Topic: Espresso Machines

[۩ Imperator ۩]

Got a Gaggia Classic recently and really loving it at the minute.

Does anyone else end up with a shitload of mess every time they make a coffee though? Maybe I'm just being sloppy.

Welcome to the club. Best bang-for-buck home barista machine money can buy. The important thing to know bout the Classic is that it doesn't come ready to.make perfect coffee out of the box. A couple of key adjustments need to be made, most importantly the pressure OPV needs adjusting to 10BAR at the portafilter so it brews at 9BAR. This is a very simple DIY job, as are all of the below...

IMS Precision Shower Screen
Brass Shower Plate
Rancilio Silvia Steam Wand
Bottomless portafilter and IMS Competizione basket
Pressure OPV Mod

[S]

Was joking about the mess, I'm just really clumsy using this thing at the minute!

Welcome to the club. Best bang-for-buck home barista machine money can buy. The important thing to know bout the Classic is that it doesn't come ready to.make perfect coffee out of the box. A couple of key adjustments need to be made, most importantly the pressure OPV needs adjusting to 10BAR at the portafilter so it brews at 9BAR. This is a very simple DIY job, as are all of the below...

IMS Precision Shower Screen
Brass Shower Plate
Rancilio Silvia Steam Wand
Bottomless portafilter and IMS Competizione basket
Pressure OPV Mod

As I'm a beginner, do you mind explaining what each of those does? Thanks

The first thing to replace was that cheap, plastic tamper.

[۩ Imperator ۩]

The pressure OPV mod is the most important - it adjusts the machine to ensure that it delivers at 9 BAR of pressure, which is the gold standard for brewing espresso.

The steam wand change enables you (with practice) to make proper microfoam.

The others make smaller differences to the quality and consistency of your shots, and can be done over time.

If you bought the 2016-2019 model though, unlucky as it's not a real classic (doesn't have a brass boiler and solenoid valve which makes the classic such a good machine). This was because of misguided cost-cutting after Philips bought Gaggia. The new 2020 Classic Pro is basically the same as the old classic.

[djphal]

liking the look of this one although its a bit more

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gaggia-Classic-RI8161-Machine-Professional/dp/B0000C72XS/ref=cm_cr_pr_sims_t

Just on the subject of the Gaggia Classic.

This post was 10 years ago... Its still going strong!
Beast of a machine!

[S]

The pressure OPV mod is the most important - it adjusts the machine to ensure that it delivers at 9 BAR of pressure, which is the gold standard for brewing espresso.

The steam wand change enables you (with practice) to make proper microfoam.

The others make smaller differences to the quality and consistency of your shots, and can be done over time.

If you bought the 2016-2019 model though, unlucky as it's not a real classic (doesn't have a brass boiler and solenoid valve which makes the classic such a good machine). This was because of misguided cost-cutting after Philips bought Gaggia. The new 2020 Classic Pro is basically the same as the old classic.

How do I know which model I have?

[۩ Imperator ۩]

Does the front panel have push buttons or switches? The Philips version had push buttons. It's still a reasonably good home machine, but not capable of making coffee-house quality espresso.

[BarryCrocker]

Just on the subject of the Gaggia Classic.

This post was 10 years ago... Its still going strong!
Beast of a machine!

A mate of mine retro-fitted a shot clock on one of these for his mum. Everything these days is focused on dose, extraction time and yield. Thank God. Makes like so much easier.

[djphal]

Speaking of which, I havent done the OPV mod!

[S]

Does the front panel have push buttons or switches? The Philips version had push buttons. It's still a reasonably good home machine, but not capable of making coffee-house quality espresso.

Well the power button is the energy saving kind. So you turn it on and the button clicks back out automatically.

I guess that’s the Phillips one?

[۩ Imperator ۩]

This is the original Classic, which other than the logo went largely unchanged for many years.
https://espressomachinereviews.org.uk/gaggia-classic-ri8161-espresso-machine-review

This is the one introduced a few years ago which is not as good
https://www.expertreviews.co.uk/gaggia/gaggia-classic/1404393/gaggia-classic-review-2015

And this is the new one which is good again.
https://www.coffeeitalia.co.uk/gaggia-new-classic.html?gclid=CjwKCAiAnvj9BRA4EiwAuUMDf2u9d-09pVjsEA0AQIbzqI2Vkw41JTiLscoR5XNcB5OICxKpNwLZXhoC-fgQAvD_BwE

[S]

This is the original Classic, which other than the logo went largely unchanged for many years.
https://espressomachinereviews.org.uk/gaggia-classic-ri8161-espresso-machine-review

This is the one introduced a few years ago which is not as good
https://www.expertreviews.co.uk/gaggia/gaggia-classic/1404393/gaggia-classic-review-2015

And this is the new one which is good again.
https://www.coffeeitalia.co.uk/gaggia-new-classic.html?gclid=CjwKCAiAnvj9BRA4EiwAuUMDf2u9d-09pVjsEA0AQIbzqI2Vkw41JTiLscoR5XNcB5OICxKpNwLZXhoC-fgQAvD_BwE

Ah, I’ve got the good new one then. Actually bought it from that site too.

