off Amazon, returned it to Breville, they sent me another one, same thing. Won't heat higher than 340F. I tested both models with an oil thermometer. I only bought the thermometer to confirm my hunch. I was a short order cook in a diner for 10 years AND I KNOW when something in not prepared correctly. You need a high temp near 375F to cook french fries or pastries (like doughnuts), or else they come out soggy retaining a lot of oil. When I brought this up to Breville they questioned the accuracy of my thermometer. When I asked for a refund they told me to take it up with Amazon, nice! My back and forth correspondence and returns put me over the 30 day return policy Amazon has so luckily the seller was understanding and took back the fryer. Very disappointed with Breville. BY THE WAY I notice that a lot of one star reviews about this product are removed from retail sites such as William Sonoma, Amazon, et al. I only found the poor...
Breville Deep Fryer
Bought the Breville Deep Fryer and let me tell you, I have never had such great chicken in my life. We dredged the chicken strips in seasoned flour, egg-wash and then a final coat of panko bread crumbs. The chicken was deep fried for 3 1/2 minutes. The simplicity of the frier made cooking the chick a snap. Both my wife and myself were very please with how moist and evenly cooked the chicken turned out. We have tried frying foods in the past without much success. Regarding grease splatter, none to be seen. Only what I dripped on the counter. This is a must have if you ever thought about trying to fry some of your favorite foods. As far as clean-up is concerned, no hassles at all. My first try was a success and I would recommend this product. Amazon did a great job completing the order process.

Sean McKinney
Great little fryer...
This has been a handy little fryer to have around. I've had it for a few months now. It comes apart completely for simplified cleaning. The basket's ability to raise/lower to/from the oil with the lid still on is quite nice. I give 4 stars instead of 5 only because home fryers never quite hit the high temperatures you want for flawless frying... in fairness to them, it IS a serious safety concern. That said, this is my 3rd, and by far my favorite countertop fryer one I've owned. For the price it's a great buy,
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Breville BBL605XL Hemisphere Control Blender

Excellent blade design that keeps things moving
The things I like best about this blender are its wide bottom hugging blade design and the wide based BPA-free jar that makes easier to get blended concoctions out of the container. The unique blade system means that you won't have to stop the blender and resituate the ingredients often if at all like with a lot of other blenders. I make green smoothies with about a half pound of fresh spinach, a cup of water, a few ice cubes, frozen berries, a few leaves of kale, a couple cups of cabbage, a peeled banana and lemon and flax seed. Before getting this blender, the only one that could handle this type of smoothie is the Vitamix 4500. But with the Vitamix I had to use the tamper several times or turn it off and rearrange the ingredients that were stuck down at the bottom to get it to start blending again. With the Breville, I don't have to use a tamper and don't have to resituate the ingredients because they don't have a tendency to get stuck.

This blender has a smart,...
Once in a while ... you get a great product
I grew up in the 1950s and remember when we got the very first "Osterizer." It was all chrome, heavy, with a small glass jar (no handle), and had two speeds.

Since then, I've owned several blenders, including an Oster avocado-green plastic base model (ah, remember the 1970s?), a KitchenAid, and most recently a Cuisinart "Vari-Speed." All of these work, to one degree or another, but they all suffer from one or more of the following problems:

* Extremely noisy
* Hard to clean
* Ingredients don't get to the bottom, so you have to stop and push them down with a stick
* Insufficient blending, even after a long time on high speed
* Insecure lid that lets ingredients burst out when the jar if full

This Breville BBL605XL has none of these problems. It is a remarkably good product. I've owned it for over a month.

Let me tell you about it.

Noise

I have a Radio Shack sound meter. I filled my old...
I LIKE IT... and Im a 'blender snob'
Ok, Im not a blender snob, but I use my blender daily. Dont know what Id do without it. I have had some good ones, couple great ones, and a lot of junk ones. This one fits in with the greats (so far).

