Breville - the Precision Brewer Thermal 12-Cup Coffee Maker - Brushed Stainless Steel

Pros Automatic settings for Fast, Gold, and Strong, My Brew, Over Ice, and Cold Brew My Brew allows custom Bloom Time, Brew Speed, and Brew Temperature SCA Gold Certified Stainless steel construction Water pump allows precise control of brew speed Water pump creates quieter brewing when on a solid surface Therm-coil allows precise control of water temp Full stainless-steel water path means no plastic taste or leaks with age Large basket includes gold toned filter Brews up to 60 ounces Carafe is well insulated keeping coffee warm for at least 3 ½ hours Carafe pours easily Hardness adjustment calibrates brewing to your local water hardness Suggested scoops listed on side of water reservoir Coffee flavor is smooth and balanced Pour over kit available with specialized showerhead Easy cleanup as basket and holder are fully removable Cons Changing water hardness requires factory reset No instructions are provided on checking water hardness after using original strip Carafe weight makes determining how much coffee is left difficult Paper filters for large basket are not normally in stores Water pump can be loud depending on surface due to vibrations Water reservoir is fixed making cleaning harder Water reservoir always retains about 3 tablespoons of water No water carafe included with fixed reservoir Strong isn’t very strong Can be complicated if not using automatic settings Pour over kit not included Silver plastic base seems out of place with the rest being stainless steel Large size limits placement Dial presses are sometimes registered incorrectly Start button requires more pressure to register than expected Coffee drinkers come in two main categories. Casual coffee drinkers usually drink nearly anything. Coffee connoisseurs understand the meaning of things like flavor profile, bloom time, brew time, brew temp, and steep time. Although the Breville Precision Brewer can accommodate casual coffee fans, its feature set and price are most certainly targeted at connoisseurs. In fact, for connoisseurs the price tag might be considered low. The first thing you will notice with this brewer is the size and weight. With a stainless-steel body, heavy stainless-steel carafe, and 60 ounces of brewing capacity it can limit placement. Included is a large gold toned filter basket and holder, cone style paper filter holder, and coffee scoop. An optional pour over kit is sold separately. A small oddity is with all the stainless steel the plastic is used sparingly and in appropriate places, like the top of the carafe or the water reservoir. No attempt is made to hide the fact that those areas are plastic. The colors are either gray or clear except on the base of the coffee pot. It’s hard to understand the need to have the base of the coffee pot plastic but it is made of a plastic which is colored as to try to blend it in with the stainless-steel body. It is in no way a deal breaker but just feels like an oddity in the overall thoughtful design. The front is very simply designed with a single dial, two buttons, and a blue backlight screen. If you have a Breville toaster oven you will know the design well. All options are adjusted via the dial and options on the screen. The large button starts the brew and the small button is to turn on a scheduled brew. What sets this brewer apart is the use of stainless steel water lines instead of plastic inside, themo-coil heater, and water pump. This should, in theory, mean the coffee will have a smoother flavor as you don’t have much plastic imparting flavors, you can get a consistent water temperature for improved flavor extraction, and consistent water flow with a pump controlling things. Of the three, the water pump is the most noticeable. Where regular brewers use water temperature to move the water, the Breville makes a humming sound as the pump pushes water through. On a solid surface the pump is quieter than the sound of a traditional coffee pot. If your surface is unstable or hollow, you will feel a vibration or even hear a lot more sound. On a granite countertop the sound is much quieter. In fact, it is so quiet that if don’t hear the release of steam at the end of the brew you may not know your coffee is done if it wasn’t for the loud end of cycle tone. If you don’t like the volume of the end of cycle tone you can set it on low or off. At first glance the options can seem daunting. With two types of baskets and multiple brews you might feel inclined to look back at the manual when making your first few pots until you realize everything is printed on the water reservoir or in the menu options. Need to know how many scoops to use for 40 ounces of coffee? Just look on the side of the reservoir at the 40-ounce mark and the number of cups is also the number of recommended scoops. Need to know which filter setup to use? The water reservoir clearly says the max number of cups you can brew before you need to use the basket style filter. How do you choose between fast, gold, or strong? Well the options are in order of strength. For casual drinkers this will be about all you would care to know if you use the Precision Brewer. Just put the prescribed scoops in to match the water and press start. For coffee connoisseurs, you have plenty of options. First, it should be said that the SCA certification applies to using the cone filter basket which can brew up to 40 ounces. On first startup, you will be asked to test the water hardness using a supplied test strip. Once you enter this setting in the brewer all future brews will be adjusted automatically based on that setting. If you prefer to use extra grounds you will find both filter baskets plenty large enough accommodate. Bloom time can be set from 0-5 minute in one second intervals. Brew temp can be set from 176 to 208 degrees and flow rate options are fast and slow. Taste is very subjective but overall the Precision Brewer produced a smooth flavor whether set on gold or strong. Strong isn’t extremely strong even with a dark roast but is still markedly stronger than gold. Even with canned, pre-ground, Arabica beans the flavor was satisfying without a bitter or sour flavor using automatic settings. The gold toned filter surprisingly does a good job of keeping that last sip of your coffee from having a powdery texture unlike most metal filters. If you prefer paper filters over metal mesh and want to fill your carafe, your options for filters are more limited. Paper filters in grocery stores are typically for the smaller 8-12 cup coffee maker styles. To find the larger paper filters, you will have to check a warehouse store or restaurant supply store. The cone filter basket uses the standard size are easy to find nearly everywhere. If you are the type that prefers a pour over the Precision Brewer can accommodate. The only catch is it requires a kit sold separately which has a different shower head, filter basket, and cup stand. At the time of writing this, the kit was also expensive but if you really must have a pour over you aren’t left out. Coffee makers that include an iced coffee options are becoming very commonplace. The brewer adjusts the brew cycle to compensate for the extra water provided by the ice. The instructions recommend that for maximum flavor you can also make coffee ice cubes to cool the iced coffee. What is less common are coffeemakers that include a cold brew option. The Precision Brewer has special valve control at the bottom of the filter basket that allows control of the steeping process. This allows the brewer to have a cold brew option where instead of using heat, it uses time to extract the flavor from the grounds. The least favorite part of coffee is the cleanup. Fortunately, the Precision Brewer has a relatively simple cleanup process. The filter basket is completely removable and if you use a paper filter the process is even easier. If you use the mesh filter cleanup is still relatively easy as the filter is strong enough to keep shape while being cleaned. The carafe has a large opening that makes using a cleaning brush simple but most of the time a quick rinse under the sink is more than enough. The stainless steel can get water spots, but a quick wipe usually takes care of that. The showerhead is removeable and made of silicon. Just unscrew it and squeeze it a few times to break up any calcium and then wash it with soap and water. The only areas that might present a problem are the water reservoir and the carafe lid. The water reservoir is non-removable and always keeps about 3 tablespoons of water at the bottom, so mold could be an issue with infrequent use. It is a little strange that at this price point a carafe is not included to fill up the reservoir if the reservoir isn’t removable. The lid of the carafe is designed in such a way to keep heat in but cannot be disassembled to clean out buildup. Fortunately, the opening is large enough where buildup shouldn’t affect performance much. A descaling option is included, and the brewer will let you know when it is time. It takes 15 minutes to descale. Overall, the Breville Precision Brewer is a well designed and built much like their other products. If you want one just to match your toaster oven you find the experience overall very similar, even down to the way the buttons, dials, and menu options look and feel. You can keep things simple or change them how you like. If you want a quality brewer, the Precision Brewer should be on your list of brewers to consider.

