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Espresso: Espresso Machines
Help choosing; upgrade from Gaggia Classic or PID perhaps?

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Discussions > Espresso > Machines > Help choosing;...

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AntWilliams90
Senior Member

Joined: 4 Feb 2013
Posts: 43
Location: Warwickshire, UK
Expertise: I love coffee

Espresso: Gaggia Classic
Grinder: Mahlkonig Vario Home
Roaster: Dieckmann Rostmeister

Posted Fri Mar 8, 2013, 10:14am Subject: Help choosing; upgrade from Gaggia Classic or PID perhaps?

Okay. So my Gaggia Classic will be 2 years old in a couple of months, and I love it to bits - I am not considering throwing it out or anything! But I have upgraded my grinder to the Baratza/Mahlkonig Vario Home and feel that it's time to up the ante on my espresso machine... I had been considering buying a Lever Espresso Machine - and fell in love with the Londinium (way out of my price range) and then fell for the La Pavoni Professional... But then, looking at it, I figured that for now, I would be better off spending that kind of money on a new Auto Espresso Machine. So, what would you guys recommend most? I'm thinking £400 - £600 ($600 - $900) as a budget (that way my grinder will have cost approx. %40-50 of the overall spend!) I just don't know what to go for. I drink mainly black coffee (tends to be a 1 part espresso 3 parts water) Single source, locally roast etc. Double shots as standard! ;) I like the Gaggia, so something similar but better? Would my budget fit a dual boiler or something a bit more stable? Killer question is; should I save my money and PID my Gaggia instead?

As soon as you sit down to a cup of hot coffee, your boss will ask you to do something which will last until the coffee is cold.

D4F
Senior Member

Joined: 15 Mar 2012
Posts: 1,191
Location: USA
Expertise: I like coffee

Espresso: Gaggia Classic PID
Grinder: Preciso

Posted Fri Mar 8, 2013, 10:46am Subject: Re: Help choosing; upgrade from Gaggia Classic or PID perhaps?

Your profile shows a lot of interests. PID the Gaggia, save, and look at Ariel Atom. Made and available UK, and you want to drive. It could add to your fun and get you off of the PS3 :) A little more seriously, you are not steaming and looking at a DB? PID Gaggia! :)

emradguy
Senior Member

Joined: 31 Mar 2011
Posts: 1,711
Location: Houston
Expertise: I live coffee

Espresso: Izzo Alex Duetto II
Grinder: MacapM4T, Macap M4, OE Lido,...
Drip: Espro press; Aeropress
Roaster: internet

Posted Fri Mar 8, 2013, 11:40am Subject: Re: Help choosing; upgrade from Gaggia Classic or PID perhaps?

yeah, agree. if you're not planning on steaming, you'd be best off PIDing the Gaggia for now. A larger machine would certainly give you more thermal stability, but the benefit isn't that large (IMO) if you're just pulling espresso shots (and not doing several back to back in a short period of time). What's that in your profile photo...a pint of bitter? I miss those! My buddy owns a brewery in Somerset called Moorbeer.

CoffeeGeeks don't let their friends go to *$$

CMIN
Senior Member

Joined: 14 Jun 2012
Posts: 500
Location: South FL
Expertise: I like coffee

Espresso: Crossland CC1
Grinder: Baratza Preciso

Posted Fri Mar 8, 2013, 11:58am Subject: Re: Help choosing; upgrade from Gaggia Classic or PID perhaps?

Agree PID the Clasic. And since you like black coffee, look into getting a pour over setup like the Chemix or Hario etc. Cheap and that way you can still have your espresso drinks and larger volume black drinks with different taste from the pour over.

brianl
Senior Member

Joined: 1 Dec 2012
Posts: 150
Location: Chicago IL
Expertise: I love coffee

Espresso: Gaggia Classic (w/PID)
Grinder: Baratza Vario
Drip: chemex

Posted Fri Mar 8, 2013, 1:11pm Subject: Re: Help choosing; upgrade from Gaggia Classic or PID perhaps?

D4F has a great topic in the mod section about PIDing the classic. I just did it the other day without a kit and it wasn't that bad. Do it!

AntWilliams90
Senior Member

Joined: 4 Feb 2013
Posts: 43
Location: Warwickshire, UK
Expertise: I love coffee

Espresso: Gaggia Classic
Grinder: Mahlkonig Vario Home
Roaster: Dieckmann Rostmeister

Posted Fri Mar 8, 2013, 2:01pm Subject: Re: Help choosing; upgrade from Gaggia Classic or PID perhaps?

Thank you guys! I would love to PID my classic, regardless of my next 'big' investment - I just have this fear that if I muck it up i'm going to be without an espresso machine! I have fitted new graphics card, ram etc. to computers, so I'm not a total newbie at unplugging parts and following schematics etc. but is PIDing a Classic really as easy as people make it sound? PID the Gaggia, save, and look at Ariel Atom. Made and available UK, and you want to drive. It could add to your fun and get you off of the PS3 :) Haha! Thanks for that - I don't spend all that much time on my PS3, it just makes me happy! :P And as for the Ariel Atom suggestion - I can only dream! A little more seriously, you are not steaming and looking at a DB? PID Gaggia! :) I personally don't drink milk at all. My Dad and my Brother both like 'frothy coffees' but I avoid making them just because of the element of hassle that means with the classic. Also, I figured that in terms of upgrading from the Classic a dual boiler would be the next step up? No? :/ What's that in your profile photo...a pint of bitter? I miss those! Not bitter, unfortunately (I don't think there are any photos of me drinking bitter, the shutter speeds just can't keep up! ;) ) I think it was a Strawberry Früli I had in London - it wasn't brilliant - give me a Porter any day! :D ...look into getting a pour over setup like the Chemix or Hario etc. I was wondering about this...how do pour overs such as those compare to Cafetiere coffee? I drink quite a bit of cafetiere coffee at work (I convinced the boss that a grinder was necessary, and got him to put a couple of bags of our local roastery's Nicaraguan Elephant on the expenses every week! I talk a good talk!) I think I may get a Chemex at some point - since they aren't a 'big' investment...

