Philips - Coffee (Pre-Solenoid Classic)

I’m in the same boat…my bambino plus has been amazing for past few years but I’m ready to upgrade. Problem I’m finding is that the midrange market ($500-1000) honestly doesn’t seem to bring much to the table compared to the bambino other than build quality. And am I really about to drop 1500 for temp control and other features I’m probably too amateur to take advantage of or notice? E.g., dual boiler would be sweet, but how much time are you really saving if you need to wait 35 minutes before you can pull a shot? Temp control — I’ve not once said “wow this shot would’ve really been better at 103.2” so idk how much id care. Agree though, maybe next year i will?? Maybe your situation is different, but I just want to pull nice shots and have solid steam power, which I think (IMO) can be accomplished with a bambino plus or a Gaggia CP. save your money. If you’re anything like me, I’m sure whatever you go with (expensive or not) will not be the last machine to sit on your countertop!

I have a 1996 Gaggia Coffee that I bought new at Costco before I really understood the whole espresso game and I quickly got frustrated with it and it went into storage. It is basically a Gaggia Classic minus the 3-way selinoid. It has a small spring loaded ball valve that stops back flow when the machine stops. I pulled it out of storage about 6 years ago and added a SOC PID and a Classic steam wand. I installed a high quality needle valve in line after the pump because the dimmer mod was not stable enough to control flow. I also wrapped the boiler in 1/4” copper tubing which did help stabilize temperature drop. I also installed a pressure gauge which I drilled and mounted on the front of the machine. I then fined tuned the PID with an aggressive auto tune using the needle valve to control the flow rate while tuning. I adjusted the temperature of the steam as high as possible blowing a couple thermal fuses in the process. It pulls consistent shots now. I drink all types of coffee but pour over and espresso the most. I have been roasting for the last 5 years. That’s a whole other story.

The GCP with the uncoated alum boiler is just 50 above that budget on WLL.

I say Gaggia and upgrade it .. you’ll probably get better results one it’s finely tuned

gaggia classic, if you wait you can pick a used one up on ebay for £150-£200 and they are amazing

The Gaggia Classics from Europe come with 11-12 bar springs. The OPV will release any excessive pressure, that's what they do. Hundreds of persons with modified Gaggia Classics (Gaggiuino, Gaggimate, Crematune) without any boiler longevity issues. The common issues I have seen have to do with aluminum boiler pitting due to frequent descaling and other issues, not a slightly increased pressure or temperature.

A study? I think you are taking it too seriously. While you await for studies, people are enjoying their mods. The boiler itself will not be affected by 12 bar pressure or the increased temperature. The gaskets / o-rings are made for high temps. Suppose that the gasket should last 5 years... Maybe replace it in 3 years if that makes you happy. In the meantime, enjoy the improvements! I have 2 machines (GC and E24) Gaggiuino modded and love the features and the results.

This one has a solenoid because the metallic pipe is there on the back-left of the drip tray. I think this one will have an adjustable OPV, but I may be wrong. That is the thing I would validate before buying, as I would be interested in modding it with Gaggiuino or Gaggimate and the OPV is needed. If it has the OPV and it is new, unused, I think this is a very good price. Edit: If you could get a picture of the sticker with the year and model of the machine, we could check. The sticker is usually on the bottom of the machine. There is a table here that shows which models are ready to mod or not for Gaggiuino. https://gaggiuino.github.io/#/?id=home

I understand it is basically a Gaggia Classic and can be modded without issue. Are you in a country with 220/240V? I also read that this machine is more prone to rusting, specially on the bottom, under the drip tray and water tank.

It is new. But take care when you use it. Take special attention to not leaving it wet, etc.

I powder coated my second hand GC before it got any rust. https://preview.redd.it/llejdej2nn8g1.jpeg?width=4284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2a6b4800a50f9f4c3e0265386e2ca67fecc23ff6

I personally love hand grinding and you can get a lot better bang for your buck as long as you don't mind putting in the work. There are a few combinations that would work for you and they are suggested over and over here: 1. Machine - either the Bambino/Bambino Pro or the Gaggia Classic. The Gaggia Classic can be modded if you really get into it. 2. Grinder - DF54 if you want electric and J-Ultra if you are willing to hand grind. With any two of these you can learn to make a great cup of espresso and/or espresso based drinks and hit your budget. Good luck.

In terms of the ability to pull a 'perfect' shot of espresso and steam milk with good texture, I'd say the base Rancilio Silvia with any good grinder is the mark.  I've owned a range of lower end machines and for example I wouldn't recommend the Gaggia Classic to anyone, despite it pulling a good shot in the right hands. I have disassembled the boilers on several and the corroded aluminium inside after 5 years is the stuff of nightmares. But I've also used a Slayer as a barista and it doesn't objectively pull a better shot than my current Silvia with home-installed PID.  There are some big quality of life upgrades available a tier or two above the base Silvia, like built in PID, dual boiler etc. But the Silvia has solid components, everything is replaceable, and it can produce a latte 100% as good as what I could produce on the Slayer. 

it won't matter what kind of equipment or beans you buy if you're not willing to put in the time. someone who has invested the time in practicing and understanding proper espresso brewing will make better coffee with a Gaggia classic and SK40 than someone who hasn't with a Slayer and EG1. classes are a great idea and I would put more $$$ into the grinder.

I am a long time GC/GCP owner. PID plus other mods. Its great. But out of the box its not terribly user friendly. I would recommend Bambino (Plus for solenoid) to any beginner who asked my opinion. I bought the bambino for a weekend place and have no regrets.