The Ascaso Baby T Plus is the top model in the espresso machine fleet of the Spanish company Ascaso. The thermoblock relies on an extra boiler for steam production and delivers water pre-heated via heat exchanger. With the Ascaso Baby T Plus, Ascaso attempts to solve all the challenges of espresso preparation and place a modern and energy-efficient espresso machine right into the field of Italian stainless steel premium machines. And what can we say? While the first version of the machine had many teething problems last year, the newest machine is firmly on the path to success.
The Baby T costs around 4500 francs in Switzerland and around 4300 euros in the euro zone. Attention: there are still many old models on the market that cost less and differ from the new model. This is evident, among other things, in the drip tray and the water tank.
The 40 kg heavy espresso machine with rotary pump and the option to be connected to fixed water supply is 35 cm wide, 43 cm deep and 45 cm high. It has a correspondingly large cup shelf and is supplied optionally in white, green, black, red, blue, yellow, or polished.
This article has been completely revised after we were able to test the new version of the Ascaso Baby T Plus in autumn 2022. The original article was titled: Crash on the Innovation Track.
Two Technology Worlds in One Espresso Machine
With the Steel Duo PID, Ascaso demonstrated what temperature stability is possible with thermoblock espresso machines. Over time and from shot to shot, this espresso machine delivers outstanding precision. Add to this the further advantages of low power consumption, just one third compared to dual boiler espresso machines. The warm-up time of under 5 minutes is another argument in favor of thermoblock technology. However, the Ascaso Steel Duo PID has a weakness. The thermoblock responsible for steam does not deliver the same steaming power as espresso machines with boilers in the same price range.
With the Baby T Plus, Ascaso wants to address exactly this improvement opportunity and equips the Baby T Plus with a 2.5 liter stainless steel steam boiler. And this approach works: the Ascaso Baby T Plus has reached the steaming performance level of industry leaders like GS3 or Victoria Arduino Prima.
However, it should be noted here: solutions would have been available even in the thermoblock world, as not only a Decent espresso machine but also the much cheaper Sage models like the Bambino Plus demonstrate with a Thermojet thick-film heater. And Ascaso itself has a response with the Duo PID. However, we agree: with the boiler, the machine is suitable for small gastronomy use, which we tested at the Swiss Coffee Festival.
The Boiler-Thermoblock Operating Principle
The brew water goes from the tank via the heat exchanger in the steam boiler, flows from there into the thermoblock to achieve the set brew temperature. What seems sensible at first glance and has been successfully implemented in other espresso machines with boilers, limited the performance in the first version of the machine. We actually focused much of our criticism on this at the time. With the new version and adjusted controls, things look different.
Our summary of the problems with the first Baby T Plus models:
- On the one hand, it was communicated that the Ascaso Baby T Plus also works with thermoblock only, which we could not confirm.
- On the other hand, we missed the wonderfully fast warm-up performance of the thermoblock that we know from other Ascaso models.
Both difficulties are closely related.
The main problem was that the thermoblock alone, in connection with the speed of the Baby T Plus's rotary pump, could not generate enough temperature to bring the brew water to the target temperature.
Because of this, we had to wait for the boiler to heat up before the Baby T Plus was ready for use. And there was no way to do without the boiler, for example to reduce power consumption, since the desired brew temperature could not be reached at all. The possibility of doing exactly that when no milk needs to be steamed was announced back then.
What Does the Ascaso Baby T Plus Update Bring?
It makes everything better. The thermoblock is now at temperature after just five minutes, as we know from the best thermoblocks. Our measurement curves show that the desired temperature range is reached with the third shot. If you prefer it faster, you can also flush some water through the portafilter to heat it up. If you don't want to do that, you wait 8 - 10 minutes and the Ascaso Baby T Plus performs in the ideal and set temperature range.
During the shot itself, the machine tends to slightly overshoot at the beginning and aim up to half a degree above the target temperature. That's something we'd like to see Ascaso improve in the next control upgrade.
Ascaso has also adjusted the communication. Yes, the boiler can still be switched off, but this is not recommended. While the machine can now reach the desired temperature range with a small trick, it loses 3 - 4 degrees during brewing if using only the thermoblock (see chart "Without Boiler" in light blue). This is fine for some beans and certainly a viable option if the boiler fails, for example. But it's not optimal use for an espresso machine that actually has the strength of reaching an exact brew temperature. We achieved the curve by adjusting the brew temperature from 93 to 96 degrees.
Great Espresso with the Ascaso Baby T Plus
We've had many great espressos with the Ascaso Baby T Plus, thanks to its good brew temperature and overall performance. Even under busy conditions at the Swiss Coffee Festival, the machine was a lot of fun for us. However, Michel also replaced the baskets with a 24.5 IMS basket on the new model.
Build Quality of the Ascaso Baby T Plus
The Ascaso Baby T is a very beautiful espresso machine. Not only do the wood trim on the portafilter handle and the steam wand lever look stylish. The entire machine looks very high quality and the body is flawlessly finished.
In the new version, the drip tray was also improved. It can now be shifted far forward and then lifted straight out. With the old model, the drip tray had to be tilted in the machine, which is why the drip tray could be no more than one third full. That was rubbish! Now it's proper, even though drip trays of espresso machines in this size could certainly have more capacity. However, the machine can be connected to both a drain and fixed water supply.
What is now included: a tamper that lives up to its name and matches the beautiful wood look of the Ascaso Baby T Plus nicely.
A blank button next to the functional buttons is probably a cost compromise. This apparently came from another machine with a heated portafilter mount. With the Ascaso Baby T Plus, the drawing can be found, but not the button. Sorry, but on a machine costing around 4000€, this seems inappropriate to us. However, the buttons for a barista light on the front and an option to switch on the cup warmer are present.
Conclusion and Potential
With the new version, the Ascaso Baby T Plus now delivers what we hoped for. It not only makes very good espresso, but also plays to the strengths of boiler and thermoblock.
The 2.5 liter boiler gives the machine excellent steam performance, with which the machine doesn't have to hide behind any other espresso machine. The pressure doesn't drop even during continuous steaming, making the machine an interesting choice for gastronomy or espresso catering.
The thermoblock heats up quickly and now also has enough energy to deliver its enormous advantage over boiler machines. The brew temperature can be reached just five minutes after startup. The Ascaso Baby T Plus is thus significantly faster to brew temperature than all other high-end espresso machines, such as the Linea Mini or GS3 from La Marzocco, the Victoria Arduino Eagle One Prima and all other dual boiler espresso machines.
Overall: a great espresso machine that we particularly see for use under busy conditions and in small gastronomy or with the demanding home barista. If you're still undecided, you'll find more comparison models in our espresso machine overview. And don't forget: the grinder is ultimately at least as important as the machine for espresso, our comprehensive grinder comparison helps with the choice. So the Ascaso Baby T Plus is really fun!