Arrived very well packaged cradled in a Styrofoam cage. The lid of the water tank is taped down, and some of the extras were inside the tank. Included in the box are the stainless steel carafe, a gold mesh filter basket, cone basket “already mounted”, measuring scoop, water hardness test strip, and manual. First off this unit looks great with the stainless steel body, silver colored bottom portion, and clear, easily view able water tank. The one thing both of us noticed is the carafe is actually pretty heavy and very solid, once full it’s really heavy. This is also a very large coffee maker so you’ll have to make some room on the counter and preferably not under a cabinet, it would fit under ours but left no room to fill the water tank. On initial startup it asked to set water hardness. I didn’t use the included test strip as I already know what our water hardness is due to having aquariums, I also only will be using reverse osmosis water in this so I’m not too worried about hardness or scale build up. Then is does a system purge, fill the tank with water and let it run a cycle, then you are ready to go. I decided to make a full carafe at first using the brewing basket, added the amount of coffee I wanted to use, filled the water tank, set the brew cycle to “Gold” and started the brew. This brewer is fast, 12 cups in just under 8 minutes and the temp in the carafe was 180F. There’s a count up timer showing time since last brewed. I brewed a full carafe at 5:30am, we had around 4 cups out of it and then I forgot about it till later that day, at around 6:00pm I remembered it still had coffee in it, “I’m use to using a single serve coffee maker so didn’t think about having extra coffee”, figured the coffee was cold by then because I never had a carafe that would keep coffee warm more than 4-5 hours so I checked the temperature. To my surprise the coffee inside was still at 135F after more than 12 hours of being in there. The outside of the carafe was cold to the touch so I figured the coffee would be cold inside also. This is really outstanding for a thermal carafe, and the coffee inside was still pretty good and drinkable. If a person were to run hot tap water inside the carafe before brewing the temp would probably stay higher longer if you wanted to keep coffee that long. I also tried the single brew cycle by filling the tank with 14oz for my mug. Place the mug on the tray, put the coffee in the filter in the cone basket and ran it. It only took 3-4 minutes to brew and came out perfectly using the “Gold” setting. The brewing basket actually has 3 options, a “Cone” filter for making smaller batches up to 8 cups, then remove it and use a flat bottom paper filter in the bottom of the main basket or use the gold mesh filter without a paper filter. It’s nice to have all the options included so you can adjust brewing to your needs without having to go out and get anything. The brewer does come with a few paper filters so you can use it any of those ways immediately. Cleanup is really easy, just remove the basked and throw out your grounds, pretty much like any coffee maker. What I really like is the ease of cleaning up the, what they call “The Showerhead”, inside the top where the water comes out on the grounds. There’s a large knurled nut holding it in and a few light turns the nut comes off and the whole shower head comes out. It’s made of red silicone and is easily cleaned. Just put it back together in reverse order and it only took me a few seconds to remove and replace. This brewer has a timer setting so you can set everything up the night before and wake up to fresh brewed coffee. We won’t use this option much as the brewer is fast and we don’t have a set schedule to get up in the AM, but for someone on a set schedule “and when we were younger”, this is a really nice option to have. The brewer isn’t that overly loud, not more than others I’ve used and shouldn’t bother you while it brews. In all this is an excellent coffee maker and haven’t had any problems with it at all. Be sure to read through the manual though as there are a lot of options you can set manually like “water hardness, brew temperature, bloom time, and so on”.

