Overview of the Sage Barista Touch Impress
The Sage Barista Touch Impress, known as the Breville Barista Touch Impress outside the UK, stands out as the most gratifying espresso machine I’ve had the opportunity to test through TechRadar. Its exceptional performance can be largely attributed to the Impress Puck System, which simplifies the process of crafting a well-formed bed of coffee in the filter basket by utilizing a lever located on the side of the device.
Initial Impressions
Over the past few days, the Barista Touch Impress has proven to be a delightful machine. Priced at roughly half of what the De’Longhi Primadonna Aromatic retails for, it still offers the luxurious feel one expects from a high-quality bean-to-cup espresso maker. The machine includes both single-walled and pressurized filter baskets, improving the espresso extraction process for beginners. A reassuringly heavy portafilter enhances the overall user experience, and it comes equipped with an array of cleaning tools neatly stored in a compartment behind the drip tray.
Additional Features
An eco starter kit comes with the machine, featuring essential items such as sachets of descaler, group head cleaner, grinder cleaner, and steam wand cleaner, along with a microfiber barista cloth. This thoughtful addition makes it easier for users to maintain the machine’s cleanliness, as it guides them through each cleaning procedure when necessary.
Furthermore, the Barista Touch Impress is supplied with a water filter, an essential component that many premium espresso machines either include or require users to purchase separately—especially beneficial for those living in areas with hard water. A water testing strip is provided to assess water hardness, and if it is deemed hard, Sage recommends opting for filtered water. Distilled water should be avoided altogether, as it can diminish coffee flavor and interfere with the machine’s water level sensors.
Grinding: A Key to Quality Espresso
Selecting the appropriate grind size is a critical aspect of brewing coffee—a task known as "dialling in." If the grind is too coarse, water will pass through too quickly, extracting only the sour flavor notes. Conversely, a grind that is too fine can result in over-extraction, yielding a bitter taste. One can think of the difference between water moving through marbles versus sand; marbles create larger gaps, allowing water to flow through swiftly.
The Sage Barista Touch Impress streamlines this process while also helping users gain an understanding of it. Should someone wish to transition to a fully manual espresso machine in the future, the foundational knowledge garnered from using this device will facilitate that journey.
User Experience
Filling the water tank and loading your coffee beans is just the beginning. The Barista Touch Impress guides you through brewing your first cup, offering options like espresso, long black, latte, cappuccino, and flat white. Additional options become available after completing the initial setup, broadening your coffee-drinking repertoire.
To start, users need to insert a basket into the portafilter handle and position it beneath the grinder spout, after which they can tap the corresponding icon on the touchscreen. The machine will then grind the required amount of beans directly into the basket. The most enjoyable part follows: users are prompted to pull down the lever on the left side of the machine to tamp the coffee. Minimal force is required, making the process both easy and gratifying. It’s advisable to repeat this action twice for a well-tamped bed of coffee.
Innovatively, the machine monitors the force exerted during tamping and will suggest adding more coffee to the basket if insufficient was used. As users experiment with different beans and grinder settings, adjustments may be necessary. However, once the perfect dosage is determined, the Barista Touch Impress will remember this for future use.
Brewing and Customization
Once the coffee is tamped correctly, users can twist the portafilter in place under the group head to start brewing. Ideally, pulling a shot of espresso should take approximately 36 seconds. The machine helps monitor this timing, alerting users if their shot is taking too long—indicating it may taste sour—or if it’s being pulled too quickly, which could result in a watery flavor.
If adjustments are needed, the Barista Touch Impress proposes a modified grind size, easily achievable via a dial located near the tamping lever. While it may take several attempts to perfect the grind, users should not be discouraged; this is a natural aspect of the learning process that even professional baristas encounter.
Conclusion and Future Exploration
Having only begun to explore the capabilities of the Barista Touch Impress, I am looking forward to diving deeper into its features. A comprehensive review will follow as I assess whether it deserves a spot in TechRadar’s list of top bean-to-cup coffee machines. For now, I must prepare to replenish my coffee bean supply.
