Sage Barista Express transforms your coffee routine with precision engineering and integrated features. With a built-in conical burr grinder, 16 grind settings, and a powerful steam wand for microfoam, this brushed stainless steel machine delivers rich, barista-style espresso at home.
- Bean to Cup Convenience: Enjoy café-quality espresso made from freshly ground beans.
- Precision Grinding: 16 settings for optimal flavor extraction and control.
- Thermocoil Heating: Delivers consistent 93°C water temperature for perfect espresso.
- Steam Wand: Create silky microfoam for lattes and cappuccinos.
- Elegant Design: Brushed stainless steel finish fits modern kitchens.
Small enough to slot in on a worktop and quick guides to help you find the perfect settings to produce great espresso every time.
Makes a good coffee and froths the milk also. Needs some dialling in for perfection.
The build quality is a joy to behold. Everything feels so well designed and well constructed; lovely and solid. It feels like a piece of engineering from a bygone age, compared with so much of the flimsy machinery you get nowadays. The instructions are comprehensive, it's easy to care for and clean, and it looks darn smashing on your workshop (while you want to hide ugly machines like microwaves). It's like a nice vintage car or something!
Certainly, it takes a bit of faffing and experimentation to get your coffee right and achieve the desired crema, but it's all the more satisfying when you do. Personally, I enjoy the process, the steps, the theatre of it. I enjoy the sound and smell of the grinder, the grumbling of the machine when you switch it on and the deafening hiss of the milk frother. You can of course get machines that do everything for you at the press of a button, but I find this more satisfying that's it's not an instantaneous thing. A little effort (not much) is required. I couldn't justify all those little plastic pods on my conscience, so this machine felt like the right one. Definitely feel we made the right choice with this, and manual tamping is fine and part of the process for me, so I don't consider that a drawback. I also think the digital display of some of the more expensive models ruins the timeless aesthetic, for me anyway.
And this from someone who doesn't really love coffee unless it's really nice coffee! Bloody great and very bonnie piece of kit. Definitely good value.
And it is without doubt the best machine by far 👏👏👏🇬🇧
The grind size and filter quantity needs adjusting depending on the beans you use. You need to find the sweet spot for every different bean you use which is to an extent a very "barista" thing however, the most annoying part sometimes is the quantity as it can impact the flow of the extraction and that can get a bit annoying if you are looking for a simple bean to cup solution. Nevertheless these are small adjustments in comparison to the bigger outcome which is a great cup of coffee.
It’s well built, sturdy and looks smart - my only regret is that I didn’t buy one sooner and kick my Nespresso machine to the kerb!
Would be a nice touch if they gave a few coffee cups in the package
The built-in grinder is a good one. It grinds beans directly into the portafilter, ensuring maximum freshness and flavor. I was impressed by the difference in taste compared to pre-ground coffee.
However, it's crucial to use high-quality, freshly roasted beans to achieve optimal results. Dialing in the settings can be tricky with stale or low-quality beans.
The control is surprisingly user-friendly. The buttons are logically arranged. The steam wand produces good microfoam, perfect for creating latte art and cappuccinos.
Drip Tray Capacity: The drip tray is quite small and fills up quickly, requiring frequent emptying.
Clarity of Instructions: While the machine itself is relatively intuitive, the provided instructions could be more detailed, especially when it comes to adjusting the settings for water temperature, cleaning and descaling.
The Sage Barista Express is a good investment for coffee enthusiasts who want to elevate their home brewing experience. It delivers good coffee with the convenience of an all-in-one machine.
While there's a slight learning curve, especially when it comes to dialing in the settings and mastering the milk frother, the results are rewarding.
Just remember to invest in quality beans and be prepared to experiment with the settings to achieve your perfect cup.
Only negative is they hadn’t updated the instruction manual and so some of the cleaning guidelines were wrong - searching online, it looks like this is common. Not great for a £500 product but otherwise would be five stars.
You can make amazing tasting coffee with this machine and importantly make it consistently. Find a grind size and amount that fits with your beans and your coffee ratio/recipe and stick to it. Milk frothing takes some learning but the machine generates good enough steam pressure to make good milk.
Once you’ve had it for a week you’ll be amazed. It’s so quick and easy to make a coffee in the morning when you get used to the workflow.
Clear cleaning cycle listed in the manual, follow it to (roughly) the timeline stated and you’ll have a machine that lasts and lasts.
Overall we are satisfied, still learning and will continue to recommend this.
Everything is easy to use on this coffee machine. It heats up quickly & when it needs cleaning you add a tablet & it takes care of the rest.
It has a built in water filter which is a nice feature & the you can really taste the notes of your coffee beans. Which made me realise how bland my previous coffee was!
It comes with four different baskets. As others have said, if you can get fresh beans < 2 weeks the flavour is incredible!
If you’re hesitant to purchase like I was, dive right in & enjoy the best coffee at home of your life!
This is the second purchase :)
It arrived very quickly which was very much appreciated!
Also, each component can be easily cleaned which does make a big difference compared to Delonghi.
Love it very straightforward to use and maintain
Loved it.
It’s harder to use that our previous one for bean to cup type machines but we love it - think it’s worth the effort! :)
I'm enjoying it a lot since I received it (it took 5 different attempt from amazon, i don't know what happened).
quality is very good, everything is nice, polished and well thought.
I like the tamper that can be extracted and magnetically attached.
I like the black finish: it's maybe not as stylish as the metal color, but it's very nice.
I didn't have to touch grinder size nor reprogram the amount of water.
I use the double filter single wall with fresh coffee from Monmouth and amazing results.
Latte art is much more difficult than I thought it would be.
Functionality is excellent, easy to follow, and if you're very keen you can find some videos online to help dial in the grind function as best as possible. I would recommend a separate grinder, however the one built into this machine works great if you fiddle with it a bit and aren't fussed about super-specific grinding.
