Gaggia Espresso Style / Deluxe Espresso Machine.
The Gaggia Espresso is probably the best sub £200 espresso machine on the market, and if anyone tells me they’re thinking of buying a very entry level machine, I’ll recommend that they think about spending just a few quid more on one of these.
I think it’s probably the best option now, until making the jump to the £300-£400 mark, simply because it has a PID, and a standard (not pressurized) portafilter.
This is “plastic fantastic”, in fact it looks like an overgrown Lego brick, but it’s great, I’m a big fan of this little machine.
| titlestrong Features and Benefits |
showbullet 1.2 L Side accessed water tank
showbullet Thermoblock heater |
showbullet Panarello Steam wand with pro steam wand |
showbullet PID temperature controller |
showbullet 53mm portafilter |
showbullet Pre infusion |
showbullet Programmable shot button |
showbullet 25 second heat up time |
The cheaper options from Gaggia in the relatively near past, have mainly been cheaper machines not made in Italy, which share more with other very cheap espresso machines than they do with Gaggia espresso machines.
Back in the 80’s and 90s, this wasn’t the case, all their machines were made in Italy, and also though the original Gaggia Espresso was also plastic fantastic, it was made in Italy, and it was built to last, you’ll still find them occasionally for sale now from the late 80s and early 90s, still working fine (if they’ve been looked after).
The new Gaggia Espresso isn’t quite the same as the original, but it shares the fact that it’s built in Italy at the main Gaggia factory, and that it’s a really decent little machine for the money.
What separates it from other sub £200 machines, is mainly the temperature stability the PID brings to the table and the fact that the portafilter itself isn’t pressurised.
If you don’t like the portafilter (and some don’t – I quite like it), the Edesia Espresso 53mm portafilter fits it, or their 53mm bottomless portafilter.
If you’re happy with the portafilter but you just want to swap the basket, you just need a the 53mm standard basket.
The water tank being side accessed is handy, as it means you don’t need to turn it around to access the tank if your machine is going to be under wall cupboards, and I really like the steam wand too.
It does have a panarello wand for very simple old school foam, but if you want microfoam you can just remove that, and what’s under it is essentially a one piece single hole tipped wand.
