We all wish to have that blissful taste of espresso freshly poured out of the espresso machine with its amazing perfection defining milk froth and latte art. If you wish to make good espresso at home, you will surely be needing something classic and professional.
Espresso machines have won the hearts of espresso lovers with their amazing milk-steaming capabilities and quick processing time for a few years now, but you don’t have to go completely all out in terms of budget to get the perfect machine.
If you are looking for that perfection and quality, we have found you one of the best espresso makers in the market. Enter the Gaggia Classic Pro. Let’s find more about the product and find out if this is the espresso maker you need in your life in our full Gaggia Classic Pro review.
The Gaggia Classic pro espresso machine comes under the entry to mid level category and as such it isn’t going to cost the earth – that being said, it’s also not an out and out budget machine so be prepared to spend a little . These machines were manufactured to provide the user with the simplicity of making espresso at home. This is a single boiler machine which means steaming milk and brewing coffee cannot be done together. But it will definitely provide you with espresso as good as your favorite cafe with commercial machines.
The Gaggia Classic pro comes in a variety of different colors to choose from. Crafted with full stainless steel housing, classic pro weighs only 7 and a half kgs but still has a heft on it that makes it stay on the surface while you use it – meaning it’s pretty stable and very safe to use.
When we talk about its holding capacity, it comes with a 2.1 liter refillable water tank that can easily be filled by removing the lid.
Note – Always use filtered water to fill an espresso machine.
The water tank can easily be removed from the front by taking the drip tray and the steam wand out and pulling the water tank out from the back of the machine. The whole procedure is very simple and the water tank is totally clear making it easier for you to identify the water level in it.
It can be a bit tricky to identify low water levels. Thus, the Gaggia Classic Pro features small cutouts on the side paneling of the machine, giving a clear view of the water level to the user.
The area under the hood of the Classic Pro is kept fairly minimalistic. It involves a small 140mm anodized aluminum boiler which is small but is totally balanced out by a powerful 1400 watt element that allows the Gaggia classic to heat up super quickly and start making the espresso in less than a few minutes.
The upper surface has space on the hood to keep a few cups. The heat produced by the machinery also keeps the coffee cups warm.
Other Specifications
The Classic Pro comes with a commercial standard 58 millimeter portafilter. It is made of chrome-plated brass and feels a bit plasticky but has a good weight to it. It also comes with three filter baskets : a single and a double non-pressurized basket and one double pressurized basket.
Using The Gaggia Classic Pro
The operational system of the Gaggia Classic espresso machine is not very complicated. On the front, it features three basic functions representing simple switches and a light under each, which indicates that the switches are working properly. Starting from left to right, there’s an on and off switch, a coffee brew switch in the middle, and a steam switch on the right.
If you want some hot water, you just have to press the steam and the brew switch at the same time. Then all you have to do is to open up the steam nozzle and you’ll see hot water pouring out of the steam wand. The steam wand is made of stainless steel and works very well. It consists of a two hole steam tip that helps you get your milk rotating really quickly. The brew head of the machine is solid brass and connects to a three-way solenoid valve.
This might not be the perfect pre-ground coffee grinder, but still, you can just go with the ground coffee from the shop and the Gaggia classic pro will brew the coffee for you and release the expresso once a good pressure is achieved by the machine.
Why Is The Valve Important?
The valve is an important part of this machine as it allows the water to run from the boiler out through the brew head. If you have brewed coffee and you see excess water built up, you can switch off the machine to relieve the pressure. Then the machine will pour out excess water to avoid soggy coffee water biscuits. The three-way solenoid valve opens, discharges the pressure and the water through its little pipe straight into the drip tray.
The drip tray comes in two pieces with a plastic base and a metal tray. It’s easy to remove and it sits nice and flush with the rest of the machine.
How to get started?
To give you an overview of its working, we put the Gaggia Classic Pro to the test. Once we turned on the machine, we waited for the temperature to go up. We loaded the basket with 20g of finely ground coffee. Then we locked the basket in the portafilter and pressed the brew button. The pump then just kicked in straight away, made some pressure, and poured espresso from the gadget effortlessly.
After espresso, it was time for milk. We flicked the steam button and turned it on. We noticed that the pump consists of plenty of power to make multiple cups of coffee. There was no trouble while using the steam wand and getting the perfect angle on it.
The Gaggia Classic might not be able to provide you with 10 cups of espresso back to back. But, it still is capable enough to make a few great cups of coffee in the morning and throughout the day – ideal for a domestic machine.
Gaggia Classic Pro Taste Test
When it comes to the taste of espresso made out of the Gaggia Classic Pro, we can tell you that the creamy texture and the richness in taste were unparalleled at this price range. The taste was somewhat near to the taste of your standard cafe shot. One can easily achieve the best taste of espresso with this Gaggia model by taking care of the coffee shots and the temperature. If made at a high temperature, the coffee might taste a bit darker or what we call a burnt coffee taste. If we talk about the overall taste, the Gaggia Classic Pro won’t fail to provide you with your favorite morning coffee. The machine is most suitable for making coffees like straight espresso, dry cappuccino, etc.
Verdict
The Gaggia Classic Pro is no doubt one of the most affordable espresso machines out there on the market. But one disappointing thing about it that we observed is that it doesn’t come with many accessories. All you get is a spoon and a plastic tamp. Other things that you should consider when it comes to buying accessories are a 58 millimeter steel tamper, a blind filter that could help your machine with backflushing and a brush for cleaning purposes. These accessories won’t cost much extra, but will surely make your espresso-making easier. The machine consists of a 20-minute auto function that works very well and allows you to be tension-free while it does all the work for you.
The Classic Pro keeps things simple and straightforward when it comes to brewing your espresso. The process of cleaning this espresso machine is the same as your standard automatic machines. Gaggia classic pro provides you with the best espresso-making process, even if you are a learner.
Alex is a self confessed coffee addict – but he takes his love of caffeine seriously in a completely responsible way. He loves trying new coffees and testing the latest machines and is not usually fan of one button pod machines. Alex is happiest when he is tinkering with settings and milk temperatures to create the perfect cup. When not obsessing over coffee, Alex is a keen musician and plays weddings and other social events (usually fuelled by… yes, you guessed it… coffee).
