The Ascaso Steel Duo PID positively surprised us in our initial test. The machine from the Spanish company is a dual thermoblock. It embodies everything that defines a modern, high-quality thermoblock espresso machine. It is not only as quickly heated as is typical for thermoblock machines. It is also temperature stable, and we were particularly surprised by just how stable it was in our test at the beginning of 2021. Thanks to the fast heat-up time, the machine is also very energy-efficient, consuming up to three times less electricity than dual-circuit boiler espresso machines or even dual boilers.
However, we did have one point of criticism regarding the old model: the frothing performance of the machine left something to be desired. The older version of the Ascaso Steel Duo PID with the steam thermoblock didn't put as much power into the pitcher. This is precisely what the manufacturer from Barcelona has now worked on. For this reason, we have dedicated another video to the Ascaso Steel Duo PID New.
Buying the Ascaso Steel Duo PID
The following specialist shops distribute the Ascaso Steel Duo PID, and we can recommend purchasing a machine from these businesses. They all offer to adjust the machine's offset.
- Germany: [Partner links] Stoll Espresso, Bohnendealer, Craft Coffee Gear, Lücke Technik
- Switzerland: [Partner links] deon
- Austria: [Partner links] Bohnendealer, DieRöster
We look for specialist partners for you that we know offer good work and good service. We are in close contact with these retailers. These are affiliate links. If you order via this link, it costs you no more, but we receive a small commission that we invest in new test equipment. We are continuing our search for competent partners for you in the DACH region.
The frothing performance of the new Ascaso Steel Duo PID
The frothing performance of the Ascaso Steel Duo PID has been fundamentally overhauled. The manufacturer claims +25% more power. And indeed, the machine has significantly more power when frothing. The steam pressure can now also be adjusted manually within the machine. The machine frothily heats up 0.6 liters of milk to temperature in about 30 seconds. It is able to get the entire volume of milk circulating well during the rolling phase.
A positive change is that the milk frothing is no longer started via the toggle switch on the machine like in the old model. Instead, the switch now only starts the steam thermoblock. Frothing is only initiated by turning the wooden knob on the side. This eliminates another issue we had criticized. The steam starts immediately upon turning the wooden knob and does not need to build up first. That was the case when the thermoblock was still started via the toggle switch.
With the new design, we advise purging the steam wand well beforehand. A lot of pressure and condensation quickly builds up in the wand and the line, which would otherwise result in too much pressure being blown into the milk pitcher when first starting the steam. If ignored, this creates many large bubbles that are not easy to remove.
The Ascaso Steel Duo PID still heats milk gently. It takes about 30–35 seconds for the foam to reach temperature. During this time, even beginners in latte art can complete the stretching and rolling phases without stress.
On the left is the new, on the right the old Ascaso Steel Duo PID. The color is not what is new; white is still available. What is new is the wooden steam knob.
Potential for improvement in the Ascaso Steel Duo PID
With the update to the Duo PID, the manufacturer Ascaso has taken our criticism and that of many home baristas seriously. This not only speaks well for Ascaso but also gives hope that the machine will continue to be further developed.
Even today, for me as a barista and the author of this article, the Ascaso Steel Duo PID is one of the five most interesting espresso machines for home use. If Ascaso addresses the following points, this espresso machine will continue to climb in my personal ranking:
- The cup warmer still overrides and gets way too hot. I would like to be able to simply turn it on and off.
- Due to the tilt of the machine, cups slide backward during the brewing process and vibrate against each other.
- The accessories are a relic from the past. The included double filter basket holds just under 15 grams, and the holes stop far from the edge. However, this can easily be improved by upgrading the filter basket.
- The included tamper is only suitable as a paperweight. Frustration is guaranteed when using it, as the sides look the same but are different sizes. The ergonomics are also not very user-friendly.
- However, the biggest construction site is the volumetrics. The Ascaso Steel Duo PID can dispense a desired amount of brewing water. This is initially a big pro for the machine compared to almost all dual-circuit and other espresso machines that have to be started and stopped manually. Therefore, it is important to note that we are criticizing something here that other machines don't even offer as a function. In the Ascaso Steel Duo PID, the expansion valve is now located behind the flow meter. As a result, when a certain pressure range is exceeded, water is partially diverted rather than delivered to the coffee puck. If your espresso changes due to a finer grind and uneven puck preparation, the water volume may also decrease. However, your brewing time will tend to remain the same. Therefore, it makes sense to look at the espresso in the cup or regularly use a scale to check if the volume corresponds to your desired brew ratio.
Notes on espresso extraction and temperature
If the Ascaso Steel Duo PID has been set up correctly by your local specialist dealer, it is at operating temperature after five minutes. This is a real strength of the machine. While with many espresso machines you have to plan your day around the machine so that it is hot in 25 to 30 minutes, the Ascaso can also be brought to temperature quite spontaneously.
