# Definitive Gaggia Classic steaming guide



## MattRobbo45 (Oct 3, 2012)

Just wondering if anyone has a definitive guide on steaming milk with the Classic + silvia wand?

More specifically, timing. How long after I flick the steam switch, does it come up to temp? Is it once the light comes back on or longer?

At what point is it best to start steaming? As the light comes on - just as the light goes off etc?

I've seen a few different bits on the forums, some saying the boiler is ready as the light goes back off, others saying as the light comes on after a purge etc.

I'm a bit lost as to what the light signifies. Is the light coming on an indication that temp has dropped below ideal and its heating back up?

The reason I ask is that sometimes I'll steam and get a really powerful jet that gets a good vigorous whirlpool going. Other times, it is only just spinning the milk and results aren't as good.

I'm just wandering if someone has a fool proof routine that ensures maximum steam every time?


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## oracleoftruth (Jan 15, 2014)

Light means its "ready" so that means it is at temp and the boiler elements are OFF.

Some say it is best to steam with the light off as it means the boiler is ON while you are steaming and lengthening the time you can steam for. In reality its not a big boiler so you won't extend by that much.

Someone may be able to help with the exact timings. I seem to remember 15 secs after pressing steam button is about right?


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## MattRobbo45 (Oct 3, 2012)

Brill. Cheers mate. That makes sense. Been a bit inconsistent power wise so far. Sometimes it's blasting, others not so much. It seems to be the difference between good foam and warm milk with a layer of bubbles on top


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## craig01nire (Apr 4, 2013)

I read in another post somewhere to purge the steam wand at 27 seconds after flicking the switch then to start steaming at 35 seconds. I thought that was a bit too precise, but putting it into practice it actually does make a difference for me anyway. Done two flat whites today, one I didn't take too much notice of times and the other I did. The one where I timed as above got a noticeably better whirlpool going. Would be interesting if it worked for others as well.


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## MattRobbo45 (Oct 3, 2012)

Interesting. I did some experimenting this aft. The steam builds from about halfway into the 'light out' cycle and starts to drop off around halfway through the 'light on' cycle.

I started to steam the milk the instant the light goes out. First second or so I'm introducing air and then once I raise the wand to start the spin, the steam builds and you get a good blast, long enough to fold the bubbles in and do the biz.


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## Drc (Jan 21, 2014)

craig01nire said:


> I read in another post somewhere to purge the steam wand at 27 seconds after flicking the switch then to start steaming at 35 seconds.


This.........

is fantastic. Tried this today and it's transformed the way my classic steams. Previously I waited for the light to come on, following this suggestion has made an incredible and visible difference to power.

thanks very much for the tip!


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## MattRobbo45 (Oct 3, 2012)

I've been using the "go" on light out routine for past few days and consistently getting good microfoam









Did the OPV mod last night so looking forward to seeing what effect that has on my shots too


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## marknewham (Oct 9, 2018)

Reigniting this thread I am certainly going to try the timings later - but what should i be doing with the wand - tearing on the surface for a few seconds then i'm not sure where to position it to get the spin going...I had it once but I have no idea how!! Classic with Silvia wand...


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## jaffro (Oct 6, 2015)

marknewham said:


> Reigniting this thread I am certainly going to try the timings later - but what should i be doing with the wand - tearing on the surface for a few seconds then i'm not sure where to position it to get the spin going...I had it once but I have no idea how!! Classic with Silvia wand...


Thanks for reigniting this, I've been experimenting, but hadn't seen the 27 and 35 second theory! All I noticed is that if you wait too long the steam pressure drops part way through, so I've been purging and starting steaming a lot quicker to keep the power up...

Regarding technique, I'm still playing around. I've been making a lot more brewed coffee recently, so haven't really put the time into steaming milk properly. Really hit or miss at the moment, so more practice required...


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## MartinB (May 8, 2011)

I have a pressure gauge on my Classic and sometimes it's nice and high (9 bar) when the light comes on and sometimes it's very low and not as powerful. So it's fair to say that from my experience, it's hit and miss without the gauge!


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## Alan8 (Oct 27, 2021)

I have come across this thread while trying to figure out this whole steaming thing on my Classic.

Even more confused now as to where to start..lol...light on, light off (Reminds me of the Karate Kid)

So where to start then? Do i start the steaming process when the light comes on, goes off or somewhere in between? At what point do i need to purge?


