Gaggia Viva

The vibe:
sort of sixties, sort of now


Comparison:
It makes just as good coffee as the Classic, for example.
This trendy little machine is built as well as the Classic, Amante, Espresso, Cubika and Baby versions from Gaggia. Its not steel, granted, but sturdy and quality never the less.
It doesn't feel like most Delonghi's (for example) or usual household economy brands.

Water:
It heats up really fast and froths/ steams well and reliably.

Value:
For a starter machine that doesn't break the bank - this really ticks all the boxes. You'll get a great shot every time with a superb crema - better than more expensive machines! Got to give it 5/5 within its price range Kind of like a Honda (if you get my drift!). Not as good as a Mercedes etc, but better than a Fiat! :-). Most Gaggia's are Honda's - great products, reliable, do their job - but Not quite top of the range.

Operation:
The design works very well in a small area - so ideal for most standard kitchens.

Summary:
Bottom line is....Get good beans, and a quality grinder & this will serve you well.

Links:
You tube clip of 'the shot'

Gaggia Espresso De Luxe 16002

The vibe:
Firstly, the De Luxe does not come in a stainless steel case! rather, the case is powder-coated steel in a metallic silver color (indeed, it's the only color the Deluxe model comes in). However, it is fairly attractive and much more resistant to fingerprints than the standard edition.

Water:

Since the Gaggia's boiler is aluminum, it is absolutely critical that you use filtered water (or at least some sort of soft water).

Frothing:
It comes with a gizmo that enables the operator to froth milk that is being drawn directly out of its own container. Neat trick, if you're really into milk-based concoctions.

Cons:
What the Coffee Deluxe DOES NOT have is a three-way solenoid valve, which relieves pressure from the group head when the brew button is turned off, thus allowing immediate removal of the portafilter. The Classic and the Baby both have the solenoid valve, but not the espresso (in the bog-standard or the souped-up Deluxe edition).

If you surf around Gaggia reviews much at all, you'll soon determine that the GRINDER is in fact more important than the machine. Spend as much as you can possibly afford on the grinder--as counter-intuitive as it might seem, you will be glad you did!

Summary:
A solid enough machine, but not really worth the extra money compared to the standard edition

Gaggia Carezza 35005

The vibe:
The unit in general is very solid, with a near commercial-quality chrome-plated, brass group-head and portafilter.

Value:
At around $200 at several online retailers this machine is about as great a value as you can find in a semi-automatic espresso machine. It has about the same internal parts and portafilter as much more expensive Gaggia machines, but a plastic rather than metal exterior.

Frothing:
The steam wand produces a lot of steam, but is not really a pro-style. It froths milk very well for a Cappuccino, but getting the even fine micro-bubbles for a Latte is a bit of a trick.


Operation:
It has really simple chunky button controls that anyone can use.

Cons:
The drip tray is too small - given the fact that it does dribble a bit too much after you use it. Running some citric acid based cleaner once a month seems to help with this, but does not eliminate the problem. Anyway, apart from that gripe, it keeps on chugging along and putting out good coffee.

Tips:
A good burr-grinder is needed to really bring out the best in this machine. 

Summary:
If you want the least amount you can spend to pull a real double-shot of espresso at home, this is as good a choice as can be found.

Gaggia Achille Lever-Operated

The vibe:
This vintage-looking espresso machine is a real throwback, and with its cylindrical body, stainless steel housing, and domed water reservoir - you'll journey back to the golden age of espresso,

Operation:
The main power switch is the only switch used to operate the Achille. Once the Achille is powered on, the boiler maintains a steady pressure and temperature. To extract the shot raise the lever on the front of the machine then lower it at a pressure you descern.

Frothing:
The Achille has an easy-to-use Turbo frothing wand, that is capable of creating creamy micro-bubble froth.


Water:
Equipped with a large capacity boiler constructed of stainless steel, the Achille is ready to brew or steam within 10 minutes. Its temperature and pressure, can be monitored using the Achille’s pressure gauge, are controlled with a pressure regulator. The oversized boiler cycles on and off consistently and is set to maintain steady pressure and has the ability to go from brewing to steaming without wait.


Tips:
The exterior of the Achille has a beautiful high-gloss chrome and stainless steel finish. Any cleaning should be done with a soft, damp cloth. The boiler should be decalcified at least 3 times a year, depending on usage, with Cleancaf by Urnex to maintain optimum performance. In addition, the boiler should always be turned off when not in use since there is not an energy saving feature on this lever machine.

