Thanks for watching; comments welcome!

I ordered the Gaggia Classic Pro EVO model. Bottomless portafilter, good tamper, ims basket, 9 bar spring, timemore scale, K4 grinder, Airscape ceramic canisters, and low profile drip tray - are underway as well. All these based on the reviews of this excellent KZfaqr. Thanks Tom!

Just bought one. My first espresso machine. Excited for it.

I purchased a refurbished Gaggia Classic Pro from Whole Latte Love over a year ago. I have two lattes each morning and up to 3 decaf lattes in the evening. So, with at least 4 per day, 365+ days, that is 1,460+ and it just keeps on going. This is a quality machine!!

Hi Tom! I received my GCP in January of 2021. I bought some accessories before I got the machine. Tamper, distributor, mat, and streaming pitcher. I also bought a "tune up kit" brass shower plate, silicone gasket and precision shower screen. I cut three turns off the over pressure spring to bring it down to 9 bars. Later I bought a bottomless portafilter. Really got tired of hit or miss temperature surfing. So I decided to go for a PID mod. Got an Auber pid, Shades top box, flow control and preasure gauge. We added a second SSR for the steam control. Really pleased with the performance of the Gaggia now. Just turn it on and I've got a much more professional coffee experience.

Great review. Just bought barista pro that hasn't got all of Gaggia classic pro problems. Makes amazing coffee and doesn't require mods.

Ya know Tom, im personally a person that hates when youtubers say " like & subscribe" and i watched some of your videos and did not...but the INSTANT you said "crap, i forgot the water." made me laugh, im like "toms a reg bloke, i would do that same thing" Subscribed. Thanks for reviewing and making these vids.

Great Review and handiwork especially in the demo section. The awkward angles during milk steaming and your latte art pour shows how much practice you've had on the machine! I also really enjoyed the analogy with driving a manual car and 100% agree on your comments. The Gaggia Classic Pro is not perfect for everyone, but has it's quirks. Deal breaker for some, but clearly not for all as they're still making them. Maybe we'll see refinements in a V3! One mod that's helpful is I plugged my US model into a smart plug that's on a schedule to help with warm up times in the morning. Unfortunately, in the European models they have a rocker switch so some modding is required. Overall the GCP is a great machine if you do your homework and read up on it before purchasing. For me it was a great entry point into home espresso and the money I saved went towards a good grinder which is just as important! Thanks Tom!

PID is a game changer for this machine - especially for steaming milk as you can keep the temp in the boiler really hot.

this is the best reviews on this machine. Hope Gaggia will watch this review and make changes as per Tom's suggestions.

I'm deciding between Rancilio Silvia V6 and Gaggia Classic Pro but after every video I watch about Gaggia I'm one step closer to order Silvia.

I love this machine and definitely don’t think it’s ugly. Looks quite sleek in my kitchen! ☺️ Loved your video and all the mod details!

My Forschner/Victorinox knives are also magnetic stainless steel as they are designed for commercial use. And most kitchens have a magnetic knife holder above the prep area. :) Same here - they knew that you would be sticking things on it, or even a magnetic note holder. Nice and thoughtful, IMO.

Just got my machine. I’m thrilled. It’s not a machine for the kind of dumbos who get on Amazon and leave hysterical reviews because food is sticking to their All Clad Copper Core Sauce pot. It requires a bit of patience and a bit of experimenting. Thus, mastering it brings the satisfaction of a job well done. The cappuccino I made for my wife was significantly better the second day both in espresso quality and milk quality. The steam wand never runs out of adequate steam contrary to many reviews I’d seen. The positioning of the steam wand presents no issues at all. The espresso is plenty hot. Doing the pre infusion trick works wonders. Can’t wait to get up tomorrow and give it another whirl- practice makes …well… more close to perfect every day. It’s a great little machine. Be careful the first day that in all your experimenting you don’t run out of water. Yup. I did. But there appears to be no damage. I filled it quickly as soon as I realized in my enthusiasm I’d forgotten to keep an eye on the essential element- you know, the one the world is running out of - water.

