Lol right, the classic gaggia espresso evo machine, not to be confused with the gaggia classic pro evo machine. They should have named this something italian, maybe after a city or something
Continue to love you covering these entry point and more budget oriented machines, Kev. It's funny, I was just in contact with WLL (the N. American import partner for Gaggia) about this machine and its two premium offerings. I hope we'll see it soon here, but it will require some slight re-engineering of the thermoblocks, to get down to a 1400W draw, it seems. PS, I have a Gaggia Espresso from the mid 1990s down in storage. Boiler's shot to hell. ;)
Thanks Mark, that's very kind of you to say! Yeah WLL are great, love their videos, I was even considering growing my hair again, to try to look like Marc 😄. No doubt they'll have the new machine soon, I didn't realise that re the thermoblock, makes sense. Cool! Is it the same boiler as the original 90s classic? Cheers, Kev.
Rooting for Gaggia - I hope they end up making a prosumer competitor to the fully integrated (grinder + espresso machine) Sage appliances (with touchscreen)
I wouldn’t say grinder espresso machines are prosumer. All of the variations on the market are cheaply built and prone to breaking. And they have to be that way otherwise the price point doesn’t work… so I hope Gaggia doesn’t go that route. Their best bet is to create a updated version of the Classic Pro, with PID, gauge, and possibly flow control
I live in a hard water area so get through machines like I get through underpants (about 1 every two years) I think next time my sage/delonghi 600 quid is machine fails I will switch to this. thanks Kev
Haha, you must buy great quality underpants! 😆. Have you looked into under counter filtration or RO? Might save you a fortune in the longrun. Cheers, Kev.
Found your videos while going down the espresso machine rabbit hole on RU-vid. Currently I mainly drink pour over and have a pod machine for emergencies. Been looking at the Sage Bambino as seems to come highly recommended. I know the price point is far higher than this machine however do you think the extra cost is giving more features etc? Would you get nearly double the machine with the sage over the Gaggia or not? Also seen on the Gaggia website you can get this machine and the grinder for a very reasonable deal. Very entertaining content by the way.
Hey Kev, very nice overview of this new machine by Gaggia - I can't believe they're able to make a PID machine in Italy at that price point! Do you know when this is coming to market? It's hard to find at the normal online distributors. Oh, and at the Gaggia website, they say it's a stainless steel boiler (probably a copy/paste error on their part). But at 1900 watts, it's a thermoblock, right? Cheers!
Thanks Tom 😀. Yeah it's definitely a thermoblock. They're available in the UK and mainland Europe now, I'm not sure when they're due for release in America but I'll try to find out. Cheers, Kev
@@Coffee_Kev not sure what PID means on a thermoblock, i thinks its just a marketing term, because thermoblock will always output the water at the same tempature, in order to change the tempature it needs to run the pump faster/slower, then PID here is meaningless.
I bought this machine and could not be more disappointed!! It actually burns the coffee produces no crema at all, and even the memo function is crap. I set it on a full cup and than it gave me half a cup👎👎👎 Also a standard 'restaurant' size coffee cup (150 ml) doesnt fit without removing the drip tray!
Hi, It might be an idea for you to contact Raj and the team at Gaggia, they should be able to help you with any problems that you have with the Gaggia espresso. Cheers Kev
@@Coffee_Kev thanks for the reply, but i already sent the machine back. Its the most expensive of the budget machines and it performs below average, also the build quality is more like a 70 bucks machine. Its just not worth its price, bought a ecp3420 with some upgrades instead
Hello great video and exctly the machine im looking for as just getting into drinking better coffee at home and latte art. I live in spain so would the Gaggia EG2109 be a good choice for me?
Tom presents a good case for the Delonghi ECP holding its own agains the Gaggia Classic, so it may be a good alternative entry level Gaggia Evolution? ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-jCvcWFicIjg.htmlsi=Z5b9VuX0eGsa70pS
How is the quality with the standard pressurized basket, for instance compared to the Dedica? I am still waiting for a decent espresso grinder as I mosty go with pour overs. Thanks a lot for the vid!
