The Satrap Espresso XA is an espresso machine sold in Coop supermarkets and Coop Bau+Hobby stores. It was the test winner in the Kassensturz espresso machine test. We took a closer look at the Satrap XA and summarize here what the 249 CHF device can do.
Test and Tips for the Satrap Espresso XA
Our goal as coffee makers is to help espresso machine users get better results from their machines. We believe this is particularly important and exciting with more affordable espresso machines. The more expensive an espresso machine is – and we test machines that cost 1000, 2000, or 3000 Swiss francs – the more we expect it to deliver. The more affordable an espresso machine is, the more a test report serves as a supplement to a manual with tips and tricks to get the most out of a coffee machine.
We had similar intentions with the Satrap Espresso XA. We genuinely like several aspects of the Satrap Espresso XA. And so, we were motivated to address the machine's biggest challenges to find ways to overcome them.
Accessories and Workmanship: Tamper Crown
Three accessories or features positively distinguish the Satrap Espresso XA. The tamper is not only very well suited for its price range. It seals perfectly with the basket in the portafilter, has a solid metal base, and is thus perfectly suited for leveling and compacting the coffee grounds well. We wish some heat exchanger espresso machines costing over 1000 Swiss francs had such a tamper.
The portafilter is equally impressive. The basket measures 58mm, which is a standard size for professional espresso machines and machines with a Faema E61 brew group. Indeed, the same applies here as to the tamper. The portafilter would perform well on an espresso machine costing well over 1000 Euros without any loss of quality. The double spout or single spout can be unscrewed and replaced.
While we don't consider pressure gauges particularly helpful for adjusting an espresso machine, we do like the time display. It gives the barista a sense of how long the espresso has been running. Why this can also lead to confusion is discussed in the chapter "Setting the Espresso Machine and Grinder". Nevertheless, a timer is generally helpful and far from standard in the price range under 300 CHF.
As positively as the tamper, portafilter, and time display must be mentioned, the rest of the espresso machine is quite the opposite. Cheap plastic everywhere – one might say, appropriate for the price. However, it is unfortunate that the tested model was already the second one that dripped from the steam wand during espresso brewing.
Otherwise, the machine is compact at 35.5 cm in length, 31.9 cm in width, and 38.4 cm in height. The water tank can be removed and refilled. Important: always use softened water with all espresso machines!
Espresso Quality Like Russian Roulette
We've made good espresso with the Satrap Espresso XA. Unfortunately, despite all the tricks and tips, we haven't achieved consistent results. The machine's biggest problem is temperature stability.
What we can reliably say is this: before brewing an espresso, water should be drawn for at least 5 seconds. If not, the temperature during espresso extraction will always be too high. However, even with water drawing, it often exceeds the desired target temperature. For brewing espresso, the perfect brewing temperature is around 93 degrees Celsius. Depending on the coffee selection, this may vary slightly up or down. But we're talking about a deviation of 1-2 degrees Celsius.
The Satrap Espresso XA not only varies in its starting temperature each time but also in its ending temperature. In some extractions, we measured temperature fluctuations of up to 15 degrees.
The temperature curve of the Satrap Espresso XA is impressively inconsistent.
From an extraction and taste perspective, this borders on a round of Russian roulette, alternately blasting you with bitterness and acidity. Low temperatures immensely strengthen the perceived acidity. High temperatures promote unpleasant bitterness. In both cases, a balancing acidity is missing.
Furthermore, the fluctuating temperature also affects the extraction speed. This is usually adjusted via the grind setting, which we discuss in the following section.
Setting the Espresso Machine and Grinder
The Satrap Espresso XA has a built-in timer control. This means that it stops the water flow after an adjustable and thus predetermined time. By default, the espresso machine stops after 25 seconds.
Such a control is actually more advanced than many controls on more expensive espresso machines, e.g., in the heat exchanger segment. These do not stop automatically at all, but are manually stopped by users after time X or dispensing volume Y.
Actually, the Satrap Espresso XA delivers more here than other espresso machines. However, this can lead to confusion, especially when following classic setup instructions and guides or when users have not fully internalized the principle of setting the grinder and espresso machine.
- A good grinder is a prerequisite for making decent coffee with the Satrap Espresso XA.
- A scale is essential for controlling the brewing volume, for every brew.
The Satrap Espresso XA does not come with a double-walled basket. A double-walled basket allows the use of pre-ground coffee. Normally, the flow rate of the espresso is adjusted via the grind setting of the grinder. Since pre-ground coffee is already ground and cannot be adjusted, the resistance in the double-walled basket takes on the task of extending the brewing time of the espresso.
Explanations for espresso grinder settings usually state: the grind setting should be adjusted so that the espresso extraction time is approx. 25 seconds to achieve a filling volume of approx. 20 ml/g in the cup.
Unlike a Delonghi Dedica EC 685 or a Solis Barista Perfetta Plus, the Satrap Espresso XA does not stop after 20 ml/g in the cup, but after 25 seconds. If the grind setting is too coarse, the cup fills up much too quickly. The machine will still stop after 25 seconds. The cup will then be full or overflowing. If the grind setting is too fine, hardly any drops will be in the cup after 25 seconds. The consequence is the same as with a machine with volumetric stopping. The grinder must be set correctly. However, the approach is different and requires more consistent and uniform control of the fill volume in the cup with each brew.
Milk Frothing for Cappuccino with the Satrap Espresso XA
Those who enjoy cappuccino or latte macchiato are better off with the Satrap Espresso XA than those who prefer to drink espresso. Because while the espresso rarely tastes exactly the same as the previous one, the milk foam can be frothed well with the espresso machine if you use the small pitcher (0.35 liters).
And when you pour milk foam onto an espresso, the quality of the espresso no longer plays the biggest role.
Conclusion on the Satrap Espresso XA Espresso Machine
The Satrap Espresso XA is labeled on the packaging as a piston machine, although it is not a piston machine. A piston machine would be a fully automatic coffee machine or a lever machine like the Flair or the manual lever espresso apparatus Aram.
The discrepancy between packaging and content also runs through the machine. While the tamper and portafilter make us jump for joy, the temperature inconsistency gives us the chills. While we find the timer control instead of volumetric control interesting, we would wish for it in a more advanced machine and consider it problematic in the entry-level segment.
Therefore, we can hardly recommend the Satrap Espresso XA for making espresso, except for further processing into coffee liqueur or cappuccino. Some extractions will be delicious, and you can drink the espresso pure. However, the American double latte variant will often be the best solution for neutralizing bitterness and acidity.
