- Sign in
- Write a review
Gaggia Classic has been discontinued and replaced by Gaggia New Classic.
Gaggia Classic
- 12 reviews
- 7 likes
- Verified
This is a great machine - not perfect though
This review is for the Gaggia Classic - not the Gaggia Classic New.
I've owned one of these since about 2012, and it is still going strong despite making between 1 and 4 cups a day.
I love tinkering with stuff, so this is definitely my machine - would not really recommend it for a non-tinkerer, there are other alternatives.
Internally, the machine is good old fashion mechanical construction with heavy components, solid switches and heavy wiring - easy to open and see everything inside with no mystery components. The machine is fully user s...
Read moreerviceable if you are that way inclined - and I think that if you want to keep any machine for more than a few years, you are going to have to learn or be prepared to send them away for servicing - as none of my previous machines lasted more than a couple of years at this rate of CPD (coffees per day) and I expect that unless you keep a religious cleaning routine, then any machine, no matter what the cost, will get clogged over time. There are a few significant drawbacks that buyers should be aware of, the most serious being the terrible plastic steam wand-like thing that bubbles milk into some kind of witch's brew, the other being the small gap between the basket and the tray is annoying. Both of these drawbacks are fairly easily fixed but not free - buy a Silvia wand (v2 I think, but check) and retrofit it, and buy another group handle that is 'naked' so there is no spout. Other things I recommend are adjusting the Over Pressure (OP) valve so that the pressure is dialed down a bit (marketing suggesting that high pressure is a good thing is rubbish - it will just make your coffee thin)Purchased in .
Be Warned before you buy
Very disappointed with this machine. So disappointed that we had our trusty 12 year old Sunbeam Cafe series, repaired and will dispose of the Gaggia Classic. The machine is so small that you can only get the smallest cup under the filter. Don't even think of trying to use a mug or the new double wall glass cups. They just don't fit under the filter. We tried to avoid buying Chinese made, so went with Gaggia, but this machine is not the one for us.
Purchased in at Barista Warehouse for $799.
Hi Bill, thanks for sharing your experience here with us. The Gaggia Classic was designed to make the classic Italian-style espresso, so this machine indeed fits the smaller coffee cups. There is not ...
Read moremuch we can change on the design-end on the device, but feel free to reach out to us directly if you're in need of further assistance: 1300 363 391 (Mondays to Fridays: 9:00 am - 7:00 pm EST) for Australia and 0800 658 224 (Mondays to Fridays: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm) for New Zealand. Kind regards, The Philips Australia TeamIt is disappointing that this was not pointed out to us when we visited the Alexandria showroom of Segafredo some months ago. After placing an order with them they later advised they had no stock. We ...
Read morepurchased it from Barista Warehouse who did offer to take it back but would only issue a credit, not a refund. That was of no use as they only sell coffee related products and we do not need $800 worth of anything. We sold it on ebay with a $100 loss on the purchase price.Hello, thank you for taking the time to share your experiences with your Gaggia Classic. We regret that you're disappointed with it's size. Our colleagues over the phone would love to talk to you abou...
Read moret this. Hopefully there’s still something we can do for you. If you’re in Australia, please call 1300 363 391 Monday - Friday: 07:00 am - 07:00 pm EST for further assistance. Thank you.- 2 reviews
- 1 like
Awesome coffee machine!
LOVE this machine, makes awesome coffee, easy to use and clean! Just don’t expect to get the perfect cup right away, took us a few goes after we purchased it and some practice. You definitely need to invest in a good grinder, or can get your ground beans from a local cafe. The steam wand is amazing, steams/froths the milk quickly and really well, and easy to clean. Also make sure you use the right tamping pressure to compact your coffee. We bought a new stainless steel coffee tamper as the one that comes in the box is a small plastic one. Overall, we’re happy with this purchase, the quality of the coffee is perfect and well worth the money spent.
Purchased in at Harvey Norman.
