With so many Gaggia coffee machines available in the market now it can get a little overwhelming to decide which one to invest in. This Italian brand has a long history leading back to Achille Gaggia who invented the first lever piston espresso machine in 1948. To help you navigate and figure out which one of the Gaggia coffee machines you should invest in we have put together this list of the eight best Gaggia coffee machines of 2021.
1. Gaggia Naviglio Milk One Touch Cappuccino and Espresso Machine
Outstanding features
Why you should buy
Gaggia Naviglio Milk One Touch is very intuitive and simple to operate which makes it good for beginners but the quality of coffee it brews is fit for even the self proclaimed coffee snobs. The LED lights along with the buttons make it very easy to navigate and easily select if you want 1 or 2 espressos, or a one-touch cappuccino. To customize the volume just push and hold the buttons to add your preferred drink volume.
The machine has a built in burr grinder which is 100% ceramic to ensure that coffee beans do not burn and extract maximum flavor. It offers five grind settings to suit your preference for flavor. It also has a front loading design which makes it much easier to refill water and discard the pucks. It has a 50oz water reservoir and 10.58oz bean hopper.
The coffee maker also features a removable brew group. This allows for you to do routine maintenance at home by keeping the brew group clean and lubricated. As compared to machines with non removable brew groups, these last longer and don’t require as many trips to the shop for repairs.
Apart from being a super-automatic espresso machine with automatic frothing attachments, the Naviglio Milk offers auto frothing attachments like the new Capp in Cupp system and a classic pannarello wand. This machine is built to provide the consistently great cappuccino on one touch. It does this by drawing from a container of milk. You can also program how much milk you would like to dispense for your cappuccino by pressing and holding the cappuccino button to begin dispensing in memo mode, and press again once you're satisfied with the amount.
You can also adjust the spouts so that you can use mugs of different heights easily with the machine. If you press the espresso button twice it also queues two drinks! And of course, you can also choose to get hot water for tea, hot chocolate or Americanos.
2. Gaggia RI9380/46 Classic Pro Espresso Machine
Outstanding features
Why you should buy
The Gaggia Classic Pro is an update on the much loved, completely Italian designed and made, Gaggia classic coffee machine. The machine has a solid, sturdy look and does not take up much counter space with dimensions of 9.5 in depth, 14.2 in height, and 8 in width. The RI9380 has rocker switches which make operation easy and the machine’s aesthetic one of powerful industrial durability.
This is one of the best entry level espresso machines out there and has been in the lead for three decades now. The Classic Pro has a commercial steam wand which gives you complete control over frothing milk. It makes cafe quality latte art possible at home. The machine also has temperature ready lights to go with each of the three buttons for power, brewing and steaming. The brew boiler still has embedded heating elements making it ready to brew in around five minutes. Switching to steam takes just sixty seconds and a quick flush brings the machine right back to ensure consistent brew temperature. The water tank capacity is 2.1 liter which is great for brewing a large amount of coffee. And the machine has also been redesigned to make it easier to remove the water reservoir. It also features chrome-plated brass portability and brew group which adds to the flavour of your coffee.
Another big improvement is the improved placement of pumps. Better mounting significantly reduces the amount of noise produced while brewing. As a result, the Classic Pro produces the same delicious espresso as before, but quieter than ever. Each Classic Pro ships with a plastic tamper, a single and double shot commercial basket, and a pressurized double shot basket and two-way pin. You can brew both pre-ground and freshly ground coffee but of course, the fresher the grind the better the espresso shot.
3. Gaggia Anima Coffee and Espresso Machine
Outstanding features
Why you should buy
The Gaggia Anima is a super automatic espresso machine which makes espresso or lungo with one button programmed according to your specifications. The machine itself is tall and thin and has adjustable spouts for mugs of different heights. Anima comes with the Optiaroma system which allows you to select between 6.5 - 11.5 grams of coffee to be ground per brew. There are five strength settings in total. Along with three temperature settings. It gives you an option to use either pre-ground or whole beans. The integrated bypass doser allows for pre-ground coffee brewing. If you do use whole beans then the ceramic burrs do the grinding work under the Gaggia Adapting System which learns how fast to spin the burrs and how hard to tamp. It has 5 fineness settings to pick from as well.
The Gaggia-patented pannarello wand automatically adds air to the milk through a pinhole located at the top of the wand. Beginners will find it easy to froth up cappuccino milk and with a little practice, steaming latte milk by submerging the pinhole when the desired amount of air has been added.
