Shades of Coffee, is a UK based business that has a strong focus on the Gaggia Classic espresso machine. They have a wealth of experience, gained over more than 20years, of use, modification and repair of the Gaggia Classic. You may be interested in one of their kits, or, you may like help or assistance with a Gaggia Classic machine. They're always happy to chat - so try and reach them on their online chat and they'll do their best to help.
www.shadesofcoffee.co.uk
0 Comments
Q : How long does it take for the machine to heat up to make your coffee ?
A : The boiler is fitted with two thermostats which control the temperature in the boiler. When you press the ‘on’ switch, the boiler starts to heat up and will get to the initial temperature of 70degrees in about 50 seconds. It continues to increase in temperature up to about 90 degrees, in another 20 seconds, and the thermostat will switch off and it keeps it within the 70-90 degrees level. To be able to make the coffee, you need to make sure that the filter holder is warm as well. The most effective way to do that is to run some water on the filter holder when the temperature reaches 90 degrees, ie within about 80-90 seconds of switching on the machine. Then you are ready to brew. The other thermostat is for steam. When you switch on the steam switch, it will take a further 30 -40seconds to get steam. You can start steaming even before it reaches full temperature. The Home Barista VIDEO REVIEWFurther to my blog about the new 2023 Gaggia Classic, please find a video review by 'The Home Barista' - an accurate and useful explanation. Thank you Anthony. I have written a blog on this subject before and I felt it was time to give you an update on my thoughts. More and more people are getting modifications done on the Gaggia Classic, as people learn more about the benefits of controlling every part of your brewing process. We have started to work with a UK company who do these fittings. They buy the machines from us and modify them and give their own warranty on the machines and the parts they fit.
I therefore felt confident on referring people who come to our website, to go to The Home Baristas website to get more information about modifying the Gaggia Classic. Anthony who runs The Home Baristas is very knowledgeable about the Gaggia Classic and has worked with us in the past two years. He sent me a picture of the Gaggia Classic 2019 version with the PID and Guage fitted. I must say, it looks fabulous. Why not click on the picture and get more information from The Home Baristas Website. CONTINUOUSLY EVOLVING TRADITION
Gaggia continuously evolves their production and assembly processes while improving the quality of products. The Gaggia Classic 2019 is considered one of best coffee machine in its class and has won accolades and positive reviews from Expert Review, Kevin from Coffee Blog, James Hoffman and other important experts in the field of Coffee. Gaggia Classic has been around for over 30 years and, largely, the external parts and accessories and the internal boiler have remained the same. The 2023 model retains the best features of the 2019 model and makes it fit for the next 30 years by improving the model further. The main external parts that you see are the Stainless Steel Body, the Filter Holder and the Brew Head. The Filter Holder [portafilter] and the Brew Head were made out of brass and chrome plated externally on the older model. on the 2023 Evo model this has been changed. The Filter Holder on the 2023 Evo model is now made out of Stainless Steel, similar to the metal used in the Ash handled filter holder, we introduced a couple of years ago and is of professional filter holder quality. The weight and the heat profiles remain the same and is lot more pleasing than the one we had before. Chrome Plating has been around for a very long time and although the end products are perfectly safe and compliant, manufacturers are going away from plating, as the process involved in chrome plating can be harmful for those involved in the process. Gaggia has taken the decision to change some of the parts to more modern and safer alternatives. The Brew Head is also going to be Brass (CW510-Lead free brass*) *Compliant to Section 1417 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). The Boiler inside is the same traditional boiler but coated with non stick coating, rather than the previous polished non-coated aluminium. The Pro Steam wand, that was introduced in 2019 model, is the same on the new model. CARE FOR PEOPLE The new pump and heating system pre-assembled and the simpler wiring connection make the production more ergonomic for workers, and any intervention on the machine is easier and quicker. CONSCIOUS AND COMPLIANT The company adopts a conscious and responsible approach to develop products that are fully compliant with the new rules, and to guarantee sustainable processes. I am frequently asked by customers whether they should go for a Gaggia bean to cup machine or for the Gaggia Classic. So, here goes : my thoughts on this question.
