Add to Chrome
Add to Edge
Add to Firefox
Add to Opera
Add to Brave
Add to SafariWhen comparing Breville Barista Express vs Gaggia Classic, the Slant community recommends Breville Barista Express for most people. In the question“What are the best home espresso machines?” Breville Barista Express is ranked 1st while Gaggia Classic is ranked 2nd. The most important reason people chose Breville Barista Express is:
There is no need to buy a separate grinder with this espresso machine. It comes with a built in conical burr grinder that allows users to process fresh coffee beans, and can result in delicious homemade espresso.
Specs
Question Ranking
Pros
Pro Has its own conical burr grinder
There is no need to buy a separate grinder with this espresso machine. It comes with a built in conical burr grinder that allows users to process fresh coffee beans, and can result in delicious homemade espresso.
Pro Good entry-level machine for espresso enthusiasts
Breville Barista Express is easy enough for day-to-day use by the layperson, and the manual controls will come in handy for aspiring baristas or those looking to level up their brewing skills.
Pro Great balance between ease-of-use and control
This espresso machine is easy to use and configure. It comes with preset settings that can make espresso without much fiddling. You can make a delicious shot of espresso with minimal effort — adjusting the grind settings for the type of beans you're using is sufficient for most people, and if that's not enough, there are manual overrides that you can experiment with.
Pro Consistent espresso shots
You can dial the desired settings in for the type of beans you're using and get consistent shots of espresso every time, and you only have to do this once every time you change beans.
Pro Great coffee quality
This machine can make great coffee, even without specialised barista knowledge. With some practice, you can pull espresso shots on par or even better than cafes.
Pro Outstanding textured milk
Outstanding results stretching the milk even with soy/almond/coconut. The steam runs a little slower than a full boiler so beginners get a bit more time to get the milk just right.
Pro Excellent customer support
I had troubles out of the box getting enough pressure, phoned support and they worked out it was my beans that were 3mths old.
Pro Heats up in 1 minute
Unlike boiler machines which take 20 mins. Has 2 heat blocks, one for the espresso and one for the milk.
Pro Great starter machine for exploring the world of coffee
This machine is great if you're looking to get your feet wet in coffees. It's powerful enough that with a decent grinder (which has to be purchased separately), it can pull espresso shots on the same level as most cafes. With more time and practice, you'll be able to do better. It's also modular enough for tinkerers to experiment with, and the fact that it doesn't come with a grinder means you can change things up without buying a whole new espresso machine.
Pro Easy to clean and maintain
Maintaining the Gaggia Classic isn't difficult thanks to its modularity. It can be cleaned partially or fully disassembled for thorough cleaning, and the parts can be replaced, which makes repairing it a breeze.
Pro Sturdy coffee head professional size 58mm.
Pro Fast ready temperature
Pro Great coffee quality
This machine can make great coffee, even without specialised barista knowledge. With some practice, you can pull espresso shots on par or even better than cafes.
Pro Powerful and value for money
The Gaggia Classic is hard to beat at <$400 for an espresso machine of its caliber.
Pro Sturdy build
Gaggia products have a reputation for being well-built and easy to maintain. This machine can last for a long time if taken care of properly.
Cons
Con Can be hard to repair or upgrade
Breville Barista Express is an all-in-one machine that comes with its own grinder. This makes it hard to just buy another grinder if you're looking to upgrade it, and also means that you have to replace the entire unit if anything happens to it.
Con Operating it requires more effort and know-how
For novices, this machine can be rather inconvenient and hard to use at first. You need some knowledge of espressos to utilize the Gaggia Classic to its full potential.
Con Frothing wand is unreliable
The Pannarello wand on the Gaggia Classic can be unreliable for steaming milk. It is not as powerful as other steam wands and requires a little practice to get right. The attachment is made of plastic, instead of the more common stainless steel found in other wands.
Con Space between the portafilter and drip tray is quite small
The space between the portafilter and drip tray is designed to hold small coffee mugs or shot glasses. It might not be able to fit a standard-sized mug without removing the drip tray.
