Sage Barista Express Espresso Machine – Espresso and Coffee Maker, Bean to Cup Coffee Machine, BES875UK , Brushed Stainless Steel
Kitchen appliances designed to inspire people to produce perfect food and beverage results in their own homes with ease. From espresso machines to food processors, the innovation in each appliance delights. Sage makes the process a pleasure and the end result perfect, every time.
the Barista Express by Sage
True café quality, without the barista.
Create great tasting espresso – from bean to espresso– in less than a minute. The Barista Express allows you to grind the beans right before extraction, and its interchangeable filters and a choice of automatic or manual operation ensure authentic café style results in no time at all.
The 4 keys formula for third wave specialty coffee at home:
- Rich, full flavour
- Perfectly balanced taste
- Irresistible body
- Silky, velvety mouthfeel
The 4 keys formula for third wave specialty coffee at home.
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1. Rich, full flavourFull-bodied coffee with rich and complex flavours is created using the right dose of 19-22g of freshly ground beans. This dose allows the coffee to fully express the incredible aroma, intense flavours and distinctive character of the coffee, for a true cafe quality result. Anything less than the optimal dose results in a weak and watery taste experience. | 2. Perfectly balanced tasteSweet, delicious and nuanced flavour notes begin with precise control over water temperature. Digital temperature control (PID) technology precisely controls water temperature for a perfectly balanced coffee extraction, giving you the control and consistency for delicious tasting coffee every time. | 3. Irresistible bodyAn opulent, creamy and caramel-coloured espresso starts with low pressure pre-infusion that soaks the grinds, allowing water to pass evenly through the coffee during the high pressure (9 bar) extraction process, delivered via our 15 bar Italian pump. This results in a rich, sweet and viscous espresso. | 4. Silky, velvety mouthfeelSavour the silky taste and velvety mouthfeel of true microfoam milk. The milk is steamed with pressure that creates thousands of tiny bubbles, enhancing flavour and mouthfeel, while the temperature brings out the milk’s sweetness, exciting your taste buds, for a harmonious blend of rich, sweet milk and syrupy, golden espresso. |
Special Features of the Barista Express
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Dose-Control GrindingIntegrated conical burr grinder grinds on-demand to deliver the right amount of freshly ground coffee directly into the portafilter for your preferred taste with any roast of bean. | Precise Espresso ExtractionDigital temperature control (PID) delivers water at precisley the right temperature, ensuring optimal espresso extraction. | Micro-foam Milk TexturingThe steam wand performs at the level that allows you to hand texture micro-foam milk that enhances flavour and enables creation of latte art. | Hands-Free OperationInnovative grinding cradle allows any at-home Barista to grind directly into the espresso portafilter. |
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| Interface | Button Control | Dial Control | Analogue Gauge Button Control | Analogue Gauge Button Control | Swipe & Select Touch Screen | LCD Screen; Button Control |
| Hands on like a barista | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | – | – |
| Cafe Quality Microfoam | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Precise Milk Temperature, Automatically | ✓ | – | – | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Built-In Grinder | – | – | ✓ | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Compact Footprint | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | – |
| 3 Second Heat Up | ✓ | – | – | – | ✓ | – |
| Weight: | 10.6 kg |
| Dimensions: | 31 x 40 x 33 cm; 10.6 Kilograms |
| Brand: | Sage |
| Model: | BES875UK |
| Colour: | Stainless Steel |
| Colour: | Stainless Steel |
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! 😀 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! 😀
This is an excellent machine that has a premium feel to its construction and supplied hardware. As long as you achieve the correct pressure consistency when brewing the coffee, you get great results every time. One thing worth mentioning, the brew cradle started leaking recently during operation – this was due to the Gasket perishing. I did speak to Sage about this to ask what their life expectancy was and the operator didn’tknow!. Thought it may be a warrantyitem, as the machine is well within guarantee. The operator asked me to video the old gasket (which I did) but never responded back to my email. We were missing ourfresh coffee, so bit the bullet and ordered a pair of replacements from one of Amazons seller partners as they are cheap to buy. These Gaskets are a bit like a timing belt on a car and appear to have a limited shelf life….around 900 or so cups we made before it lost pressure and started leaking water. It’s relatively easy to change them though, with instructional videos to help on YouTube. Would definitely recommend this machine!
