Sage SDC450BSS the Precision Brewer Coffee Maker, 1.8L

Product Information

We liked having the pressure gauge during the initial setup process, the correct pressure range is very clearly marked and it’s a helpful indicator that you can watch as your espresso pours, to see whether it’s being extracted at the correct pressure. The manual then advises what adjustments you’ll need to make to correct an under or over extracted espresso, which is usually either the grind size or the amount of pressure you use when tamping.

From there it steps up to The Bambino Plus. As well as the features of The Duo Temp Pro you also get to choose from 3 temperatures for your milk. Just place the jug underneath the steam wand and it will automatically stop when that temperature is reached. One button starts the coffee delivery and it will stop automatically. We spoke to Luke Powell, Manager - Speciality Coffee EMEA at Sage Appliances, to find out more about the difference between filter coffee and other types of coffee that you might get from one of the best pod coffee machines, or an espresso machine."Espresso is any coffee brewed at pressure, often nine bars but pretty much anything above two bars can be termed espresso. Filter coffee is anything below involving a filter, so at regular atmospheric pressure." Jenis Homes Editor on TechRadar, and was previously the Large Appliances Editor at Ideal Home. She has over 10 years of experience as a product writer specialising in appliances, smart tech and mattresses. She helped to compile this round-up of the top-rated coffee machines on the market. FAQs Is an expensive coffee machine worth it? The Barista Express is a mid-range model, it builds on the entry-level espresso machine - the Bambino - by adding a built-in burr grinder to dispense freshly ground coffee right into the portafilter. But unlike the more automated bean-to-cup style machines from other brands, this one allows you to flex your barista skills. You’ll need to tamp the coffee yourself, use the razor tool to get it to the perfect level, and steam your own milk, all of which might take a bit of practice to perfect, particularly if you’re a novice. We love how sleek this coffee maker is from KitchenAid, and the fact it comes in a range of the brand’s signature hues means you can match it to all of its other appliances. More than that though, it’s sturdy, robust and comes with a generous 1.7l removable water tank and glass coffee carafe of the same capacity.We have very deliberately not even reviewed the other 2 because in our opinion we would not recommend them at all. This is not because they are not good machines – they are. Grinding and tamping are very important if you want to produce the best possible coffee. Bean to cup coffee machines do a good job but not as good as using manual intervention in the right way which is why the coffee shops do it that way. On the flip side you can make as little as 200ml if you wish which is enough for 1 to 2 cups depending on the size of your cups. If all of that sounds like too much hard work then a Sage coffee machine may not be for you and you should consider either a bean to cup coffee machine or a Nespresso coffee machine.

Delonghi are the runaway market leaders and have a huge range to choose from so if you want something as close as possible to a coffee shop coffee but without the hassle you can go straight to the best bean to cup coffee machines. Using the steak analogy again, if you cook even the best fillet steak for too long you will end up with a tough piece of leather so you need to make it just right to get the benefit from the quality product you are using. The Bonavita One-Touch is as simple as coffee filter machines come. No fancy buttons or settings, no presets to mess around with. Just a simple cup or coffee - or eight if you fancy. They are slightly deceiving because both of them do not come with an integrated coffee grinder which you will need to add at an additional cost. If you go down this road then you should select a burr coffee grinder as opposed to a blade grinder because you will get a far better quality of grind which you will need to complement a quality coffee machine. Sage Duo Temp Pro Coffee MachineThese additional options are a nice to have but are you willing to pay hundreds of pounds for them? You can make a fully informed decision as the review for The Barista Pro makes a number of comparisons versus the Barista Express. The Oracle will even perfectly tamp your coffee for you so all you have to do is insert it into the coffee outlet and press a button. You get to control all of the variables that make up the perfect coffee with the absolute minimum human intervention.

It really does offer unparalleled customisation for the coffee connoisseur or if you just want a great cup of coffee without any messing about then select “gold” to choose the default that Sage have created for you. It’s important to understand that Sage coffee machines are NOT bean to cup coffee machines. With a bean to cup coffee machine, you press one button and the machine grinds the beans, tamps the coffee and automatically extracts the espresso into the cup. Choose “my brew” from the menu and you can select the exact temperature that you want the water to be delivered at.The machine runs an automated cleaning cycle after every drink, which only lasts a few seconds, but ensures that your coffee will keep tasting great. It also boasts an LCD control panel and integrated coffee bean grinder with 19 different settings. That makes this machine as customisable as it is value-friendly.