|
Everything else is the cheapest possible, but everything that the coffee touch is top quality. Get a good grinder (expect to pay as much for the grinder as for the machine) and good, fresh beans, and you can be making espresso that's better then 95% of the cafes out there.I saw on some of the other reviews that people didn't like waiting for the machine to warm up, or that it was a lot of trouble to figure out how much coffee to use, or how to grind it. We've had this espresso machine for about 2 years, and for the price, I'd say it's the best espresso machine you can get. You simply can't get these quality parts any cheaper.$200 (or thereabouts) probably seems like a lot for a home coffee machine, but if you wanted a really great home espresso machine you could easily spend $2,000. All of these things are true (except for the warm up, this thing is fast, most espresso machines will take 15-30 mins to warm up), it will take a while to figure out how to prepare the coffee, and what you need to do to get a good shot, but that's true of any real espresso machine.And while Gaggia has obviously done everything they can to keep the price down; lots of plastic, most basic possible plumbing, etc, they haven't skimped where it counts. It's got big solid chromed brass for the brew group, commercial size and quality. And if you did it would be easier to use, last longer, and on average probably make better espresso (once you learned all the things you need to know). But at the end of the day, the best shot you ever get out of this machine is probably the equal of the best shot you'll get just about anywhere.
it is a nice product, not sure how many bars of pressure but most times coffee grind for espresso does not flow. I figured out that a grinding of 2.5 at the coffee shop would do it, but since the coffee shop grinder is most likely +-20% off sometimes does not flow and then i have to buy more coffee (grinded at 3) and mix it up with the previous one to make it thicker
The Gaggia Carezza Espresso machine that we received was bulky and difficult to use. You have to wait six minutes for the machine to warm up, and then you have to put in the precise amount of coffee, perfectly ground, gently tamped down, and wait for a weak cup of espresso to come out of it. I called their help line, and the customer service rep essentially said to keep trying different grinds and adjusting the amount of tamping down until I got the crema that came automatically with our old Krups espresso maker. For $250, I shouldn't have to experiment with a clunky machine to get a decent cup of espresso.
It comes only with a two-spout dispenser and a narrow shelf. I purchased the Gaggia Carezza to get the advantage of a pump (replacing a steam pressure machine). (Gaggia assumes that everyone always makes two cups into espresso cups). The bottom line - great coffee, smooth & even foaming, and a vary satisfied consumer. However, note that it is clumsy to handle. Since I never do so (I make two-shot lattes into mugs)I have to juggle with multiple pots (until I find one wide and shallow enough to catch two spouts simultaneously and still hold a double shot). This is annoying, but the coffee and foamed milk are worth it.
I loved this machine while it lasted. 1 1/2 year of use is not enough for the price. The pump doesn't work all of a sudden and neither does the milk froth steamer.I decided I will learn how to make a cheaper cup of espresso with a stovetop espresso maker.
|