Have been using The Sage Barista Express since Jan 2020 to replace my burned out Kitchen Aid machine, which was one of many coffee machines used over 20 years. The Barista Express is the best of all due, quite simply, to the depth of flavour it extracts. I have used the same beans, Segafredo Intermezzo for around 7 years and this machine produces the most flavour. It DOES take a good few attempts to get the grind size right, to get the tamping pressure right and the razor, which I thought was a bit of a gimmick, does it’s job by evening out the coffee spread. Most coffee machines I have had have had a pressure gauge that was for show only, this one is crucial, keep the extraction within the sweet spot and you can taste the difference easily. The crema it produces is light years ahead of the Kitchen Aid & I thought that produced good coffee. The hot water outlet is excellent and is ready within 2 mins of switching on machine. The frothing system is superior to any I have used, produces excellent, rich froth and the jug was supplied with purchase and this is also important as it has a built in thermometer to let you know when the correct temp is reached. Even the coffee dispensing is a pleasure due to being able to slot the holder into a ‘cradle’ and click & leave, allowing your chosen dose amount to be dispensed from built in grinder.
All cleaning cycles have been carried out as indicated by the machine and have been pain-free due to excellent instructions. It got 4 out of 5 stars simply because coffee machines DO require regular cleaning and it IS time consuming, so it reflects the hassle of owning ANY coffee machine rather than being a mark down of this one. I have also cleaned the top burr of grinder with the supplied brush and removed the build up of oils through choice. This meant the fine-tuning was lost for a few ‘grinds’ as the oils built up provided additional flavour, but it soon returned.
Overall, it is a fabulous machine. A huge amount of thought has gone into the build. The tamper holder, drip tray and water tank for example are designed for complete ease of use and storage. It came supplied with 4 filter baskets for use with beans or pre-ground coffee and a set of cleaning/fixing tools all storable behind the drip tray! Cost was 400 pounds so it is not cheap, but is easily worth it. Excellent, thoughtful design and delicious coffee.
I love my new coffee machine! Top tip – watch some youtube vids to get an easy handle on the machine before using it – and buy some cheap coffee beans because you’re going to ruin a few drinks before you get a hang of it – but once you do – man! Most coffees from coffee shops (especially the chains) now taste very stale. Like coffee? Get yourself one of these babies.
Great for making your morning coffee. This was my first espresso machine, and it look practice and patience, but after some trial and error I got a good cup of coffee. I’m not perfect, but even at that what I make with this easily beats 95% of the local cafes who don’t dial in their grind, don’t measure, don’t use ratios, and burn the milk.
The main downside is if you have guests over, and they all want a milk-based coffee like a latte, it takes a while to make them. Because this is a single boiler machine you can’t be making both espresso and steamed milk, it’s one or the other. You’re best making all the espressos in a batch, and then steaming the milk.
Very well designed home espresso machine. Proper quality materials, just can’t fault the way it’s built. Before you buy it though think if you are ready for a new hobby because this is a manual machine and to get the best espresso you will need to learn a thing or two about it. Only one bad thing about it is the relatively low powered steamer.
I’ve had this machine for a little over 2 weeks and it’s fast turning into my quarantine hobby.
Make no mistakes this is an awesome but of kit but it is by no means easy to use. You have to put a little effort into setting it up to handle your particular brand of beans and learning how to create that perfect, smooth milk. Once you start getting close this thing starts showing it’s true colours.
