You are a coffee lover and are planning to buy a home coffee machine? But there are too many types of coffee machines that make you confused? Don’t worry, let me show you two coffee machines that are very suitable for beginners: Breville Infuser vs Gaggia Classic.
These two coffee machines share the features of the boiler, pump pressure and do not have the grinder at the same time. However, they seem to have some significantly different characteristics.
Considering all the factors, I realize Breville Infuser is perfect for beginners and intermediate baristas. This machine offers an automatic shutdown function, good tamper, especially a great control of temperature feature that makes an excellent shot of coffee.
Gaggia Classic, on the other hand, features a giant 72oz water capacity and a commercial size of the portafilter. These traits are an ideal option for offices, coffee shops, or large families.
Breville Infuser vs Gaggia Classic: Comparison Chart
Last update on 2023-03-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Breville Infuser vs Gaggia Classic: Differences
To briefly conclude, comparing Breville Infuser vs Gaggia Classic, in terms of convenience and ease of use, the Breville Infuser is the winner with a score of 3-1 due to its outstanding quality of the tamper, precise temperature control, and shut-off feature.
Tamper
The winner: Beville Infuser
Unlike the Gaggia Classic, the Breville Infuser has better tamper quality because it’s made of stainless steel. An Infuser comes with a magnetic tamper that consistently tamps the grounds to perfection. Moreover, it is a built-in tamper that snaps with a magnet. What’s a perfect feature for a forgetful person like me!
For The Gaggia Classic, you can no longer make this claim since its temper is made of plastic and is pretty light. When testing this machine, I found that if you use the provided tamper, there will probably be a few spots that are not tamped. In this way, your shot is likely to be bitter and lack cream.
Auto shut-off
The winner: Beville Infuser
With its auto shut-off feature and overall solid construction, Breville Infuser does not have the feel of a cheap coffee machine. It ensures the safety of the owner’s life and property because there are no concerns about burning or wastage.
Whereas, The Gaggia Classic is a completely manual experience. The short starts when you flip the switch and doesn’t stop until you turn it off. As such, you’ll have to pay more attention and alert so as to get the right shot time and volume, and also avoid damage.
Water reservation capacity
The winner: Gaggia Classic
For The Gaggia Classic, the water reservoir can be filled from the top of the machine. This has space for 72 ounces of liquid and also can be moved from the front of the machine if you need to.
The Breville Bambino comes with a smaller water tank at 61 ounces. Therefore, you will need to refill the tank more often. In addition, one thing I don’t like about the water tank of this machine is the top part of it. When you lift it, everything on tops of it like dust or dirt will dump into the water. That’s really terrible experience.
Temperature control
The winner: Beville Infuser
Just a few degrees difference in temperature, the coffee taste will change radically, from bitter to sour. So in this factor, the Infuser become the winner when offering a integrated PID and auto-purge system with more control, both in terms of flexibility and stability of the temperature.
On a regular basis, if you want a controllable PID, you have to jump up to the double boiler. Nevertheless, it’s amazing that there is still a PID that controls the temperature and keeps it more stable.
With the auto-purge feature, the water temperature will never be falt too low after brewing. Instead, it helps maintain the suitable temperature to be ready for the next shot right after you start the steam wand. Purging also guarantees that the espresso maker and steam wand remain clean and bullet-proof.
These features will not be available on Gaggia Classic. So it will be a difficult task for you to control the temperature to keep the right flavor of your coffee.
Breville Infuser vs Gaggia Classic: Similarities
No built-in grinder
Not only Breville Infuser but also Gaggia Classic does not have a built-in grinder. So you’ll need to either buy one separately or use pre-ground coffee.
But please note that after grinding, more surface area of the bean is exposed to oxygen, which causes the surface to lose flavor and makes pre-ground coffee more difficult to store. Therefore, if you like using fresh coffee beans, you can buy a separate high-quality grinder.
Single boiler
Both Breville Infuser and Gaggia Classic do not have a dual boiler, lined with stainless steel. Their boilers use the same pump for brewing and steaming.
For me, I would like the systems with a double boiler. But there usually aren’t available in entry-level machines. Having a double boiler allows you to steam milk and brew coffee at the same time. That reduces your wait time, so it is a matter of convenience.
Both Breville Infuser and Gaggia Classic offer little in that way of convenience, primarily in order to keep their prices low.
Pump pressure
Espresso may come out weak and under-extracted if your machines use pump pressure under 9 bars. That is the reason why 15 bars of pressure in both Breville Infuser and Gaggia Classic is a nice element.
Featuring a 15-bar pressure system, these machines ensure a consistent extraction to produce a rich and creamy espresso. During brewing, the coffee makers have a tendency to lose a bit of pressure, so 15 bars may give the machine enough range for an initial kick of 10-11 bars, from where to drop to 9-10 bars.
Quick Rundown Of Breville Infuser
- Note: 1)Too coarse a grind, too little coffee, or insufficiently tamping the grounds before brewing can all lead to inadequate pressure for a proper brew. 2)It is important to note that the amount of espresso extracted will vary depending on the grind size and amount and reprogramming may be needed when the size and amount are adjusted
- The Breville Infuser delivers optimal flavor in every cup creating third wave specialty coffee at home using the 4 keys formula, ensuring the right dose of beans, optimal water pressure, precise temperature control and microfoam milk for latte art
- VOLUMETRIC AND SHOT CONTROL: Control the volume of each pour at the touch of a button and choose 1 shot, 2 shot or manually control over how much espresso ends up in your cup for the perfect dose every time
- OPTIMAL WATER PRESSURE: Low pressure pre-infusion gradually increases pressure at the start and helps ensure all the flavors are drawn out evenly during the extraction for a balanced tasting cup
- PRECISE ESPRESSO EXTRACTION: Maximize flavor potential with low pressure pre-infusion, digital PID temperature control, adjustable in 4 ⁰F increments complete with pressure gauge that guides you to the right extraction every time
Last update on 2023-03-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Quick Rundown Of Gaggia Classic
- Rugged brushed stainless steel housing
- Commercial three-way solenoid valve
- Commercial-style 58mm chrome-plated brass portafilter and Brew Group
- Easy-to-use Turbo-Frother steam wand attachment
- Easy-to-use Turbo-Frother steam wand attachment
Last update on 2023-03-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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Final Verdict
In conclusion, The Breville Infuser features everything from a simple espresso machine to powerful brewers. It is an espresso machine specially designed for coffee lovers who need stability and control at the same time.
Meanwhile, The Gaggia Classic is a well-built appliance and is an ideal option for the great using demand.
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References:
- Espresso the Infuser: https://www.breville.com/us/en/products/espresso/bes840.html
- NEW CLASSIC: https://gaggia.com/manual-machines/new-classic/#
I am a passionate coffee drinker. Since I left my job as a barista a few years back in 2012, I’ve been sharing my expertise on coffee and buying the best coffee equipment online. That’s how Wild Boar Coffee came to life.
I write about everything coffee-related under the sun. Where to buy the freshest coffee beans from? How to test coffee beans based on texture, aroma, and acidity?
I know all this from scratch – all thanks to my years and years of experience as a barista. So I’ve gotten real up-close-and-personal with coffee beans and different brewing techniques.