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 we still try to test it as unbiasedly as possible.

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

The foaming behavior of the new Ascaso Steel Duo PID

25% more performance when foaming. This is the promise of the Spanish manufacturer. And the machine actually has more oomph. 0.6 liters of milk can be brought to temperature in 30 seconds and the rolling phase captures all the milk in the jug. The steam pressure can be adjusted manually on the machine. When the steam thermoblock is started, the milk starts frothing by turning the wooden wheel. And immediately. There is no need to build up pressure, you can start right away. In order to avoid foam that is too coarse-pored, the pressure should be briefly released beforehand. The 30-35 seconds enable even inexperienced foamers to achieve a good microfoam result that is suitable for latte art.

Potential for improvement of the Ascaso Steel Duo PID

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

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

Notes on heating time and temperature

When you start the machine, it will be ready for your first espresso after 5 minutes. This is brilliant and a world of difference 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. It is therefore worth buying them from a local specialist dealer who can measure with a professional measuring device and calibrate the machine correctly. Once the machine is calibrated, it remains fairly consistent.

Temperature rise when stationary

Another special feature that we discovered: After a long period of standstill, the machine heats up above its target temperature. It should therefore be rinsed briefly before preparing espresso 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 that you invest in high-quality 18 gram sieves and a high-quality, matching tamper . We use this double sieve and this shower sieve for our Ascaso Steel Duo PID's in our academies in Basel and Dinslaken.

Conclusion: to the 2022 version

The Ascaso Steel Duo PID does a lot of things really well. Anyone who works with scales anyway or can live with fluctuations in the amount of water due to volumetrics can enjoy the advantages of Thermoblock technology (quick heating and low energy consumption). The milk frothing, or rather the steam performance, has been noticeably improved.