# Gaggia Classic start up time



## sand133 (Sep 28, 2013)

I don't have a PID but just wondering how long people with Gaggia Classics wait before pulling their first shot. My Gaggia Classic heats up in no time from a cold start but I feel the temperature at that point is no near what it needs to be so I wait a few more mins.... I do notice the coffee light switches off then comes back on again..


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## ronsil (Mar 8, 2012)

45 mins is good - 30 mins is OK

Ron


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## sand133 (Sep 28, 2013)

ronsil said:


> 45 mins is good - 30 mins is OK
> 
> Ron


That is a very long time!


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## Kyle548 (Jan 24, 2013)

When you touch the shower screen, it should burn your fingers.

When you reach this point, then the machine is hot enough to pull shots without losing heat to the group.


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

The boiler getting up to temp - which is when the light goes off - and the group getting up to temp are two different things. I used to give mine half an hour.


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

30 minutes is ideal

You can get away with 15 minutes with a long flush to bring all the other components up to temp

The light is only indicating temperature in the boiler and doesn't factor in the group and portafilter etc.


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## Kyle548 (Jan 24, 2013)

You could wap a load of water though the group to warm it up but that will only buy you maybe 10 mins?

You still need to wait at least 20.


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## sand133 (Sep 28, 2013)

So what is the difference then between using it when ready after 3mins, and waiting an extra ~27 mins? seems an awful waste of electricity in this day and age


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

After a few minutes the water in the machine will be hot, but before it gets to your coffee it has to run through the rest of the machine which is a big lump of metal. The metal needs time to heat up otherwise the water will cool down as it runs through the machine.


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## Michael the bowler (Feb 19, 2013)

I generally allow my classic a minimum of twenty minutes to warm up before pulling first shot, anything shorter tends to give inconsistent results.


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## PaulN (Mar 10, 2011)

I find, fill the machine, switch on and by the time ive finished faffing with preparing croissants, orange juice and getting my shot ready im about there.....

Of course the Croissants and Orange juice is if i have a guest


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## xiuxiuejar (Jan 24, 2012)

Twenty minutes is okay if you're just making an espresso I find. I get up, switch on the machine, make my daughter's 'esmorzar' (her second breakfast which she eats at school), have a shower, wake my daughter up and help her shower, clean her teeth and dress her (20 minutes). Then we go to the kitchen and I have an espresso and she has her milk and eats some cereals. I tend to leave the machine on and make the second espresso ten minutes later, by which time it's capable of running at optimum. Then when I get home after taking her to school I'm making coffee throughout the morning. I'm definitely going to get a timer for the Expobar which I calculate will need an estra 10 minutes (I will switch the steam boiler off!).


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## Charliej (Feb 25, 2012)

I run my Classic on a Timer set for 40 minutes before I get up which means that I can make a coffee as soon as I am up and dressed, it's always made far more sense to me to do this with any machine provided you can get a timer with the correct ratings for the higher powered machines.


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## rodabod (Dec 4, 2011)

I usually give at least 15 mins.

If in a hurry, run it in "turbo mode" by switching to steam mode and follow with a cooling flush, followed by a few minutes to stabilised in brew mode.


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## bagg3rs (Oct 25, 2013)

Does anyone here use an timer for their morning coffee? I have a few spares and thinking I should set it for 30mins before I get up and to switch off before I leave?


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

That's what I do with mine.


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## Charliej (Feb 25, 2012)

bagg3rs said:


> Does anyone here use an timer for their morning coffee? I have a few spares and thinking I should set it for 30mins before I get up and to switch off before I leave?


See 2 posts above yours.


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## MrShades (Jul 29, 2009)

bagg3rs said:


> Does anyone here use an timer for their morning coffee? I have a few spares and thinking I should set it for 30mins before I get up and to switch off before I leave?


My machine comes on and off every day with a cheap mains timer.

IIRC during the week it's on at 7:00am and off at 10:30am (I work from home quite a lot), and then on again at 4:30pm and off again at 8:30pm. At the weekend it's on from 7:30am til 10:00pm Sat and Sun.


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

One thing to remember with Classics is that no matter how long they are left on for the boiler does not refill until you use the brew switch.If left too long it is possible for the boiler to partially dry out hence the squirt of steam when first clearing brew head. Also if left too long between brews.


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## Charliej (Feb 25, 2012)

El carajillo said:


> One thing to remember with Classics is that no matter how long they are left on for the boiler does not refill until you use the brew switch.If left too long it is possible for the boiler to partially dry out hence the squirt of steam when first clearing brew head. Also if left too long between brews.


I always make sure the boiler is refilled after pulling a shot and steaming by running the brew switch to flush grounds off the shower plate.


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

Same here but I do find if I leave it for a while between shots there is still a flash of steam when I flush before next brew .


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## bagg3rs (Oct 25, 2013)

How did I miss that.... thanks. OK I will set that up for tomorrow.


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## chrisah1 (Nov 21, 2013)

El carajillo said:


> One thing to remember with Classics is that no matter how long they are left on for the boiler does not refill until you use the brew switch.If left too long it is possible for the boiler to partially dry out hence the squirt of steam when first clearing brew head. Also if left too long between brews.


Of course how long depends on how much water is in there. any guideline for 60-90% full?

Even if there is enough water in there and it has not dried out, surely there must be a point where it has been on for too long to mean the extraction temperature is not ideal.

Temperature surfing sounds hard enough, let alone getting the startup right. Might stick to french press at this rate.


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## Charliej (Feb 25, 2012)

chrisah1 said:


> Of course how long depends on how much water is in there. any guideline for 60-90% full?
> 
> Even if there is enough water in there and it has not dried out, surely there must be a point where it has been on for too long to mean the extraction temperature is not ideal.
> 
> Temperature surfing sounds hard enough, let alone getting the startup right. Might stick to french press at this rate.


MY Classic comes on around 8am and goes off around 9.30pm on a timer and I never have any issues with it, I keep it clean and descaled properly and I do live in a fairly soft water area.


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## winterbottom (Dec 11, 2013)

10 mins the most switch it on steamer first then turn it back to brew then flush then next time the brew light lights comes on ready to go


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## Charliej (Feb 25, 2012)

I don't ever use my Classic without at least 30 minutes for it to warm up. It seems to me that the times which manufacturers say a machine is ready to use is wildly optimistic, yes you can make a coffee once the lights are on, or the machine says it's up to temperature but pretty much every machine benefits from a decent length of time to fully warm up for optimum results.


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