Just got mine today! Set it up and started brewing. I went through half a bag of coffee just setting all the customizations to the way my wife and I enjoy our coffees - she's a coffee lover and I am a latte lover. By the time we were done, we both had the perfect cup to our liking. The paper manual and setup details were fine, but this video was so much better to understand how and why to use certain functions. Thanks again!
I bought my Gaggia Accademia in 2012 (after a visit to Italy!). It lasted me great until about 6 months ago (a decade later! when it started to leak. I researched and tried tons of espresso machines in stores and ended up ranking the old Gaggia Accademia higher than any other new espresso machines. So I stuck with it, because despite the strange leak, it makes great espresso and drinks. I started to search for an espresso machine just for kicks and now see this! SOLD!!! PS: dang you, Italy. I didn’t even drink coffee before I visited you! 😂
Hi AA, If you liked the original Accademia, you will love the updated model. As I said, the new Accademia makes the best espresso of any bean to cup super-automatic I've ever used. The new UI is awesome and it's one of the only machines of it's type with a full metal exterior aside from the very lux glass front. Still using as my daily driver in the studio and I could choose just about any machine for that duty. Marc
We love Gaggia, I’ve had the Platinum for 17 yrs. Only reason I bought an Academia is because it was struck by lighting!! Best machines and coffee on the market!!
I've been seriously thinking of getting this machine, but it would be good to see a genuine review rather than a 14 minute advertisement. There must be some negatives. There always are, with anything. My reservation with these super automatics is temperature. Nothing useful on that question.
Hi Graham, I'm always happy to respond to any specific questions here in the comments. Look through the comments here for a list of hot water temps I provided for another viewer. For temperatures, if you are looking for burn your tongue temps, no super-automatic machine from any manufacturer goes there. This machine and others brew at 195-205F internally. Coffee cools as it travels to the spouts with typical dispensing temp measured directly in the flow of coffee from the spouts of 180-190F. Brewing into a cold, heavy ceramic cup further reduces the temp. Frothed milk dispenses in the mid 130'sF. That's right in the sweet zone and is the same temp range used by well trained baristas. You might also have a look at the reviews of the machine left by verified purchasers here for their impressions and more information: www.wholelattelove.com/products/gaggia-accademia-espresso-machine Hope that helps! Marc
I was considering to buy an saeco xelsis suprema or Jura J8. Ive seen this masterpiece & features of this solid machine ive just ordered this in The Netherlands. I hope to get this soon within few days. Solid piece of italian craftmanship is always good👍
Im using the Gaggia Academia 2022 now for couple of days. Its really a nice to jave machine. Different coffees, different flavors. All good. The only thing what a bit annoying is the internal driptray thats really small and getting full quickly. So after 5-6 drinks u need to change that. But after all this is the machine which is much better than the newest saeco xelsis suprema & Jura J8.
Awesome, this is exactly like my OG Saeco Xelisis touch. Love the format, like the carafe. Ours is almost 12 years old and is starting to leach. This is a great upgrade!
Hi M, Thanks for the comment. I recommend the Accademia because I've used them all. Superior quality in drinks made, UI and build. I could choose any Jura, Gaggia or Delonghi to be our daily driver in the studio and it's been the Accademia now for 1.5 years. Marc
Thank you, Marc. I was concerned that the grinder was not comparable to Jura but your endorsement answered my question! Thanks again! @@Wholelattelovepage
Hi Marc. Firstly - thank you for all of the hours you guys have put in to creating these videos over the years. So very helpful. How does the brew unit and boiler compare between the Gaggia machine line, are they the same? Specifically between the 2022 Accademia, Cardona Barista, or Magenta Plus. Looking at pictures of these (or even Philips Latte Go machines) the brew units all look the same. Are they? Same capabilities/durability? thinking of espresso shot size/pressure/how they handle fine grinds/etc.
Hi JT, You are welcome - thanks for the kind comment and question! The brew units between the machines are very similar - nearly identical in some cases. In my observation, the new Accademia is set to a slightly finer minimum grind size than the other machines. The adjustable flow restriction on the spouts of the Accademia makes a big difference in user control of espresso quality. Combined with a slightly finer grind and the Boost function it makes the best espresso I've ever had from a bean to cup super-automatic machine. Durability of the brew units is excellent. As mentioned we get regular reports of far greater than 15,000 brew cycles with nothing more than routine maintenance. Marc
Cannot believe my friend has surprised me with this for Christmas! I’m so excited! 😂 It gets delivered this week! So pleased I opted for this over the Jura. The whole pipe connection for the milk I found really ugly, this looks so smart. My ONLY issue with this is it doesn’t look as if there’s a coffee pot/jug setting… how would I work around this? Would the Americano setting be able to fill a full coffee pot?
