For thousands of coffee lovers around the world, Gaggia coffee machines have been delivering truly great coffee for years, and continue to do so to this day.
With their comprehensive range of domestic and industrial machines, the Gaggia name is synonymous with coffee excellence, and as such, is the brand favored by many coffee addicts, world-over.
The Italian company, Gaggia, was created in 1948 by a shrewd businessman, a gentleman named Achille Gaggia.
Many years before then, Signore Gaggia worked in his own coffee bar. A perfectionist by nature, he strived to make the perfect brew, but was deeply dissatisfied with the quality of the coffee his existing machine was producing, which was bitter and unpalatable. However, during his time in the coffee bar, he met a woman named Rosetta Scorza ñ a meeting which was to change his life.
Rosetta Scorza was married to a technician who worked in a coffee grinder factory. Her husband, a Signore Cremonesi, was also on somewhat of a crusade to achieve the perfect cup of coffee – in fact, he was the designer responsible for introducing the cone mill to Italy in the 1930′s. In addition, he had developed a design for a screw piston, which forced water through coffee grounds under pressure.
When he died, he left Rosetta with the patent, and the story goes that after his death, his wife met with numerous manufacturers, in an endeavor to persuade them to use her invention. Unfortunately, her efforts were to no avail.
At some point, it is thought that Rosetta Scorza showed Achille Gaggia the patent for her husband’s design, as it was he, who in 1938, filed a patent for a piston group, which would ultimately develop, over the years, into modern-day, steam-free coffee machines. This revolutionary machine forced water, under high pressure, to flow throughout the coffee grounds, which produced the intense flavor and layer of crema, both of which are unique characteristics of espresso coffee.
Indeed, we have a lot to thank not only Signore Gaggia for, but also Signore Cremonesi and Rosetta Scorza, as without them, the world may have been deprived of this wonderful brew!
Following the birth of Gaggia, the main focus of the company was the design and production of industrial Gaggia coffee machines. In the years to follow, these machines took pride of place on the countertop of many establishments, whose business it was to serve coffee to their discerning clientele.
In 1977, Gaggia – who by now, were renowned worldwide for their reliability and expertise – launched their domestic coffee machines onto the market, the first of which was the Baby Gaggia. The fact that today, this model is still considered by many to be the perfect family coffee maker, is testament to the esteem in which the Gaggia brand is held.
In 1999, the Gaggia brand was purchased by the Saeco International Group – a subsidiary of the consumer Electronics Company, Philips – and Gaggia now uses designs developed by Saeco in a number of its domestic espresso coffee makers.
However, in keeping with tradition, Gaggia coffee machines – along with all the other products in the range – are still manufactured at Gaggia’s production factory in Robecco, Lombardy in Milan. Of course, today, the most advanced level of automation is used during production, but the incorporation of old-fashioned traditions, along with attention to detail, remain of the utmost importance throughout.
Over the years, it’s true to say that Gaggia coffee machines have evolved enormously, from traditional pressure machines, operated by the repeated pumping of a lever, to automatic models, which will grind the beans, dispense just the right amount of coffee grounds, and deliver a perfect cup of coffee – all at the touch of a button.
The current range of domestic Gaggia coffee machines includes automatic, manual and capsule models.
At prices ranging from around £200 to £2,000, the range of Gaggia coffee machines share between them a multitude of features to please every coffee lover, including;
The Optiaroma system : This features customizes the richness of espresso to suit your personal taste
Multi-Beverage selector : Allows the user to choose the strength, temperature, aroma of their beverage, as well as allowing them to regulate the length of the brewing process and the milk frothing level.
An integrated, low-noise, ceramic coffee grinder : With an incorporated grind regulator, this guarantees to achieve a grind to suit the user’s personal taste
‘Opti-Dose’ : This feature dispenses a pre-measured dose of coffee grounds for the user’s convenience
Rapid Steam function : Reduces the waiting time between making and delivering a cup of espresso, complete with a perfect layer of crema
One or two cup simultaneous delivery : Saves time when you’re making more than one cup
Automatic descaling function : Helps to keep the coffee machine in good working order
Easy-to-operate, electronic touch screen : This gives the user complete fingertip control
Cup lift feature : This allows the user to adjust the height of the drip tray, to accommodate a range of cup sizes
Removable brewing unit : Makes cleaning much easier
Cup warming plate : Ensures that coffee is made straight into a warm cup, keeping it hotter for longer
Hot water and steam output : Enables the user to make espresso or cappuccino, and to froth hot milk for deliciously creamy hot chocolate. In addition, hot water can also be obtained for tea or another infusion
Memory function: Retains previously used settings to ensure that machine always delivers the same cup of coffee to the user
Swivel Pannarello cappuccino accessory : This rotating steamer swivels 180∫ to ensure that hot milk is frothed to perfection in a matter of seconds
Integrated water filter : Helps to remove impurities, resulting in a better tasting cup of coffee
Chromed brass group and filter holder : Helps to enhance the flavor and aroma of the espresso
Of course, these are just some of the features to be found on the models within the current range of domestic Gaggia coffee machines, all of which help to ensure that the entire user experience ñ from beginning to end ñ is a thoroughly enjoyable one.
Note : Not all features will be found on every model
Gaggia have been manufacturing coffee machines for over 60 years, and considering their constant evolution, there’s every chance they’ll be manufacturing products for another 60 years, and beyond.
As has been the case over the past decades, the Gaggia name continues to be representative of some of the finest examples of domestic and commercial appliances. With the brand commitment to quality, and their clean, stylish and timelessly elegant designs, Gaggia coffee machines certainly do not disappoint.