Launching: Our new espresso machines (plus free coffee)

Nerd alert: Our new espresso machines have triggered waves of nostalgia around here because they're exactly the kind of quality equipment that got us started in specialty coffee. When I was a writer in my 20s, I distinctly recall the bonkers decision to spend an entire US tax return (about $1,200) on a coffee machine, to the shock of all my friends.

Fast forward a few months, and those same friends were hanging around my lounge til all hours of the evening drinking cappuccinos. An espresso machine, I discovered, can become a key piece of any community (although the investment required isn't for everyone).

Why now?

Still, why would we sell these machines (with free coffee included) since they are readily available elsewhere? Because the manufacturer BRG Group, with the Sage and Lelit brands in the UK, has sold a lot of our coffee through their Beanz platform, thus supporting our overall project to buy more impactful coffees at sustainable prices from coffee producers.

The coffee orders through Beanz have also allowed us to hire new staff to pack and ship those orders in the most inclusive way possible, including people for whom English is a second language. When you buy these espresso machines, the profit margin supports both Skylark and BRG at a really nice price — and they're flipping gorgeous as well, with a coffee subscription included in each purchase.

If you get one (or even if you don't) you might also fancy sharpening your barista skills with some very talented teachers. Our partner project Pro Baristas is the perfect place to go for that.

Here's our brief guide:

  • The Sage Bambino is well known for being the ideal starter machine. It's small and affordable, does the job, and all you need is a decent espresso grinder to go with it.
  • The Sage Barista Pro is a handy, all-in-one package with the grinder included. Convenient. Job done.
  • The Lelit MaraX is much like the machine I bought years ago, but with much more durable and modern components. It has the famous Italian e61 brewing head, and you can control the variables for making espressos and flat whites without completely breaking the bank. 
  • The Lelit Bianca is the full-blown nerd package with gorgeous styling and lots of ways to control everything — the sought-after dual boilers, the pressure profiling paddle control, etc. I used to dream of a machine like this.

We know an espresso machine investment can be a big deal, so if you want to chat with anyone about these options (or even talk espresso recipes) then just give us an email: info@skylark.coffee. 

Sage espresso machine with a glass container showing coffee being brewed on a white background
Ben Szobody is a co-founder of Skylark and several other social projects in the UK. He is also editor of Cherry Bones magazine.
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