Pros:
1. Great espresso once you learn how to configure the machine
2. Well made, study and looks great
Cons:
1. Can be a little messy to use
Final word, can highly recommend this machine. If your willing to put a bit of effort in you won’t be disappointed.
Our best purchase of 2020. I was lucky and purchased mine pre lockdown for a lot less than it is now. Have used it every day since, making regular coffee, oat milk latte’s, cappuccino’s, hot chocolate. Absolutely love it. One reviewer said theirs was tarnished. I’ve not had that problem, but given coffee is acidic I always wipe mine straight off with a damp cloth if any coffee goes on it, maybe that helps. Great coffee, great buy. I fancy another coffee now
Mixed feelings because when you get it right it does produce nice coffee. The thing is that it takes a bit of getting used to, and getting everything in the process (especially the grind amount and milk frothing) right takes some time and effort. The steamer nozzle tends to block easily but the tool provided soon sorts that out. All in all I think it’s a quality product but you have to put in the time and effort (and some wasted/spoiled drinks) to get it right.
Doesn’t disappoint – this is a robust machine that’s built to last and produces rock-solid dependable espresso day-in, day-out. We have two of these in work, where they get hammered by a staff of 200, knocking out coffee to queues of people every morning. They’re still going strong after 12 & 6 months. The coffee is so good I bought myself one. Only teeny tiny disappointment is having to refill the water container – it’d be great if you could plumb it in – but that’s a niggle – the coffee is great, the quality of the device is great – really can’t fault it.
I’ve had Ascaso, Gaggia, Francis and Francis and other espresso machines and this is, by far, the best one I’ve ever had; that said, users do need to learn how to use these machines properly or they’ll never get anywhere – particularly watching videos and reading up and even doing a day’s barista course, which is grea
The Barista coffee machine is actually easier to use than we thought it would be.
This isn’t a fully automatic coffee machine however by the time of making the
third coffee we had the grind adjusted and the extraction pressure how it needed to be.
From there on its been easy to make perfect coffee every time.
Highly recommended and it has cut down significantly the amount of time we spend in
coffee shops
This machine produces great coffee. It takes a bit of getting used to but there are a number of variables to explore until you find the right settings for you and yours be it single or double. It undoubtedly produces the best coffe I have ever made at home using many different machines and gadgets
At last I can get a proper cup of coffee when ever I like.
I have a nespresso pod machine too but it doesn’t come near to my sage barrister machine.
You need to source some fresh roasted coffee beans to make the best tasting coffee but when you do you will taste the difference.
Great coffee machine, absolutely love it. Initially found it hard to get up to pressure even on the finest grind setting, but after adjusting the burrs themselves I am using grind setting 3 most of the time and getting a great extraction. A bit more powerful steam wand would be nice, but given the size and price of the machine it is adequate.
Works well – makes good coffee from a variety of beans, excellent at frothing the milk for latte etc. Grinder does a good job although it seems to struggle a little with some beans to get the grind fine enough. Built in filter for hard water is very useful although these can, apparently, be a little hard to obtain. LOts of settings to adjust to get your coffee just how you like it.
Not directly bean to cup and can be a little tricky to clean, but overall a very good machine. Bought on the recommendation of my son, who has one.
I ordered the Barista express as an upgrade to an old Delonghi machine I had. Having heard about this many years ago I decided to upgrade. The machine arrived and it was fantastic, the machine froths milk very well and i’m able to make latte art with ease. I did however have a problem with the first machine I was sent. No matter what I did the coffee would pour out far too quickly, I tamped harder, made the grind finer (I used setting 1) and even increased the dose, but still too quick.
Amazon connected me to Sage who suggested everything I’d already done. They were supposed to phone back by the end of the working day with a solution but never did. I spoke to amazon again and they were quick to respond and help by sending a new machine. It’s just arrived and what can I say, it’s perfect. The coffee takes excellent and it pours perfectly.
If you’re looking for a new machine with a built in grinder this is definitely the one to go for. Expensive but worth it if you’re into making coffee.
