# gaggia classic upgrade



## duracell071 (Jan 12, 2014)

I have a gaggia classic with a PID, paired with a super jolly. The weak point in this setup seams to be the temperature drop when pulling shots due to pulling shots. I really notice this when i take coffee i've just ground to work and pull it through the commercial machine there, things just taste so much better, all the tasting notes come through.

What;s the next step in upgrading to fix this problem without spending loads more money, a rancilio silva maybe?

thanks


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## oracleoftruth (Jan 15, 2014)

I think to get better Temp Stability through the shot so that you'd notice would be a big step up. Although others may argue a bigger boiler machine may Work I reckon you'd need a heat exchanger. And they are quite a big step up.

I've seen mods where people preheat water in classics by wrapping a copper pipe around the boiler before it goes into the boiler but it looked like a whole latte effort.

Do you live near someone who could let you try their setup to see what difference it might make.

I don't think a silvia is what you are looking for


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## duracell071 (Jan 12, 2014)

I'm in london so probably but not so well connected in this scene. My main problem is a small kitchen and a GF who will not tolerate losing any more of it to my coffee fetish lol. Overall I'm enjoying the gaggia, the coffee tastes good, but ''ve realized maybe it's a waste of time buying the expensive coffee from places like hasbean.

If anyone here disagrees i'd love some advice


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

Has bean expensive? What do you normally buy?


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

duracell071 said:


> I'm in london so probably but not so well connected in this scene. My main problem is a small kitchen and a GF who will not tolerate losing any more of it to my coffee fetish lol. Overall I'm enjoying the gaggia, the coffee tastes good, but ''ve realized maybe it's a waste of time buying the expensive coffee from places like hasbean.
> 
> If anyone here disagrees i'd love some advice


Hi there

If hasbean is expensive where are you gettting your fresh coffee from ?

You may find cheaper in a supermarket say but it won't be the same freshness or quality of a roaster like Hasbean.

If you chat tell the difference between a fresh online local roaster or a supermarket bought, then you may not be getting the best form the coffee out buy.

Do you buy beans or pre ground may I ask ?

Do you have a grinder ?


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## duracell071 (Jan 12, 2014)

hmm, my reply never came through.......

I think expensive is the wrong word, i think refined lighter roasts would describe better what i mean to say. With the darker stuff from places like rave i can get things i am really happy with. For instance i tried perfetio from hasbean the other day and it always tasted to sour or just a bit all over the place no matter what i tried, then i took some to work that i had ground at home and pulled it, and it was just amazing, was like eating a bag of peanuts when i put milk in it.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Ok thank for clarifiying your bean choice .

You may not just like lighter roasts

you may be bot be getting the taste notes you want due to how you extract it .

re your upgrade a silvia is more of a sideways step from a classic with a pid .

you would need to pid the silvia again.

a good HX or DB mahine would provide you with better temp stability all round.

whats your budget £££££££


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## duracell071 (Jan 12, 2014)

not sure of my budget yet, this is not an upgrade i want to make tomorrow, but more of where i want to be if that makes sense? but i guess to be sensible the max i should go is £800, and it has to have smallish footprint. I have no problem buying used.

I did think maybe i don't like lighter roasts but then it was so much better when pulled at work. Maybe with a gaggia you have to pull differenly to overcome it's quirks? any tips would be great, i mean, is it generally better to pull for less time with the gaggia, say 25 secs, instead of 30? or should it not matter?


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

What do you pull the drinks on at work?

if I was a getting man it will part be temperate and possible a element of pre infusion depending on your machine .

re gaggia

do you weigh your dose

do you weigh your output (espresso ? )


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## duracell071 (Jan 12, 2014)

It's a La Cimbali, i believe their is no pre-infusion. I use the 1.6 ratio for pulling shots, unless the roaster advises something else. Everything is weighed. I use VST 18g basket and have not found it temperamental like some say and even get bone dry pucks (which i know means nothing)


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

Having tried several of Hasbeans offerings I have to say that their roasts are not for me, I find them thin and watery/ asidic.

The majority of Raves offerings are more generously roasted and suit my palette ,they have a richer fuller flavour with a thick luscious mouth feel.

As Boots said a Silvia would be a sideways step for more money.

If you persevere with the Classic you will find that you can get very good coffee from it. Perfect the grind measure and tamp.

With reference to pulling time providing the M/ch has thoroughly warmed up 25 or 30 sec should be OK.


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## Charliej (Feb 25, 2012)

The key to better temperature stability with a Classic is really really simple, just leave it switched on all day and don't try and treat it as a kettle where you constantly switch it on the off. I used to have mine come one in the morning and off at night with a timer. This got rid of the need to mess around with complex "rituals" just grind, tamp, lock and pull, then repeat if more than one shot is needed and only then steam any milk.


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## Neill (Jun 26, 2013)

duracell071 said:


> not sure of my budget yet, this is not an upgrade i want to make tomorrow, but more of where i want to be if that makes sense? but i guess to be sensible the max i should go is £800, and it has to have smallish footprint. I have no problem buying used.
> 
> I did think maybe i don't like lighter roasts but then it was so much better when pulled at work. Maybe with a gaggia you have to pull differenly to overcome it's quirks? any tips would be great, i mean, is it generally better to pull for less time with the gaggia, say 25 secs, instead of 30? or should it not matter?


I get really tasty results from my classic and I like lighter roasts. I've foubd recently that I've been underextracting and that had been sour and thin. I've been grinding a lot of my lighter coffees finer and aiming for 35 even 40s and getting more balanced results.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Neill said:


> I get really tasty results from my classic and I like lighter roasts. I've foubd recently that I've been underextracting and that had been sour and thin. I've been grinding a lot of my lighter coffees finer and aiming for 35 even 40s and getting more balanced results.