Honestly I love the coffee I’m making it on right now, and that’s with very little effort. Excited to see what else you can do with it.

[۩ Imperator ۩]

Excellent! You can forget about the steam wand mod then - you don't need it! Not sure if you need the OPV mod or not. I'll read up and find out for you.

[conman]

Just on the subject of the Gaggia Classic.

This post was 10 years ago... Its still going strong!
Beast of a machine!

mine is starting to flake now.
The power keeps cutting out now, failing to hold the charge. Whenever I get a spare moment, I'll have to figure out what needs replacing. Until then, my  aeropress will keep me filled.

[djphal]

mine is starting to flake now.
The power keeps cutting out now, failing to hold the charge. Whenever I get a spare moment, I'll have to figure out what needs replacing. Until then, my  aeropress will keep me filled.

I changed the pump a few months ago, it was only 15 quid and there are tutorials on youtube, pretty easy.

I didnt actually need too in the end as it made no difference, turned out to be the selenoid valve which needed cleaning, again there is a vid on youtube.

best thing about these, you can get the parts and fix them pretty easy

[conman]

I changed the pump a few months ago, it was only 15 quid and there are tutorials on youtube, pretty easy.

I didnt actually need too in the end as it made no difference, turned out to be the selenoid valve which needed cleaning, again there is a vid on youtube.

best thing about these, you can get the parts and fix them pretty easy

Yea, true. I bought the Gaggia Classic as i wanted to be able to fix it.

I just need to catch a breather to sit down and troubleshoot / fix.

Thanks man

[djphal]

Yea, true. I bought the Gaggia Classic as i wanted to be able to fix it.

I just need to catch a breather to sit down and troubleshoot / fix.

Thanks man

No worries

Good luck!

[Scottish-Don]

Good deal coffee drinkers, sign up for the subscription (Either 30 Pods, 2 x Bags of Beans or 2 x Bags of Ground) plus a free storage tin.

Use my Code : DAVID-J23PJ and get £10 off. So first month delivered for £3.50, then cancel when received.


https://grind.co.uk/

[sattapaartridge]

I still have my gaggia baby ivory, which is effectively a classic repackaged. I have a bean to cup machine now and its great, its a Jura Ena 90 or something like that a compact one. needs a lot of maintenance bits, but usually good. its getting the right cost effective beans now.

[LOKKO]

Looking at getting one of the delonghi bean to cup machines to replace my Nespresso machine, anyone used one have any recommendations?

[dikwad]

Looking at getting one of the delonghi bean to cup machines to replace my Nespresso machine, anyone used one have any recommendations?

Had a delonghi magnifica for about 8 years. Good machine but does need cleaning out quite a lot

[sattapaartridge]

So, ive been on a bit of a journey since, baby ivory has been modded, and subsequently replaced by a gaggia classic 2015, which was rubbish. i have since replaced that with gaggia baby class. which is back to ivory level coffee.

however, now i have just bought a Fracino Cherub 2008 model, and going to collect it tomorrow! well excited. its a heat exchange model, but it was sold as "spares or repair" so i hope it works!

[Danny Singh]

So i'm looking for a good coffee machine for me and the mrs. We rarely drink espressos, our go to is always a Vanilla Latté.

I've been browsing online and have a friend who bought the Gaggia Classic a while ago and said it was good, however it is pricey (roughly £400).

Does anyone have this and if yes, is it worth it? Alternatively if you have a different machine that you recommend, please share!

[[new username under construction]]

So i'm looking for a good coffee machine for me and the mrs. We rarely drink espressos, our go to is always a Vanilla Latté.

I've been browsing online and have a friend who bought the Gaggia Classic a while ago and said it was good, however it is pricey (roughly £400).

Does anyone have this and if yes, is it worth it? Alternatively if you have a different machine that you recommend, please share!

I looked at loads and in the end went for the Gaggia Classic and it's great!

I am not a coffee connoisseur by any means, I'm not looking at modding it (very easy (temperature control, pressure amount)) or can taste the difference between certain beans, Cappuccino/Latte is Cappuccino/Latte to me   but honestly I finish every drink now with "F**k me that was nice!"

The only thing with the Gaggia I was told was to make sure I got a good grinder, I am not 100% sure if this makes a huge difference but in the end I blew a fair bit on a Niche Zero which basically doubled the price of the whole thing!!!!

I'd say get the Gaggia Classic (2019+ versions) and a cheap grinder and then if need be, upgrade the grinder.

[Kenny's Jacket]

So i'm looking for a good coffee machine for me and the mrs. We rarely drink espressos, our go to is always a Vanilla Latté.

I've been browsing online and have a friend who bought the Gaggia Classic a while ago and said it was good, however it is pricey (roughly £400).

Does anyone have this and if yes, is it worth it? Alternatively if you have a different machine that you recommend, please share!

