The Sage Barista Express (BES870, SES875) takes a 54mm portafilter and 54mm baskets. Sage's manual puts the 2 cup basket at about 16 to 19g of coffee, and 18g is the usual starting point. The tamper that fits is 53.3mm or 53.5mm across the base, not a true 54mm. The same sizes apply to every Sage and Breville home machine with a 54mm portafilter, including the Barista Express Impress, Barista Pro, Barista Touch and Bambino.
Below: every size in one table, how much coffee each basket takes, and how to choose a tamper.
Every size for a 54mm Sage, in one table
| Part | Size that fits | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Portafilter | 54mm, Sage three-ear fitting | The Dual Boiler and the Oracle range take 58mm instead. |
| 1 cup basket | 54mm, about 8 to 11g | Figures from Sage's Barista Express manual. |
| 2 cup basket | 54mm, about 16 to 19g | 18g is the usual starting point. |
| Tamper | 53.3mm or 53.5mm base | Often sold as "54mm" because of the portafilter. Check the base. |
| Puck screen | 53.3mm or 53.5mm | A true 54mm screen catches on the rim. |
| Dosing funnel | Sold as 54mm | It sits over the basket rim, so it is sized to the portafilter. |
| Leveller or distributor | 53mm to 53.3mm | It works inside the basket, like a tamper. |
Why the numbers under 54mm? The 54mm figure is the portafilter. The inside of the basket is a fraction narrower, so anything that goes inside it, the tamper, the screen, the leveller, has to be a little smaller.
How much coffee goes in the basket
What Sage says
The Barista Express manual gives about 8 to 11g for the 1 cup basket and 16 to 19g for the 2 cup basket. Sage's manuals for other machines give slightly different ranges (the Barista Pro manual says 19 to 22g for the 2 cup basket), which tells you these are guides, not limits. The baskets are the same 54mm size across the range.
How to find the right dose for your coffee
- Weigh it. An inexpensive kitchen scale that reads to 0.1g is the most useful upgrade there is. Start at 18g in the 2 cup basket.
- Check the height. Sage's own rule: after tamping, the cap on the tamper supplied with the machine should sit level with the rim of the basket. If it sits lower, add coffee. If it sits higher, the Razor tool that came with the machine trims the excess.
- Check the spent puck. If it shows the imprint of the shower screen, there is too much coffee. If it is wet and sloppy, there may be too little.
- Then change the grind, not the dose. Once the dose is right, keep it the same and adjust the grind to get the shot time you want.
Using a puck screen? It takes some of the space above the coffee, so start about half a gram lower. Our puck screen guide covers this.
Want 20g or more?
That needs a different basket, not more coffee in the stock one. Overfilling leaves no room for the coffee to swell, and the shot suffers. Aftermarket 54mm baskets made for bigger doses exist; check that the listing names Sage or Breville machines.
What size tamper for a Barista Express
A tamper with a base of 53.3mm or 53.5mm. Both fit the 54mm basket:
- 53.5mm leaves a smaller ring of untamped coffee at the edge.
- 53.3mm leaves a little more clearance, so it goes in and out more easily.
Plenty of tampers for this range are sold as "54mm" because that is the portafilter size. That is fine as long as the base itself measures 53.3mm to 53.5mm. A base that really measures 54mm will not go into the basket, and a 58mm tamper is for a different range of machines.
Is a new tamper worth it? The one that came with the machine works. Owners usually replace it for a heavier tamper that is easier to keep level, or a spring-loaded one that presses the same every time. It makes the tamp more consistent, which helps, but stirring the grounds before tamping helps more and costs nothing. Our Barista Express upgrades guide lists what to change, in order.
On a Barista Express Impress or Barista Touch Impress, you do not need a tamper at all: the lever tamps for you. See our Impress guide.
Which machines these sizes apply to
Every Sage and Breville machine with a 54mm portafilter: Barista Express, Barista Express Impress, Barista Pro, Barista Touch, Barista Touch Impress, Bambino, Bambino Plus, Infuser and Duo Temp Pro. Not the Dual Boiler or the Oracle range, including the Oracle Jet, which take 58mm. Our size guide lists every model code and shows how to check your own machine in ten seconds.
Questions we get asked
Is the Barista Express basket 54mm or 58mm?
54mm. Only the Dual Boiler and the Oracle range use 58mm.
Do the Barista Express and the Barista Pro use the same baskets?
They use the same 54mm size, so the baskets and the parts that go in them, tampers and puck screens, are interchangeable across the 54mm range.
Single wall or dual wall basket?
Single wall for freshly ground beans, dual wall for pre ground coffee. The dual wall basket makes up for a coarse grind, but it also hides what the coffee is doing. Our basket guide explains the difference.
Does the basket that comes with a bottomless portafilter hold the same amount?
Usually close to it, but not always exactly. Weigh your first few doses in the new basket and adjust from there.
The parts, if you want them
- 53.5mm puck screen, 1.7mm thick, for the whole 54mm Sage and Breville range
- 54mm bottomless portafilter, with a filter basket and a solid hardwood handle
- Both together, cheaper than buying them separately
Free delivery in the United Kingdom. If a part does not fit the machine listed on its page, the return is free and we pay the postage. How returns work. Not sure? Email contact@cremalab.co.uk with your model code and we will answer within one working day.