Gagging for a Gaggia

Advantages: high status, easy operation
Disadvantages: plasticky feel, noisy, needs finely burr ground coffee

...I was lucky enough to win the Evolution expresso maker in the Ebay Xmas Treasure Hunt. Apparently Gaggia were out of stock in europe for a few weeks, so I only received it mid February. If you order one then make sure you order from somewhere that actually has stock! The machine comes well boxed with simple instructions. Negatives: The main unit is made of plastic and feels like it will break as you hold it to twist the coffee holder in to place. The water container also can easily slop water whilst you do this if you shove the machine a little. The water pump isn't exactly quiet either as it primes. You are also recommended to use coffee ground in a burr mill rather than a bladed grinder (for that authentic expresso crema), though pods are an easier alternative. A burr mill is an extra expense and not exactly cheap...

cootuk 22.02.2005 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Gaggia Evolution

Gaggia Classic Design Problems

Advantages: Looks good and makes superb coffee.
Disadvantages: Frustrating to use and occasionally verging on the dangerous.

...I'm a difficult person to buy presents for, so when I mentioned to my husband last summer that I liked the idea of an espresso machine it was inevitable that one would appear on my birthday. He went for what seemed to him to be the best of the domestic machines - the Gaggia Classic - as it's a well-built basic machine with none of the frills which rarely get used and have the potential to cause problems. It will also make a cappuccino, but not a filter coffee. The Classic is also one of the most powerful domestic machines - water is forced through the ground coffee with 17.5 bar of pressure. To give you some idea of how powerful this is, my central heating operates at 1.5 bar. An espresso coffee is so-called because it comes from the Italian for express. It's meant to be brewed and drunk within a matter of seconds - minutes...

SueMagee 05.07.2005 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Review of Gaggia Classic

Expresso versus filtered.

Advantages: Compact and durable
Disadvantages: Faulty twin spout and needs at least 5 minutes to warm up.

...If you are a spontaneous buyer like me - you see it - you like it - you buy it, then, like me, you may own several items which you wish you had researched first. This was the case with my Gaggia Expresso Evolution.Nearly a year ago, I walked into Owen & Simpson in Dorchester, a specialist Kitchen Shop, saw it and bought it. Most small businesses cannot afford to display whole product ranges and this was the only model in stock. It may have been their professional choice but I didn't ask. Later I found that there is a whole range of Gaggia machines to tempt the punter. At www.ishop.co.uk, for example, as well as machines costing £500, there is the Expresso at £125, the Expresso De Luxe at £153 and my Evolution at £129. The De Luxe does not appear from the blurb to be any different from the Expresso, apart from offering "superior...

webfoot 21.03.2003 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Gaggia Evolution

Gaggia-ing for a Drink

Advantages: A wonderful array of hot drinks
Disadvantages: Other than price, none

...After a long day's shopping in Nottingham recently our final port of call was House of Fraser and the wonderful smell of coffee wafting around the shop floor led us to the Gaggia display counter. The barista immediately asked us if we would like a drink and it seemed a shame not to, so black coffees were produced for hubby and myself and a hot chocolate for the grandson. The salesman/barista was passionate about his products and told us all about them at length and our eye was caught by one particular model, the Selecta, which was on promotion at half price. For a limited period this machine was on sale for £134.99 instead of the usual, double priced amount. The beauty of this machine is that as well as being able to take the pods which we still had left from another machine, it also makes tea from bags or loose leaf tea...

patriciat 30.10.2006 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Review of Gaggia Selector Deluxe

My Gaggia...

Advantages: Pure perfection
Disadvantages: A lot of work for a small cup of coffee....

...Ive had my Gaggia for a good while now...when I first got it it was in constant use...these days it usually doesnt get used much during the week...reason being that there is a lot to clean up after and not much time to do it....easier to make a cup of instant....thought of course its not any where near the same...just a matter of lifestyle...But at the weekends it comes into its own...and is in constant use... Once you get over the initial 'how to' it comes as second nature, like anything else new...when you start to use them they seem pretty daunting to say the least...but once youve mastered it, away you go.... Now I have no idea what it would cost these days...(mine was aroung the £140 mark if memory serves me correctly) and more often than not some of these things tend to get cheaper...since there are very many more makes...

kiria 21.02.2005 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Gaggia Classic

The new Gaggia Titanium that broke!

