# Cant Decide, help needed



## bubbles (Sep 23, 2018)

Ok I currently have a sage smart grinder pro purchased new 2 weeks ago, also have a crappy cheap delonghi icona, had it 6 months from second hand only paid £40 for it but want an upgrade. The delonghi makes reasonable tasting shots with unpressurized baskets, but its frustrating having such a tiny boiler and such temperature instability and having to temp surf, and its really frustrating to make a latte for more than one person.

I cant decide between Sage duo temp, barista express or double boiler. Budget doesn't matter can stretch as far as the double boiler new.

But cant decide what machine would be best for me.

I currently favour the barista express as it has the water tap outlet, and pressure gauge and preset volume shots, love the idea of the convenience of preset, also there is the valve that prevents really wet coffee pucks so easier and less messier to dispose the coffee grounds. Plus the machine has a higher power wattage than the duo temp pro. I just wont use the grinder, kind of a waste.

I love everything about the duo boiler but have concerns, that its going to be too difficult to descale, and don't want to be having to send it back to sage everytime it needs descaled.

Or maybe I should just get the duo temp pro and maybe upgrade further down the line.

What I need and want from a machine, to be able to make at least 2 or 3 latte back to back when I have guests over, to be able to make decent tasting espresso once or twice daily and maybe a flat white once per day. Also need a machine that's easy maintained. I know the duo temp pro or barista express probably best for my needs, but I have have the budget to go up to dual boiler.

I think I favour the Barista express but at the minute its £170 extra for the duo temp pro compared to duo temp pro, if I am not going to use the grinder are the other features of the machine worth the extra compared to the duo temp pro.

I would happily buy the dual boiler, no upgraded needed then for several years hopefully but I just worried, I couldn't maintain the machine with descaling. Or anybody know of a heat exchanger or double boiler that easy to descale in the price range of sage dual boiler.


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## MildredM (Feb 13, 2017)

Re the descaling - would you need to if you use the right bottled water?


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## bubbles (Sep 23, 2018)

MildredM said:


> Re the descaling - would you need to if you use the right bottled water?


I'm not sure, forgive my inexperience as I say only ever had a cheap delonghi machine and making espresso for 6 months. But I think I read somewhere that any machine will build up some scale from the steam wand even using bottled water. I might be wrong also probably am that's why I ask on here as everybody is so much more knowledgeable than me.


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## MildredM (Feb 13, 2017)

Hopefully someone with more experience than me will advise. I haven't found any scale on my current or previous machines using bottled water though.


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## PPapa (Oct 24, 2015)

3 lattes on a Sage DTP would be a stretch.


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## bubbles (Sep 23, 2018)

PPapa said:


> 3 lattes on a Sage DTP would be a stretch.


I thought the duo temp pro automatically purges after steaming to bring back up brew temperature very quickly like literally seconds, is this not correct?

is it just frustrating to make 3 lattes back to back as its a lengthy process or is the machine just not capable of it?

Thanks


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## 7493 (May 29, 2014)

Please don't worry about having a hot water outlet or not - that's what kettles are for!









From what you've said about usage, I would only consider the DB.


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## PPapa (Oct 24, 2015)

bubbles said:


> I thought the duo temp pro automatically purges after steaming to bring back up brew temperature very quickly like literally seconds, is this not correct?
> 
> is it just frustrating to make 3 lattes back to back as its a lengthy process or is the machine just not capable of it?
> 
> Thanks


Lots of purging and slow process. It takes a while to get up to the steam and the steaming itself isn't fast, really.

It should be stable and all that, but it's also a loud machine, so you won't have a nice conversation with your guests to keep them entertained while waiting







.


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## ATZ (Aug 4, 2017)

If budget isn't a problem then get the DB.


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## bubbles (Sep 23, 2018)

I have found a really good deal on a barista express too good to pass up, I think I am going to get it. going to work out £400 brand new, they seem to sell for around £300 second hand so if I use it for 6 months to a year and look after it but decide its not for me I can sell it on for £300 with as it will still have at least a years warranty.

Maybe I will keep and it and not want to sell it, But its not much a gamble £100 or so loss, rather that than say spend like £1200 on the dual boiler to find out yes its a great machine but more than my needs and too difficult to maintain and value wise would probably loose around £300 to sell on second hand.

Thankyou everybody for your imput, finally made my mind up







will be ordering the barista express in the next 10 minutes.


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## GingerBen (Sep 7, 2017)

If it's like the Oracle then the DB will be easy to descale. The Barista express is pointless as you already have a better grinder than it comes with so you're paying for something you don't need. Also don't be fooled by the pre-set volume buttons. You'll soon be tinkering with it to make shots you actually want, not what it thinks you want. If money is no object get the DB. I would also avoid the Oracle from personal experience although some on here do like them.


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## pgarrish (May 20, 2017)

3 full size lattes back-to-back is around 15-20 mins using the DTP I'd say. If that's an infrequent thing and it's normally single lattes you're making, the DTP saves you a load of money for coffee beans







But if you'll be making multiple drinks a lot, you may run out of patience with the DTP.


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