Sage the Dual Boiler Espresso Machine, Coffee Machine with Milk Frother, BES920UK - Brushed Stainless Steel, Silver

Product Information

Being a home barista is a hobby, it's not just a case of buying a machine so you can press a button and get great espresso and espresso-based drinks, there's a real skill to it, and this is a skill which takes time and effort to master. Sage would have sent me a demo model, but buying one myself means I can use it and review it over a longer period of time, and also means I can do some modding, which I'm planning to feature in some future youtube videos and blog posts, but more on that shortly. The only way I'd be able to find negatives is by comparison, but only by making unfair comparisons. For example, it's obviously a lot bigger than the Bambino Plus, so by that comparison it's big. I've not found enough people talking about this to make me think it's a particularly common issue, so I wouldn't be too concerned about it personally, if it does happen it's fixable. More on the Auto-off function Heat exchanger machines, as the name implies, have a heat exchanger system – meaning that heat is borrowed from the steam boiler to heat the brew water.

Who are they for? As with integrated grinder espresso machines, this kind of machine is best suited to people who want to develop home barista skills. You can reduce the skill requirement by using the dual walled baskets they all come with as well as the traditional baskets, but if you don't want a learning curve, you'd be much better looking at the assisted machines. These machines work differently, and the espresso they produce is different. It's actually closer to cafe crema, a very popular drink in Germany, Austria & Switzerland, which may be why bean to cup coffee machines are hugely popular in these countries in particular.

Explaining the Espresso Jargon

There are a few important factors to consider when choosing the right dual boiler machine for your home or business. These include how much espresso you brew daily, how much space you have, and whether you plan to plumb it directly to a water line – among other things. This buyer’s guide will walk you through the decision. Why are Boiler Size and Material important? Right then, this may sound confusing ;-), I'm going to tell you to buy a particular grinder, but I'm not necessarily going to recommend that you use that grinder with your Sage Dual Boiler. Confused? You will be ;-). Just kidding – I'll explain. The Breville brand is owned in the UK by an American firm called Newell Brands, and they sell coffee machines using the Breville brand, but they are not the same as the Sage coffee machines that sell as Breville in other parts of the world. Litre drip tray capacity – with an “Empty Me” indicator | Big drip tray means fewer trips to the sink to empty it, and the empty me indicator means you don't forget to empty it and end up with an over flowing drip tray. Why this isn't a standard feature I don't know

Initially I was looking at the Gaggia Classic Pro, but decided that is a step too far for me from a push button bean to cup machine. While being significantly more expensive, the Sage Dual Boiler looks like it will give me the control I want to produce great coffee whilst also not completely dropping myself in the deep end! All I need to do now is convince myself I can afford it. I'll talk a bit more about this later, but by using the auto-on function and being a little bit more organized, this auto-off function could be a very good thing for the environment, although that's not what I muttered under my breath the first time it turned itself off ;-). The steam is started and stopped by a lever instead of a rotary valve. This isn't something Sage invented, it's something you'll find on some commercial machines and some high-end espresso machines, but the vast majority of espresso machines have a rotary valve, and having a lever just makes so much sense. Who are they for? I would be sarcastic & say “people who want to drink filter coffee” ;-), but there's more to it than that. Sage only make one filter coffee machine, and it's really quite a special filter coffee machine. These are for people who are really particular about their filter coffee.You don't have direct control over the brew water temperature with HX machines, which means you can't adjust the steam pressure without impacting on the brew water temp. Menu: Pre-sets for all the usual plus babyccino, hot chocolate, tea with 2 temp options & 8 customisable drinks