The Sage Dose Control espresso grinder is one of the most affordable espresso grinders in our test series. Also known by the abbreviation SCG600BTR, it is the little sister of the Sage Smart Grinder Pro. We reviewed both grinders in 2020 and generally found them to be good. However, even back then, the Smart Grinder Pro clearly won the comparison. This is no surprise, as the Dose Control is the cheaper and less sophisticated grinder, even in the price range of 150 CHF/185 Euro. In a test comparison of over 24 home espresso grinders, the Dose Control also confirmed its previous impression. The Dose Control is similar to the Smart Grinder Pro in many respects, especially when it comes to espresso and coffee quality. In terms of usability, however, the Smart Grinder Pro clearly has the edge.
Good espresso for little money
In terms of espresso quality, the Sage "the Dose Control" is perhaps the best grinder on the market for the price. The grind adjustment is relatively easy, and the sensory results are similar to those of the Sage "the Smart Grinder Pro." In fact, both grinders also appear to be installed in Sage's more expensive espresso machines, such as the Express or Sage Barista Pro.
The espresso grinder was pre-set to a good grind range. If the grind range is too coarse or too fine, the setting can be easily adjusted, as explained in our blog post . The grinder is too coarse or fine if, at the finest grind setting, the espresso flows from the portafilter too quickly, for example, in less than 20 seconds. The default setting is too fine if, despite the coarsest setting, the espresso still takes 30 seconds or more to extract.
Unlike many of the cheaper coffee grinders advertised as espresso grinders, the Sage Dose Control not only allows you to adjust the grind setting almost anywhere within the espresso range, but also makes basic adjustments, should the grind setting deviate, much easier than with the Graef CM800 , for example.
The grinder is available on Amazon, for example, see here *. [Affiliate link]
The espresso that finds its way from the portafilter machine into the cup when the grinder is correctly adjusted was consistently good in our tastings.
We brewed our own Apas Espresso, which we also use in barista training courses and serve in restaurants. The coffee is available online in Switzerland and Germany .
Weakness of Sage Dose Control
The biggest weakness of the Sage Dose Control is, in fact, its operation. While the grinder's internal components perform well, its exterior is frustrating when it comes to adjustments.
The dosage amount can only be adjusted in 1-second increments with the Dose Control. One extra second of grinding time means up to 2 grams of coffee will be ground more or less. Precise adjustment of the grinder is virtually impossible – unless you're lucky. Therefore, constant re-weighing makes sense.
The grind setting underneath the bean hopper is also not easy to use. The grind setting can be quickly adjusted by removing the bean hopper.
Particle distribution and precision of the mill
Particle distribution is the size distribution of the ground coffee. Every grinder doesn't grind coffee powder to a single size, but rather covers both smaller and larger particles. Good grinders grind a particularly large number of particles in the selected grind size range, thus having a high and narrow peak there. At the same time, they shouldn't have too many fine particles.
The Sage Dose Control has a surprisingly narrow main peak of just 202 for its price range. This puts the grinder in the range of the better grinders. However, the fine peak is on the higher end at 25.5%. The smaller particles contribute to the texture of the espresso, but can also overextract more quickly, leaving a bitter taste. They also tend to result in a somewhat dusty feel.
In terms of precision, the Dose Control placed itself in the middle range of espresso grinders. We made the same espresso four times, using the same grinder setting and the same recipe. Each time, the curve was slightly different. The following diagram shows the starting espresso setting (T4). At T5, a ristretto was selected. At T6, we chose a café crème grind. For T7, the grinder was returned to the starting grind. It's clearly visible here that the main peak is considerably higher than at T4.
This variation also describes well what we experienced with the espresso in terms of taste. We've had many decent and good espressos, but we've experienced significant sensory fluctuations.
Filter coffee grinder?
But how does the Sage Dose Control behave when brewing filter coffee? We also looked at this when comparing the four espresso grinders in price group 6. Even with a very coarse grind , filter coffee was difficult to brew . The grinder tends to eject a lot of fine particles, despite the coarse grind. When brewing filter coffee, these float to the surface and cannot be mixed with the rest of the ground coffee, even with strong turbulence. The fine particles settle on top of the rest and prevent the brewing water from draining both vertically and sideways. However, the water should be able to drain vertically, as this is where it needs to continue extracting soluble coffee particles from the ground coffee.
In terms of taste, a filter coffee brewed with coffee from a Control can tastes like this: it's generally weak and watery, because too little was extracted from many of the particles due to the lack of water flow. At the same time, the high proportion of fines contributes to a noticeably unpleasant bitterness.
So, is the Dose Control capable of brewing filter coffee? Yes, absolutely. It's just not particularly good. However, the coffee will always be better than filter coffee made with pre-ground coffee.
Conclusion and summary
At 82.1 decibels, the small Sage grinder is one of the louder grinders. However, it does a relatively good job with dead space , reaching 3.4 grams. Of course, there are significantly better grinders in the test field—but that's still relatively low.
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 still slow.
It showed no noticeable warming during six consecutive espresso extractions. The ground coffee remained relatively cool and, with a temperature below 37 degrees Celsius, even within the positive range.
Over 10 servings, the Sage Dose Control showed considerable fluctuation. At a target grind of 18 grams, the grinder produced 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-serve grinder. When used with an empty bean hopper, an average of 0.3 grams of coffee remains. To achieve accurate extractions, it's worth using a scale and measuring the ground portion.
With a dead space of 3.4 grams of coffee, the grinder is one of the espresso grinders with a smaller dead space. On the other hand, 3.4 grams is still a lot of coffee left in the grinder from one grind to the next.
Overall, the Sage Dose Control is an entry-level grinder that meets all the needs of a beginner in terms of coffee quality. Only the usability leaves something to be desired. If you really want to grow into espresso preparation with enjoyment, the Sage Smart Grinder Pro is a better option. The additional investment of around CHF 60/€50 seems worthwhile to us.
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