Steam wand is decent for a home machine, although it has only one hole, you can still get some good milk texturing out of it if you take some time to work with this specific machine. As someone who enjoys both milk-based drinks and simple espresso, I've had no issue with extraction and getting great-tasting drinks.
I purchased the black version, and I have to say I prefer it to the silver one. It's quite easy to keep clean and splattering isn't as visible.
The only thing I would say that is a downside of this machine, is that the instructions are a bit too basic. If you're not experienced at using either more complex home machines or professional-grade machines, you may want to look online for more in-depth guides to put together and use the machine. Otherwise, the product itself is excellent and well worth the money.
Pretty sure I made my money back in the first 6 months of use by having delicious flat whites at home instead of buying them from the cafe!
If you're buying it, consider pairing with a puck screen (for better coffee and easier cleaning) and an aluminium coffee dosing ring (so you don't get ground coffee everywhere when tamping)
Finally, BEWARE that there's a high chance that this will make you a coffee snob and you won't be able to drink coffee from chain stores!
Excellent decision. Easy to use, fine tweaking og grind size and quantity to make ideal espresso etc.
Looks stylish in new kitchen. 100% satisfied caffeine addict
PRESSURE ISSUES - FIX
if you have issues with pressure it might be your waterfilter in the reservoir, i blamed the machine and then by accident I removed the filter (that was almost brand new) and suddenly the power was back!. So now I use filtered water proviede by our 8 liter filter tank to avoid buying for extra filters.
CLEANING - FIX
By default this machine uses tablets to clean the system, so you have to do it. But but extra espresso machine cleaning fluid and cycle it through main portafilter element as well as hot water and steam pathways. You will have a thorough clean. Before I did that I had a bit of an issue with hot water and steam.
You may have issues with automatic programme not stopping - this is also removed by proper descaling.
COFFEE GRINDER
You actually need dismantle it and clean from time to time. Also don't blame the machine for making different quality even though you use the same coffee - blame the coffee. You can have different quality coffee every time you buy even though it is the same brand/sku. Coffee can be too dry it may not hold the the pressure and you are getting a bad tasting coffee. You need to learn how to setup the grinder to compensate the roast you bought.
PRESSURISED PORTAFILTER
Don't use it. Learn to use proper filter, pressurised filter will create "crema" from dirt, it will look like a nice espresso but it will be a faint copy of a proper espresso - you got yourself a really good piece of equipment so learn how to use it. Otherwise just buy a nespresso machine and buy the capsules as you will get much better coffee.
We use the machine in average 5-6 times each day (since 2019) so I can say it is really stress tested. Survived three flat moves. Just needs a bit of love for the process.
It has a superb air pump which combines with a thermostat on the milk jug to further perfect the art of cappuccino making. Who knew there was so much involved in frothing some milk! Anyhow I bought this as it “might” just result in spending less in well known high street coffee shops. 🤞
It is very intuitive and easy to use, thought the instruction book does enhance knowledge and understanding that will help the user go from using it to make coffee, to using it to make great coffee.
My only negative comment is that it arrived with a slight dent on the back panel. Whilst Amazon offered a full refund, it wasn’t possible for them to offer a new one in exchange, and re-buying it would’ve meant paying about 20% more than I originally paid for it, so I decided to keep hold of the one I had and call it ‘character’.
Firstly, the ease of use is remarkable. With its intuitive controls, I was able to make my first espresso within minutes of unboxing. The machine heats up incredibly fast, ensuring I don't have to wait long for my morning coffee fix.
The quality of espresso this machine produces is where it truly shines. The flavor is rich and robust, with a perfect crema that you'd expect from a high-end cafe. The built-in grinder is a game-changer – it grinds the beans just before brewing, which makes a significant difference in the freshness and taste of the coffee.
Moreover, the milk frothing wand is fantastic. It creates silky smooth milk for cappuccinos and lattes that are simply a delight. The temperature control is precise, ensuring the milk is always at the perfect temperature.
Cleaning the Sage Barista Express is surprisingly easy. The removable water tank and drip tray make the maintenance a breeze. I appreciate how the machine comes with all the necessary tools for cleaning and maintenance.
Lastly, the customer service from Sage is commendable. They provide clear instructions and are quick to respond to any queries.
In conclusion, the Sage Barista Express is an exceptional coffee machine that offers convenience, quality, and style. It's perfect for anyone looking to elevate their home coffee experience. Highly recommended!
Some advice: what the machine requires is some patience at the beginning or when you get a new coffee blend. You will need to adjust a bit the grind level, the amount of coffee, tamping and the time it needs for extraction. It might take a couple of not so good shots until you dial it in, but once you do you are good to go.
I’ve been using it for 6 months now, and I have settled in a coffee blend I like, so I don’t need to dial the settings very often. The pro-tip here, is to get freshly roasted coffee (about a month, month and half should be fine). I also tried generic coffee beans from known brands, the ones without roasting date, but the results are not as good.
When using the machine, the analog pressure gauge (I love this, feels so professional) gives you a good overview, so you can see and adjust for the next shot:
Low pressure and coffee running too fast? Maybe dial the grind level to be more refined, or add a bit coffee if the portafilter can take it.
Too much pressure and very slow extraction? Move the grind level dial to be more coarse.
Once you play around a bit, you will be able to see what the espresso needs and you will adjust. There are many helpful online tutorials if you want to dive into the whole process, but in general one should be ok with minor adjustments and able to enjoy tasty, velvety coffee – given you use good quality coffee.
