# James Hoffmann - Best cheap espresso setup for ~£250



## Northern_Monkey (Sep 11, 2018)

Saw this on YouTube this morning, made me giggle that even "coffee Jesus" was confused on the solenoid-pressure valve tomfoolery from Gaggia...

@MrShades - Assuming you provided the spring kit here, which means you should have had a nice shout out? 😉


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## worzel (Apr 9, 2020)

Northern_Monkey said:


> Saw this on YouTube this morning, made me giggle that even "coffee Jesus" was confused on the solenoid-pressure valve tomfoolery from Gaggia...
> @MrShades - Assuming you provided the spring kit here, which means you should have had a nice shout out?


Yes, I shouted at the TV and held my head in my hands when I realised it was a 2015 model. I think he thought everything from 2015 didn't have a solenoid valve.


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## Baffo (Jan 23, 2021)

Gaggias on eBay will be £500 now


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## MrShades (Jul 29, 2009)

Northern_Monkey said:


> Saw this on YouTube this morning, made me giggle that even "coffee Jesus" was confused on the solenoid-pressure valve tomfoolery from Gaggia...
> @MrShades - Assuming you provided the spring kit here, which means you should have had a nice shout out?


Yes it's an interesting video - especially his choice (intentional or not) of picking the most unloved of all Classics AND then electing NOT to use our 9 bar spring but instead to go with the 6.5 bar. Nice move 

Good to see him mentioning, showing and using our OPV mod kit on it though - which he just bought and paid for quietly without us even noticing (though he did contact me afterwards and tell me what he was doing, as he was after some help with the wiring) - and excellent that he mentioned me and Shades of Coffee more than once, and provided a link 'down below' to us as well.

Our unique visitor numbers increased 5 fold on Tuesday, even though the video only came out mid afternoon. Thanks to "The Hoffmann Effect" I expect they'll remain higher than normal for at least the next week, based on previous similar experiences.

I should really start doing some Classic videos on YouTube (or appearing in other peoples) - it's a great way to get traffic to websites (especially when you have hundreds of thousands of followers like James)


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## SupraMan (Mar 9, 2021)

I don't get how he picked it up for only £100


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## MrShades (Jul 29, 2009)

It's a Classic 2015 so generally less desirable... and he was lucky, and also he bought it before this video came out.

You can almost hear Classic 2015 owners across the whole of Europe rejoicing and typing their "Buy it now" £250 eBay listings right now...


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## HDAV (Dec 28, 2012)

SupraMan said:


> I don't get how he picked it up for only £100


 He got "lucky" and picked a the unloved none solenoid version 🤣

That was broken and possibly badly listed

I added a bunch to my watch list just to see how insane prices go 😬

Also how did it take this long for someone to link to the video here 🙊


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## Alfieboy (Dec 26, 2018)

MrShades said:


> It's a Classic 2015 so generally less desirable... and he was lucky, and also he bought it before this video came out.
> 
> You can almost hear Classic 2015 owners across the whole of Europe rejoicing and typing their "Buy it now" £250 eBay listings right now...


 I have one under my bench - may use the casing to construct a pre 2015 model but other than that it's going nowhere


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## ajohn (Sep 23, 2017)

LOL He should have bought an SGP. They fixed the plastic grinds sweeper wearing out years ago and one thing people don't realise. They need to be able to produce grinds suitable for brewing at 16 bar without an excess of fines - which they can do after some coffee has gone through them.


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## Northern_Monkey (Sep 11, 2018)

Baffo said:


> Gaggias on eBay will be £500 now


 Next time someone asks "what home espresso setup for £1,250?", the answer may turn out to be "well maybe a used Classic and a second hand Niche from eBay if you are very lucky? 🤔"....


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## Shorticus (Dec 10, 2020)

Great to read in the links below the video...


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## byjoshuawilliams (Nov 25, 2020)

@MrShades Out of interest is this why you wanted to know if someone could open up their 2015 GC?!


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## MrShades (Jul 29, 2009)

byjoshuawilliams said:


> @MrShades Out of interest is this why you wanted to know if someone could open up their 2015 GC?!


 Yes - I had a good idea of what the wiring issue was in his machine but wanted a pic to confirm and to show him what it should be like. I've got a 2015 machine for reference now, but didn't have one available then.


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## Alfieboy (Dec 26, 2018)

Northern_Monkey said:


> Next time someone asks "what home espresso setup for £1,250?", the answer may turn out to be "well maybe a used Classic and a second hand Niche from eBay if you are very lucky? 🤔"....


 Or the Niche from this forum? 🍺


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## Davebo (Jan 9, 2021)

I couldn't believe it! After recently getting a GC (2011 model) and on the lookout for a SGP or an MC2 I was delighted to see 'coffee Jesus' recommending the same set up.

