Release remaining steam through steam wand purge water through steam arm by pressing the coffee button while the steam wand is still open. Then close steam knob and run water through brew head. The machine will begin to grind, and then brew-when the brew gets to just about the level you are looking for in your cup, press the same button (in this case, the small button), but do not hold it, to stop the brewing process. The icon will blink for another moment, and then it will save your new setting.

With a stainless steel front panel, the Brera is an attractive appliance that wouldn’t look out of place in a professional environment. It’s not made entirely of steel, however, with plastic sides and primary control knob. While it’s a shame that these parts let down the quality feel of the rest of the machine, they aren’t a major problem and it still looks great on a kitchen work-surface. What really made a difference was reducing the shot volume to around 1.5 ounces (44 milliliters), seeing as the Brera uses around 10 grams of coffee for a full-strength ristretto. By the end of my testing, I was enjoying surprisingly great espresso with good crema and sufficient complexity. Gaggia Brera Cleaning Allowing you to brew espresso, americano, and milk-based frothy drinks, the Gaggia Brera is the perfect super-automatic coffee maker for any coffee lover. If you have a soft spot for espresso, but also enjoy milk-based coffee drinks, we think you’ll love this machine.To be honest, I felt like any grind adjustments I made had very little effect on the outcome; my shots were just about the same when I adjusted the grinder to its finest setting.

Between programmable cup sizes for espresso and lungo shots, three brew strengths and five grind sizes, there’s plenty of room to tinker with preferences. Once you’ve targeted your favorite espresso combination, the machine will remember it for next time. The Gaggia Brera is a quirky appliance made by what many consider to be the original coffee machine brand. It features an attractive stainless steel front panel, several coffee customisation options and a ceramic burr grinder – all for a reasonable price tag. But does it live up to the “on paper” specification? And does it provide value for money? That’s what we aim to uncover in this review. Of course, if you want to use that steam wand to make milk based espresso drinks, you’ll need to pair it with a stainless steel milk pitcher. Gaggia seems to have forgotten about milk pitchers, but I haven’t! Specialty Drinks Included Accessories: Descaling solution, cleaning brush, water filter, measuring spoon. TrueBrew Over Ice technology.

Why You Should Get It

Press and hold the button you wish to program (in this case, the small button), until the cup icon blinks on the screen-release the button.

The Gaggia Brera, although a relatively simple machine is very customizable when it comes to your beverage options. By adjusting grind size, aroma strength and liquid volume, you can achieve a beverage that is custom tailored to your liking. In general, we recommend a fine grind setting, a liquid volume between 1 ounce and 1 and a quarter ounce, and an aroma strength setting of 3 beans for espresso, and for a long coffee we recommend a medium to coarse grind setting, a liquid volume between 3 ounces and 4 ounces, and an aroma strength setting of 3 beans. The video on the right will show how to make these adjustments to ensure you are getting the most out of your Gaggia Brera. This is part of the magic of bean to cup machines. Though you may sacrifice a little of the quality – and a lot of the theater – found with a barista espresso maker, they are just far too easy to not love.Also, to get to the bean hopper with the Brera, you take off and fully remove the lid, whereas with the Magnifica you need to open the hinged lid, which requires another 10cm or so of space.