Gaggia Achille - Page 6

#51: Post by **whodat** » February 17th, 2006, 6:25 pm

"Although it may seem to be nothing more than the average lever machine with an exceptionally handsome exterior, a closer look reveals that it's actually a high-powered overachiever that just happens to look like a million bucks. "

And just happens to cost, like, 1,300 bucks.

#52: Post by **hperry** » February 17th, 2006, 6:40 pm

If it doesn't have anything to distinguish if from a Pavoni or a Micro Casa a leva then it's too much. If it has better temperature control and the ability to refill without shutting it down, maybe there's a reason to position it between the high end of Pavoni/Microcasa. and the Olympia at $2,300. Ultimately, the market will see the value, push toward a lower price, or it will disappear.

#53: Post by **whodat** » February 18th, 2006, 3:15 pm

On paper it looks like it has all those features.
It certainly looks like a more capable machine than the La Pavonis or Elektra. Those machines seem to run in the <$800-<$950 range if you don't start gussying them up with brass. I would expect to pay a bit more for the Achille.
If you look at European (continental & UK) prices for the Achille & convert to $, you get prices ranging from $750-1080 (most in the $800-900 range) on a casual survey. I will grant you that mods to make it run on 110V may account for some of the difference, and shipping & duties might also jack up the price somewhat, but it still seems that a hefty chunk is being tacked on in the US.
I don't know if this is due to the novelty & the vendors' expectation of pent up demand, or whether there's just a lot more competition among sellers in Europe (since only a couple of sources seem to have it in the US).

#54: Post by **chrispis** » March 1st, 2006, 9:50 am

whodat wrote:"Although it may seem to be nothing more than the average lever machine with an exceptionally handsome exterior, a closer look reveals that it's actually a high-powered overachiever that just happens to look like a million bucks. "

And just happens to cost, like, 1,300 bucks.

Hi guys,

I'm very new to HB and just about to receive my own Achille any day now. I'm sure I'll need your lights in the process. I am a caffe lover but just a newbie otherwise. I was acquainted with espresso back in 1981 in Calabria, bought my first stove-top macchinetta in Napoli and have been enjoying cappuccinos and espressos regularly ever since. Used a small Krups for a few years and finally decided to start making my own stuff with a manual machine. The Achille was a love at first sight.

I bought the Achille from an italian website I discovered by googling around and their prices seem much more reasonable than what you get in the US.

A new Achille is at 715.51 USD plus 50 euro (~60 USD) for UPS shipping:
http://www.italiankitchenaids.com/prodd ... p?prod=H-G

I actually bought a demo unit, which they also offer (i.e. units used at some trade show) for 560 euro with free shipping in the EU. The US price is 657.94 USD plus shipping:
http://www.italiankitchenaids.com/prodd ... _Demo_Unit

I hope the demo unit was used enough to have the loose screws tightened because I really hate messy stuff like this in new equipment. In any case, the Gaggia distributor in Greece is only minutes from where I live

Cheers,

-Christos
Thessaloniki, Greece

PS: The sales rep's english at http://www.italiankitchenaids.com was totally italiano but they were responsive once tickled.

#55: Post by **cannonfodder** » March 1st, 2006, 1:28 pm

For $1300 I would get a Micro Casa which is still the best looking machine on the market IMHO.

#56: Post by **lsjms** » March 17th, 2010, 7:00 am

Anyone still using an Achille on a regular basis apart from me? I really wonder what has happened to all the machines after the issues. Are there many still in use, is there an Achille graveyard somewhere that I cannot locate?

Was there ever a source found for G #16 and a sight glass? Doug and Barb have many parts for this but not those.

Anyone?
Anyone?

#57: Post by **Carneiro** » April 11th, 2011, 8:56 pm

Hey, Lawrence.

Any luck on the Achille sight glass? I've got one used from Italy, but the glass broke on the trip to Brazil...

Márcio.

#58: Post by **Sherman** » April 12th, 2011, 12:37 am

I have an Achille on loan from Pipeguy, who happens to have knowledge of a suitable replacement tubing, but you'll have to cut it to size on your own. Maybe he'll chime in here.

#59: Post by **Carneiro** » April 12th, 2011, 10:00 am

Hi!

I found a company here in São Paulo that works with level sights. They have a catalog on glass tubes and they have 8mm x 1.5mm tubes, so I just have to tell them the length to cut it! I know is something very close to 154mm, but I'll make sure this afternoon and order 2 tubes. The price is around 10 USD.

Márcio.

#60: Post by **Carneiro** » April 13th, 2011, 6:57 am

Just to add some info to Achille owners and future owners (as they are on sale around!). WLL has the sight glass tube, and probably more parts too.

I don't think I can say much more about the machine, as Dave's review is fantastic, but I managed to clean it and try some pulls, what a nice machice!

I was having some trouble to pull the water from the tank, then I realised the little plastic ball and silicon tube with the metal ring was backwards (the ball was at the tank side and it was stucked to the plastic output). I reassembled it the way the diagram shows and now it's working!

Just have to review the boiler pressure, it's at 1.3 bar (the pstat is cycling nicely with a 0.1 bar deadband) and I think it's way too hot - I will measure the group head temp with a borrowed Scace.

One question to users: this machine is from 2007, and I see some (just little) rust around the welded joints (boiler middle and sight glass threads). I hope there is nothing bad inside, but I was wondering if I should put something around it to avoid more oxidation.

Marcio.