Gaggia
About the brand:
Gaggia is the #1 selling home espresso machine manufacturer in Italy. Founded by the father of the modern espresso machine, Achille Gaggia, Gaggia S.p.A. has been a leader in the industry since 1947. World-renowned not only for their commercial quality components and beautiful design, Gaggia espresso machines and grinders are also celebrated for their unique combination of old-world style with modern technology. With their line of feature-packed super automatic espresso machines, perfected semi-automatics and traditional piston-style manual machines, Gaggia embodies the history and the future of espresso culture.
A SUPER AUTOMATIC ESPRESSO MACHINE ... (on Gaggia Accademia Esp...)
admin | Tue, 06/18/2013I’ve never been a big fan of super automatic espresso machines. I like more control than most super autos give you, but the Gaggia Accademia changed my mind. On the one hand, it offers intuitive one- touch operation for people who just want good coffee without having to fuss with half a dozen pieces of equipment. On the other hand, it allows you to control many of the variables to individualize your coffee through a color touch-screen that lets you program just about everything about your coffee. Integral grinder has flat ceramic burrs, and the integrated milk pitcher snaps out to store in the fridge. It’s easy to maintain, easy to use and makes incredibly good coffee and espresso drinks. It’s also both sturdy and sexy, which is not an easy trick to pull off. I’d totally recommend this exceptionally pretty and functional espresso machine to anyone who loves great coffee.
SIMPLE FOR BEGINERS (on Gaggia Cappuccinator...)
Son Ton | Sun, 06/10/2012This system is simple enough for those people who do not use espresso machine and they can easily make their frothed milk.
AN EXCELLENT INTEGRATED SOLUTION (on Mavea Water Filter)
Son Ton | Sun, 06/10/2012This is an excellent solution to the problem of scale build up in espresso machine: by having the filter on the machine!
AN EXPENSIVE APPROVED SOLUTION! (on Gaggia Cleaning Tabl...)
Son Ton | Sun, 06/10/2012This is excellent for those who do not want to fuss around with cleaning their machine; it will work excellently. There are cheaper alternative for those who know what they are doing.
EXPENSIVE ALTERNATIVE TO CITRIC ACI... (on Gaggia Decalcifier 2...)
Son Ton | Sun, 05/27/2012This is quite expensive stuff at almost 25 dollars. You can achieve the same result with using citric acid solution at a much cheaper price.
GAGGIA CLASSIC (on Gaggia Classic Espre...)
dpablo19 | Thu, 05/24/2012This is the perfect machine for someone just beginning. I used a PID'd version of this at a relative's house and it produced some decent espresso. My only real gripe would be the poor steam performance and overall layout of the machine. It has a small footprint, but it it can be too small, especially if we're talking about larger cups. All in all, a great machine.
UPDATE: SILVIA RETROFIT A MUST! EXC... (on Gaggia Classic Espre...)
rjsolorzano | Fri, 05/11/2012I got this machine a few months ago after my Krups died and online reviews pointed the Gaggia Classic as the best espresso machine for the money. I have to say it is a MAJOR improvement over my old machine. As far as quality it feels well built: rugged stainless steel housing, commercial portafilter (58mm), this thing is heavy! The switching mechanism feels like it would last a long time. The only items that don’t seem that way are the drip tray and the steam knob. A couple of words of advice: - Do not use the included Pannarello steam wand as it is completely useless if you want to get true microfoam. Either remove the Pannarello and use the ‘naked’ tube (which is a little short) that will give you decent results, or replace it with a Silvia V1 or V2 steam wand (the V3 does not fit this model) for the real thing. The change is extremely easy to do and the results are truly worth it. This is the reason for the 4 stars. - Use the standard filter basket without the so called ‘perfect crema device’. What this thing does is simply add air to your espresso shot so that you get air crema, not the real thing. It is critical you use a burr grinder and a good tamper to get a nice espresso shot. If you use the provided tamper you will most likely have spots on the sides that are not tamped so water will take the path of least resistance and your shot will be bitter and lacking crema. Remember, this is not a drip coffee or automatic espresso machine, it is more of an art to master but a very fulfilling experience once you get things right. Enjoy!
GAGGIA CLASSIC IS THE BEST! (on Gaggia Classic Espre...)
bachaus2000 | Sat, 03/10/2012I researched machines for days before deciding on this machine. it did not disappoint. warm up time is fast, and with the right coffee and grind, it gives any coffee house a run for its money. The frother is easy to use when you are in the mood for a cappuccino. Excellent macthine for this price range.
GREAT MACINE (on Gaggia Classic Espre...)
hoonchul | Fri, 03/09/2012Its hard to find another machine that will beat Gaggia Classic at this price range. Its great for making espresso or cappuccino..one at a time. If you need to make back to back drinks on regular basis I would look else where. Also, I highly recommend the silvia steam wand upgrade. Now I can make decent microfoam most of time.
THE OLD FAITHFUL (on Gaggia Classic Espre...)