Hello there,
Thank you for your lovely feedback. We are glad to hear that you love this coffee machine and that you figured out a way to get the most from it. WE wish you many happy mornings filled with delicious cups of coffee! ...
Read more Should you need any assistance in the future, You can reach our product team directly on 1300 363 391 (Australia), or 0800 658 224 (New Zealand) from Mondays to Friday: 7:00 am - 7:00 pm EST. They'll be happy to help. Kind Regards The Philips Australia Team- 7 reviews
- 2 likes
- Verified
Great home machine
We bought this machine in June 2020 and it's going great. Neither of us were coffee experts but we've picked it up pretty easily, this machine makes it simple enough.
Purchased in at Appliances Online for $646.
Find out how Gaggia Classic compares to other Semi-Automatic and Manual Coffee Machines
Know better, choose better.
- 7 reviews
- 4 likes
The best household appliance I have ever owned.
The one possession that's been with me for 20 years. Coffee as good as it gets. gets used almost every day. parts are available and cheap if necessary, Worth every cent, wish all appliances were this good again.
Purchased at David Jones Retail Stores for $600.
Hello Roted,
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. We're happy to hear that your Gaggia Classic has served you for such a long time. We hope that it will accompany you for many more....
Read more Kind regards, The Philips Australia Team- 6 reviews
- 11 likes
Great home coffee machine with some tweeking
I bought my Gaggia second hand from a very disappointed owner that only had it a few months. At first I could see her frustration this simple machine is not just a press of a button and her comes a perfect espresso. I had to play with the beans and grinds to get the correct flow and even had to replace my cheap grinder with a good one.
After many years of service it is still producing excellent morning coffees and well worth the time and investment of new grinder.
Purchased in for $300.
Hi there! Thank you for sharing your experience with us. We are very glad to hear that your Gaggia coffeemaker has served you faithfully for so many years and we hope that it will accompany you for ma...
Read moreny more. :) Kind regards, The Philips Australia TeamKeep saving up and buy a good machine for a bit more $
Went from the Saeco Via Venezia to this and they are world's apart. Within the first year of owning the machine, it needed a $100 of maintenance not covered by any warranty. The grind required for the coffee is very fine or it makes a weak coffee. The space between the arm and the base is too small for a standard mug so you have to take the tray out.
Took up all these with the imported to be told that these were all choices that I should have considered and really not interested.
My advise, save up a bit more than the $700 for this machine and get a good machine that is reliable.
Purchased in for $700.
Related Articles
Disappointing
Bought the Gaggia Classic last Saturday (26/10). Made my first coffee and the crema on it was rich and golden. Over the next two days, the Gaggia made beautiful coffee. On Tuesday, I couldn't extract any coffee. I could hear the pressure building as it tried to extract but the coffee was forced out of the three-way valve. Went to the store where I bought the machine and they gave me a new basket. The coffee came out like a watery mess. I contacted the store again and they told me I needed to pack more coffee into the filter, tamp it harder and ...
Read moremake sure I have a finer grind on my coffee. Tried everything. I used to have a Saeco Via Venezia which lasted for 10 years. The consistently positive reviews for the Gaggia convinced me to buy it. I wish otherwise now and it has only been one issue after another.Purchased in .
Thanks for taking the time to share your review, M.K. We're sorry to hear that you've been having a variety of issues with your Gaggia Classic, and we would like to investigate the matter further to ...
Read morewhat can be done about that. Please feel free to reach out to our support via 1300 363 391. Alternatively, you could reach out to us on one of our social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter @PhilipsCare). Our colleagues there are available 24/7 and happy to help. Kind regards,- 3 reviews
This machine is simple, and entirey appropriate technology for a good macchiato
Machine runs for years, spare parts (if required - any of them) are easily available, and very easy to fit.
Get a medium coffee to start with (half dark Arabica, half dark Robusta) and see how you go. Robusta beens are cheap, and a bit nasty, but add a very strong, aggressive flavour without much boiling. Getting a dark Arabica coffee, in strong format (eg. long black ) is nirvana, but I've never met a North American coffe shop who can actually serve it. Must have something to do with the bleach-sprayed chicken corpses that go into making bleac...
