Gaggia Classic Review

Released in 1991, the Gaggia Classic was an incredibly popular home Espresso machine and remained largely unchanged it really was a stonking machine for the money.

Gaggia coffee machines are excellent and simple to use. It produces both manual and fully automatic bean-to-cup coffee brewing machines. It's really easy to make coffee once you've purchased it. It's very useful and attractive. This machine is also reasonably priced.

Purchased this machine 3 months ago as I thought I was trading up to a quality product. Unfortunately it isn’t. It is poorly made, only produces lukewarm coffee and you cannot fit anything bigger than a very small espresso cup under it. How coffee experts consider this a good machine is completely beyond me! Very very disappointed. I have also found it needs de scaling every week. A very expensive mistake.

I don't want to put anyone off buying this machine, but let's be clear, most people in the UK don't actually like espresso that much - they seem to prefer the milky rubbish which the coffee chains like to pretend qualify as sophisticated drinks.

This is a semi automatic machine although several of the reviews here describe it as a manual.

Your espresso will require patience and practice to get to the point you are genuinely happy with the end result. Beans, roast, fill and tamping all have a part to play.

With practice you will be able to create an espresso with a deep thick crema topping entirely without the use of any 'perfect crema' devices which seem to proliferate on coffee machines these days.

The design isn't new but it has simplified over the years. Mine is plain stainless steel with a simple nameplate - I don't think it would look out of place in most kitchens. The portafilter comes with baskets for single and double fill as well as one for pods.

I'm delighted with the machine, but it is sensitive to hard water (as are all automatic and semi automatic machines) so regular descaling is a must, the portafilter is brass and will cool the water going through the head unless it is heated for quite a while first (Gaggia recommend 6 minutes). It's a tank-based machine so I suggest that you take out the tank weekly to wash and empty it. Leaving standing water in the tank allows flors and flocs to develop. Baskets should be cleaned periodically to prevent build up and blockage of the exit holes.

My own preferences are for an Illy fine ground dark coffee (if I'm making espresso in bulk) or fresh roast beans ground in a Baratza Preciso burr grinder if I'm just doing it for myself. Buy the Classic if you like espresso and you don't want to break the bank.

I don't want to put anyone off buying this machine, but let's be clear, most people in the UK don't actually like espresso that much - they seem to prefer the milky rubbish which the coffee chains like to pretend qualify as sophisticated drinks.

This is a semi automatic machine although several of the reviews here describe it as a manual.

Your espresso will require patience and practice to get to the point you are genuinely happy with the end result. Beans, roast, fill and tamping all have a part to play.

With practice you will be able to create an espresso with a deep thick crema topping entirely without the use of any 'perfect crema' devices which seem to proliferate on coffee machines these days.

The design isn't new but it has simplified over the years. Mine is plain stainless steel with a simple nameplate - I don't think it would look out of place in most kitchens. The portafilter comes with baskets for single and double fill as well as one for pods.

I'm delighted with the machine, but it is sensitive to hard water (as are all automatic and semi automatic machines) so regular descaling is a must, the portafilter is brass and will cool the water going through the head unless it is heated for quite a while first (Gaggia recommend 6 minutes). It's a tank-based machine so I suggest that you take out the tank weekly to wash and empty it. Leaving standing water in the tank allows flors and flocs to develop. Baskets should be cleaned periodically to prevent build up and blockage of the exit holes.

My own preferences are for an Illy fine ground dark coffee (if I'm making espresso in bulk) or fresh roast beans ground in a Baratza Preciso burr grinder if I'm just doing it for myself. Buy the Classic if you like espresso and you don't want to break the bank.

I bought mine off Ebay for £110. There's lots of them about as a lot of people just can't persevere and learn how to use them. You need to buy a quality milk jug and also a tamper. You also need to watch a few videos on Youtube to get to know how to foam milk. A temperature guauge for the milk is also a must.

You can choose your own coffee and it is a lot cheaper than buying pods/sachets etc.

Gaggia owners who have taken the time to learn how to make coffee properly would not revert to one of the later, easier to use pod machines.

It was a gift, and it was easy trying to decide if I should plug it in or send it back. (I don't like the way it looks) It's a 30 year old machine with a 30 year old design which is cheap. Most importantly, The bottom piece just slips out and does not stay put. I can imagine spilling the coffee every morning ~ I just don't like the way this drip tray dislodges itself so easily. There is nothing really to hold it and It seems so cheaply constructed. I hate the way you need to pull parts off before you can access the water tank ~ This 'new' machine looks like it has pulled from the garage after 20 years of storage. It is too bad that it was purchased from Aabree coffee instead of Amazon or macy's because they are not a friendly company as they impose an undesclosed restocking fee at their own convenience (that's right, they will surprise you in three months with your credit amount reflecting a restocking fee varying from 15-50%)

I don't mind the fact that making coffee on this machine takes a little time. Indeed ,as several reviewers have mentioned, this aspect is part of the pleasure in making a decent cup of coffee. When it worked, it produced a fine espresso and can make good cappuccino.

It's the quality of the machine which i take issue with. It's badly made . The instructions are less than clear. Were they translated from italian into serbo croat before being "translated"into english?

Its temperamental, needs de-scaling very frequently and is now languishing in a corner before i finally dump it.

I did contact Gaggia for advice but they did not even bother replying.

Once we got it going the espresso coffee was good but there are some poor design features! The top of the machine gets extremely hot, dangerously hot! To attach the filter holder it is necessary to hold the machine steady with the free hand and with all that heat this is potentially uncomfortable. Our experience with the new owners of Gaggia - Philips has been very bad. They stonewall on the phone and suggest writing but then don't respond to letters!

Our filter holder cracked quite early in our ownership and is now wrapped in duct tape. If it actually snaps the machine will be totally useless but apparently this essential part is considered by Gaggia/Philips to be an 'accessory' and, as such, not included in the vague warranty.

Overall poor value for money I'm sad to say.

I love my coffee machine more than I ought and more than I thought. It is a bit fiddly and took a while to remember the procedure, but now making it is all part of the process to enjoy a good cup of frothy coffee. I even take my Gaggia on holiday to France, much to the annoyance/amazement of my kids, so I can have a good cappucino first thing in the morning. One of life's simple pleasures! Being reminded to clean it for good flow of water would have been useful.

I have managed to lose both spare frother tubes and it's not the same without the bubbles so I hope obtaining spares isnt going to be difficult.