# Sage Dual Boiler - Out of Stock



## Glenn F (Feb 26, 2020)

Hi. Is anyone aware of any stock issues or possible model upgrade for the dual boiler?

its out of stock with John Lewis and lakeside. other online stores have stock.

i am wondering whether to order or hang fire.

cheers,

Glenn


----------



## Jony (Sep 8, 2017)

Hang fire.


----------



## truegrace (Jan 29, 2014)

Guessing that's why I got mine for 600, bargain for a DB! although only had it 3 months already wanting a bit more, it's just too easy to make coffee!


----------



## Glenn F (Feb 26, 2020)

Jony is that based on knowledge or a guess.

I think I am holding fire as I can't imagine John Lewis having such a gap in their range for no reason.


----------



## Jony (Sep 8, 2017)

Neither. What's you max budget


----------



## Border_all (Dec 19, 2019)

Glenn F said:


> Jony is that based on knowledge or a guess.
> 
> I think I am holding fire as I can't imagine John Lewis having such a gap in their range for no reason.


 Available here

https://prcdirect.co.uk/sage-bes920uk-dual-boiler-espresso-stainless-steel.html?pdg=pla-745745972542:cmp-2044020948:adg-71804259785:crv-357646878171os-:dev-c&gclid=Cj0KCQiAtOjyBRC0ARIsAIpJyGOchncLSsS6_M2DszFUsjPnv0Ou-UVfU_BNYRM0c16z3aJfpHqsiK8aAgPrEALw_wcB

but as Jony mentioned with a budget perhaps other alternatives might be suitable for your needs


----------



## Glenn F (Feb 26, 2020)

The price point of the SDB works for me. Don't want to go higher. So around the 1100-1200


----------



## truegrace (Jan 29, 2014)

If you can pick one up for 600 like I did pre Xmas it's a bargain for money vs machine.

Very easy (potentially too easy!) to use and looks more pleasing to the wife's eye (although I do prefer the shinyness of the R58!)


----------



## Jony (Sep 8, 2017)

Glenn F said:


> The price point of the SDB works for me. Don't want to go higher. So around the 1100-1200


 I suggest you go Bella Barista with that amount of money.


----------



## Border_all (Dec 19, 2019)

@Glenn F Maybe something like this I bought my grinder from them excellent service

https://www.bellabarista.co.uk/acs-minima-dual-boiler-espresso-machine.html

good luck


----------



## Goblinsgrind (Feb 9, 2014)

Glenn, my advice, for what it's worth, save your £600 and put it towards something else!

I've had nothing but grief with mine, it's really great when it's working but mines been out of action more than in and I'm sick of the don't give a toss attitude from Sage/Breville Appliances.

Ordered a new group seal for my DB on Tuesday, my group head leaks, already replaced the group head collar insert (which they won't now sell and is a failing part in my model) so just hoping it's the group head seal, and a steam wand o ring and oh of course they've only sent me the o ring, which I didn't actually need, no explanation why.

Bear in mind they will not sell you ANY spare internal parts and that includes those which will probably go eventually like the group head collar insert and the solenoid valve.

Yes, you can get any faults fixed whilst under warranty as is your consumer right but you'll be paying out to Coffee Classics and shipping it out for an hourly rate and parts once out of warranty, that is if they will still service them if a new model is coming out, who knows.

I would save up and look at something like a Lelit (Bianca or Mara), Peter at Espresso Underground had the Bianca on for £1,350 a couple of weeks back. I haven't bought from him but I had a good chat with him some time back about Lelit machines when I was needing parts for an old Ascaso Dream and he was really friendly, informative and helpful.


----------



## Jony (Sep 8, 2017)

£1350 is cheap, it's £1700 now just re read it says inclusive of Vat


----------



## Glenn F (Feb 26, 2020)

I've gone from checking on the availability of a SDB to now being advised to leave it alone!

not sure the Minima looks the answer for me. Decent but strange design. Decent dual boilers seem to start around £1500


----------



## Border_all (Dec 19, 2019)

Glenn F said:


> I've gone from checking on the availability of a SDB to now being advised to leave it alone!
> 
> not sure the Minima looks the answer for me. Decent but strange design. Decent dual boilers seem to start around £1500


 Hi.

Yes one member has had issues I have a DTP as one of my machines and I located a source of stock for you as well as a possible alternative from the SDB. We all have differing ideas of kit we would like.

You have not mentioned if you own a grinder or what machine if any you own at the moment so not a lot for people to go on.

Will John Lewis get stock anytime soon i doubt any on here know but unless you have staff discount other sources are available ?


