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Gaggia Accademia Review for 2020
Every now and then you get the hankering for a cup of espresso that will be so flavorful and smooth that you forget you’re not sitting cafe-side in Italy.
Or it’s Monday and you need something with a little extra kick to get your week going.
Sound about right?
Regardless of the situation you have in mind, a quality espresso machine can be a great purchase for elevating your brewing experience.
Best Suited For: The Gaggia Accademia is an all around favorite. The pre-set options for brewing coffee and milk and the detachable components make brewing drinks and maintenance very simple. The Accademia is a great choice for home brewers or for rookie baristas just getting into the espresso scene. It provides both guidance and reliability to suit any experience level.
There’s a wide variety of espresso brewing machines, from those that are more manually operated and require the expertise of a steady hand, to automatic machines that will deliver delicious coffee with the push of a few buttons.
The Gaggia 1003380 Accademia is an espresso machine that can accommodate a variety of experience levels. The Accademia has enough preset options to make brewing easy for up and coming baristas, while providing some room for manual customization if you’re ready to take your café game to the next level.
Whichever experience you’re looking for, the Gaggia Accademia is a contender for anyone looking for their next coffee companion.
Pros:
- Customization: The Accademia offers plenty of room for customization. From its seven pre-set drink options, to its manual milk steaming option, you can tailor make any coffee drink to suit your taste.
- Maintenance: The detachable brew group and milk container make maintaining the Accademia simple. With too much use or without proper care, it’s easy for an espresso machine to lose its luster. The Accademia encourages regular maintenance with its design and has made upkeep a breeze.
- Design: From its very polished overall design to the less noticeable features tucked in here and there, the Accademia is designed to be used regularly and to look good in the process. The adjustable telescopic coffee dispenser accommodates a wide variety of mug sizes, and the compact square shape makes it easy to find a place for this machine on your counter.
- Quality: The Accademia does its namesake justice. The machine features a sturdy stainless steel build and plenty of great features without sacrificing quality. With proper maintenance, you’ll be brewing great tasting espresso for ages.
Cons:
- Temperature: The Accademia brews with an average temperature around 162-168 degrees Fahrenheit. This is not necessarily a problem, but something to consider if you like your brew especially hot.
Gaggia Accademia Review
The Gaggia line of espresso machines is named after the father of modern espresso, Achille Gaggia, and when you purchase the Accademia you get the quality you would expect from such an historic brand.
The Gaggia Accademia is an all-around great espresso machine that has all of the bells and whistles to make your brewing experience a pleasure from filling up the grinder to clean up.
Built-in Grinder
The Accademia has a burr grinder integrated into its design that is accessed from the front of the machine. The machine handles all of the work of grinding and portioning your coffee, and with a double lid aroma saver sea,l you can be sure that your beans will stay tasting fresh.
If you have a pre-ground coffee you’d prefer, no worries, the Accademia has an easily-accessed bypass door for inserting your favorite pre-ground coffee on the fly.
Milk Storage
The Accademia also features a detachable milk container that makes storing your milk in the refrigerator easy. Because the container is detachable, it also uses a detachable circuit which is separate from the brewing system.
Since the two circuits are separate, you never have to worry about your milk clogging up your system and ruining your brew. The frothing and steaming is also automatic, but you can choose to manually froth if you’re feeling a little ambitious.
Brewing Options
When it comes down to the actual brewing process, the Accademia functions like your very own expertly trained barista, resting patiently on your counter until you need a caffeine kick.
The Accademia has seven different pre-loaded brewing options: espresso, caffe, caffe lungo, cappuccino, latte, latte macchiato and hot water for those anomalous days when you’re not in the mood for coffee.
In addition to the variety of brew styles, the Accademia also has milk steaming options for minimal, normal, or no froth. If you’d rather, you can also manually steam or froth your own milk for a more customized experience.
Design
While the looks of an espresso machine may not be the most important feature, the Accademia’s sleek design sure doesn’t hurt. With stainless steel paneling, a compact shape, and a bright display, the Accademia looks professional and sturdy.
The Accademia’s ability to brew great coffee quickly and without much hassle are some its most important selling points, but I love the way it looks sitting on the counter, and how seamlessly it melds into the decor of any kitchen or café.
Reviews
The Accademia is a simple to use espresso machine that creates great coffee drinks and handles all of the steps in the process for you. The ease of use and cleaning is definitely one of the Accademia’s most popular features among users, as well as the customizability offered by its detachable parts and brewing options.
Gaggia Accademia Hot Features:
- Adjustable telescopic coffee dispenser: accommodates lots of different mug sizes up to 6.5 inches tall for increased accessibility.
- Coffee ground container: integrated into the design of the machine for easy storage.
- Ceramic burr grinder: with bean hopper and a double lid aroma saver to ensure you get a premium grind that stays fresh.
- Bypass door: for brewing your favorite pre-ground beans and bypassing the built in grinder and dispenser.
- 11 x 16 x 14.6 inches and 45 pounds.
- Sleek design: stainless steel front panel, sturdy metal frame, and a bright display gives the machine an overall great look.
- Seven drink choices: from delectable espresso to just plain hot water, the Accademia has preset options to accommodate any mood, as well as three different options for steaming milk.
- Detachable milk container: the milk container is detachable which makes for easy storage in the fridge when not in use, and the milk circuit is detachable as well which means you never have to worry about old milk clogging up your machine.
- 15-bar pump: and two stainless steel boilers to maximize the efficiency of your brewing and frothing.
- Detachable brew group: which makes for easy cleaning and maintenance to keep your machine brewing in top notch condition.
- Large water reservoir: at 1.7 liters, and with a built-in filter, you’ll have top quality water ready to go when you need it.
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About the Author Michael York
I am a die-hard espresso fan. I love every form of the drink from straight espresso shots to lattes and cappuccinos. I currently use a Breville BES870XL Barista, it is an awesome machine. BUT, my dream machine is definitely an Italian Quickmill Andreja. Those bad boys make badass espresso. I love answering your questions, leave a comment or question below!