Hi m, wow, nice friend!!! These machines are designed for 1-2 cups at a time. There are a couple of more expensive Jura machines which have jug/pot capabilities using multiple automatic grind and brew cycles. The Americano on the Accademia maxes out at ~10oz/300ml per brew cycle. You could do multiple drinks manually. Another option is doing multiple brews of 2 coffees. Max single coffee is ~8oz so each 2 gets you 16oz. Hope that helps! Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage That’s useful Marc and doesn’t sound too much of a faff!🤣 So a 2.5 pint vintage coffee pot I have, how many 2 coffee servings would I need to fill it would you say? That’s a complex maths sum!😂
I was wondering when this review would pop up! Just got mine today. This is my first super automatic. Still trying to play with settings to get espresso shots as good as my Barista Express. The machine seems well thought out so far. Quite a bit of adjustability. I really like having the auto milk carafe (with the neat auto cleaning function) and a traditional milk wand. Styling is much improved over the prior model IMO. Definitely unique looking compared to the polished steel machines from every other brand.
Hi Frank, Thanks for sharing your initial impressions of the Gaggia Accademia! If you appreciate rich sweet espresso try a boosted shot. Set "Aroma" to Bean+ symbol. Suggest setting beverage quantity to 1.7oz/50ml, grind to finest setting, temperature = high. The Accademia will grind and extract about 35-40ml, grind again and extract 10-15ml. That second extraction is a sweet ristretto. Combined, the 2 extractions are similar to shots pulled on a manual lever machine. Marc
This review convinced me to buy this machine. I just got my Accademia today and so far I love it. The milk drinks are far superior to any other machine I have ever used. I was surprised how easy it was to set up and start using. This machine is worth every penny spent. One question: Can you tell me why my coffee is coming out the spout in the middle instead of the two side spouts? It is doing this, no matter which coffee type I choose. What am I doing wrong? Thanks
Hi Beth, Thanks a whole latte for the report on your Accademia and question! The dual spout unit moves back and forth. It's designed so it can be fully removed or pushed back to fit larger cups. To stop liquid from dispensing out of the center spout pull it forward until the face of the dual spout unit clicks into place. It will sit flush with the face of the center square section it slides on. Marc
Hi Marc. Loved this video. Just as I was about to pull the trigger on a Jura S8, I came across your video for the Accademia. I want a bean to cup machine, but I’m not sure how I feel about the texture of milk with the Jura, the cleaning process for the milk, and the laggy touch screen. On the other hand although I like the idea of a steam wand, it sounds like the gaggia makes weaker coffee in comparison to the Jura. Would like to hear any insight you might have.
Hi andrew, Thanks for sharing the love. I don't do a ton of milk drinks myself but I do prefer the carafe of the Accademia to the pickup tube system used by Jura machines. With the carafe, just push the milk spout over and the carafe automatically cleans the frothing components with steam. It only takes a few seconds and after the carafe is ready to go back in the fridge. The pickup tube system is a little more involved. The Accademia has per drink programmable milk froth density. You can change density on the S8 manually but are limited to either steamed or foamed milk. With the Accademia you get a lot more control over the coffee brewing process. The flow control on the spouts lets you adjust the extraction rate to suit your flavor and beverage type. flow faster for longer coffees and restrict the flow for espresso. Using the boost function, the Accademia makes the best espresso I've ever had from a bean to cup machine. It runs a second grind cycle and adds a slighty shorter ristretto to your total programmed shot volume. This increases body and rounds out the extraction with added sweetness. Jura machines use a pulse extraction process when making espresso and turn that off for longer coffees. PEP does make for better espresso than without but you have more flavor control on the Accademia. Full disclosure, I have a Jura ENA 8 at home which brews identically to the S8 and use it to make long coffees. The Accademia is still my daily driver at the office where I make 2-3 boosted Americanos daily. For larger cups I prefer the flavor from the Accademia's Americanos to the long coffees from the Jura. From a value standpoint the Accademia is a winner. Love the build quality with metal surround and glass front compared to all plastic housing of S8. The S8 does have a larger water reservoir, higher capacity in drip tray and more used coffee capacity. So more frequent filling and emptying of things with the Accademia. I've used nearly every been to cup machine available in the US over the last decade and there are only a couple of high-end ($$) dual grinder Jura machines I'd pick over the Accademia if price is not a factor. Hope that helps! Marc
Received my wonderful machine from your company last week after watching your informative and passionate review. The machine has not disappointed. As someone who has to balance a love of coffee with acid reflux I need to be mindful of my caffeine intake. Can you please tell me how much coffee is brewed using the different aroma settings. I love the pre ground feature for an afternoon decaffeinated cappuccino, perfection in a cup! Thank you for your help.