If you don’t want to buy freshly roasted coffee, you can use the dualwall filters provided in the machine; they allow for some extra pressure control of the extracted coffee, but in my opinion, if you buy this machine, you probably want good espresso, so buy the good coffee as well :)
In general the machine is very easy to clean, I pop the tray in the washing machine every now and then and has been looking like new, even though I’m working from home and I’ve been using it quite a few times per day.
The provided milk jug, with temperature indicator is great for great cappuccino / latte foam.
Overall, this has been an amazing purchase, if you enjoy a good coffee and you are willing to learn how to extract it, this machine will not let you down.
I got this today late evening but you know I had to dial in the coffee beans and take a sip of the espresso before I got to bed. And I must tell you the level of espresso and the Milk frothing in this machine is nearly up to those expensive equipments they use in cafe.
Looking forward to making more espressi drinks hots & cold . This was one of my best purchases of this year.
Firstly you have to experiment with the settings to get the best coffee.
The quality of the beans and the grinder setting make a big difference - once you find the right combination you rarely need to make any adjustments. I found that the single wall filter basket was the best for me but you need to experiment. With the right amount of ground coffee you will get the pressure gauge showing in the right area for perfect espresso with a good crema.
The machine tells you when you need to clean using the cleaning disc with a cleaning tablet - only takes about 5 minutes every couple of months - but this is not descaling the machine.
I removed the filter and fitted a filtered water supply which means I only need to descale every 5- 6 months.
The milk steamer works very well but you need to keep the steam wand clean. The nozzle gets blocked very easily if you leave the wand in the milk after steaming. The nozzle can be removed with an 8mm spanner and I use an iPhone sim tool (perfect size) to unblock the nozzle.
I saw a review about the machine making a hammering noise when steaming milk - this is normal as the boiler is now under pressure and needs the water pumping which makes the hammering noise.
My only regret with this machine is it only has one boiler which means you can't brew coffee and steam at the same time - I should have spent more and got the twin boiler version.
If you want coffee just like the high street shops then this machine will make them.
Only issue I've had was a problem with the internal water sensor not measuring the right amount of water and turned out to be a bad connection on the water meter - since sorting this I have no problems.
It's great it comes with everything you need, jug, tamper, grinder as I probably paid closer to this price for my old machine when added up the extras.
My only niggles hence a 4*. It's hard to spot the water tank is empty as it's very slim on the back, would be nice to have an indicator. The tamper is a bit cheap and leaves a bit of coffee around the edge so doesn't seem to fit close enough, you can skim it with the razor though to get a perfect finish. I bought a DeLhongi metal one for my last machine and this was better. The drip tray seems to fill quite quickly. Finally it already has a small chip of the black paint come off at the front.
It does feel like you
This can.
Sure, it's a bit more effort than simply pressing a button, and there are some new skills to be learned, particularly in getting your tamping game together.
For a geek like me (and my son...), getting the grind right, the dose just so, and the tamp perfect then being able to watch the pressure sit *right* in the middle of the gauge, is immensely satisfying. Oh, and the coffee is *perfect *👌 😎
I was previously a barista for 9 years long ago.... 🤣
This machine filled my coffee fix.
Buy fresh roasted coffee beans !! This is a must I promise you won't regret it
I spend roughly 1 month researching which machine suited my needs.
The things I really like about this machine is it comes with everything I'll need to get started.
Tamper,jug, cleaning tools, extra baskets depending on which kind of coffee yous be using.
The grind settings are great! Just remember read the instructions about removing the top part of the grinder and set it to a lower number for finer coffee.
The steam wand works well and I love the fact it has a heat water spout !
This is the best manual coffee machine on the market in my opinion.
Water temp is perfect.
I can't recommend this enough!
I decided when the second one failed that I would go big(ger) rather than go home, and decided to go for the Sage Barista Express. It was a great choice.
Firstly, the grind size settings should satisfy any taste - a very small amount of experimentation got me to just the right size grind. The auto-grind feature is very handy, and allows you to get anything else ready whilst it does its thing - I'm a latte kind of guy, so I have enough time to sort the milk out. A few people have reported that it can end up with coffee going everywhere - I can only assume that they are grinding far too much and it is spilling out of the sides (yet another thing that is adjustable). If you want more, you can always tamp it down and top it up manually, which takes about five seconds, so no hardship at all. The tamper is held in place magnetically - another nice touch.
You can also adjust the amount of espresso that the machine makes, which is handy. You basically press a button to put it in program mode, set the machine away, and press another button when your espresso glass is full - it's very, very easy to set up.
The water tank has a built in filter - a nice touch, though I live in a very soft water area, so not really necessary for me.
The built in thermometer on the milk jug is a nice touch (and it survives the dishwasher, though I wouldn't recommend that)! I thought the jug looked a bit small, but I use a Starbucks Grande mug for my latte, and there is plenty of room for enough milk to fill that. Unless you go for vente all the time, you'll probably have no issues.
The bean holder takes enough beans for around ten double espressos or so - you can also use pre-ground coffee, and the machine comes with various attachments depending on single / double / fresh or pre-ground tastes. It's also really easy to clean - the machine mostly looks after itself and vents after every drink, so you just need to empty the drip tray every few days (it tells you when it needs attention).
This is a great machine. I wish I bought one four and a half years ago before I wasted my money on the others. The coffee tastes better (I didn't believe it would make any difference to the taste, but somehow it does - I think it is the fact that it goes through a pre-extraction cycle on a lower pressure before going full whack - and yes, you can even see how much pressure is being applied, so you can increase / decrease the coffee ground level accordingly), and it looks great on the side.
BUILD QUALITY:
Overall this feels very solid and has a nice weight to it, the dials have a reassuring resistance to them, and all the parts lock in together very nicely. My only issue is that the buttons feel just a little loose.
