Gaggia Decalcifier Descaler Solution

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The vibe:
The Gaggia decalcifier is used to rid espresso machines of scale build-up and it's also used for ridding your machine of calcium deposits.

Pros:
This product will lengthen the life of your machine and the taste of the coffee

cons:It's not really clear as to how much water should be used - "just use the bottle and fill your reservoir" (but different machines have different size reservoirs sizes - so it does leave you wondering how much to use)

However, followed the directions as per the bottle and it seems to clean pretty well.

Gaggia milk-steaming problem

The problem:
Even though it is possible to get really great micro-foam results when steaming with Gaggia, the second pitcher results aren't nearly as good as the first.

The reason:
Gaggias (and probably all other single-boilers) only introduce new water into the boiler while brewing, but not while steaming. Hence, steam-pressure just keeps dropping off until the boiler is empty (indeed the manual warns about not steaming for more than five minutes at a time).

The solution:
Unfortunately, you'll have to prepare each latte or cappuccino individually. In other words; pull one shot, steam a small pitcher for the first cappuccino or latte, then run some water through the group in brew mode and pull the second shot, then steam the second pitcher. Otherwise, you'll run out of steam and your shots will fade and get cold by the time you've steamed both pitchers.

Alternatively:
You can pull a double-shot into two cups and just steam less milk for each. With a bit of practice, you should be able to steam ten ounces or so in one session - so you can make two traditional single cappuccinos without having to steam two pitchers of milk.  To do this, you may also want to consider replacing the Gaggia frother with a Saeco, minus the outer sleeve (the inner part of the Gaggia wand is too short to use by itself). It's the plastic thingy that attaches to the steam-wand.  The advantage of the Saeco is that the inner part with the steam-hole at the end is almost the same length as the device itself, whereas in the Gaggia it is much shorter. With a bit of practice you can make pretty decent micro-foam with this wand.  Good luck!

Gaggia Caffitaly Nautlius

The vibe:
Okay, it may only make coffee using those lazy pre-packaged coffee-pods, but who cares - it looks awesome! I don't know what meaning the nautilus has to anything coffee-related, but I welcome the design ethos.

Operation:
Its really really simple, what else would you expect from a capsule machine?. If you're not familiar with 'capsules', they contain a pre-measured amount of sealed ground-coffee. Each capsule is used once and then cleanly automatically disposed of.

Water:
The stainless-steel boiler is efficient enough at heating the maximum capacity 1.2litre (removable) water-tank.

Frother:
The frother is not very good.

Summary:
Apart from the cool nautical theme its not such a great coffee machine

Is the Gaggia Base worth buying?

The vibe:
The marketing says that this single-drawer base by Gaggia is the perfect compliment to any of the Gaggia machines and grinders.

What it does:
It keeps both the espresso machine and grinder together on a stable platform and provides a pull-out drawer with a wooden dowel for knocking the coffee-grounds out of the filter.

Dimensions:
Width: 17”, Depth: 12”, Height at highest point: 3 ½”, Height at lowest point: 1”. Only available in black colour.

The cons:
It's a touch on the small side, and doesnt fit all machines.  Also, unless you definitly always want your grinder and espresso machine to be kept side by side then there is no option to split the base to accommodate bench-top gymnastics - especially when trying to maximise bench-top space.  It's also made of plastic rather than a nice rubber - no real issue, but 'feel' can be a big deal for some people

Pros:
It definietly helps stop Gaggia grinders and also some of the smaller/lighter espresso machines from slipping around the bench-top. It also matches the Gaggia design 'look' - which some other bases do not.

Value:
It's not cheap, (and shouldn't your expensive grinder and espresso machine come with rubber feet in the first place?) so perhaps you can fashion your own non-slip base out of some materials lying around the house but if DIY isn't your thing, this will suit you fine... and importantly, may just be what you needed to get value-return out of your coffee machine.


Summary:
Its theoretically worth it, perhaps even essential, if you own light machines - but only you can answer if its truly the best option.

Gaggia MM Coffee Grinder

The vibe:
Would look great next to the white Gaggia Espresso - its got that same Star Wars Storm-Trooper look.

Value:
Probably not the best grinder on the market, but to get a similar product from another manufacturer would cost you twice the price.