I have been using this coffee machine for about two months and it just getting better. If it’s your first time with such machine it will take you few weeks to learn and tune it right, but you will enjoy perfect cofffe. As for beans, it’s recommended to use fresh roasted beans, but in some case also supermarket beans will work as well.
Love my new machine . Is absolutely easy to use and you can be a master coffee maker in a week . Of course if you don’t own a barista before.
Is easy to use with a lot of settings that can suit your preferences of the best coffee cup.
Easy to clean and warn you when the tray is full of water .
This is one my favorite objects. I have experience making coffee in a cafe, so the learning curve was simple, and the coffee delicious. It’s dependent on the quality of beans of course. The only thing that could be improved is a larger water tank or a built in scale. Great machine for the price.
If you want great taste you will of course buy great coffee. The to make it a really good experience you will have to dial in the machine to get the grind size right. I dialed it down to 2 but have since gone up to 4. I have also adjusted the time knob for grind time a bit. The best way to do it is to weigh the handle empty and then grind two cups and weigh again. You should ideally end upp with 17 grams (+-2g). With an extraction time of 25-30s you should end up with 2 ounces or 6ml of espresso. Make sure that the pressure dial keeps at 12 o’clock, not under 11 and not over 1 or you will end upp with bitter or sour notes in the taste. You will of course also have to elaborate with your tamping pressure to get it right. In the end I used up 250g of beans experimenting before I got the settings and my tamping right. No I just have to enjoy the coffee! The only downsides to this machine is 1) the noise, and 2) only one boiler. I new this from the start and choose to go with this one because the price is right for me and I could accept these two downsides. I am truly satisfied with my machine.
I have had a number of coffee machines over the years but this has taken coffee making to a whole new level. Everything about this machine is just brilliant. You feel like you have your coffee shop at home that you no longer want to go to a coffee house! The best coffee grinder for that perfect coffee mix to your exact taste with the perfect frothy milk to the right consistency and temperature. When I have guests around for a meal they just want that proper coffee experience. The quality and functionality of the machine is superb. The best ever!
Loving dosing up on fresh ground coffee from this machine. It’s quick, clean, convenient and looks neat. Only took one star away because the knob to adjust grind amount seems to make no difference so I have to judge grind time. But I can live with that.
Many Youtube videos to see for this model if you search on “Barista Express”. Using Amazon’s ‘Solimo’ beans – on grind setting 4 – gives good crema and taste. All just first impressions, but the mechanics sound and feel robust and fun to use. Having got the grind right, I now need to perfect the milk frothing for the family member who likes latte! Bought the Amazon warranty too, as this is going to get a lot of use!
I love this machine, Barista quality coffee on tap, easy to use/ maintain and really great tasting coffee. Not cheap but the quality is excellent and the machine looks fantastic. I have no doubt this will last me for years to come. Would definitely recommend.
After reading lots of reviews, decided this was the coffee machine for me. Not disappointed. After the initial faffing getting the settings just right, it started making great coffee. I made the mistake of using old beans initially ( finishing off what was left from my last machine which broke) but they were old and made terrible flat coffee.
After new beans put in it made a world of difference.
Negatives are it’s messy, it was spill grounds every on grinding, it will spit milk when your heating and it will splat coffee up the side when brewing. As long as you keep on top of cleaning, giving a quick wipe every days it’s not so bad.
It is my first professional espresso machine and I like it. I can feel now the difference between regular capsule machine and Sage. It is recommended to everyone who wants to go to the next level.
Super happy with the great coffee we are making at home now.
Only downside is the grinder which tends to be somewhat inconsistent when it comes to amount of coffee ground as it’s measuring in time not weight of coffee ground.
Once I figured out this bad boy, my first attempt at using proved to be very successful. The delicious result was IMHO much better than that produced by the berg fully automatic bean to cup machine it replaced (the berg stopped pumping milk after 5 years heavy use. I guess I killed it.). I couldn’t have made better in my R&D Organic Chemistry lab as a research Chemist.
