Customer Reviews

Gaggia 35005 Carezza Espresso Machine, Gray

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

At around $200 at several online retailers this machine is about as great a value as you can find in a semi-automatic espresso machine. It has about the same internal parts and portafilter as much more expensive Gaggia machines, but a plastic rather than metal exterior. The steam wand produces a lot of steam, but is not really a pro style. It froths milk very well for a Cappuccino, but getting the even fine micro-bubbles for a Latte is a bit of a trick.
The unit in general is very solid, with a near commercial quality chrome plated brass group head and portafilter. The portafilter is a 58mm, which is the same as most coffee shop machines, and you will want to get your coffee ground a bit finer than a typical home "espresso" grind. Grinding your own is probably best.
Bottom line: If you want the least amount you can spend to pull a real double shot of espresso at home, this is as good a choice as can be found.
Added 4/29/06: I have had this for a year now, and used it every day. The trick here really is the grind, and I eventually got a Zassenhaus grinder, which has made a world of difference. A good burr grinder is needed to really bring out the best in this machine.
Added 10/08/07: I am still using it regularly, and I have to agree with some others, that the drip tray is too small given the fact that it does dribble a bit too much after you use it. Running some citric acid based cleaner once a month seems to help with this, but does not eliminate the problem. Anyway, apart from that gripe, it keeps on chugging along and putting out good coffee.

I ended up with this machine and boy am I glad that I did. I spent hours and hours reading descriptions and reviews and picked this machine mainly because it had a high pressure bar and because it uses both pods and regular coffee. The first time my husband and I made an espresso and a latte with this machine they came out "perfect", and that was our first time ever making one. We used Illy Espresso Pods and I must say, that now, we'd rather use our Espresso Machine that go to the local coffee shop. The Illy pods make great tasting espresso, much better than the Starbucks brand that we also purchased, We also tried using regular Maxwell House Coffee purchased in the regular grind and it worked perfectly also to brew an espresso. The machine heats very quickly to brew an espresso, though the only draw back is, sometimes when frothing milk you may begin to froth only to have the ready light go off and you have to stop frothing and wait for it to come back on (few seconds)because the machine wasn't hot enough for the steam when the light initially came on.. I also have some problems with it leaking extra espresso/water after I am done brewing, and it also leaks water from the frothing wand after I am done frothing, and I do clean it regularly, though if you just put a paper towel down, or don't mind wiping it up real quick, it really isn't a big deal, the great espresso it makes, more than makes up for that. I highly recommend this machine, I am a novice user and even I was able to make a great cup :) So for that I give it a 5

My wife and I purchased this machine for my mother-in-law over FIVE year's ago and she uses it every DAY! So far she has only had to replace seals and some hoses last year. I decided to purchase an Espresso machine and did some serious looking and ended up with this machine. Not realizing that we had purchased the same machine for my mother-in-law. Well, they have changed a few things: the frother is now plastic instead of an all metal tube, and the Portafilter spouts are plastic where as they use to be metal, but the price is still reasonable and it makes a great cup of Espresso! My only complaint is that now those bargin Espresso stand wont do, I take one taste and almost yell at the Bartista, that I can make a better one at HOME!!! If you do purchase this machine, make sure you also purchase a Burr grinder! NOT a Blade grinder. Yes, pay the extra money on the Burr grinder and you wont be disappointed.

I've owned a silver Gaggia Carezza for 9 months, and it is the best of the low-end espresso makers. However, there are some important details that aren't mentioned in the manual that you need to know if you buy one.

First the pros: It makes a very consistent, high quality espresso, with lots of crema, uses a high-grade brass group, is well constructed (with the exception of the steam knob on my unit - see below), is only about as loud as a microwave (not quiet, but doesn't wake the family at 5:00 in the AM), and allows making several espressos followed by several steamed milks in a row (my wife's favorite feature). The noise is mostly due to case vibration, which can be reduced by holding the handle while running the pump.

Now the cons: The pressure valve clogs very easily with scale (the opening is ~3mm or ~1/8", and is sealed by a small spring-loaded neoprene ball), and the steam knob might melt (see below - this may have already been resolved by Gaggia). There are solutions to these problems.

