Gaggia Coffee Deluxe Machine Cheapest on Internet

keithwjones

I bought a recon from Gaggia - delivered in box and looked new.

Just as important as the machine is buying a grinder.

After Gaggia I went up market and bought an Innova Dream and Innova grinder from:

http://www.wogancoffee.co.uk/

Other sites with info:

http://www.coffeegeek.com/

http://www.coffeekid.com/

Keith

bj-sailaway

RufusA wrote:

ALL domestic *real* Gaggias AFAIK have the same sized boilers and heating elements. Therefore if the Classic didn't suit, then (assuming yours was not faulty) no Gaggia will be suitable!

As mentioned before the Baby is the cheapest of the solenoid Gaggias, so will buy you the same as the Classic for less money. However if you didn't get on with the Classic the Baby would be just as "bad".

Might be worth asking in alt.coffee as they are the experts. If it's shot - shot time rather than heat up time that is the biggest bugbear then you may be better off with another make with a bigger brass boiler. Heat up time you won't be able to get round for a real espresso, good things take time (though a timer plug might help!). A quality machine shouldn't mind being kept up to temperature for an hour or so before use.

HTH - Rufus.

I think it is probably down to the way I used it; conclusion after following this thread! Although I still believe it was too big a beast for my kitchen for our evening espresso. Maybe I should have set it up when I cooked dinner, so it was ready for later in the evening. Should I have to run it through without coffee, before actually making the coffee?

kgreel

My £450 Gaggia is now dead at less than 3 years old.
It has now blown up twice (sparks, smoke, bang) and I decided it wan't worth paying out to fix it again.
My Gaggia experience was not a pleasent one and I now have an AEG Cafamosa.

manhattan

what espresso machine would you guys recomend for under £100?

RufusA

In answer to the espresso machine for under £100 it depends!

I manage to get acceptable espresso from a pump machine that cost me £20 from Argos (this is my "office" machine) with a bag of freeze dried Lavazza. Not great stuff by any means but a reasonable crema (forced by the disc in the machine), and tastes IMHO ten times better than the stuff from Starbucks at £1.40 a shot! In an office I don't have the time or patience to make a good espresso.

If you aren't planning to go the full hog and intend on simply using supermarket bags of pre-packaged coffee grinds then anything that gets the water up to the correct temperature, has a good pump, and is easy to use will do. I personally quite like Krups as an everyday machine (I used to have one in my office prior to my current one, sadly a Moneydiet meant it didn't get replaced). The main difference between the 2 is the Argos one has a nasty habit of squirting steam and coffee grounds at you if not tamped correctly and is a little erratic in temperature control!

It really comes down to looks and usability in the cheaper price range.

Spending £100 on an espresso machine won't be beneficial unless you also spend a similar amount on a grinder, and source some good freshly roasted beans to use with it. It's also a labour of love finding the right combination of events that work to get the perfect cup of the black stuff. But like the first kiss, once tasted you spend the rest of your life trying to recreate it!

However if you fancy a Gaggia, then either of those I pointed out earlier in this thread would IMHO be good value for money at just under £100.

HTH - Rufus.

manhattan

thanks rufus.

i have a local store that sells all types of fresh coffee beans,so that should be ok.

what type of machines do they use in the likes of starbucks and costa?
i know they are probably expensive,but was just wondering.

i will check out the krups machine on google.

mhuk

"to get capuccino's for a dinner party for say 8" - cappucino is a drink served before lunch. And the Gran Gaggia will be even worse than the Classic for making 8 coffees Try a machine that can produce steam at the same time as pouring a shot.

Exploding Gaggia- did you descale it regularly or used filtered water?

The best combination is an expensive grinder (burr) and cheap espresso machine. Freshly ground coffee = good coffee (or at least better!)

I'm sure House of Fraser were doing a Gaggia Classic for £199 in their sale.

Manhattan- brands you might want to check out include Bezzera, Francino, Elektra, Faema, Rancilo etc.

bobdauilda

I've had this machine for the last 2yrs and its still doing a good job- Krups F8744338 Crematic Coffee Centre Black

bj-sailaway

mhuk wrote:

"to get capuccino's for a dinner party for say 8" - cappucino is a drink served before lunch. And the Gran Gaggia will be even worse than the Classic for making 8 coffees Try a machine that can produce steam at the same time as pouring a shot.

Exploding Gaggia- did you descale it regularly or used filtered water?

The best combination is an expensive grinder (burr) and cheap espresso machine. Freshly ground coffee = good coffee (or at least better!)

I'm sure House of Fraser were doing a Gaggia Classic for £199 in their sale.

Manhattan- brands you might want to check out include Bezzera, Francino, Elektra, Faema, Rancilo etc.

So, which machines can produce steam and a shot? Or, is there a separate machine you can buy for steaming the milk?

lovemoneysavingdeals

RufusA wrote:

Have you considered a reconditioned machine direct from Gaggia. Possibly not worth it if only saving £20 or so from the Italy Outlet price.

http://www.gaggia.uk.com/gaggshop1.htm

Postings on alt.coffee usenet group seem to imply that the reconditioned machines are supplied as new. Only downside is that they only come with a 12 month warranty.

If you want to save money you might also want to consider the Carezza. By all accounts the same internals as the Coffee Deluxe, so should make a similar standard of espresso. However it doesn't have the same look as its more expensive sibling.

Hope you've got a decent burr grinder on order as well.

HTH - Rufus (hmmm - espresso!)

Thanks ive got a grinder I saved over 60 pounds on this website