The latest version of the popular thermoblock machine under review
Reading time: 3 minutes. This article is a short blog. You can find the detailed blog post here on our Swiss website.
Disclaimer: We sell the Ascaso Steel Duo PID in our Basel shop, but we still try to test it as objectively as possible.
In early 2021, we tested the Ascaso Steel Duo PID and were very impressed in many respects. The dual thermoblock impressed us with fast heat-up time, energy efficiency, and good temperature stability. However, we did have one criticism: the steam performance. It simply didn't have enough power. Can the update improve this weakness?
The milk frothing performance of the new Ascaso Steel Duo PID
25% more power for frothing. That's the promise of the Spanish manufacturer. And indeed, the machine has more punch. 0.6 liters of milk can be brought to temperature in 30 seconds, and the rolling phase covers all the milk in the pitcher. The steam pressure can be manually adjusted on the machine. When the steam thermoblock starts, the milk begins to froth as soon as you turn the wooden wheel. Right away. No pressure buildup is required—you can start immediately. To avoid excessively coarse foam, you should briefly release the pressure beforehand. The 30-35 seconds allow even inexperienced frothing enthusiasts to achieve good microfoam that's suitable for latte art.
Room for improvement on the Ascaso Steel Duo PID
Although the update does a lot right, we still have some wishes for Ascaso:
- The baskets and tamper should be of better quality.
- The volumetrics should be revised. The installation of the flowmeter before the expansion valve prevents a consistent amount in the cup. If you want to maintain your brew ratio, you should use a scale.
- The cup warmer overheats and should be controllable
- The cups vibrate during extraction and slide backward.
Notes on heat-up time and temperature
When you turn the machine on, it's ready for your first espresso after 5 minutes. That's brilliant and a world of difference from the 25-30 minutes of other machines. Unfortunately, we found that the brewing temperature of the delivered machines deviates by 2 to 4 degrees from the displayed brewing temperature. It's worth buying it from a local specialist dealer who can measure it with a professional device and properly calibrate the machine. Once the machine is calibrated, it stays quite consistent.
Temperature rise during standby
Another peculiarity we discovered: after extended downtime, the machine heats up beyond its target temperature. It should therefore be briefly flushed before espresso preparation to bring it back to the correct temperature.
Upgrades for the Ascaso Steel Duo PID
The German importer Espressopool offers an update service for the old Ascaso model. Otherwise, we recommend investing in high-quality 18-gram baskets and a high-quality, matching Tamper tamper. We use this Doppelsieb and this Duschsieb. for our Ascaso Steel Duo PIDs in our academies in Basel and Dinslaken.
Buy Ascaso Steel Duo PID
The following specialty shops* distribute the Ascaso Steel Duo PID, and we can recommend purchasing a machine from these retailers. They all offer the option to adjust the machine's offset.
Germany: Bohnendealer, Craft Coffee Gear
Switzerland: deon
Austria: Bohnendealer, DieRöster
*We search for specialist partners for you, from whom we know they provide good work and good service. We are in close contact with the retailers. These are affiliate links. If you order through this link, it won't cost you any more, but we receive a small commission, which we invest in new test equipment.
Conclusion: on the 2022 version
The Ascaso Steel Duo PID does many things very well. If you already work with a scale, or can live with fluctuations in water quantity due to the volumetrics, you can enjoy the advantages of thermoblock technology (fast heat-up and low energy consumption). The milk frothing, or rather the steam performance, has noticeably improved.