Hi s, Thanks for the comment! New Accademia came out about 15 months ago. Major differences are: Serious upgrade to UI, 4 user profiles, extra shot function, new steam wand design, glass front panel... Marc
Marc, awesome video reviews. your energy enthusiasm transpire your passion, thank you! After this review I’m wondering if I should go with this machine, My Oracle touch broke down and not sure if I should stay with Breville after not being able to fix my 2 year old machine😢 I wonder if it would be the right choice for my family. We do lattes with both milk and almond milk, americanos and Cortados. The Breville has been an awesome machine but seems to have reliability issues. I do enjoy latte arts and simplicity of the semi automatic and I am not sure if the Accademia would easily surpass it, considering it is not a dual boiler. Any thoughts that can help? I see you enjoy adjusting flavor on your shots, would this be better or par feature than the oracle’s shot and crema?
Hi Marc. One of the best features of the high end Gaggia and Saeco super automatics was their dual boiler system. It seems the new Accademia has gone back to a single boiler. Do you notice any difference, i.e., longer times to make milk based drinks, versus your old Accademia (or our Saeco Xelsis)?
Hi JK, Thanks for the question. Yes, the new Accademia uses a new single boiler design. We did some testing and found on average it was about 15 seconds longer to steam production on the new Accademia. One gives up a little time but can argue it's a less complex and more reliable system. Marc
Thank you showing off the model, I’ve been using Gaggia Classic with Grinder for 9 years and love the machine. I have thought of upgrading to this model but had a question about the grinder performance and how much water does the reservoir hold?
What is the proper milk temperature for milk-based espresso drinks? The machine I currently tolerate barely froths the milk past 100 degrees-definitely not hot enough for me. I’m adding the new Accademia to my wish list!
Hi Molly, Thanks for the question. Well trained baristas froth to 130-140F/54-60C. That's the sweet spot of milk flavor due to heating. In our testing the Accademia's carafe frothed in that range in spot measurements of milk leaving the carafe. Some do like it hotter. Preheated cups from the heated cup warmer help keep in cup temperatures higher. For those who like milk scorching hot, you can get there with the manual wand. Marc
Hi John, Not sure which comparison chart you are referring to as there is not one in the video. For a side by side comparison of features, pricing and specs you can use the compare feature at our website: www.wholelattelove.com To use, navigate to a product you're interested in. Then click "Add to Compare". From there, you can navigate to additional products (max of 5 in a compare) and add them to the compare. Once you've added the ones you want click "View Compare" and you'll get a side by side of the products like this: www.wholelattelove.com/pages/compare?products=MTU0NTkxNzM5OTA5OSw2NTM1NzQ1MTc1NjA2 Hope that helps! Marc
Quick question - is it possible to have mutliple versions of the same drink within one profile? Such as "strong" Espresso in the mornings (letd say 5/5 beans and maybe boost) and a weaker during the day (maybe 3/5 beans, no boost) without needing to switch to another profile? Or is it always only the 19 beverages which can be modified within one profile and i'd have to save another version of the drink at another profile? Thanks in advance. Sorry for tippos, I'm writing from germany ;)
Hi d, You can have multiple versions of a drink in a single profile. For instance,I currently have 5 different espresso recipes in a single user profile on the Accademia I have in our studio. Marc
Just got my accademia today. And if i want the most foam on top of my Coffee, how would u do that? 😅 Very nice machine, a lot to learn! Startede by putting the water filter wrong in, so i got milk with no Coffee. Great start 😅
Hey JAH, Congrats on your new machine! It will take a few brew cycles for the grinder to auto adjust to the proper dose so your first few coffees may be on the light side. By most foam, I assume you refer to crema? If so, a lot depends on the coffee beans you are using. Classic Italian style bean blends usually contain some Robusta beans in the mix which are proficient crema producers. Beyond bean selection, I always start with the grinder set to the finest setting, strength at 5 beans, temp on high. From there adjust to suit your taste preferences. If tasting bitter flavors decrease the grind size a notch or 2. If coffee is too strong reduce the strength setting. Hope that helps! Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage im gonna try that later! It was your good review that convinced me to the gaggia 🙌🏻 It is safe to use the machine i Think after the 1 run without water ? 😅
Just received my Gaggia Accademia. Pretty excited, BUT the drip tray is so small!! I would think it would be bigger for this size of machine. And I cannot seem to change the grind size. I did read where it says you can only change it WHILE IT'S GRINDING.... I tried that and it won't budge. Plus it's such a tiny knob! I realize I sound like a whiner, but at this price-point......errrr...... I'll keep playing around with it and update this "first impression" as needed.