This makes the Ascaso Steel Duo PID well-suited for brewing excellent espresso after a short time (see also the recommendation on filter baskets and tampers).
However, all the espresso machines we tested were delivered with the wrong offset. The brewing temperature deviated from the displayed brewing temperature by between 2 and 4 degrees. For this purpose, we measured 3! machines with calibrated thermometers.
The machine's offset can and must be set by your local specialist dealer. You should pay attention to this when purchasing the machine. It requires a professional Scace temperature measuring device. This measurement cannot be performed with a simple home thermometer.
In this short video, we explain how the changes to the offset and steam settings can be made.
Temperature rise when idle
A newer realization for us is that the Ascaso Steel Duo PID overheats beyond the target temperature after standing for longer than +15 minutes. However, it can be brought back to the target temperature by flushing.
We set the brewing temperature so that it is slightly below the target temperature during the first shot and then reaches exactly the right range during the second shot. By the third shot, the portafilter is heated through enough that the temperature corresponds perfectly to 93 degrees.
These settings can be adjusted according to your needs. As a guideline, you should consider what your preferred brewing time is. With the temperature set here, we have chosen a good compromise. The first shot is still slightly below the target, but all subsequent ones—even if the machine has been on for longer—are exactly in the target range (don't forget to flush beforehand if it has been standing for a long time).
These two graphs show the overall very stable temperature consistency when using the KM protocol with a 1-minute interval between shots. We measured a standard deviation of 0.75, which is a very good value.
Upgrades for the Ascaso Steel Duo PID
In Germany, Espressopool, as the importer of the Ascaso Steel Duo PID, offers an update service for the old Ascaso model. This will also be doable by local specialist dealers.
We recommend other filter baskets for the machine and a suitable tamper that matches them. Your local specialist retailer can advise you on this. We upgrade our Ascaso machines, for example, with an 18-gram IMS Competition filter basket (DE, CH).
The portafilter holds 58 mm size filter baskets. A tamper of the corresponding size ranges from 58 to 58.4 mm.
Also take a look at our own tamper, which we manufacture locally in the Lower Rhine region. You can find the KM Tamper in Germany/EU and in Switzerland here.
Ascaso Steel Duo PID Plus in testing
In the meantime, Ascaso has introduced the Steel Duo PID Plus. What changes compared to the base version?
The "Plus" is an upgrade and brings several innovations compared to the base version of the Ascaso Steel Duo PID. The model costs about 300 dollars more and mainly features external changes.
Striking are the wooden steam lever and the modified drip tray. In addition, a series of better filter baskets are included, as well as a different shower screen. A bottomless portafilter is now also included in the scope of delivery. The only internal update is the omission of the cup warmer, which many home baristas had removed from the base version themselves because it was completely unnecessary. The machine radiates so much heat upwards that an additional cup warmer is not needed.
Scope of delivery:
- Heavy 58mm metal tamper with a weight of 750 grams. Clearance to the filter basket of 1 mm (average).
- Laser-cut and well-crafted filter baskets: 7g, 14g, 18g & 21g. The baskets tend to hold a bit more.
- Blind filter basket and brush
- Single-hole and three-hole nozzle
- Bottomless portafilter
- Uniform and well-crafted shower screen
- Modified drip tray that makes the cups dance less, but still generates noise during extraction.
The cup warmer was also removed. This was unplugged by many home baristas on previous models. The waste heat of the machine is perfectly sufficient to warm the cups.
Classification of the Plus version upgrades
The upgrades to the Ascaso Steel Duo PID Plus are all sensible. The new equipment is high-quality and makes the machine better. With the improvement of the drip tray, a change was made that leads to less movement of the cups. Nevertheless, vibration is still visible, and the grate wobbles in the now static drip tray. It remains questionable why Ascaso does not separate the drip tray grate from the metal of the machine with rubber guards to absorb the vibration.
Removing the cup warmer is sensible. However, the much larger point of criticism regarding the storage area is the slant. The cups move steadily toward the back during extraction, rattling as they touch each other. Truly frustrating because it is unnecessary. Here, a design decision creates an unnecessary noise backdrop.
The new steam lever is easy to grip and beautiful. Working with it definitely feels more consistent than with the steam knob. An improvement in the performance of the machine is not achieved by this.
The significantly better filter baskets are welcome. They have cleanly laser-cut holes and support a more uniform extraction. For the tamper, a little more flushness with the edge would be desirable. However, the new tamper is definitely better than the tamper dumbbell supplied with the base model.
Overall, the extra cost of 300 CHF/Euro for the Plus version is certainly not badly invested. Except for the draw lever, however, the essential improvements can also be purchased individually for significantly less money.
Nothing changes in terms of overall performance. Both our renewed energy consumption measurement and temperature measurement confirm that the Ascaso Steel Duo PID Plus is a very good espresso machine.
But the most urgent wish for an upgrade remains unfulfilled: the position of the flow meter and the resulting inconsistent dispensing quantity.
