Sunday, May 29, 2005
Review: Gaggia Evolution Espresso Machine
I recently received a Gaggia Evolution Espresso Machine
for my birthday. This is the first real espresso machine I've owned, and I have to say that the hype is true: combined with a burr coffee grinder, you can produce espresso at home that rivals what you get in a coffee bar. Let's face facts; your Starbucks coffee drink is not being prepared by a dedicated barista, skilled in coaxing the finest espresso from the temperamental Italian pump machine behind the bar. You are getting coffee made by a college kid who is working so that he can make some money and sneak free caramel lattes to his friends. You can do better at home.
Like many areas of fine cuisine, coffee is something one can easily devote one's entire existence too. There are a dozen distinctly different varieties of beans available at my local mass-market grocery store, and many more at various coffee bars and vendors. The methods of preparation are endless too, from French press to automatic drip. My requirements are few: a good cup of morning coffee, and a good double espresso.
The Gaggia Evolution delivers beautifully, once you learn how to operate it. Making espresso on anything less than a super-automatic machine takes some practice. Fortunately the machine I got from Amazon had not only two instruction books, but an interactive CD-ROM as well. The two keys are to preheat the equipment and your cup by running a blank shot, and to adjust your grind and tamping pressure so that the extraction takes 20-30 seconds. Once you get this down, you can produce a double shot with good crema almost every time. (Need more help? There are many resources on the web: try here, and here and here.)
Gaggia has a whole line of machines in the 200-300 dollar range with the same internal components, any of which will produce a great cup of espresso with a bit of practice and good quality beans. I recommend the Evolution for its looks and reasonable price.
for my birthday. This is the first real espresso machine I've owned, and I have to say that the hype is true: combined with a burr coffee grinder, you can produce espresso at home that rivals what you get in a coffee bar. Let's face facts; your Starbucks coffee drink is not being prepared by a dedicated barista, skilled in coaxing the finest espresso from the temperamental Italian pump machine behind the bar. You are getting coffee made by a college kid who is working so that he can make some money and sneak free caramel lattes to his friends. You can do better at home.Like many areas of fine cuisine, coffee is something one can easily devote one's entire existence too. There are a dozen distinctly different varieties of beans available at my local mass-market grocery store, and many more at various coffee bars and vendors. The methods of preparation are endless too, from French press to automatic drip. My requirements are few: a good cup of morning coffee, and a good double espresso.
The Gaggia Evolution delivers beautifully, once you learn how to operate it. Making espresso on anything less than a super-automatic machine takes some practice. Fortunately the machine I got from Amazon had not only two instruction books, but an interactive CD-ROM as well. The two keys are to preheat the equipment and your cup by running a blank shot, and to adjust your grind and tamping pressure so that the extraction takes 20-30 seconds. Once you get this down, you can produce a double shot with good crema almost every time. (Need more help? There are many resources on the web: try here, and here and here.)
Gaggia has a whole line of machines in the 200-300 dollar range with the same internal components, any of which will produce a great cup of espresso with a bit of practice and good quality beans. I recommend the Evolution for its looks and reasonable price.
