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Ascaso Steel Uno is a Great Value Espresso Machine

The Ascaso Steel Uno Professional Espresso Machine is a good alternative for those who could not afford to buy a $1,000 espresso machine.

This machine is not cheap at $599, which is so much more expensive than your usual coffee maker. However, espresso machines do tend to get very pricey, and at $599, the Ascaso Steel Uno is a good deal.

First of all, the Ascaso espresso maker looks great. It comes in a sleek and stylish design and will match your other stainless steel appliances in your kitchen.

It measures at 9.7 by 14.2 by 12.4 inches and weighs at around 12 kilograms. This machine isn’t overly massive and it will be an easy task to find room for this machine on your countertop.

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This Ascaso espresso machine is packed with features that make it very convenient and reliable, despite its low cost. It uses a single heating element for brewing espresso and for steaming and frothing milk for cappuccino.

To get around the issues with using a single heating element for both of these tasks, it has a separate dual temperature control system.

Therefore, you can get your coffee, steam, and frothed milk at the desired temperatures. Its brew head, boiler, and filter holder are all made of solid brass, which is a good material to use for heat conduction and heat transfer.

The Ascaso Steel Uno also has a removable water tank that has a capacity of 3 liters. It has a low water cut off feature, which kicks in when the water tank is empty.

Warning indicator lights switch on to let you know that the water tanks needs to be refilled, and the machine will not function normally until the water tank is refilled.

Furthermore, the machine uses a 3-way solenoid valve that relieves water pressure when the machine is idle. It also has a cup warmer placed on top of the machine, which is also fitted conveniently with a railing to prevent cups from falling off.

Best of all, this machine can take on both coffee grounds and E.S.E. (Easy Serving Espresso) pods. This feature makes it a great espresso machine to start with, especially for budding espresso enthusiasts who want to hone their home barista skills, while having the option to use espresso pods at the same time.

Grinding, tamping, and dosing can get particularly tedious for novices, and requires a lot of practice to become second nature. Using espresso pods allows them to completely do away with those tasks altogether, and still make a great cup of espresso.

While the flagship among all the Ascaso espresso machines, the Ascaso Dream, is much more expensive at over $700, the Steel Uno is a good alternative.

Furthermore, the Steel Uno has features that you would see in a $1,000 unit. Stylish, durable, and very easy to use, the Ascaso Steel Uno is a great value espresso machine.