It’s the First in the Oracle Line to Switch to ThermoJet Heating
The Oracle Jet doesn’t feature a traditional dual / bouble boiler heating system, unlike the other Breville espresso machines in the Oracle line.
Instead, it relies on Breville’s newer ThermoJet heating system, which the company previously introduced in machines like the Barista Touch and Pro.
ThermoJet works by only heating water as it’s pumped into the brew head, steam wand, or hot water spout. Besides being far more energy efficient than older heating technologies, ThermoJet tech allows equipped machines to heat lightning fast, usually in under 3 seconds.
But it also has a few notable downsides compared to more traditional double boiler designs that owners of other Breville Oracle machines might value.
The Oracle Jet can’t brew coffee and steam milk simultaneously. It also presents a few challenges for espresso purists obsessively focused on rigorous temperature consistency.
The on-demand heating system doesn’t warm up the machine’s portafilter. This can negatively impact the espresso extraction process since a cold portafilter will lower the temperatures of the water as it hits the grinds.
Switching back and forth between steaming and brewing can also cause swings in water temperature. This is why Breville’s brewing software and instruction videos prompt purging water out of the machine when switching between functions. It’s a way to prevent overheated water from steaming impacting the extraction of a follow-up espresso shot.
