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Versatility was the was the word of the day when the folks at Gaggia brewed this machine up. The Gaggia Accademia is capable of almost everything you put in front of it. Do you want a long pull of decaf with just a bit of steamed milk [1] in your cup? The Accademia has you covered. Do you want a rich latte in your extra-large cup with a double shot of espresso?
Again, it’s got you covered. You want a half-caf cappuccino you steamed yourself? Well, you get the picture. No matter if you’re using this powerhouse of a unit at home, at work, or in a small restaurant, the Accademia will cater to every drink request.
Gaggia Accademia
- This is a two-boiler system, meaning no waiting for water to heat
- Only as user intensive as you want it to be
- Access the inside from the top or the bottom
- Grinder bypass for pre-ground such as decaf
- A removable brew group and milk carafe makes cleaning quick and easy.
- Ceramic grinder preserves bean freshness, and grinds between 7 to 10.5 gram doses
- When things start to get messy – it alerts when the drip tray and dreg drawer are full
If you’re an espresso drinking maniac or looking for a low-maintenance, high-use machine to place in an office with a heavy coffee drinking traffic pattern, then this device is ideal.
The Accademia Super Automatic, made by world renown revolutionaries in the business, can produce a long list of drinks with just the touch of a couple of buttons.
Or, if you want to get into the weeds of espresso making, you can program your exact specifications, and steam the milk yourself.
If you’re looking for the versatility the Accademia offers, then this model is worth the money.
Detailed Review And Breakdown
Features
The Accademia has two boilers, yes two! Why is this important? Two boilers mean no more waiting, tapping your fingers while the single boiler gets hot enough to steam the milk after pulling a shot.
The fully programmable LCD is not just for looks. For you monogamists devoted to one drink and one drink only, you can have exactly what you want every day with just one push of a button.
Not comfortable with the thought of having to steam milk yourself? It has a removable milk carafe that goes from fridge to the automatic steamer in a heartbeat, then goes right to work steaming your milk for you.
Do we have any coffee romantics in the room tonight? If you’ve fallen in love with the art of latte making, the Accademia has included a manual steam wand separate from the fully automatic steamer just for you.
Specifications
- Ceramic grinder with eight grind settings
- Top and front access to the inside of the machine
- Bypass Doser for pre-ground coffee
- Comes with a Mavea Intenza water filter
- Self-cleaning milk steamer
- Two-year limited warranty on parts and labor
Ease Of Use And Reliability
Just about anyone can use the Gaggia Accademia from young to old, coffee novice to expert, picky drinkers to just a plain old “cup of joe” types. The Accademia is happy to let you be as much a part of the process as you want to be.
With a built-in bean grinder and milk frothing unit, this Gaggia model will grind your beans, dose your espresso, pull the shot, steam your milk and pour it into your cup in just a few brief moments.
The LCD screen is pretty intuitive, allowing you to quickly adjust the type of drink you wish to have. You can tweak the grind level, the dosing amount, and the amount of milk.
And there is icing on this cake. Gaggias have a long, solid reputation for quality engineering, design, and reliability. And, its name is backed up by a two-year warranty.
However, the water reservoir capacity is puny at only 54 ounces – small for high traffic use. Also, it DOES NOT like really dark or flavored beans. The oily coating gunks up the grinding mechanism.
Cost
Compared to other super automatics in this category, it is going to cost you a bit. While it easily slides past the $1,000 price point, it does not disappoint in providing high-quality drinks with the absolute minimum of user input. And if you’re looking for a machine that will stand up to a near-abusive amount of use, this workhorse will not disappoint.
Our Opinion
Gaggia Accademia
We say… YES. If you need a machine that can stand up to a lot of traffic, while offering a variety of drink choices, and providing the versatility to accommodate a spectrum of users from coffee novices to aficionados, then the Gaggia Accademia is a superb choice.
The Gaggia Accademia will be as manual as you like, with a bypass doser for ground coffee and an independent steam wand for manual steaming.
Or, it can be as automatic as you wish to start with grinding the beans on its own from the hopper, pulling the espresso, and frothing the milk.
While its reservoirs require frequent dumping and filling, and the less than piping hot temperatures may not satisfy pickier drinkers; the espresso quality is top notch, and the ability to choose from seven different basic drinks is pretty impressive.
Its heftier price means it’s best suited for those who truly need a versatile machine capable of pleasing a variety of coffee consumers.
Other Options Worth Looking At
Just Starting Out… If you’re just looking to start in the world of espresso making, and you want a high-quality machine with a great reputation, look at the Gaggia Brera. This device requires more input on the user end, but it is very powerful and reliable.
No Need For an Extra Wand… If you love the fully automatic part without the manual options like the external steaming wand, then we recommend the Gaggia Velasca Prestige. It’ll save you some money, but still, give you all the automatic features you’re looking for.