FEATURES:
It is very easy to start making coffee, with all the main functions being very intuitive. I appreciate being able to adjust some aspects of this machine with great precision - adjusting the grind size directly with the burrs, and adjusting the water temperature. One very nice piece of design is that a useful storage space is brought out behind the drip tray. The provided milk jug has a built in temperature scale, which is definitely a fun addition. The steam wand has some nice power to it from such a small form, and the hot water spout again has a decent enough flow rate from such a small machine.
EASE OF USE:
As previously mentioned, it is very easy to get a perfectly acceptable shot of espresso out of here. The manual also has a brief but intuitive guide to "dialing in" the grind size and amount to get the most out of your coffee beans. Access to the cleaning functions are not obvious at all, but I can forgive this as they are not needed to be used too often. One issue is that there is not much space to work in, and the grinder and brew head are a little to close to make it truly comfortable, however, it already takes up enough counter space so I can forgive this too.
VALUE FOR MONEY:
This is an expensive purchase, and for some people it will simply not be worth it. If you not only enjoy drinking coffee, but also enjoy the process of making coffee, you would need to spend a lot more money to get any significant improvement.
OVERALL OPINION:
At this moment, I don't think there is a better option for the home enthusiast. As long as there are no major mechanical issues within a couple of years of use, then I view the high price tag as completely worth it - fingers crossed!
The machine is quite intuitive to use and pretty easy to get a decent espresso shot from and with a little tinkering and trial and error on grind size and amount, you will get a good coffee.
If you want to spend the extra time you can tinker with the length of extraction the get an excellent coffee.
Pros:
Good grinder
Portafilter is well designed
Steam wand is easy to clean
Temp gauge on jug is really effective
Cons:
Steam wand a little short
Jug is small for large latte’s but perfect for standard sized drinks.
Water filters are needed for water tank (don’t recall seeing this advertised - but it does come with one)
The tamper is slightly too small if using the single wall basket.
Overall a great addition to the kitchen for anyone with a passion for coffee and a decent budget!
Comes with a couple of cleaning tablets, which is good, seems to need cleaning every 2-3 months (at least that's what the machine tells me). Cleaning is pretty easy. There are lots of videos on YouTube to help you with pretty much any question you have about this machine too, which is useful.
All in all I'm happy with my very tasty coffees. Chef's kiss.
As I mentioned the machine is beautiful even to me and luckily it doesn't actually take that much countertop space. Putting it together was easy enough. This machine is pretty much complete and you should feel like you need to spend extra on gadgets. There is the coffee grinder, the steam wand, and of course the handle with 4 different portafilters. There are 2 single and 2 double sizes one for freshly ground coffee and one for ground coffee. I didn't think there was a difference but there is. There is the tamper which magnetically attaches to the machine. That's super handy. And there is the razor, which is a leveller, once you tamped your coffee you can use this to get any excess coffee out of the portafilter before brewing. But after we got the hang of it we rarely use it but it was helpful the first few times to help as learn just how much force to use when tamping. Oh and also the milk jug! It's got a thermometer on it's outside. It's quite accurate too. Of course you can always buy a nice analogue one that will be better, but it's more than enough to start you off!
I really like the controls, everything is well placed and straightforward to use. The buttons are all lit with a nice white light which gives it a very upmarket look. The dial in the middle is a proper pressure gauge no digital screen anywhere to be seen, it actually looks so much better than the more expensive digital ones.
Using it is easy. As I said before I never was much into coffees but my mrs used to work in a few coffee shops and learned the trade so she is quite picky when it comes to coffee. Of course it's not going to be as good as the ones used in coffee shops but if you want a mean espresso and don't want to leave the house this does a great job. Even though it's a single boiler one (meaning you can't steam and pull a shot at the same time) it's quite fast anyway and it takes me about 8 minutes to make two coffees in the morning.
Things we didn't like that much are the steam wand...it first seemed a bit on the short side, but that seems to be the case with all the machines available to the public and only the real professional ones have longer ones. However we got used to this pretty quickly.
Another issue we have and this is a bit concerning is the knob on the right side, this is to control the steamer. It can be turned left or right or kept in the middle. The middle option is off. Turn it right and you can draw hot water. Turn it left and it starts the steamer. Turning this knob is quite the job though. It feels very hard and sometimes it's a real struggle to turn the thing off and it's only 2 months old. It was fine only for a few days after it's like that. However it doesn't seem to get any worse so fingers crossed. We were so impressed with the machine we decided to buy another one for the office, this time went for the black one again as it was on sale. No problem with the chipped paint this time around. The steamer knob however seems to be a lot better though so again...a bit concerned for the silver one in this regard as it's quite hard to turn.
All in all great machine which is quite easy to learn even for a complete starter like myself. QC is a bit so so with the chipped paint and dodgy knob though.
It takes a few trials to get things right but it is well worth the effort. After three days this 76 year old barista had it cracked. The hands on experience of producing the perfect cup is all part of the joy. It can't be hurried.
My only complaint is that holding the milk jug whilst manoeuvring the steam switch is testing with arthritic hands. But we are getting the knack. The built in thermometer on the milk jug is pretty useless as it's impossible to see. Feeling the heat build up whilst holding the milk jug is much more accurate and far easier.
Whilst this machine successfully produces coffee from beans or ready-ground coffee the results from beans are far better, smoother and more satisfying.
You will need a knock box and probably a silicon mat. More money but worth it for an easier life.
I really enjoyed the learning process, experimenting with different beans to learn how to get the most out of each bean by adjusting the grind coarseness. Once you’re used to the process, it gets easier and before I knew it, I felt like an expert!
Ok the pressure wasn’t perfect in the picture I took, but hey, next time it'll be better, that’s the fun of using this machine!
Favourite bean at the moment is Lavazza Super Crema that’s buy in 1kg bags off Amazon.