Hi Terri, Congrats on your new Accademia! It's still my daily driver in the studio here. For changing grind size, you need to push down with the adjustment tool while turning. And yes, if changing to a smaller grind size the grinder should be running when doing so. If setting coarser it does not have to be grinding. The front external tray is not huge. I tend to leave a cup under the spouts for turn on and shut down to catch water from the rinse cycle. With that, I almost never have to empty the external tray. Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage ok, got the grind size down. And I've started leaving my cup to catch the rinse cycle water. I'm starting to fine tune my espresso by playing around with the other parameters and it's getting better. I still think the tray inside is tiny, but I'm getting happier overall with the purchase. I guess I'm more of a do-it-myself kind of girl than I thought - probably should have just ordered a full manual machine. 🙂
I am considering replacing my Gaggia Anima Prestige, which I purchased from Whole Latte Love five years ago, with either the Academia or Jura E4. Since I primarily consume espresso and coffee, I am seeking a machine that is user-friendly and efficient in terms of cleaning and maintenance. I would appreciate your expert guidance in selecting the most suitable option between the Jura E4 and Gaggia Academia.
Hi p, Maintenance is similar with the exception of descaling. With Jura machines use and replace the in-reservoir water filter and you will never descale the machine. On the Accademia, you will be alerted to descale. Frequency depends on your local water hardness and use of filter. Without filter and medium hardness it's ~500 brew cycles between descalings. Accademia has a lot more control of espresso brewing and using the boost function makes the best espresso of any bean to cup machine I've had. I'm still using the Accademia as daily driver in the studio and the Jura ENA 8 at home. I prefer the Accademia. Marc
The easiest solution for this scenario using this machine would be to use pre-ground espresso for either your caffeinated or decaffeinated drinks. You would load the bean hopper with whole beans of whichever type of coffee you would perhaps brew more often, and then buy pre-ground espresso for whichever your secondary coffee would be. From there, you could program drinks to use either whole bean or pre-ground espresso and then scoop some into the bypass chute at the top for brewing the pre-ground drinks.
Hey user, Quality starts with the bean and the Accademia starts with whole beans ground fresh. Makes a big difference! Plus you can customize by adjusting grind size, flow rate and more. Compared to whole bean coffee the pods are incredibly expensive. Marc
So, were does all the used coffee grounds go? How do you Clean the old ground out of the machine, and can it hook up to a water line never talked about that...I wonder if I'll get answers 🤔...hmmm
Hi dh, To use the pre-ground bypass doser use the touchscreen and press on the beverage you want to make. When you press the beverage on the screen its parameters will display. In the aroma setting touch to select the bean+ icon. Load the preground in the chute and press the play button on the knob to make the beverage. Marc
Just purchased this machine from you guys and I’m already really enjoying it, definitely had a few too many espressos today. I was currently running cycles with the gaggia beans that come with the machine but I will at some point be running with a fresher lighter roast as that’s what I prefer… considering I prefer a lighter roast what type of settings work best for espresso with this machine? I have heard it’s not best to go all the way to the finest settings with these super autos but do you agree with that? I am definitely using espresso boost and the minimum flow rate as those seem essential for a good shot but what about the pre infusion? I’ll be doing some testing myself of course but just curious what you have found, seems you’ve used this machine quite a lot and know a lot about dialing it in. Thanks !