Easy enough to set up – but make sure you always – ALWAYS use freshly roasted coffee beans. With old beans you won’t get right pressure and will end up with imbalanced low quality cup of coffee. I keep mine grinder at 2-3 and use 18g of coffee. 25-28 seconds of extraction and here is your perfect espresso.
After having various coffee making instruments I finally decided to upgrade from my Nespresso machine on a bargain Black Friday deal. I don’t regret it. This machine makes proper espresso, not the fake espresso the Nespresso machines make. It does munch through beans though so have had to start buying fresh coffee in 1kg bags. It takes a bit of trial and error to dial in beans but I enjoy the hand on nature of the machine rather than the automated machines. It feel more rewarding when you pull a great shot.
A lot of adjustments have to be made until you find the right balance of the grinding coffee, but undoubtedly an excellent machine. The steam for the milk froth is relatively weak and it takes quite a while for the steam to react. In retrospect, I would buy the more elaborate model.
After half a dozen or so goes at making espresso, this machine now makes fantastic coffee every time. It’s really easy to use, does exactly what’s needed and no more, and offers a great balance between fully manual and fully automatic espresso machines. There’s just enough control over the grind, dose and pressure to personalise to your particular taste.
This may not be ideal for a complete beginner, but if you have a bit of understanding and experience of creating a decent espresso, then it’s a great machine.
Going from a Moka pot to this is like going from taking the bus to work to getting flown there in a helicopter with heated seats and champagne. Getting coffee right is down to buying the right beans, and having personal skill, but it all starts with having the right tools. Waking up and brewing myself an espresso on days when I’m late and a cappuccino otherwise has made getting out of bed fun. The Sage Barista Express warms up in seconds, delivers a consistent grind every time, and leaves the door open for you the coffee lover to experiment with blends, grind sizes, extraction details etc. Get one, treat it well (no hard water), and you won’t be disappointed.
First ‘proper’ espresso machine. Really impressed with it so far having used it multiple times per day for a couple of months.
So far I have run 1 cleaning cycle on the group head. Worth noting that the cleaning kit is slightly different than the one mentioned in the manual; works the same but doesn’t expel dirty water through the portafilter.
I use filtered water on tap so have no interest in the water filter in the tank. They’re costly anyway!
Keep this machine clean. While this product may be stainless steel, it marks easily if you don’t wipe and dry it down after use.
I’m consistently pulling great shots and enjoying coffee more than ever. Purchased on offer at 399 and haven’t looked back. This machine will be inconvenient for some; it takes time. Personally I like this time in a morning to relax and enjoy something you have created.
This is a great coffee machine! Not the fastest as it grinds the beans, heats the milk etc. Once you have mastered the intricacies it makes a fantastic cup of coffee, in my opinion, comparable with the best coffee shops. Love it!
Bought this as a christmas present for my husband. I know nothing about coffee but he used to work as a barista so he knows his stuff. He is very happy with this machine and he managed to teach me how to use it. It is very easy to make excellent coffee and hot chocolate (for people like me who dont like coffee). Every single part is sturdy and I dont expect this to break any time soon. I can only recommend it. And by the way: it looks nice in the kitchen 🙂
Amazing machine, easy to use, easy to clean. Has extra features we hadn’t realised such as descaler, warming plate, water top up. Once we had figured it out we have been making the best coffees (strong espresso for him, milky latte for me). Super machine.
We liked everything about the machine and love the coffee…
I have used this a lot more than I thought I would originally, it has completely replaced my coffee shop chain purchased coffees. The quality, flavour and milk frother are exceptional. I think my cappuccinos are now better than Costa’s, just watched a few UTube videos.
