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I'm lucky enough to test some of the best coffee makers around for TechRadar, but the Sage Barista Touch Impress (known as the Breville Barista Touch Impress outside of the UK) is the most satisfying I've ever used. It's all thanks to the Impress Puck System, which lets you create a perfectly-formed bed of coffee in the filter basket by pulling down a lever on the side of the machine – and it's brilliant.I've been using the Barista Touch Impress for a few days now and, so far, it's been an absolute pleasure. It's around half the price of the De'Longhi Primadonna Aromatic I reviewed recently, but still has the feeling of a premium bean-to-cup espresso machine.It's supplied with single-walled and pressurized filter baskets (the latter of which make it easier for new users to create a well-extracted espresso), the portafilter feels reassuringly weighty in the hand, and it's supplied with a full set of cleaning tools that sit tidily in a storage drawer behind the drip tray.It also comes with an 'eco starter kit', which contains sachets of descaler, group head cleaner, grinder cleaner, and steam wand cleaner, together with a nice microfiber barista cloth. It's a thoughtful addition, and the machine will walk you through each of the cleaning processes when it's time to freshen things up.The Impress Puck System makes it easy to create an even bed of coffee with no mess (Image credit: Future)You also get a water filter as standard. Some of the best espresso machines come with one, while others require you to buy one separately if you live in a hard water area, or just to remove impurities that might affect the taste of your coffee.There's a water testing strip to determine the hardness of your tap water and, if it's particularly hard, Sage recommends using filtered water instead. You should never use distilled water in an espresso machine, though. Not only can it make coffee taste flat, it's a poor conductor of electricity, which can throw off the water level sensors that let the machine know if the tank is sufficiently full.Time to grindOne of the trickiest parts of being a barista is choosing the right grind size for your coffee beans (a process known as 'dialling in'). Too large and the water will flow through to coffee too quickly, and only the sour flavor compounds will dissolve in the water. Too fast, and you'll get the sweet flavors you want, but also bitter compounds that leave your mouth feeling dry.Think of the difference between water running through a bucket of marbles and a bucket of sand. The marbles have larger gaps in between, so the water moves through quickly.The Sage Barista Touch Impress doesn't do all the work of dialling in for you, but makes it as easy as possible and helps you understand the process. If you want to switch to a fully manual espresso machine at a later date, you'll be able to hit the ground running.Pulling down the tamping handle doesn't take much force, but it's fun (Image credit: Future)After filling the water tank and loading up your preferred beans, the Barista Touch Impress will walk you through the process of making your first coffee. Your initial options are espresso, long black, latte, cappuccino, and flat white. There are, though a lot more options available (both hot and cold) once you’ve completed the initial setup – indeed, I'm not sure what a 'shakerato' is, but I look forward to finding out as it sounds tasty.Insert a basket into the portafilter handle, then push it under the grinder spout and tap the picture of a basket on the touchscreen to get started. The Barista Touch Impress will grind a portion of beans straight into the basket for you, then – and this is the fun part – prompt you to pull down the lever on the left-hand side of the machine to tamp it down. You don't need to apply much pressure at all, but it's very satisfying. You're advised to pull it down twice each time. Double the fun.Cleverly, the machine will detect how much force was required to tamp the coffee, and will suggest adding more coffee to the basket if there wasn't enough. Depending on your chosen beans and the grinder setting, you might need to do this a few times but, once you've got the ideal amount in the basket, the Barista Touch Impress will record the total dosage for next time.Brews for youNow it's time to twist the portafilter into position under the group head and begin brewing your first espresso. Ideally, it should take around 36 seconds to pull a shot of espresso (give or take a few seconds either side), and the Barista Touch Impress will time it for you. If it's taking too long, you'll be warned that the drink might taste sour and asked whether you're happy to go ahead, or you want to start again with a larger grind size. If the shot is pulled too fast, the machine will advise that it might taste watery.In either case, the Barista Touch Impress will suggest an alternative grind size, which you can set by turning a dial near the tamping lever. It might take a few attempts to dial the grinder in perfectly and it may seem like you're using quite a lot of coffee, but it's just part of the process. You don't want to know how many beans a trainee barista goes through when learning the ropes. It's a lot.The machine times how long it takes to pull a shot of espresso and suggests tweaking the grind size if necessary (Image credit: Future)When you've eventually created a perfectly balanced espresso, the full menu of drink options will be unlocked and you're free to begin experimenting.So far, I've only scratched the surface of what this great bean-to-cup machine can do, but I'm already thoroughly enjoying it. I'll bring you a full review once I've explored everything it's capable of and determined whether it deserves a place in TechRadar's roundup of the best bean-to-cup coffee machines. Now, if you'll please excuse me, I need to get some more beans.

