Ascaso Steel Duo PID recension - Barista och Espresso

Ascaso Steel Duo PID review

Jan 24, 2023

Did you know that Ascaso is a Spanish brand? They have been manufacturing popular espresso machines in Europa, including Dream, Baby and Ascaso Steel Duo PID. Let's explore what makes Duo PID unique and why this dual-thermoblock system is getting so much attention.

The appearance of the Steel Duo PID

A similar espresso machine with a thermoblock-based system is Ascaso Steel PID. Most people imagine small espresso machines when they think of a thermoblock-powered machine. But not this one. The Steel Duo PID is made of first-class materials and weighs a whopping 15 kg! The current model has a stylish white painted steel finish or a matte black steel finish and is adorned with shiny steel parts, including the drip tray cover, copper holder, non-burn steam wand and brewing group. It has 4 switches for power, volumetric brewing, hot water and steam mode.

Additionally, there is a two-digit digital display with white numbers that shows the current temperature (at the brew head). We really like the white numbers because they fit in well with the overall design. You can see a pressure gauge with Ascasologo at the top left. AscasoThe logo can be seen in the center of the front plate and on the brewing group itself.

This Ascaso seems to tilt when viewed from the side. It's a bit odd that the cup holder tilts backwards. That said, when it makes sense, I always love the aesthetic of a vertical or, in this case, horizontal tilt. But in this case, I'm not so sure. During an extraction, the cups shake and vibrate in a backwards motion. Later, more About the.

The portafilter has a beautiful wooden handle and is sturdy and elegant. It fits comfortably in the hand and is pleasant to use thanks to the double spout. Just make sure the machine is fully heated so that the portafilter is also at operating temperature (we recommend at least 30 minutes).

Light up, please! Another feature of this machine that we really like is that it has two LED lights built into the buttons so you can see what you're doing. We wish more machines had similar features, to be able to see how to lock the portafilter in and see how your espresso will only make using the machine easier and more enjoyable.

Features and specifications

We think the reason this system is getting so much attention is because of all the features it has. It has a working cup warmer that heats up quickly. For proper milk frothing and reliable espresso extractions, it has two separate PID-controlled thermoblocks. The fact that it measures the brewing temperature at the brewing unit itself rather than at the boiler or thermoblock, which will be at a higher temperature, is perhaps the most important factor. A steam wand that cleans itself automatically and doesn’t burn itself is another convenience feature of the Ascaso Steel Duo Pro. In addition, this device includes volumetric dosing, which is amazing!

The smart drip tray should be mentioned as a final component. It has fins so that when a full tray is pulled out, no dirty water waves are produced. Nicely done!

Boiler, Thermojet and Thermocoil

Remember, this machine uses "thermocoils," which in our opinion are much better than the "thermojets" used in cheaper machines. Just take a look at the Decent DE1, which is also designed with thermocoils. They cost more to be more temperature stable than their cheaper competitors. Plus, they heat up significantly faster, use less energy, and can steam milk indefinitely compared to a traditional boiler machine. Finally, the water stays fresher because it doesn't have a chance to mature in a boiler reservoir.

Specifications:

- Dimensions: 1: Size: 270mm x 360mm x 315mm

- Two powerful LED lights

- Maximum power consumption of 2068 watts

- 2 liter water tank

- Weight: 15 kg

- stainless steel steam wand with automatic cleaning

- 58 mm portafilter in stainless steel

- Easily adjustable OPV (without opening the machine)

- Active cup warmer

- Dual PID circuits

- Volumetric dosing

Is it household friendly?

When you spend 15-20 thousand kronor, the partner acceptance factor is of course very important. The machine must work flawlessly and it must look good. Ideally, it should also be on the quieter side, and it should offer good ergonomics. In this aspect, Ascaso Steel Duo PID very household friendly.

How good is the espresso and steam quality?

Steel Duo PID really does excellent espresso. But not without an objection. We think that even About The thermoblock heats up quickly, the portafilter doesn't. When the portafilter is preheated, there are no obstacles to making fantastic, flowing and flavorful coffee. espresso.

What sets this machine apart from others is the ease of handling variables. The PID temperature at the brew group can be adjusted from the main menu, and the pressure can be adjusted using a set screw on the lower front of the machine. Excellent! Want to adjust the pre-infusion? No problem! The pre-infusion can be adjusted from 0 to 5 seconds from the settings menu.

We would say that the only variable this machine lacks is the ability to adjust the pressure on the fly, with flow control, like with a lever machine or with a flow profiling kit for Profitec espresso machines.

The advantage of a machine with double boiler or double thermoblock is that you can do espresso and steam at the same time of course. Ascaso is more than capable of doing so. The steam wand in the Steel Duo PID is wide, as it is burn-free, and it has a bulb-shaped tip.