Great video. Very helpful. Can you comment more on the details of the MD15 as to whether you can genuinely grind espresso with shims? It’s bundled at a very attractive price… I’d love to see someone who knows what they are talking about making and putting shims in and grinding to a decently fine result.
thanks 🙂. Yeah, I did a very quick shimming guide here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ENFV20YDEn4.htmlsi=OsKOP0wGem9Mrynx&t=67 and there's an MD15 review on its way with more info on this, but the shimming is very simple. It does make it work for standard basket espresso, yes, or if you want to use the pressurized baskets, it'll work with them out of the box. You'd be better off with a more premium grinder if you're using freshly roasted beans, but it'll get you dialled in within a ball park. Cheers
Yes you can but its limited. Just bought a GCP and MD15 but missed the bundle deal (Gaggia UK). 2 shims, and seems to work ok for a novice like me, Im getting what I consider a nice enough brew... much better than my old Tassimo but I'm not so pro to notice the fine details. Imagine one day a better grinder will be on the cards but this has got me going on my budget and good enough to learn on but always grinding on setting 1 with 2 shims in. So no room to go finer.
@landcruiser801 it’s interesting that you grind down to 1 on the MD15 for espresso with 2 shims. I tested mine from 8-1 and found 4.5 with 2 shims to be the best taste. 1 was revolting for me way too bitter! I am using single wall/unpressurised baskets on a sage duo temp pro. I find from a price point and quality taste the MD15 is bang on.
Definitely a better alternative to the breville bijou at similar price point, (I know at time of writing this comment Amazon have it on offer with 55%) a comparison of the two would be good but I already know which is better.
For me, I'd go with the new Gaggia Espresso. The Dedica has always been hard to beat in this price tag, and as I've said, this isn't perfect, but for me it's the best on the market now at this price point.
Good comprehensive review - boy have your videos progressed. All for the better. - although some may not like the express delivery - which allows you to cram in lots of info, and all without a single trip up or 'filler, er, like.....
Thanks :-). haha, yeah, I do get the occasional comment from people who watch me at 0.75 playback speed, what can I say, we drink a LOT of coffee when filming ;-), just don't put it down to half speed or it sounds like I've been drinking something much stronger than coffee!
Thinking of buying this machine or whichever of it's siblings are cheapest. Then spending an extra £30 on a 9 bar spring, Edesia basket and 33.3m screen. Have you tried the Edesia basket in the Gaggia portafilter or will I need an Edesia portafilter too?
I have a Gaggia Type MM coffee grinder (black). When I saw the image of the 1980s coffee machine, I dug out the box, and there's a picture of the coffee machine and grinder together. I was thinking of upgrading my grinder, but after seeing this, might hold onto it a bit longer. It still works great.
Great video - really has me thinking. My Gaggia classic has just packed up after 19 years of faithful service - I think it's the boiler this time, we are in a hard water area. But do I spend circa £200 on one of these, or put the money towards trying a new boiler in the classic (could end up being a money pit though if its not the boiler). All I want is nice espresso in the morning to be honest...!
Just ordered this machine. I grind my own beans so, according to your video, I'll need to get a standard basket? Can you explain why? Have you got a video on this?
I have a Delonghi Dinamica £500 bean to cup. Would this make better quality espresso if I use a puck screen and a half decent grinder like say the DF64?
*Hi kev, I’m stuck, I’ve got a retail small food business and we want to incorporate coffee, good coffee. We’ve got Sainsbury’s next door with a Costa machine, and one opposite in the petrol station. So story is that I’ve watched lots of videos and very new to coffee. I want something that produces only say less than 50 cups a day, easily cleaned by my young staff, and with good longevity and service life. What can you recommend? Do I go for a bean to cup - or a more classical espresso style - remembering coffee is a supplement not our main business…but also issue is we have to use a system with a built in tank or something can feed a tank inlet as plumbing is an issue for now*
Great video I'm a new subscriber. Love the look of the gaggia style or deluxe. But as a someone who is new to home brew coffee I'm looking at the Ariete 1380 or the delonghi 685 and the gaggia style or deluxe what does the community think 🤔
Great video as always kev!. Can you you point me in the direction of where i can buy a 53mm portafilter that will fit this machine? I am in Greece and can't find anything online.
