# Sage Barista Express - Overextracting/Pressure Gauge Broken



## Josh Kaye (Apr 11, 2021)

Absolute beginner here, looking for some help if anyone would be so kind.

About a year ago I bought a second hand Sage Barista Express on Ebay, user said it worked fine and they were looking to upgrade. When I first started using it I noticed the pressure gauge was quite high, sitting right at the top of the recommended espresso range. The more i've used it the higher up it got and for a while sat right at the top, maxing out the dial. It's now gone off the scale and the pressure dial doesn't even move.

The espressos produced have lessened in volume and the machine gets louder and louder, sounding like it's really struggling. (I regularly do all maintenance/cleaning necessary)

I have experimented with coarseness of the ground coffee and am 99% sure this is not part of the problem. Any suggestions?


----------



## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

It will be difficult to trouleshoot just going by pressure gauge readings. I wouldn't put too much store in them to be honest.

It would be useful to know:

Grind setting

How much dose you put in the portafilter, to 0.1g.

How long the pump runs for.

How much the resultant shot weighs.

Then grind significantly coarser, repeat & report back.

FWIW I strongly recommend that you use manual brew mode, rather than pre programed buttons, this will help you hit a consistent shot weight, time after time.


----------



## ajohn (Sep 23, 2017)

A video might help as well along with info @MWJB requested. I will add that the razor tool that comes with these machines will set a sensible dose of grinds what ever beans you are using. It ensures you aren't using too much. Just tamp firmly before using it.


----------



## Josh Kaye (Apr 11, 2021)

Hi both, many thanks for your responses.

MWJB - I'm usually using the machine on the middle(ish) settings. Using a significantly coarser grind yielded the following results:

Usual settings - Grind coarseness 8/16, ground coffee 6g (sorry I don't have more accurate scales, will invest if needed), pump runs for around 30 seconds to produce an espresso of 28g.

Coarser settings - Grind coarseness 14/16, ground coffee 7g, pump runs for around 15 seconds to produce an espresso of 33g.

ajohn - I tamped firmly and used the razor for both the above tests.

I really feel the problem lies with the pump as it is becoming louder and louder, generally sounding unhealthy and as if it's struggling. The espresso with both settings dribbles and drips out of the portafilter rather than flowing. I have a video to upload but can't see a way to add it to these comments, any suggestions?


----------



## ajohn (Sep 23, 2017)

How often do you descale? There is a bit of a chance that scale will interfere with flow. Not long before it blocks completely.


----------



## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Josh Kaye said:


> Hi both, many thanks for your responses.
> 
> MWJB - I'm usually using the machine on the middle(ish) settings. Using a significantly coarser grind yielded the following results:
> 
> ...


 Hi Josh,

Try more like 10g in the single walled, single shot basket.

Try aiming for 35g out, at the setting that gives the best taste (don't focus too much on time). It's a good idea to try and describe how much you liked the shots & if you could detect any generic faults in the taste. Maybe start with a score out of 5, 3 being neither like/dislike, 4 being quite like, 5 like a lot?

How do you mean it dribbles & drips? If you got a 1:5 ratio shot in 15s, that sounds like a fairly fast flow?


----------

