Review: Ascaso Steel UNO Espresso Machine
Published on 07/25/2023 · 3 min readCurated Coffee & Espresso Experts share their experience with using the Ascaso Steel UNO Espresso Machine. Note that experts are not sponsored by any brands; these are their honest opinions.By Curated Experts
Janelle G. and John Child
15 photos
The Curated Take
4.6/5
The Ascaso Steel UNO Espresso Machine is ideal for coffee lovers seeking high-quality, quick, and easy coffee brewing. It features a fast heat-up time and adjustable settings like PID temperature control, programmable single and double shots, and a powerful steam wand for frothing milk. Although its single boiler design means it can't simultaneously steam milk and pull shots, its professional-grade features, versatility with grind sizes, and performance make it a valuable addition to any home barista's arsenal.
Ideal for
- Heats up fast (about three minutes) for quick use
- Good construction quality and durability
- PID temperature control to set the temperature in one-degree increments
- Built-in clock is great for dialing in shots
Not ideal for
- Does not allow for steaming and pulling shots simultaneously
- Wooden handle on the portafilter feels too light
- Water reservoir is pretty small and needs refilled often if used for more than two people
Steam Wand
I very much enjoyed this machine's steam wand and milk-steaming abilities. I found it was powerful, easy to use, had a good swivel rotation to position the wand however I...Read more
Portafilter Size
I prefer 18-19 grams of ground coffee in the portafilter for the shots I pull. Unfortunately, the included portafilter did not accommodate that, fitting about 14 grams in the portafilter....Read more
Tank Capacity
I predominantly made espresso with the machine and the occasional latte or cappuccino. Still, I only used the milk-steaming feature sometimes. When just making espresso, the full tank lasted me...Read more
Heat Time
The Ascaso UNO has one of the fastest heat-up times on the market for a PID, professional quality espresso machine. Many other machines have E61 group heads and don't have...Read more
Milk Frothing
When making drinks with steamed milk, I found the Ascaso UNO to be quick, powerful, and user-friendly. Coming from a background as a professional barista in specialty coffee shops equipped...Read more
Espresso Extraction
The machine provides a pre-infusion to wet the coffee grounds with a small amount of water at a lower pressure before continuing with the high-pressure espresso extraction. Pre-infusion tends to...Read more
Grind Size Control
The UNO comes with multiple portafilter baskets, including single-walled and double-walled baskets (in both single and double-basket sizes). This allows the machine to work well with whatever grinder one has....Read more
Versatility
One of the main cons of this machine is that it is a single boiler, meaning it cannot steam milk and pull shots at the same time. In fact, one...Read more
Programmability
The UNO offers programmable single and double shot options, which can be set easily, and the machine will remember each setting until someone replaces it with a new duration. This...Read more
Expert Reviews of the Ascaso Steel UNO Espresso Machine
John Child Considering I've used many different espresso machines over the years, the Ascaso Uno was easy to set up and start making drinks right away. Once I optimized my grind, pulling espresso shots and steaming milk was pretty easy. I prefer my shots to run manually; the Uno is meant to be dialed in and stopped automatically. For many people, this is convenient, but I'd prefer a manual switch to be included. For a thermoblock heated machine (instead of a boiler), I was really impressed with the steam it produced. There is a one-hole steam tip, and at first, I was worried about getting great microfoam, but it wasn't a problem, and it did a great job swirling the milk into a vortex. The only thing about the steam is that it took about a minute to heat up after pulling a shot. I had to pull my shots before steaming milk, so there was a wait time. Pre-infusion worked great, and the included pressurized filter baskets are convenient if dialing in that grind size isn't important. Non-pressurized baskets were also included! Overall, I really enjoyed using this machine, and the shot timer was very useful!
Janelle G. The Ascaso Steel UNO is a great entry-level espresso machine for anyone looking for a high-quality, easy-to-use, and aesthetically pleasing appliance. It offers a fast heat-up time (around three minutes), perfect for anyone who needs their coffee ASAP when they get up. It also provides great features, including an adjustable PID temperature control, an adjustable over-pressure valve (OPV), a built-in shot timer, programmable single and double shots, and solid steam power. Given that it is a single boiler machine, this is not great for anyone planning to make several large milk-based drinks at a time or anyone who wants to steam and pull shots simultaneously.
Review Ratings
Steam Wand
5/5
Janelle G. gave 5 of 5 stars. I very much enjoyed this machine's steam wand and milk-steaming abilities. I found it was powerful, easy to use, had a good swivel rotation to position the wand however I liked, and steamed milk very fast. I typically only steamed 8oz or less. Still, the steam power would have also been sufficient for larger quantities of milk.
