Is The Gaggia Brera Espresso Machine Worth The High Price Tag?
The Gaggia Brera Fully Automatic Bean to Cup Espresso Coffee Machine is a coffee maker that appears to be going to great lengths to give people a high quality cup of coffee from a desirable, functional device.
There are plenty of basic features included to make this happen, such as the twin boiler for a faster brew, the durable ceramic grinder, easily accessible water tank, 250g bean chopper and 15 bar pressure.
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However, there are extra settings and functions to add to the device’s apparent capabilities. Using either beans or grounds, users can select their preferred strength via a simple, electronic control panel and the grinder can be easily adjusted for even more freedom of choice.
All these aspects make the Gaggia Brera seem like a worthwhile product but does the performance and produce live up to the specification and warrant such a high price tag?
Some Noted Features of the Gaggia Brera Bean to Cup Espresso Machine
- Rapid steam – twin boiler reduces the waiting time between espresso production and steam delivery to just a few seconds.
- Energy efficient – automatically switches to standby mode after one hour
- Personalise your perfect cup with dispensing buttons from the electronic control panel
- Durable ceramic grinder retains the purity of the coffee aroma
- Via the ground coffee compartment you can brew a different blend without changing the beans
- Removable brewing unit for easy cleaning and maintenance
What Customers Said about the Product – Positive Comments
One of the aspects that Gaggia Brera coffee maker are keen to boast about with this machine is the user-friendly nature of the operation. This is a stylish looking product that uses an LED display and electronic settings to make brewing a cup of coffee more accessible.
For the most part, this appears to be true and users like the fact that it does not take a lot of time and fiddling with buttons to get a basic espresso. Using the Gaggia coffee machine seems to be pretty simple and its appeal in terms of the coffee making is enhanced by the versatile use of the boiling water dispenser and lack of noise.
A stylish espresso maker can have all the fancy buttons and features it wants but if it does not produce great tasting coffee then it is pretty much worthless as a coffee maker. Thankfully, the general reaction to the produce from this model is high.
The coffee has a great taste and the settings and choice between using beans or grounds means that buyers have greater freedom over their preferences and final cup of coffee.
Before discussing the elements of this Gaggia Brera espresso machine that users were really unhappy about and the reasons for the lost stars, it is worth mentioning some of the aspects where the opinion is a little more divided.
The first example is the fact that the machine comes with a choice of strengths; this is a plus in most peoples eyes but some would say that the highest setting is still a little weak for their liking.
The same can be said for the temperature, which is often a matter of taste anyway, and there are mixed reviews over the automatic shut down feature – shutting down after an hour may be energy efficient but it is far too quick for some users.
What flaws and disadvantages should people bear in mind before buying a Gaggia Brera Espresso Machine?
The first place to start with the negative side of this machine is with the aspects of the operation that are not so user-friendly. There may be plenty of options and helpful settings but the Gaggia Bean To Cup is not the most easy going machine in the world because it gets picky about quantities and had a tendency to shut down mid-way if it is not happy, the performance is far from perfect and the descaling is frequent and laborious.
The next issue is the compact nature because while the dimensions are great for the kitchen counter, the small drip tray needs cleaning far too often and the 1.2 litre tank is far too small. The final flaw is in the quality; for the price tag you may expect a better finish than a metallic coating that peels and scratches.
Summary: is this Gaggia coffee maker worth the money?
This is a product that tries really hard to be the perfect espresso machine but falls short and is a little misguided in its approach. The compact design is great for kitchens but leads to a questionable capacity and the clever settings and operation are user-friendly for the most part but features like the descaler and shut off are less desirable.
The amount of negatives and cheap look mean it is probably not worth the price tag but, if you can get it on a good deal and do not mind a few flaws and some extra effort than you could receive a clever, stylish machine that produces great tasting coffee with strength and ease.
You can check out more customer reviews about this Gaggia Brera Espresso Machine at Amazon here.