I have a Dolce Gusto, its fine, it cost about £30. Not sure why there is a massive price difference.

[S]

I have a Gaggia Classic. It’s brilliant. Took me a while to get the hang of steaming the milk, but I can now make delicious coffee every time. It’s a lot of money, but if you can afford it and drink coffee every day then it’s a no brainer.

You can customise them too. I haven’t done this yet, as it already tastes good enough. I’m sort of tempted to start tinkering around though. If that appeals to you it could be an added bonus but it’s in no way essential despite what some say.

The most important part is the grind quality. I had a cheap grinder and it wasn’t doing it fine enough. Until I save up for a real nice one I just request the shop I get it from to grind it for me.

[S]

How much did you pay for your grinder? I definitely need a top level one but as you say, the price is daunting.

[AndyInVA]

Went all in a few years ago and bought the Breville Barista express for obscene monies.

Thankfully two years later it does completely brilliant and everything works great on it. My wife has a coffee from it every day and thankfully its not one of these 'expensive things you buy' and it craps out 18 months later.

[[new username under construction]]

How much did you pay for your grinder? I definitely need a top level one but as you say, the price is daunting.

https://www.nichecoffee.co.uk/products/niche-zero

I'm just not sure it's worth it if just drinking milk drinks. That might be my lack of taste but I just don't drink Espresso and I think that's all they are really used for

[BarryCrocker]

https://www.nichecoffee.co.uk/products/niche-zero

I'm just not sure it's worth it if just drinking milk drinks. That might be my lack of taste but I just don't drink Espresso and I think that's all they are really used for

The best domestic everyday grinder you can buy. Don't take my word for it.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/FzOY2tHyZ4w" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/FzOY2tHyZ4w</a>

[Danny Singh]

Thanks for the feedback gents.

Is this the good version or the rubbish one?

https://www.gaggiadirect.com/classic-range.html#!/Gaggia-Classic-2019-SB-SS-240V-Manual-Espresso-Coffee-Machine/p/125690126/category=113117063

Can get it for £379 using code 'COFBLCJ50'

[[new username under construction]]

I think that's the same one I got (same discount) but that's the "modern" version which are good

[Danny Singh]

So at £379 would you guys say this is the best one out there purely for quality/price/difficulty? I'll mainly be making lattes

[[new username under construction]]

Yes plus very moddable if you want to change pressure, alter the temperature etc, if unsure just have a loooooooooooooooooooooong look on youtube and get more confused that's what I did, in the end it seemed to be the best of the "cheap" ones

[S]

So at £379 would you guys say this is the best one out there purely for quality/price/difficulty? I'll mainly be making lattes

I make cappuccinos and flat whites, so can’t help you specifically on the latte front. Can’t see why it wouldn’t be a good shout though. I can get the milk perfect pretty much every time.

It’s your money of course, and £379 is a lot. Do you drink coffee most days though? If you do you’ll get your moneys worth.

I found there to be a steep learning curve in terms of getting used to it. I was not making nice cups straight away. Milk in particular was a nightmare. Ask away in here if you have any questions when first using.

[Danny Singh]

Thanks guys.

Was about to pay and saw the £50 voucher code has expired!

Does anyone know if there are any other codes working?

[sattapaartridge]

I plumped for a Heat Exchanger machine, its bigger than the Gaggia Classic, but i managed to get a Fracino Cherub for £150. I feel that Gaggia Classic had a big movement and the prices got too high. I bought a 2015 classic and it was really really bad.

Is the 2019 Classic same as the 2009 baby? Or is it the same as the Gaggia Classic "pro"? Its a nicer looking machine with the rocker switches. but how is it with making two milky drinks back to back?

[[new username under construction]]

I plumped for a Heat Exchanger machine, its bigger than the Gaggia Classic, but i managed to get a Fracino Cherub for £150. I feel that Gaggia Classic had a big movement and the prices got too high. I bought a 2015 classic and it was really really bad.

Is the 2019 Classic same as the 2009 baby? Or is it the same as the Gaggia Classic "pro"? Its a nicer looking machine with the rocker switches. but how is it with making two milky drinks back to back?

The old Gaggia Classic? Everyone says they are crap and to avoid. Once they updated them they are great

[sattapaartridge]

No, the 2019 version of the Gaggia Classic, the older ones pre-2009 are meant to be the ones to buy.

[Danny Singh]

Gaggia Classic is on the way and been made aware of buying a few extras to help improve the overall quality straight away.

What did you guys buy?

[sattapaartridge]

Gaggia Classic is on the way and been made aware of buying a few extras to help improve the overall quality straight away.

What did you guys buy?

you'll need a grinder. if you dont, then start with Illy, the grind is perfect for beginners. some people like to get VST baskets. i dont know if the 2019 needs the Mr Shades spring mod, or needs an adjustment to an Over pressure valve, but you want to be adjusting the pressure to 9bar. The wand on that 2019 looks okay, so you dont need to upgrade it. get a new tamper.