Sage the Barista Express Espresso Machine, Bean to Cup Coffee Machine with Milk Frother, BES875BKS - Black Sesame

New to the art of pulling expresso but not to drinking it, I wanted a machine that would provide sufficient flexibility to fine tune a good brew but not so much that the whole process would become overwhelming, too complex, and just a chore.I think this machine might be the perfect balance. There are sufficient controls to allow for the variation of all the main parameters: grind coarseness, amount of grind, amount of water (or length, as it's called) and there is a very useful (I would say invaluable) pressure gauge. There a few more controls if really needed, but these are the ones you're going to need to tweak most often, with each new bean choice. Although I'm a gadget freak, I thought that touch panels, and programmability would be too much (possibly unnecessary?) and I think I'm right on this occasion.The most important thing I've found is that you should pay attention to the choice of filter used: single or double walled. The manual says that single walled is for freshly roasted and double walled for everything else. I initially made the mistake of thinking that freshly opened beans = fresh and therefore that the single walled basket should be used. Not so. It's the date of the roast that is important and I now know that this can usually be deduced from the batch codes present on many bags of roasted beans: 2236, for example, might well mean week 36 of 2022: not that freshly roasted (writing this in December) even if it has been sealed in a bag since the roast. So unless you are sure the roast is very recent, go with double walled filter baskets. If not, you will likely find, as I did, that it's almost impossible to produce a good crema.With that nugget of knowledge learned, the rest is pretty easy. Follow the instructions for default grind coarseness, amount of coffee and water, and you'll get a pretty impressive crema straight away. Some tweaking with the dials, paying attention to the pressure gauge - really useful - and the wetness of the puck produced after the process has completed, and you'll very quickly learn how to dial-in the best settings for a particular bean.Once you've done that, it's easy-peasy to produce a really excellent pull every time you use the machine.The steam wand is great, the hot water dispense useful for making certain coffees, and overall the machine design is great. The layout of the controls is clear and logical, with the flow of the whole process working from left to right. The water reservoir is large enough for many shots, and the waste tray at the bottom has a good capacity: you won't need to empty it too frequently.Finally - the look and the build quality are great. It feels solid, and like it's going to be a reliable machine that will give good service.I'm very pleased with the purchase. It was expensive, but there seems little point in paying less for a machine that doesn't have all the controls: you're not likely to get something nice to drink, so what's the point. And it really does produce extremely nice coffee with just a small bit of practice (an hour?) and some fairly low-cost supermarket beans. I can't wait to experiment with some really nice roasts.

This has easily become the most used appliance in my kitchen. I’ve had it for a while now and it’s still working just as well as when I first bought it. The build quality is excellent, and everything feels sturdy and well-designed.It consistently produces great espresso, and with a bit of practice, it’s easy to dial in the grind and pressure for the perfect shot. The built-in grinder is a huge plus and saves counter space, and the steam wand works well for milk-based drinks too.Cleaning is straightforward and the maintenance reminders are useful. I use it every day and it hasn’t let me down once.If you’re looking for a reliable home espresso machine that gives you control without being overly complicated, this is a great choice.

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.