Breville BDC650BSS Grind Control Coffee Maker With Grinder, Brushed Stainless Steel, Thermal Carafe

UPDATE: Year 8... RIP to my Breville Grind Control Coffee Brewer which lasted 7 years, 10 months. Honestly I'd have been happy had it lasted 2 years when I first bought it considering I was going through 3-4 brewers per year for a few years prior to buying the Grind Control. The machine technically still worked when I retired it due to a tank leakage I'd neglected to acknowledge that led to a rust build-up on the bottom of the unit. More rust than I wanted to deal with removing. Also, it was looking rather worn after producing so many cups of coffee over so many years. In the nearly 8 years of using the Grind Control I also started drinking and making different coffee brew methods such as French Press, Moka, Pour Over and Espresso. With all those options I afforded myself the time to research and read reviews on other automatic coffee brewers before buying another machine. Nothing seemed to compare to the Grind Control features wise though. So I read the reviews here as well. Not sure where all the hate directed towards this machine comes from. So. Some people overstate how difficult the cleanup is. Cleaning the Grind Control is similar to cleaning an espresso machine. If you want good coffee but feel like maintaining a machine is to complicated, it's probably best to buy your coffee somewhere. You can start cleaning the Grind Control as soon as the grinder stops moving - just unlock it, remove the hopper and as many beans as needed to be able to remove the grinder, remove the rest ov the beans and clean this area with a brush during the brewing cycle. Use a pipe cleaner to clear the 3 holes in both the top and bottom grinder sections. Once your coffee is ready, take a sip or two then put it on a warming plate while you take a few minutes to brush the grinding chute clean and wipe the entire machine clean with a damp microfiber cloth and wash the filter basket and all removable parts. Pat dry the spout where the water flows into the basket, just above the grinding chute as well since this area can acquire a mineral build-up that can affect the taste of your brew. After a few months of research and having no coffee from a drip machine, I bought my second Breville Grind Control 8 years and 2 months after the first. I've been using it for a month now and I've certainly missed this coffee. I'm maintaining the new machine better after each use than I did - some of the steps I listed I didn't do before. The only time I ever disassembled the grinder mechanism on the first machine was during the descaling process. I do use very dark beans though, and since I've grown accustomed to deep cleaning an espresso machine after regular use, I've noticed details about cleaning this machine I neglected before that when done regularly, produce a better brew. Also with this new machine, I only use the included basket instead of paper filters. This method delivers a brew consistency closer to a French Press, which is sort of what the Grind Control is - an electric French Press... ... ... ... End of Year 8 Update... ... .... UPDATE: FIVE (5) Years Later... I Still use this machine daily, usually for at least 2 single serve cups of various size, depending on the mug I'm using that day. Occasionally I'll brew a pot, either when I have guests, or the day after I run the Decalcification cycle, which I just ran today. The machine has a censor that tells when to clean, but rather than waiting, I prefer to clean every 6 weeks. In addition to the brush provided, I use a bamboo picnic knife to scrape inside of the chute to remove more grinds. Compressed Air is useful as well when doing a deep clean of the machine which I do twice a year ((OUTSIDE)). With the hopper removed (and excess beans) I spray the compressed air through the chute and the grinder (top half removed). Vinegar-soaked paper towels help remove ground coffee built up around the grinder and in the chute. Allow to air-dry, and reassemble. ...(End of 5 Year UPDATE)... The Breville Grind control is the best product with an electric cord I have ever purchased. I first saw it at the mall, and upon inspection it was clear it was designed for people who really enjoy coffee, by people who really enjoy coffee. The display model was the only one in stock, and the next store did not have it either. I logged onto Amazon when I got home, and 4 days later it arrived. The next morning, just over 2 weeks before my 42nd birthday, I tasted the coffee I always wanted but never was attainable. The ability to brew as few as one to as many as 12 cups is awesome. Before work I only have time for one cup, usually 350 ml. On days off I fill the entire carafe, and after more than 3 hours, the last mug is still a very drinkable and tasty temperature. For a single cup, which I enjoy black, I use strength setting 8 (strongest), and grind setting 1 (finest). For a carafe I use 3 on the grind setting. For after work, I found it quite easy to make an even stronger brew by starting the machine just long enough to grind beans for a 295 ml cup. Stop, open and close the brew basket door, adjust the grind for 235 ml cup, and within a few minutes I have a great base for whatever espresso type drink I have attempted to make. I purchased a separate milk frothing/steaming machine, so now when I visit the local Coffee House it is only to buy beans. Clean up is easy. Barely 2 minutes of rinsing and wiping. The longer it sits, the tougher it is to wipe the release disk, but I've not been so lazy yet that it has been bothersome. This past weekend I performed the descale process for the first time. It was simple and the machine is programmed to allow plenty of deep cleaning time. The previous brewer I owned was a single cup grind and brew system. It made a decent cup of coffee, but was no where near as hot or good. Clean up was tougher as the actual grinders had to be rinsed and dried after each cup. After a few months, the pressure point on the lid of the grinder popped off, cracking the lid. I made it work for a few weeks until I found the Breville Grind Control. Honestly, the coffee is so tasty I actually thank the machine as soon as the brew process is complete. The only downside? I work at a Diner and usually allow myself whatever coffee I can manage to sip until 10 a.m. I just can't taste it anymore. It tastes vaguely like that sip of decaf I mistakenly had a couple years ago, and as such, leaves me asking, why? Why would anyone drink this? Well, I for one, am currently devising an iced coffee recipe for my Grind Control so I will no longer have to. I paid full price for my Breville Grind Control, and have neither requested nor received compensation for my honest review. It has had no performance issues so far and I am extremely satisfied with the purchase. The photos are of a latte macchiato, from start, to beginning of the end, made using the Grind Control and separate frothing machine. If you need a new coffee brewer and you really enjoy coffee, this is the machine you need.

