Slayer · Dual boilerSteam Single
Seattle-built dual-boiler prosumer machine that distills the commercial Steam LP into a reservoir-equipped single-group format, with programmable pre-infusion, record-and-playback volumetric dosing, and a rotary pump — the most accessible Slayer yet.
The short version
The Steam Single is a serious prosumer dual-boiler machine with commercial DNA: rotary pump, PID-controlled independent boilers, genuine low-pressure pre-infusion, and no-fuss record-and-playback shot dialing.
At 38 kg and ~$9,800 USD, the buyer must accept that they are paying heavily for provenance, build quality, and a workflow that rewards hands-on engagement over push-button convenience.
Why people buy it
- Dual independent PID-controlled boilers (0.8 L brew / 2.4 L steam) maintain precise temperature stability for both brewing and steaming simultaneously
- Dedicated low-pressure pre-infusion circuit with up to 10 seconds of programmable soak, plus record-and-playback for up to two volumetric shot profiles
Why they don’t
- List price around $9,800 USD puts it firmly in commercial territory for a machine with only a 2.5 L internal reservoir and two saved profiles
The full tally
- Dual independent PID-controlled boilers (0.8 L brew / 2.4 L steam) maintain precise temperature stability for both brewing and steaming simultaneously
- Dedicated low-pressure pre-infusion circuit with up to 10 seconds of programmable soak, plus record-and-playback for up to two volumetric shot profiles
- Internal commercial-grade rotary vane pump delivers consistent, quiet pressure — plumb-in kit available for permanent installations
- Stainless steel boilers, copper piping, anodized aluminum panels, and no plastic water lines: built to last and service over the long term
- List price around $9,800 USD puts it firmly in commercial territory for a machine with only a 2.5 L internal reservoir and two saved profiles
- At 38 kg and 18 × 22.5 in footprint, it is genuinely large for a home counter and cannot be repositioned casually
- Pre-infusion is time-based rather than manually actuated, which removes the real-time control possible with a full needle-valve Slayer Espresso
What the community knows
Years of owner threads, distilled — strongly recommended.
Workflow refinement and true pre-infusion engineering earn devoted following among lever enthusiasts and specialty retailers; two years of owner reports now show durable, low-regret ownership, but parts serviceability outside warranty remains clunky (insecure payment), and…
Ecosystem
mods, guides, and community know-how around it
Built to last
years before you outgrow or replace it
Ceiling per dollar
how far the cup can go, per dollar
All 9 community measures
price-to-performance the community respects
shows up every morning, year after year
parts and repairs — you are never stranded
mods, guides, and community know-how around it
kind to first-timers
years before you outgrow or replace it
how far the cup can go, per dollar
speed and simplicity, day to day
Worth knowing before you buy — Most owners wish they'd known manual mode requires serious milk-steaming practice, and that support/parts logistics could be smoother post-warranty.
Known weak points — Historical pump defects (manufacturer sourced, now upgraded); steam wand scalding risk due to lack of double-wall design; manual steaming requires commercial-grade practice to avoid milk burn.
“Unlike most machines on the market that masquerade pre-wetting as pre-infusion, the Slayer Steam Single has true pre-infusion.”
“The Steam Single simplifies the workflow and dialling-in process, making it easy to extract those boutique coffees effortlessly and repeatedly.”
“Well that's good then it's a smaller LP, combining manual and volumetric controls.”
The measurements
Scored 0–5 on the same rubric as everything on file — the words matter more than the numbers.
The measurements
0–5, one rubric- Shot ceiling
- endgame-adjacent4.5
- Steam power
- confident4
- Built to last
- heirloom4.5
- Easy daily
- demanding1
Position in the market
Every dot is a rival, measured the same way. The gold one is this.
- Top quarter for shot ceiling
- a higher ceiling than 205 of the 237 machines we’ve measured
- You pay for this one
- 0% of machines this capable cost more
- Top quarter for build
- sturdier than 78% of the field, by the community’s own record
Every dot is a machine measured on the same rubric. See the whole market
Living with it
The part spec sheets skip: counter space, upkeep, and what owners learn later.
The honest note — Owners typically outgrow the two-profile limit and the fixed pre-infusion timing if they want real-time manual flow control; the natural Slayer upgrade is to the full Slayer Espresso Single Group with its patented needle valve. Outside Slayer, machines like the La Marzocco GS3 MP or Decent DE1 address the desire for more granular profiling.