I have owned many single serve coffee makers, but find it time consuming to make one cup at a time for guests. The Breville Precision Brewer allows me to make up to 12 cups of coffee or 20 ounces of iced coffee or cold brew at a time. Since I have not had guest over yet, I have only made single serve iced coffee and am currently brewing a batch of cold brew. It is nice to be able to use whatever beverage holder you want, set the settings up, and not have to worry about accidentally leaving the cold brew going for 3 days, ruining the batch. (see photo) Pros I like how well the directions are laid out, and the coffee maker gives step by step instructions on the LCD screen. It also takes into consideration the hardness of the water used and provides a test strip. I also liked how this coffee maker allows the user to customize settings to tailor to their unique needs. There are already preprogrammed steeping times, but some may like the coffee a little stronger. Cons If making iced coffee or a single cup, you are required to use a disposable cone filter paper. If you are making cold brew, you need a disposable full sized coffee filter. Breville does include a reusable basket, but is used solely for brewing a full carafe. I wish they would have included reusable filters for each requirement. Overall, I would recommend this coffee maker for anyone who may need multiple cups of coffee at a time and wants total control of their brew. I would also recommend this to anyone who wants more control over the brew of their single serving of coffee. If you are looking for barista-style coffee at home, then this product is for you.

Great coffee maker! It has both options so you can brew for just a cup or if you want to brew a pot, the pot by the way, keeps coffee warm for a pretty good while, I just replaced a keurig coffee maker, this is so much more versatile and absolutely love the fact that can brew a whole pot and have coffee ready for my whole work day at my home office, also the coffee has a crisp taste even if it has been on the pot for a while still keeps the fresh brewed taste and aroma! You can also brew cold coffee (haven't tried it, as not my taste, coffee should be hot!), but its an option. Also it has an option to brew you a "gold" certified coffee, I must say it will do the mechanic part (like brewing it slower or on a certain way), however, remember, the quality of the coffee grains you use, is essential! I have my own grinder, so I always have fresh ground coffee, so you should try that too!