I have been using a Waring blender until this arrived. Now that is awaiting a new home with the first friend who wants to take it. This blender is great. The pitcher is large, a nice change as most 'good' blenders have figured out it is easier to make it work well with a smaller pitcher, so they all come with smaller pitchers now. This one is BIG. The blade design allows for a big pitcher with a wide base, and still blends properly and keeps ingredients from clumping around the bottom. The blade has an extra set that "sweep" around the bottom of the pitcher and keep ingredients from hiding there, forcing them back up into the other blades to be crushed with the rest.

I usually start my day with a fruit smoothie. We put fruit and basic ingredients into...
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Breville BES840XL the Infuser Espresso Machine

The Breville BES840XL vs the Breville Double Boiler: a surprising shoot-out result
Bottom line: I was expecting the Double Boiler to blow the BES840XL out of the water when it came to shot quality. That was not the case at all. While the milk texturing capability of the 840 is a pale shadow of the DB, and it lacks the multitude of convenience features of the DB, the 840 absolutely holds its own with regards to shot quality.

Full review:
I've been using the Breville Double Boiler espresso machine for nearly a year and have been very pleased with it. I was hesitant at first, but great shots and the many, many convenience features won me over. So, when the opportunity came up to compare their top of the line Double Boiler (DB) with their new machine (I'll call it the 840) I thought it wouldn't be a fair fight. Well, I was wrong.

I've never been a fan of thermoblock machines since the temperature stability is just not there. Breville seems to have solved that using two methods. First, the thermoblock is really a thermocoil -- it's a solid...
"The Infuser" vs. the "Barista Express" - Breville Espresso Comparison
If you can't decide between the two, maybe I can help. I've owned the Breville Barista Express BES860XL Machine with Grinder almost 2 years. Eleven months into my 1-year warranty, I woke up to find water all over the counter. Breville has superior customer service and replaced my leaking Barista Express within a week. Two weeks ago I woke up to the same thing with the warranty replacement. It turns out that the Barista Express has a 2 piece ThermoBLOCK heater and the gasket where the 2 pieces join together eventually leaks.

This new Infuser has a one-piece ThermoCOIL heater. Will this one last longer? Only time will tell and I will update this review if I have a leak with this model.

Where the new Infuser excels:
-- Smaller footprint, the Infuser measures slightly over 10" wide
-- Hotter espresso, 5 degrees hotter according to my thermometer
-- Quieter pump
-- Drip tray...
Amazing home espresso machine, once you get the hang of it
First and foremost, this is an absolutely fantastic home espresso machine for the price. It definitely takes some practice to learn how to get the most out of and find the sweet spot (which i've learned always differs depending on the type of beans & grinder you are using). But now after 3 months and a LOT of researching/learning/practice/more practice, I am now consistently making absolutely fantastic espresso drinks.

If you are new to the world of espresso, or have some knowledge, I wanted to write about my experience buying this machine 3 months ago knowing little to nothing about espresso, to now consistently pulling absolutely delicious espresso drinks on a daily basis with this machine. Here we go:

I waited 3 months after purchasing this unit to write a proper review, and I wanted to give a lot of information I have learned and discovered to help others looking into buying a home espresso setup. I honestly knew little to nothing about espresso before...
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Breville BDC600XL YouBrew Drip Coffee Maker

The Apple of Small Appliances
The more I look at their products, the more I think Breville is trying to be the Apple of small appliances. They clearly research how products are actually used, and then try to improve. The YouBrew has some innovations that I really like - and then I must ask: why are they the only ones who seem to care.

Here are the features I like best:

#1: Useful LCD display. Every other coffee machine I have tried has - at best - a couple of flashing lights and a simple clock display. The Breville has an backlit LCD display that actually tells me something beyond a flashing '12:00' !!! At first, the display seems overly complicated. You quickly discover that the information is useful and logically presented. I personally would have programmed the buttons a bit more consistently and would have used the up and down buttons with more functions (like setting carafe size) Self-clean mode could also be easier to set. With that said, the Breville's user interface is still...
Talk about the Wow! Factor
I read every review on this and other combination Grinder/Brewers. This one had what I was looking for - a burr grinder (instead of the inferior blade), and decent reviews. Although the YouBrew is almost twice the price of some of the competition, I saw a recurring theme across all the reviews - You get what you pay for.

