Unfortunately your average home barista doesn’t have that long to wait in the morning so Sage developed a 3 second heat up time to optimum temperature so you can pretty much turn on and go. Well, as I've earlier said, this machine is closer to a fully automatic machine, but not completely because you'll still have to move the portafilter around when using the Barista Touch.

As I said when talking about the Oracle Touch, having the dual boiler at its core does give it more potential for shot quality, but it's not quite the same as having the Sage Dual Boiler where shot potential is concerned. Most people are more than happy with the cappuccino, latte and Americano these kinds of machines will make, and if you are, there's absolutely nothing wrong with bean to cup machines, they can be a very cheap, convenient and reliable way to drink great quality coffee shop favourites at home. Regardless of which machine you choose, both the Barista Pro and Barista Express are built with high-quality materials and equipped with features that allow you to craft barista-quality espresso and milk-based drinks at home. So, take your time to evaluate your preferences, and rest assured that either option will provide a delightful home brewing experience for years to come. When it comes to shot quality, and flexibility (in terms of what the machine allows to to do in terms of adjusting temperature and preinfusion pressure and time) the Dual Boiler punches way above its weight.The learning curve of this espresso machine is friendly, which is a good thing if you're new to making your coffee at home. This small feature ensures the exact temperature and pressure are achieved during extraction of espresso. This may not be a big deal for those who want just a cup of espresso in the morning. But the ThermoJet system also improves the steaming performance of the machine, not only by cutting the time between steaming and pulling espresso down to seconds but also by improving the steaming performance itself. If you read about the Sage Oracle Touch in the fully assisted Sage espresso machines section above, then I can explain the oracle in one very short sentence, it's the Oracle Touch without the touch screen, and therefore without the touchscreen guidance.

Personally, the only thing I don't like about the Bambino, is that you have to use the stubby spout portafilter that comes with it. The Bambino Plus will take the nicer quality portafilter for the Barista Express and Barista Pro, but that doesn't quite fit the Bambino. This is essentially the same machine as the Creatista Uno, only in a more premium all-stainless steel shell, and with a colour digital display, more milk texture and temperature settings and one touch milkies.

The Barista Pro is more sophisticated than the Duo Temp Pro with programmable shot buttons, an LCD screen, a shot timer and the ability to change the brew temperature, but pairing the Duo Temp Pro with the Smart Grinder Pro is a very similar setup where shot potential is concerned, but with the ability to get slightly better shot quality from the Duo Temp Pro by upgrading the grinder further down the line. Every Sage espresso coffee machine uses the 4 Keys formula, optimising each aspect from grind to extraction and microfoam milk texture. Our espresso machines are designed to use the right dose of freshly ground beans, ensure precise temperature control, optimal water pressure and create true microfoam milk to deliver a harmonious blend of golden espresso and velvety textured milk.

This machine makes all that feasible with an intuitive LCD, integrated grinder, PID temperature control, and a steam wand. This can be a significant difference for those looking for greater control over their coffee-making process. Size (Sage Barista Pro vs Express vs Touch)

Stand Alone Espresso Machines

If you're wondering what I mean by “mainstream”, I'm referring to “normal” big brand coffee beans. Basically, we're talking about coffee beans that are traded and roasted in massive volumes, and the main difference between these kind of coffee beans, and coffee beans from a small batch roaster or speciality coffee supplier, is how freshly roasted they are. So in a nutshell, the Barista Express is a great value for money option if you're not aiming for home barista use and freshly roasted beans, but if you are heading in that direction I'd recommend having a look at the Barista Pro instead. Quite often I'm asked whether I'd go for the Gaggia Classic Pro vs Sage Bambino Plus, that's a very common comparison question, but I think the Duo Temp Pro is a much more obvious comparison to the Classic. But once you get the hang of it, you can make delicious creamy coffee drinks with your Sage Barista Pro.