It's easy to start feeling the pressure in the lead up to Father's Day. Finding a gift that expresses your love and gratitude to your beloved dad can feel nearly impossible, but that doesn't have to be the case. There are plenty of great Father's Day gifts out there for every type of dad, whether they're a tech lover, a gamer, a runner or a combination of many things. Here, we've compiled a list of the best gifts you can get your dad to show you appreciation for all of the parenting they've done, and likely still do.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-fathers-day-gifts-for-any-dad-in-2025-131504054.html?src=rss

Sony's new headphones are easier to repair than beforeThe battery is one component that's more straightforward to replaceIt should mean fewer of these devices become e-wasteThe Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones launched a couple of weeks ago, and have already attracted plenty of praise – see our Sony WH-1000XM6 review, for example. Now we have another reason for investing in a pair: they're easier to repair than previous models.According to the experts at iFixit, "Sony appears to have made a deliberate effort to design the WH-1000XM6 with repair in mind", and there have been tweaks to how these headphones have been put together that show that.Crucially, iFixit says, the battery inside the headphones is now fixed in place with two screws – rather than being stuck in with the double-sided adhesive that was used for the Sony WH-1000XM5, which launched back in 2022.The modular driver mid-plate is straightforward to replace as well, iFixit says – there's no glue to deal with, and the component can be got at without the risk of damaging other parts of the interior of the headphones.Readily accessible componentsiFixit also reports that the USB-C port, the audio jack, and the button board are "readily accessible", making repairs easier. The idea is that if one part of the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones fails, you don't have to completely replace them.It's not all good news on the repairability front though: iFixit says there's not much improvement as far as the headband goes, so if there's a problem with this part of the device then you may well have to get a new pair.Of course when we say the Sony WH-1000XM6 are easier to repair, you do still need a certain amount of technical know-how and some specialist tools for the job. However, the job now is more straightforward, whether you do it yourself or take it into a repair shop.There's plenty of advice over on iFixit about how you might go about repairing the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones and a whole host of other gadgets, but if you're weighing up the pros of buying them, you can add repairability to the list.You might also likeSony WH-1000XM6 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra3 more reasons to upgrade to the Sony WH-1000XM6Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Sony WH-1000XM4

Asus adds SSD storage to a graphics card, but the wood grain design steals attention fastUSB-C and M.2 SSD support promise versatilityAsus ProArt RTX 5080 offers compact form and power, but pricing will remain painfully highAsus has unveiled its latest addition to the ProArt lineup, the GeForce RTX 5080, equipped with features designed to attract creatives.The ProArt RTX 5080 stays true to Asus’ minimalistic design philosophy but introduces a new twist: a “noble dark wood grain” foil on the side of the card.This wood pattern has sparked mixed reactions and does not sit well with many tech enthusiasts, but thankfully, it’s optional, as several other models of the same GPU do not use this design.GeForce RTX 5080 offers more than aestheticPerhaps more relevant than the appearance is the ProArt RTX 5080’s standout technical feature: an integrated M.2 slot for SSDs.Asus has tried this before with the RTX 4060 Ti, where unused PCIe lanes allowed an SSD to function without impacting GPU performance. But this time, implementation details remain murky.The RTX 5080 is connected via a full 16 PCIe lanes, raising a fundamental concern. “Does an installed SSD permanently ‘steal’ lanes from the graphics card, thereby reducing its memory throughput?”That’s a crucial question for professionals who need consistent performance in demanding environments like high-resolution video rendering or 3D modeling.In theory, the built-in M.2 slot could allow faster workflows by directly offloading high-bandwidth assets onto the GPU cooling system.Asus claims the SSD will “boast PCIe Gen 5 speeds and effectively dissipate heat to the card’s heatsink for cooler temperatures.”If the heat management works as promised and performance isn’t compromised, this could be a game changer for creative setups, especially those looking for the best monitor for video editing or the best monitors for Photoshop, where fast file access is paramount.A USB Type-C port also makes its debut on this card, a notable addition for anyone building a workstation around flexibility.It opens up new use cases, especially for professionals using modern displays and peripherals. For creatives using the best monitor for Mac Mini, which often relies on USB-C for streamlined connectivity, this is a welcome development.Despite its compact 2.5-slot form factor, Asus promises top-tier cooling with a vapor chamber, phase-change thermal pad, and axial-tech fans.Combined with the MaxContact surface and Auto-Extreme manufacturing process, the ProArt RTX 5080 reads like a technically thoughtful card on paper.But pricing remains a sticking point. The “cheapest” custom cards are quite expensive, thus, the premium top-of-the-line cards are even harder to bear.You might also likeUpgrading to Windows 11 just got easier - Microsoft introduces a new business backup toolCheck out the best 3D modeling software for 3D printing and moreWe've rounded up the best portable monitors available now

Since joining the Trump administration with a mandate to shrink government, Elon Musk – the world's richest man, and a key funder of Donald Trump's run for office – led his team at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to fire workers, close offices, and cut off funding for innumerable programs. He also saw his own fortunes decline, as his work became the target of lawsuits – and his Tesla brand suffered a huge backlash. Sitting down with "Sunday Morning" correspondent David Pogue, Musk discussed his efforts behind DOGE and the firestorm surrounding it; and his opinion of Trump's controversial budget bill, now before Congress.

Seth MacFarlane gained success as a young man with the animated comedy hit "Family Guy." But his other love is the Great American Songbook, which he features in his nightclub act. He is now releasing a new album, "Lush Life: The Lost Sinatra Arrangements," in which MacFarlane performs songs that had been arranged for Frank Sinatra but never previously recorded. He talks with correspondent Luke Burbank about how his career aspirations once diverged from music to animation – and how they swerved back.