The Barista Touch heats very quickly, so it doesn't require the lengthy warm-up associated with traditional espresso machines. Test the Hot Water function from the touchscreen. If the dedicated outlet produces hot water but your espresso seems cool, the heating system itself is operating and you should investigate cup temperature, portafilter temperature and brew settings instead.

A cold cup can quickly pull heat from a small espresso. Sage specifically recommends preheating the cup using the hot-water outlet. The manual also warns that a cold portafilter and filter basket can reduce extraction temperature enough to significantly affect espresso quality. Rinse them with hot water before brewing, then dry the basket before adding coffee.

The Barista Touch has an adjustable Brew Temperature setting. Open the machine's Settings menu and check that the extraction temperature hasn't previously been changed to a lower setting. This is particularly worth checking if the machine produces hot water and steam normally but the espresso itself seems cooler than expected.

If espresso is hot but your finished latte or cappuccino isn't, don't immediately suspect the main heater. The Barista Touch allows the milk temperature to be selected independently and automatically stops texturing when that temperature is reached. Check the temperature displayed beneath Milk and increase it if necessary. Also make sure the jug is correctly positioned on the milk temperature sensor.

The Barista Touch has a dedicated Descale Cycle, and the machine displays a pop-up when descaling is required. Scale build-up can affect water and heating performance, so don't ignore the reminder. Water hardness can also be configured in Settings so the machine can determine how frequently descaling is required.

If coffee and hot water are hot but the steam wand isn't heating milk correctly, concentrate on the steam system. The Barista Touch has a dedicated Cleaning Steam Wand programme in Settings for removing blockages and improving steaming performance. Also ensure the milk covers the ring around the steam-wand tip and that the jug is sitting correctly on the temperature sensor.