I've had a Gaggia Classic for about two years. It has three mods: 1) Silvia steam wand, 2) OPV adjusted to the 9-10 bar range, and 3) PID. My grinder is a Pharos. I can get good (to me) shots with Red Bird Espresso and Klatch Belle. I have trouble getting good shots with anything lighter. Novo Espresso Novo (about medium...not too light) is supposed to have a caramel, blueberry, and bananas profile. Dialing in the shot, best I can get is caramel, no fruit. Lighter roasts -- like Red Rooster Flight Espresso -- I can't really dial in to anything like what the tasting notes say.

Question: is it me, or has this machine taken me as far as I can go?

Is your espresso consistent? What baskets do you use? Do you weigh your dose and the espresso output? Can you make changes that resulted in taste change you expected (like raising the temperature until you taste the bitterness or lowering the temperature until you taste the sourness)?

Yes to consistency. I use Espresso Parts HQ ridgeless baskets. Always weigh dose and output. Yes I can and do make changes depending on the bean. For example, I run Klatch Belle 2 degrees higher than Red Bird, and with a slightly higher dose. So...I'm pretty methodical on dose, grind, and temp by bean, but finding limits to what I can get from some beans, particularly for roasts lighter than Red Bird.

Well, we'll need to wait for a better barista to comment. I am in the same place you are but since I create shots I like it has not been a problem.

I can say that I have extensively used a machine similar to yours, an E61 DB, a commercial spring lever group. While they are somewhat different I find the beans make the biggest difference in taste. I do take care to find blends that produce espresso I prefer.

Pequod wrote:Yes to consistency. I use Espresso Parts HQ ridgeless baskets. Always weigh dose and output. Yes I can and do make changes depending on the bean. For example, I run Klatch Belle 2 degrees higher than Red Bird, and with a slightly higher dose. So...I'm pretty methodical on dose, grind, and temp by bean, but finding limits to what I can get from some beans, particularly for roasts lighter than Red Bird.

Pequod- What differences do you find with the ridgeless basket vs the stock basket? Do you feel it is as good as the more expensive baskets


To the OP... One more mod you might also consider is swapping out the shower screen. I too have the same mods as you, plus the screen. I put the screen in before the wand or PID and it made a significant difference in the taste. https://www.espressoparts.com/55-mm-pre ... een-gaggia.

And I agree with Pequod about weighing beans in and out for consistency. Without being able to get repeatable results its a lot like trying to measure jello with a slinky.

Hi Jeff - I have a similar setup as you do. I am almost exclusively roasting Dry Ethiopians to city+ and I can get very nice fruit/floral so I suspect you should also be able to do so on your machine. I set my OPV to 9 with no flow so my actual brew pressure is likely about 8. You may need to adjust your PID to a bit hotter for lighter roasts. It took a long time for me to find the right PID setting on my machine. Also, be aware that the screen on the classic sits very low in the basket relative to most machines, so checking to see if your dose has some headroom may be helpful. I do have the IMS screen. I've had several more expensive machines in the past but have not really found the classic to be all that inferior.
regards, Rich

I bought a Classic as my 1st machine, I did the steam wand and OPV mods. I used it for a year and thanks to this forum learned how to make excellent espresso using my modified Rocky grinder. The Classic is a great machine for the money just on a smaller scale. I settled on 13.5 to 14.5g dose for best results.

I got upgradeitis and bought a ECM Classica PID and a Sette grinder. The Classica is just a bigger more robust single boiler just like the Classic.
The 13-15g dose wasn't working so I am now at 17-18g dose with great results. I like the new setup but would still be happy with the old one.
The workflow is much easier with the Sette grinder. I almost never steam but the Classica is a steaming monster. The only real drawback to the Classic in my opinion is steam volume.

Vindibona1 wrote:Pequod- What differences do you find with the ridgeless basket vs the stock basket? Do you feel it is as good as the more expensive baskets

To the OP... One more mod you might also consider is swapping out the shower screen. I too have the same mods as you, plus the screen. I put the screen in before the wand or PID and it made a significant difference in the taste. https://www.espressoparts.com/55-mm-pre ... een-gaggia.

And I agree with Pequod about weighing beans in and out for consistency. Without being able to get repeatable results its a lot like trying to measure jello with a slinky.

Honestly, I haven't used the stock baskets in so long I couldn't tell you if there's a difference in the cup. Haven't tried a more expensive basket like the VST, so couldn't answer that one either. You have me curious, though, so temped to pull back to back shots with the stock and HQ.

Hadn't considered the shower screen. That's a cheap mod, so will give that a go. Thanks for the suggestion.

AZRich wrote:Hi Jeff - I have a similar setup as you do. I am almost exclusively roasting Dry Ethiopians to city+ and I can get very nice fruit/floral so I suspect you should also be able to do so on your machine. I set my OPV to 9 with no flow so my actual brew pressure is likely about 8. You may need to adjust your PID to a bit hotter for lighter roasts. It took a long time for me to find the right PID setting on my machine. Also, be aware that the screen on the classic sits very low in the basket relative to most machines, so checking to see if your dose has some headroom may be helpful. I do have the IMS screen. I've had several more expensive machines in the past but have not really found the classic to be all that inferior.
regards, Rich

You might be right about the higher temp on the PID. I had been running Espresso Novo at two degrees above Red Bird, but pulled a nasty, sour sink shot today at that temp. I'll try incrementally bumping it up.

Good suggestion on the shower screen clearance. A nickel test is in order. Thanks!

Hi,

I was a Gaggia Classic user for many, many years. Yes to the OPV adjustment (built a pressure gauged portafilter), Yes to PID temp control. I was making epressos with home roasted beans and using a Preciso grinder at the time. IMHO, there is a limit to how far it will take you. I upgraded 18 months ago to a Pavoni lever. My espresso took a step up with the Pavoni. There's more 'art' to the Pavoni, especially with temps on a 2nd gen machine. But it, or other, espresso machines can take your espresso further up the ladder in quality where the Gaggia just can't go.

my 2¢