10 on grind. Quantity at ‘2oclock’ (would help if there was a numbered scale on this!).
Pressure guage as verticle as possible, and out dribbles your perfect coffee shots!
Americano - at water from on board water heater.
Capacinno - the on board steamer heats up the milk to a perfect froth.
Really love this machine, best thing I ever bought! Highly recommend.
This Sage machine was more than i was thinking of spending but had very good reviews on Amazon and also on the Manufactures website.
I was also lucky to speak to a local coffee supplier and they had one and swear by it.
So is it value for money, i would say yes.
Included you get various types of filters, a hot milk jug with temp indicators and various other tools.
I am in a hard water area, kettle furs up rapidly, so decided to also get an Amazon Basics water filter as well. Several of the reviews suggested this was a cheaper option than cleaning and descaling the machine (kettle looks like new with the filtered water)
It took me about a week of use and trial and error to get the machine making coffee to my satisfaction.
It takes around 3-5 minutes from turning the machine on to making an excellent cappuccino. The machine is noisy, but you get used to it and is no worse than a commercial one.
It is quite large, around 30cm x30cm and fits perfectly under the wall units and doesnt look out of place. The Stainless steel finish gives it a solid, robust look and feel.
The coffee bean hopper holds around 200gm of beans.
I won't comment on what beans to use as that is down to individual tastes, but I have settled on some supplies by a small company producing their own blends and roasts.
Would i recommend? Yes,.
Only have another 120 coffees to go at high street shop prices to pay for it 😁
If you enjoy the process of making coffee, the barista express is fantastic. It takes all of the effort out of the boring or annoying parts of making coffee but is still a manual coffee machine that lets you enjoy the process once it's fully set up. It automatically grinds and dispenses the right dose and times the perfect shot based on volume throughput, but you still manually tamp it and do your own latte milk etc so you still enjoy the coffee making process.
The steam wand is also a great stainless steel one that's easy to clean, no little plastic bits to have to clean after each use. The group head also has a solonoid valve and automatically extracts excess water to make a clean coffee ground puck for easy disposal. The whole thing also uses a water filter so the quality stays consistent regardless of water hardness (as long as you replace the filters when they need it). It's one of the easiest machines I've ever had to clean and maintain.
If you're getting this machine, my advice would be to order a kilo of whatever beans you plan to use in it and watch through some of the more popular videos online for calibrating the machine and techniques for milk frothing (as this is a little different to many other machines). It'll just take you an afternoon and you'll throw away a lot of bad espresso shots and dodgy milk but eventually it'll be perfect and then it's consistent every time from then on with very little effort. I've barely ever needed to recalibrate even when switching beans, as long as they are the same rough roast.
I decided on this mostly due to appearances (those bean to cup machines look like little train station vending machines to me) and didn’t realise how much effort is involved.
If you want another hobby buy this machine. It has loads of variables that you need to master such as grind size, grind amount and tamp pressure. That’s not to mention freshness of beans (I buy only from Rave and 200 degrees). I’m still working on latte art, but can generally get out 2 cortados or cappuccinos within 4-5 minutes each morning. The coffees are superb, but it took a couple of weeks of YouTube tips and tinkering to really work out how to dial in the perfect coffee.
It’s a fantastic bit of kit and is fun to use, but if you don’t want to feel like a professional and would rather just push a button and get a coffee this machine might not be for you.
Pro's:
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- Real solid / heavy unit quality build
- Good water container capacity 2Ltrs
- Good sized bean hopper
- Quality filters / drip tray unit
- Straight forward operation grinding beans, water, steam delivery clean up etc.
- Taste and quality of the coffee it delivers is second to none its better than coffee shops!
- The Barista Express model is actually affordable and not £1000s of pounds...
- Well packaged, well documented and easy straight forward setup.
Consideration's:
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- Its a fairly nosiy operation brewing / grinding and steaming so don't expect silent mode.
- It takes a little bit of tinkering the grind depending on your beans, to brew the coffee into the esspresso range but the manual / guide instructs you on how to achieve a good brew result.
- You'll embark on searching for the best coffee bean taste for your pallet so don't expect instant great tasting coffee it'll take a few bean tastings to find your desired pallet.
- Its not a 1 click instant coffee machine, its a unit of coffee making which will require you to master the art of basic baristaing. If you want an instant coffee machine look for a Tasimo or what not..
All in All i highly recommend this unit for anybody moving into Bean to Cup 10/10 recommending to everybody.
Nevertheless, price aside, it is a very good device that probably suits most kitchens, and fits well on a worktop under most kitchen wall cupboards.
Note this is not a fully automated Bean to cup machine, where you just select a drink and press a button, despite some third party sellers labelling it as such. It does require involvement, and experimentation to get right. If you are not willign to learn some of the intrecacies of creating an espresso or other coffee drinks, but enjoy consuming them, then i reccomend you get a casule, or a fully automated bean to cup machine. However, if you are willing to learn this can potentially create far better and more satisying coffee drinks.
PROS:
- I like the fact it is easy to clean, and maintain. My old machine and grinder did leave a lot of mess, this is more contained.
- Its thermocoil is relatively more efficient in electricity than a more "professional" boiler/dual boiler type, as it does not need to heat much more more water than whats being used, and its ready to start within about 30 seconds from cold. its perfect for where there is one or two people living in a household, who drinks coffee 2 or 3 times a day.
It has a nice storage area for the spare baskets/cleaing tools.
- It also comes with both pressurised and unpressurised baskets on both sizes (4 total) which is very handy. Many machines only include either pressurised, or unpressurised, and whilst some home "baristas" dismiss the pressurised ones, they do have a use in certain situations (preground or old or dry beans), and also helps beginners to get a decent enough shot at first, before learning all the intricacies of an expresso machine to be able to successfully use the non pressurised baskets.
