Subj : Tired of espresso machines you have to micromanage for great resu To : All From : TechnologyDaily Date : Sat Nov 08 2025 15:45:10 Tired of espresso machines you have to micromanage for great results? I tested one that satisfies coffee snobs with minimal effort Date: Sat, 08 Nov 2025 15:30:00 +0000 Description: I tested the Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro, and its unlocked a whole new world of easy espresso and super-consistent cappuccino FULL STORY ======================================================================Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro: one-minute review The Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro is a manual espresso machine that allows you to channel your inner barista. Naturally wont get automatic bean grinding or one-touch drinks brewing; this is a machine designed for those who like to get hands-on when crafting their coffee. As espresso machines go, the E24 Evo Pro is a bit of a beast. This isnt going to slip discreetly among your kitchen appliances; it'll dominate your worktop and, honestly, Im not the biggest fan of its boxy, industrial design. On the flipside though, this bulky frame makes room for one of most capacious water tanks weve ever tested, at a whopping 2.2qt / 2.1 litres. One element of its design Im less forgiving of though is Gaggias stinginess when it comes to providing accessories. Packaged with the E24 Evo Pro youll get three filter baskets a single-shot filter, a double shot filter, and a dual-walled filter a steam wand with no elbow joint, and a pretty flimsy plastic tamp. Thats it: theres no milk jug, no cleaning kit none of the extras you might expect from an espresso machine that costs this much. Given these design gripes, why have I rated the Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro so highly? Because it makes it possible to consistently pour quality shots of coffee like many of the best espresso machines without needing to fuss too much over the details. Once Id finely ground some beans and tamped the puck with medium pressure, the Gaggia expressed a beautiful double espresso for me without having to endlessly tweak the variables to achieve the right pressure. And it wasnt just beginner's luck: lightning struck twice with my second shot, which was just as rich and smooth as the first. I also found the steam wand easy enough to use, although it perhaps isnt quite as forgiving as the rest of the machine. Finding the right angle was harder than it tends to be with an elbow joint, but once Id got the optimum orientation and depth, I was able to foam up a beautiful dairy cloud to add to my coffee. Watch your fingers though: the steam wand doesnt have a cold-touch design, so it gets seriously hot during operation. While the Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro isnt exactly a budget banger its list price of $549 / 549 / AU$999 puts it firmly in the mid-market category its performance definitely makes it good value for money. Even without professional barista skills, I was able to pull shot after shot of consistently great coffee, and didnt need to endlessly tweak variables to get the perfect espresso. Yes, I feel that at this price, Gaggia could afford to be less stingy with its accessories but, all in all youll get a very reliable coffee companion with the E24 Evo Pro. (Image credit: Future) Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro review: price and availability List price: $549 / 549 / AU$999 The Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro is available now and it has a list price of $549 / 549 / AU$999. For your spend, you get a wide variety of choice: the E24 Evo Pro comes in a wide range of colorways, whether its Polar White, Cherry Red or Sunshine Yellow. Unfortunately, what you dont get is a lot of accessories: its missing a milk jug, backflush disc or any kind of cleaning kit, which all feels a bit stingy. Still though, when it comes to value, the above pricing puts the Gaggia somewhere in the middle of the pack. Its neither a budget brewer like the surprisingly capable De'Longhi Dedica Duo nor is it as ludicrously luxe as something like the Smeg Mini Pro Espresso Coffee Machine . But for what youre paying, its a pretty sound investment, despite the dearth of accessories I found it easy to create consistently delectable coffee in a way even many of its mid-market rivals struggle to manage. Value score: 4 / 5 (Image credit: Future) Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro review: specs Name Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro Type Manual espresso machine Dimensions (H x W x D) 9 x 15 x 9.4 inches / 230 x 380 x 240mm Weight 17.6lbs / 8kg Water tank capacity 2.2qt / 2.1 liters Steam wand Yes, manual Max pressure 15 bar (Image credit: Future) Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro review: design Large-capacity water tank Froths milk effectively Missing some key accessories The design of the Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro is a little brutalist for my taste. At 9 x 15 x 9.4 inches (230 x 380 x 240mm) its not the smallest machine, and Id say I prefer the sleeker shape of Breville or DeLonghi machines personally. But I appreciate that for some people the solidity and presence of the Gaggia will be part of its charm, and