Advantages: Large water tank, Speedy, Compact, Easy to customise and use
Disadvantages: Body finish could be better for the price; Brew unit (plastic) is not very sturdy

...After owning a Krups Crematic combi machine for 5 years, I wanted to own something a step up, although there was nothing really wrong with the Krups and it served me well on a daily basis. Although the new Gaggia Titanium has been out for at least a few months there don't seem to be any reviews of it yet, so I hope this is of help. I was in 2 minds whether to plump for this model or the slightly cheaper Gaggia Synchrony Digital Compact. The main reason the Titanium won was because the water tank was double the size of the Compact, the look was better, and the features were improved. One of the other differences between these two models is the Titanium has an "active" cup-warmer whereas the Compact has a "passive" cup-warmer. Active means it has it's own heater, not just the heat from the machine. So - on with the review. Set-up was...

sarobin 26.04.2005 (01.08.2005) · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Gaggia Titanium

Evolution review

Advantages: Great cast of characters, lots of funny moments
Disadvantages: None

...Evolution - a theory and now a film! It's directed by Ivan Reitman, who gave us the classic "Ghostbusters" and not so classic but still very good "Ghostbusters 2". Here, he helms another supernatural comedy, and even manages to bring aboard Dan Aykroyd in a small cameo role. When a meteorite falls to earth near the small town of Glen Canyon, two college professors, Dr. Ira Kane (David Duchovny) and Prof. Harry Phineas Block (Orlando Jones), are given the job of examining it. While they are doing just that, they find organisms of an extraterrestrial origin. And not just that, they are evolving at a incredible rate, even while Ira is watching. Soon the military show up and completely seal off the meteor. Completely ostracized from their discovery, they keep doing research, and are surprised when the original discoverer of the meteor...

Walter_Kovacs 15.01.2009 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Evolution (DVD)

Do The Evolution

Advantages: Funny, good effects, tongue-in-cheek
Disadvantages: Some cheesey moments, bit weak in places

...So, I hear that Ghostbusters 3 has been in development hell for quite a while, and there is something holding it back. Ivan Reitman is obviously fed up with waiting for it to happen, so here is Evolution. Ghostbusters 3 in all but name and with no "DON'T CROSS THE BEAMS!". I understand the movie was originally going to be a horror, this is very telling as wen you watch the film, you may jump once or twice (me and my girlfriend did), and can see where comedy has replaced "Oh my God it's eating hiom alive" moments. The Ghostbusters theme comes from three ordinary joes (David Duchovny, Orlando Jones and Seam Wiliam Scott (I think I've gotten his name wrong) stare at a meteroite for a while (strangely, the meteor lands without mashing up the nearby town a la Armageddon) and scrape some ooze off it. Back in Fox, er, I mean Ira...

peppersinclaire 12.07.2001 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Evolution (DVD)

Dragonball Evolution - THE FANS ARE WONG!

Advantages: Great action, some great comedy and sticks with some of the original storyline
Disadvantages: Alright-ish acting, too short, and bad director.

...As many people know, Dragonball Evolution is based on the highly popular Manga and Anime series. I have just finished watching the film and ALOT of people think it was a terrible film and was absolutly pathetic. THEY'RE TOTALLY WONG! (See what i did there? The director is... James... Wong... :l YOU HAVE NO SENSE OF HUMOR XD) I saw the film and thought it was great. The storyline was great, the effects were great, the characters were great. IT WAS ALL GREAT! The film is about Goku who is about to turn 18. For his birthday, he is given the 4-star-dragonball by his Grandpa Gohan. He is asked to keep this safe as its Gohans second greatest treasure (Goku being his first). But instead of attending Gohans birthday meal, he'd rather go to his high school love Chi Chi's party. But whilst he is gone, Piccolo arrives with Mai at Goku...

goku1st 26.05.2009 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Dragonball Evolution

Gaggia Viva

Advantages: Slim and lightwight can use coffee pods
Disadvantages: Rather filmsy feel

......

pieman1970 31.08.2007 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Gaggia Viva