Evaluating Used Gaggia Espresso Machines

Historical background

Gaggia, the company, was founded in 1947 by Achille Gaggia. It

was Achille Gaggia’s patent #365726 in 1938 that was the genesis of the

modern pump action espresso machine design. Gaggia spread into the

consumer home market in 1977, with the introduction of the Gaggia Baby.

Still in production to this day, the Baby remains a favorite in Italy

and throughout the world.

With the introduction of the Baby, Gaggia had a winning combination of

engineering and aesthetic excellence. This winning combination has

carried through to this day. The internal parts have changed little

since the introduction of the Baby; consisting of an oscillating pump,

an aluminum and brass boiler, heating elements, brass brew groups, and

a commercial size portafilter [aluminum or chromed brass] with single

and double shot filter baskets. Some models have plastic exteriors,

some have painted steel, others use stainless steel, either brushed or

polished finish. Regardless of the finish Gaggia has a model that will

appeal to your sense of style and aesthetics.

Using a Gaggia espresso machine

Some models may have three-way solenoid valves and some have steam

valve knob on the top while others have them in front or on the sides,

but all Gaggia’s for home use operate in the same manner. Water from an

internal reservoir is delivered to the machine by a small but powerful

pump. This pump delivers more pressure than is needed for optimum

extraction of coffee from the grounds (9 bars or 130psi); this excess

pressure is regulated by a pressure relief valve which directs excess

volume back into the reservoir. The water from the pump is then

directed into the boiler where the temperature is raised to the correct

range - 195F to 209F.

When correct operating temperature is obtained the extraction process

may begin by activation of the brew switch. If the coffee has been

properly ground, dosed, and tamped the extraction will take 25 seconds

and deliver 1.5 ounces of espresso for a single shot or 3 ounces for a

double shot. The optimum extraction time will remain constant at 25

seconds regardless of how much coffee is in the filter. The resulting

shot will be thick, dark, and should have a lighter colored layer of

‘crema’ floating on top.

Hot water for tea or other hot drinks is available from the steam wand;

place a container under the steam wand, bring the machine to operating

temperature, open the steam valve, turn on the brew switch, and

draw off hot water as needed. To steam milk for lattes and other milk

drinks turn the machine on, turn off the brew switch, activate the

steam switch, and wait for correct temperature to be reached. When the

boiler is properly heated place an empty cup under the steam wand, open

the steam valve and draw off the water in the wand. When only steam is

present remove the empty cup and put the milk under the steam wand and

lower the tip of the wand just below the surface. Direct the flow of

steam so the milk rotates inside the cup like a whirlpool. As the milk

expands lower the container to keep the tip of the steam wand just

below the surface. Tips - Never fill the milk container more than half

full, use nonfat milk as it’ll stretch better when steamed, use an

instant read thermometer to insure proper heating of milk [160F].

Maintenance and repair details

Similar parts

As mentioned above not only do most Gaggia’s made for the home share the same

design, but except for a few small details they also share the same

parts. Since the Baby, all pumps, portafilters, filter baskets,

solenoid valves, thermostats, etc., are the same. This makes it very

convenient when it’s necessary to replace a malfunctioning part. The

only exception being, 1) the older model Coffee with the steam valve in

front has a clean out port tapped into the bottom of the boiler [it

isn't necessary and can be ignored if replacing the stock boiler with a

newer model]. 2) the aforementioned model of Coffee and the Baby models

use different style steam valves. Again if you replace the stock boiler

with a new model modifications will be necessary - fabricate a mounting

plate with holes drilled to accommodate both bolt patterns. Almost all

Coffee models and Classics share the same switch layout.

Exceptions to parts interchangeability

The only exception to the above paragraph is with machines that have

three-way solenoid valves. These valves relieve the pressure in the

brew group when the brew switch is turned off. This causes the water

left in the brew group to be diverted to the drip tray, resulting in a

drier ‘puck’ in the filter. This makes it faster and easier to dump the

used coffee and prepare for the next shot. There’s also considerable

less mess involved when one doesn’t have the soupy grounds found in the

majority of home espresso machine. The lower [brass] portion of the

boilers for solenoid equipped machines have outlet ports for the valves

and are not interchangeable with those without the valves.

Maintenance of machines

The Gaggia home machines will last indefinitely with minimal

maintenance. The primary cause of failure is using water laden with

minerals, said minerals causing a build up of scale in the boiler and

brew group. This is easily prevented with the use of filtered or

bottled water. To avoid the build up of scale, regardless of water type

used, follow a regular schedule of flushing the system with an acidic

solution to dissolve and wash away scale.

I recommend dissolving three

Tbsn citric acid in 1 quart warm water. Run this though your machine;

alternating between turning machine on and achieving brew temperature,

drawing off one cup of the solution, turning machine off, and after

waiting fifteen minutes repeating the above sequence of steps until all

of the solution has been drawn through the machine. Flush remaining

solution from reservoir and fill with fresh water. Draw the fresh water

through the machine, flushing out any residual acidic solution.

Evaluating used machines

The first rule of buying anything on eBay is to ask lots of questions

before

bidding. Let me repeat myself; The first rule of buying anything on

eBay is to ask LOTS of questions before bidding. Believe it or not,

unscrupulous sellers count on the gullibility of buyers

believing whatever someone tells them even if what they are saying

makes

no sense whatsoever. And don’t expect sellers to be knowledgeable about

espresso machines just because they are selling one. How often have I

seen a Gaggia described as a “Max”, when in fact Gaggia never made a

model “Max”. What the seller is referring to is the Max fill line on

the water reservoir! So if they can’t figure that one out don’t expect

them to know what a portafilter is, what it’s made of, or even if it’s

for a Gaggia at all.