----------



## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

@Glenn F

I have one of these

https://www.bellabarista.co.uk/orchestrale-nota-espresso-machine-1grp.html

It is at Coffeechaps house currently. Cannot remember how old but it still has warranty left on it from BB. They are a top quality machine, built to industrial standards. Based on an HX single boiler but using a thermosyphon so does not need cooling flushes. Is also a rotary pump. It might just sneak in at the top end of your budget. Will last for year and kick the spots off any Sage product. Sage is fine as long as it is in warranty but outside of warranty, a big liability and yes, I have had several of them.


----------



## Goblinsgrind (Feb 9, 2014)

Jony, if I didn't still have the Sage to try and sort and Mrs Goblin would have allowed it I would have bit his hand off for the Bianca at that price...certainly easier on the wallet than a Vesuvius


----------



## Glenn F (Feb 26, 2020)

To the question earlier I currently have a Gaggia Classic (2016/17 model) and a Sage Pro grinder.


----------



## Guest (Apr 11, 2020)

Hello. Came across this thread whilst trying to find info to fix my BES920 (purchased new in July 2017). I totally agree with Goblinsgrind. Avoid this machine like the plague. Mine has been in to Coffee Classics twice already (once under warranty and once not). Sage couldn't care less about the problems now it is out of warranty. The best they could do was offer me a new machine for £750 odd, which I considered unacceptable because a > £1,000 machine should last longer than 2 years and 4 months. I was told before the first repair that it needed a new boiler. When CC got it in they then said it didn't (even though it was one of their engineers on site at my home who said that). I expressed concern as it was nearly out of warranty at that point. Sure enough less than 6 months later it needed further repair. Had to send it in at enormous expense (it's heavy!) and although it didn't need a new boiler, a number of repeat repairs were made including for a leaky hot water nozzle (or steam wand, can't remember which and can't find the paperwork, but I remember noting the same repair had been done twice). O rings replaced but now, 3 months later, there is an internal hiss and condensation around the back, which I think from research it is likely to be the o rings, which were definitely replaced. CC say if it requires repairs that were done 3 months ago they will do under warranty, but it will still cost me again to get it there and how can I know whether they will find other things supposedly wrong (not to mention that it will likely be at least 2 weeks until I get back, which while in lockdown is not ideal).

My husband is now going to try to take it apart and see if any of his scuba diving kit o rings fit. In the UK we are very definitely being gouged by Sage/Breville - they clearly don't want people to repair this machine at home here because the official replacement parts are only available, so far as I can see, from other countries like Australia and Canada. Before this machine I had a modded Rancilio Silvia, which my husband was able to take apart regularly to clean scale out of the solenoid and which lasted, with some replacement parts, for around 11 years. When I was researching it's replacement I had it down to 2 machines, the BES 920 and another, which I now can't remember, which was less automated and which I heartily wish I'd bought instead even though it was another couple of hundred pounds. (I managed to get John Lewis to price match the BES 920 for £999, as I had seen it online for that much. I do know that is a good price for it.)

Now I am sure that the problems with my BES920 are exacerbated by the very hard water where I live. CC says the machine needs descaling monthly with the extraordinarily expensive Sage descaler (and using any other descaler whilst under warranty will invalidate the warranty). After some research online I decided to use bottled water (Volvic or Tesco's Ashbeck) to reduce the scale, though in a recent phone call CC say they don't recommend that). Have been doing this since I got the machine back from CC in mid January but not sure if it has yet made a difference. May well be able to tell when the machine is apart to see whether there is scale where it is leaking.

On another point, before I sent the machine away last time (and when it was working properly) the 30 second auto setting for 2 cups had provided the perfect amount of excellent espresso, When I got it back, I was totally unable to get the right amount of espresso in 30 seconds. I fiddled with the grind and the tamp pressure but could only get the correct amount in 30 seconds if all was so loose that the pressure was well under what it should be (so the espresso didn't taste good). To their credit a CC engineer did return my call but said that nothing they did would have caused that and he couldn't see why it would happen. So since then the time for the correct amount of coffee at good pressure takes a minimum of 35 seconds but usually around 37-38 seconds and sometimes 40. The taste hasn't been as consistently good. No idea why the time for the double shot would be longer unless there was a leak somewhere.

Anyway, in short, though when it is working this machine makes great coffee, it doesn't work or has faults far too often for a machine at this price point. It is deliberately designed in my view not to be home fixable easily (though thank heavens for youtube and people who post helpful videos to show how it can be done anyway). The machine should definitely come with a Caveat Emptor.


----------

