And yet another one bites the dust... do I smell or something????
And yet another one bites the dust... do I smell or something????
Member since:14.10.2003
Reviews:32
Members who trust:26
I am a coffee freak. I have no shame in admitting it. I have had 3 previous coffee machines to this, and this one has topped them all. I bought this machine a year ago now, during the sale of (cough) a major retailer (cough). With my staff discount, I purchased it for the princely sum of £181, when the RRP was closer to £300.
First Impressions When you look at this thing in the store, the first thing that strikes you is man. It’s big. Its also solid metal and very, very heavy. It certainly looks every penny of its asking price. After hauling the surprisingly small box back home and unpacking it, you realise "man. There is no power cord!". To save space, lots of components are packed into the water container but this is not apparent and I had an embarrassing trip back to the store where it was pointed
out to me. Once set up, I was ready to make my first coffee. After running water through the machine like the (admittedly poor) Manuel suggested, it was time. The machine heated up rapidly, the light came on, I pressed the button and..... It’s noisy. The espresso that came out, however, was perfect. Thick, creamy crema. Very aromatic.
Background Info Before I continue with my review I just wanted to give a quick run through on the basics of a coffee machine so that it is easier to understand some of the points later on. An espresso machine is basically a giant pump. By pumping hot water into the coffee grounds, espresso is produced. The mark of a good machine lies in its ability to maintain the correct water temperature (80-90 Celsius) and the correct water pressure (at least 15 bar). The Gaggia Classic does this in spades.
Features of the Classic The Classic lies towards the top end of Gaggia's product line, and its features show that. Starting with the basics, not only is the metal body beautiful, but it’s functional too. The metal body helps to retain heat better so contributes to the standard of espresso. Also it lets the top of the machine act as a cup heater, so that when you make the espresso you make it into a warm cup. Extracting espresso into a cold cup means it loses heat and thus flavour. The part the coffee sits in is called the filter holder, and is quite possibly the most crucial part of the machine. The Gaggia features a brass and chrome plated filter holder that weighs in at over 1lb of metal! The advantage of this is again in the heat retention. Heat is the key to good coffee. Cheaper models use aluminium and feel really flimsy. Just as a side point, the replacement cost of that part is a whopping £90!! The Gaggia also features a steam valve for frothing milk. More on this in a bit. Another unique feature is the ability of the machine to make hot water for tea. Ideal for the odd one out in your home who loves PG Tips! The last, but not least feature of the machine is the 3-way solenoid valve. This sounds very technical, but in reality it’s very simple. In the corner of the machine you will notice a small pipe venting into the drip tray. What this does is it takes the excess water from the filter holder and removes it, leaving you with a dry puck of coffee to dispose off. This means the machine is one of the least messy on the market. It’s interesting to note that this feature is usually only found on machines costing over £500!!
Cappuccino/Hot Chocolate "But I don't like Espresso!" The steam frother on this machine is very versatile. It means you can make a fabulous cappuccino, and you haven't tried hot chocolate till you've made it using this method. Using it is simple. After the machine has heated up (which it does very quickly), turn the knob and whoosh. A strong jet of steam comes out. It is enough to froth milk for about 3-4 cups of cappuccino. Cleaning this bit is a hassle though. Milk deposits quickly build up unless you wipe down right away.
Stuff I don’t like The drip tray is too small, and it’s plastic. The rest of the machine is really high quality but this part is not. The hole for the solenoid valve is not totally flush, so some splatter occurs sometimes. My last bugbear is that the space for the cup is only big enough for espresso or cappuccino cups. My huge mug has no place in this machine.
Summery You can go to starbucks, and pay £2.50 for a coffee every day. In 3 months you would have spent what this machine costs. And boy is it worth the money. The taste of fresh, proper coffee first thing is unbeatable. The machine is easy to use (only 3 buttons!) and reliable. In the past year, I have not had a single hitch. Maintenance is easy, requiring that once every few months you descale it (much like your kettle). Gaggia's technical support is very good, with the assistants knowledgeable and friendly. The only foible being the instruction Manuel.
I can't recommend this machine enough.
Last but not least - This machine does not make Filter coffee
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
The Gaggia Classic Coffee defines the cutting edge of coffee makers: brass components ... more
maintain the beverages at a constant temperature; an internal mechanism composed of a solenoid and an expansion valve allows the rapid drying of the interior; the adj...
Postage & Packaging: 0.00 GBP Availability: In Stock
Theres nothing like a good cup of coffee to lend a little extra sense of refinement and ... more
taste to ones daily life. The CLASSIC COFFEE model embodies this by combining advanced technology and classic form, underscored by the durability and elegance of it...
Postage & Packaging: refer to website Availability: In stock
Oct 20th, 2004
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