An optional first look

[kingseven]

Right - shout me down on this one because I really am not out to spam this board for sales.

I've just recieved a new Gaggia protype. The machine is not yet available in this country. Its a lever machine, but it is not built under license by Pavoni. Head office haven't even played with it yet and I am about to.

If you would like I can post some comments - though if this is inappropriate Phill - can you delete this post?

Here is a picture of it:

[phil]

Jim

I thought about it, and decided you were being kind enough to give us a heads-up on something that's interesting. I don't see this as you advertising for Gaggia.

So au contraire - thank you for posting. Please tell us more. Is it basically just a lever machine? The group head is an interesting shape. Any reason for that, or is it just aesthetics?

Phil (one "l")

[kingseven]

Well - its firing up at the moment.

Most lever are solely pressured vessels - you have one chamber for heating water and building steam. This can lead to a problem in over heating as found in La Pavoni/Gaggia levers. This machine has a pressured boiler but only for steam. The tank on top is a seperate tank that can be constantly refilled and the machine works by taking cold water through a heat exhange mechanism in the group head. Portafilter is back to the brass 58mm handle - which is a relief as I don't like the smaller ones all that ones.

Manual isn't great - but they never are - but at least they've started including information about which grind of coffee to use (a big problem amongst average consumers in this country).

My only gripe so far is that they have put a turbo frother on it. The other levers have a steam wander close to a commercial in design.

(sorry about the two l's - its how my best mate spells it!)

[kingseven]

First session over - what fun!

The manual instructed using a fine espresso ground so I gave it what I give my commercial - this was too fine. I had to move about 3 or 4 clicks coarser. That said - the weather is playing hell with my coffee.

I've never really been a fan of levers. I found the espresso fickle, often thin and sour and impossible to pour more than 1 shot at a time because of the size of the baskets. I've known people get good espresso from them but they were willing to put in time and effort.
So I had high hopes for a machine with a new design and system that should negate these problems. After a bit of mucking around priming it (took a while) and sorting a grind (lever was too hard to move without feeling I was going to either break me or it) I began to pull some serious espresso. I was pleased to see the pour was thick and honeyed, falling straight into the cup. It took about 3 maybe 4 pulls to get 2 fl.oz. Plenty of crema settling out and even a little tiger mottling on top. So far I have to admit I am impressed and relieved (I have to sell them you must remember)

Steaming - steams very similar to a normal domestic machine - the pressure gauge stayed high whilst I steamed a fair amount of milk. As a barista I don't like turbo frothers but I can see from a customers point of view how they are useful and they do provide a fairly decent microfoam. Its a metal one - not a plastic one - which is also a relief.

So over all its going ok. Its not going to be terribly cheap - £700+, but it is capable of quite easily making good espresso and is far more consistent than previous levers I have used.

[phil]

The question is though Jim - why should the average punter buy one of these rather than say an Isomac Tea or a Euro 2000 Junior?

[kingseven]

That is a question that I would happily answer off the record.....

[phil]

That is a question that I would happily answer off the record.....

Clubroom, or personally?

[Raf]

Well, by all means take it to the clubroom. I think more than one person is interested in the answer...

This would make a great article by the way.

[alans]

I think you need a comparitive review from a long time Pavoni user, think Gaggia UK would send their prototype over to me in Dublin