Gaggia Classic is a traditional coffee machine. This means that you use coffee that is already ground, using either a suitable grinder or buying a finely ground coffee from your supplier. Gaggia Classic comes with two traditional baskets and a perfect crema basket. If you are using a grind that is not very finely ground, you will find that it comes through too fast and not give you the right extraction. The perfect crema basket, somewhat corrects this by exerting pressure inside the basket with two layers. One layer has lots of holes and the other has only one hole, thus producing a nice crema, without trying hard. On the other hand, the traditional baskets have only one layer. This means that you have to use a finely ground coffee. You also have to tamp it hard so that you are restricting the flow to get the right extraction. The right consistency of grind and even spread and the right amount, play a major part in producing that perfect coffee. Once you have perfected your grind and tamping etc, you will certainly get a better coffee from a traditional machine like the Gaggia Classic. So be prepared to have to put in the effort, by getting the right grind, right tamper, and even use techniques from experts to get the best. eg try pre-infusion, temperature surfing, right amount of coffee, weighing your coffee, evenly distribute the coffee etc. Preparation and developing your own methods to perfect your shot becomes a vital part to be a good home barista. Not easy, but very satisfying! If you are a person who is not too fussy and will be happy with a nice crema and taste of coffee and prepared to learn, the Gaggia Classic can be still good for you and you can use the perfect crema basket initially and start learning how to go to the next level with the Classic, once you have learnt the basics. You can then add a the right grinder to the mix, try different coffees and enjoy the experience of learning to make coffee like a barista. Gaggia Classic is demanding, but is your friend for life. The Bean to cup machines are much easier to operate and give you a good coffee without trying hard. I suppose, it is similar to using the perfect crema basket with the Classic. The machine does everything for you. You have the added advantage, that you have a 'built-in' grinder to do the grinding, every time you press a button to make a coffee. There are also other advantages : programming, cleaning, removable brewing unit etc. For a person who does not have the time to go through the intense ritual of making the coffee, the bean to cup machine gives you a whole load of advantages. The coffee is pretty decent but the advantage of easy operation and the features that the machine provides for programming, grinding, cleaning, outweigh the benefits of a perfect espresso that you will get on a Classic. My wife will press a button any day, to make a coffee for me, rather than go through the process on a Classic. I must admit that I do the same, most of the time when I am working. When it comes to bean to cup machines, there are so many options. It is good to know what you want. For example, you can go for a traditional frother, fully automatic frother or something in between, that will allow you to do both. We also have machines where you have profiles, to save your own parameters, such as : temperature, single or double shots, coffee strength, quantity of water etc. Have a look at the range and feel free to come on zoom and talk to us. This is a 'must watch' for anyone who is interested in coffee. I have been in coffee for 30 years and am still learning and I found this video very informative and is a comprehensive discussion on coffee and its implications on health and nutrition. frequently asked questions on PIDs :
1. Do we fit PID's for Classics. 2. Are they needed? My take on this is as follows. If you are starting off with a Classic, you need to understand the machine before you invest on PID's. First of all, the manufacturer's warranty will be invalidated by changing anything like this on the machine. So beware!. The machine comes with 2 thermostats which control the temperature of the boiler. One is called the Coffee thermostat and the other Steam thermostat. Coffee Thermostat is fitted on the side of the boiler and the steam stat is fitted on the top of the boiler. Coffee stat temperature ranges from about 70-72 degrees to 90-92 degrees. When you turn the machine on, the middle light comes on when the boiler reaches the lower temperature. It remains on until it reaches the higher level. It is always good to warm the portafilter before making your coffee. Once you know the range and how the light turns on and off, you can decide when you want to press the button for coffee. I normally wait for the light to go off, ie when it has just reached the higher level, to press the coffee button to dispense the water through the coffee. Depending on the coffee that you are using you can try it at different temperatures. What a PID does is to allow you to narrow the range. My advice is to learn using the machine at different levels of temperature before modifying the the machine. For those who have like a Black coffee machine in their kitchen, we have put together a coffee station. It consists of the Classic Pro in Thunder Black, the M2D Macap Grinder in black and a black matt finished knock out box. Although they are not a perfect match in the finish, they look great together and can be an ideal set for the barista in you.
I am going to describe my way of using my Gaggia Classic. It is not the only way but might be a useful guide for those starting off with the Classic for the first time.
I switch on the machine, check the water tank [fill if necessary] and wait until the light comes on for the coffee. This means that the water temperature in the boiler has reached a lower level of the limit, ie about 70 degrees C. At this point, I run a bit of water through the brew head and hold the portafilter [filter holder] under it to warm the holder. I also open the steam wand the steam knob on the right, with the coffee button still on. This draws the water through the steam pipe. Once water comes through the steam wand, I close the wand and stop the coffee button. There will be some drips from the wand. You can release any excess water by opening the steam knob again to release this. I then leave the machine to get up to the max temperature, ie until the light turns off. This means that the coffee thermostat max temperature has been reached. During the time I prepare to grind the coffee and tamp etc. Before I engage the portafilter, with the coffee in the basket, on to the brew head, I press the coffee button, just enough to release a little bit of water. Then I immediately engage the portafilter and press the coffee button again to start the brew for a second or so, and then stop, and then start the brew again after 3 seconds. This is to pre-infuse the coffee with some water. Once I get my desired amount of coffee, I stop the coffee button. Pre-infusion can give you a better coffee, in my opinion. |
Category
All
AuthorHello, my name is Raj Beadle. I am the author of this blog. I am the owner and managing director of Caffe Shop Ltd - Gaggia UK. We represent Gaggia spa in the UK and are the exclusive distributor of Gaggia in the UK. We also directly retail via our website www.gaggiadirect.com and also through our own retail shops. Archives
October 2023
|