No idea where he got that tamper though. Cheapest I can see on eBay is £10.


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## 2cups (May 6, 2019)

Forget bitcoin lads, sink your money into used Classics. Only going one way 😀


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## allikat (Jan 27, 2020)

I was very pleased to see Shades of Coffee mentioned. I've never had a bad part from him. I've stuck the sticker on the bump hat for work 😛


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## Chriss29 (Oct 21, 2020)

Is the 2015 model really that bad? I think the boiler is bigger at 200ml and it's stainless steel but I could be wrong.


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## Chriss29 (Oct 21, 2020)

Also very glad for the shout out to @MrShades, I think it's wonderful for old machines to be have new life put into them. I hope there are more videos like this from James Hoffman and although tinkering isn't for everyone, it has certainly helped me to understand and appreciate how espresso machines work.


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## MrShades (Jul 29, 2009)

Chriss29 said:


> Is the 2015 model really that bad? I think the boiler is bigger at 200ml and it's stainless steel but I could be wrong.


 The two points you mention are probably the only good things about it... the list of bad points is significantly longer and more critical to use as a good espresso machine


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## Chriss29 (Oct 21, 2020)

MrShades said:


> The two points you mention are probably the only good things about it... the list of bad points is significantly longer and more critical to use as a good espresso machine


 Crazy that a new product would be worse than the old one but not the first and last time it has happened.

It's thanks to the good folk on this forum and people/businesses like @MrShades that old machines can continue to function and in some cases get even better. Thanks guys!


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Chriss29 said:


> Crazy that a new product would be worse than the old one but not the first and last time it has happened.
> 
> It's thanks to the good folk on this forum and people/businesses like @MrShades that old machines can continue to function and in some cases get even better. Thanks guys!


 I think when the big corporates get the bit between their teeth, they can really ruin a product. Over the years I have seen it many times, as the smaller espresso machine manufacturers get swallowed up. A small manufacturer might look at user feedback...the big corporates "know" what they are doing. It does make for a healthy modding community though.


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## 27852 (Nov 8, 2020)

I imagine as part of the acquisition they decided to let their "product development scrum masters" "disrupt" and "challenge" the fundamentals of their product design in order to "drive synergies in production" (aka cut production costs to a minimum).

"What's that? Sounds expensive" *delete*.

Thankfully they reinstated the design. Still a great machine that is a choose your own adventure with respect to mods - I like that it can be enjoyed by such a wide variety of users along that continuum.


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## Bagpu55 (Dec 23, 2019)

Can I ask why he chose to go for 6.5bar and not 9. Is there much difference?


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## MrShades (Jul 29, 2009)

Bagpu55 said:


> Can I ask why he chose to go for 6.5bar and not 9. Is there much difference?


 Yes - all the cool cats use lower pressures these days... 6.5ish bar espresso is great.


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## ratty (Sep 22, 2019)

This is definitely the swan song for me where Classics are concerned (I know I've said that before!).

Luckily I do have 5 Classics that I'm slowly working on. 4 are dated 2002 or 2003 and one is a 2005. Spent a fortune on used and new parts as per usual (two of them being cases only) but think I have just about everything now for the 5 refurbishments.

It seems to me he didn't even bother to do any basic research (such as one click on "2015 Classics"!) or he would have known the 2015 didn't have the 3 way valve etc.

£100.00 for a 2015, he was ripped off!


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## HDAV (Dec 28, 2012)

ratty said:


> £100.00 for a 2015, he was ripped off!


 or was he 🤔


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## ratty (Sep 22, 2019)

"This is my first post and forgive me if this subject has already been discussed, alas I haven't really found my way around this site as yet.

"i purchased a Gaggia Classic last week and was very disappointed with it so sent it back to whence it came. Within 4 days a plastic shim around where the portafilter locks into the head came away and snapped, the portafilter then would not tighten at all, also this machine doesn't have the 3 way solenoid valve which I had read was a real selling point, very confused on which model I should buy to ensure it isn't the dumbed down version that's right now on its way back to Italy."

Nikko007 on the forum talking about his newly acquired 2015 Classic.

Just the first negative I came across on a search on the forum!

Only other possibility is the company has too many 2005's lying unwanted and he's been paid a good sum to promote them.


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## Alfieboy (Dec 26, 2018)

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gaggia-Classic-Espresso-Machine-2016-/353415254846?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292

Imagine their future disappointment?


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## FlyingPianist (Feb 27, 2021)

I feel like I timed the purchase of my 2006 Classic off eBay a couple of weeks ago for £121.25 quite well now! .. Very pleased with it so far!