Ping0817 | Fri, 03/09/2012The tried and true Gaggia Classic, I am not going to repeat all the pros/cons that is all over the Internet. From my personal experience, here is what I think you can do to drastically improve the capability of this machine. 1. Sylvia steam wand - a common modification that allow the Gaggia to produce latte art wothy microfoam and look much better than the plastic "turbo steam" wand 2. PID - oh boy, what a HUGE difference after I put a PID controller on this machine!! The temperature stability and shot quality is good enough to put some machine twice the price in shame. Yes you have to play with the electrical wiring and have a bit of mechanical know-how but the end result is OH SO worth it! Some well made kit available on the web to save you the hassle of putting everything together yourself. I was able to play with the fine adjustment of the temperature to really dial in the shot and bring out the best characteristics. And for you latte lovers, the steam capability is much more consistent with the PID installed. If you are on a budget but feeling you have reached the limit of your Gaggia...PID it and be amazed! 3. Naked PF - this is something that help you improve your dosing/tamping, while it doesn't change anything mechanically of the machine, having a visual reference on how your shot is formed will help you better understand what you are doing right/wrong With all the new entry level espresso machines out there, I still recommend the Classic to all my friends who is getting into the espresso theme, you simply can't beat the value, capability and tweak-ability of this little giant!
AWESOME MACHINE....BUT (on Gaggia Classic Espre...)
scmunkers | Fri, 03/09/2012This is a really great machine. The only thing stopping me from giving it a full 5- is the milk frother. Only makes a little bit of froth and It seems to always lose its "steam" right a the end. If I make 2 espressos in one morning, then one milk has to be put in the microwave.
NOT FOR ME (on Gaggia Espresso Mach...)
jbviau | Fri, 03/09/2012Ok, the drawer is a nice feature, but not all grinders will fit in this base's grinder slot, and the plastic may amplify noise. A big mousepad-style "base" might work better for some.
GAGGIA DECALCIFIER (on Gaggia Decalcifier 2...)
vessi_niki | Sat, 02/11/2012Althoug I haven't used it yet, I think it'll work perfectly fine as everything I've received so far from ROASTe. Shiping and delivery no problems as usual- quick and accurate. Tx again.
GOOD FOR THE MONEY (on Gaggia Evolution Esp...)
intrepid510 | Fri, 01/27/2012The Gaggia line of espresso machines share a lot of the same features, the Evolution is the base model. If this were a Honda Civic it would be the one with plastic hubcaps, and manual windows/locks. It still however has the great reliability as all the other models. In this case it has the great water boiler and commercial sized portafilter. This allows your machine to heat up in 10 minutes and be ready to go. And then switch to steam mode in about 30 seconds, which is a lot faster than most machines. However, it is the base model and it lacks the adjustable pressure valve, and 3 way valve. Not having these two valves will mean after you make your espresso you have to wait about minute for the pressure to be slowly released so you cant immediately make another espresso shot, which shouldnt be a big deal if you steam milk. And the adjustable pressure valve means you cannot lower the pressure to make it easy to pull a good shot, This means you have to be careful with your grinding and tamping more.
EXCELLENT (on Gaggia New Baby Espr...)
intrepid510 | Fri, 01/27/2012The Gaggia New Baby is very similar to other Gaggia line espresso machines; Gaggia Baby Twin, Gaggia Baby New Classic, Gaggia Classic and the Evolution. This particular model while having a plastic and metal housing, has the same fantastic boiler in the machines with massive 1400 watts of power that heat it up quick in the order of 10 minutes. Also the chromed brass portafilter helps with keeping the temperature constant during brewing. Besides the styling and few other minor features the main different with this machines and it's more expensive brothers is that it has a fixed over pressure valve, so you cannot adjust the pressure of the machine down or up. This makes it slightly hard to make espresso because you have to be better at grinding and tamping. It is however, very possible to get good espresso still though. Other than that it's really the same machine, and should be one to consider when deciding to buy a small home espresso machine.
GOOD, BUT THERE ARE BETTER (on Gaggia MDF Coffee Gr...)
intrepid510 | Thu, 01/12/2012I am going to echo the other review of this grinder, it will work for espresso quite well especially against other lower priced grinders, but the adjustment of it makes it hard to get it quite right without changing the dose of the espresso.
PASS (on Gaggia Milk Island)
jbviau | Fri, 12/30/2011At this price, I'd suggest just saving your $$ and devoting it to, say, a better grinder or espresso machine.
NOT BAD (on Gaggia Cleaning Tabl...)
jbviau | Wed, 12/28/2011You could probably improvise a descaling solution for less, but this isn't a bad price considering it's a 10-pack.
SWINGING STYLE (on Gaggia Platinum Swin...)
EricBNC | Wed, 12/28/2011The Gaggia Platinum Swing Up is a top of the line super automatic espresso machine - with this unit you can make the same quality espresso at home as you can find in the best coffee shops - top of the line automatic espresso machine here from Gaggia - a name you can trust for great espresso equipment.
PRO GRADE (on Gaggia TS Semi-Comme...)
EricBNC | Wed, 12/28/2011With Gaggia quality built into this top of the line espresso machine the home user or cafe owner looking for a smaller capacity machine need look no further than this one - it is very well built.