Quick verdict
The Kogan Dual Thermoblock Espresso Machine with Grinder (KAZOCOFDBSA) is the cheapest way in Australia to get a home espresso machine that brews and steams at the same time. Two thermoblocks and two pumps mean you can pull a shot and froth milk simultaneously — a trick usually reserved for machines costing three or four times the $339 Kogan is asking. Add a built-in grinder with 20 settings, a 20-bar Italian ULKA pump and selectable 92/94/96°C brew temperatures, and this is a serious spec sheet. Our take: it’s not a Breville Barista Express — the finish, support network and grinder refinement aren’t there — but if you want maximum espresso hardware per dollar, this is the budget semi-automatic to beat in Australia right now.
Kogan Dual Thermoblock Espresso Machine: Australian price and where to buy
Here’s the price picture (checked 8 October 2026):
$339 — Kogan (listed at $339 with an SRP of $899.99 — that SRP is Kogan’s own reference price, so treat the “62% off” framing with a grain of salt; $339 is the real, stable street price).
The same machine is also listed through Dick Smith’s online store (Dick Smith is Kogan-owned, so it’s effectively the same seller). You won’t find it at The Good Guys or JB Hi-Fi — this is a Kogan-exclusive product, online-only.
Price history context: an OzBargain deal in November 2025 had it at $299 delivered for Kogan FIRST members, and CHOICE tested it when it was listed at $449. So $339 sits comfortably in the lower half of its historical range — a genuinely good price, not a one-day doorbuster.
Prices from Kogan and Dick Smith.
Release date and availability
The Dual Thermoblock has been in Kogan’s range since at least late 2025 (it was being discounted on OzBargain in November 2025) and is a current, in-stock line. It’s sold online-only in Australia through Kogan and Dick Smith — no showroom, no demo before you buy. That online-only model is the trade-off that funds the price.
What “dual thermoblock” actually means
This is the feature that matters, so let’s get it right. Most budget espresso machines use a single thermoblock (the heating element that flashes water to brewing temperature). When you want steam, you switch the machine over, wait, froth, then switch back and wait again before pulling the next shot. The Kogan has two thermoblocks and two pumps: one for brewing, one for steam. You can extract espresso and froth milk at the same time, with no temperature or pressure compromise — exactly how a café workflow feels.
One honest correction from Kogan’s own product page: the machine is “fitted with a dual thermoblock heating system, not a dual boiler as previously advertised. The product packaging and printed material may still incorrectly state ‘Dual Boiler’.” So if your box says “dual boiler”, it’s a labelling slip — at $339, dual thermoblock is still the right technology.
Key features and specs
Integrated grinder with 20 settings. A built-in conical grinder doses straight into the portafilter. Fresh grinding is the single biggest upgrade over pre-ground coffee, and at this price most rivals make you buy a separate grinder.
20-bar Italian ULKA pump. A genuine Italian-made ULKA pump — the same brand you’ll find inside far more expensive machines. Real extraction pressure and a thick crema.
Three brew temperatures (92, 94 and 96°C). Unusually thoughtful at this price: you can dial temperature for different roast styles. Most budget machines give you one fixed temperature and hope for the best.
Customisable volume (30–400mL) and a real-time pressure display. Programmable shot volumes plus a pressure gauge on the machine help beginners learn what a good extraction looks like.
The numbers: 2.6L water tank, 220g bean hopper, stainless steel construction, removable drip tray, cup-warming plate, hot water nozzle, cord storage, auto power-off after 25 minutes, overheating and overpressure protection, low-water/descale reminders. CHOICE’s lab-measured specs: 2.7L reservoir, 40 × 32 × 32cm, 8.78kg.
What CHOICE found
CHOICE has lab-tested this exact machine (model KAZOCOFDBSA, tested at $449) and published its full spec sheet. But the verdict and scores sit behind CHOICE’s membership paywall, so we can’t quote them, and no free Australian site has filled that gap. That’s the honest state of public information: the hardware is well documented, the independent verdict is not. What we can say from Kogan’s own reviews: the machine sits at roughly 4.4 out of 5 stars across hundreds of owner ratings. Take owner ratings with the usual grain of salt — but a budget machine doesn’t hold 4.4 stars unless it’s broadly doing what it promises.
The honest caveats
First, the ecosystem gap. Kogan is online-only: no showroom, no in-store demo. Warranty and support run through Kogan’s customer service — if something goes wrong, you’re shipping it back, not driving it to a service agent.
Second, the grinder is the limit. Twenty stepped settings are enough for milk-based drinks with supermarket beans, but espresso obsessives dialling in single origins will want finer adjustment. Breville’s and Sunbeam’s grinders give you more of it.
Third, thermoblocks aren’t boilers. Dual thermoblocks give you simultaneous brew and steam, which is great — but a true dual-boiler machine holds temperature more steadily shot after shot. At $339 versus $1,500+ for dual boilers, that’s an entirely fair trade.
Finally, the SRP game. $899.99 is Kogan’s own reference price and $339 is the real price — don’t anchor on the “saving”. Compare it to the actual competition at $319–$609, which is where it genuinely competes.
