Ascaso Steel Duo Plus

Beautiful prosumer machine for those looking for an upgrade. I started off with the Breville Bambino and that rapid fast heat up time ruined all non-thermoblocks for me. Going for Ascaso was a no-brainer from there. First, it makes great espresso, as expected for a machine in this price point, and volumetrics are pretty accurate. I use the one shot as a cleaning flush and double for actually brewing. It's ready to brew in less than 3 minutes, but I wait a few more (<10 min total) to wait for the actively heated group head to bring the portafilter up to temp. The steam power at max temp is insane; it actually borders on too strong. It's going to be a fun learning curve as I get used to it. Some people online complain about the chugging noise during steam heat up, but it's honestly not a bother. It's actually more pleasant sounding than the more aggressive chug of the Bambino. It's (in my opinion) way more beautiful to look at than the bulky heat exchangers it competes with. It's quick, energy efficient, and the thermoblocks provide a fresh water supply that dual boilers can't compete with. In comparison to the non-plus Steel Duo PID, the combo of the ergonomic (and better-looking) steam wand handle; the easy-to-clean drip tray (the notches don't bother me); and the included bottomless portafilter made the price difference worth it for me. This is my end-game machine. If you buy it, I don't think you'll be disappointed. It seems solidly built and I'm hoping it'll last me a long time.

Side note for US customers: be prepared for some shipping hassles. This machine was sold out from every official domestic retailer. L'Heureux offered a reasonable price so I took the plunge of importing it. As I'm writing this review, I actually notice US prices for this machine jumped from $2095 to $2295 (presumably from new govt tariffs). Anyway, when it came time for customs, I was notified through UPS tracking that the attached invoice was unreadable. After 2 separate emails to L'Heureux customer support with no reply, I resorted to messaging their Instagram to find other customer support contacts (their phone options are in French, which I sadly do not speak). In the meantime, I also reached out to UPS. They eventually emailed me an invoice that I could fill out and submit. While waiting for my invoice to be processed, a rep from L'Heureux emailed me back and said they never received any type of notice from UPS about customs issues. Funnily enough, that same day, I received a more helpful Instagram message saying they sent updated invoice info to customs. After some unrelated internal UPS shipping delays, my machine finally arrived, about 2.5 weeks after ordering it (not bad at all, I was just excited/obsessive about my purchase arriving). I am a little worried about warranty processing and servicing should I need help, since shipping to and from Canada again seems like a nightmare. Still, in the end, I received a machine I love, and while the process was a little rocky, L'Heureux delivered. International shipping comes with its own set of problems out of the company's control. Just a little something to keep in mind. Overall, very satisfied with my purchase!