The full spec sheet
- Type
- Dual boiler
- Heat-up time
- ~15 min
- Steam power
- 4/5
- Brew + steam at once
- Yes
- Guest recovery
- 4/5
- Shot quality ceiling
- 4.5/5
- PID temperature control
- Yes
- Milk system
- Manual steam wand
- One-touch drinks
- 2
- Removable brew group
- No
- Flow control
- Yes
- Workflow demand
- 4/5
- Maintenance
- 2.5/5
- Noise
- 2/5
- Build longevity
- 4.5/5
- Dimensions
- 45.7 × 57.2 × 36.8 cm
Before it arrives
What completes this machine — the faded pieces can wait.
Water filter / softener — Plumbed-in machines need inline filtration to keep scale out of the boiler — it is cheaper than a repair.
- Water filter / softener — Plumbed-in machines need inline filtration to keep scale out of the boiler — it is cheaper than a repair.
- Descaler & backflush kit — Electric boilers scale up and grouts gunk up — a descaler plus backflush routine is what keeps the machine alive for a decade.
- Coffee scale with timer — Espresso is a ratio. A 0.1g scale with a built-in timer is the single biggest consistency upgrade for any manual machine.
- Knock box — Somewhere to bang the spent puck that is not your kitchen bin.
- WDT distribution tool — Breaks up clumps before tamping — a cheap fix for channeling on any portafilter machine.
- Espresso cups & glassware — Proper demitasse and latte glasses keep the drink hot and look the part.
Feed it right
Week one is dial-in — and stale beans will lose it.
Coffee more than a few weeks past roast won’t extract predictably, and a new machine gets blamed for it. A machine in this class will show you the difference between roast dates — it deserves beans that change week to week.
Pick your coffee — any of these dials in beautifully here:
Sergio - Brazillian Fazenda Joia Rara Aerobic FermentedSCA 88Medium-light · Cerrado Mineiro · Aerobic FermentedHoney · OrangeEnough brightness to show what this gear can separate.CA$29.18 · roasted to order
Honeycrest - Costa Rican Volcán AzulSCA 87Medium-light · West Valley · Red HoneyRaisins · Maple SyrupEnough brightness to show what this gear can separate.CA$19.50 · roasted to order
Wild Ember - Ethiopian Buno Dambi UddoSCA 92Medium roast · Odo Shakiso, Guji Zone, Oromia · NaturalBlueberry · MarmaladeEnough brightness to show what this gear can separate.CA$26.83 · roasted to orderNo proper grinder yet? Sort that first — it decides more of the cup than the machine does. We ship whole bean, roast-dated, timed so it lands fresh the week your burrs do.
Roasted to order, daily, in Ajax, Ontario · ships Canada-wide. We’re the roastery behind this database — measuring the machines is how we make sure the coffee gets a fair shot.
On film
How it runs on camera, from around the community.
Common questions
Does the Slayer Steam Single require plumbing?
No. It ships with a 2.5 L internal water reservoir for plug-and-play installation. An optional plumbing kit is sold separately for permanent setups or mobile/pop-up use.
How many shot profiles can the Steam Single save?
Up to two volumetric shot profiles can be recorded and played back via the 3-position paddle actuator.
What power does the Steam Single require?
Single-phase 220–240 V, 50/60 Hz, 10 A, drawing 2.1–2.4 kW. It is not compatible with standard North American 120 V circuits without a step-up transformer or dedicated 240 V outlet.
Is the pre-infusion on the Steam Single manually actuated or timed?
Timed. The dedicated low-pressure pre-infusion circuit delivers a fixed, reduced flow rate for a programmable duration of up to 10 seconds. It differs from the needle-valve-controlled manual pre-brew on the full Slayer Espresso, which allows real-time intervention.
How does the Steam Single differ from the larger Slayer Steam LP?
The Steam Single is a compact single-group version of the Steam LP, adding an internal 2.5 L water reservoir (not available on the LP), a front-mounted Barista Dashboard, and a record-and-playback shot feature. It uses the same dual-boiler architecture and pre-infusion philosophy but in a smaller footprint.
Worth comparing
La Marzocco
GS3 AV
A Florence-built, dual-boiler prosumer machine carrying the saturated group and commercial electronics of the Strada into a single-group home footprint. The AV version trades the MP's paddle-driven flow control for push-button volumetric repeatability and a programmable pre-infusion sequence.
US$8,400–9,740
La Marzocco
GS3 MP
La Marzocco's flagship home machine pairs a hand-built dual-boiler platform with a mechanical paddle that gives direct, real-time control over brew pressure from 0 to 9 bar — the closest thing to a commercial Strada that runs on a standard 120V outlet.
US$8,800
Slayer
Espresso Single Group
A hand-built, plumb-in dual-boiler machine from Seattle that brings Slayer's patented needle-valve flow-profiling to a single-group footprint suitable for serious home kitchens and low-volume commercial settings. Everything about it — build, weight, price — signals commercial, not prosumer.
US$9,500–12,920 · CA$19,040–19,185
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