I’m a big fan of your reviews, particularly the “partner acceptance factor”. In fact, the partner acceptance factor is why I have a Gaggia Brera Super-automatic instead of a Classic Evo Pro!

My old machine broke early last week, and when I looked online one part was discontinued, time for a new one. I looked at machines and reviews online till my head ached. Your thorough review sold me on the Gaggia Classic Pro; thank you. P. S. form follows function, I like the look, and after squeezing my fingers into my old machine to take it apart, I look forward to the extra room inside it.

Excellent demonstration

Hi Tom, great video again, I’m back using the Dedica as it seems to be more consistent than the Gaggia, although I do swap them about, just wanted to tell you about my new hand grinder, I’ve bought a “Kingrinder K4….! It took ages to come from the U S but it finally arrived and I have to say it is Brilliant! I followed advice on KZfaq how to adjust grind size and it is even better than my Eureka Manual! The coffee seems to have more flavour and there’s no retention! 👍🏻

Great review👏👏👏 thank you.

Nice vid and good tips on the frother timing, might also be worth mentioning how horrible the tamp is that comes with it and the necessity to replace it!

For the water tank level hard to see, just put a small plastic ball fluorescent color in so you can see the level, it will flow and easy to see, nice review 👌

Buying this machine soon,, going to mode it and also get a new roaster,,, Black coffee matters 🙂Great channel,,,,,

I bought a seimens bean to cup fully automatic,I will never ever recommend a bean to cup automatic machine in my experience this gaggia is far better and far more reliable I wish I had got one of these instead as I used to have one similar years ago and it was great

Best machine to buy to mod so it can perform like a 4000 Euro machine, (I honestly would not buy this to use in stock form)I bought a 2006 classic and fully restored it with brass shower plate, silvia steam wand and IMS shower screen then modified it with a PID ( a deal breaker) and box, a pressure gage plus dimmer mod and changed pressure from 11 to 9bar. I used the money I saved to by the Eureka specialita grinder which cost more than the machine and the mods combined. With a precision naked basket and some chemix filter paper I make some espresso amazing shots! The good thing about the aluminium boiler is it heats up a lot quicker than stainless steel, and you only need to open the steamer to cool it down and you can see the water fairly easily depending on the light in your room, you can do an LED mod it you really want which is a pain. You can make the machine look pretty, there are plenty of aftermarket accessories, just look at google images! I bought walnut steam knob matching the naked porta filter and a more shallow drip tray to fit in the scales. The coolest mod you mention is a lot of effort and takes away the manual join but each to their own, tbh if I was going to go to that much effort I would buy a different machine.

Could you review the New Classic EVO model? thanks.

thank you so much for this video. I really enjoyed it!

I have just discovered that Gaggia Classic Pro also has that famous three-way solenoid valve, this also allows use with commercial filter holder rather than pressurized ones. Furthermore, it is suitable for easy modding given the practicality of removing the covers. Speaking of modding, could you tell us if that "three-way solenoid valve" can be used in "smaller" sisters like the Carezza Deluxe that don't have it? This would be a great mod.

Excellent review! The most dissappointing part of this machine for me is that i used to have some latte art capability, now I lost it with this machine and i need to startover practicing again:))

Thanks again for a very comprehensive review Tom! Would you do an espresso taste comparison with the Gaggia Classic Pro and the Solis Barista Perfetta Plus in the future? Cheers!

Great video Tom! I always wondered about this machine as a dedica user. As I`m using it only for espresso&americano, I wouldn`t care about it`s manual design and I`d buy this one if it wasn`t double the price of dedica ec685.

