Gaggia 14101 Classic Espresso Machine

Best espresso maker for under $500

Rating:

By Anonymous

I found a few reviews about the Gaggia Classic espresso machine and it seemed to compare nicely to other machines in its' class. The Breville 800 was the closest one but it was a little more expensive than the Gaggia and didn't seem to offer anything more. One thing that put me off a little about the Breville in more than one review was the filter clogging, and for something that costs this much money that was not acceptable to me. I can say that I have no problems like that with the Gaggia Classic and I've now owned it for more than 6 months.

Now I'm no expert barista and I can say that I'm still working on getting the right mix of grinding and tamping of the coffee. I can now get each cup to have the perfect head of crema for my tastes and I think this machine makes espresso and cappuccino like you would get at your local coffee shop. While this isn't the most expensive espresso maker it does seem to be good enough for the serious barista who is looking for top quality. Sure you can get a strong cup of coffee from a cheaper machine but if you are looking for the intense flavor of a shot of espresso brewed to perfection then do not even hesitate on buying this Gaggia.

One thing to note about it is the instructions, or lack thereof. They really need to be written better so you will need to watch the cd rom completely before you begin assembly. Overall though this is a great machine and I highly recommend it to any hardcore coffee lover like myself.

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