A Sage coffee machine is a serious status symbol. And not only do these stainless steel machines look phenomenal, but the performance of them is second to none. After testing dozens of them, our list detailing the best coffee machines features two Sage machines, while our bean-to-cup ranking features even more than that.
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✔ 100 years of industry expertise
✔ 50+ coffee machines extensively individually reviewed
✔ 20 days spent at professional test centres and industry shows
As Ideal Home’s Kitchen Appliances Editor, my recommendations wouldn’t mean much if I didn’t try out these machines for myself first. That’s why I’m happy to tell you I’m a signed up Sage fan myself after using the Barista Express Impress for years.
Between myself and the testing team thanks to our coffee reviewing protocols, we’ve pretty much covered every single machine from this brand, and for user friendliness and incredible tasting coffee, you won’t do better than a Sage machine. Here’s our favourite picks to make picking your own stainless steel Sage easier.
Best Sage coffee machine: shop now
Which Sage coffee machine should you buy?
1. Sage the Barista Express Impress
This is going to be the best Sage for most people. The thing that sets it apart from other Sage machines is the integrated tamping system, which uses a one armed bandit to keep mess to a minimum and to get your espressos just right. It’s a very adjustable machine, but if you’re less fussed about tinkering with it, it’s also very straightforward to use once you’ve set it up. This is my coffee machine of choice, and I love that with the touch of two buttons, I can get the most delicious coffee of my life in my own home. The slicked back control panel and stainless steel details mean I think it’s the prettiest choice too if you love a tidy kitchen – it’s perfect for an at-home coffee nook.
Our Sage Barista Express Impress coffee machine review has the full details.
2. Sage Barista Touch Impress
While the Impress Express is our favourite, this machine is the pinnacle of at home coffee. If you’re looking for a Sage machine to upgrade to, this is it. Our tester was bowled over by the automatic milk frothing capabilities of this machine, including for plant milk and the truly extensive range of grind settings. The touch screen and automated settings means you can go handsfree if you like, and the coffee is unbelievably great to taste. The things we don’t like? It’s eye wateringly pricey and switching out the beans out of the hopper can be tricky.
Our Sage Barista Touch Impress review has the full details.
While the first two options in this list are the best bean to cup coffee machines, the Bambino is a classic espresso machine and does not have an integrated grinder. We delved into the full differences in our feature on the Sage Barista Express Impress vs the Bambino, but in short: this means that you’ll pay a lot less, but you do lose the convenience of the all-in-one process.
As with all Sage machines we’ve tried, our reviewer Millie (who previously was our Head of Testing) found everything about this machine to be super high quality, though she did say that brewing was a little noisy. If you’re on a budget, or if you already have a grinder you love for your beans, the Sage Bambino is a more affordable machine that’ll still give you a superstar performance. And if you’re a latte lover, then I’d recommend upgrading to the Sage Bambino Plus which has an automatic milk frother too.
Our Sage Bambino review has the full details. For a machine with an automatic milk frother, you’ll want our Sage Bambino Plus review.
4. Sage the Barista Express
This version of the Barista Express is not quite as sophisticated as the Impress Express, which has a built-in tamping system. However, it does have a plethora of customisable settings for the ultimate coffee lover, and our reviewer found it makes simply stunning coffee with a delightful crema. Our reviewer Amy Lockwood found that the automatic dosing could be easier to operate, but on the whole it’s a very capable machine for coffee lovers, especially those who want to endlessly tweak the settings
Our Sage The Barista Express BES875UK review has the full details.
5. Nespresso Vertuo Creatista
It can be debated whether this is a Sage machine proper, as it’s the exception on this list as it’s a pod coffee machine. But it was created in collaboration with Sage, and blew me away when I tested a host of pod coffee machines at our test centre. It has automatic milk frothing settings, which means you won’t need to learn to be an amateur barista to have top-quality coffee, and it has a much higher quality construction than any other coffee machine we’ve tried. Coffee-wise, if you’ve graduated to fresh beans or even ground coffee the taste of pods here might be a step down but if it’s ultimate convenience you want, this machine is a winner.
Our Nespresso Vertuo Creatista by Sage review has the full details.
6. Sage Barista Touch Impress with Cold Extraction
This is another mega-expensive Sage machine but there’s a slight difference – one that cold brew fans will be all over. It delivers cold espressos at the touch of a button via the scrollable menu of drinks and has cold-milk-froth settings galore too. The auto dosing and extraction are as impressive as with previous machines, though the price tag remains astronomical. But if you want 8 different texture levels for your milk, you know who to call…
Our Sage Barista Touch Impress Cold Extraction review has the full details.
How we tested the best Sage coffee machines
Either I or a member of the team rigorously test every product we recommend at Ideal Home as per our testing protocol, so that you know you can trust what we have to say. We’ve tested all of these Sage machines long term in our homes, so know exactly what they are like as an investment, not just to make one cup of coffee.
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During our tests, we evaluate how easy each machine is to set up and use for that first cup of coffee, as well as how the quality of the machine lasts over time. We also test the milk frothing capabilities of each machine if present. Cleaning is very important to keep coffee machines like this in the best possible condition too, so we’ve also factored in how easy the machine is keep in good shape, as well as how adjustable and customisable the settings are.
Which Sage is right for you?
Take our short quiz to gauge which of these machines might be the right fit for you.
Read the full article here