Sage BES920UK Espresso Machine - Review 🏆

The Sage BES920UK is a premium espresso machine designed for home use. It features a built-in conical burr grinder, digital temperature control, and automatic milk steaming, allowing you to make cafe-quality espresso drinks at home.

This fully automatic machine takes care of grinding, dosing, tamping, and extracting espresso with the push of a button. The integrated conical burr grinder with dose control delivers freshly ground coffee on demand, ensuring the full flavor and aroma of your beans are captured in each shot.

With digital PID temperature control, the Sage BES920UK heats water to precisely the right temperature throughout the extraction. This promotes optimal espresso extraction for a balanced, barista-quality shot. The machine also includes pre-infusion functionality to gradually saturate the coffee grounds before full pressure extraction.

In addition to brewing espresso, the BES920UK can automatically texture milk into microfoam for creating lattes and cappuccinos. The steam wand allows you to adjust milk temperature and texture to suit your preferences.

Overall, the Sage BES920UK is designed to offer exceptional home espresso and milk drinks with commercial-grade power, precision, and features. This review will dive into the details of using and owning this espresso machine.

Design and Appearance

The Sage BES920UK has an attractive and modern design with a stainless steel exterior and metal portafilters. The build quality feels very solid and durable, with precisely machined parts that fit together nicely.

The machine has a compact footprint, measuring 13.1 x 17.6 x 13.7 inches, so it won't take up too much counter space. The stainless steel gives it a sleek look that would fit into most kitchen decors. The sides have subtle curvature and beveled edges that add visual interest.

Overall, the BES920UK features high-end design cues more reminiscent of commercial espresso machines costing thousands of dollars. The materials and attention to aesthetic details make this a handsome addition to your kitchen.

In comparison, the Siemens TI9575X7DE offers a unique blend of functionality and style. Its sleek touchscreen interface and customizable options ensure that you can create the perfect cup of coffee every time. The machine's design is not only modern but also user-friendly, making it an attractive addition to any kitchen setting. With premium materials and an efficient brewing system, the Siemens espresso machine is a worthy competitor.

Features and Controls

The Sage BES920UK espresso machine comes equipped with an impressive array of features and controls that allow you to fully customize your espresso experience.

One standout feature is the digital pressure gauge, which displays the pre-infusion pressure and extraction pressure in real-time on the LCD display. This allows you to carefully monitor the pressure throughout the entire espresso pull and ensure optimum extraction.

You can easily adjust the temperature with increments of 2°C to get the perfect heat for your beans. The lower temperature is great for lighter roasted beans which risk more bitterness extracted at high heat.

An excellent addition is the programmable pre-infusion functionality. Pre-infusion wets the ground coffee in the portafilter before full pressure is applied. This helps achieve an even saturation and expansion of the coffee grounds. The duration of the pre-infusion is adjustable from 0-60 seconds.

The machine also has an impressive 1600W thermocoil heating system which delivers thermal stability and precise temperature control. The integrated conical burr grinder has 60 grind settings to allow you to adjust from fine espresso grinds up to coarse grind for manual brewing.

With its array of adjustments, pressure monitoring, and temperature precision, the Sage BES920UK provides exceptional control over all the key variables in crafting specialty coffee. These advanced features make it accessible for beginners yet still incredibly capable for experienced baristas.

Another remarkable option to consider is the KLARSTEIN TK3G-Passionata-20, which boasts a user-friendly interface, allowing coffee lovers to brew their favorite espresso with ease. This machine features a milk frother for cafe-style cappuccinos and lattes, and its compact design fits seamlessly into any kitchen. The TK3G-Passionata-20 also includes customizable settings, ensuring a perfect cup every time, whether you prefer a rich espresso or a creamy latte.

Ease of Use

The Sage BES920UK espresso machine is designed to be easy to use, even for beginners. The learning curve is relatively short thanks to the intuitive controls and clear display.

Maintenance is straightforward - the machine will remind you when it needs descaling or cleaning. The removable brew group can be rinsed under running water to clean it. There's also an integrated cleaning cycle that guides you through backflushing the grouphead.

Overall, cleaning the BES920UK is simple. The stainless steel exterior just needs a wipe down to keep it looking nice. The drip tray, water tank, and milk jug are all dishwasher safe as well. The only chore is emptying the knockbox and backflushing the grouphead periodically. But the machine makes this very easy to do.

So while there is a small learning curve to mastering the espresso and milk steaming, the BES920UK is one of the most user-friendly prosumer models available. The maintenance is simple and infrequent. For most home baristas, the ease of use is a major selling point.

Grinder

The Sage BES920UK comes equipped with a built-in conical burr grinder, allowing you to grind beans right before brewing for maximum freshness. The stainless steel conical burrs are designed to minimize grinding heat and protect the essential oils in the coffee beans.