Portafilter Size
4/5
Janelle G. gave 4 of 5 stars. I prefer 18-19 grams of ground coffee in the portafilter for the shots I pull. Unfortunately, the included portafilter did not accommodate that, fitting about 14 grams in the portafilter. I would highly recommend purchasing the bottomless portafilter, which has the added benefit of a larger capacity for ground coffee for each shot.
Tank Capacity
5/5
Janelle G. gave 5 of 5 stars. I predominantly made espresso with the machine and the occasional latte or cappuccino. Still, I only used the milk-steaming feature sometimes. When just making espresso, the full tank lasted me for a while (about a week, depending on usage). I was satisfied with how often I had to refill it. It was also very easy to access, given that I could easily remove it from the machine's right side.
Heat Time
5/5
Janelle G. gave 5 of 5 stars. The Ascaso UNO has one of the fastest heat-up times on the market for a PID, professional quality espresso machine. Many other machines have E61 group heads and don't have thermoblocks, taking 20-30 minutes to fully heat. But the UNO has its heating element directly above the group head, providing a clever workaround to get a heated group head without the E61 system. Coupled with the thermoblock boiler, this allows the machine to heat up in just a couple of minutes. I found the machine worked best after about five minutes of heat-up time and after I ran a small amount of hot water through the portafilter to ensure everything was as hot as possible.
Milk Frothing
5/5
Janelle G. gave 5 of 5 stars. When making drinks with steamed milk, I found the Ascaso UNO to be quick, powerful, and user-friendly. Coming from a background as a professional barista in specialty coffee shops equipped with top-of-the-line espresso machines, sometimes I am underwhelmed by home espresso machines' steam power and ability. However, when I used the UNO to make lattes or cappuccinos, I was impressed by the professional feel of the steam wand and the power behind it. It heated my milk fast and allowed me to reach my desired texture easily.
Espresso Extraction
5/5
Janelle G. gave 5 of 5 stars. The machine provides a pre-infusion to wet the coffee grounds with a small amount of water at a lower pressure before continuing with the high-pressure espresso extraction. Pre-infusion tends to produce smoother and more balanced espresso, which I was satisfied with when brewing on this machine. Particularly when I used the larger 21g basket in the bottomless portafilter, I was impressed by the even extraction and full-bodied espresso I made each time.
Grind Size Control
4/5
Janelle G. gave 4 of 5 stars. The UNO comes with multiple portafilter baskets, including single-walled and double-walled baskets (in both single and double-basket sizes). This allows the machine to work well with whatever grinder one has. However, for best results, this machine should be paired with an espresso-specific grinder to really get the most out of each shot of espresso.
Versatility
4/5
Janelle G. gave 4 of 5 stars. One of the main cons of this machine is that it is a single boiler, meaning it cannot steam milk and pull shots at the same time. In fact, one needs to wait about 30 seconds between steaming milk and pulling shots. I rarely steamed milk and pulled shots back to back, but for someone who makes multiple lattes a day, this would become cumbersome.
Programmability
4/5
Janelle G. gave 4 of 5 stars. The UNO offers programmable single and double shot options, which can be set easily, and the machine will remember each setting until someone replaces it with a new duration. This is helpful for those who have their espresso routine down to a tee and want consistency and to be a little more hands-off. Personally, I like using manual timing, combined with the built-in shot timer, to have maximum control over each shot.
FAQs
What was your favorite moment with this gear?
Janelle G. My favorite moment with this machine was replacing my daily pour-over with an iced latte. I loved that the Ascaso UNO was quicker to use and make my morning drink than my normal pour-over routine.
Why did you choose this product?
Janelle G. I was given this product as a demo from the brand. However, if I was to purchase the machine, it would be for the benefit of a well-made semi-auto with a PID temperature control and a fast heat-up time. This can be a hard combination to find.
What is the value for the money versus other options?
Janelle G. The Ascaso UNO is more expensive than some single boiler machines, but it does offer superior durability and construction quality than cheaper competitors. For someone looking for a high-end machine with advanced features who isn't ready to invest in a dual boiler, this is a great value for their money.
What do you love about this product?
Janelle G. I love this semi-automatic machine's quick heat-up time. It heats up in less than three minutes. I also love the walnut accessories and the durable construction.
Janelle G.
Coffee ExpertJohn Child
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