Cons:
This machine isn't for everybody; it takes time and experimentation to get the best out of it - but you know what they say: no pain no gain!

Summary:
The machine makes wonderful espresso...after a few weeks of experimenting (and using your biceps) to get the correct combination of grind fineness and tamping pressure. Once that's figured out, it can truly make some of the best espresso achievable from a homebrew machine.

Gaggia Pure

The vibe:
This is a sleek espresso machine at an extremely affordable price.  Its essentially an updated Classic.

Water:
It has a  large, durable, stainless steel water boiler, that is really quick.  This also allows for a strong steaming power.

Operation:
All you have to do is to press the button once to start and then stop the coffee flow.

This espresso maker lets you choose between pods and ground coffee, or not – you can take turns using both, whichever is your preference at the moment.

Value
Gaggia Espresso Pure machines are priced at a highly affordable level.  This is a great beginner machine that will produce a good cup of coffee.  It has a lot of the same features as higher-priced models, but at a much lower cost. It basically has three iterations (all with the same mechanics): the Pure (the simple black plastic cheap one), the Color (one color, red, costs more than the Pure evidently because of the color), and the Dose (which can be calibrated to deliver a fixed amount of liquid per button press, but is more expensive, and honestly, not really worth the extra expense)

Cons:
The Espresso feels cheap and flimsy. No metal in sight, and the machine (in my case the Dose) looks like a big ugly hunk of plastic. The steam control knob feels like a child's toy and is so poorly mounted on its stem that it feels like you could twist it off. The warming plate is ugly white plastic and produces markedly little warmth. Most importantly, the machine weighs only 10 pounds, which makes tightening the portafilter a chore as you have to pin the machine down to keep it from tipping over or just being shoved around the counter.
In addition, it doesnt produce a consistent fine grind - so unless you have a quality grinder you may not get the best results out of this machine


Summary:
underwhelming

Gaggia Titanium

The vibe:
With a cobalt blue LCD, stainless steel exterior and multiple features - this is the Gaggia 'Robocop'

Operation:
push buttons operate many of the features on this well-built machine. Five temperature settings, an on/off timer and clock, three coffee volume settings, pre-infusion, and a pre-grinding feature are all programmable using the cobalt blue LCD.

Water:
The Gaggia Titanium is also equipped with two boilers to eliminate wait time between brewing and steaming, known as the Rapid Steam system. The stainless steel-lined brew boiler offers increased durability.

Frothing:
With features like the automatic frothing attachment, stainless steel turbo frother that draws milk out of an external container, froths it, and dispenses it directly into your cup.

Cons:
Oily beans do not work so well, so when grinding you may need to 'encourage' the beans with your hands while they are grinding. If you have hard-water, make sure you use bottled water for your machine, or you will have to descale every few weeks.

Extra features:
If you'd like something different than the coffee you have in the bean hopper, the Titanium's bypass doser allows you to add pre-ground coffee directly into the machine

Summary:
The Titanium is lazy man's espresso machine - but with good reason

Gaggia Espresso

The Vibe:
The coffee machine that Star Wars' storm troopers use - beautiful, modern, yet at the same time; dated

Operation:
The machine is easy to use. Everything is self-explanatory and extremely well-planned

Value:
The machine is a great beginning machine or, if you don't feel like spending the close to $600 for a Sylvia.

Cons:
It can be slow to reheat for multiple shots (due to the small reservoir) and some say it has a noisy rattle from the steam-relief ball-valve.  Some have also said that their plastic-housing has warped with continued use.

Summary:
this is such a cool machine that produces gaggia's standard shot - if you're looking at this you already know you like it! - but it for that retro feel.

Gaggia Classic

The vibe:
Theres a reason it's called the classic - timeless shape, robust features and a stainless-steel body gives it that 'prosumer' feel

Water:
The water heats up to temperature quickly due to the small boiler and the clear water-tank handily allows you to see just how much is in there. In addition, the fact that the heating elements are outside the boiler is a benefit in that they won't succumb to corrosion.  Also, speaking of water, the deep drip tray is another plus.

Cons:
The plastic frothing attachment can, on occasion, come off while steaming/frothing milk (and turns into a mess).  The small boiler in the Classic is only good for at the most; 2 cappa's in a session.
The bottom piece slips out and does not stay put - I can imagine spilling the coffee every morning.

Modifications:
replacing the steam wand with the Silvia steam wand, for example, can improve frothing/steaming performance.

Summary:
All in all a consistent espresso machine that is one of the best in it's class.

Links:
Youtube clip of the classic 'frothing milk'