So far so good, I’m 5 days into using this item… I’ve been using aeropress for quite a while (which I definitely recommend) but I wanted to start making Flat Whites and Cortado’s at home. I have to say it’s very easy to use, very easy to clean and definitely makes great cups of coffee.
I love the manual aspect of it, I hate machines that make the whole drink for you, they usually get it very wrong… This gives you all the tools needed to make a proper coffee to your specific taste.
I’ve had some trouble getting the right pressure so far, I’m barely getting within the black most days and my coffee is grinded ultra fine, however, I don’t think my coffee beans are the greatest and I’ll be trying many different variants of beans to get the best out of the machine and to get the best taste possible.
I’d definitely recommend buying at this point.
My first real coffee machine and I love it. It takes a while to get the settings rite for your taste which is quite fun to do but once you have the grind of the beans and the settings you like its bang on perfect coffee every time highly recommend
Excellent machine. Pulled a near perfect espresso on the first go
I really like this machine, its used multiple times a day and does the job flawlessly every time. Can’t really fault it for the price.
I do feel a little disheartened as I have it’s big brother at work and the difference is clear. More power on the steam wand, on waiting around for it to build up and things are obviously bigger and maybe a bit more sturdy. BUT this is around half the price, if not less, so definitely worth while trades!
Well, it looked that the machine needed to grind quite few times to finally get perfect amount of coffee for a perfect espresso. But when it did we are enjoying amazing coffee! It is very easy to use. A steamer takes few seconds to get an actual good flow of steam, but hey, it is not an industrial barista machine. I believe that all ‘home editions’ does that. Steamer works very well over all. Just don’t forget to check the level of water in the tank 😉 Also, machine does not take that much of space as you might imagine, so do not worry about that too!
I like this machine a lot, it certainly look the piece in the kitchen. It take some getting used to but makes a great cup of coffee once you find the right bean. My only complain is the cleaning and small mess that it creates. Am not sure this can be avoided with a manual machine but all in all a recommended product.
A proper coffee machine, the same as your Barista Coffee Bar.
Fantastic coffee machine!! Good price for good quality. Highly recommend
Looks great and makes great coffees /but need a loads of practices
Even better than the reviews suggest (which are bloody good). I love drinking coffee but hadn’t got a clue how to make my own. Then this came along… It’s super easy to use but with enough control of key variables. I would recommend to anyone who wants great coffee at home but doesnt have the knowledge, time or patience to worry about twiddling thousands of knobs to get the “perfect shot”. It’s going to save me a fortune long term. I’m a designer and I am super impressed on how every detail has been thought through, beauty is in the simplicity and function. This product nails it!
Love this machine, have had a couple of different espresso machines but this is the best I’ve had by far. Simple to use and straight forward to clean, can take a few attempts and fiddling to get the grind and balance correct but once sorted it pulls consistent good shots. Would be nice if it was twin boiler to froth milk whilst shot is being pulled but for the price it is an excellent machine.
The product arrived very well packaged, once out of the box it is simply a case of plug in and follow the easy to follow instructions. Following the advice documented I got the ideal pressure on my 2nd attempt. The razor included is hugely useful and the variation of filter baskets is also key.
The temperature displaying milk jug is incredibly handy and the steam wand has a surprisingly large degree of movement available to get the right angle for texturing.
Overall I’m loving using this machine and would definitely recommend i
This is the ideal machine for the home user that wants to make consistently great tasting coffee in the comfort of their own home. The Barista Express will bring out your inner barista and is recommended for the average home user.
Omg….. what can I say….. absolutely fantastic machine, great quality, very very easy to use even for the novice..,. Shame there website was useless in registration for free filters, but I can’t fault the machine, as soon as I have worn this out I will nectvthe model lol
Looks good, easy to use and makes fantastic coffee. Well worth the investment.