Here are some of the things I would want to know about any espresso machine before I made a bid -

• Will the seller provide a 30 day warranty for machine? (Unusual but it never hurts to ask.)
• How old is the machine? (Of minor importance but it can be an indicator of potential maintenance problems.)
• Is the machine wired for American use, 120 volt, 60 Hz, or for European homes, 240 volt, 50 Hz?
• Does the machine ‘power up’ when connected to a wall outlet?
• Are any of the parts malfunctioning or not working at all?
• Are there any obvious leaks of water or steam?
• Has machine been descaled on a regular basis?
• Was tap water used to brew coffee with this machine?
• Are all OEM parts & accessories included with machine?
• Why is seller parting with this machine? (Bought another machine, Dr. banned coffee, bought it to resell, etc.)
• Are there any rust, chipped or missing paint, scratches, or any other flaws to the finish of the machine exterior?

All of these things are important when determining whether or not to

place a bid on a particular espresso machine. The machine you buy may

be ‘as-new’ or factory refurbished, in which case you’d be correct in

expecting it to work exactly like a new machine & you’d also be

correct in assuming it would be priced only a little lower than a new

one. On the other hand you might buy an ‘as-is, no warranty’ machine

& you should expect that it needs work to repair problems and are

also aware that once sold the seller is not responsible for any

problems that you didn’t ask about. If you’ve asked your questions

& waited patiently for answers before bidding, you’re ready to pit

your knowledge of espresso machine value against other bidders

similarly armed with such knowledge.

If you win a bid on the Gaggia you’ve had an eye on great. Now the work begins - Set the machine up but don’t plug it in yet.

• Remove the top cover of the machine (a handful of small screws) & set aside.
• Look at the bottom of the exposed enclosure. Is there rust or other signs of water or steam leaks?
• Look at the wiring. Does it have exposed wires? Does each wire terminate at a connection?
• Examine the hardware. Are there any obviously missing screws or nuts? Is anything broken?
• Does the tubing look intact, without obvious tears or ruptures?

If your cursory examination revealed any potential problems, STOP.

The first thing to do is contact the seller immediately & explain

your findings. Politely ask which the seller prefers, 1) that you to

return the item for a full refund (including S&H), 2) that the

needed parts be bought by the seller & be shipped to you for

installation, or 3) make a refund of a mutually agreeable amount to

compensate you for the expenses you’ll incur in bringing the machine to

a level compatible with the auction description. NOTE - It is

reasonable to expect the seller to stand by their sales. It is not

reasonable for them to enjoy it. Be patient, keep your emotions in

check, but be persistent. eBay & PayPal both have problem

resolution procedures that are in place to help you deal with such

situations. Use them & expect them to work.

Do you believe the seller intentionally misrepresented the item in the

auction description? If so contact eBay and/or PayPal & file an

“item not received or significantly different than described” claim

against the seller.

WARNING! Working with

electricity, steam, and very hot water, is dangerous. If you don’t

believe yourself to be qualified to make basic repairs don’t attempt it yourself, but find someone who is qualified to do so. If

you feel competent to work on the machine there are tests that can help

you determine what works & what doesn’t.

Water debit test of pump

1. With a cold machine, test pump output by checking output volume

   using the tube that connects the pump & boiler. It’s advisable to

   buy a two foot piece of tubing to make sure you don’t pump water over

   the electrics.

2. Switch pump on and measure the quantity of water in 15 seconds (It should be at least 65ml.) If not you have a bad pump.
3. Reconnect tube between pump & boiler. Test output volume again, this time at the portafilter (no filter basket).
4. If the test at the pump output was OK & the test at the

   portafilter fails there is a problem with the brew group. It could be

   calcified or it could have a faulty group valve (if equipped with one).

Is the boiler getting the water hot enough? Find out put this link

together - home . surewest.net/frcn/Coffee/HowToTempCheck.htm

With the above information in hand you’ll be able to determine if an

espresso machine for sale on eBay is worth bidding on. After you’ve won

the bid you’ll be able to determine if the machine delivered to you was

‘as-described’ in the auction description. And if the item is different

than you expected you’ll have some leverage in dealing with the seller

in making an adjustment.

Relative value of machines

The current retail price of new Gaggia’s range between $200 for the

Espresso model to $500 for the Classic. Since they all use the same

internal parts what makes one worth $300 more than the other? If you

can make good espresso with one you should be able to make good

espresso with any of them. Since they have the same internal parts and

produce the same quality of espresso one has to assume that the price

differential is due solely to aesthetic differences between the models.

And what makes a 10 year old Classic worth $250 while a reconditioned

new one sells for $400? Since they both have the same aesthetic

qualities there must be some expectations of a falling off in quality

as the machine gets older. But unless the boiler or brew group is

filled with scale or the pump is failing, both machines are capable of

pulling wonderful shots of espresso.

If the older machine has been poorly maintained the boiler may need to

be taken apart and the top aluminum section cleaned out manually or

replaced altogether. The replacement cost of the upper portion of the

boiler is approx. $50, and the cost of replacing a pump is approx. $50.

So, for $100 one can buy the parts that may need replacing in order to

bring an older machine up to par with a brand new machine.

So you decide, how much should a used or reconditioned Gaggia espresso maker cost?

Now use your new knowledge to look for Gaggia espresso machines on eBay.

Posted on April 26th, 2008 under home decor • RSS 2.0 feed • Leave a response, or trackback