Purchased in at Myer Online Store for $499.
Find out how Gaggia Classic compares to other Semi-Automatic and Manual Coffee Machines
Know better, choose better.
- 20 reviews
- 10 likes
Durable, affordable espresso machine
I have a 2004 Gaggia classic and with the right maintenance routine it will last forever. Parts are relatively cheap and easy to replace. The only reason not to get good espresso from this machine are bad coffee bins and grinder.
Purchased in .
Hi there, thank you for your feedback on the Gaggia classic. We're happy to have offered you a durable and trustworthy appliance, ideal for a tasty cup of coffee. Always feel free to reach out to us, ...
Read morein case you need assistance. We'd be happy to help. Kind regards, The Philips Australia TeamA great starting espresso maker with a few minor setbacks
The Gaggia Classic is a easy machine to use and very forgiving. I have used many different kinds of beans in this machine and as long as the grind of the coffee is right, I am usually satisfied.
It is quite easy to use although it is a little clunky because of its size. I find myself having to negotiate the espresso cup under the portafilter to avoid spilling the coffee. Also the tamper is a little flimsy and is too small for the portafilter (easy fix, just buy a decent tamper). Cleaning isn't an issue.
I have had it for a little over a year and I am quite impressed with this device. I hope to have it for many more years to come.
We're very happy to hear to that you're well impressed with the Gaggia Classic, Nostrodamus! We really appreciate your feedback, thank you for sharing!
Kind regards,
The Philips Australia Team
- 4 reviews
- 1 like
Excellent
Amazing
Have 2, one at home, one at work.
Make excellent coffe, better than you can buy most of the time.
Combine with a good grinder and it’s one of the best things you’ll ever buy
Can’t fault it
Very very very very very good
Hi there, Simon,
Thanks for sharing your review, we appreciate the kind words. If there is anything we can help you with, please let us know. ...
Read more Kind regards, The Philips Australia teamFind out how Gaggia Classic compares to other Semi-Automatic and Manual Coffee Machines
Know better, choose better.
- 4 reviews
- 3 likes
I love my classic....
Had the machine 12 years. No real learning curve.. once you get the beans and grind of your desire, you'll want all your coffees made from a classic..
Cleaning is easy. Not sure if overflow pipe has been threaded since I purchased mine but it easily pulls out to allow resovoir tank access for cleaning.. Shower head only thing that needs a tool and in 12 years I've taken off twice to clean the holes (I'd advise to do more regularly, lol)..
the water pump has just gone on mine and again this machine shines, with everything inside easily disconnected with replaceable parts.. after a while you realise your in a secret club, only classic owners know the coffee that this machine can produce. Is there a fan club?
Hi there,
Thank you so much for your kind review! Great to hear you and your coffee machine have been together for 12 years already. We think you'd be the perfect person to start up the fan club. ;) ...
Read moreWould you mind sending us an invite to? Hope you'll enjoy many more coffees to come and all the best for now!- 4 reviews
Excellent Coffee Every Day
If you love coffee you already know Gaggia and you might know about this machine too. It's the brilliant baby Gaggia and its sits in pride of place in our kitchen. I use it every day and am always interested in trying new roasters. This develops the real power you need to get a proper espresso extraction but you also need to have the touch and skill loading the basket just right, to get top results..I clean it after every coffee to keep it taint free - if you look after your equipment, it will look after you. It is solidly made and I expect to own ity for many years to come
Hello there
Thank you for taking the time share your review with us. Great to hear that you as a true coffee lover appreciat the Gaggia Classic. We hope you will enjoy the machine for many more years to come. ...
Read more Kind regards, The Philips Australia Team- 21 reviews
- 17 likes
Handy little thing, hard to clean
There are a couple of things about this machine that could be improved.