Hey B, Happy to hear you are enjoying your new Accademia and thanks for your patronage! It's easy to go overboard with the caffeine. I've used dozens of super-auto machines and the only time I've ever moved off of the finest grind setting is when I'm doing longer coffees. I've never had a problem. Problems can happen with fine grind settings when using beans with a lot of visible surface oils. Those can gum up the burrs and clog the delivery path to the brew unit. It's best to avoid beans with more than ~20% coverage with visible surface oils. You should not have a problem with lighter roast as they are not oily. I'd stick with the finest grind setting and only dial it back if you feel the coffee is over-extracted. Fresher roasts tend to benefit from pre-infusion. It allows the coffee a little time to off-gas CO2 that's still locked up in the fresh beans. The result is a reduction in acidity/brightness which allows the fruit to come through. Hope that helps! Marc
Thank you for this review! Would you recommend this over Jura machines? The milk clean cycle does seem annoying on a Jura. You mentioned in another comment that this machine doesn’t make the strongest coffee? I want a fully automatic that does coffee and espresso. Seems like you can’t win with everything on any given machine 😅. Is the coffee decent enough on this machine? I don’t need super strong coffee or anything. Thank you!
Hi laura, On a price performance comparison I def recommend the Accademia. Not sure which comment you are referring to in regards to coffee strength. The Accademia makes the best espresso I've ever had from a bean to cup automatic. If you use the boost function it doses as much as 23g of ground coffee for a single cup. Most Jura's max out at 16g dose. For longer coffees I make boosted Americanos which are delicious! Marc
@@Wholelattelovepagei want to know which is the better machine academia or jura e8. It's the same price for me and it's for home use. Most coffee preferred are the milk based ones.
Great review Marc. I'm debating this unit vs the Oracle Touch. My personal use is about 90% americanos and 10% milk drinks. You have mentioned that this machine makes the best espresso and americanos of any super automatic you have tested. Not apples to apples, but how would espresso/americanos from the Oracle Touch compare? I would assume a portafilter machine might produce better espresso. I have heard the Oracle Touch doesn't consistently produce great espressos and its longevity might be questionable. Any thoughts on that? Thank you!
Hey tb, Thanks for the kind comment and questions! The Accademia does make the best espresso and Americanos of any bean to cup super automatic I've used over the last 12 years and I've used nearly every super-auto available in North America during that time. As I write this I'm drinking an Americano from the machine, I do 2 a day, and have used it every work day for the last 9 months. The Accademia is consistent, convenient and reliable. In about 2 minutes from from power on my Americano is ready to drink! No skill involved just touch the screen for my customized Americano and it makes it just like my last one. That said I regularly use high-end semi-automatic machines with advance brewing techniques like flow control. On those I can make an incrementally better espresso but there's skill and a lot of effort involved to produce that. I'm good at what I do and enjoy the process but admit at times it's a bit frustrating. But it can be rewarding as well when everything comes together. The Oracle is a decent product - I've reviewed it in the past. Compared to the other semi-auto machines I use it exists in the appliance grade with lots of plastic components and proprietary parts. It just doesn't have the same build quality of more traditional machine grade, made in Italy semi-automatic machines. I 100% prefer a separate large flat burr grinder if using a semi-auto machine. The built in grinder and other automatic functions make using the Oracle a bit wonky for my process and open the door to inconsistency. Longevity in any espresso product comes down to quality of water put into it and performing routine maintenance as directed by manufacturer. I hope that helps! Marc
Also consider customer service. Breville does not contact you back, after multiple hour long calls, they have not progressed my ticket for weeks. I’m so glad I only bought a food processor with them. Im looking into the above expresso machine over theirs because of their horrible customer service. Did you purchase it yet?! If so, how is it?!
I just bought this machine from your site! Almost went with a Jura but having to clean the milk system seemed very annoying. Thank you for the reviews. Would I be able to send the machine to you for repair if something occurred down the line? I’m hoping this will last me 10+ years
Hi Peter, Thanks for your patronage and you are welcome for the reviews! Yes, we provide factory authorized service for Gaggia machines. Perform routine maintenance and the Accademia should provide many years of service. One key to longevity is water quality. Be sure and set the machine up correctly testing your water hardness and entering test results into the machine. Do that, and the machine will alert you when it's time to descale. Marc
I probably should have saved all my questions for one comment, but discovering as I go, so thanks for your patience and really appreciate your response. I think I have found the answer to my previous two questions scrolling through the comments, but not this one -- Is it normal for the steamed milk from the carafe to splatter a good amount upon discharge? And a final burst at the end too? (carafe is filled to the correct level) It gets all over the front of the machine, and splatters outside of the cup, making a bit of an unexpected mess. I could send a video? Or do you have a video somewhere to compare?
