|
| 
 enlarge | Brand: Gaggia
Buy New: $599.00
Rating:  20 reviews
Color: Stainless Steel
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Shipping Weight (lbs): 18.4
Dimensions (in): 25 x 13 x 12
Warranty: "JAMAICA BLUE MOUNTAIN TRADERS, LLC. Traders backs every purchase with a 30 DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE. See package for specific Manufacturer's Warrantees"
MPN: CLASSIC 14101
Model: 14101
UPC: 693042141017
EAN: 0693042141017
ASIN: B0001KOA4Q
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
|
| Customer Reviews:
| Showing reviews 6-10 of 10 | | « PREV | | |
 Good as it gets December 2, 2007
Matias Proietti (Belo Horizonte, Brazil)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
To make real italian caffè, one would need a professional machine, retailing at around 5 grand (the cheaper ones - some go up to staggering 20 thousand dollars). Besides the somewhat restrictive price, these machines need about half an hour to heat up, consume an obscene amount of electricity and demand constant maintenance. But, of course, the coffee's unbelievable.
The Gaggia Classic is the next best thing. This is, by far, the best home espresso machine you can get. Efficient and fast boiler, large water compartment, powerful pump. It's also easy to set up, easy to use, and easy to clean. It makes almost perfect espresso, and the frother is also very decent. And, as a bonus, the thing lasts forever. It is a bit pricey, but worth every penny.
Be your own barista November 29, 2007
J. Reiner (Virginia)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
I started my espresso machine search with a review in Money magazine (of all places). In that article, the Breville 800ESXL was top rated, with the Gaggia Classic coming in second. The article rated the espresso quality of the Gaggia as better, but gave the top rating to the Breville based on the combination of quality *and* the fact that it cost about $100 less than the Gaggia. I jumped into Amazon to see what others said about the two machines. What turned me off about the Breville were the negative reviews about how the filter kept clogging, and how one person was ditching this machine and going to the Gaggia. As luck would have it, at that moment, the Gaggia machine was on sale on Amazon, by $100! So I get the machine that got the better all around reviews, for the same price as the other...a no brainer!
I've been very happy with the Gaggia. I admit that I'm still working on the proper mix of coffee grinding and tamping pressure, but right from the first cup (which had a perfect head of crema), I've been encouraged to expand my knowledge of the "science" of espresso, and feel that this machine is the right one to perfect my technique with. Unlike the Krups, this is a serious machine for people who *really* enjoy a good cup of espresso. It's like the difference between people who "live to eat" vs. people who "eat to live". If you're just looking for a cup of strong coffee, throw an extra spoon of instant in your cup before you put the boiling water in. If you savor the intense taste of a perfectly brewed shot of espresso, stop here, do not pass "go", buy this machine.
One heads up; the written instructions pretty much suck, so make sure you pop the c.d. into your computer first, and view it beginning to end...before you even start pulling all the parts out of the box. And in case you're scratching your head wondering why they didn't give you a power cord, it's inside the water reservoir.
Enjoy!
 Better Machine Gets You Better Bean November 1, 2007
W. Robinson (Thousand Oaks, CA USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
My first espresso from this machine was phenomenal. As others have written, this is a nice machine, but it is not without its quirks. The frothing wand doesn't know when to quit. If you only want to warm milk without foam, good luck. The frothing wand works so well, it has been impossible not to get too much froth. Additionally, there is not very much room for your frothing pitcher to fit under the wand and certainly not enough room to execute the circular motion recommended while frothing. There seems to be some very slight leakage from the wand even when you don't use it and the steam knob is closed tightly.
The instructions correctly emphasize the importance of proper tamping technique and the right grind for making superior espresso. I have had difficulty in duplicating good results on a consistent basis. The book suggests either getting a really good grinder like the Gaggia MDF or buying ground coffee using an espresso setting. The grinders at the super market have proven to be too coarse even at the "Turkish" setting that is finer than espresso. My blade grinder can grind things up nicely, but the grind from such machines is not optimal because the grind varies too much.
Bottom line is that once you master all the variables in using this machine, it will deliver the quality of espresso you seek. Getting there is not so easy. I'll keep trying and I guess I will ultimately have to buy that Gaggia grinder.
Great training machine...not for the long term. The Aluminum Boiler hidden issue. October 30, 2007
C. Ortiz (Santa Clara, CA)
11 out of 12 found this review helpful
I've used this machine extensively for the last 12 months. In every aspect, I learned a lot about making that still elusive perfect espresso: the bean, the grinding, the water, the temperature, the cleaning, the back flushing, the descaling, you name it. The purchase of this machine started a very rewarding journey into the unknown. From thermodynamics through agricultural techniques, I've read a lot. But only recently I started a new stream of Googling when I researched how to make a more thorough maintenance of the machine. I'm a chemical engineer, so by training, I know that machines need more than cosmetic cleaning to keep working.
And here is when the boiler issue comes along. Among the key components in any espresso machine, the boiler has obviously a very high importance. It's here where a truly exceptional machine shows it's quality. From the steam "disponsable" ones using stainless steel to the almost coffee bar quality solid brass boiler machines, the difference is astounding in terms of temperature stability and durability. There are cheaper machines that use aluminum instead of brass in the boiler. Like the Gaggia Classic. And that I didn't know when I bought it. Aluminum you see, corrodes VERY fast. Even if it creates a self protecting layer of aluminum oxide when exposed to the elements, it DOES corrode and it DOES end it's life in much faster way than a brass boiler. Why? simply because brass doesn't corrode as fast, and if you need to descale or clean a brass boiler, you can be much more aggressive in what you use to do that cleaning.
So, my boiler is now showing significant amounts of corrosion. I used bottled water and cleaned the machine every week extensively, used recommended anti-scaling and detergent agents and followed every rule. But next year this machine is ready for a full boiler replacement. Unacceptable in my mind. Go for the Rancilio Silvia (brass boiler), because that's the one I'm buying soon. It's well worth the extra money.
Nice machine, bad frother October 17, 2007
K. grant (bay area, california)
Beautiful machine, makes a great expresso but I'm very upset about the turbo frother attachment. I've tried to froth milk 6 times and every single time, no matter how hard I slip the attachment up at the tube it slides down during frothing creating a huge spilling mess. It's unbelievable that the designers of this machine couldn't come up with something that works and stays in place to withstand the steam pressure.
If you ony drink expressos buy this machine but if you love cappucinos and lattes don't bother with this one.
|
|
|
| |
