Espresso machines
The Ascaso Steel DUO PID: the compact espresso machine that brews and steams at the same time
The Ascaso Steel DUO PID is sold by us, with two thermoblocks, a pressure gauge and a walnut handle. But the Steel DUO needs a 20-amp outlet, so check the wall before you order it.
The Ascaso Steel DUO PID is the espresso machine you choose for what's inside it. Its finishes are black, white and stainless steel, not the reds and yellows of Ascaso's Dream. But inside the Steel DUO there are two thermoblocks, a thermoblock for the coffee and a second thermoblock for the steam, so it brews a shot and steams the milk at the same time.
The second thermoblock is the real difference between the Steel DUO and Ascaso's Dream. That makes the Dream PID the machine for the looks, with a single thermoblock in a colored aluminum body. And it makes the Steel DUO PID the machine for what's inside, in a compact steel body with a pressure gauge on the front.
You make espresso milk drinks most mornings, a latte or a cappuccino, and you'd like the shot and the milk ready together.
You want color on the counter, or your kitchen has no 20-amp outlet. The Steel DUO comes in black, white or stainless steel, and it needs a 20-amp circuit.
Twelve months on the whole machine from Ascaso, plus five years on the thermoblocks and the group.
Colorful Brands. The Steel DUO leaves the warehouse within two business days, and you have 30 days to send it back unused.
$2,095.
Sold by Colorful Brands.What the Ascaso Steel DUO PID does
The Ascaso Steel DUO PID heats its water in thermoblocks, heated blocks of metal the water runs through on its way to the coffee. And because the Steel DUO has two thermoblocks, the first heats the water for the coffee while the second makes the steam. So you can pull a shot and froth the milk at the same moment, and Ascaso says the machine is ready in about a minute.
The PID in the Steel DUO's name is the controller that holds the brew temperature steady. That matters because a plain thermostat heats until the water is hot and then switches off, so the temperature rises and falls. But a PID controller checks the temperature all the time and adjusts the heat a little at a time, and on the Steel DUO you set the brew temperature yourself, one degree at a time.
The pressure gauge on the front of the Steel DUO shows the pressure while the shot runs. Then there's an over-pressure valve you can adjust, which sets the most pressure the pump pushes through the coffee. And you can program a single and a double shot, a pre-infusion that wets the coffee for a moment first, and an automatic standby.
The portafilter on the Steel DUO is the professional 58 mm size, with a walnut handle. Then two portafilters, five filter baskets, a tamper and a holder for ESE pods, the round paper pods of ground coffee, all come in the Steel DUO's box. And the water tank holds 67 ounces, and there's a light over the work area.
What the Ascaso Steel DUO PID doesn't do
The Ascaso Steel DUO PID needs a 20-amp circuit. It comes with a NEMA 5-20 plug, the 20-amp kind with one blade turned sideways, and the maker includes an adaptor. But the machine still needs the 20-amp circuit behind the wall, so check your outlet, or ask an electrician, before you buy.
The Steel DUO doesn't come in a bright color. So if the reason you're here is a red or a yellow machine, the Dream PID comes in seven painted finishes, from Love Red to Sun Yellow, at a lower price.
The Steel DUO has no grinder built in, either. So you'll need ground coffee, or a grinder beside the machine, and you fill and tamp the portafilter yourself each time. And the space under the spout is 3 inches, which fits an espresso cup or a small cup, not a tall travel mug.
The Steel DUO's five-year warranty covers the thermoblocks and the group only. So everything else on the machine has Ascaso's 12 months, and the warranty is for home use, not an office or a café.
The Ascaso Steel DUO PID's finishes, and what each one costs
We sell the Ascaso Steel DUO PID in three finishes, Black, White and Inox, which is polished stainless steel. And all three finishes of the Steel DUO are $2,095.
$2,095.
Sold by Colorful Brands.The Black Steel DUO has a black front and a black drip tray, with stainless steel in the middle, where the coffee comes out. And the walnut handle on the portafilter is the same on every finish.
Buying the Ascaso Steel DUO PID from us
We sell the Ascaso Steel DUO PID ourselves, and it leaves the warehouse within two business days. And the delivery cost is shown at checkout, before you pay. Then if the Steel DUO isn't for you, send it back within 30 days, unused and in the original packaging, for a full refund. But an opened machine carries the maker's restocking fee, and you'll see that fee before you send it back.
If the Steel DUO arrives damaged, faulty or not what you ordered, photograph it and tell us within 48 hours of delivery. Then it's replaced or refunded in full, with no fees. And after that, the warranty is Ascaso's, with 12 months on the whole machine and five years on the thermoblocks and the group, handled by Ascaso's US service center.
Who makes the Ascaso Steel DUO PID
Ascaso is a family company from Barcelona. Its founder started the company in 1962 to make spare parts for espresso machines, and then his son took the company into building espresso machines of its own. And today Ascaso builds its machines in its factory in Gavá, just outside Barcelona.
The Steel range was designed by Ascaso's own engineering team, for coffee lovers who value performance, a smooth workflow and modern design, in Ascaso's words. And there's no recall on record for the Steel DUO PID at the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (checked September 2026).
Our guide to colorful coffee machines puts the Steel DUO beside every other coffee machine we list, from a stovetop pot to a pod machine.
Before you buy the Ascaso Steel DUO PID
- Power: the Steel DUO needs a 20-amp circuit, so check the outlet where the machine will sit.
- Milk: the Steel DUO's two thermoblocks brew and steam at the same time, which is the reason to choose it over the Dream PID.
- Coffee: the Steel DUO has no grinder, so plan for ground coffee or a grinder beside it.
- Space: the Steel DUO is 10.5 inches wide (11.1 inches with the steam knob) and 12.5 inches deep, with 3 inches under the spout for a cup.
- Warranty: five years on the thermoblocks and the group, and 12 months on the rest, for home use.
See every finish of the Ascaso Steel DUO PID
We sell select brands directly and recommend the rest independently. Some links earn us a commission. Your price is the same, and our recommendations are our own. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. How we earn →