Hi m, A small amount of splatter is normal due to the chaotic nature of milk frothing. Final burst is normal as well. You can adjust the milk froth density to one of 4 levels per drink in the menu. The different densities may be more or less likely to splatter. Using different cup size so top is closer to dispensing point from carafe can help reduce. If you feel splatter is abnormal you can reach out to our Tech Support where you can supply a video of your machine in action: www.wholelattelove.com/pages/contact-us Marc
Marc, for you to say this is your go to machine says a lot. Still using my Gaagia Anima Prestige, but it is really hard not to trade it in for one of the newer, more techy Gaggia machines. Lol Mark
Hi, their a lot of info regarding cleaning and maintaining the brewgroup but do you advise to maintain / clear your grinder as well ? For instance with Grindz Coffee Grinder Cleaner ? Thank you for your reaction.
Hi Paul, Cleaning the grinder is not required but can be done using Urnex Grindz: www.wholelattelove.com/products/urnex-grindz-grinder-cleaner-15-2oz-bottle It's more impactful for those using darker roasts which tend to have more oils which can gum up burrs over time and potentially go rancid. Marc
Very nice review! I see features of the old Xelsis Evo in this Gaggia continue as well (e.g. the self-cleaning milk carafe handle, steam wand, flow control knob). I just ordered the newer Xelsis on sale but seeing this, I'm rethinking! However, I do like the ability to make two milk based drinks as the same time and the cleaning systems for the wand on the newer Xelsis. Any thoughts between the two in terms of quality of espresso?
Hi Rudy, Thanks for the comment and question. I have yet to use the newer Xelsis so can't compare. I do know the older model was very similar to the older Accademia. Personally I prefer carafe systems to those with pickup tubes for milk. There's a lot to like on the new Accademia at first glance it seems to have deeper control of drinks and wider selection. My favorite feature is the boost function. When enabled, it adds a short sweet ristretto shot to drinks using a second grind cycle. Makes the closest shot to semi-auto I've ever had from a a bean to cup automatic. Marc
Which settings You Find the best? Playing around with beans provided with machine set temp to high, grinder to 2 preinfusion to max , double shot 50 ml, flow control turned either max to left or right and espresso still tastes sour.
Hi YG, If you're still doing initial shots give the machine at least 6 grind cycles for grinder to learn and adjust for proper dose. I use these settings when starting up: Grinder: finest setting Temperature: high Volume: 50ml Prebrewing: Max Aroma (strength): set to bean+ which runs the second grind cycle automatically Flow control: fully clockwise Cups: 1 If you are doing the double shot by selecting 2 cups then you're making ~100ml espresso from the 2 grind cycles. Once the grinder goes thru initial self adjustment max dose per grind cycle is ~11.5g so that 100ml is using max 23g ground coffee = to a 1:4 brew ratio. Using the bean+ (boost) feature and 50 ml volume you'll be at a more typical 1:2 ratio. An alternative is to stick with 2 cups and reduce the drink volume to lower the brew ratio. Hope that helps! Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage Thank You, key was changing grinder to lowest settings and flow control turned clockwise. Now both deault settings or aroma set to boost tastes good just different flavor profiles.
Hi Marc, I currently have a Jura E8. I had a Gaggia Cadorna Prestige for a few weeks and I found that I couldn't get a good cup of espresso. I really like the quality / flavor of the espresso I am getting from my Jura. How would you compare the two? My only issue with the Jura E8 is that it is at relatively the same price point but does not offer the flexibility / customization that this machine does. Thanks.
