Gaggia is one of the major Italian espresso machine manufacturers, their machines still being made in Milan. I thought it was about time I took a look at their highest rated upper mid-range espresso machine for the home, which is why i am now reviewing the Gaggia 14101 Classic!
What Is The Gaggia 14101 Classic Espresso Machine?
Put simply, the Gaggia 14101 is a heavy duty, double or single shot, compact, manual espresso machine. It is small enough to look good on any kitchen counter top and providing you are willing to put in a small amount of effort to learn basic espresso making principles, you’ll have fantastic coffee shop quality espresso in your own home. The machine comes in two styles; the brushed steel style and the brushed stainless steel style. I will tell you now that the steel finish is the only difference between the two machines with the Gaggia 14101 Classic Espresso Machine brushed stainless steel model outselling it’s counterpart many times over.
As with all manual espresso machines, there is a learning curve to making perfect espresso every time, however by taking the time to learn how to do this properly you will be well rewarded. If you haven’t already seen my article on how to make perfect espresso at home then please take a look after reading this review.
Gaggia 14101 Classic Features
72 Ounce Removable Water Reservoir
The Gaggia 14101 comes with a 72 ounce reservoir which is more than enough to keep a large dinner party happy without having to refill. You should turn the machine on for at least 5 minutes before use as the water will need time to heat up in the reservoir, but this doesn’t take long. The water is heated up to 190F, just below the point of boiling which is perfect for espresso. Any higher than 190F and you risk burning the grounds and you’ll get a distorted taste.
The problem with large reservoirs is that often the water is not consumed for many days. This will distort the taste of the water, especially so being that depending on how often you’re intending on using your machine, the water may have been heated up several times before consumption. For this purpose I always suggest filling the reservoir only with what you need for that day. I also recommend you filter your water for the best possible espresso.
Some reviewers of the Gaggia 14101 have mentioned that limescale can build up in the reservoir. This is typical when you don’t filter your water. I also suggest you use a good de-scaler as and when required though with filtered water, this won’t be very often.
The reservoir is easy to detach and clean.
Stainless Steel Housing
This is what hits most people about the machine straight away. The outer casing is made from a single sheet of folded steel of supreme quality. It really is built like a tank and has a real decent weight to it! When you take the component parts apart for cleaning, something you should do fairly regularly, you can see just how sturdy the whole machine is made.
Brass Portafilters and Grouphead
The portafilter is where you place the espresso grounds in and the grouphead is where you place the portafilter once it’s filled with espresso grounds. They are made from brass on the Gaggia 14101 Classic which is very important for the following reasons. Firstly, brass does not corrode like aluminum does, a material that many portafilters are made from. This gives extra longevity to your machine. Secondly, brass retains the temperature far better than does most metals. To feel the brass portafilter and to place it into the grouphead is a joy, you really can feel the robustness of the machine.
17.5 Bar Pump
The 17.5 bars is set by Gaggia to be optimum for using the espresso pods that come with the machine. By all means use these pods if you’d like, but that’s not what the machine is about. You’ll of course be wanting to use your own coffee beans that you’ve perhaps even ground yourself. 9 bars is actually much better for making espresso and should ensure your espresso is perfect providing you’ve been tamping the espresso grounds down with the correct 30 pounds of pressure required. Like i said earlier, there is a small learning curve to using this espresso machine but the article i link to above goes into this in more detail. Once you’ve used the pods, it’s easy to modify the pressure to the much preferred 9 bars using a simple Allen wrench. Here is a forum post that can help you with this!
Frothing Wand
If you’ve read many of the online reviews regarding the Gaggia 14101 Classic Espresso Machine Brushed Stainless Steel then you will know that the main gripe about the machine is the frothing wand.
If you’re intending on buying the machine primarily, or solely as an espresso machine then this really won’t matter to you since you won’t be using the wand anyway.
The main problems are that the wand is too long which means you have to tip the jug up or else lift the machine to position the wand in the milk. The other problem is that it’s made a little less sturdy than the rest of the machine, almost as an after thought as one reviewer has put it. Finally some people have mentioned it’s hard to clean. For me though however, i’ve never used it as i only ever intended this machine for espressos.
Having said all this, there are many more people who have found the frothing wand to be ideal, that it has no learning curve and that they’ve easily been able to heat and froth the milk or water up perfectly for either a latte or Americano.
Single or Double Shots
I’m sure you’re aware that espresso machines come with either single or double shot capabilities. With the Gaggia 14101, the espresso filters down through one tube and then hits a channel which separates it into two cups. So you will have to either place two cups down to catch both streams or one larger cup in the middle for a double shot.
Included Tamper
One of the main cons of the Gaggia 14101 Classic is the plastic tamper which you get with the machine. It is just a little too flimsy and light. You may want to invest in a high quality stainless steel tamper in order to apply the required 30 pounds of pressure for the perfect espresso.
Product Dimensions
25 X 13 X 12 Inches and weighs 19 lbs.
What Have Others Said About The Gaggia 14101 Classic Espresso Machine?
The Gaggia 14101 Classic Espresso Machine has received a total of 4 out of 5 stars on Amazon. Here are a few of the comments to date:
- After using this I can easily see why it’s been sold for 25 years. It easily outclasses anything in its price range, and matches machines costing 3 times as much.
- Doubt you can find an equal for the price when it comes to pure espresso making.
- I feel like I am back in Italy when I drink my espresso and cappuccino at home.
- I went through about 10 different espresso machines and finally concluded that the Gaggia Classic is the best one for under $1000.
- I’ve worked at two espresso shops with commercial machines, and the parts on this moderately priced Gaggia are nearly as heavy and substantial as the big multiple-thousands of dollars machines.
- This is, by far, the best home espresso machine you can get. It’s also easy to set up, easy to use, and easy to clean. It makes almost perfect espresso, and the frother is also very decent. And, as a bonus, the thing lasts forever. It is a bit pricey, but worth every penny.
Where Can You Buy The Gaggia 14101 Classic?
Well it’s available at many online retailers, however i’ve found that Amazon is consistently the cheapest place to buy it. You can find new, used and refurbished models at a discount. You may also be able to take advantage of the free shipping option. Click Here To View On Amazon!
Having watched the video a couple of times, the guy does not press down hard enough with his tamp! The used grounds should come out more in a solid cake like heap, it should not fall apart like in the video.