- It has a proper 3 way solenoid valve to release pressure.
- You can manually chose the dosage aount as well as automatic (some machines only give either manual or automatic, not both)
- likewise you can also manually do the preinfuse, and extract, or simply set up for 1 or 2 shot to let the machine automatically stop when a certain amount of water as flowed through. You can also problemthe automatic amounts.
- It has a hot water dispenser for americans and other long coffees.
- It has a professional steam wand (not a panarello one) which gives you more control over the steam creating process, however, does require some skill, as opposed to the panarello types, usually found on cheaper machines.
- There is enough clearance to fit a mug underneeth the spout.
- water temp seems very consistant (though see con below)
- pressure guage! the more expensive versions of the barista range (professional and touch) do not include this very usefull tool.
CONS:
- When you switch on from cold, you do need to run at least one or two shots through the machine with the portafilter empty to heat up the pipes and portafilter to a satisfatory. Whilst you may see some on people suggesting that you leave it on for 10 minuites before pullign the first shot, in my experiementation I have done, I find running one or two shots is better at stabilising the temp from the inital cold start, as well as heating the portafilter better, as well as heating the cup/mug.
- the baskets do fit quite snugly into the portafilter, and need a bit of work to take out. I carefully use a teaspoon to lever it out.
- Although more than capable of creating good steamed milk with great microfoam, the steam power is a bit low on this machine (similar to other thermocoil machines) and does take a while to build up. This does mean it takes a bit longer to steam/froth milk compared to more powerfull machines, however, it is also an advantage for newbies, as the slower steaming gives you time to adjust the wand accordingly during steaming, rather than messing up the milk because you were not able to react quick enough,, important considering it is a professional wand, as opposed to a panarello one , which does require a bit of technique. If you need more powerfull steam, look at the Sage Barista Professional.
- Being a single boiler, You cannot steam milk and brew coffee at the same time, as the boiler needs to adjust to the different tasks, which can take a few seconds. Not a big issue for a household makign coupel of drinks at a time, but probably more annoying when making many more, espeically waiting for the temp to change.
- like ANY proper espresso machines it does take time to master!
I had a filter machine with a little espresso one-cup part, and could never be bothered filling up the system for one cup.
This bad boy! Oh wow! Fill it up in the morning with 2l of clean fresh water, and 1.75l later, which is a LOT of cups of coffee, fill up again. There's a water filter built in, but I live in Birmingham, UK and we get lovely Welsh water (thank Wales!) which is very soft and doesn't really need filtering (IMO).
It comes with 2 sets of filter baskets. 1 set for ground coffee and newbies. If you use these baskets with the Dual Wall, you'll almost always get a nice espresso with a good crema, but it can seem a little aerated. So the other filter baskets are better to use, but you have to get the right tamp and coarseness of the bean to get a nice crema, so those baskets take a bit of time to master. But when you do! And it's only 3 settings! 1. Grind amount, 2. Grid coarseness and 3. good tamp, but not too hard! It makes great coffee! I take a note of the 2 settings, the one on the site (coarseness) and the amount on the front, for each different type of beans I buy, so I can remember which are the best settings for each beans! All beans are different!
So then it comes to the Milk Steamer. It's good, a bit slow, and I've tried to adjust the temperature, but it does the job, and to know the temperate on the jug and start to feel the temp without seeing it, you start to get better and better. But it's a skill and this I'm no where near mastering yet! Would be nice if the jug was just a little bit bigger, but it makes a good size mug!
The hot water that comes out the pipe not as steam, is reasonably hot. Again I've tried increasing it, but I suppose it's good for Coffee, but not brilliant for a cuppa Tea!
Cleaning the product is a doddle, by running a cleaning programme and buying tablets to use. Clean the steamer after every use and I clean the product every few days!
Emptying the tray is nice and clear with a little Empty Me sign that pops up when its full up.
I use this in combination with a good old fashioned Kettle! :D Boil the Kettle to get Half a cup of Hot water, a double espresso from this machine, bit of milk, and that's what I live on!
Cost wise. I buy 1Kg bags of coffee beans and drink like a fish. compared to the cost of buying Instant this will eventually be cheaper with the savings per week on not buying Instant and buying bulk coffee beans. If you start charging your guests as the coffee is that good ;) $tarbucks eat your heart out, You'd be quids in before you knew it! :D
You will want a Delonghi BTC Ecam 44.660 or alike. For that you will compromise on quality of drink partially and not have as much control as you would from hand making it.
Real coffee making is an art and with the entry level espresso machine you can certainly achieve great coffee.
A definite purchase if you are wanting to delve in to the world of coffee art and all it entails. There are many videos on YouTube and similar sites that will walk you through the process to set up and use the machine to it's full potential.
Not a cheap machine by any means but with the cost of real espresso producing machines at circa £500 you'll be hard pressed to find a better value one at just under £400. Comes with a 2 year guarantee for peace of mind and that is with Amazon as opposed to the manufacturer so they will deal with any issues, should they arise.
Cannot fault this machine and is a definite 5 stars from me.
So, on to the review of the machine itself. It's quite a big old unit but very stylish so looks good on the work surface.
Making coffee is dead easy, you push the portafilter into the grinder part, it automatically grinds and dispenses the coffee, you tamp the coffee donw,, screw the portafilter into the group head, press the button and out comes the coffee. But.....
There is a gauge that shows you the pressure of the water being pushed through the coffee. It has to hit the sweet spot, boy is it hard to get the grind and the tamp right for the pressure to be right. To low and you get a weak washy coffee, too high and you get a strong bitter coffee.
We use a lot of different beans and they all need a different grind setting. I've found 5 or 6 to be the sweet spot, it's getting the tamp right, too much weight behind the tamp and the water pressure is way too high, too little pressure on the tamp and the water pressure is too low.