First up, for the price, it's a handy little thing, and it makes great espresso.
The milk frother is simple to use, although it's rigid, so you can't easily fit a larger milk jug under it (unless you raise the entire machine). If the arm had a flexible component to it, it would be much more useful. This is actually quite annoying.
Getting the water reservoir out to clean is also difficult. There's a metal pipe that runs down in front of it, into the drip tray. Unle...
Read moress I'm missing something, you have to unscrew that pipe to remove and clean the reservoir. I want to clean it often, but that makes it hard. So, yes, wonderful to have a little coffee machine in the house, and a nice start for people. But the cleaning and milk frother side of things mean that, if I had my time over again, I'd make another choice. I may change in the near future if the tax man is kind to me.Questions & Answers
bought a gaggia classic 4 weeks ago & still trying to make froth for our cappachino, cant do it, very annoying, any tips, we have looked at youtube & manual, disappointed our last coffee machine, not gaggia, had lots froth, help ????
Hi there, Jill.
We're sorry to hear about your troubles with frothing milk. It's understandable that it's not the coffee experience you hoped for when purchasing Gaggia Classic. We'd like to help you ...
bought a gaggia classic 4 weeks ago & still trying to make froth for our cappachino, cant do it, very annoying, any tips, we have looked at youtube & manual, disappointed our last coffee machine, not gaggia, had lots froth, help ????
We’ve had our Gaggia Classic for about eight months having previously owned a Saeco Via Venezia for 10 years. We’re very disappointed with the Gaggia as we’re unable to achieve the right consistency of milk to create a successful flat white. We’ve tried everything we can think of, including watching tutorials on how to heat the milk, all to no avail. We didn’t have a problem with our previous machine.
I note that the Pannarello from the Saeco is said to fit a Gaggia Classic, but the one from our previous Saeco certainly doesn’t fit our Gaggia wand, so no luck there either, if we want to go down that avenue. Also, the Gaggia seems to be very touchy about the amount of grind the beans have.
Hi there, thanks for reaching out to us. We're sorry to hear that the Gaggia Classic hasn't met your expectations so far, and we'd like to help out. To do so, we recommend contacting our product team ...
Read moredirectly. They can be reached at 1300 363 391 (Australia, Mondays to Saturdays 7:00 am - 7:00 pm EST) or 0800 658 224 (New Zealand) Mondays to Saturdays: 9:00 am - 9:00 pm. Our colleagues will be then be able to take a closer look, and provide further assistance. Kind regards, The Philips Australia TeamGet an answer from our members and Gaggia representatives
Details
Category | Semi-Automatic and Manual Coffee Machines |
---|---|
Price (RRP) | $790.00 |
Pump Pressure | 15 bar |
Input Power | 1,300 W |
Dishwasher Safe Parts | No |
Water Tank Capacity | 2.1 L |
Dimensions | 380 x 230 x 240 mm |
Weight | 8 kg |
Milk Frother | Steam Wand |
Bean Grinder | None |
Colour / Finish | Stainless Steel |
Release date | |
Replaced by | Gaggia New Classic |
Manual | Download manual |
- GTIN12: 693402141017
Other Semi-Automatic and Manual Coffee Machines
ProductReview.com.au has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence our content moderation policies in any way, though ProductReview.com.au may earn commissions for products/services purchased via affiliate links.
Hi there Greg,
Thank you so much for the elaborate review! it means a lot and we're truly happy to hear you like the Gaggia Classic so much. We're happy to hear it served you for that many coffees an...
Read mored we hope many more will come and lighten your Monday mornings. We also want to thank you for your feedback. It's both duly noted and much appreciated. Back to the drawing board regarding the milk frother! Thanks again for your kind words and the feedback. If you ever have any questions at all, feel free to reach our product team directly at 1300 363 391 from Mondays to Fridays: 7:00 am - 7:00 pm EST. Our colleagues will be happy to help you out with any matters. Take care Greg and we hope you'll enjoy many more coffees to come!