Does it have hot water spout for tea or to make americano on occasion?

Yes it does. Right next to where it pours the shot, there is a spout for hot water. Just to note, the water that comes out of it is near-boiling. (~200° F). Perfect for Americanos or to get some hot water to clean an espresso cup or something. It will of course work for tea, but just keep in mind that you can't control the water temp. It comes out at the same temperature that it uses for pulling the espresso, which is near-boiling. If you are a tea connoisseur then you probably know that some tea like green tea should actually be steeped at lower temps like 170° or 180° to prevent burning. This water is around 200° which is good for herbal and black teas, but might burn more delicate teas like green and white teas. It works fast, essentially on demand (1-3 second warmup). But one of the many tea kettles that Breville makes would be better if you are making tea frequently. I have the Breville IQ Kettle next to this espresso machine and use the two interchangeably. Both this espresso machine and the IQ Kettle are amazing products made by Breville. The IQ Kettle will make water to the exact temp you set it to and hold it at that temp (between 130° and 220° F by 5° increments). Both appliances compliment a drink bar nicely.

What accessories does machine come with?

Accessories Single & Dual Wall (1 & 2 Cup) Filter Baskets The Razor™ Precision Dose Trimming Tool 480 ml Stainless Steel Milk Jug Cleaning Kit Water Filter Capacity 67 fl.oz. Water Tank ½ lb Bean Hopper Construction Materials Brushed Stainless Steel Dimensions (WxDxH) 13.9" x 16.1" x 16" Power 1680 Watts Settings Adjustable Grind Control Intuitive LCD Interface 1 & 2 Cup Volumetric Control Voltage 120 volts Warranty 2 Year Limited Product Warranty

Does this have a double boiler?

No. It's a single boiler. They advertise it as a "3 seconds start up with ThermoJet® heating system." which means the system heats the water pretty much on demand. Literally it goes from turning it on to espresso heat ready in a few seconds. And the same few seconds to make steam. It acts like a dual/double boiler.

Other than the digital display, what features & benefits does this $899 model offer that the $599 barista espress 870xl doesn’t? that’s a 50% premium.

I just did some research, and figured the major key differences are the followings. Express 870 Analogue gage vs Pro 878 digital display. That screen on the Pro also gives you deep control over brewing without cluttering the face with buttons. Pro 878 heats up much faster using Breville's newer thermo-jet heating system. (Express 870 1 min vs Pro 878 20 sec) I'm getting Pro.

Exterior Finish	Stainless Steel
Material	Stainless Steel
Item Weight	19.5 Pounds
Unit Count	1.0 Count
Number of Items	1
Item Dimensions D x W x H	13"D x 14"W x 16"H
Capacity	2 Liters
Style	Barista Pro
Color	Brushed Stainless Steel
Recommended Uses For Product	Espresso
Operation Mode	Manual
Voltage	120
Human Interface Input	Buttons
Wattage	1680 watts
Filter Type	Reusable
Specific Uses For Product	Espresso, Mocha, Latte, Cappuccino
Special Features	Programmable, Water Filter, Jug
Coffee Maker Type	Espresso Machine

Breville Barista Pro Espresso Machine BES878BSS, Brushed Stainless Steel

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