Gaggia RI9380/46 Classic Pro Espresso Machine, 21 Liters,Solid, Brushed Stainless Steel   Import  Single ASIN  Import

Worth the effort!Take the time to figure this machine out and you will be pleased! When I first bought and used this I could not get a quality shot- it always came out watery and bland.Here’s some tricks I discovered to pull beautiful frothy shots:1) Purchase a grinder (doesn’t have to be expensive) that will allow you to grind the coffee so fine that the water cannot push through it while trying to pull a shot. Then, back off the grind (i.e. grind more coarsely) until the shot pulls through slowly and with froth- not quickly and watery. If your grinder can grind too finely then you know you can set it to the perfect grind by grinding more coarsely.2) Get an adjustable tamper that also levels the shot out. Find the point at which it levels and compacts as tight as you can push it while tightly screwing into the machine. If you can easily tighten it into the machine then you should have added more coffee. If it will not fully tighten then you added too much. Once you find the correct tamp level, set your tamper and it will be simple to replicate each time you whip up a mocha.3) Get fresh espresso beans for the best shots! Old beans can and will work (I’m cheap so I use old beans often) but the best shots will be produced with high quality fresh beans.These little tricks allowed me to create mochas that are so rich and creamy in flavor that even the main coffee chains couldn’t compare. I hope they help you as well! Other espresso machines may produce “fine looking” shots regardless of prep, but this machine rewards effort by only producing quality shots if the proper steps are followed.

Cafe gradeI actually bought this machine to save money, on the premise that it’s cheaper to make my own espresso at home then to go to cafes on a daily basis. If you are looking for a true cafe substitute, don’t settle for a less expensive ‘appliance’ (that is, and all in one instrument that grinds and dispenses the espresso). That may be okay for entry level or for a shared office space for example. But if you want something comparable to cafe quality, then you need a true machine. I bought a $20 hand crank grinder to accompany this and I use Oatly oat milk. While I’m not an expert barista, I was able to achieve on my first attempt at grinding, packing the portafilter, and using the machine, a cappuccino/ latte quality that is honestly indistinguishable from most of the third wave coffee establishments that I frequent. The machine is extremely easy to keep clean. You really just need to wash the portal filter after each use which takes about 10 seconds. I expect that by using this machine and eating out a cafes several days a week less as a result, that I will essentially break even on this investment in about half a year, and thereafter save myself around $1,000 a year in eating out expenses. In addition, the machine is simple enough and robust enough that I expect it will last a lifetime, more or less. That’s something that you can’t say about the $90 substitute appliances.

Takes me back to Italy every morning!My first taste of cappuccino was in Southern Italy on vacation a very long time ago. It was heavenly to start the day sitting outside a cafe with a cappucino and a sweet roll. No matter how good a place I sampled since, it just didn’t hit the spot. My first attempt with the Gaggia was slightly disappointing as I didn’t get very much foam on my milk, yet the espresso had a delightful crema, and even with some bulk buy beans from my supermarket, I could tell I was on to a good thing.A couple days later, I figured that I wasn’t turning the knob for the steam far enough round at the beginning – suddenly have this mound of creamy micro bubble-foam! I tapped a wee dusting of good cocoa powder on top, and was transported back to Italy. Its the real deal. It takes a little practice at first, but quickly becomes second nature – it is very hands on, but I have a real treat to start my day in much less time than it takes to brew a pot of coffee in a regular drip-coffee machine. Speaking of which, I used to drink about 3/4 pot (8 cups) a day, but I haven’t turned the old machine on in a week. I have a cappuccino first thing, and another right before lunch. I feel good!Buyer beware: You need to have a bit of strength &/or a counter that isn’t too tall for you in order to comfortably line up and remove the portafilter. You will likely get more enjoyment and variety if you acquire a good burr grinder; steaming jug; leveler; tamper; knock box; decent milk and great coffee beans. There is limited space to put a cup under the portafilter – espresso and cappuccino cups (a large teacup works too) all fit under there, but if you want a tall, latte type of drink then use a 1 to 2 oz little jug made for this. You can preheat your mug on top of the machine (I also tip the hot water from preheating the portafilter in a mug to heat it) – you won’t lose anything other than a smidge of the crema by drawing your shot into a small vessel then pouring into the mug.Frothing milk: I read a lot of instructions but they are mostly tedious and not necessary. Just know this: start with cold milk, and it has to be no more than half filling the jug (1/4 to 1/3 is better). Let the tip of the nozzle be close to the top of the milk at first, but if you leave it there as the bubbles form, you’ll be trying to froth froth. I found that I don’t even need to gauge how far down the milk is under the bubbles, I just move the jug up and down, and even if the nozzle occasionally gets above the surface of the milk, I still wind up with spoonable mounds of froth atop a couple ounces of hot, delicious milk.I did bit of research and decided to buy this machine after my son said he felt it would be repairable vs disposable if something happens to it later on. He agreed with a review that declared this is a machine, not an appliance. We both agreed that a learning curve is a fair trade off in order to be able to modify our brew to suit us. I did wonder if I would regret spending $450 on coffee making equipment, I can’t say it would save me money as I never spent it at Starbucks (yuck!). I’m not at all disappointed with this investment – the materials are solid and easy to clean. There was a learning curve, but we didn’t need to fuss over extreme detail in order to get a fabulous espresso or cappucino. Oh, and the footprint really is small for a machine like this, but you may still need to consider space for the grinder, cups, jug, tamper, and line of people wanting to have a go.

