Customer Reviews

Gaggia 97001 Coffee Deluxe Espresso Machine with Automatic Milk Frother, Silver

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

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.

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!

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!

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

Firstly, the shipping was really fast. The service is great, thank Amazon.

I like the Gaggia's packing box. The machine doesn't occupy much space. It's easy to use, much quiet than I think. The crema would come out if you follow the golden rule.

The only flaw is the pump is not in balance, so the times of the water coming out from the brewing head are not the same. (Left is a little faster than right) But I still think it's the best machine within $300.

Makes great espresso (I have not used the crema disc per the other reviews) and the perfect frothing wand is just that. I have frothed almond milk, soy milk and 1% milk so far and they all got incredibly frothy. I took my time getting to know the parts and pieces and the set-up. After that you realize how really easy it is to use this machine. I have used both the pods (illy's) & fresh ground and I think I like the fresh ground better but if you have company and want to make a bunch of cups quickly and cleanly use the pods. Just don't forget to refill the water basin.

I'm very happy

I have been using it for over 4.5 years and had no problems with the machine. It works perfectly well for me. Highly recommended.

Very solid body, quick start to make my first espresso. Still learning... But, overall, easy to use.

Gaggia Coffee DeLuxe Review

Purchased mid 2006

This machine was a replacement for a Gaggia Carrezza I had been using for a little over two years. Why did I replace the Carrezza? I had read lots of reviews, most of which raved about the Coffee and the Coffee DeLuxe, and my Carrezza, although still working great, was getting pretty noisy. I figured I could sell it while it was still working, so why not upgrade now?

As it turns out, the Coffee DeLuxe was hardly an "upgrade." It does nothing the Carrezza didn't do better. It is difficult to figure why this thing cost $150 more than the Carezza.

My first impression was, what did I get for the extra $50 over the price of the Coffee? Supposedly it was the finish of the DeLuxe case, which to me looks like any Wal-Mart small appliance. It's just a painted, stamped steel case with an ill-fitting plastic panel on the front. My $12 toaster looks better made.

The switches on the Carrezza were big, conveniently placed and intuitive. The switches on the Coffee are tiny, inconveniently placed and about as counter-intuitive as they could be. After six months with this machine, I still have to squint to look at the ulta-tiny icons on the switches to see which is which. I finally added an "on-off" label because having switches that turn on to the left and off to the right is again, counter-intuitive.

My biggest complaint is the water reservoir. On the Carrezza, it was made of clear, frosted plastic, plainly visible from the front of the machine at about any viewing angle. I could lift the lid, pour in the water as I watched the level rise in the reservoir. On the Coffee, the reservoir is made of smoke-colored plastic, and it is tucked away under the front overhang of the machine. To fill the reservoir, I need to remove the cheezy plastic cover (on the Carrezza it was hinged) and get out my flashlight which then allows me to barely see the water level in the reservoir. Holding the flashlight while pouring the water while bending over to be able to see under the overhang is a real challenge. Again, really user-unfriendly.

The steam knob is on the right side of the machine, a curious location since you need to operate it while holding the frothing pitcher. Not a big deal, but not user-friendly. The knob on the Carrezza was conveniently located on the top of the machine.

The drip tray on the Carrezza got a lot of reviewer flack because it didn't hold much liquid. That was an easy fix. I simply slid an espresso cup under the brew head after pulling a shot, then the drips would end up in the cup. The drip tray in the Coffee is bigger. It is also a super-flimsy, ill-fitting plastic box that sort of sloppily slides into the stamped steel housing. It has a very thin metal grille on top. It works, but it is junk.

OK, so how does the machine work? It works as well as the Carezza did and its redeeming feature was that it didn't make as much noise as the Carezza . . . for a while. For the last month or so, it has been getting louder and louder and now it intermittently sounds like something is coming apart inside. It is now louder than the Carezza was at its worst.

Speaking of noise, the first time I turned it on, the thin metal panel that covers the pump housing vibrated so loudly it sounded like some sort of alarm. I removed it and bent it slightly so it would rest solidly against the too-big slots it fit into, and that stopped the buzz-roar. How nice it would have been to have it delivered that way.

Bottom line: If I could trade this machine straight across for another new Carezza, I would. When it comes time to replace it, I'll look to some other brand besides Gaggia. The Carrezza is no doubt the best all-around value in an espresso machine.