If you’re considering the Gaggia Accademia espresso machine for your home or office, in this review we’re going to give you all the details you need to make your decision right here.
Brewing coffee at home is a bit challenging, but it has its allure. If you want to get a good cup of espresso, you’ll have to master every part of the process, including grinding, extraction, and micro foam art. Of course, maintaining consistency is hard, and repeating the process daily eventually becomes a source of boredom. Not to mention, who has the time to do that every day?
If you don’t, the answer is a super-automatic espresso machine. These machines are designed to do all the hard work for you. You put in your commands, program the needed settings, and wait for the magic to happen.
A perfect example of that is the Gaggia Accademia 1003380.
Here, we’ll explore all its features and capabilities to help you decide whether it’s worth its price.
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Gaggia Accademia Review: Super Automatic Espresso Machine Overview
The Gaggia Accademia super-automatic machine is one of the most sought-after espresso machines for both home and commercial use. It’s made in Italy with high-quality components and remarkable precision. Additionally, it features an innovative operating system, making it stand out among other similar options.
The espresso machine is also easy to use, which means almost anyone can use it. Not to mention, it results in mouth-watering cups of coffee, thanks to its top-notch extraction and grinding systems. The machine doesn’t only make espresso, but it also excels in lattes, cafe lungos, cappuccinos,
and all similar milk-based drinks.
A Detailed Look at the Gaggia Accademia’s Features
Now, let’s delve into the details of the Gaggia Accademia super-automatic machine. It comes fully equipped with an array of features, responsible for the excellent taste of coffee you’ll get.
Gaggia Accademia Design
The Accademia is a classic, timeless machine. It doesn’t have that ultra-modern look that other brands are going for. Whether that’s a good thing or not depends on your preference. Personally, we love its look.
Some people would complain about the display screen because it’s pretty old-fashioned. It doesn’t offer colorful illustrations as other super- automatic machines do.
Still, it’s not a deal-breaker, so we’re okay with it.
The buttons are large and clear for ease of use, but we’d have preferred a different font.
Overall, we think Gaggia Accademia could’ve put more effort into designing this machine, with its high price and all.
However, its functionality makes up for it.
Brewer
With an espresso machine, the brewing capabilities are typically the deciding factor. If it doesn’t brew well, it’s not worth your money, even if it carries a multitude of useful features.
The Accademia machine utilizes 15-bar pressure for brewing, quickly achieving top-notch extraction. That’s as good as it gets with espresso machines.
Grinder
If you’ve done your research on grinders, you’d know that burr grinders are much more efficient and durable than blade grinders. Blade grinders have their advantages, but they generate too much heat, which can lead to a burnt taste in your coffee.
The Accademia comes with a burr grinder that’s made of ceramic, ensuring durability and great taste. The high-quality build prevents the build-up of heat, resulting in consistent grinds every time you use it.
Hopper
Like most coffee machines, the Gaggia Accademia’s hopper lies on top of the machine. It can take up to 12 ounces of whole beans. We’d have preferred a larger hopper, but 12 ounces are a decent amount for an average family.
The hopper features a double-lid design that prevents moisture and air from getting in, ensuring the beans stay fresh for a longer time. You can leave them in the machine overnight, and they won’t go stale.
Milk Frother
The Accademia’s milk frother comes in the shape of a milk carafe and a frothing wand. The carafe is detachable for easy cleaning, and it snaps in place to prevent falling incidents. In addition, you can store it in the fridge, which eliminates the need for returning the leftover milk to its bottle.
The carafe has a 17-ounce capacity, which is decent enough for the average user.
Milk frothers are usually frustrating to clean, but luckily for you, the Accademia’s frother has a self-rinsing function. It cleans itself outside out when you’re done using it to prevent dry milk from building up inside, creating an unpleasant odor.
The only downside to the milk frother is its heating capabilities. The milk doesn’t come out as hot as it should. Luckily, it can easily be adjusted manually if you’re willing to take the extra step.
Bypass Doser
The Accademia has a built-in bypass doser that allows you to brew a different type of coffee from the one in the hopper. So if you’re in the mood for a specific coffee brand, you can make yourself a cup while keeping the fresh beans in the hopper.
The feature is also pretty useful if you have a decaf coffee user in your family.
