Sprout reviews: Sage the Dual Boiler
Our friends over at Sage gave us the opportunity to provide you with several of their professional espresso machines for home use. You can test each one of them on the weekends here at Sprout. I took one particular model to the test: the Dual Boiler™.
First of all, it struck me that the machine caught up to brewing temp in no time. Within minutes I was able to dial in the coffee I was using that weekend - a Brasil called Aracaçu we roast for ZwartWit in Eindhoven. The portafilter comes in a 58mm diameter setup and allows for 19-22 grams of coffee dosage. Great for our usual recipes between 19,5 and 20 grams!
After a couple of tries, I was able to reach the right recipe. I noticed by looking at the pressure gauge that the machine applies a similar pressure profile to our machine. At around 8 to 10 seconds, the pressure shoots up to that 9-bar espresso mark. Shots finish within our 28-30 second preferred time frame. The manual setting let me stop the machine at the right time once my scale hit the recipe. It felt like with this machine, making tasty espressos at home is a breeze.
Dosing up a little more, towards 20 grams, I decided to make a cappuccino. This is where the dual boiler system comes in handy. While pulling shots, I can steam the milk at the same time. While it does take longer to steam the milk, it does allow you to create silky milk at the right temperature for latte art. It’s a great way to get familiar with steaming and pouring milk if you love milky drinks.
Looking at it all, this machine can make great shots and steam good milk for a full coffee experience. You will need a good espresso grinder that ensures you get the best out of your chosen coffee. We even lent out this machine to our friends at Jungle for a catering event they organised - it held up with the steady demand!
Pros:
Dual Boiler system
Quick start-up
High dose capabilities
Latte Art ready
Pressure gauge
Clear information on the screen
Cons:
Steaming milk takes some time
You will need an espresso grinder
First of all, it struck me that the machine caught up to brewing temp in no time. Within minutes I was able to dial in the coffee I was using that weekend - a Brasil called Aracaçu we roast for ZwartWit in Eindhoven. The portafilter comes in a 58mm diameter setup and allows for 19-22 grams of coffee dosage. Great for our usual recipes between 19,5 and 20 grams!
After a couple of tries, I was able to reach the right recipe. I noticed by looking at the pressure gauge that the machine applies a similar pressure profile to our machine. At around 8 to 10 seconds, the pressure shoots up to that 9-bar espresso mark. Shots finish within our 28-30 second preferred time frame. The manual setting let me stop the machine at the right time once my scale hit the recipe. It felt like with this machine, making tasty espressos at home is a breeze.
Dosing up a little more, towards 20 grams, I decided to make a cappuccino. This is where the dual boiler system comes in handy. While pulling shots, I can steam the milk at the same time. While it does take longer to steam the milk, it does allow you to create silky milk at the right temperature for latte art. It’s a great way to get familiar with steaming and pouring milk if you love milky drinks.
Looking at it all, this machine can make great shots and steam good milk for a full coffee experience. You will need a good espresso grinder that ensures you get the best out of your chosen coffee. We even lent out this machine to our friends at Jungle for a catering event they organised - it held up with the steady demand!
Pros:
Dual Boiler system
Quick start-up
High dose capabilities
Latte Art ready
Pressure gauge
Clear information on the screen
Cons:
Steaming milk takes some time
You will need an espresso grinder