# Gaggia Classic heat up time?



## Martyn

I usually give my Classic around ten minutes to warm up, and I sit my cup in boiling water for a minute before drying ready to use.

Should I be giving more time to warm up, my espresso is to my liking, but I have read some reports of 30 minutes warm up.

I don't have the time on weekday mornings!

Any expert opinions from you guys?


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## MikeHag

If it tastes good, keep idoing what you're doing Personally I give it at least 30 mins, usually more. Use a plug timer if necessary.


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## cjbailey1

MikeHag said:


> If it tastes good, keep idoing what you're doing Personally I give it at least 30 mins, usually more. Use a plug timer if necessary.


Just remember to ensure it's fully primed the night before if using one!!


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## chimpsinties

I give mine 10 mins.

Basically I wake up, go and turn the machine on then go have a shower. That way it's all ready for me when I go down for my breakfast.

Occasionally (like this morning) if I forget I can still get good coffee out within a few mins. I wait for the light to come on, then run a couple of cups through my PF to get everything warmed up, then let it heat up again. Not ideal but I just can't face that morning traffic without my double


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## seeq

I normally try and give it 30 mins, sometimes ends up shorter when I'm desperate!


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## MartinB

Got mine on a timer to warm up for a good 40 mins when I wake up and then another 40 mins when I get home from work. Weekends I turn it on as soon as I wake and then go back to bed for a snooze knowing it'll be warmed up.

I have used it with about 5 mins warmup time with no problems though. It is nice to walk into the kitchen at 7AM and see those two red lights on the Classic though!


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## Glenn

20 minutes minimum for me, but if in a rush have boosted using steam to get it up to temp in 10 (not recommended though)

I usually advise 25 mins+

It all depends on the age of the machine, and how regularly you descale too


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## Martyn

Thanks for your input guys, I will get up a bit earlier, maybe get in an extra brew before leaving!


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## ~ Sea Chief ~

So what is the difference then between using it when ready after 3mins, and waiting an extra ~27 mins? seems an awful waste of 'leccy in this day and age, let alone using the (expensive to replace most likely) elements up doing nothing. Does boiling the water for 20x over and over again make a better cup, than it being boiled just ~once or something?


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## chimpsinties

It's to do with making sure all the internals (plus the PF) are up to the right temp before pulling your shot. If not as the water comes out it'll be cooling down as it heats up cold components and your coffee won't be extracted right. I think 30 mins is excessive tbh but everyone to their own. Experiment a bit. Try it with 3 min, try it with 30 min, see if it makes a difference to the taste. If not, don't bother


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## ChiarasDad

I consider mine ready to go when the bit of metal between the basket and the insulated portafilter handle is too hot to touch for more than a moment or two. To me that says that everything in the direct hot-water/coffee chain is up to temperature, and that seems to be good enough for me to get the results I want. I suppose that's about 10 minutes, give or take, and is a couple minutes after the PID has stabilised at my set temperature.


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## Martyn

I hadn't really thought about the heat of the metal portafilter bit ChiarasDad, but I do tend to feel it for heat a couple of times as I'm in and out of the kitchen. I think everyones in the opinion that 10 or so minutes warm up is enough to heat up all the components in the machine. Happy with the results of my little survey!


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## ChiarasDad

Thanks, Martyn. I should probably have added that I use a naked portafilter, and that a more meaningful gauge than mine would probably be "is the portafilter spout up to temperature," if one's PF has a spout.


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## seeq

I ran an unscientific test, took me all day!

Warm up time..............temp of shot

1 min (light on)............. 52c

5 mins........................... 55c

10 mins......................... 60c

15 mins......................... 69c

20 mins......................... 72c

25 mins......................... 77c

30 mins......................... 78c

35 mins......................... 78c

40 mins......................... 78c

I figured for my machine at least 30 mins is adequate. I also did some temp surfing

5 secs........................... 80

10 secs......................... 81

15 secs......................... 82

20 secs......................... 83

25 secs......................... 83

26 secs......................... 80

27 secs......................... 80

28 secs......................... 73

29 secs......................... 70

30 secs......................... 70

Those results are interesting, by 25 seconds you are getting steam, so I guess that it sucks more water into the boiler before any comes out, thus the lower temperatures.

Annoyingly though I can't get my classic close to the desired 92-96c. I was pouring two ounces of water through no coffee. I then tested without temp surfing pulling a 2oz shot, 63c, with temp surf the coffee was 75c. Like I stated, very unscientific, tested in a warmed shot glass with a milk thermometer. Out of interest I did check the water poured from a boiling kettle, it read 97c, so somewhere I'm lacking in temperature

What temps are other people getting from the classic?


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## ChiarasDad

seeq, that does sound low. You might consider a thermostat replacement, or possibly a PID. I went PID after my thermostat failed, the new thermostat would have been £40 and the PID was about £100, and I thought as long as I was going to open up the machine and bang about inside either way, I may as well make some improvement. The PID was indeed a huge improvement, and I can scarcely imagine life without it any more. The PID sets the boiler temperature and you can estimate the brewhead temperature from that (my PID maker provided a chart based on measurements they'd done in the lab, which was very helpful). Get any temperature you like, and choose the ideal one for whichever coffee you're making that day. I lurve me PID.


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## seeq

That is on the ever expanding list. I'd love to PID the classic at some point, I'm pretty sure I can do it far cheaper than the kits as well, they seem to charge quite a lot just because it fits the classic. I really. Need to look into it properly


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## MikeHag

Not sure but those temps could be ok if you're measuring the beverage. For example, hypothetically;

Brew head temp before extract: 95C

Temp at top of puck: 94C

Temp at bottom of puck: 87C

Temp of beverage in cup: 82C

Cooling comes from the grinds, air, measurement time, the cup, the thermometer...

I'll take a reading of my next espresso bev temp and let you know.

Nice job too, Ben.


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## MikeHag

Probes in the shot glass, mine struggled to get up to 60C today. Cold glass, cold probe, cold kitchen. Usually the drink is hotter but it shows just how much can be lost.


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## james10

Mike, can you give me some quick information on the PID kit you purchased?

Also seeq, you mentioned that you could do it cheaper than buying a kit?

I'd be interested in this (assuming it's not too complex)


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## Mazza

Do you leave the portafilter on the machine complete with tamped coffee to warm up ?


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## Glenn

Some baristas leave pucks in baskets between shots, which keeps the portafilter temp quite high (no air inside to cool it down), but not before the extraction as this will burn the grounds.


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## cafeco

An accidental observation. I took my gaggia over to a friends house during the week so they could try some good coffee. Got chatting, watched tv etc then about 1 hour later remembered the gaggia was still on. Pulled some shots fine as usual. but the steam wand was soo much more powerful. If you want to do latte art on the classic I recommend at least forty minutes.


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