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## HDAV (Dec 28, 2012)

FlyingPianist said:


> I feel like I timed the purchase of my 2006 Classic off eBay a couple of weeks ago for £121.25 quite well now! .. Very pleased with it so far!


 For a working machine in good nick that's a decent price 👍


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## Blue_Cafe (Jun 22, 2020)

Chriss29 said:


> Is the 2015 model really that bad? I think the boiler is bigger at 200ml and it's stainless steel but I could be wrong.


 Nope.

I've argued previously that it is better in some respects than the other versions.

That's considered blasphemy by the community though.

My very low maintenance, zero corrosion, quick heat up, no steam dripping, auto shut off Gaggia has been a dream.

The removal of the 3 way valve and it's foibles and maintenance requirements is an added bonus.

I've been using mine for 12 months now and it works like a charm and as James says, it is capable of excellent espresso.

The argument that it can't because it is "not the same" can finally be put to bed.


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## MrShades (Jul 29, 2009)

Blue_Cafe said:


> Nope.
> I've argued previously that it is better in some respects than the other versions.
> That's considered blasphemy by the community though.
> My very low maintenance, zero corrosion, quick heat up, no steam dripping, auto shut off Gaggia has been a dream.
> ...


You need to mod the OPV to 6.5 bar in order to get "good espresso" from a Classic 2015 as experienced by James.

...and you may not have a dripping steam wand, but as you have no solenoid valve you do have dripping / pressurised portafilters instead. The latter is significantly more of a challenge in daily use.


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## Blue_Cafe (Jun 22, 2020)

MrShades said:


> You need to mod the OPV to 6.5 bar in order to get "good espresso" from a Classic 2015 as experienced by James.
> 
> ...and you may not have a dripping steam wand, but as you have no solenoid valve you do have dripping / pressurised portafilters instead. The latter is significantly more of a challenge in daily use.


 We've walked that road as well.

Iirc, 'tis only the V2 that measured 10 bara at the brew head out of the box.

I was going to test mine and add a proper 10bara adjustable bypass but never got round to it. Never needed too really, my coffee is good enough.

Portafilter drip isn't an issue for me either. The pucks aren't biscuit dry but they are not that damp. Least not for me. I always hot rinse the PF before each use anyway.

But these are old arguments.

My experience with my V2 has been nothing but positive.


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## MrShades (Jul 29, 2009)

Blue_Cafe said:


> We've walked that road as well.
> 
> Iirc, 'tis only the V2 that measured 10 bara at the brew head out of the box.
> 
> ...


 I'm glad you're enjoying it and enjoying the coffee it makes - that's all that's important


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## Blue_Cafe (Jun 22, 2020)

One other bonus i forgot.

The steaming on the stainless steel boilered V2 is actually fantastic. Much much better than the old aluminium boiler design.


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## C Woody (Mar 15, 2021)

SupraMan said:


> I don't get how he picked it up for only £100


 Just picked up mine on eBay for $145 US after watching Hoffman's video. Maybe I was lucky or maybe the trick is to find one that's listed for parts or repair "untested." Still waiting on a couple bits and bobs to get my espresso going but after a descale and a new shower screen nothing seems to be wrong with it.

Edit: It's a Gaggia Classic Coffee (1475w) model if that's of interest to anyone.


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## C Woody (Mar 15, 2021)

C Woody said:


> Just picked up mine on eBay for $145 US after watching Hoffman's video. Maybe I was lucky or maybe the trick is to find one that's listed for parts or repair "untested." Still waiting on a couple bits and bobs to get my espresso going but after a descale and a new shower screen nothing seems to be wrong with it.
> 
> Edit: It's a Gaggia Classic Coffee (1475w) model if that's of interest to anyone.


 Correction: 1425W, and It's a 1998 manufacture date.


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## Cameron Logan (Mar 16, 2021)

I wasn't going to buy one, but saw JHoff and got one on FB shipped $100. Ordered every mod o know of for $276. Ready to solder and ???

oh no. I have it seen it yet. I assume it works. I know it will one day soon.

sometimes you just gotta say WTF.


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## FlyingPianist (Feb 27, 2021)

Haha! That sounds exactly like me with the 2006 classic I bought off eBay which said 'stored for a few years, tested as working as of the 18th feb'. The OPV pressure gauge, seals, PID and cleaning kit all arrived before the machine itself (which combined all cost more). Ok it needed a good clean and de-scale, but I'm more than happy with it..

I just took the same philosophy and bought a 1999 Honda Goldwing unseen for a Grand Tour type Scottish highlands road trip in may! (Wrong topic, wrong forum, I know!) Can I be lucky twice!! 🤣😂😆 At least I have luggage room for the GC! 😆


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