| | |  | Imported Meats | Home » » Gaggia 102534 Espresso-Color Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine, Red | | | | | | | Description: | | Make a statement with the Gaggia Espresso Color! This semi-automatic espresso machine is housed in bright red ABS plastic for a stunning, exceptional design. Using a stainless steel boiler, it brews pods or ground coffee and includes filter baskets for brewing single shot, double shot, or pods. The group head and filter holder are made of heat-retaining chrome plated brass for long-lasting heat stability, and you can pre-heat your cups on the passively heated cup warmer. Don’t forget about those cappuccinos and lattes – a Pannarello frothing wand attachment makes it easy to foam and steam milk without a fuss. Great for espresso lovers and home baristas at any stage of experience, the Gaggia Espresso Color comes ready to please. | | | Features: | |
• 1100-watt espresso machine with stainless-steel boiler and 15-bar pump
• Chrome-plated brass brew group and portafilter provide excellent temperature stability
• Accommodates ESE coffee pods or ground coffee; Pannarello steam wand; cup warmer
• Removable water tank; 3 filter baskets, coffee tamper, and coffee-measuring scoop included
• Measures 10-4/5 by 8-2/7 by 14 inches
| | | Product Details: | | | Product Length:
| 10.8 inches | | Product Width:
| 8.3 inches | | Product Height:
| 14.0 inches | | Product Weight:
| 10.14 pounds | | Package Length:
| 18.5 inches | | Package Width:
| 12.8 inches | | Package Height:
| 12.2 inches | | Package Weight:
| 13.0 pounds | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 9 reviews |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
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 worst machine I have usedJul 17, 2010
I have owned a number of Gaggia machines and liked them. I bought this for my girlfriend and it is the worst espresso machine I have used. it is a poorly manufactured plastic imitation of a Gaggia machine.
It is too light and you have to hold it down to attach the porta-filter.
The heating tray on top is practically useless as it doesn't get hot.
the Filter seal started leaking after 2 months and I have waited 3 months for a replacement.
It does not siphon water into the tank so you have to prime it everytime you use it.
Don't waste your money - spend more and get the Gaggia Baby or Coffee. both of these are great machines that will make better espresso.
 Wonderful machine for first-timersMay 27, 2010
I live in seattle, Wa, and I live for coffee. I received this Gaggia Espresso Color for christmas this last year (2009) and there is definitely a learning curve... especially going from your regular drip coffee to espresso :-) After reading reviews and tutorials on ''how to pull a perfect shot'' I went to the store, bought a few bags of coffee and got to work. Lets back up a few steps though.
The machine: the machine is beautiful. Its heavy and sturdy, its made with quality parts-- the portafilter is heavy like it should be-- definitely not a chincy machine. The only quaff I have is the red outer shell is plastic. I would have preferred a metal casing, but thats my only issue. The drip tray is removable and easy to clean. The steaming wand does a wonderful job with heating things relatively quickly-- not starbucks fast, but it does the job! The on/off button is in the back of the machine. A little weird, but not difficult to find. This machine is pretty quiet except for the actual brewing part-- luckily that takes less than a minute. you get multiple baskets for the portafilter-- double, single, and "pod". The seal does NOT leak-- the only time it ever has, was when I filled the portafilter with entirely too much coffee and screwed it on too tight. That was operator error, not a faulty machine. You also get a plastic scoop and a plastic tamp-- both work well for being plastic. I've never had issues! You will have to buy your own shot glasses, frothing pitcher, and frothing thermometer though.
Review: I noticed that the grind of the coffee needs to be pretty fine to make it pull a good shot-- I actually have a cheap Black and Decker blade grinder and it works just fine. You just have to really grind it fine! I also noticed that the roast needs to be Medium-- more Brown than Black. I was using a DARK roast and all my shots came out like Tea or Tar. When using Tulley's Medium Breakfast roast, I get a perfect shot-- lots of crema and all! tamping isnt too difficult. fill up the portafilter almost all the way with coffee, tamp it down till its packed pretty firmly (not using like ALL your weight, but make sure its solid.). This is an easy machine to use after you practice a while... i'm so so happy with it!
step by step:
1. make sure there is water in the machine.
2. turn on the machine with empty portafilter in place.
