Sage coffee machines are the ultimate kitchen buy – here's 5 of the very best we've tried and tested, from the most to least expensive
We've tested them all and these are the machines we'd recommend
A Sage coffee machine is a serious status symbol. And not only do these stainless steel machines look phenomenal, but the performance of them is second to none. After testing dozens of them, our list detailing the best coffee machines features two Sage machines, while our bean-to-cup ranking features even more than that.
Why you can trust Ideal Home
✔ 100 years of industry expertise
✔ 50+ coffee machines extensively individually reviewed
✔ 20 days spent at professional test centres and industry shows
As Ideal Home's Kitchen Appliances Editor, my recommendations wouldn't mean much if I didn't try out these machines for myself first. That's why I'm happy to tell you I'm a signed up Sage fan myself after using the Barista Express Impress for years.
Between myself and the testing team thanks to our coffee reviewing protocols, we've pretty much covered every single machine from this brand, and for user friendliness and incredible tasting coffee, you won't do better than a Sage machine. Here's our favourite picks to make picking your own stainless steel Sage easier.
Best Sage coffee machine: shop now
- Best Sage coffee machine for most people: Sage the Barista Express Impress: £729.95 at Sage
- Best high-end Sage coffee machine: Sage the Barista Touch: £1,199.95 at Sage
- Best budget Sage coffee machine: Sage Bambino: £329.95 at Sage
Which Sage coffee machine should you buy?
Best overall
This is going to be the best Sage for most people. The thing that sets it apart from other Sage machines is the integrated tamping system, which uses a one armed bandit to keep mess to a minimum and to get your espressos just right.
It's a very adjustable machine, but if you're less fussed about tinkering with it, it's also very straightforward to use once you've got it all set it up, which is admittedly a bit of a learning curve if this is your first espresso machine.
This is my coffee machine of choice, and I love that with the touch of two buttons, I can get the most delicious coffee in my own home. The slicked back control panel and stainless steel details mean I think it's the prettiest choice too if you love a tidy kitchen thanks to the in-built storage – it's perfect for an at-home coffee nook.
Our Sage Barista Express Impress coffee machine review has the full details.
Best luxury
While the Impress Express is an all-rounder at a more accessible price point, this machine is the pinnacle of home coffee.
So if you're looking for a Sage machine to upgrade to, this is it. Our tester was bowled over by the automatic milk frothing capabilities of this machine, including for plant milk and the truly extensive range of grind settings.
The touch screen and automated settings means you can go handsfree if you like, and the coffee is unbelievably great to taste. The things we don't like? It's eye wateringly pricey and switching out the beans out of the hopper can be tricky. But if you're looking to spend the big bucks this machine will impress time and time again.
Our Sage Barista Touch Impress review has the full details.
Best budget
While the first two options in this list are the best bean to cup coffee machines, the Bambino is a classic espresso machine and does not have an integrated grinder. We delved into the full differences in our feature on the Sage Barista Express Impress vs the Bambino, but in short: this means that you'll pay a lot less, but you do lose the convenience of the all-in-one process.
As with all Sage machines we've tried, our reviewer Millie (who previously was our Head of Testing) found everything about this machine to be super high quality, though she did say that brewing was a little noisy. If you're on a budget, or if you already have a grinder you love for your beans, the Sage Bambino is a more affordable machine that'll still give you a superstar performance. And if you're a latte lover, then I'd recommend upgrading to the Sage Bambino Plus which has an automatic milk frother too.
Our Sage Bambino review has the full details. For a machine with an automatic milk frother, you'll want our Sage Bambino Plus review.
Best for espresso lovers
This version of the Barista Express is not quite as sophisticated as the Impress Express, which has a built-in tamping system. However, it does have a plethora of customisable settings for the ultimate coffee lover, and our reviewer found it makes simply stunning coffee with a delightful crema.
Our reviewer Amy Lockwood found that the automatic dosing could be easier to operate, but on the whole it's a very capable machine for coffee lovers, especially those who want to endlessly tweak the settings
Our Sage The Barista Express BES875UK review has the full details.
Best for iced drinks
This is another mega-expensive Sage machine but there's a slight difference – one that cold brew fans will be all over. It delivers cold espressos at the touch of a button via the scrollable menu of drinks and has cold-milk-froth settings galore too.
According to our reviewer the auto dosing and extraction are as impressive as with previous machines, though the price tag remains astronomical. But if you want 8 different texture levels for your milk, you know who to call...
Our Sage Barista Touch Impress Cold Extraction review has the full details.
How we tested the best Sage coffee machines
Every Sage coffee machine on this list has been tested long-term in our own homes as per Ideal Home's testing protocol. We run them for weeks and months to evaluate how they perform as a real investment, moving beyond initial setup to see how they hold up to daily, real-world use.
Because Sage machines focus on barista-style precision, our hands-on testing focuses on four core areas:
Dosing and tamping: We test grinder consistency and auto-dosing across light, medium, and dark roast beans. For models with assisted tamping (the one-armed bandit feature!), we evaluate how cleanly and accurately the mechanism pucks the grounds.
Temperature & Pressure: We time warm-up speeds and closely monitor the pressure gauge during pre-infusion and extraction to ensure every espresso shot pulls evenly.
Milk Frothing: Whether testing a manual steam wand or Sage's automated Auto MilQ system, we check how effortlessly each creates silky microfoam and whether it can handle back-to-back milky drinks, like lattes, without losing steam.
Usability & Upkeep: We assess how intuitive the controls are, how much you can customise settings, and how easy the machine is to clean, purge, and descale over time. After all, you'll be the one maintaining it daily!
Which Sage is right for you?
Take our short quiz to gauge which of these machines might be the right fit for you.