This machine makes better coffee than costa very easy to use and clean well made
I’d been deliberating for a while about whether or not to buy this machine as it’s quite expense for a once a day coffee drinker like myself. However I eventually took the plunge and very pleased that I did. The whole experience of sourcing your preferred beans, freshly grinding them and getting the right pressure to make an Esspresso, Americano, Latte etc. is surprisingly more gratifying than I could have thought. It also makes a great new feature and a talking point in kitchen.
I’m using this for all of my hot drinks now, even tea as the hot water from the tank is filtered and at the push of a button. No more waiting for the kettle to boil!
his is the best coffee machine this money can buy.
the look is Top class, Solid. not like other maker that are 90% made in plastic…
it makes very nice espresso, and also cappuccino is good with the milk fluffer.
just keep in mind that is not really easy to reach the good balance in order to make the perfect espresso.
it took to me more than a Kilo of coffee in order to set the correct grinding tickness and quantity. but once found the balance, the espresso is fantastic.
I recommend this machine to the people that like the espresso and that like also to make it. with this machine making a coffee become a Hobby.
highly recommended.
Amazing product. Always wanted a coffee machine at home. Does the job. Easy to use and set up. So prefer really coffee beans.
So the compartment for the coffee beans. I like it because it’s easy to clean out just a twist and remove. Also it’s a small compartment so the oil of the coffee bean can be kept in a sealed tight bag.
It’s a automatic grind so it will stop after the prefer time you’ve selected to. Usually default function is good.
It comes with a tamper that’s magnetic, easily removable from the machine.
Easy function to change from 1 or 2 shots.
Although the wand or steam is slower than the commercial as its domestic I actually prefer it because I can take time to me better form with less bubbles and can actually make latte art.
I was informed to make sure to use filtered water because its better for your machine in a long run.
We chose this over the Oracle, as we enjoy some manual interaction with our coffee making, but not too much! 🙂 This is hands down, our best house purchase this year! Looks great, feels pro, makes amazing latte – so good in fact, we haven’t visited our barista in a few months – sorry!
I love this product. Initially I was a little disappointed on the first day of use, as I made some mistakes with the grind size, quantity and milk foamier/steamer. However after a little bit of experimentation, really nice coffee can be produced. I recommend putting the settings close to medium setting ( 3 -4) or at three o’clock on the dial.
It’s not possible to make fresh coffee without getting some grinds or coffee droplets onto the machine, but its very easy to clean. So there is no problem here.
I suggest using with fresh coffee beans, and I trust that you will have a very pleasant cup of coffee.
Fantastic coffee maker that makes superb coffee easy to use, just buy it nothing matches it.
The best ever coffee machine I have had bought. Thank you Amazon for that excellent produc
I am not an expert of the coffee making, but it makes me feel that I am just like a barista of the famous coffee shops. I wondered between this one and the fully-automatic machines from the Delonghi, and I am glad that I chose this semi automatic one giving me a time of the day to relax and more option of customizing. I also hesitated buying, but after buying this, I seldom go to the coffee shops that costed my 3 to 6 pounds a day, and figured that owning this machine for 3+ months is more economic way of having quality coffees.
This product is like having the real thing like you see in coffee shops but smaller
The quality of the machine is excellent, and makes the best tasting coffee by far. I even prefer having coffee at home instead of going out for coffee
Takes a little time to get used to but I am very pleased with the overall performance
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!
I would say that unless you’re a pro already got a similar machine then you’ll have to get some practice in with the Sage. But it’s definitely worth it! 3mths or so later and it’s making lovely coffee.
I’d wanted a grinder for ages and the Sage having it built in is a massive bonus and means you can start looking at lots of bean options. Then you can start getting all technical with grind/tamp pressure/extraction times to really perfect your coffee. I think I’m getting there although I might be wrong (!) – all I know is that the coffee I’m drinking now is better than before. Which is the main point is it not?
My only disappointment is the milk jug: I just cannot get on with it so have gone back to my previous jug – this gives me a better finished milk although, again, I’m still adjusting and perfecting a good microfoam.
