Comparing Gaggia Automatic Coffee Machines

So, you've decided to step into the exciting world of making café-quality coffee at home. With the Australian coffee market offering a variety of options, Gaggia stands out as a reliable brand with a range of automatic coffee machines that promise to elevate your morning brew. In this guide, we're going to dive into four popular Gaggia models available in Australia: Magenta, Cadorna, Accademia, and Anima. Let's break down what each machine brings to the table, helping you find your perfect coffee companion.

Gaggia Anima: The Coffee Companion

Price: Starting from $1,299 RRP

The Gaggia Anima is designed for those who seek a balance between convenience and quality, providing a reliable coffee-making companion.

The Gaggia Anima comes either as the focus or Barista plus, where the only change is the type of steam wand. The Barista Plus features the professional steam wand and the focus with the pannarello wand.

The Anima is for those who like to keep it extremely simple and only seek the simplicity of espresso and milk frothing.

Anima Focus

Anima Barista Plus

Features:

• Water Reservoir: A water tank with around 1.8 litres capacity, accommodating multiple cups of coffee.

• Steam Wand: Manual steam wand for those who enjoy the tactile experience of frothing milk. The professional steam wand is an upgrade from the pannarello wand.

• Display: A simple display for espresso, steaming milk, coffee temperature and coffee strength.

• Memory: the Anima has the ability to save settings of a coffee that’s been created.

Pros:

• Rapid heating system minimizes wait times.
• Ample water capacity for multiple servings.
• Customizable settings for personalized coffee preferences.

Cons:

• Limited customisable options compared to the rest of the Gaggia automatic coffee machine range.
• Manual steam wand requires practice for ideal frothing.

Gaggia Magenta: Simple Elegance

Price: Starting from $1579 RRP

The Gaggia Magenta is a sleek and compact automatic coffee machine that aims to bring the café experience to your kitchen. It's designed for those who seek simplicity without compromising on quality.

The Magenta comes in either the Magenta Plus or Magenta Prestige. The only point of difference between the two is that the Magenta Plus comes with a steam wand and the Prestige comes with a milk carafe.

The Plus has 5 beverage options: espresso, espresso lungo, coffee, americano and hot water.

With the milk carafe the Prestige offers 12 beverage options which include the range the Plus has with the addition of the ristretto, cappuccino, cafè au lait, frothed milk, flat white and the latte.

So, if you’re someone who likes to froth their own milk and enjoys making latte art, the Magenta Plus is the way to go. For those who don’t want any fuss and are more aimed towards convenience and efficiency, the Prestige would be best suited for you!

Features:

• Boiler System: Quick boiler system that ensures hot beverages from the first cup without the waiting.

• Water Reservoir: A water tank with a capacity of around 1.8 litres, allowing you to make multiple cups before needing to refill.

• Display: A user-friendly display guides you through the machine's settings and options, ensuring a hassle-free coffee-making experience.

• Pre-Brewing: The pre-brewing function elevates the body and taste of every espresso by applying a few seconds of pause between the first application of hot water and the actual brewing.

• Bean Capacity: 250 grams

• Simple User Interface: Full colour display that makes preparing beverages simple and intuitive, with all cleaning procedures guided step-by-step.

• Customised Beverage Options: Amount of coffee, three temperature settings, amount of milk froth and coffee strength can be changed and saved to each beverage.

Pros:

• Compact design suitable for smaller kitchens.
• Simple and no fuss coffee making

Cons:

• Manual steam wand requires some practice for ideal milk frothing.

Gaggia Cadorna: The Coffee Maverick

Price: Starting from $1,609 RRP

The Gaggia Cadorna takes a step up in both price and features, offering a comprehensive coffee experience with a touch of control for coffee enthusiasts.

Much like the Magenta, the Cadorna comes in either the Plus or Prestige options, where the Plus has the manual steam wand the Prestige features the milk carafe.

The Cadorna Plus can make 6 beverages with the push of a button: ristretto, espresso, espresso lungo, coffee, americano and hot water.