The Anima has also been designed to make maintenance as hassle free as possible. It comes with maintenance alerts for when it’s time to empty the dregs drawer or drip tray, refill the bean hopper or descale for which it also has an automated descaling cycle. It also has a removable brew group, which can be slid out of place and cleaned by hand saving you unnecessary trips to the repair shop. Speaking of longevity the Gaggia Anima is compatible with the Mavea Intenza water filter which can be installed in the reservoir and will help improve the coffee’s taste.
The Anima has a large capacity for pretty much everything. It has a removable 60oz water reservoir and an 8.8oz bean hopper. The drip tray can hold up to 24oz of water and the internal dreg bin can hold up to 15 pucks of spent coffee.
4. Gaggia Velasca Prestige Espresso Machine
Outstanding features
Why you should buy
The Velasca Prestige allows for an amazing level of customization. It can make espresso and lungo with just one touch of a button but it can also make milk based drinks like cappuccinos, doppios or even just hot chocolate. The Velesca prestige heats up in 45 seconds and is ready to brew and the steam heat up is even faster. The espresso and lungo buttons can be double clicked for automatic double brewing.
There is much more, however, when it comes to customisation. The ceramic burr grinders not just preserve the taste of the coffee beans but you can set up to an astonishing ten grind settings. You can also entirely bypass the grinder if you prefer to use pre-ground coffee by adding it to the doser bypass. Even then you have options to adjust the coffee strength across five settings and the temperature across three settings. And there is still more, you can also adjust the pre-infusion which involves soaking the coffee grounds in water for the high pressure water to pass evenly through them and extract coffee.
It comes with a dishwasher safe carafe specifically for milk which you can place directly in the fridge as well. The machine froths milk from the carafe twice to ensure ideal temperature and texture. For hygiene purposes there is also a dedicated button (“Carafe Quick Clean” button) to rinse the milk circuit after each use.
Like other Gaggia machines the Velasca Prestige will also send you maintenance alerts but it comes with an in-built water filter and is capable of descaling itself. This model also has a removable brew group, which can save you from unnecessary trips to the repair shop if you regularly clean it at home.
5. Gaggia Velasca Espresso Machine
Outstanding features
Why you should buy
The Gaggia Velasca Espresso Machine is similar to the Velasca Prestige coffee machine. The biggest difference is that it features a manual frothing wand for milk-based coffees. Otherwise, it has the same insane customisation options. For espresso and lungo, it offers programmable brewing options, it has 3 temperature control settings and 5 brew strength settings. The volume can also be programmed so that in the end you just have to press one button for your customised drink.The machine has a built in ceramic burr grinder that’s durable, precise, and has minimal heat transfer during grinding. It offers an astounding 10 settings for extra fine to coarse grinds. You also have the option to use pre ground coffee by using the bypass doser.
Another difference is that the Velasca is made of plastic and comes only in the color black. The dimensions and weight are the same however of both Velasca and Velasca Prestige.
Gaggia's innovative Pannarello steam wand automatically aerates milk to produce rich milk foam. It takes less than 30 seconds for it to become ready to use for texturing milk to your preferred temperature and consistency. For tea and cocoa drinkers, the wand also dispenses hot water at the touch of a button.Like other Gaggia machines the Velasca will also send you maintenance alerts as well as automatically rinse and descale. This model also has a removable brew group, which can save you from unnecessary trips to the repair shop if you regularly clean it at home.
Its front-loaded water reservoir has a capacity of 54oz and a 10.5oz bean hopper. The internal dreg bin can hold up to 10 spent pucks of coffee. To reduce energy consumption the machine goes into a low energy standby mode after one hour of idle time.
6. Gaggia Anima Prestige Automatic Coffee Machine
Outstanding features
Why you should buy
The Gaggia Anima Prestige is the third upgrade on the Gaggia Anima and includes a dedicated milk carafe as well as a stainless steel finish. It is also a super automatic espresso machine which makes espresso or lungo with one button programmed according to your specifications. The machine itself is tall and thin and has adjustable spouts for mugs of different heights. Anima Prestige comes with the Optiaroma system which allows you to select between 6.5 - 11.5 grams of coffee to be ground per brew. There are five strength settings in total. Along with three temperature settings. It gives you an option to use either pre-ground or whole beans. The integrated bypass doser allows for pre-ground coffee brewing. If you do use whole beans then the ceramic burrs do the grinding work under the Gaggia Adapting System which learns how fast to spin the burrs and how hard to tamp. It has 5 fineness settings to pick from as well.