If you have hard water, you should only use distilled or filtered/treated water in this machine, otherwise get used to *disassembling* the group and pressure valve for cleaning on a weekly basis (easy for anyone who has a 5mm hex wrench, 12mm & 13mm crescent wrenches, and #2 short phillips screwdriver). Running a citrus-based cleaning solution helps, but won't clean an already-clogged valve.

If you find a used machine, clean the valve. It's like finding a car with a "blown engine" that just needs a spark plug.

I would suggest scale-clogged valves are the cause of all the complaints about dripping, leaking, weak or no steam, and/or generally poor performance other negative reviews have mentioned, because I had these problems before I discovered the problem.

In use it's very simple to operate: First preheat the machine for a few minutes until the green light comes on. During this time load the filter with grounds and compress to 1/8" below rim. Next, run a blank "hot shot" with the handle in place but without the filter. Now load the filter into the handle, tightening until firmly snug (do not over tighten), and wait for the green light to come back on. (This heats the grounds, group, and cup to the right temp). Empty the cup and start the extraction. I can consistently get a 25 second shot (50 sec. for a double) with rich crema and "rat's tail" streams.

One note about reliability: I was initially very put-off by this machine because the black steam knob on the top *melted* the first time I used it!! This is usually a very bad sign, but I replaced it with a vintage bakelite knob (8mm shaft), and have had no other problems since.

The bottom line: Makes excellent espresso, best bang-for-the-buck, needs regular cleaning or distilled/filtered/softened water to avoid problems caused by a scale-clogged pressure valve.

I had a Braun machine for almost 15 years -- I remember it cost me about $[...] and I liked it. It was a tidy size and it worked. But then, the filter handle broke and couldn't be replaced. So, I decided to take a step up. I tossed my old $[...] blade grinder and ponied up for this Gaggia machine and a Gaggio burr grinder, about $[...] all told, from Amazon.

In a nutshell, this machine makes good espresso, but it's a pain in the you-know-what to use every day and I am still trying to decide if it's worth 4x the cost of my old setup. The main problems I have with it are that it's too big -- almost 14" high, 10" wide and almost as deep; too heavy; drips too much for too long, doesn't shut itself off and creates a mess when you don't hover over the whole process.

The weight became a problem for me because the machine also drips for a long time in pretty heavy volume after you're finished, both when you make coffee or use the frothing wand. You make a couple of double-espressos and the drip tray is overflowing. So, you have to move the machine to clean up a considerable volume of overflow every time you forget. Unlike my old machine, though, the drip tray is easy to clean. I ended up having to completely reorganize my kitchen counter around this machine.

Another issue that emerged was no auto shutoff. The area around the filter and handle also gets extremely hot -- although not blister-level hot, you can really hurt yourself if you're not careful and you must also be careful when emptying the portafilter because that also gets very hot when left in. Auto-shutoff would be a nice feature and I am thinking not too expensive for the manufacturer to add.

It seems to heat relatively quickly, but -- and another reviewer mentioned this -- you really need to wait for a bit after the ready light comes on, because it will go off if you don't and you will have unsatisfactory results.

So, I am not completely happy nor completely unhappy. When I got the hang of my Gaggia burr-grinder (another device which does its basic job well, unlike the joke 29.95 KitchenAid grinder I bought at Costco which could not even come close to grinding fine enough for espresso. It has a seriously great range of grinding choices but lacks convenient features like auto-shutoff or any settings for grind length), I did get wonderful espresso out of the thing -- beautiful, rich crema and tasty brew.

So, I would give it something like 3 1/2 stars if I could, but lean to the 4 star choice rather than the 3. Wow, do I really care that much about fine-tuning a review? I guess I must. Us coffee lovers have to stick together.

So, my conclusion is that, while there are lots of inconveniences, it does the basic job right -- it's close to an industrial-strength espresso maker but it requires your diligence. I suspect it would cost quite a bit more to get all the bells and whistles that would make this an ideal unit, so I guess if you are addicted to espresso like I am, but can't spend the big bucks, this machine is a pretty good choice.

Finally, like George Orwell might have said, I am sorry for this long review -- I didn't have time to write a short one.