I can go days in a row (I only have 2 or 3 coffees per day) where I get it right, then I can go days in a row when I think I'm doing the same thing and that flippin' needle will not hit the sweet spot.
I've given it 4 stars overall
5 stars for flavour, when it's right boy do you get a good coffee.
5 stars for easy to clean, which it is, there is some disassembly required but I like wielding a spanner or two.
4 stars for easy to use, it is easy, it also easy to get it wrong!
Quite a frustratingly good machine. I think it's a bit overpriced and I got it when it was on a deal for £370. I'd say it was a £299 machine but then again I'm quite tight!
FYI regarding the cleaning process, Sage have recently changed how the cleaning works a bit and it isn't well documented. If you look at Youtube videos you will probably see the dirty water coming out through the portafilter under which you have to put a bowl to collect the water. However, in newly manufactured units (such as mine) the dirty water actually comes out into the water tray at the bottom (so you don't need a separate bowl). Just something to keep in mind so you don't get confused.
Unable to get arrow on the pressure dial to be in the espresso range? Inconsistent under or over extracted? Wasting lots of coffee beans? Going bonkers trying different grind settings and adjusting different amount of grinds? Wanting to return the machine? STOP, DO THIS ONE THING!!!!....
Weigh 18g of beans each time! Simple!
Do not fill your grinder(empty grinder out if you already have). Instead each time you want to use your machine, weigh out 18g of beans and put in grinder. Set your grind amount to maximum (more). Press to grind and press again when you hear a change in pitch(the sound of all the coffee beans gone and grinder empty) Extra tip to prevent a mess...grind until porta filter half full, click to stop and knock on counter to flatten down(even a quick tamp is good) then pop back in and finish grinding. This way there is less mess. By weighing 18g (I’ve had success with 17g too), all you have to fine tune is your grind size! Currently mine is set to 6, every bean is different though. So yes you still have to drink some over/under extracted espresso until you find your grind but only one dial to worry about. Make sure you tamp down firm (not ur whole body weight but all your arm weight, if that makes sense). Prior to this method I must have made at least 20 “not in the zone” shots. I’ve had the perfect espresso range every time since weighing 18g out. Not used the razor either (need to find s use for this well made fella) Yes it’s a pain weighing but worth it and the bonus is less waste. Plus if you swap coffee bean brands, you only have to change the grind as you are grinding the same amount! Remember that different grind levels effect the volume coming out. So we don’t have to worry about this as only 18g going in.
I’ve yet to make latte art from the milk steamer. Nice silky milk but not quite latte quality. Not sure if it’s the wand or me? Hmm. Heats up a lot slower than the machine at work, but I’m making lattes for me and my other half, not a queue of people. So 30seconds extra isn’t a biggy.
You can buy your beans locally. Google “fresh coffee beans near me”. Yes, they are more expensive but they’re fresher(you’ll have a roasted date on them) and you’re supporting the “little man”.
Great quality machine and it WILL make you a coffee snob...no, realy - your jar of instant will be pushed to the back of your cupboard “what was I thinking” “how little did I know” “I’m an educated barista now”
This machine comes with a 2 year guarantee and a years supply of filters. So I’ll report back if there are any issues. It’s easy to give a product a five star rating to have it break 6 months down the line. So I’ll update my review in due course.
Oh this machine is made by Breville in the united states. This may help if you want to watch video reviews. Still called Barista express, just Breville instead of Sage. I’d recommend getting a bigger milk pitcher for 2 person lattes. Use the smaller pitcher for catching your espresso if your cup doesn’t fit. A tall latte glass won’t fit under. Use the hot water spout, to pre warm your cups up. Also keep a wet cloth next to machine to wipe steam wand after you purge it. The milk is a pain to get off as it dries on instantly (this happens with all machines!) Purchase a knock box, it’s not exciting but definitely needed. I’d also recommend having your machine on the same side as your sink (for easier emptying of the tank) It fills up very quickly. Another thing I should mention, if your model number is different to the one on amazon, it’s the same machine. Sage updated their milk jug, to the temperature milk jug and gave the combo a new model number for online ordering. But they didn’t change the packaging to the new model number-cost too much. Think that’s all. Hope my review has helped at least one person. Thanks for reading. Enjoy your new machine! You’ll be wanting a rocket machine after you’ve mastered this one!
From turning it on to sitting down with your drink is also very quick indeed.
Couple of points to be aware of that makes it a four, rather than five star:
1. The milk frothing jug is ace, but it's too small. It's possible to get enough for two small cappuccinos out of it, but the milk always feels on the the brink of going everywhere.
2. In recent versions they have changed to a Claroswiss water filter which are *£13 each* for a huge chunk of non-recyclable plastic rather than a fraction of that for a whole box of charcoal capsules. At time of writing the manuals still refer to the old style, and searching on the Sage website for filters will take you to the old-style. The new filters still only last three months, so the annual filter cost has jumped from just a few pounds to £52. If you register the machine with Sage they will send you a years worth of filters (apparently, I've only just filled out the form so we'll see) but still.
So, fabulous machine, looks great, gives great results and I love using it. The jug could be better thought out which is annoying, but the real issue is the filter upgrade results in both a hideous replacement cost and yet more plastic waste. If I were choosing a machine again with this knowledge it'd be enough to sway me towards something else.
This machine is everything I thought it was going to be and more. My milk texturing is already 10 fold better. Whilst it does take a bit of time to dial in grind settings, tamping and shot length etc the results are well worth it.
Now disclosure, I have only had this for 3 days so this is in no means a full review of life with the Barista Express. Cleaning is easy but it does need careful care and attention. I found the instructions decent but I'm not sure how much I trust the guage for dialing in my shot. I found my best shot came in whilst the guage showed over extraction. This could be down to the bean or just how I am used to that bean tasting from my previous machine and experience.