The Prestige is much more adaptable than the Deluxe and standard Anima models, particularly due to the milk carafe which allows it to produce a velvety cappuccino foam as well as a silky latte milk. This carafe is double-chambered carafe and locks into the front of the machine. The Prestige runs an automatic cleaning cycle after every use to keep the milk circuit clean, and the carafe can be removed and stored in the refrigerator. A spout can be installed in its place to dispense hot water for tea and Americanos.
The Anima Prestige has also been designed to make maintenance as hassle free as possible. It comes with maintenance alerts for when it’s time to empty the dregs drawer or drip tray, refill the bean hopper or descale for which it also has an automated descaling cycle. It also has a removable brew group and is compatible with the Mavea Intenza water filter. It has a large capacity for pretty much everything. It has a removable 60oz water reservoir and an 8.8oz bean hopper. The drip tray can hold up to 24oz of water and the internal dreg bin can hold up to 15 pucks of spent coffee.
7. Gaggia Carezza De LUXE Espresso Machine
Outstanding features
Why you should buy
The Gaggia Carezza De LUXE Espresso Machine has a retro style complete with a temperature gauge and a dial besides the four buttons. The gauge shows just how quickly the water heats up and is ready to brew in under a minute. While it may be smaller than other Gaggia machines with its 47 oz reservoir capacity, it has all the great features of the bigger machines to make a great cup of coffee like the pre-infusion function which soaks the coffee to ensure even extraction of espresso. The Carezza’s specially designed Crema Perfetta is a double-walled pressurized portafilter specifically designed for use with ESE pods and ground coffee. It can hold 18 grams of ground coffee compared to the usual 12 grams to create a richer drink and eliminates the need for a grinder or tamping. The single basket is meant for pods and the double basket for ground coffee.
The Gaggia Carezza features an auto frothing Pannarello Wand attachment for cappuccinos and lattes. The wand automatically adds air to the milk through a pinhole located at the top of the wand. You can use this to steam milk or create a delicious velvety foam. This can be removed for more manual control and creamy microfoam for Latte art. The wand can also be used as a hot water dispenser for tea and americano.
The Carezza De LUXE is easy to use for beginners but good enough for any kind of user. Those who are environmentally conscious would be happy to note that this machine has an eco-mode which automatically powers down the machine after nine minutes of inactivity to conserve energy.
8. Gaggia 1003380 Accademia Espresso Machine Silver
Outstanding features
Why you should buy
The Gaggia Accademia is one of two super-automatic espresso and coffee machines on the market which has both a carafe and a commercial style steam wand. These dual options are however, a bit heavier on the pocket.
The Gaggia Accademia coffee machine can make seven to ten cups of specialty coffee beverages which you can personalize. At one touch you can make the exact kind of coffee you want. It has the customization options that are greater than most other Gaggia machines with the ability to set grinding fineness, coffee strength and temperature levels. The spout levels are also adjustable to accommodate different cup sizes. The Accademia’s dual-boilers allow for an immediate transition from brewing to steaming with no downtime in between. It is perfect to use in homes or offices where people have differing tastes. Especially considering its removable 54 Oz water tank and a 12.3 Oz bean hopper. It also has an integrated bypass doser for pre-ground coffee brewing and a flow knob control that you can use to manually pull a strong or light espresso.
It is equipped with a steam wand that can be controlled manually as well as the milk carafe. The detachable milk carafe, which can be stored in the refrigerator, snaps into place and easily froths on demand and automatically rinses afterward. The Accademia doesn’t get milk straight from the refrigerator quite as hot as some other machines but the steam wand can be used to increase temperature as much as you want. You can choose from minimal, normal, or no froth options for milk. The milk circuit is external which ensures that milk does not enter the machine and an automatic cleaning cycle rinses the milk circuit after each use, to ensure that it is free of clogs and contaminants.
The Gaggia Accademia will alert you if you need to empty the dregs drawer or drip tray, refill the bean hopper, or when to descale. This model also has a removable brew group, which can save you from unnecessary trips to the repair shop if you regularly clean it at home. It is also compatible with the Mavea Intenza water filter which can be installed in the reservoir and will help improve the coffee’s taste.
Gaggia is one of the top, 100% Italian, brands of coffee machines and if your wallet allows it then it would definitely be best to pick one of the eight machines discussed above. The durability and customisation that Gaggia machines provide will be quite difficult to find elsewhere and endlessly satisfying if you do choose to invest in one.