How it compares to rivals
vs Breville Barista Express Impress ($1,199 RRP, street ~$799–$899). The machine this Kogan most obviously apes. The Breville has the better grinder (finer adjustment, dose-correcting Impress puck system), better build refinement, better resale value and a nationwide support network. It’s also more than double the price on the street. If coffee is your hobby, the Breville earns its premium. If you want 80% of the experience for 40% of the money, the Kogan’s case is strong.
vs Sunbeam Origins Sense ($999 RRP, $599 street). Read our Sunbeam Origins Sense review. The Sunbeam has the smarter steam wand (TempSense auto shut-off) and an Australian brand with real local support — but it’s a single-thermoblock machine at nearly twice the price. The Kogan wins on simultaneous brew-and-steam; the Sunbeam wins on refinement and support.
vs Ninja Luxe Café Premier ($609 street). Read our Ninja Luxe Café Premier verdict. The Ninja is the more polished, more beginner-friendly machine with a better grinder experience — and it costs $270 more. Both are genuine picks; the Kogan is for maximum hardware per dollar, the Ninja for the smoother learning curve.
vs Kogan Espresso Touch with Grinder ($179) and Espresso Barista with Grinder ($319). Kogan’s own cheaper models undercut it, but neither has the dual thermoblock system. If simultaneous brew-and-steam matters to you, the $160 jump from the Espresso Touch to the Dual Thermoblock is the whole point of this machine.
Who should buy it
Buy it if you’re upgrading from a pod machine or a cheap single-thermoblock unit, you mostly drink milk-based coffees, and you want to grind fresh without paying Breville money. It’s also a smart pick for a second machine — holiday house or office. Think twice if you want local showroom support, if you’re chasing espresso perfection (the grinder’s 20 steps will limit you), or if you only drink long blacks — in which case the dual-steam trick is wasted.
Our verdict
Verdict: the Kogan Dual Thermoblock is the most espresso machine $339 buys in Australia right now. Simultaneous brew and steam, a real ULKA pump, three brew temperatures and a built-in grinder is a spec sheet that embarrasses machines at twice the price. The caveats are real — online-only support, a coarse-stepped grinder, thermoblock thermal limits — but they’re priced in. If you can live with Kogan’s ecosystem, this is the budget semi-automatic we’d recommend.
Related launches
Sunbeam Origins Sense Australia: $999 to $599 Price Crash, First Look
Ninja Luxe Café Premier Australia: $609 Cheapest Price
Ninja AutoBarista Pro Australia: $1,199.99 First Look
De’Longhi PrimaDonna Aromatic Australia: $1,999 Price, Worth It?
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Kogan Dual Thermoblock Espresso Machine in Australia?
It’s $339 at Kogan, where it’s listed with an SRP of $899.99 — that SRP is Kogan’s own reference price; $339 is the real street price. It’s also listed through Dick Smith’s online store. It was $299 delivered for FIRST members in a November 2025 OzBargain deal and $449 when CHOICE tested it. Prices checked 8 October 2026.
What does dual thermoblock mean — can it brew and steam at the same time?
Yes. The machine has two thermoblocks and two pumps: one dedicated to brewing, one to steam. You can pull an espresso shot and froth milk simultaneously without switching modes or waiting for the machine to reheat — the main hardware advantage over single-thermoblock budget machines.
What did CHOICE find in its review?
CHOICE lab-tested the KAZOCOFDBSA model (at $449) and published its full spec sheet — 20-bar pump, thermoblock heating, 2.7L reservoir, steam wand — but the verdict and scores are behind CHOICE’s membership paywall. On Kogan’s own store the machine holds around 4.4 out of 5 stars from owner reviews.
Is it a real rival to the Breville Barista Express?
In hardware-per-dollar terms, yes — it undercuts the Barista Express Impress’s ~$799–$899 street price while matching its headline formula (espresso machine plus built-in grinder). The Breville wins on grinder refinement, build quality, support network and resale value. It’s a value rival, not an equal.
Is it a dual boiler machine?
No. Kogan’s own product page notes it’s fitted with a dual thermoblock heating system, “not a dual boiler as previously advertised”, and that packaging may still incorrectly say “Dual Boiler”. Dual thermoblocks give you simultaneous brew and steam, but they don’t hold temperature as steadily as true dual boilers.
Sources
Kogan (coffee machines category, current pricing) — https://www.kogan.com/au/kogan/shop/category/home-appliances-3579/espresso-machines/
Dick Smith (Kogan Dual Thermoblock with Grinder product page) — https://www.dicksmith.com.au/da/buy/kogan-dual-thermoblock-espresso-coffee-machine-with-grinder-kogan/
CHOICE (KAZOCOFDBSA review and specs) — https://www.choice.com.au/products/home-and-living/kitchen/coffee-machines/kogan-dual-thermoblock-espresso-coffee-machine-wth-grinder-kazocofdbsa
OzBargain (November 2025 deal thread) — https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/933344