Hi c, Gaggia has taken bean to cup automatic espresso to a new level in the latest Accademia. It's a crossover machine bridging the gap between bean to cup and traditional portafilter semi-automatics. I've used most every Jura and Gaggia bean to cup available in North America over the last decade. The updated Accademia makes the best espresso of them all. For those who are more serious about modern espresso quality one issue with most automatics is limited coffee dose compared to what's used in a specialty shop. Most Jura's have a max dose of 15-16g. Specialty shop baristas report average dose of 19g. To kick extraction up a notch Jura employees their PEP (pulse extraction process) when making espresso beverages. This extends the depth of the extraction. PEP works well in most cases but depends on the coffee used and personal flavor preferences. The updated Accademia has 3 key items giving a user more control and a better drink: Adjustable flow rate control, the Boost function and it can grind a little finer than most machines. The flow rate control is similar to Jura's PEP. It slows down the extraction but on the Accademia the rate is adjustable. Jura's PEP is either on or off based on the beverage. It's on for espresso and off for regular coffee. The Accademia's Boost function adds a second grind cycle to an espresso or coffee. Make a boosted espresso and the second cycle is used for a short ristretto over top of the espresso made with the first grind cycle. The combination is what makes the best tasting espresso I've ever had from an automatic bean to cup machine. Set to full strength a boosted extraction doses up to a total of about 22g of ground coffee. The new Accademia is my daily driver in the studio. Once I tasted the boosted espresso I can't go back to any other machine. Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage very nice response to the inquiry pertaining the Jura E8. I was on the verge of ordering the E8 but this product seems to outperform the Jura on several levels. I also am not a fan of the expensive water filters required by Jura.
@@James-ej7yd Hi there, I do my best to give detailed information! The E8 is a decent machine. But, the Accademia is a fantastic value when comparing features and gives one more control. I hear you on the filters. One thing Jura has is use the filter and you never need to descale the machine. Using filters in Gaggia machines like the Accademia lengthens the interval between descaling but you will need to descale eventually. Marc
Thanks so much for the great review! I am new to this and coming from Nespresso world here. Both my wife and I are heavy coffee drinkers. My first cappuccino, I added the extra bean click (sorry forgot the name of it) to make it stronger and also increased the amount of coffee. Still, I felt it is not as strong as the Nespresso double shot. The flow was in the middle. Any advice to make it stronger? Appreciate it in advance Bassam
Hi BS, You are welcome! I'd limit the boost total volume to 60ml. Set grind to the finest position and flow to most restrictive. If your machine was new it takes a few brews for the dosage amount to reach full strength as the machine adjust grind amount to suit your coffee. Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage thanks so much Marc. How do I Iimit the boost volume? It only gives the option of boost or no boost. The most restrictive flow is when the capsule figure on the left, correct?
I figured it out. The oz of the boost pop up and adjustable. I assume the flow system most restrictive setting is the one described as "lighter body, thinner crema"?
@@WholelattelovepageWhy doesnt any1 talk about this feature? I've read about it 2 or 3 Times but i dont find any further information while this seems like a pretty improtant Feature to me. What exactly is the grinder doing to calibrate to my beans? Does it automatically Change whenever I put other beans in it? Can I take any influence on this automatic adjustments the machine makes?
Love the very in depth review. I have been considering this machine vs the Jura S8. Anything thoughts on this comparison? My wife and I are milk based coffee lovers and looking for something to last with rich features, great convenience at 6am in the morning. I come from a breville dual boiler and specilita grinder but now looking for a one quick and easy. Thank you! 🙏🏼
Hi Alex, Thanks for the comment and question. Here's a side by side spec comparison of the Accademia and S8: www.wholelattelove.com/pages/compare?products=NDU3ODQ2Mjc5Mzc4MiwxNTQ1OTE3Mzk5MDk5 Coming from a semi-auto, I know you'll appreciate the deeper level of control using the Accademia's flow control on the spout. For milk drinks, I find the carafe system more convenient than the Jura's pick up tube system. It has 3 levels of programmable froth density. When done making milk drinks just push the carafe's spout over and steam is automatically run through the frothing components. After that you can place the carafe back in fridge ready to go for next time. Also prefer the Accademia's UI which presents all drink parameters before drink is made and allows for easy adjustment of those. Did I mention the Accademia using the boost function makes the best espresso I've ever had from a bean to cup? I'll finish up with the Accademia having more clearance under the spouts and it's one of the only machines with a full metal jacket with exception of the sleek front glass panel. hope that helps! Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage Thank you very much for the very quick and thorough reply. Sounds like a better overall machine vs the Jura S8. My last thoughts are how does the quality of the milk frothing system compare to the Jura S8. Flat whites etc etc (foam quality). We only do milk based drinks and I use oatmilk for my drinks so also wondering about the ability to handle different milk types. Again thank you so very much for your time and reply.
