Gaggia 35005 Carezza Espresso Machine, Gray | Gaggia Carezza is best value but requires care

Gaggia 35005 Carezza Espresso Machine, Gray | best bang for the buck by far!

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Gaggia 35005 Carez...

	Gaggia 35005 Carezza Espresso Machine, Gray Gaggia Gaggia average customer review:based on 28 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Includes Gaggia 35005 Carezza Espresso Machine Grey.

Gaggia Carezza is best value but requires care

I've owned a silver Gaggia Carezza for 9 months, and it is the best of the low-end espresso makers. However, there are some important details that aren't mentioned in the manual that you need to know if you buy one.

First the pros: It makes a very consistent, high quality espresso, with lots of crema, uses a high-grade brass group, is well constructed (with the exception of the steam knob on my unit - see below), is only about as loud as a microwave (not quiet, but doesn't wake the family at 5:00 in the AM), and allows making several espressos followed by several steamed milks in a row (my wife's favorite feature). The noise is mostly due to case vibration, which can be reduced by holding the handle while running the pump.

Now the cons: The pressure valve clogs very easily with scale (the opening is ~3mm or ~1/8", and is sealed by a small spring-loaded neoprene ball), and the steam knob might melt (see below - this may have already been resolved by Gaggia). There are solutions to these problems.

If you have hard water, you should only use distilled or filtered/treated water in this machine, otherwise get used to *disassembling* the group and pressure valve for cleaning on a weekly basis (easy for anyone who has a 5mm hex wrench, 12mm & 13mm crescent wrenches, and #2 short phillips screwdriver). Running a citrus-based cleaning solution helps, but won't clean an already-clogged valve.

If you find a used machine, clean the valve. It's like finding a car with a "blown engine" that just needs a spark plug.

I would suggest scale-clogged valves are the cause of all the complaints about dripping, leaking, weak or no steam, and/or generally poor performance other negative reviews have mentioned, because I had these problems before I discovered the problem.

In use it's very simple to operate: First preheat the machine for a few minutes until the green light comes on. During this time load the filter with grounds and compress to 1/8" below rim. Next, run a blank "hot shot" with the handle in place but without the filter. Now load the filter into the handle, tightening until firmly snug (do not over tighten), and wait for the green light to come back on. (This heats the grounds, group, and cup to the right temp). Empty the cup and start the extraction. I can consistently get a 25 second shot (50 sec. for a double) with rich crema and "rat's tail" streams.

One note about reliability: I was initially very put-off by this machine because the black steam knob on the top *melted* the first time I used it!! This is usually a very bad sign, but I replaced it with a vintage bakelite knob (8mm shaft), and have had no other problems since.

The bottom line: Makes excellent espresso, best bang-for-the-buck, needs regular cleaning or distilled/filtered/softened water to avoid problems caused by a scale-clogged pressure valve.

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best bang for the buck by far!

This is a real commercial quality espresso machine, as other reviewers have mentioned it is fitted with the same parts as the upper model gaggias, and has a commercial size portafilter to boot!

It heats up very fast, produces excellent crema, and just feels like a very solid product. Gaggia is also very much into making sure you are making quality espresso at home, their training cd shows videos of the proper way to make an espresso and the card right as you open the box gives you an 800# to call if you need any help in making an awesome espresso.

Everything in this unit seems to be of top quality, except the plastic housing (although it is still quality plastic, not like a cheapie coffee maker or anything). If you don't mind not having a metal housing, do not go for one of the lesser models, this is probably the only machine you will find for under 500 with this kind of quality.

The only thing I can't really comment on is the steam wand, I don't ever froth milk.

If you are considering another product in this price range or a little cheaper, don't. Especially the steam models if you have been looking at those, they produce nothing more than a strong coffee. Once you realize the merits of a pump system, you should also go for this one as the lesser ones definitely do not hold up to this amazing little espresso maker.

Also, the reviews about the machine leaking, the only thing that I can figrue out is that if you have used the steam wand to output hot water recently (it pushes the hot water out of there in hot water mode), when you are finished and the machine heats up, it boils off some of the remaining water in there, pushing the rest out of the steam wand. Keep it aimed towards the drip tray and you won't have any problems. It only does this for the first couple of minutes that the machine is on (and only when there is already water in the steam wand), so it really isn't an issue.

The drip tray seems large enough for me as well, it would definitely hold more than a few shots of espresso, I have no idea how you would possibly get more water in there. Sure, if you are running a coffee bar with this thing you will have to empty it every so often, but this machine certainly isn't for actual commercial use.

The only thing I wish it had was an auto-off feature, as I find myself leaving it on by accident sometimes.

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Great coffee- clumsy handling

I purchased the Gaggia Carezza to get the advantage of a pump (replacing a steam pressure machine.) The bottom line - great coffee, smooth & even foaming, and a vary satisfied consumer. However, note that it is clumsy to handle. It comes only with a two-spout dispenser and a narrow shelf. (Gaggia assumes that everyone always makes two cups into espresso cups.) Since I never do so (I make two-shot lattes into mugs)I have to juggle with multiple pots (until I find one wide and shallow enough to catch two spouts simultaneously and still hold a double shot.) This is annoying, but the coffee and foamed milk are worth it.

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

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