Gaggia 74508 Paros

stylish machine easy to use and mantain its a real talking point in my kitchen due to its looks&then friends taste the expresso it makes and want to own one as well.

I have owned this model for over 8 years and it is a great machine, totally adjustable for the most experienced coffee lovers. The Gaggia 74508 Paros is a workhorse and very cheap to maintain and repair due to the fact that it is not electronic.

The greatest effect on the quality of coffee is the age of the beans. This deterioration of flavour increases exponentially once they have been ground. The Paros covers this as the grounds at the most are 5 seconds old - from grinder straight to filter holder and pressure vessel.

If kept clean - and that is the challenge as everything is so convenient, one forgets it needs cleaning - the unpredicatbility of a good cup is virtually a thing of the past.

Experiment with beans (we've tried all from ludicrously priced deli beans to very cheap supermarket - the best in terms of consistancy are Sainsbury's Espresso Beans - unbeatable); also the size of grounds, which can be easily adjusted.

Coffee always comes with a rich cream when these 2 variables are sorted.

This really is the idiot proof coffee maker which I have spent the last 20 years looking for. Dig deep and go for it.