Sage The Barista Touch Review: Craft Third-Wave Espresso at Home

Sage The Barista Touch Review: Craft Third-Wave Espresso at Home

Are you tired of settling for subpar espresso at home? Look no further than the Sage The Barista Touch SES880. This powerful and intuitive machine brings the café experience right to your kitchen, allowing you to craft third-wave specialty coffee with ease. In this comprehensive review, we'll explore the features, performance, and design of the Barista Touch, and compare it to other popular Sage espresso machines.

Key Features

The Barista Touch SES880 boasts an impressive array of features that set it apart from the competition:

  1. Intuitive Touch Screen Display: The easy-to-use touch screen allows you to navigate through the pre-programmed café drinks menu and customize your coffee to your liking.
  2. Automatic Milk Texturing: With the touch of a button, the Barista Touch creates silky smooth microfoam milk, perfect for latte art.
  3. Built-In Conical Burr Grinder: The integrated grinder delivers the right amount of freshly ground coffee on demand, ensuring maximum flavor.
  4. Rapid Heat-Up Time: Thanks to the ThermoJet heating system, the machine is ready to brew in just 3 seconds.
  5. Customizable Settings: Save up to 8 personalized coffee settings, so your perfect cup is always just a touch away.

Sage The Barista Touch Espresso Machine Brushed Stainless Steel

Performance and Taste

The Barista Touch consistently delivers café-quality espresso, thanks to its precision temperature control (PID) and pre-infusion function. The PID ensures the water is always at the optimal temperature for extracting maximum flavor, while the pre-infusion gradually increases water pressure to gently expand the grinds for an even extraction.

The automatic milk texturing is a standout feature, creating silky microfoam at the perfect temperature for your chosen drink. Whether you're crafting a latte, cappuccino, or flat white, the Barista Touch's milk texturing is sure to impress.

Design and Build Quality

The Barista Touch features a sleek, brushed stainless steel exterior that looks great on any kitchen counter. The machine is well-built and sturdy, with a 67 fl.oz (2L) water tank and a half-pound bean hopper.

The touch screen display is responsive and easy to navigate, with clear icons and customizable settings. The included accessories, such as the 54mm portafilter, tamper, and milk jug, are all high-quality and built to last.

Comparison with Other Sage Espresso Machines

To help you make an informed decision, let's compare the Barista Touch to two other popular Sage espresso machines:

Feature Barista Touch SES880 Barista Express BES875 Bambino Plus
Touch Screen Display
Automatic Milk Texturing
Built-In Grinder
Customizable Settings ✓ (8)
Water Tank Capacity 67 fl.oz (2L) 67 fl.oz (2L) 64 fl.oz (1.9L)
Dimensions (WxDxH) 32.2 x 39.4 x 40.7 cm 31.8 x 35.1 x 40.4 cm 19.4 x 36.2 x 30.4 cm

The Barista Express is a great choice if you want a built-in grinder but don't need the automatic milk texturing or touch screen display. It offers the same precision temperature control and pre-infusion function as the Barista Touch.

Sage The Barista Express Espresso Machine With Temp Control Milk Jug

On the other hand, the Bambino Plus is a more compact and affordable option that still offers automatic milk texturing. It's perfect for those with limited counter space or budget who still want to enjoy café-quality espresso at home.

Sage The Bambino Plus Espresso Machine

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Intuitive touch screen display
  • Automatic milk texturing
  • Built-in conical burr grinder
  • Rapid heat-up time
  • Customizable settings

Cons

  • Higher price point compared to other home espresso machines
  • Requires regular cleaning and maintenance
  • May have a learning curve for beginners

Conclusion

The Sage The Barista Touch SES880 is an exceptional home espresso machine that delivers café-quality coffee with ease. Its combination of intuitive touch screen controls, automatic milk texturing, and built-in grinder make it a top choice for coffee enthusiasts who want to craft third-wave espresso at home.

While it may come with a higher price tag and require some maintenance, the Barista Touch's performance and features justify the investment for those serious about their coffee. Whether you opt for the sleek brushed stainless steel or the stylish black truffle finish, the Barista Touch is sure to impress.

Sage The Barista Touch SES880BTR Coffee Espresso Machine Black Truffle

So, if you're ready to elevate your home espresso game and enjoy third-wave specialty coffee at the touch of a button, the Sage The Barista Touch SES880 is the perfect machine for you.

Retour au blog