This is the 4th espresso maker that my family has owned in the last 10 years and has proven a solid performer. My husband has spent many months in Europe (specifically Italy) during those years and has commented that this machine comes the closest to producing authentic cappuccino as any he's tried. The machine itself is heavy, but fits nicely on the counter and is relatively easy to clean. The greatest positive is that it heats and reheats the boiler rapidly. The only negative consideration is that the frothing wand sometimes works too well and froths the milk before bringing the milk temperature up to an acceptable level.
Mine's been on order with Amazon for several months and I just got yet another notice that shipping is delayed by another month. Therefore, if you're willing to wait half a year for one, don't hesitate to order one. Well, don't hesitate too much, at least. ;)
As for the quality, it's superb! I have 2 friends with one and it still amazes me how blazing fast the Gaggia machine will produce a full load of espresso from a cold start--mere minutes. I've seen other machines take up to 15 minutes from a cold start and this is the hugest benefit besides the quality of the espresso itself. The machine has a few hoops to jump through in getting it going the first time, but it's a cinch from there on out.
IMHO, however, don't use anything but bottled water if you want consistent, high-quality, trouble-free espresso for many years w/o needing major cleaning. Why? 2 reasons:
1) Even the slightest amount of chemicals (flouride, chlorine, etc.) can make quite a noticeable difference in the taste, especially with light or medium roasted beans.
2) Minerals in the water accumulate over time and will convert even the easiest-to-clean machine into an expensive paper weight.
In summary, if you don't mind the long wait, this Gaggia machine is among the fastest and highest quality espresso makers under $1,000. Also, it's basically an upgraded version of their famous Classic model; it's a tad faster and easier to use.
Buy Gaggia 97001 Coffee Deluxe Espresso Machine with Automatic Milk Frother, Silver Now
It took a little 'tweaking' before I fully mastered the art of espresso making. I tried to use the Perfect Crema rubber disc that came with the machine, but after inserting the disc into the portafilter, it adds so much thickness that the basket doesn't fit on top of it and therefore cannot be locked onto the brewing head. I called up customer service, they picked up the phone immediately and told me to throw it away. There were defects from manufacturer and they don't recommend anyone using the disc. Stick to the 'Golden Rules' that came with your instruciton booklet. And I have been making delicious capuccinos! The auto frother is simply magical. And it is very easy to clean. The machine is solidly constructed with metal. Although the dripping tray is made of cheap plastic. But no big deal, as long as the rest of the machine is well made. This is an excellent buy. Go for it!
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DISREGARD THE RATING. AMAZON WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO CHANGE IT THOUGH THEY LET ME EDIT MY REVIEW. When I initially bought this machine I was impressed. I even wrote a favorable review. Two years later and I noticed at certain intervals that my throat would get irritated and scratchy, causing phlegm and cough for days. It was always right around the time the machine would need cleaning, something I did not notice until a couple of months ago. Just recently I started feeling this way again and decided to clean the machine. I turned it upside down to loosen the screw on the screen and noticed that all around the edge of the machine right above the water tank the paint was peeling and there was quite a bit of rust. I scraped the rust with my hand and it came off easily. I looked in the water tank and noticed sediment on the floor. The water tank is right underneath and is fully open. I cannot believe that they use parts that rust on a coffee machine. Anyone would know that would create an unhealthy situation when steam from the coffee machine comes into contact with this area or when the water from the water tank naturally evaporates and comes into contact with these parts. I DO NOT RECOMMEND THAT YOU BUY THIS MACHINE!
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I was going to buy The Lello 45900 Ariete Espresso/Cappuccino Maker, because the price was so good , but I waited over three months because it was not in stock so I looked for a replacement and this machine was more than twice the price, but after using it, it's more than twice the machine I think , on the Amazon description it says the pump is a 16-bar pump , But after checking reviews on different web sites I think Amazon made a mistake because on all the other web sites ,it says the a pump to be 17.5 bar pump, that's even better , And the other thing that I like, was the fact that it had a CD , that was not said on the description either , I never use a espresso machine before so seeing a short little videos was very helpful , shows and explains the basics, from making espresso two frothing the milk ,cleaning tips and more very helpful .
So I made myself my first shot of espresso , it was great nice little cream on top, it just looked beautiful , I didn't think it would work to good because I bought some pods, and I wasn't sure how it would work , works great , taste great and easy to clean , second day I made myself a latte again excellent.
Third day I got adventurous I made myself my first cappuccino, and again great put Starbucks to shame.
The espresso I was using was the ILLY Sucro Espresso Pods 906,
Naturally the espresso you use is actually more important than the machine I guess this one taste great ,about different type of syrups caramel vanilla hazelnuts Irish cream , the syrups brand was daVinci ,So yes I am very satisfied with this machine , and I guess I got lucky because this one was out of stock for a long time
Three rubber gaskets and a new top filter for the Bialetti 6 cup stove top espresso brewer. How much can you say about some rubber gaskets? Not much, but these are Bialetti branded replacements, identical to what came with the new unit. As long as the originals have lasted, I should be set for life.
