The bad news is that it is difficult to locate espresso machines with a built-in grinder that are also adaptable, offer good value for the money, and allow you to enjoy delicious espresso shots in addition to foamy milk-based beverages.
Good news? This model is perfect in every respect!
You should read our review of the Gaggia Brera to learn about all of the wonderful features it possesses and to find out why this espresso machine belongs in your home.
The Gaggia Brera in its entirety
It is versatile in that it can froth milk, as well as prepare espressos, lungos, and americanos.
• Versatile: brews well with whole coffee beans as well as pre-ground coffee
• Espresso shots of the highest quality
The Optiaroma function provides you with the one-of-a-kind opportunity to tailor the robustness and flavor of your espresso to your own preferences.
The Review of the Gaggia Brera
The Brera superautomatic espresso machine is a product of the decades-long history that Gaggia Milano has accumulated, and this heritage is on full display. The Brera is a home espresso machine that is small and compact, but it produces espressos that are on par with those served in cafes. Additionally, you have the ability to personalize the Brera to suit your tastes.
Design
The Gaggia Brera is one of the finest instances of the famous made-in-Italy aesthetic. It was designed and constructed in Italy, the country that is considered to be the birthplace of espresso. After all, Gaggia is an industry mainstay in Italy, and the company can boast decades of experience in the coffee business:
The Gaggia Brera is a durable machine that is created with sturdiness and strength in mind. Despite the fact that its top and sides are constructed of plastic (you have the option of selecting silver or black), the front panel, drip tray, and smooth edges of this unit give it an attractive retro vibe. This makes it an ideal choice for both classic kitchens and more modern countertops.
Its front panel incorporates an easy-to-navigate interface that is comprised of a compact LED screen and lit buttons in the form of illuminated icons. This ultra automated machine is less than 12 inches tall, making it easy to fit underneath your kitchen cupboards.
Brewing System
Because of the superior brewing method, the super automated espresso machine that you have at your disposal provides you with a premium bean-to-cup experience. It comes equipped with a bean hopper that can hold up to 8 ounces of coffee beans and a flat ceramic burr grinder that keeps more of the coffee beans’ fragrance and flavor intact than other types of grinders. Despite this, it does make a fair amount of noise when in use. Because it has a bypass doser, it also allows you to put in your preferred pre-ground coffee in scoop form.
Whether you prefer an espresso or a milk-based frothy drink in the morning, making your coffee will be quick and easy thanks to the efficient stainless steel boiler and the rapid steam technology that is behind the Pannarello steam wand (which heats up in under ten seconds).
It produces a superb espresso with the characteristic layer of crema by brewing at a pressure of 15 bars, which is far higher than the minimum specifications established by the industry for espresso brewing.
The height of the adjustable spout can accommodate cups or glasses with a diameter ranging from 3.1 to 4.5 inches. Both the dregs drawer and the water reservoir, which has a capacity of 41 ounces and can be removed, are situated at the front and are simple to access. This energy-saving device enters standby mode after one hour of inactivity, further reducing its overall energy consumption.
Coffee’s Quality and Versatility
The Gaggia Brera is, in our experience, one of the most adaptable automatic bean-to-cup machines, and it is only surpassed in this regard by manual espresso makers. The Brera gives you the ability to alter the taste of your espresso, while the Panarello wand gives you control over the texture of your milk beverages, such as cappuccinos and lattes.
In terms of the degree to which it can be personalized, you have the option of selecting one of five distinct grind sizes for the coffee that is stored in the bean hopper. You have the option of selecting between three different brew intensities (light, medium, or strong) with the Optiaroma feature, and you can also adjust the amount of coffee that is dispensed by pressing the bean-shaped symbols. When you’ve settled on the ideal espresso formula, the machine will save it in its memory and allow you to reproduce it whenever you want by using the Memo function.
You can tell that Gaggia invested a lot of care and precision into creating a machine that is capable of delivering high-quality espressos by looking at the pre-infusion cycle that lets the ground coffee de-gas before brewing (3), the option for a double shot that is ground separately to ensure freshness, and the perfect layer of crema. Your sense of taste won’t be let down in the least.
