# Gaggia prestige



## Dom36 (Nov 17, 2013)

Hi, I've just purchased this machine, and had a play around with it, using half a bag of coffee and a pint of milk, I've got the hang of the basics, but now have a couple of questions for those in the know.

When I've made an espresso, and I go to remove the coffee 'cake' from the portafiller, it's still wet, is this right? I would have expected the moisture to drop down into the coffee and for this to be dry?

From pressing the brew button on the front, how long should I be letting the coffee pour? Currently I'm just brewing into a cup thats small enough to fit under the unit, however I guess getting some proper shot glasses would solve this problem as I'd just fill these, then stop brewing.

1 level spoon of the measure makes 2 single shots of espresso, or would it be 1 level measure for 1 shot?

It's a shame the manual doesn't give specifics on how to make/brew the coffee









Thanks for for any help


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

Your machine might not have a three way solenoid which is what removes the excess water from the puck - this isn't a biggie.

Ideal extraction time is generally given as 27 secs give or take a few either side.

You want your extraction to be based on weight so get yourself some scales. It should be roughly 1.6 times however much coffee you use, so 18 grams of coffee in would give you a shot of about 29 grams out.

Sounds like you're using pre-ground too - where are they from? You should look in to buying freshly roasted, whole beans from a good roaster and grinding these yourself as required. You'll get much better results.


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## Kyle548 (Jan 24, 2013)

1) I doubt your machine has a solenoid valve, so when you pull a shot there probably are not enough forces acting on the puck to suck the water out; water is a very sticky molecule.

2) you should use 14 - 20g of coffee and aim for 1.4x that amount into your coffee cup. So if you use 14g, aim for 22g into your coffee cup.

This means you really should weigh your coffee.

3) Don't use preground coffee, buy beans and grind them yourself at home.

Failing that, buy freshly roasted beans from a coffee roaster and have them grind them until you can afford a grinder.


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## Kyle548 (Jan 24, 2013)

Basically the canned response.


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

I think the Gaggia Prestige has a pressurised portafilter as standard so the shot times are going to be shorter 15-20secs I think.

A pressurised porter filter does also limit the amount of adjustments you can make to the shot and grind.


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## Dom36 (Nov 17, 2013)

Thanks









im not getting into it so much as to buy a grinder etc I'll just accept that it takes 15 seconds









The post about the weights is very interesting I'll try that out tonight, as I don't think I'm using enough grounds, that should make some difference


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Dom36 said:


> Thanks
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> 
> 
> ...


Ok without fresh coffee from a grinder you will struggle to match the ratios and taste often talked off on here , using a pressurised basket will not help either . This is because the only variables you will have are more or less coffee and how hard you tamp . This will not be sufficient, plus the coffee you are using will not be fresh meaning that it will pour very quickly as well.

I can understand if you don't want to go as " deep " as a grinder purchase , but you just need to be aware of the expectations of the coffee you can produce with the machine and equipment you have .it has it's limitations.

Have fun . Let us know how you get on.


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

If you read your handbook /manual it does mention water on the puck and the need to tip it away (item /section 16 I think.

As has already been said you would be better off with freshly ground coffee and dispense with the pressurised basket. Pre packed/ground coffee is too coarse for espresso machines.


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## Dom36 (Nov 17, 2013)

I would probably be interested in a non pressurised basket, as I can't imagine they will be that expensive, but won't the water just fall straight through grounds into the cup, rather than be held there to absorb the coffee?


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

I don't think they do a non Pressurised basket for the Prestige. I was looking at this option when I first started looking at machines and went for the Gaggia Classic instead.

I think the whole Portafilter is pressurised on the Prestige not just the basket. Someone please correct me if this is not the case.


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## Plevis (Mar 6, 2013)

Hello!

I used to have the Prestige (bought for me as a present before I moved to a classic) and was a great little machine to learn the basics of esspresso with.

It is essentially a Saeco design machine, that has been branded Gaggia post Philips takeover.

You can get a non-pressurised portafilter for it but has to be ordered from the States - Seattle Coffee Gear do one - its for the Saeco Via Venezia and Starbucks Barista (essentially the same machines).

http://www.seattlecoffeegear.com/non-pressurized-portafilter-upgrade-for-saeco-and-starbucks-espresso-machines

I looked into this but with all the import tax etc. decided it wasn't worth it.

Fortunately, you have another option which is to de-pressurise the portafilter yourself. It sounds daunting, but it really isn't. This guide shows you how to do it:






I would thoroughly recommend doing this and in addition, as others have said, get rid of the pre-ground and start grinding yourself.

Pick up a Hario Mini or Porlex Grinder for about £30 and get some fresh beans - the difference will be absolutely astounding. You won't believe it - seriously.

Also, I'd recommend getting a proper tamper if you do the above 2 things - it's a 53mm basket, a few places do them online and in store (Algerian Coffee Stores in London for example).

Good luck and have fun!


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## Dom36 (Nov 17, 2013)

Ok, I've had another play around today, I can now get the coffee puck dry, I wasn't putting enough coffee in before...

i have taken the portafiller apart, and that video is just the same as mine, however, I'm not sure exactly what this will do unless it just allow the coffee to flow as soon as it has gone through the grounds, rather than holding it in the grounds until the pressure releases?

i just need to get the hang of the milk frothing now, but I'm getting there


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## Plevis (Mar 6, 2013)

Dom, the aim is to grind the coffee fine enough so that IT - rather than the mechanical valve on a pressurised portafilter, provides the resistance to the water flow.

Adjusting the grind of the coffee is the main parameter for controlling how long it takes to extract an espresso and affect it's flavour (obviously there are other factors such as age of coffee, type of bean, kind of roast, water temperature etc.).

The point with pre-ground coffee is that it is generally ground much coarser than is required for true espresso - even if it is marked as espresso on the packet (Illy, Lavazza etc.) - the manufacturers have to cater for a range of different brewing methods so try and hit some sweet spot on the grind size which is OK for stove top mokas which most people in Italy will use to brew their coffee.

If you get fresh beans and a grinder - even the manual ones I mentioned before, you can grind the coffee fine enough to completely block the flow of water (i,e, choke the machine)! So they give you much more room to experiment with - as well as the coffee being nice and fresh, which the preground stuff generally isn't.

If you don't want to get a grinder yet, I would recommend going to a good coffee shop that can grind the beans for you. If you're in London, go to Monmouth and get 125g of their standard espresso blend to start off with. Ask for an espresso grind and try it in the prestige and you will see how much slower the water flows and, most importantly, how much better the coffee tastes. The problem with this, of course, is that once coffee is ground it loses its flavour quite quickly. Volatile aromatics and oils that add a lot of the flavour simply evaporate once it is ground (that is why Illy etc. pressurise or vacuum pack their grounds - to hold in as much flavour as possble.)

Hope that makes sense... But seriously though - invest in one of the hand grinders, you won't regret it... Apart from the obsession it might cause when you realise how good a shot you can pull at home!

On the topic of milk, the Prestige can do some decent quality microfoam - if that is your aim of course. You have to remove the Panarello attachment and use the steam arm naked. It's pretty hard to control and the arm is really short so you have to play around with the right jug and volume of milk, but it really makes you refine your technique.


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