Using the Manual mode on a Sage or Breville home espresso machine
Make better espresso at home
If you’re making espresso on a Sage or Breville home espresso machine by using the default Auto mode, these machines will pull a very long espresso shot, of 50 to 60 grams. I personally find it weak, watered down and unpleasant.
This is why I pull all of my espresso shots using the Manual mode. It’s very easy to do and I recommend to use a coffee scale for consistency. I guarantee, your espressos will taste more rich and flavourful!
Why do I use the Manual espresso mode?
There are 2 major reasons why I use the Manual mode instead of the Auto one when I make espresso at home on a Sage or Breville machine:
It allows me to apply a custom amount of pre-infusion, which usually is around 8 to 10 seconds (in any case, if you keep the button pressed for longer, the espresso will eventually start dripping in the cup). I found pre-infusion to help with increased consistency and reduced instances of espresso channeling.
It helps keep my favorite brew ratio in check (i.e. dose of ground coffee relative to the amount of liquid espresso in the cup). Using the Manual mode and a coffee scale, I can easily track and stop the extraction once the ideal amount of espresso has been achieved (for example, 17 grams in and approximately 30 - 35 grams out).
How to use the Manual espresso mode
There are 3 easy steps you need to follow:
Step 1 – Press and hold the 2-CUPS button to apply the desired pre-infusion time
Step 2 – Release the button to continue the extraction
Step 3 – Press again the same button to stop the extraction, once the ideal amount of espresso has been extracted in the cup
I hope you find these tips helpful and, if you’d like to dive deeper, you may consider our espresso and latte art home barista workshops. Happy brewing!
P.S. If you enjoyed reading this, you might find this blogpost here interesting too – How to reprogram the espresso shot volume on your Sage or Breville Barista Express