Cleaning and Maintenance
In most cases, the cleaning procedure of a machine will expose itself to be a living hell if it appears to be too good to be true. On the other hand, this is not the situation with the Gaggia Brera. All of the components that should be maintained on a routine basis by emptying, refilling, or washing are in the front, where they are easily accessible. Because the dregs drawer has the capacity to hold the remnants of up to eight brewing cycles’ worth of coffee, you won’t need to bother about emptying it for at least a whole week.
The Gaggia Brera is penalized since the automatic rinse cycle takes some getting used to (always have a mug ready to catch the water when you switch the machine on or off!). The Gaggia Brera is not as good as the Nespresso VertuoLine. It also indicates that the water tank will need to be refilled rather frequently.
This espresso machine cannot be descaled automatically like other fully automatic models, so you will need to do it by hand. Nevertheless, it will let you know when it’s time to do so. Despite this, the upkeep of this equipment is really simple and uncomplicated. Even though it does not come with a water filter, the tank is designed to accommodate the Intenza water filter, which is what we recommend using (in addition to using pre-filtered water) to prevent limescale buildup and ensure that your espresso has the greatest possible flavor.
Value for the Money
We believe that this highly automatic machine offers an exceptional level of value for the price, particularly when contrasted with more expensive versions that provide a lower level of functionality (e.g., no steam wand). However, it is important to keep in mind that this is not merely a simple espresso machine, thus the cost should be viewed as an investment rather than a simple financial burden. It comes equipped with a ceramic burr grinder, and it enables you to prepare a variety of beverages made with coffee, such as americanos, cappuccinos, and lattes.
Because it is solid and well-built, this machine will continue to provide you with wonderful coffee for many years to come. You are protected by the limited 1-year warranty offered by Gaggia in the event that something goes wrong with it within the first year after the date of purchase.
Think about the amount of cash you’ll save if you don’t have to make a daily trip to a coffee shop in order to indulge in a delectable cup of joe. In addition, if you consume more than one cup of coffee each day, you will obtain your money’s worth in a period of time that is far shorter than one year. If the thought of that excites you, then you should go out and purchase a Gaggia Brera as soon as possible.
Do Not Purchase the Gaggia Brera If You Have…
You want to fine-tune your machine so that you can pull off that ideal shot. The DeLonghi Magnifica gives you precise control over your espresso by allowing you to alter the shot’s volume as well as its level of intensity. In addition to that, it features an integrated burr grinder and comes with a steam wand designed in the form of a Panarello. The main feature of this device is its two boilers, which allow you to make coffee and steam milk simultaneously, saving you time and eliminating the need to wait. This post has further information about the DeLonghi Magnifica that you can read.
You don’t like drinks that are frothy or milky, do you? You don’t like drinks that are frothy or milky, do you? Or maybe you are, but you don’t need a milk frother because you already possess one. Buying a device that has a steam wand would be pointless in such case. Take a look at the Jura ena micro 1 system. This Jura machine is surprisingly compact for the quality of espresso, ristretto, and americano it produces. Even more surprising to us was how quickly it brewed a single serving of espresso.
You want to make excellent espresso at home with the push of a button If you want to make excellent espresso at home with the push of a button, take a look at the Gaggia Anima Prestige, the Kalerm KLM 1601, or the Breville Oracle. Each of these models has the ability to make espresso with the push of a button. Although these machines are somewhat pricey, we discovered that they produce excellent espresso and provide a large number of possibilities for personalization.
You want an espresso machine of a better caliber – Therefore, you want an espresso machine of a higher caliber, and you want a machine that is built in Italy, where the espresso quality is held to a very high standard. If this is the case, then you should look into purchasing either the Rancilio Silvia or the Nuova Simonelli Oscar. If, on the other hand, you are looking for a high-end automatic espresso machine, the Jura Giga W3 Professional should be one of your top choices.
Final Verdict
The Gaggia Brera is the ideal super-automatic coffee maker for every person who enjoys drinking coffee because it enables the brewing of espresso, Americano, and foamy drinks that are based on milk. If you have a soft spot for espresso, but you also appreciate milk-based coffee drinks, then we think you’ll adore this machine. It has everything you need in one convenient package.
