Review · Espresso machines
Sage Barista Pro review: ThermoJet speed and an LCD, for £100 more
The Sage Barista Pro is £729.95 at Sage UK (checked 3 Oct 2026), £100 more than the Barista Express. Here's what the extra buys, what's in the box and who should skip it.
This Sage Barista Pro review covers the Barista Pro (BES878, sold as SES878 in some finishes), Sage’s step up from the Barista Express. It’s £729.95 at Sage UK, checked 3 Oct 2026. We haven’t tested this in person. Our verdict is based on Sage UK’s specs, Currys’ listings and UK prices checked 3 Oct 2026. Expert Reviews has published a review of the Barista Pro, which we haven’t summarised here. We haven’t found owner reviews we could link. Read how we compare.
Sage Barista Pro review: the short answer
Buy the Barista Pro if you want a built-in grinder and an espresso machine in one, and you’d rather not wait for it to heat up. Sage says its ThermoJet heating system reaches extraction temperature in 3 seconds, and it lists 30 grind settings, against 16 on the Barista Express.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants coffee at the press of a button. You still dose, tamp, lock in the portafilter and steam milk yourself.
Choose the Barista Express instead if heat-up time and extra grind settings don’t matter much to you. It’s £629.95 at Sage UK, checked 3 Oct 2026, £100 less. Our Sage Barista Express vs Barista Pro comparison goes through the differences.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants the quickest start in the morning. Sage doesn’t list the ThermoJet system on the Express.
Skip both if you want milky drinks at one touch. Sage lists a manual steam wand on the Barista Pro, so a machine with automatic milk, like the Ninja Luxe Café, may suit you better. Ninja Luxe Café Premier ES601UK: See it at Currys for Ninja Luxe Café Premier ES601UK (opens in a new tab)
Who it isn’t for: anyone who enjoys steaming milk by hand. The Ninja does it for you.
What it costs right now
These are the prices we found on 3 Oct 2026:
- Sage UK: the brushed stainless steel, black truffle and black stainless steel finishes were in stock at £729.95, checked 3 Oct 2026. Some other finishes were shown as sold out. See the Barista Pro at Sage UK
- Currys: the brushed stainless steel and black stainless steel SES878 were in stock at £729.99, checked 3 Oct 2026. The black truffle finish was £729.99 but shown as out of stock. Prices can change. See the Barista Pro at Currys
Neither retailer showed a Was or original price on the Barista Pro, so these are regular prices. John Lewis’s site didn’t respond when we checked, so it isn’t included.
Who it isn’t for: anyone with a firm budget around £600. The Barista Express and the Express Impress both cost less (see below).
ThermoJet: what the fast heat-up means
The headline feature is Sage’s ThermoJet heating system. Sage says it reaches the right extraction temperature in 3 seconds. It also says ThermoJet uses up to 32% less energy a year than a Thermoblock heating system, based on Sage’s own internal testing from November 2022, so treat that as the maker’s figure.
By comparison, Sage lists a Thermocoil heating system on the Barista Express. Sage lists PID temperature control on both. If you make one coffee in the morning and want to get going, a shorter wait is the practical difference.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who leaves their machine on for a while before brewing anyway. You’d be paying for speed you won’t notice.
The grinder: 30 settings, but still built in
Sage lists an integrated conical burr grinder with dose control and 30 grind settings, and says it uses hardened steel Baratza European precision burrs. That’s nearly twice the 16 settings Sage lists on the Express.
Like the Express, the grinder is built in, so you can’t upgrade it on its own later. Currys lists a bean container for up to 250g.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who already owns a good espresso grinder. You’d be paying for a second one.
Brewing and controls
Sage lists low-pressure pre-infusion followed by 9-bar extraction, delivered by a 15-bar pump. It also lists volumetric shot control: choose 1 shot, 2 shots or manual. Currys lists an LCD, programmable hot water temperature, and cleaning and descaling programmes.
In the box, Sage lists a 54mm portafilter with single- and dual-wall filter baskets in 1-cup and 2-cup sizes.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who just wants to press a button and walk away. Every shot involves grinding, tamping and locking in the portafilter.
Milk: a manual steam wand
Sage describes manual microfoam from its steam wand, and the box includes a 480ml stainless steel milk jug. You control the angle, depth and timing, so expect some wasted milk while you learn.
A jug with a good spout makes latte art easier.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants the machine to texture milk for them.
Size and what’s in the box
Sage and Currys don’t agree on the size, so we’ve given both:
- Sage UK: 40.8 x 35 x 33.2cm (width x depth x height), in brushed stainless steel.
- Currys: 406 x 354 x 406mm (H x W x D), 9.08kg.
- Water tank and power: Sage UK lists a 1.9-litre tank and Currys lists 2 litres; both list 1,680W.
Measure your worktop and the gap under your wall cupboards using the larger figures before you buy.