Yeah good 'entry-level' machine, if you want to learn about making espresso and froth milk, but not if you want to not work for it. It's a lot of prep fopr just one or two espressos, cleanup, turning things on and off to reach a good temperature and pressure, ect... I have bottomless as well, and a the 9 bar spring, JX-Pro, plus bits and bobs like a tamper (you need one), little needle things, shower screen (makes things less messy), and a scale (Timemore something or other, digital, with timer, very good, not cheap), pitcher, baskets.... lots of exta stuff that increase costs significantly when you all add them up, but are necessary, or else, don't bother. The new 'Evo' machine is 9 bar from factory. Bottomless is nice, especially if you're having problem with watery espressos, or not up to a decent standard. You can monitor what's going on in there, and improve tampering, prevent channeling, ect. A good grinder is really important. I have a JX-Pro, but you can get a good manual espresso grinder for $100. Or something nice like the J-Series from 1zpresso, or a Commandante. Anything less, and it's not gonna work (like a cheap electric blender, or a grinder that isn't calibrated for espressos). Although, the Gaggia can take coarser grinds with the pressurised baskets, it's not its strength. You might as well go with Nespressos and cheaper pressurized espresso machines. Kin Grinder K6, 1zpresso Q2, Timemore C2, whichever is available, in order of preference. If you go electric, you gonna have to spend significantly more, almost as much as the machine ( I think about 300 you can get something decent). It's all a very manual operation. Grinding, prepping, surfing, cleaning... For people who like to work on cars, DIY, tinker, and dont mind spending 10 minutes making a espresso. A Nespresso machine, you're there under a minute, with very little work (but it's actually expensive coffee, passable espressos, not mod friendly, and wasteful). Else, you gonna have to spend a lot more, like a PID machine (Rancillio Silvia Pro X, Profitech Go, onwards), with a an electric grinder (Niche Zero, DF64, ...). So like, x3, x4 the investment. And it's still gonna require some work, but with less guessing and more consistency. The advantage with the Gaggia is that its' all standard. You can transfer all the extra bits to another more expensive machine (like the filters, baskets, keep the grinder, tampers, ect...). So it's good 'entry-level', allows you to get to more expensive machines and know what you are doing.

I love my Gaggia 2021 - yet lookimg 4 a step up "D

Thank you Tom, very helpful!

Can you do a video on the Gaggia Accademia super automatic, please……

Did i have a reason to bye it for using in stock complectation? Becouse in my country i cant bye any accessories. Sorry for my bad English...

We have this machine and it’s amazing! ❤❤❤

You should try to do the gaggiuino mod and video it

Hi Tom! Great video, kudos! Do you think I can use this machine in my small café, where my everyday usage would be to make about 20 Cappuccinos and to take out additional 20-30 Espresso shots for Frappés?

Hi Tom Great Video!! Was wondering if you could do a review of the rancilio silvia, I am torn between the gaggia classic pro and the silivia!

Gaggia looks like an unfinished priduct, plus too expensive just for the name, better sage barista express in offer than this. Cool video Tom 👍

I don't understand the aluminium boiler. Gaggia is the only brand of espresso machines using such a boiler. De'Longhie espresso machines have stainless steal boilers. Even the cheaper ones.

Please also do a review of the Lelit Anna PL41, TEM if possible, thank you!

New to Expresso machines, thank you for the video. This unit or the barista express to start?

Looks ugly design but if you say so Tom it is good machine sir,learning lot from your videos.I started with STILOSA DELONGHI and will buy better one this model or Breville bambino...thanks

Great Vid Tom!!! Could you please link that handy hand grinder pls?? Cheers

i'm looking for a ~cheap machine to learn on (for using machines in cafes), and leaning towards this one - and I guess it being manual is a pro in this case?