So I took the leap, and spent more on this coffee maker than I have spent on all my previous coffee makers and grinders combined,times about 4. And I'm glad I did.

Here are my thoughts after using it for a couple weeks:

Cons:
It is big. It is a beast. It weighs a ton. But it is sure a conversation starter sitting there on my counter top.
The stainless steel does show fingerprints. So I wipe it down to keep it looking nice. We'll see how long that lasts...

Previous reviews talk about how loud the grinder is - and they aren't kidding. It sounds like I did something terrible when I push the start button and this very...
Well engineered, but not without faults. 3.5 - 4 Stars
We can all agree on what's really lousy coffee (from army mess to a couple of high-end places where servers are called "baristas"), but what's really a great cup of coffee is a matter of conjecture, the qualioty of the beans, and what we're accustomed to. I'm no connoisseur: I know what I like; rich, a little strong, and with cream.

The Breville You Brew is nicely designed, takes a little thought, and makes a decent cup of coffee, but nothing comparable to that really good coffee one gets at a FINE restaurant (the Ritz-Carlton comes to mind). After playing with it and making everything from one cup to a travel mug to a full carafe, the end product is no better than what my Cuisinart and *premium* [Dillanos]coffee puts out.

I think what this boils down to - to use a very appropriate phrase - is the coffee. My wife and I think Caribou and Starbucks are bitter even though the pres. of Starbucks says that there's no bitterness in coffee, period. Still, I think it's...
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Breville BPR600XL Fast-Slow Cooker

Love this appliance!
I am not sure what happened with the other reviewer but- I love this appliance. I have used it multiple times since it's arrival-even though I am new to pressure cooking. I cook all of our meals due to living in a very remote area. And, as I was getting tired of the crockpot (using it 3 to 4 times a week), I decided to give this a whirl after a friend bought a similar product off of a shopping network and raved about it. I feel the one star review is not justified. This machine pressure cooks well and safely- I have used the pressure cooking to make pasta, roasted chicken and a beef roast as well as a steamer for steamed veggies. I plan on trying the rice pressure cooking soon. I have used it as a slow cooker for 2 dishes, with the same success I have with my regular crockpot. I look at the 6 hours a a 'high' setting and 8 as more of a low,even though there is no heat adjustment.

PROS:
Excellent results with pressure cooking
Love that I can sear or brown ground...
Great for cooking beans at high altitude
We live at 8,500 ft above sea level. Beans normally take 1.5 days or more in a crock or longer on the stove and they cook uneven here, making the beans a bit toothy/hard in spots. This Breville is amazing in that it takes 15 minutes to cook thicker beans like kidneys. If you are a beginner to pressure cookers, I'm offering a tip. Remember that the 15 minutes they specify is for "pressure cooking". That means, the pressure has to reach the amount required to start cooking. Total time (minus soaking, which I do overnight) is 45 minutes to 1 hour. At first try, I thought something was wrong with our Breville's timer/count down because I set it to our kitchen timer and count down took a while to start. For higher altitude, the times allotted in the book are right on the money. No additional cooking time is necessary. I highly recommend this product but be aware that the timer doesn't start until the correct amount of pressure is reached.
Valuable Cooking Tool
This cooker has opened up new meal options for our household. The ability to determine at 5 pm that we would like to serve tacos made with fresh refried beans rather than planning that the night before is liberating! No more overnight bean-soaking! Lentils and quinoa in a couple of minutes? No problem. We are trying to avoid eating anything that comes from a can, and this machine has enabled us to completely give up canned beans. We have become addicted to a healthy, 30-min black bean soup that I make by tossing a chopped onion and a few cloves of garlic, along with a generous sprinkle of cumin, into the cooker with the beans for 25 min, then puree with a bit of Sriracha and salt/pepper to taste when it's done. Sprinkle with chopped green onion and a crumble of goat cheese, and it's gorgeous and delicious.

The machine is beautiful and looks great on the counter with our other stainless appliances, which is good because we have been using it nearly daily. I'm a little bit...
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