Sage’s box list (checked 3 Oct 2026):
- Dosing funnel attachment
- 54mm portafilter
- Single- and dual-wall filter baskets, 1-cup and 2-cup
- Integrated tamper
- Razor precision dose trimming tool
- 480ml stainless steel milk jug
- Cleaning kit
- Water filter
Who it isn’t for: anyone with a small kitchen. On either set of figures, it’s a big machine.
Barista Pro vs Barista Express: the differences
| Barista Pro | Barista Express | |
|---|---|---|
| Price at Sage UK, checked 3 Oct 2026 | £729.95 | £629.95 |
| Heating (Sage) | ThermoJet, 3-second heat-up, PID | Thermocoil, PID |
| Grind settings (Sage) | 30 | 16 |
| Size (Sage, W x D x H) | 40.8 x 35 x 33.2cm | 31.8 x 35.1 x 40.4cm |
Both have a built-in conical burr grinder, a 54mm portafilter, an integrated tamper and a manual steam wand, according to Sage. For a fuller side-by-side, see our Sage Barista Express vs Barista Pro comparison.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who wouldn’t use the faster heat-up or the extra grind settings. The Express covers the same basics for £100 less at Sage UK.
Downsides
- Price: £729.95 at Sage UK and £729.99 at Currys (checked 3 Oct 2026; Currys prices can change), £100 more than the Express at Sage UK.
- Manual milk: the steam wand takes practice.
- Grinder you can’t upgrade: it’s built in.
- Size confusion: Sage and Currys list different dimensions.
- Evidence gaps: we haven’t summarised independent tests here, and Sage’s energy figure comes from its own testing.
Alternatives worth a look
Sage Barista Express Impress. Check price at Sage UK. It’s a separate machine, so check the model name before you buy. Sage Barista Express Impress: See it at Currys for Sage Barista Express Impress (opens in a new tab)
Sage Barista Express. £629.95 at Sage UK, in stock, checked 3 Oct 2026. Same idea with 16 grind settings and no ThermoJet.
Ninja Luxe Café Premier. In stock at £579.99 at Currys (silver and black ES601UK), checked 3 Oct 2026. Prices can change. It adds automatic milk and cold brew. Read our Ninja Luxe Café review.
Where to go next
Browse more machines on our espresso machines hub.
FAQ
Which Barista Pro finishes were in stock? At Sage UK on 3 Oct 2026, brushed stainless steel, black truffle and black stainless steel were in stock at £729.95. At Currys, brushed stainless steel and black stainless steel were in stock at £729.99 (prices can change).
Does the Barista Pro have a built-in grinder? Yes. Sage lists an integrated conical burr grinder with dose control and 30 grind settings.
Can you use pre-ground coffee in the Barista Pro? Yes. Currys lists ground coffee as compatible, and Sage includes dual-wall filter baskets in the box.
Does the Barista Pro steam milk automatically? No. It has a manual steam wand, so you texture the milk yourself. Sage includes a 480ml milk jug.
Does the Barista Pro price change? Retailer prices can change over time, so check the current price at Sage UK or Currys before you buy. Ours were checked on 3 Oct 2026.
Verdict
Sage the Barista Pro BES878 / SES878
A manual espresso machine with a built-in grinder, like the Barista Express, but with Sage's ThermoJet heating, 30 grind settings and a display. It suits people who want to learn espresso and don't want to wait for the machine to heat up. The catch is the £100 premium over the Express, and milk is still down to you.
Pros
- Pro: ThermoJet heating system that Sage says reaches extraction temperature in 3 seconds
- Pro: Integrated conical burr grinder with dose control and 30 grind settings, according to Sage
- Pro: Low-pressure pre-infusion followed by 9-bar extraction, as Sage lists it
- Pro: 1-shot, 2-shot or manual shot control, according to Sage, and an LCD, according to Currys
- Pro: Integrated tamper, Razor dose trimming tool, dosing funnel and 480ml milk jug in the box
Cons
- Con: £100 more than the Barista Express at Sage UK (checked 3 Oct 2026)
- Con: Manual steam wand only, so milk takes practice
- Con: You can't upgrade the built-in grinder on its own
- Con: Sage and Currys list different dimensions, so measure carefully
- Best for
- Anyone who wants grinder and espresso machine in one, with a fast heat-up, and is happy to tamp, pull shots and steam milk by hand.
- Who it isn't for
- Anyone who wants push-button coffee, automatic milk, or the freedom to upgrade their grinder later.
See it on the maker's site: Sage's UK page for the Barista Pro BES878 / SES878Link: Sage's UK page for the Barista Pro BES878 / SES878. Not an affiliate link.
Sources
- review of the Barista Pro (expertreviews.co.uk)
- See the Barista Pro at Sage UK (sageappliances.com)
- See the Barista Pro at Currys (currys.co.uk)