Looks are great, but aluminum boiler makes it a big NO. I just don't like neurotoxins and heat associated with things I ingest on a daily basis. Also, a little more convenience factor is something I would look for, yet I am trying to avoid Breville and other mass market brands(if I can). But what I am seeing is that, IF you want something better than this machine, even upto 1200$(other than Breville or mass mfg), you are pretty much in the same performance in making espresso. Like the Rachilio Silva, or the Nuovo Simonelli Oscar... Which sucks, as I want to stay below the $1000 mark this time in my espresso machine purchase, and wish the extra money over $500 would make some strong improvements. Maybe I am not looking far enough?! Enjoying your videos, clean layout in presentation, and the topics I want to have covered. Cheers!

I am grateful for your channel in spreading your knowledge about coffee machines. I have an office and I need a machine that makes coffee, latte, cappuccino, etc. within the limits of 20 cups per day. I have seen many options, Breville, DeLonghi, and many others, but prices differ and models differ, and they may I became confused between the options. Would you recommend one of excellent quality at a reasonable price?

How to use store bought pre ground coffee in Gaggia

Gaggia should sell these with the features mods give as stock. At least with temp and pressure gauges. Then I'd say would be worth the money. I currently find It a little expensive.

Hi Tom, I can’t find any review of Solis Barista Perfectta from you?

Thanks so much 🙏 💓

In your opinion after make coffee with delonghi dedica, bambino plus, solis barista perfetta and gaggia classic what is in your opinion the best machine for make coffee and the best for cappuccino? Thank you very much Tom!

Hello. What would you recommend, Gaggia Classic Pro or Sage Bambino Plus (from both espresso and steaming perspective)? Thank you

Where did you get your magnetic wdt holder? Love your content!!

Is it possible to pull a nice shot (coffeshop style, heavy bodied) ristretto with this machine (without the modification)? Fine grounded, dark roast coffee Single basket, hard tampered 1:1,5 ratio?

Hello Tom! I just bought my first manual espresso machine: The Gaggia Classic Evo together with Eureka Specialita. I'm using the included portafilter with the unpressurized double basket. However after the espresso is done and I remove the portafilter I see that is quite a lot of water over the coffee pod inside it, it doesn't look dry like in some videos. Any idea what am I doing wrong? Thanks!!

Hi, I just brought the Gaggia. I noticed when the machine is warm and the portafilter is empty. I can't tighten the portafilter to the center spot. Is this a defect?

Hello Mr. Tom How much coffee is needed for a non-pressurized pertafilter size 51

Seems an awesome machine and almost was set on buying it, but, the fact you need to cool the machine afterwards is a bit of a downer. Guess I need to look for an easier device, so the kids can use the machine as well..Guess it is going to be concession time. Thought about the dedica, but it looks messy. I guess the Sage Bambino plus is the only contender in this price range.

Unless you spliced the video, that shot pulled in 12 seconds, which is the same for me. I don’t know how to get it to slow down.

what brand of pump does this machine use? Same as delonghi? Ulca pumps

Picked mine up for $401 USD amazon

Can you use the baratza encore grinder with the gaggia

Tom, nice vid, but couple of your claims are mistaken. For example, you mentioned that the on/off switch flips off after 20 minutes. Nope. There’s no auto shut off feature on the Classic Pro. See the Q&A about the Gaggia on Amazon. I wish it had an auto off function, I truly do, but my machine (purchased in February 2022) will stay on until it’s turned off. Also your mention that the machine only needs a few minutes to warm up in the morning isn’t correct. The brew light blinks on way too soon when the machine isn’t even close to the 195-205F needed for espresso. I measured temperatures on mine after a 5 minute warm up in the morning, and it consistently runs in the low 130’s F. When I called the factory about this issue I was told that 133 - ish is “within factory specs.” Reviewers suggest a 30 to 40 minute warm up and “temperature surfing” to make consistently good espresso since the boiler temp is so erratics. One of the most popular mods is to add a PID to cure the erratic heating element. Other than those small issues I thought it was a great video. Especially enjoyed your video on replacing the 12 bar opv spring with a 9 bar spring!

