The latest version of the popular thermoblock machine in the test

Reading time: 3 minutes. This article is a short blog. You can find the detailed blog article here on our Swiss site.

Disclaimer: We sell the Ascaso Steel Duo PID in our shop in Basel, but still try to test it as unbiased as possible.

At the beginning of 2021, we tested the Ascaso Steel Duo PID and were very impressed in many respects. The duo thermoblock impressed with its fast heat-up time, energy efficiency and also good temperature stability. But we also had one point of criticism: the steam behavior. There simply wasn't enough power. Can the update improve this weak point?

The foaming behavior of the new Ascaso Steel Duo PID

25% more power when frothing. That is the promise of the Spanish manufacturer. And the machine really does have more oomph. 0.6 liters of milk can be brought to temperature in 30 seconds and the rolling phase takes in all the milk in the jug. The steam pressure can be set manually on the machine. When the steam thermoblock is started, the milk starts frothing when the wooden wheel is turned. And it does so immediately. There is no need to build up pressure, you can start right away. To avoid foam that is too coarse, the pressure should be released briefly beforehand. The 30-35 seconds allow even inexperienced frothers to achieve a good micro-foam result that is suitable for latte art.

Improvement potential of the Ascaso Steel Duo PID

Even though the update does a lot of things right, we still have some wishes for Ascaso:

• The sieves and the tamper should be of better quality.
• The volumetrics should be revised. Installing the flow meter in front of the expansion valve prevents a constant amount in the cup. If you want to maintain your brewing ratio, you should use a scale.
• The cup heating is overridden and should be controllable
• The cups vibrate when being used and slide backwards.

Notes on heating time and temperature

When you turn the machine on, it is ready for the first espresso after 5 minutes. That's brilliant and a world of difference compared to the 25-30 minutes of other machines. Unfortunately, we found that the brewing temperature of the machines delivered deviates between 2 and 4 degrees from the brewing temperature displayed. So it's worth buying it from a local specialist dealer who can measure with a professional measuring device and calibrate the machine properly. Once the machine is calibrated, it stays pretty consistent.

temperature rise when stationary

Another peculiarity that we discovered: after a long period of inactivity, the machine heats up beyond its target temperature. It should therefore be rinsed briefly before making espresso to bring it back to the right 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 sieves and a high-quality and matching tamper . We use this double sieve and this shower sieve for our Ascaso Steel Duo PIDs in our academies in Basel and Dinslaken.

Ascaso Steel Duo PID Buy

The following specialist shops* sell the Ascaso Steel Duo PID and we can recommend buying a machine from these companies. They all offer to adjust the offset of the machine.

Germany: Bohnendealer , Craft Coffee Gear

Switzerland: deon

Austria: Bohnendealer , DieRöster

*We look for specialist partners for you who we know offer good work and good service. We are in close contact with the dealers. These are commission links. If you order via this link, it doesn't cost you any more, but we get a small commission, which we put into new test equipment.

Conclusion: to the 2022 version

The Ascaso Steel Duo PID does a lot of things really well. If you already work with scales or can live with fluctuations in the amount of water due to the volumetrics, you can enjoy the benefits of the Thermoblock technology (quick heating and low energy consumption). The milk frothing, or rather the steam output, has been noticeably improved.