Use the Optiaroma function to set the quantity of ground coffee used. It is possible to select among 3 different settings: light, medium, strong. Press the button; the new setting will be saved with the first espresso brewing. One feature we really like on the Gaggia is the standby mode. This automatically activates after an hour and uses less than 1W/hour, saving you money on your energy bills. The Brera will notify you when it needs to be descaled. There are some excellent YouTube videos for descaling the Brera, and we recommend following these to keep your machine in top condition. There are also instructions on how to use a brush to clean the brew head. Other Features If you have plenty of height free but you're struggling for depth in the area you want to put your coffee machine, then the Magnifica may work out better for you. Gaggia Brera Vs Magnifica 2: Looks. Always select high quality blends. Blends with Arabica are characterized by a higher acidity and a more aromatic flavor, while blends with more Robusta have a stronger taste.

The Brera uses ceramic burrs on all of their bean to cup machines, vs stainless steel burrs in the Magnifica. Gaggia state that this is because heat isn't conducted with ceramic burrs as is the case with steel burrs, but whether there is any noticeable difference in the cup I'm not sure, most commercial grinders use steel burrs.

What's in the Box

If you were wanting to compare the Brera to one of the ECAM one touch machines, I don't think that's a fair comparison. If you were wanting a one touch bean to cup coffee machine such as De'Longhi Eletta ECAM 44.660, you'd really need to compare this to one of Gaggia's one touch machines such as the Anima Prestige, or Accademia. With the Gaggia Brera, it's very simple. You press the bean strength button to toggle through the three strength settings, 1: 7g, 2: 9g, and 3: 11g. To set the volume, you press and hold the espresso or lungo button. Unlike other super automatic espresso machines, you have to descale this machine manually. Although, it does warn you when it’s time to. Still, maintaining this machine is very practical and easy. While it doesn’t come with one, the Intenza water filter will fit in the tank, which we recommend (or using pre-filtered water) to minimize limescale buildup and ensure you get the best-tasting espresso. ( 4) Value For Money – 5/5 It’s not often that I can tag a machine as one of the best budget friendly super automatics and a great entry level super automatic. Yet, as my Gaggia Brera review proves, here we are! Make sure your filter baskets are cleaned thoroughly and degreased, especially if they are the double layered perfect crema baskets. You can identify them as they have lots of holes on the top layer and only one hole on the bottom layer]

Granted, you do have options like the Philips Carina. However, that runner-up doesn’t really float my boat.You also have plastic side panels. However, if you get the machine in silver, you might even be able to fool guests into thinking it’s all stainless steel! All our machine have some form of milk frothing feature, starting from a traditional frothing arm called ' Pannerello Frother'.This means that you can be a real barista and learn to steam and froth and texture the milk for a frothy cappuccino or a caffe latte or a flat white.​This is available on the following models : The compact Brera trades angled sides for rounded corners, which gives this machine a softer aesthetic.

Descaler : https://www.gaggiadirect.com/cleaning-products.html#!/Gaggia-Liquid-Descaler/p/15014701/category=5922063 I’m probably in the minority, but a machine that forces me to put in the elbow grease can be charming. Of course, if you want a machine that pulls out all the stops for specialty drinks, you’ll probably need to adjust your budget. Memo FunctionI dutifully left the grinder alone for a while and started making espresso with the factory-set length. However, I know from experience that if there are only three strength levels to choose from, having all three coffee beans lit up is the only way to go.