I have a new artisan roast arriving that I have never tried so will see how easy that is to get dialed in.
Now for a couple of not negatives but things I felt could be better. First off is the portafilter being non standard in size this not allowing for customisation. It's not a biggy as given the price point I still feel you get value for money.
Second is the dip tray. I feel the empty me sign should appear a bit earlier than it does as it does fill quickly and seems quite shallow. It will need emptied after every use which you should do anyway to keep clean.
Third is related to the portafilter and that is the tamper. It's nice and handy with the magnetic handle but feels a bit light and cheap for the rest of the machine. With the non standard size I can see getting a separate one being a little more frustrating.
Overall I am delighted with my purchase. The build quality is impressive and for me the steam wand is a dream.
It can be tricky to get that perfect brew dialed in but this is not a machine for the hands off type. This is for the closet barista or like me the coffee hobbiest.
It's not just the result that is great but the feeling of accomplishment when you get it all right.
If anything changes in my opinion in the next few months I will update accordingly.
Barney
This coffee machine does most of the hard work for you. It will allow you to pour a bag of freshly roasted beans into the grinder and have it dispensed into a cup within a few minutes. There is some manual attention to detail required for best results. This can make awful coffee. This can also make some fabulous coffee. I'm not here to tell you the exact answer, because it's something you will learn through using it. I'm here to tell you that it's entirely possible to learn how to make great coffee within just a few weeks of using it and what I personally discovered.
So, what did I learn?
1. Buy fresh beans - no supermarket shelf stuff, not even M&S. It isn't fresh enough and your coffee will taste flat. Waitrose do a few types that have the roast date printed on the bag, if it's within a month, that'll do.
2. The included levelling tool isn't all that precise - I always find that slightly above that mark is actually better
3. The amount of pressure you tamp with has a huge impact on the pressure dial - you have to press quite hard, and ensure the level of coffee still sits high enough, yes you can add more and re-tamp.
4. The best shot comes from the double filter with single skin - the biggest one with the most holes. Learn on this one as the single skin ones cheat a bit. They have a single hole which artificially maintains a set pressure so you can't really mess up. The trick is to learn from the start. The single one is very fiddly and easy to get wrong.
5. Milk frothing is still quite hard for me, I think the best thing to do is get the wand deep in the milk to start with, then froth it when it's hot. Latte art is not as easy as the spotty weekend barista makes it look.
Since using this, I don't buy coffee from shops anymore. I prefer my own. You can make whatever drink you want from it, single or double shot cappuccino, latte, frapawhatever. Be as pretentious as you want in the comfort of your own home. It also has a hot water dispenser for the green tea drinkers.
Cleaning is a bit of a faff. Tray comes out in three pieces laced with coffee dust and water, but that's the price of fine art I guess. Keep it clean and it will keep making nice drinks. Also run the group head with nothing in it from time to time to clear it out. Changing the filter is absolutely vital if you live in a hard water area. Put it in your phone calendar or something.
It's a nice product to have, changing beans keeps things fresh for me. I recommend an online subscription of some sort. I look forward to seeing your results on Instagram.
The milk frother is actually easier to use than I expected. I worked in a cafe about 20 years ago so I still remember the basic technique. With a bit of YouTube-ing the foam is passable...need to work on my hearts though...at the moment mine look like brains!
In short, so far this machine produces a good quality cup of coffe quickly and easily with minimum fuss, as you would expect from a semi automatic. However if you want fine tune your flavour too, the option is there.
I dont want to jinx this machine but its still going strong. I update reviews when things are going good or bad. Just thought I would let you know as a buyer.
Update "26/2/2023
I have now had this machine for 3 years and Im glad to say its still going stronge to my amazment. Reading through the bad reviews, I must have been lucky but I will say to you all, the key is cleaning it on a regular bases. I know its not always easy but the true key to having great coffee is fresh beans, not the store bought beans as you just dont know how long there were stitting on the shelf.
Initial Review.
I say to record the batch code before you set the machine up as its on the bottom of the machine and its very very hard to read. This is for Registration Purposes.
I have to admit, this machine is great. The stainless steel version looks so classic in my opinion and ties in well with our kitchen. Now if your new to making espresso`s, lattes, cappuccino`s etc on this machine, you will think that its lukewarm and that might be because your obsessed with keeping it clean or trying too hard to get it right first time and so on “i.e. latte art” as you might have seen a few videos online prior to getting the machine. This happened to me when I got my first Bean to cup machine years ago.
The Sage model also heats the milk faster as well. I think the drip tray maybe could have been deeper though as it seems to fill up faster.
The Sage also fits on the counter perfectly as I was worried it might be slightly high to reach under the cupboards but it was lower and wider than my old machine. Another small niggle thought, if you have it at the corner of your countertop, it’s hard to get at the water tank to pull it out but I open it from the back and just keep topping up the water.
I love my coffee and the only way is fresh beans for me. Prior to getting machine I ordered 4 different type beans in a sample packs and ran a test from pack 1 to 4. I wrote down each bar pressure “when I got them correct”, grind, pour time, mild roast, dark roast etc.
Each time when I ran them again and checked my finding from the first run and it went back to what the bean said “or very close” from 1 – 4 if you know what I mean. So it really does depend on the bean folks.
There are higher models and more expensive than the Barista Express and yes they look good but I simply like doing it all myself and that’s part of the fun in my opinion. This machine is now in the price range for anyone who really loves the smell, freshness and fun of making your own coffee`s. I mean let’s face it; it will pay for itself eventually.
Also my advice is don’t buy your pre-packed beans your local big supermarket as you don’t know how long they have been there. Order them from a good online store where you know there fresh and try different blends.