Noise:
The grinder can be a bit noisy - but for the price, why not sacrifice a bit of luxury and just drape a towel over it to muffle the sound.

The motor:
Because of the lack of gearing, the ground-coffee exits the grinder hot, and highly charged with static. It then sticks to the sides of the transparent plastic hopper, and is a bit of a pain to extract and really, just a bit messy.

Operation:
The only thing that is annoying is the push switch - when you're in a rush, 30 seconds pushing that switch, can seem like an eternity.

Doser:
For the price, you wouldn't really expect to get a doser, and indeed you don't get one with the MM. Even the (recommendable) upgrade to the Gaggia MDF yields only a merely-satisfactory doser.

Grind consistency:
The MM is not really able to produce a fine enough espresso-grind, but is good enough for coarser-grind types of coffees such as french press, filter etc.

Tips:
Disassembling the grinder to give it a good cleaning, is a must do! Within the grinder the buildup of coffee dust becomes pretty severe.  Taking the machine apart one can also readjust it to bring the burrs closer together - permitting a finer-grind.

Summary:
For anyone looking for their first grinder the Gaggia MM is great value for money, however, if your main interest is in espressos - then it's not so good, and you should definitely upgrade to the Gaggia MDF.

Gaggia MDF Coffee Grinder

The vibe:
The Gaggia MDF Coffee Grinder is a commercial-grade burr-grinder. It is a step-up from the MM yet still represents great value.

Operation:
It has automatic coffee-dosing which allows a pre-measured amount of ground-coffee to drop directly into the filter-holder. Pull the lever once for one cup espresso, or twice for two cups.

The hopper:
The large hopper holds 10 ounces of coffee beans (and these are lovingly preserved by a tight fitting lid).


The housing:
The MDF is made of impact-resistant plastic to help reduce noise and increase durability. It is available in black or white.

Motor:
The 120 watt motor on the MDF is connected to the grinding burrs through a gear reduction system. This gives the grinder more than enough torque to handle any high-volume home use.

Burr quality:
Like most other grinders in this price-range the MDF has commercial-quality grinding-burrs that will last for years. Precision-machined grinding-burrs can be easily adjusted for 34 different degrees of fineness (!) - fine enough for any espresso machine and coarse enough for any drip-coffee or french pres.

Grind consistency:

Great grind quality, very consistent - even with espresso-grind

Grind speed:
When it comes to grinding, the MDF is definitely a little slow for the requirements of the more impatient coffee drinker. However, the slower speed does mean that the beans undergo less heating, and as the theory goes; reduces damage to the beans (and a subsequent burnt taste). Another added advantage of a slower grind speed is that it produces very little noise.

The doser:

Don't expect too much from the doser - it's not really consistent, but is definitely usable enough. 

Stability:

No rubber feet mean the grinder can very easily slide about on a smooth surface.  However, this is easily solved with a rubber mat underneath.

Tips:
most grinders are tested at the manufacturer and coffee grounds may be already sitting in the grinder when you buy it new.

Summary:
Easy to use and perfect results are achieved each time. Definitely a better option from the Gaggia MM if you can afford a little bit extra

What makes Gaggia unique?

Unlike every other manufacturer in the lower-mid espresso machine price-range (eg the Gaggia Classic), Gaggia does not position their heating elements in direct contact with water. They are actually embedded into the sides of the boiler which prevents a major reason espresso machines are brought in for warranty repair - corroded heating element. This design has proved to be highly efficient by causing the entire boiler to become a heating element. A fast method that further supports temperature stability.

The Classic further distinguishes itself by sporting a three-way solenoid valve. This is a feature generally only found on commercial and 'prosumer' equipment. It’s main purpose is to relieve the pressure that develops during the brewing process. As you may have read, espresso is brewed best at 8 to 9 'bar' or 'atmospheres of pressure'. With a single bar being 14.7 lbs of pressure-per-square-inch you can calculate that espresso is brewed at 132 lbs per-square-inch. The three-way solenoid valve instantly relieves that pressure and diverts it to the drip tray. You may notice the chrome tube leading to the drip-tray in the larger image. The benefit of this is that the quick release of the pressure takes much of the water left over in the group and leaves a relatively dry coffee puck. Drier puck means less coffee grounds to clean.