at least it comes in a wide variety of colorways, from Lobster Red to Jungle Green. At 2.2qt / 2.1 litres, the Gaggias water tank is substantial, offering a capacity that even outstrips many of the candidates on our list of the best espresso machines. Its drip tray is also pretty capacious, allowing it to catch quite a lot of spilled coffee, but its depth does cause some issues. Its tall enough that it was genuinely difficult for me to squeeze even relatively squat mugs under the portafilter, and theres no way to adjust its height, meaning a lot of the time youre going to want to extract straight into espresso cups. The range of accessories supplied with Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro is pretty weak, with a few items conspicuous by their absence. Three filter baskets cater to most eventualities, with single-shot and double shot filters, while the perfect crema filter makes it easy to pull easy shots even with coffee pods or coarser grinds. Theres also a tamper included, but no milk jug, so this is something to factor into your budget. (Image credit: Future) Frankly, the tamper that comes with the Gaggia is pretty flimsy and plasticky. Personally, I want a tamper with some substance and heft behind it to make it easier to get an even tamp on your grounds. While its possible to get the job done with the tamper that comes in the box, I think youll likely want to upgrade to a better-quality option pretty soon after purchase. The steam wand is a little better built, and its dual-steam-outlet design frothed the milk pretty effectively. It did take me a little while to find the right angle, as the arm merely swivels rather than using a ball-joint system, but once I did I was able to whip up a frothy cloud of foam fairly easily. One thing to watch out for though is that theres no cool-touch design here. If youre careless which I am its easy to catch your bare skin on the hot wand, which I did. As an espresso machine, the Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro naturally doesnt come with quite as many features as some of its bean-to-cup rivals. Its focused on pulling spot-on shots and foaming consistently frothy milk, not automated drinks dispensing and custom profiles, so you wont be getting those kinds of innovative capabilities here. Aimed squarely at caffeine addicts who like to tinker with their grind and tamping to achieve the perfect extraction, it also doesnt offer an integrated grinder, so be prepared to pick one up if you dont already have one to hand. Design score: 3.5 / 5 (Image credit: Future) Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro review: performance Easy to pour really consistent coffee Pretty quiet running Drips a little after pump switches off Id been forewarned about the Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro's leisurely warm up cycle, which is almost zen-like in its unhurriedness. But its not quite as long as some people make out. It took around 60 seconds to hit its target temperature when I first started using it admittedly thats slower than many machines, including my home machine, the Breville Bambino Plus , but not quite as bad as the five or 10 minutes Id heard bandied around. And it takes less than 10 seconds on subsequent shots, which really isnt that bad. Once the Gaggia was up to temperature, I blitzed some beans to a fine espresso ground, tamped it with a medium firmness and stuck the filled portafilter in the machine. I honestly wondered if there might be some trial and error required to get used to the machines pressure and temperature. But right out the gate it expressed pretty evenly, with the espresso neither rushing out incontinently nor dribbling out in fits and starts. I also tested how load its pump was using a sound level meter, clocking it at 66dB, which is seriously quiet. By way of context, the Smeg BCC13 is Quiet Mark certified and tops out at 67dB max. Admittedly our testing environment might not be quite as rigorous Smegs, but still the Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro is quieter when running than many competing espresso machines. The espresso itself was spot-on. It came out with a sturdy, persistent crema that was the perfect buff tone with the odd hint of caramel running through it. And the taste was genuinely pretty impressive: even on that first pull, I was able to produce something rich and refined, with just the right balance of bitterness and acidity, while there was none of the astringency youd get from an over-expressed shot. (Image credit: Future) Wanting to be sure that I hadnt just lucked out on my first cup, I ran it again, using the same fineness of grind and trying to tamp and run the machine at the same temperature as I had the first time. The second espresso was identical to the first, meaning you should be able to achieve fairly consistent results with this machine. This time I did notice there was a little dribbling from the machine after the pump clicked off. It wasnt immediately clear if it was just dripping from a slightly overtamped, waterlogged puck, so I ran the Gaggia again without the portafilter in place and it still seemed to drool when switched off. This only lasted for a few seconds, so it isn't a huge issue, but it does imply the Gaggia doesnt have perfect control over its pump. Scrubbing down the machine after use was more straightforward than I was expecting. Cleaning the steam wand requires you to give it a firm wipe down with a cloth and unscrew the tip before washing it under running water. Meanwhile, to clean the mesh screen, all I had to do was run the machine without a portafilter then wipe it down. Once youve switched off the machine, you can then wash out the water tank and wipe down the rest of the machine. All in all, while it sounds like a lot of steps, getting the machine spotless doesnt take much of an investment. Performance score: 4.5 / 5 (Image credit: Future) Should I buy the Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro? Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro score card Attribute Notes Score Value While its not exactly budget priced, having tasted the coffee it produces Im surprised it doesnt cost a fair bit more. 4/5 Design It has a slightly utilitarian design and few automated features, but its steam wand works reasonably well and it has some useful accessories, although also it's missing a few. 3.5/5 Performance Takes a while to warm up but once it does, you can pull consistently excellent shots without much tinkering required. 4.5/5 Buy it if You want rich, refined coffee every time Rather than having to tweak pressure, grind and tamping endlessly, its really easy to pull quality, consistent decent shots with the Gaggia without too much fuss. You want a machine thats nice and quiet Not every coffee machine has to sound like a diving compressor. If you want caffeine on the QT, the relatively quiet 66dB Gaggia has got your back. Dont buy it if.. You want loads of automatic features As this isnt a bean-to-cup machine, you wont get loads of fancy automatic drinks settings and customizable profiles. Instead its designed to help you craft your own coffee like a pro. You want your caffeine hit quick Given it takes 60 seconds to heat up and youll need to grind your beans yourself, the Gaggia might not be the best choice if you dont want your latte to be late. Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro review: also consider Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro Breville Bambino Plus Smeg BCC13 Type Manual espresso machine Manual espresso machine Automatic espresso machine Dimensions (H x W x D) 9 x 15 x 9.4 inches / 230 x 380 x 240mm 7.6 x 14.3 x 12 inches / 194 x 362 x 304mm 336 x 180 x 433mm Weight 17.6lbs / 8kg 10.8lbs / 4.9kg 19.8lbs / 9kg Water tank capacity 2.2qt / 2.1 liters 2qt / 1.9 liters 1.5qt / 1.4 liters Steam wand Yes, manual Yes, hands free No, automatic Max pressure 15 bar 15 bar 19 bar Breville Bambino Plus If you want an espresso machine thats more economical in terms of both space and cash, yet offers just as sophisticated shot-pulling, Brevilles diminutive machine is a worthy alternative. Despite costing just $499.95 / 399.95 / AU$649, it makes great espresso while offering plenty of customization options with different milk temperature and textures. Read our full Breville Bambino Plus review . Smeg BCC13 Should grinding beans, tamping grounds and frothing cow squeezings all feel like a little too much hassle, this bean-to-cup machine brews wonderfully consistent coffee and foams deliciously thick milk for cappuccinos and lattes. Its not quite as adept at steaming non-dairy milks, and it does cost a fair bit more at $1,200 / 799.95 / AU$1,199. But as our full Smeg BCC13 review explains, it offers "perfectly brewed coffee and sweet, creamy foamed milk" every time. How I tested the Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro I spent several days testing it I poured multiple coffees in a row to see how consistent it was I used the steam wand to foam multiple batches of milk I used the Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro regularly over a period of several days. To test the quality and consistency of its coffee, I poured multiple double espressos in succession, so I could assess how well the machine maintained its quality from drink to drink. I also used the steam wand to foam milk on several occasions, to test how well the boiler maintained its heat and how effectively the steam wand worked. I also made sure I timed how long it took the Gaggias boiler to heat up initially and on subsequent runs, as well as using a sound-level meter to check how much noise it generated. Once I was done with testing, I also ran through the Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pros daily and long-term cleaning routines, to see how easy it was to clean and maintain. When it comes to my own personal experience, not only have I spent years testing and writing about gadgets, Ive been making and drinking coffee from espresso machines daily for more than two decades. I'm really only a fan of drinking coffee made of freshly ground beans I'm not a pod person. For more details, see how we test, review, and rate products at TechRadar . First reviewed: October 2025 ====================================================================== Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/home/coffee-machines/tired-of-espresso-machines-you- have-to-micromanage-for-great-results-i-tested-one-that-satisfies-coffee-snobs -with-no-effort --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 (Linux/64) * Origin: tqwNet Technology News (1337:1/100) .