Can The Coffee From The Sage Oracle Espresso Machine Justify The Cost?
The Sage BES980BSS the Oracle Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine stands out from the crowd for a few different reasons.
It is bold, large, promises great coffee and there are expectations of the brand.
One of the reasons that consumers turn to Sage models is that there is that link to celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal.
There is a sales photo on some listing of the man himself gazing and the coffee maker.
It does little to show his influence on the design, but it does show the size of this coffee-shop style bean to cup coffee machine. This is a big, heavy-duty system with a lot of nice details in the specification. But, does it produce good coffee and is it easy to use?
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The Pros and Cons of this Sage Oracle Espresso Machine.
Pros:
- The automated features
- The coffee house look
- The protective measure for the taste of the coffee
- The quality of the milk frother
- The consistency of the coffee
Cons:
- The high price tag
- The lack of customisation options
- The simplicity of the console
There is a nice amount of automation in this Sage Oracle Espresso Machine for a great result and ease of use.
Ease of use is important with any coffee maker, regardless of style or function. The idea of products designed to look like coffee shop models is that they simplify the experience in a similar design.
This bean to cup coffee maker offers automatic grinding, tamping and milk texturing.
There is the sense that this Sage espresso coffee machine should be able to handle most of the hard work – which explains why Heston isn’t doing anything in that photo.
There is a promise here of a bean to cup process for a latte of under a minute. Those that pay out for the white glove service also get a tutorial on how to set up the espresso machine and create the ideal cappuccino.
As for the produce, there are few complaints about the quality of the shots and coffees made.
An added bonus here is that there is also an over pressure valve to limit pressure and stop the coffee from getting too bitter.
Most users are happy with what they receive in terms of the quality of the coffee, the strength and the milk provided for those additional drinks. What starts out as a high-end espresso maker is actually a functional, more diverse coffee maker.
There is one obvious disadvantage to this Sage bean to cup machine that we can’t overlook. This device is expensive. Most Sage models are because of the celebrity endorsement and the features provided. Still, a list price of more than one and a half grand is pretty costly.
To be honest, there aren’t too many people that regret the price paid unless the product is faulty. There is a sense of quality and value because of the coffee making process. There is also the fact that you literally get a lot of machine for your money.
When we consider the value for money of this product, we have to look at what is provided, and what is missing. There is an expectation for lots of fancy electronics and settings in expensive coffee makers.
That isn’t the case here. All the intelligence goes into those automated functions. There isn’t the same sort of clever console or customisation that you might expect from a more high-end option.
This simplicity is appealing in its own way but could limit the experience for some users.
How do the price and other downsides affect the final verdict on this Sage Oracle Bean to Cup Coffee Machine?
The name Oracle suggests a coffee maker that can see into the future and anticipate what you need. At that price, it is understandable if users expect it to do so. It does need a bit of help with the settings to get started and there could be a few more saved preferences for customisation.
However, there is no doubt that this capable machine has the tools for a quick, hands-free bean-to-cup process. Those that can overlook the high price tag of this product should find that they have a high-quality item that offers great tasting coffee with ease.
Therefore, this Sage espresso machine is still recommendable to coffee lovers with room and money to spare.
Find more reviews about the Sage Oracle Espresso Machine on Amazon here.