If you like expresso this machine will rock you.
I did take some time to get the best results. I have found that with the use of the cheater rubber disk and making a little bigger hole in it the expresso comes out great. You must keep it clean to work correctly. I use 2 spoons full for a double, and the grind on fine but not extremly fine, with not pressing just leveling off the grinds work best.Do that and crema comes out and tastes great,different coffee will of course taste different so experement on your own. If you let it heat up for about 6 minutes it will work best before brew.

I did not every get it to work correctly with out the use of the rubber disk or packing the grinds tight.

This is a real commercial quality espresso machine, as other reviewers have mentioned it is fitted with the same parts as the upper model gaggias, and has a commercial size portafilter to boot!

It heats up very fast, produces excellent crema, and just feels like a very solid product. Gaggia is also very much into making sure you are making quality espresso at home, their training cd shows videos of the proper way to make an espresso and the card right as you open the box gives you an 800# to call if you need any help in making an awesome espresso.

Everything in this unit seems to be of top quality, except the plastic housing (although it is still quality plastic, not like a cheapie coffee maker or anything). If you don't mind not having a metal housing, do not go for one of the lesser models, this is probably the only machine you will find for under 500 with this kind of quality.

The only thing I can't really comment on is the steam wand, I don't ever froth milk.

If you are considering another product in this price range or a little cheaper, don't. Especially the steam models if you have been looking at those, they produce nothing more than a strong coffee. Once you realize the merits of a pump system, you should also go for this one as the lesser ones definitely do not hold up to this amazing little espresso maker.

Also, the reviews about the machine leaking, the only thing that I can figrue out is that if you have used the steam wand to output hot water recently (it pushes the hot water out of there in hot water mode), when you are finished and the machine heats up, it boils off some of the remaining water in there, pushing the rest out of the steam wand. Keep it aimed towards the drip tray and you won't have any problems. It only does this for the first couple of minutes that the machine is on (and only when there is already water in the steam wand), so it really isn't an issue.

The drip tray seems large enough for me as well, it would definitely hold more than a few shots of espresso, I have no idea how you would possibly get more water in there. Sure, if you are running a coffee bar with this thing you will have to empty it every so often, but this machine certainly isn't for actual commercial use.

The only thing I wish it had was an auto-off feature, as I find myself leaving it on by accident sometimes.

I've been using this product for approximately 1 month and I am very pleased. I am able to produce a very nice cup of espresso with a healthy dose of crema each time. The technique takes a little practice, but I enjoyed the learning process and continue to learn. The machine is attractive as well IMHO. It is clearly a very nice machine at $200.

There are a few slightly negative things about the machine. The espresso dispenser and the steam nozzle leak when hot. The steam nozzle is placed low and is not especially convenient. Only a small espresso cup will fit under the machine. Finally, it takes a little time for the boiler to increase the temperature from brewing temperature to steaming temperature which is also a bit inconvenient.

I also cannot review durability as the machine is only 1 month old. It has a high standard to meet because my first espresso machine made by Krups is 6 years old and still works (just does not produce crema - never has).

All in all, this machine has made me very happy despite the small flaws that I have just listed. I enjoy espresso 1-2 times per day and I am also very proud to make some for guests whenever I have the chance. At $[...], I clearly recommend this machine.

The Gaggia 35005 is a well constructed and easy to operate espresso machine. It is my first espresso machine and I am very pleased with it. I sometimes use Illy pods or Starbucks pods and sometimes use loose espresso grind. I purchased a Vaneli 58 mm stainless steel tamper and discarded the plastic tamper that came with the 35005 and get better results with the Vaneli tamper, though I'm still experimenting with loose espresso grind. The frothing wand that came with the Gaggia produces excellent froth. The first attempt was a bit of a mess, but now I get consistent results easily. I get good crema without using the included crema device. The instructions for the 35005 make it easy to produce decent espresso on the first attempt and it only gets better with each pull.

I am a former brewer and consider myself a fair hand at extraction, temperatures, pressure, etc. I have also been on the phone with the Gaggia customer service representative more times than I can count.

Short story: sour "espresso" with no crema.

I've controlled all the variables including: coffee brand, roast, grind, tamping pressure, and they all produce the same unhappy results.

The Gaggia people don't seem to want to change out this machine for another. So, it's going back--certainly there are people who love Gaggia products and this machine in particular. But it's got me beat.