That will defo help pull out some more sweetness

Imagine the on an ek lol.....


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## Neill (Jun 26, 2013)

Mrboots2u said:


> That will defo help pull out some more sweetness
> 
> Imagine the on an ek lol.....


I'm not falling in to that trap


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Neill said:


> I'm not falling in to that trap


Trap. Trap?????


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## Neill (Jun 26, 2013)

Mrboots2u said:


> Trap. Trap?????


Convincing myself that I need an ek!


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

Some of the shots I got out my Classic were the best i've ever had.


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## Neill (Jun 26, 2013)

jeebsy said:


> Some of the shots I got out my Classic were the best i've ever had.


Only problem is repeatability though.


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

Exactly. My Brewtus is much more consistent but i've had far fewer WOW shots out it. Need to hurry up and get Glenn round with his Scace.


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## Neill (Jun 26, 2013)

jeebsy said:


> Exactly. My Brewtus is much more consistent but i've had far fewer WOW shots out it. Need to hurry up and get Glenn round with his Scace.


Maybe your expectations have just gone up!


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

If things don't improve with an EK i'm going back to a Classic and a Mignon!


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

jeebsy said:


> If things don't improve with an EK i'm going back to a Classic and a Mignon!


Excellent Jeebsy. You could start a new trend on the forum. Downgradius !


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

jeebsy said:


> If things don't improve with an EK i'm going back to a Classic and a Mignon!


Get a lever instead ......

Or go proper mental and get a slayer


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

urbanbumpkin said:


> Excellent Jeebsy. You could start a new trend on the forum. Downgradius !


Who needs a second boiler for steam when you can use a jam jar...


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## Neill (Jun 26, 2013)

jeebsy said:


> Who needs a second boiler for steam when you can use a jam jar...


Who needs a machine when you've got instant!


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

jeebsy said:


> Exactly. My Brewtus is much more consistent but i've had far fewer WOW shots out it. Need to hurry up and get Glenn round with his Scace.


I cannot believe you are not getting wow shots out of the royal brewtus I combo


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

jeebsy said:


> Who needs a second boiler for steam when you can use a jam jar...


Let's not even stoop to that level, even in jest. You'll me using the Lword next!!!!


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

coffeechap said:


> I cannot believe you are not getting wow shots out of the royal brewtus I combo


Gary said the same thing. They're massively consistent, just no proper zing. Maybe I need to go back to my roots and get back on the massively acidic SOs. Workshop Hunkute and Notes Bokaso have been the best on the Brewtus.


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## duracell071 (Jan 12, 2014)

sorry for being absent, been in bad health. What about a simomelli oscar if one came up at the right price on ebay? how might this compare to my gaggia classic + PID and OPV mod?

thanks


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

duracell071 said:


> sorry for being absent, been in bad health. What about a simomelli oscar if one came up at the right price on ebay? how might this compare to my gaggia classic + PID and OPV mod?
> 
> thanks


Bear in mind this is all theory below as not tried one ,jeebsy went from a classic to a Oscar for a short time , so he would be a good person to get an opinion from on this . But .....should have

Tons more steam power , it being HX machine so can do both ( brew and steam ) at the same time . Bigger boiler should be more recover quicker but won't have the pid for you to monitor that with .

You would need to do the opv mod for the Oscar .


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## duracell071 (Jan 12, 2014)

ok cool, i guess the question could be what is better? being able to choose an unstable temperature on the gaggia or having to guess at a stable temperature on the oscar?


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Hxs dont have pids should have a pstat to tell you the brew pressure.

Again I've not used the Oscar so am just summising.

The cherub should be alot .more temp stable full stop.


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## glevum (Apr 4, 2013)

Mrboots2u said:


> Hxs dont have pids should have a pstat to tell you the brew pressure.
> 
> Again I've not used the Oscar so am just summising.
> 
> The cherub should be alot .more temp stable full stop.


Apart from the Izzo alex ii hx. Has a pid insted of a p stat. Not sure if they still make it.


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## duracell071 (Jan 12, 2014)

francino looks great







unfortunately i can't afford these machines new right now, but if something comes up used i think it's worth the upgrade


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

Oscar had great steam power so depends how much you value that. OPV on an Oscar involves drilling holes in the chassis but isn't hard. If you can get one for a good price they're solid machines, very capable.


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## bpowell555 (Nov 30, 2014)

duracell071 said:


> ok cool, i guess the question could be what is better? being able to choose an unstable temperature on the gaggia or having to guess at a stable temperature on the oscar?


Hi, just registered to answer this thread I found browsing for Gaggia Classic upgrades. If you're worried about temperature stability on the Classic then you should get the brass dispersion plate to upgrade the stock aluminium job under the shower screen. Temperature cycling is much improved so I guess temps during the pull would be also. Its much heavier than the stock part.

Also personally I think hasbeans range has lost it a bit lately. I like a basic Brazillian Yellow Bourbon, Columbian or Costa Rican. I also liked a scoop of Robusta into the mix for some kick. But he seems to have stopped stocking all those, so now I'm using Rave. I buy green and do the standard dark or medium roast on an iroast2 then grind with an MDF. I get perfect crema every time but if I don't wait for the light on the Classic the brew can be a bit more bitter; still good though. I never had any issue with repeatability either; I figured that was a core strength on the Classic.

I also wouldn't get on the Silvia bandwagon. Unless you're doing lots of milk drinks I think its inconsistency and sensitivity but less basic build and so higher maintenance would piss me off for little benefit. Its benefits are more theoretical imo.

I'm contemplating a Rocket HX in the new year with screw pump; right now that's the only machine I'd consider a worthwhile upgrade.

Cheers!

:-D


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

Interesting first post, welcome to the forum


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