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## newdent (Feb 20, 2021)

Alan8 said:


> I have come across this thread while trying to figure out this whole steaming thing on my Classic.
> 
> Even more confused now as to where to start..lol...light on, light off (Reminds me of the Karate Kid)
> 
> So where to start then? Do i start the steaming process when the light comes on, goes off or somewhere in between? At what point do i need to purge?


 You want the boiler elements heating the water whilst you're steaming, otherwise you lose steam power but you must give the boiler some time to heat and pressurise after flicking the steam switch. Start too soon and you will have no power, start too late and you will have power initially but lose it when the light comes on.

When you flick the steam button, the light is off until steam temperature is reached (145 degrees I think), then the light comes on and heating elements switch off.

The caveat being that you want the boiler as hot as possible but the longer you wait, you risk the light coming on and heating elements switching off. Waiting time after switching the steam switch will vary because you never know what the starting temperature the boiler is, I personally wait 35s.

I'm sick of the guessing game, so PID is being installed asap.


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## Alan8 (Oct 27, 2021)

@newdent So you want to steam while the heating element is on but not once it switched off and have to start steaming before it turns off.

So what point do you need to purge?

Pardon my ingnorance but what does a PID do ?


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## newdent (Feb 20, 2021)

Alan8 said:


> @newdent So you want to steam while the heating element is on but not once it switched off and have to start steaming before it turns off.
> 
> So what point do you need to purge?
> 
> Pardon my ingnorance but what does a PID do ?


 I purge before flicking the steam button, this gets rid of the majority of water that's collected in the wand. I then do a second brief purge immediately before steaming, you'll notice there's not much water in the second purge.

A PID is an aftermarket controller that can be fitted to accurately control brew and steam temperature. Google shades of coffee PID and you'll find the most commonly used one with a gaggia classic.


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## Alan8 (Oct 27, 2021)

newdent said:


> I purge before flicking the steam button, this gets rid of the majority of water that's collected in the wand. I then do a second brief purge immediately before steaming, you'll notice there's not much water in the second purge.
> 
> A PID is an aftermarket controller that can be fitted to accurately control brew and steam temperature. Google shades of coffee PID and you'll find the most commonly used one with a gaggia classic.


 Bril, thanks for the tips. Going to give this a go the weekend and see how i get on. Might just have a drinkable cup this time round 😂


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## Stox (Jul 19, 2020)

It's very difficult to know where you are in the heating cycle when brewing or steaming with an out of the box Gaggia Classic. The steam thermostat switches off at around 155C and the temperature can continue to climb to 160-165C after this. However, the thermostat won't start heating again until the temperature drops below around 115C.

I have one of these attached to my machine, a 2019 Gaggia Classic with minimum modifications:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dual-Two-2-K-Type-Digital-Channel-Thermometer-Thermocouple-Sensor/114402813407

The unit comes complete with two K-type thermocouple leads. These can be secured to likely parts of the machine using small blobs of this goo:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/154418341741

Taken together these items allow detailed temperature monitoring on any machine/device for around £20.

I have tried a couple of configurations for the thermocouples and decided the most useful setup is to place one sensor next to the boiler brew thermostat with the other outside the machine attached to the group head.

My routine for steaming is to flick the steam switch on, and start purging immediately. I aim to get the wand into the milk and start steaming properly when the temperature is between 125-135C. If the temperature goes much over 145C I will use the steam switch to keep the temperature between 135-145C - I might let it go higher than this if I think I can finish steaming before the steam light comes on, but usually I've switched off and completed the operation without the steam light ever coming on.


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## Alan8 (Oct 27, 2021)

Stox said:


> It's very difficult to know where you are in the heating cycle when brewing or steaming with an out of the box Gaggia Classic. The steam thermostat switches off at around 155C and the temperature can continue to climb to 160-165C after this. However, the thermostat won't start heating again until the temperature drops below around 115C.
> 
> I have one of these attached to my machine, a 2019 Gaggia Classic with minimum modifications:
> 
> ...


 Thanks for your reply, its very helpful. Will look into the temperature suggestion. Roughly how long before it gets to that 125C-135C range?


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## Stox (Jul 19, 2020)

Alan8 said:


> Thanks for your reply, its very helpful. Will look into the temperature suggestion. Roughly how long before it gets to that 125C-135C range?


 I reckon this morning it took around 10 seconds to get from 100 to 130C. I was purging the wand for some of that time and I think I started with the brew light on so the machine was cooling down. With the brew light on the temperature at the brew stat could be anything between 98C and 120C, so a lot depends on where you're starting from.


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