The Sage Dose Control espresso grinder is one of the more affordable espresso grinders in our test series. Also known by the model number SCG600BTR, this grinder is the younger sibling of the Sage Smart Grinder Pro. We looked at both grinders back in 2020 and, in principle, found them to be good. However, even back then, the Smart Grinder Pro clearly won the comparison. It is no surprise, as the Dose Control is the cheaper and less sophisticated grinder, priced in the 150 CHF/185 Euro range. In our comparative test of over 24 home espresso grinders, the Dose Control confirms the impression we had back then. The Dose Control is similar to the Smart Grinder Pro in many respects, especially when it comes to espresso and coffee quality. However, the Smart Grinder Pro is clearly ahead in terms of usability.
Good espresso for little money
Regarding espresso quality, the Sage "the Dose Control" is arguably the best grinder on the market in terms of price-performance ratio. Adjusting the grind size is relatively straightforward, and the sensory results are similar to the Sage "the Smart Grinder Pro." In fact, both grinders seem to be used in Sage's more expensive espresso machines, such as the Express or the Sage Barista Pro.
The espresso grinder was delivered pre-adjusted to a good range. If the range is ever too coarse or too fine, the setting can be easily readjusted, as shown in our blog post. The grinder is too coarse or too fine if, in the finest grind setting, the espresso flows out of the portafilter too quickly, e.g., in less than 20 seconds. The basic adjustment is too fine if, despite the coarsest setting, the espresso still takes 30 seconds or more for extraction.
Unlike many cheaper coffee grinders marketed as espresso grinders, the grind size on the Sage Dose Control can be adjusted almost arbitrarily within the espresso range. If the grind size deviates, the basic adjustment is also much easier to perform than, for example, on the Graef CM800.
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When the grinder is set correctly, the espresso that finds its way from the portafilter machine into the cup was consistently good in our tastings.
By the way, we brewed our Apas Espresso, which we also use for barista training and serve in gastronomy. The coffee can be ordered online in Switzerland and in Germany.
Weakness of the Sage Dose Control
The biggest weakness of the Sage Dose Control is indeed its operation. While the grinder performs decent work on the inside, its exterior design is frustrating when it comes to adjustments.
The dosage amount on the Dose Control can only be adjusted in 1-second increments. One second more grind time can easily mean 2 grams of coffee more or less. Precise adjustment of the grinder is therefore hardly possible - unless you are lucky. Constant re-weighing makes sense.
Furthermore, the grind size adjustment below the bean hopper is not easy to handle. It is easy to accidentally change the grind size when removing the bean hopper.
Particle distribution and precision of the grinder
Particle distribution refers to the size composition of the ground coffee. Every grinder does not grind coffee powder into a single size but covers smaller and larger particles. Good grinders produce a high number of particles in the range of the selected grind size, meaning they have a high and narrow peak there. At the same time, they should not have too many fine particles.
The Sage Dose Control has an astonishingly narrow main peak for its price class, only 202. This places the grinder in the range of better grinders. However, the fine peak is at 25.5%, which is in the higher range. Smaller particles contribute to the texture of the espresso but can also over-extract more quickly and thus leave a bitter impression. They also tend to lead to a somewhat dusty mouthfeel.
The Dose Control placed in the middle field of espresso grinders in terms of precision. Overall, we pulled the same espresso four times with the same grind setting and the same recipe. Each time, the curve looked slightly different. In the following diagram, you can see the initial espresso setting (T4). A ristretto was set in T5. For T6, we chose a café crème grind setting. For T7, the grinder was reset to the original grind setting. It is easy to see here that the main peak deviates significantly more than it did with T4.
This deviation also well describes what we experienced with the taste of the espresso. We drank many decent and good espressos, but we experienced greater sensory fluctuations.
Filter coffee grinder?
But how does the Sage Dose Control behave when brewing filter coffee? We also looked at this in the comparison of the four espresso grinders in price group 6. Even with very coarse grind settings, filter coffee was not brewable well. The grinder tends to eject a lot of fine particles even at a coarse setting. When brewing filter coffee, these float on top and cannot be mixed with the rest of the ground coffee, even with vigorous swirling. The fine particles settle on top of the others and prevent both the vertical flow of the brewing water and the lateral flow. However, the water should be able to flow through vertically, as it should continue to extract soluble coffee components from the ground coffee.
In terms of taste, a filter coffee prepared with coffee from the Dose Control tastes like this: it is weak and watery overall because too little could be extracted from many particles due to the lack of water flow. At the same time, the high fine content contributes to a noticeably unpleasant bitterness.
So, is the Dose Control capable of brewing filter coffee? Yes, absolutely. It is just not particularly good. However, the coffee will always be better than filter coffee prepared with pre-ground coffee.
Conclusion and Summary
With a volume of 82.1 decibels, the small grinder from Sage is among the louder grinders. On the other hand, it makes a relatively good showing regarding retention, coming in at 3.4 grams. Of course, there are much better grinders in the test field - nevertheless, that is relatively little.
The Sage Dose Control is one of the slower grinders. It grinds 17.2 grams in 10 seconds. This makes it faster than its sister, the Sage Smart Grinder Pro - but it is still slow.
It showed no noticeable heating during six espresso extractions in a row. The ground coffee remained relatively cool, and with a temperature below 37 degrees, it was also in the positive range.
Over 10 pulls, the Sage Dose Control did show a significant fluctuation. With a target grind weight of 18 grams, the grinder ejected the following grammages: 18.2 - 18.4 - 18.1 - 18 - 17.7 - 17.8 - 17.5 - 17.4 - 17.5 - 17.2
The Sage Dose Control can, in principle, be used as a single-dose grinder. When used with an empty bean hopper, an average of 0.3 grams of coffee remains. To achieve precise extractions, working with a scale and measuring the ground portion is worthwhile here.
With a retention of 3.4 grams of coffee, the grinder is one of the espresso grinders with lower retention. On the other hand, 3.4 grams is still a lot of coffee that remains in the grinder from one grind to the next.
Overall, the Sage Dose Control is an entry-level grinder that fulfills all wishes for beginners in terms of coffee quality. Only the usability leaves something to be desired. Anyone who really wants to grow into the preparation of espresso with joy is better equipped with the Sage Smart Grinder Pro. The additional investment of around 60 CHF/50 Euro seems sensible to us.
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