I bought this as a replacement to a much older BHG grinder/brewer I've had for a while. My old machine was 10 cup, and had a grinder built in, but it was a blade. It made good coffee and I liked that I could control the taste by the volume of beans I put in it. However, I wanted a 12 cup brewer and a bur grinder so the Breville seemed like it had all the features I was looking for. I like that it has a bean hopper that I can just fill and use. I like that I can fill the water reservoir and use only the amount of water I need for each brew. I like that I can adjust the grind size, the number of cups in the carafe and the fact that I can change to a single cup brew. Previously I'd have to break out my French press if I wanted a single cup. All good features and it's been working good so far. Con's so far? it's taken me a while to get things dialed in to my taste. I'm having trouble getting a strong enough cup of coffee for my liking. The nice bean hopper feature is also a drawback as I can't adjust the amount of beans I grind to suite my taste. Even a strength setting of 8 I find too weak for my taste. But it's getting better as I am adjusting and experimenting with grind size. At first I was a little disappointed with this unit, but as I'm learning it, the better it's getting and the more I'm enjoying it. In my case, the benefits certainly outweigh the con's and so far I recommend it. I've only had it since Christmas so I can't comment to the longer term function of the unit, but based on other reviews, I'm definitely doing my part to keep the unit clean after each use. (Update) It's been a couple months now of use and I am loving this machine! Yes, it does require upkeep, but that's fine with me. I do a light cleaning about once a week and about every 2 weeks remove the hopper and do the deep cleaning. Other than that, nothing else and this thing works great. I don't mind it cause I like to tinker anyway. Makes a good cup every time, especially now that I have the settings the way I like it. Works just as good using beans or pre-ground coffee. I love that I can make a single up on weekday mornings and brew a full pot on weekends. In both instances, the coffee comes out great. Really enjoying this machine and highly recommend it. 1 Yr Update: It's been almost a year so I thought I'd revisit this. After 11+ months of use, I have to say I love this machine. Well worth the price. For all those who complain about having to clean the machine, I say suck it up and stop complaining. How pissed would you be if you discovered your favorite coffee cafe wasn't cleaning their machines on a daily basis! Once a week I spend 10 minutes doing a detailed cleaning and I've had zero issues with this unit. I believe weekly maintenance is important. If I can't find 10 minutes a week, then I don't deserve to complain when the machine doesn't live up to my standards. I've also discovered the key to getting the perfect strength coffee. People, use the calibration routine! This is essential to dialing in the perfect taste. I had been struggling getting the coffee strong enough for my liking. By calibrating, and then lowering the weighed grams amount on the dial, I was able to fool the machine into grinding more beans per cup, resulting in the strength I've been looking for. If you're going to spend $200-$300 on a coffee machine and aren't prepared to put the effort into maintaining and calibration, then don't complain when it doesn't give you what you expect. Did I say I love this machine! I've raised my rating to 5 stars as this machine delivers in every way. (UPDATE) It was great while it lasted. The computer doesn't allow me to brew anymore. I've taken everything apart and cleaned it, followed all the troubleshooting solutions, it just beeps at me and gives me a code 001. For the price I should have gotten more than a year and a half out of it. Changed my rating from 5 to 2 stars. It's a 5 Star product, until it breaks!

