Sage the Oracle Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine, Bean to Cup Coffee Machine with Milk Frother, BES980BSS - Brushed Stainless Steel

Product Information

If you're wondering why I'm only making coffee for myself, by the way, and not my wife, that's because she doesn't drink coffee! She does like the smell of it, though, and it's a very good job she does ;-). Kev's Sage Oracle What the FAQ When I say “almost fully automated”, it's automated where it really matters, which is dose, tamp, and milk texturing (you can steam manually but it does a brilliant job of texturing on auto). There are five factory pre-set coffees, which you can fully adjust, and 8 spaces for your own completely custom coffees. There's a lot to say here, and not everyone wants war & peace when reading a review on a coffee machine they're thinking of buying, so if you want the succinct version, here you go, if you want the much longer version, then make yourself comfortable and enjoy my more in depth review, below. Really brief Sage Oracle nutshell review

I first wrote my Sage Oracle review several years ago when Sage Appliances very kindly sent the Sage Oracle to me on loan for a couple of weeks. This post has been completely rewritten now that I know so much more about espresso machines and coffee in general. Traditional espresso machines paired with capable grinders are capable of producing great espresso in the hands of a capable home barista. The problem is, most “normal” coffee drinkers aren't home baristas and have no desire to become one.One of the usual cons of bean to cup machines is that although they're pretty good straight out of the box in the hands of a complete novice, that's usually just about as good as you're going to get, as there's not much the user can do to fine-tune. With the Oracle machines, though, the user has the ability to fine-tune over time. It's fair to say that you don't quite have the same ability fine tune as you'd have if you were using the Sage Dual Boiler and a capable stand alone grinder, but still, you'll have far more fine tuning ability than you'd get with most bean to cup coffee machines. One touch Americano They also can't have known anything about me, including whether they could trust me with their very expensive coffee machine. They were really nice, they took me seriously, sent me their Sage Oracle, and let me tell them when I'd done the review so they could have it collected (as they were sending it to someone else for review).

For anyone who’s battled forlornly with a manual espresso machine, the Oracle Touch is a revelation.To enrich your Sage Oracle ™ coffee experience, why not invest in a set of double walled coffee glasses, or perhaps some stylish stoneware mugs, or maybe even a Bodum coffee travel mug for journey to and from the office. Care & maintenance for your coffee machine So, that's the nutshell version of the review, now to get more in-depth for anyone who wants more of the nitty gritty, starting with: What kind of coffee machines are the Oracle and Oracle Touch? I'll go into more detail on the touch a bit later on in this review, but for this really brief nutshell version, I'll just say that the touch is the touchscreen version of the oracle, a bit more flashy to look at, a bit easier to use initially, although in the long term once you find your feet with it, I think the standard Oracle is just as easy to use.

You certainly can, although the oracle is capable of very consistent great quality microfoam, you don't have to use it. You can use the steam wand as you would any other pro steam wand, the only main difference is that the steam wand isn't on a ball joint, so you don't have much flexibility over the jug position, and also the thermostat in the tip means you get a realtime temp on the screen as you're steaming, whether doing it manually or on auto. What Coffee Beans Can I Use With the Sage Oracle? But the interesting thing is that while I'm the same Kev, several years later I'm a very different person where espresso machines are concerned. One of the most common issues I see with people using the Oracle and similar machines is shot-to-shot consistency. This isn't a problem with the machine, as such, it's simply a problem with espresso.Is there any other machine on the market that offers the same cup quality and convenience? Not quite, but see my notes below on the Barista Express Impress. The Oracle Touch is similar to the original The Oracle, with automated grinding, dosing, and tamping, as well as automated milk texturing. This Touch model adds touchscreen control for even simpler use. What's the catch? The price and the potential maintenance cost outside of the warranty period (see below).

The reason I say “freshly roasted” is that these kind of machines are really made for freshly roasted coffee beans, as they come with standard espresso baskets. Some domestic espresso machines come with pressurized filter baskets, which give the appearance of crema, and give the illusion of a well-pulled shot of espresso regardless of the age or quality of the bean. Inveterate coffee tweakers will be pleased to see that you can fine-tune the brew temperature from 86c to 96c in one-degree increments – something Sage proudly claims the Oracle can maintain with +/-1℃ accuracy. However, you can’t tweak the amount of coffee used for each shot. You can have a 22g double or an 11g single, and that’s it. I’ve read online you can subtly tweak the dose by taking the automatic tamping hardware to pieces and reassembling it but this isn’t exactly the last word in on-the-fly adjustability. Sage Oracle Touch review: Verdict

Perfect lattes, no skill required

One of the biggest challenges I've faced (especially given I've honed my skills while using so many different espresso machines for relatively short periods of time, using machines that have been sent to me on loan, is with inconsistent jugs of milk.