Very impressive! That's the main thing for me, a PID at this price is unheard of, and it has other things going for it too. The only thing I don't like about it is like just about any machine at this price point, the water pressure hitting the basket isn't controlled, as there's no solenoid to do that and no pump control, and the preinfusion is at full pressure, but I'm amazed at how good a job a simple 53mm paper filter does in that regard, and you can re-use them too.
@@Coffee_Kev: I wish they'd been around when I was starting out, I could have lived with all that. Temperature surfing is a drag, though. When I was using a Europiccola I even thought of putting a thermocouple on the tank and using a Raspberry Pi to turn the power supply on and off.
Hello! What do you prefer between the Gaggia Espresso and Breville Bambino (not plus). In the US, the Gaggia Espresso goes for $249, and the Bambino for $299. Wondering if the Espresso still competes at that price point?
The bambino is better should you wish an automatic milk steamer. Other than that i feel it’s easier to upgrade the bambino when it comes to convenience since it’s so popular it has lots of aftermarket gadgets. The gaggia however can get upgraded very high end if you’re giving it time and effort to make the upgrades necessary. I personally would prefer the gaggia, made it italy must mean something too
Very useful appraisal which has helped me exclude it from my xmas Wishlist. Bambino plus looking good or ...? Anything else you'd recommend at that price point? Classic pro with upgrades? Btw my Italian wife informs me its pronounced 'Gah gee ah' Suppose its like the noise you make after tasting the espresso! Great useful videos here Kev Cheers!
bought this after watching your review.. its a good little machine. Out the box it actually pulls a really nice shot Im using 17g beans and the stock baskets using factory settings .. heats up really quickly.. agree about the lights they are very dim. The things that I don't like are the drip tray, (why the grooves in it just stupid for cleaning) and whilst its a relatively heavy machine when pulling it forward I always make the mistake of pulling on the drip tray which obviously just slides out, The steam is not that powerful vs the Breville/sage machines so getting the milk to rotate and micro foam is difficult and whilst the arm pulls out, i do find its a little too low / long for a jug and just wont quite come out far enough to the side. Things I will replace will be to get a proper tamping tool and non pressurised baskets.
Hi Kev, I have decided this will be the machine for me after watching your videos! From what I have seen the difference the stle and deluxe is the metal drip tray and the cup warmer. However I am struggling to see what is different between the deluxe and evolution models. Do you happen to know what extra the evolution model offers please?
That portafilter is absolutely hideous. I don’t know why you’d make it look like that, I can’t imagine it would cost any more to make it more aesthetically pleasing. 🤦🏼♂️
I really enjoy your blog and RU-vid videos Kev.👍Very educational and entertaining. I've just bought this machine, based on your well informed recommendation. l love the Gaggia cups you use in the videos btw if you're able to source some more...
I've had the Breville Barista Mini for a couple of years now. Seems to have held to its £160 price tag for a while now. Would be interested to hear what you think about it as I'm thinking about how to take my espresso experience to the next level.
Hi Kev, I'm thinking of getting one of these... Looks like a great first machine to go for. Is the cup heater worth the extra money? I makes the machine look a little nicer but I think i prefer the red one.. although the green looks quite nice 🤔 Also... i was thinking of going for the MD15 grinder bundle.. but having watched some of your grinder videos, i'm not sure now. I really like the lelit Fred (43) but at £170 that's a bit of a jump. Is there another grinder worth looking at between the two grinders? Or save for the Fred? Thanks in advance and keep up the great work! 👍
Excellent video as always. Thanks you. Tempted by this machine, versus the Classic pro, to begin my espreso journey. A thought, would opening the steam wand for a few seconds at the start of the brew button result in a low pressure pre infusion?
