# Sage Barista Express Pressure Guage does not move at all



## Pato (Jan 31, 2021)

Hi all,

I only bought this machine yesterday and I am effectively a noob. However, I am aving issues with this machine. I have water filled etc, and even when I test with 1 or 2 shot cup the pressure guage does not move at all.

Do you think I need to bring the machine back.

I look forward to hearing back from you!


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## TomHughes (Dec 16, 2019)

Have you read this?

*
Sage BE/Pro/DTP etc. read this first 
*


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## Pato (Jan 31, 2021)

Hi Tom,

Many thanks for your post. That all makes a lot of sense and will no doubt take me a while to figure it all out and get correct cup of coffee. Incidentally, just to be clear, when you set it for 2 Cups and only a small amount of coffee actually comes out, literally a sip of coffee..Should I make the grinds more finer or coarser? I am an absolute beginner s apologies for the remedial questions 

Many thanks

Pat


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## CoffeePhilE (Jan 4, 2021)

Part of the issue is that since more than one problem can cause the same symptom. It's hard to advise either finer or coarser, if it turns out the issue is something completely different.

Did you follow Tom Hughes advice? For instance, ONLY use FRESH beans? Ae you weighing them?

By fresh, what he means is when the *roast date* was. It should be printed on the packet if they truly are fresh. You generally won't find that printed on beans bought in a supermarket. I've certainly never, EVER since roast date on supermarket beans. Ignore "use by" or "best by" dates. You need beans *roasted* within the last couple of weeks, and that pretty much guarantees you need to be buying them from a specialist roaster. Fail to follow that requirement and you may well be wasting your time worrying about grind fineness.

Caveat - I don't own a Sage BE. I'm aware of some of their 'quirks' but it's only by reading of them, not experiencing them. So don't rely on my comments too much. I say this only to give you a head start, until someone that does know those machines comes back along.

If it is just about grind fine-ness, then getting little or nothing out might indicate they're too fine, but I'd expect that to make it very slow rather than pretty much drying up completely. But if you go coarser and that isn't the problem, it'll only confuse you even more. Take it step by step.

You are, I'm afraid, at the very start of the infamous espresso learning curve. All I can say is to sit back, buckle up the seatbelt for the roller-coaster you've got on, and prepare for the ride. It can be a doozy, but it WILL be worth it if you stick it out. And you'll end up with a grin from all that lovely coffee.


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## Pato (Jan 31, 2021)

CoffeePhilE said:


> Part of the issue is that since more than one problem can cause the same symptom. It's hard to advise either finer or coarser, if it turns out the issue is something completely different.
> 
> Did you follow Tom Hughes advice? For instance, ONLY use FRESH beans? Ae you weighing them?
> 
> ...


 Hi CoffeePhile,

Thanks for your comment. I should have mentioned in the previous comment that I actually just replaced the unit after my comment this morning. Ive just set up the new one and I have new roast coffee beans. I actually got a decent coffee and the pressure went up to about 10 oclock on the pressure guage, so I dont think Im far off now.  
I tried a second cup and the pressure went to the top (2 O clock) and only a small amount of coffee came out, so I need to get the optimal grind number.
Hopefully a few tweeks here and there will get me sorted. Thats why I was asking if its my grinder is set to 5, should I lower to 4 so the pressure is a little less (12 O clock) or do I increase to 6 etc.
I am getting slightly confused on that bit ..
Thanks


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## CoffeePhilE (Jan 4, 2021)

Okay, that helps. 

Again, I don't have that machine and, several things can be going on with inconsistent results. Like, how much coffee is in the basket? Hence, asking about scales.

Generally, and I stress *generally* because there are exceptions, I'd think if you're getting little out, or it's very slow, you need to coarsen up a bit. Think about it .... water drops into the filter basket, under some pressure, and not much comes out? *Something* is putting up resistance. So. imaging a bucket with a couple of dozen holes drilled in the bottom, yes? Fill it with large rocks and pour water in. It'll all pi.... erm, pour out the bottom. Empty your bucket, fill it with fine gravel and pour more water in. It'll still pour out but probably more slowly, as the water has to find it's way past the gravel. Now empty your bucket again (sorry if your arms are getting tired) and this time, fill it with very fine sand. Pour your water in, and .... what happens? You get the picture, I'm sure.

The principle is much the same, though of course, the coffee basket should be under higher pressure so it's not identical.

The art of a good cup of coffee is to get the water to stay mixed with your sand, I mean, coffee, for long enough, but not too long. If it goes through too fast, you'll get under-extracted coffee, because most of the flavour got left behind. Too slow, and it's over-extracted and picks up all that bitterness that the bits we don't want in the bean get into your cup. Which of course is why"coffee" scales don't just show weight, but have a timer. It's not just about how much comes out, but how fast it does it.

Again, the caveat -I don't know your machine. You'll be better off getting asdvice from someone that does.


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