Gaggia 16103 Evolution Espresso Machine, Silver

This is not meant to be a complete review of this espresso maker. If you see my "So you'd like to make great espresso at home" guide, you'll find that I argue that Gaggia's are best espresso machines in the $100-$400 range, always besting anything made by Krups or other non-Italian manufacturers. In other words, this is a great espresso machine.

That said, Gaggia uses the identical internals on their Evolution, Carezza, Espresso, and Coffee de Luxe machines. The only differences are in the external "looks." I personally find the Evolution the most attractive, with the Carezza a close second, but you can form your own opinion by simply looking at the pictures. Why these models sell for different prices remains a mystery. In Europe, I have seen the Carezza typically cost the most, and the Evolution sell for the least. (For example, just check Amazon.co.uk.) In America, the Carezza usually sells for the least. If you're looking for the best value, consider the Carezza.

This is not worth the money. The plastic body is so light weight that you have to hold the machine down with one hand to keep it from sliding on the counter when attaching the portafilter. Even if you can get past that, no matter how long you let the machine warm up, the brewed espresso is only warm. I tried letting the machine warm up for 30 minutes and pre-warmed the cup. My husband, who prefers his expressos much cooler than me, even said that they were just above room temperature. After several attempts, I realized there was no way we could live with this and I returned it.

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...Here's why:

-the pump is weak and sometimes espresso hardly drips out

-the clearance under the spout is too tight and big mugs spill when trying to remove them

-the steam nozzle leaks water everywhere while the espresso is running

-the majority of the unit is cheap plastic made to look like nice polished metal

-the icons on the buttons were painted on before they started rubbing off

Every morning we get stressed out because making espresso is a general pain in the butt. Now we don't have frustration-less espresso or $200.

Read Best Reviews of Gaggia 16103 Evolution Espresso Machine, Silver Here

Gaggia 16103 Evolution Espresso Machine, Silver

Why did I bother? Not only did it arrive damaged, it was made of flimsy plastic. There's no mystery why it was damaged in shipment it is made from inferior materials. This experience was a wake up call!

Since great espresso is so important to me, why was I buying an inferior product? A $25.00 stovetop espresso maker would have been a better choice!

I returned the damaged Gaggia (after much communication and sending numerous photos of the damaged item, showing the condition in which it was received) and purchased the best quality espresso maker I could afford one that would last. My choice was a commercial grade machine that individually grinds each serving and has a strong steamer for frothing. The machine I finally bought should last a lifetime and is worth every cent to me!

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After the spousal unit and I added up what we'd been spending at national coffee chains for our once (sometimes twice!)-a-day cappuccino habit, we were horrified.

But we're such coffee lovers/addicts, kicking the habit was absolutely out of the question.

Enter Amazon.com and the wonderful, space-saving (and money-saving) Gaggia Evolution espresso machine! For a great price we got a wonderful machine with the same pump and internal parts as pricier Gaggia models (see other reviews for this info).

The instructions, especially supplemental instructions written by U.S. machine importer Importika, were explicit and guided this espresso rookie to pulling an acceptable double shot on the first try! I did follow the standard advice and bought a proper grinder to go along with the machine, and this was key: There's no way you can get the consistency you want with a blade grinder.

The machine is at top operating temperature in well under 10 minutes (about six) and ratchets up to steam temperature in no time -certainly fast enough so that the espresso doesn't get cold waiting for the frothing to happen.

And speaking of frothing, the included frothing adapter that attaches to the steam wand makes even the most ham-handed barista a master of cappuccino!

I have no idea how durable the machine will be. I'll check back in on that. We hope it never dies, though, because it has become our best friend in the morning.

Vive la Gaggia!

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