Hi Kev, Thanks for the video. I bought one of these on the back of this video as I liked the idea of making my own espresso. However, I'm struggling. In your video you show the espresso coming out in 2 nice steady streams. Mine come out "spluttering" I've spent a fortune on "propper" ground espresso coffee from different sources, bought a grinder and tried grinding my own, tried levellers, different tampers, puck screens, different amounts of coffee in the basket, (bought a new basket) and nothing I have tried seems to get good results. I may as well go back to my nespresso machine. At least there is no mess! I'm at a loss. It's £200 that's nearly going in the bin. Any ideas? Much appreciated.
@@Coffee_Kev Hi Kev. Thanks for the reply. I have bought pre-ground espresso coffee. I got this from the same place as the machine. I haven’t tried grinding my own. Could that be the problem? Cheers, Mark.
Wonderful and clear videos with good humour included Kev. Now, I have a dilemma after watching your sub £500 machines! With a special code 😉 the Bambino is £196 and the Gaggia Espresso is (with another special code! £170 or £242 combined with MD grinder). Love that Gaggia direct are near me and you can easily speak to or visit them. But, would the Bambino create that much better espresso and justify the price difference especially if I bought a grinder?
@@Matt-uw9rb Hi Matt, Still haven’t made my mind at the moment but will probably go with Gaggiadirect as they are local to me should I have any issues.
Great reviews, I’ve watched all of them and still can’t make a decision! I was given a Grind One, which is ok for an everyday coffee but I’d like something that gives a decent espresso with a decent crema. But on a limited budget and I’m not ready to embark on a Gaggia Classic just yet. Do you think this would fit the bill?
Hi Matt, Its a great machine, Have a look at my post: coffeeblog.co.uk/best-cheap-espresso-machines/ There is also a video coming out on the best cheap espresso machines soon, watch this space :-) Ta Kev
Has anyone else noticed that the water shower only seems to do about a quarter of the screen? Is that for the ese pods? Also has anyone tried the 9 bar spring mod on one of these yet?
I put the 9 bar spring and it seems better! I just got a new shower screen supposedly 49.5mm for the Gaggia 2015 Classic... Not sure if it is making a difference...
Thanks, this is now available for 140 euros. The Sage/Breville Bambino (NOT Plus, just " simple" bambino) is available for 180 where I live. What should I pick?
If gaggia can fit an articulated steam arm on their basic offering, they can fit in on the classic too... c'mon Gaggia don't make us mod such a basic thing! PD. Even my Saeco Via Venezia from 20 years ago has a ball joint steam wand and Saeco was bought by Gaggia many decades ago so no excuses!
Which would you recommend, Gaggia espresso, sage duo temp pro or sage bambino please? Which produces best flavour espresso with home roasted coffee beans?
Hi Kev - great video and thanks for the tip on this machine. I've just purchased it as my first espresso machine (along with the MD15 in the bundle!) I'm having a bit of trouble dialing in (famous first words...) and I'd love to know what dose you are using with the 53mm portafilter. I've been using anywhere from 13g to 16g and it seems like the brewhead is leaving an impression in the puck with all of these doses, but to go for any smaller of a dose seems crazy!
You must be crazy Kev !! I just received this based on this review. It's plastic & cheap. Extremely light, terrible porta filter, horrible experience all round. Milk takes an age to steam, and is way to frothy by the time you get to the correct temperature. One saving grace is you don't need to fork out on a knock box as you will have nothing but sludge after pulling a shot with this. Returned immediately.
It has been said 😆. Yeah I do point out that it's plastic fantastic, and yes, it IS cheap, at sub £200. It doesn't sound like you've had experience with other sub £200 machines. That portafilter is nicer than any portafilter I've seen on a sub £200 machine. Milk is quicker to steam on this this than on any similarly priced machines I've used, it has a more powerful thermoblock than most. Sludgey pucks is in part due to pressurised baskets, if you swapped the basket out that shouldn't be as much of an issue, although it doesn't have a solenoid so the pucks won't be as dry as with a solenoid machine. Cheers, Kev.
