| PRODUCT DETAILS | | Gaggia 14101 Classic Espresso Machine, Brushed Stainless Steel |  | |
Gaggia 14101 Classic Espresso Machine, Brushed Stainless Steel
Latte anyone?The Gaggia Classic is the epitome of home espresso machines. This is the choice of the connoisseur for it's elegant style and commercial construction. Make the best espresso, cappuccino or American style latte that beats the local cafe hands down. This timeless beauty will turn anyone into a barista and highlight any kitchen environment. Available in Stainless Steel only. .
Manufacturer: Gaggia
Price: $599.00
 Gaggia 14101 Classic Espresso Machine, Brushed Stainless Steel
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| User Reviews |  | At least get this type of machine...
rating: 4
If you're looking to get a "real" home espresso machine, this would be the entry level to get. Enough pressure, solenoid valve, well made, stainless look. Got this when they had it for $499, must have been a special. Get this if you want a "real" ome machine that has a solenoid valve and don't want to take the time to learn how to use the Rancilio. Within a handfull of shots you will have espresso much better than Starsucks and as good as a hole-in-the-wall cafe. Beware though, buying a "real" machine will start you on the slippery slope of coffee-bean snobbery...next you'll get a burr grinder and never get pre-ground beans again. Then you'll only want boutique fresh roasted beans...I however, do not think i will home roast...
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Nice Machine!
rating: 4
This is a well built machine, does a great job of making espresso drinks, and is a pleasure to use. I investigated several automatic machines in the price range of the Gaggia, but in the final analysis, I was not willing to trade convenience for robustness of the Gaggia. The automatic machines are full of plastic parts and mechanisms that lead me to question their longevity.
Should the Gaggia fail in the future, it appears to be easily serviceable and replacement parts are readily available.
My only minor complaint is, when frothing milk, the steamer readiness indicator light occasionally goes off. I assume the reason has something to do with steam reservoir capacity.
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Quality/service not as hoped
rating: 1
Based on the reviews, I thought this would be a good choice. I wanted a unit that was well made and could handle both tamped grounds and ESE pods. Upon receipt, the build quality seems pretty high. It makes a nice espresso, but really struggles generating flow with the pods. And, alas, shortly thereafter it started to leak pretty badly around the pump. Sent back to the vendor, who informed me that none of the espresso machines that promise ESE compatibility are very good at it. Sigh. Now they tell me.
Received the unit back and for 2 months it's worked well up until the pump died. I suspect the labourious effort to force water through the ESE pods was just too much for it. So I guess I get to ship the 30 lb thing back to the east coast again for servicing.
Finally, when I purchased this unit I had a choice of vendors and I went with Wholelattlove because they promised wonderous customer support. But I have found their service dept difficult to even get ahold of. When I originally had the issue with the pump leak, they advised me to take the top off the unit, run it and see if I could spot and fix the leak. Nice. It would've been better to purchase directly from Amazon and return for replacement when it didn't work.
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Good, but not great
rating: 3
I bought this for my boyfriend after loads of research, as he's very particular about his coffee.
On the plus side, the foamer works great!
On the not so great side, the machine doesn't stop on it's own, it needs to be primed with every use, and it's very difficult to get hot coffee.
We had to return it and get the automatic Gaggia instead. We haven't tried it as it hasn't arrived yet, but we're hoping it will be an improvement.
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Great Italian product
rating: 5
During the past few years I've changed 4 coffee grinders and 5 espresso machines trying to find a combo, which would be able to produce professional quality cappuccino and espresso shots. I wasn't satisfied till I bought Gaggia MDF Burr grinder and Gaggia Classic espresso machine (~$700 for both). I am happy now.
I can make myself an espresso shot with quality comparable to what I would get in Florence or Venice. The machine has a powerful 17.5 bar pump (most others are built on 15 bar pumps), 3-way solenoid valve, heavy-duty commercial portafilter... People complain about the milk frother, but in my opinion it's pretty good; it allows you to quickly produce wonderful creamy froth.
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Gaggia 14101 Classic Espresso Machine, Brushed Stainless Steel
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