Great machine, looks like it’s built to lastI’ve had this machine for a few weeks now. The reason I chose this was because I was looking for a machine that would last me awhile, rather than breaking down every few months. With research, many say this machine with consistent maintenance will last me a few years.Now, first impressions? I’m a literal amateur at coffee. I started off from a Keurig, to Nespresso, to Mr. Coffee (big regret) to now this. So yes, the learning curve is HUGE. In the beginning pulling the portafilter across takes MANPOWER. Had to hug the machine to lock it in, but recently it’s gotten easier to pull so maybe it’s just about “breaking it in”. This Gaggia pulls the best espressos I’ve ever had. With the Mr. Coffee Coffeehouse machine, I thought my beans were the problem as it was constantly bitter even after dousing cream and sugar but it turns out it was the machine itself. With this Gaggia, I drink the same beans WITHOUT sugar which for me is a big deal.The steaming took a few tries to get the hang of but I’m getting there. I had to watch a couple videos on how to use the machine properly as the instructions aren’t entirely clear.UPDATE: 3 months later. Noticed a little slow extraction issue and decided it was time to decalcify, but other than that, no issues.My sentiment about this machine has remained the same. For its price point it does a great job pulling a shot of espresso. If you’re a newbie like i was (and still am!) with this machine you’ll need to take time to learn the nuances otherwise you WILL get frustrated with sour shots. Here’s what I’ve noticed and recommend if you want to stick with this machine1. This machine is “buildable”. It’s one of the attractive features where you have total control over the machine, and can add/remove things such as a better IMS shower screen, a PID, a lower OPV bar spring, etc. These things in total will cost you an additional $150 though. I did it because this machine is known to last so I personally think it’s worth the investment. But if you don’t feel comfortable buying a machine and spending more for additional parts maybe this one isn’t for you.2. Mentioned it in #1 BUT GET A PID!!! i hated temp surfing to find the optimal brew temperature, and a MrShades PID helped regulate not only brew temp, but the steam as well. No more losing steam power in the middle of steaming! Fair warning, if you’re not tech savvy, you may end up taking a few hours to install the PID. It was a little confusing and I ended up taking about 2 days (6hours total) to install it.3. For those that complain the shots are too slow, what’s your definition of slow? There’s so many factors you need to consider here when it comes to extraction time; grind size and consistency, tamping, beans, etc. A double shot should come out at about 20-30sec. Any slower/faster more often results in bitter coffee. Again if you’re new to espresso please read some forums it will tremendously help you get better shots. There are subreddits and Facebook pages that have a Gaggia Classic community filled with helpful people.Overall, for the value of this machine, it’s the best you’re going to get. Obviously if you spend $1000, you’ll get a thousand dollar quality machine. You’re spending less than $500, you’ll get $500 quality machine. The GCP is a very good product for $450 considering other brands at the same price range. I’ll update this every now and then because I want to make sure this is a long-term commitment.Update: Over a year later 3/4/2022. Machine is still going strong! Regular maintenance is a must, but overall, extremely happy with my machine. Only downside is now that when I make coffee for guests it can be tedious to wait for the boiler to heat up/cool down, for several cups, but that’s all just party tricks.

Tanto Amore Per Questa Fantastica Macchina Per Caffè EspressoThe Gaggia Classico is an awesome espresso maker on so many different levels. 1). Looks. It is truly a beautiful machine to look at with touches of Italian design. 2). Feel. The second you touch the Gaggia, you can feel the quality of materials that went into building it. The only knock is the somewhat cheesy feeling knob used to release the steam. The plastic handled portafilter could have been made from wood, but that plastic feels a least feels sturdy and durable. 3) Performance. Nothing but perfectly brewed, delicious espresso every time. I tried both whole bean and pre-ground in it. While whole bean does taste a little better, the Gaggia did a great job on the pre-ground, too. 4). Clean up. Cleaning up after using the machine is SO easy. Just a few wipes and you’re done. 5). This baby is made where they still take pride in workmanship, ITALY!!! And who also knows espresso the best? 6). Price. The Classico does everything a more expensive espresso maker does for a whole lot less. Since I set up this unit, mornings have become a lot more fun. I look forward to having my coffee. But, with all this greatness comes a few picky complaints. The tamper that comes with it is basically garbage. A new tamper is necessary as is buying an extra portafilter crema pin. Fantastic machine that elicits the best crema out of your espresso.