This is a great product that makes very good coffee. It’s very easy to use but it does requires regular cleaning. The cleaning is not laborious - it’s slightly time consuming. Do not buy this with an expectation of a Keurig. The basket that holds the used grounds gets a bit messy and the unit can only be hand washed. Additionally the burr grinder area needs at least weekly attention. If you are not going to clean it regularly and promptly I can see how issues could be encountered. I really like the thermal carafe (no warming plate) it’s super liberating just to place it anywhere to serve. The design of the carafe is a bit unusual, you have to basically turn it upside down to get the last cup. These are really first world problems. Overall very happy with the purchase. It has intuitive digital display, offers versatility / customization and honestly I don’t think you can go wrong with this brand. I love that it takes all the guesswork out of the morning routine. The auto start is awesome! To wake up with freshly ground coffee is amazing. I think it’s worth the money considering cost per use. I hope it stands the test of time.

Es una excelente cafetera con un muy bien valor, gracias a Amazon pude adquirir ya que no se encuentra en el mercado nacional. La cafetera cuenta con molino de café integrado y configurable, además se puede programar la cantidad e intensidad a la que se desea. El recipiente es térmico y mantiene el café caliente, y es de fácil acceso a la limpieza del filtro. Además de contar con temporizador para programar la hora de inicio.

This coffee maker was a big disappointment. It worked fine for ten months and then started to malfunction on a regular basis. It’s a decent coffee maker but no more than that. I specifically wanted a coffee maker with a built-in grinder, and went back and forth between this and the Cuisinart, and I regret this choice. For $300, it’s mediocre. The coffee it makes is good but not spectacular, especially given the quality of the beans I use, plus filtered water. It’s reasonably easy to use - there is a bit of a learning curve with all the dials, but it’s easy after that. Cleaning it is a pain in the arse, and it needs to be cleaned often. Just lately, every few days, and I mean I have to vacuum out the burr grinder or it gets clogged. To do that, the rotating disc and the grind chute have to be lined up, and just lately the disc frequently doesn’t want to move, necessitating several rounds of unplugging the unit, plugging it back in, unlocking the bean hopper and opening the filter drawer until it finally cooperates. If you’re getting the idea that this machine isn’t worth it, good. I will say, Breville Customer Service are pretty good. The woman I spoke with was lovely and walked me through the cleaning process when the thing got stuck recently. But two days after that, it malfunctioned again, and now the year’s manufacturer’s warranty is up tomorrow, and of course it’s a holiday tomorrow and they won’t be open. We’ll see what they say on Tuesday but I’m not holding my breath, and the next time the thing has a conniption, it’s going in the bin. So, essentially... if you’re going to spend this kind of money, buy a different coffee maker.

Es muy bonita, fácil de usar y el café increíble. Lo malo es que el molino no es duradero, rápidamente empieza a fallar y a pesar de que he seguido las instrucciones de Breville para limpiar periódicamente el problema es cada vez peor. Y LO PEOR DE TODO, LA COMPRÉ A TRAVÉS DE AMAZON MÉXICO, BREVILLE MÉXICO NO RECIBE ESTE MODELO PARA GARANTIA PORQUE NO ES UN MODELO QUE SE VENDA EN MÉXICO Y BREVILLE EN ESTADOS UNIDOS TAMPOCO PORQUE "NO DEBÍ SACAR EL PRODUCTO DEL PAÍS",

Excelente producto. Funciona perfecto. Alta calidad en los materiales. Fácil de limpiar y usar.