All in all, I’m very happy with the purchase and would highly recommend the Sage Barista Express 🙂
Best
Coffee
Ever
So much better than my old Delonghi, beats Costa, Starbucks etc….highly impressed.
I deliberated for weeks whether to buy this. I’d owned DeLonghi products for the past ten years, and although perfectly adequate, I wanted to ‘raise the bar’. I’m so glad I paid extra for this model/make. It’s very easy to use and despite what I’d read, quite intuitive. There are some variables of course and when you hit that sweet spot…. Mmmm, a perfect cup of Joe every time. Seriously, buy one, you won’t regret it.
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
We used to have nespresso coffee machine that uses coffee capsules and the coffee wasn’t as tasty and strong as this one.
One has to play around a bit to get the hang of machine but at the end you’ll get a great coffee just like the ones in a coffee shop.
I’m quite pleased with my purchase
Always wanted a “proper” expresso coffee machine. Well made in stainless steel and is easy to use after watching the many videos on YouTube. Although branded Sage in the UK the machine is made by Breville one of the better producers of coffee machines. The latest ClaroSwiss water filters are very expensive although you get 12 months free supply (3) when registering the warranty. Think I’ll go back to the charcoal filters but you can use bottled water if your water is too hard. See Jim Schulman’s report on water supplies for coffee machines – an excellent read.
Always buy freshly roasted beans and use from 4 to 20 days for the the best flavour. Avoid supermarket packs sold with only the “use by date” Looking around I have found one brand with the production date and use by date. If you have to buy from a local SM buy new stock only. Best of all use a local coffee shop who roast their own beans to achieve the best tasting coffee. This machine makes an excellent cup of coffee and it tastes even better when bought for 369 in the Amazon spring sale.
I have this machine a few days now. I researched endlessly as many machines seem to produce cold coffee! After experimenting with it now I can say that the quality of the coffee is as much to do with the beans as with the machine.
The only negatives so far are that the cupwarmer is virtually useless and it seems to leak water into the back compartment that holds the baskets. Also it tends to unhook itself and is a bit tricky to pull out!
I’m hoping it lasts a few years but time will tell.
Overall, I’m glad I bought it. I saved a few quid in the spring sale which is good.
Unlike most kitchen gadgets that you use a lot for a couple of weeks and then never touch again, this has stayed out on the counter & is used often.
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.
If your serious about making good expresso at home, this is a really great machine.
The best kitchen appliance we’ve ever bought. Simple to use and produces great frothy coffee every time.
Loving my sage Batista express …Getting use to the settings and making adjustments. Mainly you need to adjust the grind rate to sit your beans….Slightly noisey grinder…Makes beautiful coffee you will be proud of. Attractive and practical . And great to be part of the Sage community . Enjoy . Chris Broxbourne
Very good coffee! The machine is not cheap but the quality is impressive. Strongly suggested.
. It needs a deep clean (5 minutes) once every few weeks. It makes great coffee. And you feel involved.
One minus… the first brew when you switch it on is not as hot. This is the only room for improvement Sage… Well done
As I sad in the headline it’s like an F1 car. If you can drive and you can set the correct parameters you can win, but if you are a beginner you only go like a bicycle.
Translated into coffee machene: If you understand what you are doing, and you can set the parameters, you can make an espresso like in a coffee bar. But if you don’t know about the coffee making process this machine will bitter your life. But there is good news as well: you can learn it! This machine help a lot!
otally different taste of coffee when you are just drink fresh brewed coffee beans . make your day ahead.
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.
I like it so much and it’s Beautiful but it is slowly when you make espresso and milk
The temp control milk jug does not work, but other than that – works great!
Arrived before the appointed date. Easy to use everything is inside the box with catalog to learn how to use it.
The adjustable grinder is amazing, although makes a big mess. 🙂
Would get 5 stars if it was less noisy. Otherwise good machine
I dose what it says on the tin, brilliant coffee machine once you get use to i