There are 60 precise grind settings to choose from, suitable for everything from espresso to plunger brewing. You can easily adjust the grind size by turning the hopper dial. The settings are clearly marked from fine to coarse.

The hopper has a 0.5lb (250g) bean capacity, which should be sufficient for most home use before needing a refill. The grounds container can hold up to 14 shots of espresso. Both containers have a locking system for easy removal, storage, and transfer of coffee beans or grounds.

Overall, the built-in grinder is a high-quality component that offers flexibility and consistently optimized extractions. With precise grind size control and low heat grinding, you can achieve café-quality coffee drinks from the comfort of home.

Espresso Quality

The Sage BES920UK produces espresso with excellent taste, texture, and crema. The 15 bar Italian pump provides the ideal pressure to extract the oils and flavors from the coffee beans, resulting in a rich, full-bodied espresso.

The espresso has a smooth, velvety texture that is neither watery nor bitter. The microfoam crema produced is thick and persistent, with a mottled tan color that indicates the coffee is freshly extracted and properly pressurized. The crema lasts until the final sip without dissipating, which is a mark of quality crema.

Overall, the espresso from the Sage has well-balanced flavors that are bold without any harsh acidity. Notes of chocolate and caramel come through, typical of a properly extracted dark roast espresso. The mouthfeel is thick and coats the tongue nicely. The espresso shots meet the “gold standard” expected from high-end semi-automatic espresso machines.

Milk Frothing

The Sage BES920UK comes with a commercial-grade steam wand that makes it easy to create perfectly frothed milk for cappuccinos and lattes. The steam wand has precise control over steam pressure and temperature, allowing you to dial in the right amount of air to get silky, microfoam texture.

One of the standout features of this steam wand is that it only takes about 10 seconds to get up to temperature. This means you don't have to wait long before you can start steaming milk. The steam power is also excellent - it can transform cold milk into hot, frothed milk in under a minute.

The steam wand produces wet, glossy and smooth microfoam that floats on top of the coffee crema beautifully. This microfoam texture makes it easy to create latte art like rosettas and tulips. The consistency is perfect for etching designs that will hold their shape.

Overall, the steam wand on the Sage BES920UK performs exceptionally well. It's fast, powerful, and gives you the microfoam texture needed to make cafe-quality milk drinks.

Value for Money

The Sage BES920UK carries a premium price tag, typically retailing for around £1,000. However, it's important to look at the value this machine delivers for the cost.

Compared to other espresso machines in this price range, the BES920UK stacks up well. It produces restaurant-quality espresso and microfoam milk that rivals much more expensive machines. The integrated conical burr grinder also sets it apart from competitors, providing fresh grounds on demand.

While it's certainly a splurge for most home baristas, the performance and features of the BES920UK make it a worthwhile investment for espresso enthusiasts. The machine should provide many years of flawless espresso and milk drinks with proper maintenance and care. Its solid build quality and Sage's reputation for reliability also lend confidence in the value.

For those seeking the pinnacle of home espresso and milk frothing, the Sage BES920UK represents an excellent balance of performance and price compared to other machines on the market. It's a significant step up from lower-priced appliances without reaching the stratospheric prices of commercial-grade equipment. While not cheap, it delivers outstanding results for the money.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Produces excellent espresso with thick crema and balanced flavor
• Integrated conical burr grinder grinds beans right before brewing for maximum freshness
• Digital temperature control for precise espresso extraction
• Fast heat-up time of only 3 seconds
• Automatically tamps grounds to optimal pressure
• Easy to use LCD display with programming options
• Simple cleaning and descaling process
• Solid stainless steel construction for durability
• Comes with single and double shot filter baskets

Cons

• Expensive price point puts it out of reach for some buyers
• Requires learning curve to master espresso techniques
• Takes up a good amount of counter space
• Steam wand could be more powerful for milk frothing
• Bean hopper holds less than some other models
• No option to use pre-ground coffee

Conclusion

The Sage BES920UK is an excellent espresso machine that produces cafe-quality espresso and milk drinks at home. It has a sleek, modern design with stainless steel construction that will look great on any kitchen countertop. The convenient LCD display and intuitive controls make it easy to use.

The built-in conical burr grinder and precise espresso extraction ensure you can get delicious espresso every time. The steam wand froths milk quickly and smoothly for creamy cappuccinos and lattes. Additional features like the pre-infusion function, adjustable brew temperature, and low pressure pre-brewing mode give you more control over your shots.

Overall, the Sage BES920UK is a high-performing, feature-packed espresso machine perfect for espresso enthusiasts, specialty coffee lovers, and anyone who wants to bring an authentic cafe experience into their home. It consistently delivers outstanding results, and the quality and flexibility of this machine make it well worth the investment. If you're looking for the ultimate home espresso and coffee setup, the Sage BES920UK is highly recommended.