The Cadorna Prestige has 14 beverage options: cappuccino, cappuccino XL, cafè au lait, cafè cortado, latte, latte XL, flat white, frothed milk and all the options in the Plus.

Cadorna Prestige

Features:

• Boiler System: Quick boiler system that ensures hot beverages all the time.

• Water Reservoir: A water tank with a capacity of around 1.5 litres.

• Display: A colourful display that allows for easy selection of options and profiles.

• Pre-Brewing: The pre-brewing function elevates the body and taste of every espresso by applying a few seconds of pause between the first application of hot water and the actual brewing.

• Bean Capacity: 300 grams

• Customised Beverage Options: Amount of coffee, three temperature settings, amount of milk froth and coffee strength can be changed and saved to each beverage. Furthermore, you can create profiles for each individual, so each person can have a different customised drink without having to keep changing the drink settings.

Pros:

• Automatic milk frothing suits beginners and busy individuals for the Prestige.
• Customizable user profiles cater to individual preferences.

Cons:

• Higher price point compared to the Magenta.
• Larger size might require more counter space.

How’s the Cadorna Differ from the Magenta?

Differing from the Magenta, the Cadorna has 300gram bean capacity, has a slightly smaller water tank and coffee puck capacity. This means, you’ll need to refill water and toss out pucks more often.

Furthermore, the Cadorna is a bigger machine, requiring more counter space and is roughly 2kg heavier than the Magenta.

However, what you’re getting extra with the Cadorna:

• Is the ability to customise drinks to 4 user profiles

• Large drink capacities for larger cups such as travel thermos

• A platform to elevate smaller cups so there isn’t a mess with the splash

So, if you’re in a smaller household or office, the Magenta is probably best suited due to its’ smaller foot print. For those looking for a more robust automatic machine, with a number of coffee drinkers, the Cadorna is the better option.

Gaggia Accademia: The Coffee Artisan

Price: $3399 RRP

The Gaggia Accademia is a sophisticated automatic coffee machine tailored for those who value artisanal coffee crafting and a touch of luxury.

The Accademia embodies all aspects of coffee brewing with the touch of a button. There’s no super automatic coffee machine that operates and feels as effortless than the Accademia.

The Accademia is for those who want it all.

Features:

• Water Reservoir: A substantial water tank with around 1.6 litres capacity, suitable for frequent use.

• Steam Wand: Has a professional steam wand AND milk carafe. It gives you the option depending on how you feel that day!

• Display: A touch screen user-friendly display provides easy access to various drink options and settings. Also comes with customisable profiles for each beverage. The display can also be controlled using a tactile dial on the side.

• Pre-Brew: The pre-brew allows for making the best of each bean.

• Flow Rate Dial System: allows for the change of coffee flow that acts as grind size, changing the dynamics and flavour profile of coffees.

• Beverage options: 19 beverage options to cater for all coffee lovers!

• Cup Warmer: There’s an overhead cup warmer so the Accademia is always ready whenever you are.

• Froth: The Accademia has the ability to change the level of froth on each milk beverage.

• Bean Capacity: 350 grams

Pros:

• Flow Rate Dial system that enhances coffee taste
• Both a manual steam wand and automatic milk frothing to suit all lifestyles
• Extensive customization options for advanced users.

Cons:

• Higher price point compared to other models.
• Larger size might require ample counter space.
• Advanced features might be too complex for beginners.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to the Gaggia automatic machine range, they all feature multiple brewing cycles. This means, each machine will grind and brew multiple times to produce a certain amount of coffee, as opposed to diluting one cycle with water to reach a specific amount of drink. This factor alone brings Gaggia to be one of the best producers of automatic coffee machines.

Choosing the right automatic coffee machine depends on your preferences and needs. If you're seeking simplicity with a touch of elegance, the Magenta might be your perfect match. For those who want control and versatility, the Cadorna steps up the game. The Accademia offers luxury and advanced features for the artisan at heart, while the Anima strikes a balance between convenience and quality.

Consider your budget, space, and desired level of coffee crafting when making your decision. Whichever Gaggia model you choose, you're one step closer to enjoying café-worthy coffee in the comfort of your home. Happy brewing!