Gaggia Classic Design Problems (Gaggia Classic Coffee)

Member Name: SueMagee

Product:	Gaggia Classic Coffee
Date:	05/07/05 (6041 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Looks good and makes superb coffee.

Disadvantages: Frustrating to use and occasionally verging on the dangerous.

I’m a difficult person to buy presents for, so when I mentioned to my husband last summer that I liked the idea of an espresso machine it was inevitable that one would appear on my birthday. He went for what seemed to him to be the best of the domestic machines – the Gaggia Classic - as it‘s a well-built basic machine with none of the frills which rarely get used and have the potential to cause problems. It will also make a cappuccino, but not a filter coffee. The Classic is also one of the most powerful domestic machines – water is forced through the ground coffee with 17.5 bar of pressure. To give you some idea of how powerful this is, my central heating operates at 1.5 bar.

An espresso coffee is so-called because it comes from the Italian for express. It’s meant to be brewed and drunk within a matter of seconds – minutes at the most - and the water used is generally not as hot as you would use if you were preparing a normal filter coffee. There is an art to preparing an espresso: some would call it a science. This is not just a question of making a small shot of strong coffee on a regular basis and practice is needed before you get the coffee to your taste.

As you’ll see from the picture the Gaggia Classic is a big machine and requires a large footprint on the working surface. It’s also very heavy and not something you should move without thought. Because the water tank can be filled from the top it’s unwise to place it under a wall unit and you’ll need approximately 40cm from the wall to the front of the machine because of the holder for the ground coffee. The width is not so critical at around 25cm but do remember to make allowance for the fact that you’ll need some extra room towards the right if you’re intending to use the milk frother.

Unpacking and setting up the machine was occasionally frustrating, but the type and amount of packaging was appropriate to a machine of this type. As with every Gaggia machine that I have encountered there is one piece of equipment – in this case a piece of flat plastic – which is not covered in the instructions and for which there seems to be no purpose. A year later it is sat behind the machine in case inspiration strikes.

The instruction manual comes in seven languages and I found the English version clear if not always as concise or well-ordered as I would have liked. I have one quibble from a safety point of view and that is about an illustration of someone using the milk frother with their fingers seeming to rest against the side of the jug. This could cause a nasty burn as the contents get very hot very quickly.

The first problem that I encountered was filling the water tank. I like fresh water each time I make coffee so the tank has to be taken out, emptied and refilled each day. Looking at the picture, the tank is directly behind the cups. To remove the tank it’s necessary to take out the steel tube which carries excess water from the boiler, remove the drainage tray and then pull out the water tank. The boiler is filled via two silicone tubes which rest in the water and there is a knack to “flipping” these out of the tank and back in when it’s replaced. Unfortunately this knack isn’t easily mastered by someone who has problems with her hands and has been the cause of more than a couple of tantrums. On one occasions we ended up with a lot of water on the floor and two cups of tea.

The tank can be filled from the top if you simply want to “top up” during the day. This is not difficult if you are reasonably tall, but I find it difficult to see where I’m actually pouring the water.

Freshly-ground coffee is loaded into the coffee holder and tamped down. A measuring spoon and tamper are provided. I wish the machine provided somewhere sensible to store these as they are slightly too large to slot into my cutlery drawers and sit round on the top of the machine. There is a choice of two “cups” to fit in the holder depending on whether you want to make one or two cups of coffee. Make certain that you have the correct cup in place before the holder is heated as you will find it impossible to change once it is hot.

The holder and coffee need to be inserted into the brew head. This is not easy as the holder needs to be precisely placed and firmly turned. I have thought that it was in position only to find that coffee grounds and hot water were being spread around the kitchen. They make quite a mess.

As the water used to make an espresso is cooler than that used for filter coffee it’s essential to warm the cups before they are filled. This can be done by placing them on the top of the machine where they will gently warm. This area has a rim right round and once it collects dust is difficult to keep completely clean. It will hold several cups if they’re carefully stacked and they *are* warmed effectively.

The drip tray empties and cleans easily, but to remove the tray from the machine you’ll first have to remove the stainless steel tube which carries excess water from the boiler. This isn’t easy to remove or replace and unfortunately doesn’t line up correctly with the hole in the drip tray.

Your choice of cup is crucial as the clearance between the top of the drainage tray and the bottom of the coffee holder is only 6.5cm, or just over 2½ inches. This isn’t a problem if you’re having an espresso, but I’ve found that most people who like a cappuccino like a rather larger cup.

The steam nozzle froths the milk well and it’s easy to make an excellent cappuccino. I have two problems with the nozzle though. Firstly there’s insufficient clearance above the working surface and away from the machine to “twirl” the jug effectively as the tip of the nozzle should be just below the surface of the liquid. I’ve got round this by resting the machine on an old bread board – but it shouldn’t be necessary. The second problem is more frightening if not dangerous. When I’ve been frothing, the nozzle has parted company from the steel tubing and I’ve been left with steam billowing from the tube and the nozzle somewhere in the milk. This has happened on countless occasions and I would regard this as a real problem. I’ve never been scalded, but it frightens me every time it happens.

I have to get up early each morning to feed one of our dogs and before getting this machine I had visions of making myself an espresso and reading for a while before the business of the day started. Unfortunately this machine is noisy – it’s not unlike someone vacuuming in the house and I’ve had to settle for a much quieter filter coffee.

The coffee produced by the machine is good. It takes a little practice to get the quantity of coffee to your taste but the process isn’t difficult. With its stainless steel finish it looks impressive in the kitchen. It’s currently on sale for around £250 and for this sort of price I think the design problems should have been eliminated before it was marketed.

Summary: An impressive, sturdy machine which has too many shortcomings for the price.

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