There are some great advantages to owning a super automatic espresso machine. They take care of some of the most difficult and nuanced aspects of concocting a perfect cup of espresso or even a more sophisticated coffee drink like a cappuccino. They do come with one glaring drawback though – and that is the price you have to pay to own one.
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Luckily there are some more affordable models out there, and while they may not be loaded with higher end models features they can still get the job done. One such espresso machine is the Anima Deluxe by Gaggia. Let’s take a look at this machine in more detail and see if it’s a good fit for you.
Features
Simply Delicious
The Gaggia Anima Deluxe was designed with an incredibly easy to use interface. Choose from six pre-programmed coffee drinks that can be queued up with each with a dedicated button. If you’re looking for a bit more customization you can easily go under the hood using the LCD screen control.
Your Personal Frother
Velvety milk froth that retains high peaks is one of the essential components of masterful cappuccinos and lattes. It’s not an easy art to get right though. It takes attention to time and temperature, and without a bit of practice your cappuccinos will likely be lacking. The Anima Deluxe will siphon milk up and froth it for you, taking the need for technique and experience out of the equation.
To Grind or Not To Grind?
Load up the coffee bean hopper and the Anima Deluxe will automatically grind, dose, and tamp your coffee beans fresh for each cup of espresso you prepare. If you’re working with pre-ground beans simply skip the hopper and place them directly in the bypass doser. The Anima Deluxe will take it from there.
Learn From Experience
The Gaggia Anima Deluxe is equipped with an adaptive feature that allows it to learn from experience. It can make changes to the operating conditions of the grinder based on the grind it produces from your favorite coffee beans. If something’s not quite right it will make adjustments on it’s own, so your beans will be prepared with a more suitable grind next time.
Top-Load Access
Espresso machines go through quite a bit of fresh water and coffee beans, especially if you and your family drink a lot of coffee. The last thing you want is to deal with a hassle when you have a hankering for a cup but you need to reload the machine. The Anima Deluxe has easy access to the water reservoir and the coffee bean hopper, so you can fill them up and get on your way in no time.
Choose Your Temperature
Many espresso machines in the lower price range do not allow you to control the final temperature of your brew. There’s one setting, and you get what you get. With the Anima Deluxe you have the option of choosing from three temperature settings so you can find one that’s neither too hot nor too cold, but just right.
Quick and Easy Cleaning
Like many of its siblings in Gaggia’s espresso machine product line, the Anima Deluxe features a removable brew group. When it comes time for routine maintenance simply remove the brew group and take it to the sink for rinsing and cleaning. Reinsert it when you’re done and the Anima Deluxe will be back online and ready for action.
Energy Conservation
When you’re entertaining guests or you’re on an espresso binge while working from home you’ll want to keep your espresso machine primed and ready for the next brew. With the Gaggia Anima Deluxe you won’t have to be concerned with using excessive electricity. After an hour of inactivity it will go to standby mode – it will still be ready to go, but it will reduce its electricity draw.
Pros
- Make barista-quality cappuccinos and lattes using the automated milk frothing feature. No experience or advance techniques required, the Gaggia Anima Deluxe does the hard work for you.
- Choose the perfect temperature setting for serving your espresso shots. Some people like their coffee hotter or cooler than others, there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to espresso.
- Choose from six pre-programmed coffee drinks, each with their own dedicated button on the front of the machine for easy preparation. If you’re looking for something a bit more custom just program it in using the LCD display.
- The extraction is performed with a 15-bar pump, so you’ll end up with a rich and full-flavored cup of espresso with a wonderful topping of foam.
- The Anima Deluxe is backed with two-year warranty from the manufacturer. If anything goes wrong with your espresso machine Gaggia USA will handle the claim directly.
Cons
- Experienced espresso makers may find that they can make even higher quality cups of espresso when using manual machines than when using the automated system. Unless you’re a professional barista, this shouldn’t be a problem.
Final Verdict: Should You Buy This Model
Where the Gaggia Anima Deluxe really shines through is in its simplicity and ease of use. You can make coffee house quality drinks without being a professional barista. The only things you’ll need to be able to do are supply the coffee beans, the water, and the milk if needed for the drink you’re preparing.
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If you are in fact a professional barista then you may want an espresso machine that has a little bit more to offer in terms of control then the Anima Deluxe. You probably already knew that though. If you’re an average user however, you’re going to love how simple it is to make any of the six preset coffee drinks that are programmed to buttons on the front of the machine.
The best part about the Gaggia Anima Deluxe is that you get all of these great features at quite a reasonable price. Sure, it may be stripped down a bit when compared to some of the higher end models in Gaggia’s product line, but you’re paying a lot less than some of their flagship models and you’re still getting quite a bit of functionality. All in all, this is a good middle-of-the-road option.
