Gaggia MM Coffee Grinder

The vibe:
Would look great next to the white Gaggia Espresso - its got that same Star Wars Storm-Trooper look.

Value:
Probably not the best grinder on the market, but to get a similar product from another manufacturer would cost you twice the price.

Noise:
The grinder can be a bit noisy - but for the price, why not sacrifice a bit of luxury and just drape a towel over it to muffle the sound.

The motor:
Because of the lack of gearing, the ground-coffee exits the grinder hot, and highly charged with static. It then sticks to the sides of the transparent plastic hopper, and is a bit of a pain to extract and really, just a bit messy.

Operation:
The only thing that is annoying is the push switch - when you're in a rush, 30 seconds pushing that switch, can seem like an eternity.

Doser:
For the price, you wouldn't really expect to get a doser, and indeed you don't get one with the MM. Even the (recommendable) upgrade to the Gaggia MDF yields only a merely-satisfactory doser.

Grind consistency:
The MM is not really able to produce a fine enough espresso-grind, but is good enough for coarser-grind types of coffees such as french press, filter etc.

Tips:
Disassembling the grinder to give it a good cleaning, is a must do! Within the grinder the buildup of coffee dust becomes pretty severe.  Taking the machine apart one can also readjust it to bring the burrs closer together - permitting a finer-grind.

Summary:
For anyone looking for their first grinder the Gaggia MM is great value for money, however, if your main interest is in espressos - then it's not so good, and you should definitely upgrade to the Gaggia MDF.

Gaggia MDF Coffee Grinder

The vibe:
The Gaggia MDF Coffee Grinder is a commercial-grade burr-grinder. It is a step-up from the MM yet still represents great value.

Operation:
It has automatic coffee-dosing which allows a pre-measured amount of ground-coffee to drop directly into the filter-holder. Pull the lever once for one cup espresso, or twice for two cups.

The hopper:
The large hopper holds 10 ounces of coffee beans (and these are lovingly preserved by a tight fitting lid).


The housing:
The MDF is made of impact-resistant plastic to help reduce noise and increase durability. It is available in black or white.

Motor:
The 120 watt motor on the MDF is connected to the grinding burrs through a gear reduction system. This gives the grinder more than enough torque to handle any high-volume home use.

Burr quality:
Like most other grinders in this price-range the MDF has commercial-quality grinding-burrs that will last for years. Precision-machined grinding-burrs can be easily adjusted for 34 different degrees of fineness (!) - fine enough for any espresso machine and coarse enough for any drip-coffee or french pres.

Grind consistency:

Great grind quality, very consistent - even with espresso-grind

Grind speed:
When it comes to grinding, the MDF is definitely a little slow for the requirements of the more impatient coffee drinker. However, the slower speed does mean that the beans undergo less heating, and as the theory goes; reduces damage to the beans (and a subsequent burnt taste). Another added advantage of a slower grind speed is that it produces very little noise.

The doser:

Don't expect too much from the doser - it's not really consistent, but is definitely usable enough. 

Stability:

No rubber feet mean the grinder can very easily slide about on a smooth surface.  However, this is easily solved with a rubber mat underneath.

Tips:
most grinders are tested at the manufacturer and coffee grounds may be already sitting in the grinder when you buy it new.

Summary:
Easy to use and perfect results are achieved each time. Definitely a better option from the Gaggia MM if you can afford a little bit extra

What makes Gaggia unique?

Unlike every other manufacturer in the lower-mid espresso machine price-range (eg the Gaggia Classic), Gaggia does not position their heating elements in direct contact with water. They are actually embedded into the sides of the boiler which prevents a major reason espresso machines are brought in for warranty repair - corroded heating element. This design has proved to be highly efficient by causing the entire boiler to become a heating element. A fast method that further supports temperature stability.

The Classic further distinguishes itself by sporting a three-way solenoid valve. This is a feature generally only found on commercial and 'prosumer' equipment. It’s main purpose is to relieve the pressure that develops during the brewing process. As you may have read, espresso is brewed best at 8 to 9 'bar' or 'atmospheres of pressure'. With a single bar being 14.7 lbs of pressure-per-square-inch you can calculate that espresso is brewed at 132 lbs per-square-inch. The three-way solenoid valve instantly relieves that pressure and diverts it to the drip tray. You may notice the chrome tube leading to the drip-tray in the larger image. The benefit of this is that the quick release of the pressure takes much of the water left over in the group and leaves a relatively dry coffee puck. Drier puck means less coffee grounds to clean.

Gaggia Super-Automatic vs Gaggia Semi-Automatic

Super-Automatic espresso machines are a one-stop wonder that does everything for you! Just put in your beans, then the machine tamps, pre-infuses and brews a perfect cup of coffee, and then (!) dispenses the used grinds into an internal dump box. All have built-in grinders and various levels of pre-programmable features. Plus no mess! However, the jury is still 'out' on whether all the bells and whistles justify the price increase relative to the taste of the product, but if you're interested in this machine (?) you already know that you're lazy and all you care about is getting your coffee of a consistant taste and most importantly; now! Of course, these machines aren't only for the lazy with too much money - they are actually really practical in an office situations where there are mixed skill/appreciation levels - if you're a 'corporate', more buttons and options means more professional, right?

Prices range: $0.00 - $20,595.00

 

Semi-Automatic espresso machines the more traditional ones you're used to seeing in your friends houses - they have a portafilter handle that you fill and lock into place. They accept ground-coffee or 'pods'  but... results can vary! It this variety of taste that makes the machines popular by those who love to control their own extraction and like a café-quality cup of espresso.

Just to add a little bit of confusion; Semi-automatics can also be sub-categorized into 'traditional' or 'automatics' (with the programmable cup size feature).

Prices Range: $0.00 - $6,495.00