I have had so many coffee makers. If you can name a brand, or a pod type of coffee maker. I have bought, tried it, and have always been left wanting for more. I Had always hoped a pod type coffee maker would fit my needs, but they all turned out to be to weak, or not enough coffee. So I started watching online reviews of drip coffee makers and this one kept showing up. At first I thought that I would just buy the coffee maker, then I got the smart grinder too. Amazing, delicious coffee treats me every morning. My wife who went to Starbucks every morning, loves this purchase.

I have had a few coffee makers since I discovered, ok, realized is a better word, all the wonders of coffee. That said, this is the first one that I have had that goes beyond “entry level.” This Breville is far, far beyond that. It is a premium machine. Included is the coffee maker itself, stainless steel thermal carafe, cone filter basket, mesh reusable filter basket, plastic measuring spoon, 10 flat bottom paper coffee filters, water hardness testing strip and manual. Everything is packaged well, so I would not be concerned with damage if you are having the unit shipped. Moving to the unit itself, the Breville is well-designed, well-built and looks fantastic. Their reputation for quality is earned here as the unit has a good weight (it is a bit tall) and is solidly built with a nice blend of metal and plastic (where needed). Further, this is a great looking coffee maker. The brushed stainless steel, which matches that of their other appliances, gives it a sleek look that should work it anyone’s kitchen. Now, the coffee. Honestly, I could not be more pleased. The Breville seemingly has everything. It is all controlled via a clear LCD screen, a nob and a couple of buttons. There are settings for several brewing modes: Fast, Gold, Strong, My Brew, Over Ice and Cold Brew. This is where it gets cool. Fast and Strong are self-explanatory, but Gold (and I had to look this up) produces a coffee that meets certain industry standards for a cup of coffee (temperature, contact time…) Over Ice is similar to strong, but it compensates for the dilution of the coffee in ice to give you the right flavor balance. My Brew allows you to take control and customize several aspects of your coffee. You can control the bloom time, brew temperature and flow rate. Cold Brew gives you the ability to, well, have cold brew. This is one of my favorites. It takes a lot of the acidity away from the coffee. Lastly, as if all that is not enough, the machine does have the ability (in the My Brew options) to do pour over (although you need to purchase a $30 kit). It is wonderful to have a machine that gives you options. The operation is typical of any coffee maker. Once you pick your brewing mode you can choose from single serve up to 60oz. There is a programmable/timer setting that allows you to have coffee ready in the morning. I have found it brews quickly, so I have not used the timer much, but it is nice to have. The thermal carafe is well-designed (it collects the coffee with its lid on) and keeps the coffee warm for a couple of hours without giving it a poor taste. Since it is stainless steel, however, you can’t see or easily tell how much is remaining. A minor trade off, but some do prefer glass. Finally, I have found cleanup relatively easy. The stainless is a breeze, the shower is easy to remove and with a little work the carafe can be kept clean. The only rub here is that you cannot remove the water reservoir. Ultimately, there is a lot to like about this Breville machine, and I do. Designed well. Works superbly. Looks stylish. That checks a lot of boxes. Beyond that, it is great to see a machine that gives you so many options AND can just give you a great cup of coffee with the press of a button. I think this is a great machine for both the casual drinker as well as the connoisseur.

I was hesitant to spend this kind of money on a coffee machine when I only drink it on work days. Disclaimer, I went from a cheap $30 Mr coffee brewer to this. So i don't have experience with anything in between. After a month of use I have 0 complaints though. There is definitely an enhanced taste that I never got with my cheap mr coffee maker. I had read some reviews complaining about the coffee not staying hot in the carafe. That has not been my experience at all. I can go about an hour to maybe an hour and a half and with the coffee sitting in the carafe before needing to reheat anything that I pour.

Was hesitant because of the price tag, but being that we are at home, having time to brew coffee every single day, thought it'd be good to invest, if it would give us better coffee, and so far so good! It has definitely been better - we use the Strong setting, instead of the Gold setting, which we thought was a little too watered down for our tastes, but overall it's performing great so far!