As soon as you sit down to a cup of hot coffee, your boss will ask you to do something which will last until the coffee is cold.

takeshi
Senior Member

Joined: 12 Oct 2002
Posts: 731
Location: Houston
Expertise: I live coffee

Espresso: Silvia
Grinder: Super Jolly
Roaster: Amaya Roasting

Posted Fri Mar 8, 2013, 5:27pm
Subject: Re: Help choosing; upgrade from Gaggia Classic or PID perhaps?

AntWilliams90 Said:

I personally don't drink milk at all. My Dad and my Brother both like 'frothy coffees' but I avoid making them just because of the element of hassle that means with the classic. Also, I figured that in terms of upgrading from the Classic a dual boiler would be the next step up? No?

Posted March 8, 2013 link

Read the first sentence I just quoted. If you're not steaming milk then you won't gain much from a steam boiler. Consider your needs/wants when deciding on an upgrade versus choosing an upgrade just because it seems to be the thing to do.

AntWilliams90 Said:

I had been considering buying a Lever Espresso Machine - and fell in love with the Londinium (way out of my price range) and then fell for the La Pavoni Professional...
But then, looking at it, I figured that for now, I would be better off spending that kind of money on a new Auto Espresso Machine.

So, what would you guys recommend most? I'm thinking £400 - £600 ($600 - $900) as a budget (that way my grinder will have cost approx. %40-50 of the overall spend!)

I just don't know what to go for.

Posted March 8, 2013 link

Well, you're looking all over the place. You're considering a lever and a superauto? What are you looking to do?

Coffeenoobie
Senior Member

Joined: 11 Dec 2011
Posts: 2,314
Location: PNW
Expertise: I like coffee

Espresso: N S Oscar
Grinder: Vario W

Posted Fri Mar 8, 2013, 6:10pm Subject: Re: Help choosing; upgrade from Gaggia Classic or PID perhaps?

Well, if you did not have a hassle you would use the steamer to make drinks for your family? Maybe a used HX would give you more power and more options. If you are not considering your family I agree there is not much push to move.

Coffeenoobie Buying advice: GRINDER GRINDER GRINDER. Don't cheap out on the grinder. My coffee treasure map... Click Here (maps.google.com)

D4F
Senior Member

Joined: 15 Mar 2012
Posts: 1,191
Location: USA
Expertise: I like coffee

Espresso: Gaggia Classic PID
Grinder: Preciso

Posted Fri Mar 8, 2013, 9:14pm
Subject: Re: Help choosing; upgrade from Gaggia Classic or PID perhaps?

AntWilliams90 Said:

I would love to PID my classic, regardless of my next 'big' investment - I just have this fear that if I muck it up i'm going to be without an espresso machine! I have fitted new graphics card, ram etc. to computers, so I'm not a total newbie at unplugging parts and following schematics etc. but is PIDing a Classic really as easy as people make it sound?

Posted March 8, 2013 link

As Brianl noted, he just added a PID. His install is the last several pages of below thread. I do not think he missed a day of espresso. You can make everything up ahead and pretest most.

http://coffeegeek.com/forums/espresso/machinemods/571792

AntWilliams90
Senior Member

Joined: 4 Feb 2013
Posts: 43
Location: Warwickshire, UK
Expertise: I love coffee

Espresso: Gaggia Classic
Grinder: Mahlkonig Vario Home
Roaster: Dieckmann Rostmeister

Posted Sat Mar 9, 2013, 3:36am Subject: Re: Help choosing; upgrade from Gaggia Classic or PID perhaps?

Read the first sentence I just quoted. If you're not steaming milk then you won't gain much from a steam boiler. I know, I know, it seems silly! But as Coffeenoobie correctly deduced, I make coffees for my family every day too, and do have to consider them in this (just to clarify, I'm currently having to live at home, and it's my parent's kitchen work top I'm covering with my coffee equipment!) You're considering a lever and a superauto? What are you looking to do? Not a superauto, no. Work of the devil in my opinion! The thing is, I was looking at the espresso machine reviews on here, and a few forum articles, and got sidetracked when I discovered how beautiful lever espresso machines were - I may end up getting one for fun, but for now, I think the decision I need to make is; PID Gaggia, or buy new machine?! As Brianl noted, he just added a PID. His install is the last several pages of below thread. I do not think he missed a day of espresso. You can make everything up ahead and pretest most. I have read up quite a bit on PIDs, and I will make sure to have a good look through that Forum post, thanks! Is there any particular go-to site for PID parts/kits for a Gaggia Classic? Auberins looked quite good (but it seems his site is down atm due to an issue with ZenCart?!)

As soon as you sit down to a cup of hot coffee, your boss will ask you to do something which will last until the coffee is cold.

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