Pre-Brew Infusion
You may not be familiar with the pre-brew infusion feature because it’s not common in average espresso machines. Only the high-end ones with excellent capabilities have it, like our Accademia here.
Pre-brew infusion means that your coffee grounds get soaked for a while in hot water before the machine starts extraction. This extra step ensures the coffee reaches its optimal condition before extracting it. As a result, the espresso tastes intense and powerful.
Dispenser
All coffee machines have dispensers, so it’s not really a unique feature. However, the Accademia’s dispenser is highly convenient because it’s adjustable. Meaning, you can use different cups of different sizes, and no splattering around will occur.
Most coffee machines have a standard coffee size that you can’t get out of, which is inconvenient in many ways. The Accademia allows you to use 3–6.5 inch cups, which is decent enough for all the beverages it makes.
Dual Boiler
The Accademia features a dual boiler system, contrary to most espresso machines on the market. This means that the machine heats the espresso and the milk separately during the brewing process.
The function is one of the reasons the Accademia is rather expensive, but it has some benefits. For one, this means that your coffee will be extracted at its optimal temperature, and the milk will be heated the same. Doing both processes at the same temperature ruins the taste.
Additionally, the dual boiler function accounts for the machine’s fast brewing. It doesn’t have to adjust the temperature every few minutes, so the drinks get made faster.
Cleaning the Gaggia Accademia
The Accademia comes with an automatic descaling feature. So when it needs descaling, all you have to do is activate the function, and it’ll do the rest for you.
Descaling is a vital part of taking care of your machine. If you don’t do it, the mineral deposits will eat up the machine’s interiors, and they’ll cut its life short. If you live in a hard water area, you’ll have to do it more often.
As previously mentioned, the frother has a self-cleaning function, eliminating the hassle of the process. The only parts you’ll need to clean manually in the machine are the brew components. They come out quickly enough, and they require cleaning around once a week.
Maintenance
No one wants to pay a fortune for a coffee machine, only for it to need loads of maintenance. It’s an unspoken truth; when you pay that much for a machine, you expect it to do most of the work for you, cleaning included.
We believe the Accademia’s manufacturers knew this well when creating it; the machine comes with some functions that make maintaining it a breeze.
The drip tray and drawer require regular emptying because they’re not large. However, they’ll alert you when you need to clean them to prevent making a mess. If you tend to forget to empty your machine’s part, the alerts will come in handy.
Gaggia Accademia Review: What We Liked
There are so many things to love about the Gaggia Accademia that it’s hard to decide. For starters, its timeless design will look elegant on any counter, and its chassis is durable and sturdy. The Italians knew what they were doing while creating this machine.
Other than the classic design, the Accademia is pretty easy to use, giving it leverage over competitors. Super-automatic machines are supposed to make your life easier; that’s literally what they’re made for. However, that’s not always the case, and that’s why the Accademia’s ease of use is appreciated.
Moreover, the Accademia comes with a lot of preset drink options. So you’ll rarely have to program a beverage; the machine has already got it all.
The frother results in an impressive micro foam, and it has a self-cleaning function that protects you from the hassle of the process. Not only that, but it also has both automatic and manual operations. If you ever want to try your luck with manual frothing, you can go for it.
What Could’ve Been Better
The most significant drawback to the Accademia super-automatic machine is obviously its price. Granted, the machine offers good value for money, and it gives you a multitude of useful features for the fortune you’ll pay. But the high price is still a shock at first.
Looking for a high-quality machine with a lower price tag? Check out our Gaggia Anima review.
Another downside is the milk’s heating. It comes out at a proper temperature, but it’s not as hot as some people like it to be. You can easily fix that by manually frothing it, though.
There’s also the drip tray, which is a bit too small for the machine’s size. So you’ll have to empty it frequently. The same goes for the coffee grounds capture tray. It, too, is smaller than it should be.
Gaggia Accademia Review Final Verdict…
The Gaggia Accademia super-automatic machine is expensive. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out it costs more than your average machine. However, you’ll get value back for every dollar you’ll pay.
The machine will do everything for you in an optimal way, and it comes with a lot of preset options that eliminate the need for programming the settings yourself. We’d say it’s one of the best super-automatic machines on the market in its price range.