With these low end machines you just take off the portafilter, and let it dry for 1-2 hours (I know if you want to make more than two cups it is not an option). THat way the pucks will be consistent to punch/knock out. It is unfortunately somewhat funny, that your expectations were at least 5 times higher than the machine itself. Coffee is an expensive business for your reqs you need to shell out around 1000 EUR at least (Profitec GO) and then you will have still make compromise on milk drinks because it is an SBDU.
@@torma99 Maybe not £1000. I have a second hand Gaggia evolution that is basically a cheap made version of the classic. With some love attention, a a very small spend I bought it back / improved it. Pair it with a decent second hand iberital mc5. Then add in a knock box, Tamper, jug, and wdt tool from a popular Chinese website, and BOOM!! Very pleasant experience all round. Great taste plus nice dry picks in minutes not hours 👍
Great videos as always, thank you 👍 BUT you've just given me a headache. After doing alot of research i finally decided to go for the sage Bambino plus ( loved the gaggia classic pro but I'm too rushed in the morning, so a bit of help with making a morning caffeine hit swayed me to the Bambino) now gaggia released this 😭 In your opinion is the gaggia espresso competition for the Bambino plus?
Thanks Kev, you did indeed and i've watched your video multiple times 🤣I suppose what i was trying to decide, is the difference in espresso quality improved enough to justify the jump in price to the bambino? probably down to everyone's taste buds i suppose 🤷 In an ideal world i would love the build quality of the gaggia classic, the ease of use of the bambino and the price of the gaggia espresso 😂😂😂@@Coffee_Kev
@@GeorgiosManoli haha fair enough ;-), I'd say the espresso is capable of around the same cup quality, it'll just take a little bit more effort vs the Bambino.
They're nice aren't they? They were a limited edition a while back, I'm trying to get them back again as I think they're great, leave it with me, I'll try again.
Does anyone have problem with continous water spill from portafilter? In my case its lottery, but in most of cases it happens to me. The problem solving from manual do not work. Can this happen because of coffe type? I grind with same grinder different type of coffees. With previous blend it was not an issue.
@@darrenferis3593 are you using a puck screen? If so, try without it, same issue? If you reduce the dose slightly - increase the headspace, same issue? Ta, Kev.
Bambino plus for me, definitely. But it's over double the money. Bambino plus has a 9 bar OPV, 3 way solenoid, and low pressure pre-infusion, and auto flush to cool down the boiler. So for me this isn't on par with the Bambino plus, but it out competes any other sub £200 machine I'm familiar with. Cheers
@coffee_kev thank you for this review and the tip about buying standard 53mm basket. I found there is a massive positive difference with the alternative basket, much stronger coffee.
No, the bambino has a 9 bar over pressure valve, and the pre-infusion is low pressure, the water flow into the basket isn't as aggressive, and it automatically cools itself back down to shot temp after steaming milk.
@Coffee_Kev okay :-) it was on my short list when I was shopping and ended up choosing a Bambino Plus. I was thinking I might want the temperature setting control if I ever replace the Bambino Plus, but I'd never seen you comment on the Solis. Do you have an opinion on it or is it just not worth the time in the grander scheme.
Yeah no discounts yet unfortunately, although to be fair this release price seems very low. They've not released it at a price that I'd think they'd be planning on discounting any time soon to be honest. Cheers, Kev.
cheers,As our 9 yrs old delonghi has died, this looks like a good replacement..They are offering the MD15 grinder in a deal, is this a good match or should i look elsewhere for a grinde?r@@Coffee_Kev
Hi If you have a look at this video I compare the Bambino with this machine and a few others: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-j9II13_jtGI.htmlsi=zsQqsBO3GXGh6KIq Ta Kev
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder 😀 I really quite like the look of it, proper retro, reminds me of the 80s & 90s - which shows what an old fart I am.