3. start grinding your coffee
4. wait for both green lights to be lit
5. place 2 shot glasses under portafilter, and push BREW button to fill with clean, hot water.
6. take portafilter out, and fill with coffee fine coffee grinds. Tamp. Replace portafilter onto machine to keep warm.
7. steam your milk-- fill the frothing pitcher halfway with milk, make sure the brew button is OFF! (it its on when you twist the brewing knob, hot water will come out instead of steam!) twist the steam knob with the wand IN the milk. Heat. when finished, put a towel over the end of the wand, twist the knob once more to get a short blast of steam to clear the lines.
8. get your cup or mug and put some flavorings in there if you want.
9. dump the hot water out of the shot glasses from earlier. replace them under the machine, and push "Brew" (make sure the steam knob is OFF!).
10. after shot is done brewing, dump it into mug with flavorings and mix! add your milk, and wahhlahh! Coffee!
make sure you clean your portafilter completely and turn off the machine :-)
Would Be Lost Without ItMay 14, 2010
I live in Seattle, the home of Starbucks and home to the best espresso shops in the country. I don't drink Starbucks. I did for a while until I had a heavenly espresso at one of Seattle's best indie espresso shops. Now I know what real espresso tastes like (hint - it's not at Starbucks) and with this machine I have access to it everyday. The 1st one I bought was defective and I returned it. The 2nd one works like a charm and it never fails to churn out beautiful golden shots with a nice layer of dreamy crema. Even when I fail (wrong grind, lazy tamping) it still pulls a beautiful shot. A few tips:
#1 - Read the instructions and make sure you follow each step; this includes allowing the pump to fill with water and letting it reach the right temperature. After you do it a couple of times it'll be easy-peezy. If you skip steps you may get some less than desirable results
#2 - Good beans are a must! Fresh, oily beans are best and I prefer a dark roast. Store them in a dark dry pantry in something airtight. Not the freezer or the fridge! By the way, I tried a drier bean and this machine seems to work best with an oily bean.
#3 - Play around with the tamping and how full your basket should be. Tamping too firmly or filling the basket too much will not give you a good shot
#4 - Get a good grinder. Mine has 14 settings and was pretty cheap but depending on the bean you buy you may have to play around with the grind
With all of the amazing espresso bars here in Seattle, my boyfriend now prefers my espresso. I also can't stand to go places where I can't get a good shot with lovely crema.
Okay, you've been warned! This machine will spoil you!
 caffeine deprived and disgruntledMay 10, 2010
I bought this machine and it makes a good (not great) cup of espresso. I used it less than 50 times and the top left power switch went out. The company touts a 12 month warranty. They will repair it, but you (the purchaser) has to pay shipping both to and from the repair place. I've never dealt with a company that won't pay the return shipping on a defective product they sold me. I won't be doing business with Gaggia again. For the price of their machine, they can stand behind it and repair and return the defective product they sold me under warranty. In the meantime, I'll enjoy a fresh brew from my much cheaper and more reliable Black & Decker.
5 of 7 found the following review helpful:
Questionable machine even worse resellerFeb 04, 2010
I purchased this unit last September. It worked fine for 4 months or so. I make an average of 3 double shots per day. The espresso was good, but not as good as I get at Starbucks (not hot enough). About a month ago it started leaking from around the coffee filter. I called Aarbee Coffee for support. You cannot reach technical support live but have to leave a voice message. They do get back to you within a day or two. They had me try a cleaning process. I did it, but it still leaks, in fact was getting worse. I requested an RMA to return it for warranty repair (it has a 2 year warranty). Upon paying myself to have it shipped back (they won't give you a prepaid mailer even on a warranty return) I received an email acknowledgement from Aarbee saying "This notice is to inform you that we have received your machine to our warehouse on 02/01/10. We estimate your repair to be on the bench by (3/12/2010)." That's 6 weeks from receipt just to take a look at it, and it is clearly a warranty repair.
I emailed them (no point in calling because you can't get a live person at technical support) immediately saying this was unacceptable and demanding a response. It has not been 4 days and no response at all.
My suggestion is to NOT purchase anything from Aarbee Coffee unless you consider the unit to be totally disposable. One of the worst customer experiences I've ever had on the net.
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