Sage Barista Express or Sage Barista Express Impress?

Our verdict

Today the difference is €167: the Sage Barista Express costs €459, the Sage Barista Express Impress €626.

The Impress is the Barista Express with a different way of tamping. On the standard Express you press the ground coffee yourself with a separate tamper. On the Impress a lever on the machine does that, pressing at a fixed pressure and adjusting the dose.

Otherwise they are very alike: the same Thermocoil heating, the same 54 mm portafilter, the same 2 litre water tank, the same steam wand you work yourself and the same stated power of 1560 to 1850 watts. Both grinders have conical steel burrs, but the Impress has 25 grind settings against 16 on the Express.

The Impress is a little larger: 33 cm wide, 38 cm deep and 41 cm high, against 31.8 by 35.1 by 40.4 cm for the Express. It also comes in more colours: seven, against three for the Express. Upkeep and warranty are the same: the water filter replaced after 3 months, cleaning and descaling when the machine asks, and a 2 year warranty.

Our verdict: tamping is a step you have to learn, and that is exactly the step the Impress takes over. If you are new to portafilter machines and want an even tamp from the first week without practising, the Impress is worth the difference. If you already have a steady hand, or want to learn it yourself, the Express does the same job and you keep the difference.