Former roaster and barista. So far, it's a great machine. I was able to set it up, readjust the pressure, and dial in my coffee in less than 20 minutes. My daily cortados are excellent.

Temp consistency and steam wand are much better than my previously modded gaggia and the warm up time is also quicker. I always pull shots manually so the programmable timed shots arent really worthwhile for my daily. However, as far as I know, there is no way to manually do pre-infusion this way.

It seems to be built very well; solid and quite nice to look at. I hope it lasts a long time given the price point.

Overall, I love how consistent this machine is and it's a wonderful cornerstone of my daily routine. 5/5

I love everything about this machine, except plastic water tank leeches smell and taste into the water (and it didn’t go away after a year of continuous use). Eventually I switched to using an external water container that immediately solved the issue

After Ascaso confirmed the machine would ship within three days I ordered from them. It arrived in two! I have had the Steel DUO for just over a month now and I am so happy that I ordered a thermoblock machine instead of a dual boiler, Warm up time is just a bit longer than it takes me to grind beans. After a few days learning I am able to consistently make great espresso. I don't ususally steam milk, but my wife does and enjoys her lattes. It is great to be able to draw an espresso and steam milk at the same time. The machine is solid, well made, good looking and comes complete with all the accesories we need.
There are many videos online that I found useful to dial in the setting. Check them out.

I started espresso with manual espresso makers and the first machine I bought was a Breville Barista Express which I loved and was definitely a great machine. I had it for 4 years making multiple espressos on a daily basis. When I needed a new machine I wanted to upgrade and the Ascaso caught my attention. I looked at it for a few months and read great things about it. So I had high expectations, considering the price difference compared to what I had and the great things I saw about it from multiple reviews. When I got it and started working with it, it felt even better than what I expected. So thanks Ascaso.

Very solid, looks super good on the countertop, heads up QUICK. Still working out the perfect grind, pressure and length of shot settings. I’d give it 5 stars if the instructions and nuances of the machine were better explained, or if you guys included links to videos/detailed instruction websites. The flavors and textures of the coffee and steamed milk is outstanding, it’s really more about the ease of and understanding how to use it.