# Looking to buy a Gaggia Bean Machine



## ukanwa2 (Jul 18, 2015)

Can anyone recommend ? and what to look out for we have a budget upwards of £1000, and looking for a New Gaggia Machine which will make great Coffee and Espresso we both love our Coffee and have tried numerous brands in the past and as well as loving the taste from Gaggia we also love that classical industrial machine look. What general Installation work is required with Gaggia.

Appreciate any help , thank you regards Tony & Caron. Also as we are based in the Southwest can anyone recommend where we could try before we buy Bristol and Exeter or Plymouth..?


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Are you looking at home or commercial use?


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## ukanwa2 (Jul 18, 2015)

Thank you this would be for home use


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## JojoS (Oct 1, 2014)

Gaggia Bean machine? Are you referring to a bean to cup super automatic coffee machine with a Gaggia brand?


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## ukanwa2 (Jul 18, 2015)

Im looking for a machine that makes coffee , makes espresso and needs to be a Gaggia Ive read about the importance of the machine having a solenoid for enabling greater temperature control


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Why restrict to a Gaggia? With a budget of £1k, need to think about spending half on a grinder which is as important as the espresso machine.

Have a look at  *this article* 

Solenoids don't relate to temp stability. They dump excess pressure so you can remove the portafilter more quickly at the end of extraction.


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## ukanwa2 (Jul 18, 2015)

Thank you and just read your very helpful article which has helped enormously greatly appreciated I'm thinking on the side of a Gaggia Classic with a Grinder


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Recommend looking in the for sale section - well looked after Classics are pretty common. Buying second hand will save money vis a vis depreciation. Eureka Mignon pairs well with the Classic.


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## GrahamS (Aug 27, 2015)

I would recommend you make a coffee ans start reading this forum. then make another one and keep reading. then do some searches, and ask some questions. you start to realise what a massive hobby (addiction) this is, and there will be contradicting advice and opinions. you've picked up on the solenoid, search for PID. check out reviews on youtube etc

general advice though is spend more on the grinder than the machine.


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## Samduncombe (Dec 29, 2016)

I never just bought a classic and a mignon. I have already upgraded the steam wand, and turned the pressure down. Oh, and bought a depressurised filter basket. Got a pid on the way too. Coffee is addictive, but so is this hobby!


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## ukanwa2 (Jul 18, 2015)

Great advice from all I hadn't realised despite loving a great cup and smell of fresh coffee how in depth and technical coffee machines and grinders could be ! I fear asking another question ...


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Learning curve is a little steep at the beginning but making good espresso isn't rocket science. Get some jeweller's scales off Ebay so you can weigh your dose. This is important when you are dialling in the grinder for the beans you're using. Keep everything else consistent - tamping pressure etc. Extraction duration should be around 25-30secs from moment you turn on the pump. If the extraction is too fast, grind a bit finer, if it's over 30secs, grind a bit coarser. Don't change tamp pressure - just adjust the grind. This way, you'll be knocking out good espresso in no time.

If you haven't got a decent tamper, you need one - they're not expensive. One final point. If the grinds are heaped up towards the centre, gently move them out towards the basket edge with your finger but don't apply any pressure - that's the tamper's job.


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

Or buy a Melitta bean to cup. They make a very acceptable cuppa, are not for everybody, but, I doubt more than half a dozen people on here have lived with one. I have, and also the resi=dent expert, Davec has and we both rate them

https://www.bellabarista.co.uk/melitta-varianza-bean-to-cup.html

and here is the review

https://coffeeequipmentreviews.wordpress.com/2016/07/29/melitta-caffeo-varianza-csp/


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## Hal.E.Lujah (Aug 19, 2014)

ukanwa2 said:


> Great advice from all I hadn't realised despite loving a great cup and smell of fresh coffee how in depth and technical coffee machines and grinders could be ! I fear asking another question ...


Welcome to the forums, and best of luck finding the right machine.

The terminology can seem a bit intimidating, as there's so much to learn just to buy the right machine. That's partly because the budget you've described is in the middle-upper region, and you're a bit like a lottery winner who has just passed their driving test.

Everyone else has already contributed great advice, so my final bit would be to consider getting something nice and basic for the espresso machine so you can learn what you're doing, and upgrade it later. That will help you know exactly what you're looking for! I would say getting a really great grinder though wouldn't be worth sparing expense on though.


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## ukanwa2 (Jul 18, 2015)

Thank you again for some great welcome advice I'm researching grinders and looking at the options on both Eureka Mignon and the Gaggia Classic Mazzer ..?


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Which Mazzer? Mini has 64mm burrs to Mignon's 50mm. Mini comes in two versions - doser and on demand.

Have a look at  *this article* 

Mini E is on demand like the Mignon but is twice as expensive. There are also some static issues with the Mini E - see below. If you can cope with the extra physical size and presence, there is the Mazzer Super Jolly - same burr size at the Mini. They are plentiful second hand - particularly the doser version.

[video=youtube;76ffYo2m-c0]


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