Ascaso Steel Duo Plus vs Breville Oracle Jet (BES985)
Two answers to the same question — the split below is the whole argument.
Ascaso
Strong consensusCA$2,699–2,799 · US$1,999–2,099
The Steel Duo Plus carves out a genuine sweet spot: thermoblock speed and simultaneous brew-steam in a compact, well-built chassis for around $2,000. Accept that it is not a dual-boiler — st…
Full record & live prices →
Breville
US$1,999–2,000 · CA$2,395–3,000
The Oracle Jet is the closest thing to push-button espresso that still uses a real portafilter, Baratza burrs, and a PID-controlled group head. The price you pay beyond hardware is the inabi…
Full record & live prices →The split
Where they actually differ
Steel Duo Plus
Oracle Jet (BES985)
Ready when you are
Oracle Jet (BES985) leads, decisively
~5 min· 30 sec
Parts & repair
Steel Duo Plus leads, decisively
Forgiving to learn on
Oracle Jet (BES985) leads, clearly
Back-to-back drinks
Steel Duo Plus leads, clearly
Reliability record
Steel Duo Plus leads, clearly
Value per dollar
Steel Duo Plus leads, clearly
weakerstronger
The counter’s vote
Looks barely figure in either machine’s record — the counter can sit this one out.
Steel Duo Plus: Retro-industrial toggle switches and walnut wood accents appeal broadly but not as primary purchase driver; appliance-neutral aesthetic.
Oracle Jet (BES985): Sleek, compact stainless-steel design that reads as premium-modern in the kitchen; rarely cited as a purchase driver, but "looks the part" without offense — kitchen-neutral to slightly appealing.
Only the Oracle Jet (BES985): automatic milk texturing.
Only the Steel Duo Plus: brewing and steaming at once.
Only the Steel Duo Plus: a hot-water tap.
Where they tie: milk & steam · shot ceiling · built to last · push-button convenience · quiet operation — don’t let a spec sheet invent a difference.
On the counter
The size difference, to scale
So — which one?
Take the Steel Duo Plus if —
- You plan to fix, not replace
- You host, and drinks come in rounds
- It has to just work, every day
- Every dollar has to earn its place
Take the Oracle Jet (BES985) if —
- Patience is not your virtue at 6 a.m.
- You want the more forgiving of the two
- Milk should happen without you
Both columns reading true? Take the one your gut already picked — then stop reading reviews. Fresh beans will move the cup more than this choice will.
Known weak points
Steel Duo Plus
Water outlet chemical smell (isolated, warranty-covered); steam wand 20-second ramp-up post-brewing (design limitation, not failure).
Oracle Jet (BES985)
Thermoblock temperature stability issues under heavy use; pump degradation reported; solenoid failures documented; limited lifespan relative to heat-exchanger/dual-boiler machines.
For the row-by-row readers
The whole sheet, side by side
Matching rows fade back — the ink is where they differ.
Steel Duo Plus
Oracle Jet (BES985)
Type
Thermoblock / thermojet
Thermoblock / thermojet
Heat-up time
~5 min
30 seconds
Steam power
3/5
3/5
Brew + steam at once
Yes
No
Guest recovery
3/5
2/5
Shot quality ceiling
3.5/5
3/5
PID temperature control
Yes
Yes
Milk system
Manual steam wand
Auto frother
Removable brew group
No
No
Hot-water tap
Yes
—
Cup clearance
10 cm
—
Workflow demand
3/5
1/5
Maintenance
2/5
3/5
Noise
3/5
3/5
Build longevity
3.5/5
3/5
Dimensions
26.7 × 31.8 × 38.1 cm
38.1 × 36.8 × 42.5 cm
One-touch drinks
—
13
Wrong match-up? Change one side → — any two on file compare.
Still torn?
This page weighs them against each other. The finder weighs them against your mornings.
Two minutes of questions — milk, noise, budget, space — scored across everything on file. It’s honest when the answer is neither of these.
Take the two-minute finder →