Is basket size 58.5 or 58 please ?

Breville Bambino plus or gaggia classic Pro, which one is best? ( without any mod)

is a Gaggia classic evo pro an upgrade to the ECP 35.31?

How would this compare to the La specialista arte? besides from the built in grinder. I received an update from Australia post they have indeed lost my item, thankfully Delonghi is sending me a replacement :D

Thank you Tom!!. I would like to ask you which one you think is better for art latte, Dedicate Art or Gaggia? Or another machine for that price range.

HI, i'm total into this machine, but you mentioned this machine is not very partnerfriendly - so which machine would you suggest instead if partnerfriendly is a huge point?

what's a good grinder for the money that you would recommend to use with this?

Some problems about this machine. 1. The steamer drips all the time, espesially while the espresso shot is taken. 2. 100ml boiler is not enought to steam the milk. While steaming the milk the heat light turns off, meaning, the steam turns to cold. The hot water is allready finishes far before the milk steamed.

Could you just reduce flow with using dimmer mod instead of grinding coffee finer?

Hey Tom, thanks for your effort on Gaggia explaining. May you please tell is if there is any was to replace 120v to be 220-230v elec? Is there something to replace or any way around?

Thank you for the video. I’m debating whether to get a Breville express or a Gaggia Milano with Baratza Seate. I don’t want to spend more than $800-1000. Thoughts?

Hey Tom where did you get the magnetic wdt holder?

Is it possible to make regular coffee or only expresses lol idk super new to this stuff

Hi, Tom. I use gaggia clasic for a mounth now, and yesterday i think, not sure, accidently i press the brew button when the Steam button was press and on. After when press brew button, a very hot water flow from head, almost Steam. From yesterdey, after steam milk, usualy i press the brew and steam buttons for cleaning, but now after press them off, both the steam and brew buton led are light in the same time. It îs normal or somethings are broken? Thanks a lot.

How many millimeters does your tamper have?

Tom, Gaggia classic pro or breville Batista infuser (or express) for espresso?

I did not find the Pro version on their website.

I can do better espresso in a chinese regular delhongi-dedica-alike espresso machine (which comes with thermoblock and a PID)

Do you prefer that machine unmodded over the dedica modded?

Nice video but it is made of stainless steel not aluminum. I found my 2019 model to be very easy to use. Except the horrific tamper.

Do you have a link for that espresso cup? Is the line the double mark?

Would you recommend this or a bambino?

I just got mine today. I noticed after brewing the puck was stuck at the top of the machine it wasn't in the filter. Am I doing something wrong? Also what is the two-to-one ratio? What was the weight on the scale?

This or de'longhi ecp3420?

15 bar? now 9 bar? coffee smoother? i noob. isn't more pressure better?

Will the boiler age prematurely if you don't purge and bring down to temperature each time you end? Does hitting both buttons bypass the 3 way valve?

Very interesting review indeed but the cup you use in this video it’s not a proper espresso cup very sorry to say it’s not the Italian espresso I would say but you’ve got a point nevertheless, another object regarding this nice machine.

Have you noticed flaking from the boiler?

This or Silvia?

Dit is een prima machine (ik heb ‘m ook gehad), maar om het in de categorie ‘prosumer’ te scharen slaat echt nergens op. Dit is puur een thuismachine.

You made a big mistake regarding the boiler of this machine, it’s stainless steel instead of aluminium!

I have one and wouldn't recommend it. It works very nicely when new but unreliable now after 3y. In my opinion the 3 way solenoid is a poor design.

Is it Wi-Fi or Bluetooth lol

Stainless steel should be inside not outside. If you open machine every thing inside including pumps are made out of plastic. Plastic with hi heat is not very healthy to drink. That is why it is much more important to have outside plastic but all tubing is stainless steel . Machine is cheep. Even cofe holder made out of aluminum.

I bought it and was a bad buy