Ascaso Steel Duo PID review

Stable, balanced shots, once you correct the temperature offset7.4/10

Shot quality is widely liked, and temperature control is the reason. The PID takes its reading at the brew group instead of at the thermoblock, which Coffeeness credits for "outstanding temperature stability" during a shot.1 Lance Hedrick describes the result in the cup as balanced and juicy with a silky body.

Pre-infusion is programmable, with an optional pause afterwards to soak the puck, and the brew pressure can be changed with a screwdriver. Alternative Brewing notes the factory pressure is set above the usual espresso standard and would turn it down.

The caveat is that the number on the display may not match the water. Hedrick found the temperature "wasn't very accurate out of the box" and had to set a large offset; Tom's Coffee Corner measured a gap too.2 Rob McGee also reports some variance from shot to shot, which will bother anyone chasing precision.

Silky milk at a patient pace, with full power only on the right circuit6.6/10

The steam wand divides opinion: the foam is good and the force is modest. The thermoblock produces steam for as long as you ask, with no boiler to recover, and it is consistently described as capable of silky, glossy microfoam. The wand stays cool to the touch and purges itself.

What it lacks is punch. Steam takes a moment to ramp up and never reaches the pressure of a heat exchanger or dual boiler, so a jug takes noticeably longer.3 Coffeeness adds that thermoblock steam tends to run wet.

Two practical points matter before buying. Rob McGee says that in the United States the machine needs "a 20 amp circuit to get the full power out of the thermal blocks", and on a lesser one he finds the steam weaker than he would like.4 Harvesting Figs got more power by raising the steam temperature, but found the steam pump's automatic shut-off annoying when it cut in mid-jug.5

Brewing within minutes, and a shot and a jug at the same time8.2/10

Heat-up is consistently praised. With thermoblocks instead of boilers, the machine is, in Coffeeness's words, "ready to go in around three minutes".6 Because brewing and steam each have their own heater, you can pull a shot and steam milk together, and make drinks back to back without waiting.7

The heater is quicker than the metal around it. The portafilter is still cold when the machine says it is ready, and the cups on top do not get properly warm. Several owners wait longer by habit, and Tom's Coffee Corner suggests switching on "a half hour before you want to use it".8

There is no standby mode, so the machine is either on or off. Rob McGee also finds the hot water spout slow to deliver.

All-metal and solid on the bench, with a pump that shakes the cups8.0/10

Build quality is widely liked. The body is stainless steel with almost no plastic outside the water tank, the internals are metal, and the 58mm portafilter is heavy with a wooden handle. The toggle switches are firm and tactile.

“It feels solid on the bench, like it's made to live there for years, not just months.”

The vibratory pump is the main complaint. Lance Hedrick calls out "how much it freaking vibrates", and cups on the tray can walk unless you hold them.9 Harvesting Figs finds the machine loud while brewing and the cup rails prone to rattling. The mirror finish on the top and tray scratches easily.

There are faults on record. Hedrick's machine threw error codes out of the box, which he puts down to quality control.10 Rob McGee's pump failed within the first year; Ascaso repaired it under warranty at no cost, and he was happy with the process.11

Toggle switches anyone can use, behind a menu of abbreviations5.8/10

Daily use is simple and changing settings is not, which is why ease divides opinion. A single switch runs the shot: manually, or up and down for programmed volumes. The 67 ounce tank loads from the side and is easy to remove, and there is a dedicated hot water spout for Americanos.

The menu is the sticking point. You enter it by pressing two buttons at exactly the same moment, then read a basic LED display that Lance Hedrick sums up as "a lot of weird abbreviations".12 Pre-infusion, temperature and pressure are all adjustable, but you will want the manual open the first few times.

The programmed volumes are approximate. Alternative Brewing reports the same setting giving different yields: "sometimes I may get only 36 g out, and other times I may get 52".13 If you weigh your shots, plan to stop them by hand.

A big front-sliding tray, under a grille that splashes8.6/10

Cleanup is the Steel Duo's best-rated side, praised almost without exception. The drip tray slides out from the front, has fins inside to stop a full load sloshing over, and is large enough that Harvesting Figs empties it no more than weekly.14

The wand helps too. It does not get as hot on the outside as a conventional one, so milk wipes off more easily, and it purges itself after use. The menu includes a cleaning function and a shot counter.

The one mark against it is the grille. Its cutouts are plain slots, so water tends to sit on top or splash back at you instead of draining through.15

A lot of machine at $1,885.50, with a tamper to bin and baskets to replace5.5/10

Value divides opinion. At $1,885.50 you get separate brew and steam heaters, PID control, programmable pre-infusion and an all-metal body, a list that many rivals at the price do not match. Lance Hedrick rates it "one of the top contenders in this price range".16

The box is where it falls short. Rob McGee says of the included tamper that it was "so hideous and unusable that I threw it away", and Coffeeness is no kinder.17 The supplied baskets include pressurized ones that a buyer at this level will not use, and a larger basket is worth adding. Most E61 portafilters fit, which widens the choice of accessories.

The price also puts it in company with boiler machines that steam harder. Tom's Coffee Corner makes the plain point that a cheaper single-heater machine frees up money for a better grinder.

Our verdict

Buy the Steel Duo PID if you want a solid metal machine that is ready soon after you switch it on and can brew and steam at once for a couple of milk drinks. Skip it if strong, fast steam or exact automatic shot volumes are what you are paying for. Before ordering, check which circuit it will plug into, since steam power depends on it. Budget for a proper 58mm tamper and a larger basket, and check the temperature offset in the first week.