Skating across the gap between the budget and high end the Gaggia Brera Super Automatic Espresso Machine definitely contends for a spot in your morning arsenal if you enjoy a good cup of brew. While you won’t find many of the bells and whistles that the higher end machines can provide you do get a solid set of capabilities that’ll make sure you can get a solid cup of coffee reliably without too much effort. Everything is relatively automated with multiple options for how fine you want your coffee beans grinded.
Special features also allow for a deeper aroma and flavor with its pre infusion brew system. The Gaggia Brera does have its limits however as you won’t be making a ton of coffee at a time and there are plastic components. Excelling in some regions and lacking in others this still might be the machine that fits everything together the best for you.
With its small frame and rounded edges you will find a simple design that should fit comfortably on your kitchen counter. While much of its frame is metallic you will also find many plastic components that will require cleaning from time to time as well as replacement much further down the line. Fitting in between budget and high end comes with its negative though the rest of its perks combine to create delicious coffee as long as you keep up with the maintenance.
This espresso maker isn’t blessed with the largest of water tanks so you will be limited to 4 to 5 cups before you will have to refill it. This won’t be much of a problem for anyone on their own but might rise to become a bit of an issue if you are entertaining guests or have a lot of people in a hurry in the morning.
The premier feature of this espresso machine is its pre-infusion brewing system. A beautiful way of saying technology that is designed to bring a deeper aroma and flavor to your coffee blend. After the beans are ground they are then tamped and pre soaked which leads to an increase in flavor that helps it compete with those high budget machines.
Equipped with a 1400 watt motor you’ll be able to grind the beans as fine as necessary for a solid cup as three settings of the opti-dose system allow for a light, medium, or strong blend. Along with that you can also enjoy an advanced steam system using Rapid Steam Technology that will quickly steam your milk for frothing.
Sadly the frothing wand isn’t anything spectacular so you can’t expect your creations to rival the best on that level. You can’t discount the ability to make a relatively complex cup with ease though. The flavor of your coffee will definitely be one of the high moments while cleaning this machine will be on the lower end.
Despite its simple design you will have to descale parts from time to time. Though as long as you pay attention to the indicators you’ll know exactly when it’s time to clean your components. With a decent amount of plastic parts giving it a thorough clean once a month or so isn’t too big an ask for a solid cup of brew. You also won’t have to worry too much about this coffee maker as far as energy is concerned even if you forget about it with a standy by mode that goes into effect after an hour of inactivity.
This machine also uses a Mavea water filter that will put your water through a four stage filtration process before it goes into your coffee so you can ensure a purified concoction.
Ease of Use
How quickly you can get a new coffee maker up and running is pretty important and the Gaggia Brera makes espresso shots a breeze. Moving from adding water and coffee beans to enjoying a fresh espresso is as simple as pressing a few buttons once you have everything here it needs to go. Even cleaning the plastic components won’t take too much time and effort. A simple delicious espresso could very well be the name of this coffee maker. Definitely Gaggia Brera is one of the best espresso machine. Make sense have a look at De’Longhi La Specialista as well.
Pro’s and Con’s
Pro’s
- On a budget
- Works quietly
- Looks nice
Con’s
- Small water tank
- Large and Bulky
Gaggia Brera Super Automatic Espresso Machine Manual
- Gaggia Brera Super Automatic Espresso Machine
Summary
This isn’t the coffee maker for everyone, but it should please many who are looking for an option that won’t break the budget, but will provide a tasty cup of brew. The settings aren’t anything to write home about, but the core features and technology help to make sure that you won’t be disappointed with the finished product as long as you take the steps to make sure everything is running smoothly.
The steps aren’t too hard either keeping up with the theme. Still this isn’t the coffee maker for you if you are looking for something that will easily stand the test of time. On the other hand, if you’re looking for great coffee to hold you down until you can get the dream machine you can’t go wrong here.