Hi James, It is more than the previous model but nowhere near double if you compare list price of the old model before the new model was released. Some retailers may be discounting the old model or perhaps you're seeing a refurb price? I do think the new Accademia is worth the price - especially if you compare to Jura machines at the same price. The new Accademia makes the best tasting espresso I've ever had from an automatic and Jura machines don't have near the features at this price point. Marc
I'm trying to duplicate Blue Bottle Coffe Flat white. They tell me they use roughly 20g of coffee and a litlle more than 20g of finished espresso, I believe it is a Ristretto shot? Can I duplicate that on this machine? What about the Gaggia Breva? Thank you for sharing your knowledge and information!
Hi warren, Thanks for the question. Yes you can duplicate. To do so you would first make a double ristretto set to strength of 4 beans which results in a dose of ~10g for each ristretto. By selecting the 2 cups option when making the ristretto the machine will grind and brew 2 times for total coffee dose of 20g. The minimum ristretto size on the machine is .5oz/15ml so you'd end up with 30ml in your cup. You could increase the coffee strength setting to 5 beans to compensate for the extra 10ml. Then you'd do the frothed milk over top adding however much you'd like to achieve your desired coffee to milk ratio. As far as the Breva - think you mean Brera? It's a very bare bones machine. Minimum single espresso size is ~.75oz/23ml so the double is going to be larger than on the Accademia. The Accademia makes a much better ristretto due to the flow control on the dial which allows one to restrict the flow for a much sweeter extraction. Hope that helps! Marc
Hey mm, Lubricate the group every 3-4 months at your use level. Here's a very in-depth video presented by Ted our Lead Gaggia Service Tech on brew group maintenance. Link cues to the point in the video where he discusses maintenance frequency. Likely a lot of other useful info in the video for you: ruclips.net/video/uFD3SzthFJQ/видео.htmlsi=1hw4BUQHRjgC3ChI&t=545 Hope that helps! Marc
I have a question, can you show how to refill the water and empty the grind pucks. I’m trying to decide between the Gaggia Accedemia with the Gaggia Cadorna, I like how with the Cadorna, I have easy access to the water in the pucks from the front of the machine.
Hi Q&A, Thanks for the question and sorry I did not show in the video. Water refill is from top of the machine. For used coffee pucks the entire front door swing open. You can see how that works in this video on the previous version of the Accademia: ruclips.net/video/cLibV1dgwiE/видео.html Marc
Hello! I have this model for about 4 months now. This machine never produces a hot cup of coffee, even on the highest temp setting. And since I add about a tablespoon of milk after brewing, it results in a cup that's just barely warm. In fact it's so mildly warm I'd like to put it on the stove to warm it up, which is not an ok process. Can you tell me what temp the brewed coffee should come out at? I believe there must be something wrong.
Hi m, If you dispense an 8oz/240ml coffee with brew temperature set to high the coffee temperature measured directly in stream of coffee from the spout with a fast reading digital thermometer should be in the 180-192F (82-89C) range. Internal brewing takes place at 195-205F. The coffee cools a bit as it travels to the spout. Brewing into cool large ceramic cup or similar can drop the in cup temperature significantly. Has your coffee always been cool? Over time, limescale deposits may form inside the boiler of the machine resulting in less efficient heating of water and cooler temperatures. No idea if that's your issue. If it is, regular descaling maintenance as recommended by manufacturer can prevent. If you purchased the machine in North America and need additional assistance please contact our tech support here: www.wholelattelove.com/pages/contact-us
@@Wholelattelovepage Thank you for your reply. Yes, the temp has always seemed low. I toyed with ounces, settings to see if there were any variances. I have a fast read digital thermometer and the highest temp of the coffee coming from the spout measures 172F. When I place the thermometer in a tempered cup of freshly brewed coffee it measures at @155F and then of course dips down from there. I have done cleaning of brew group, descaling, etc all as advised. I do appreciate how helpful you have been, and I will be contacting customer support.
Marc, thanks for the review. I have used an Anima deluxe for 4 years now. I like the machine, and in particular like the fact that I can manually froth the milk to a high temperature. The Accademia appeals to me because of the milk frothing carafe. 1.The only issue is the temperature of milk drinks. I appreciate from previous postings and replies that the final milk drink will not be as hot as I prepare manually. I always heat the cup with near boiling water anyway. If I do that, could you give me an idea of what would be the maximum temperature that I would expect for a latte using the carafe? 2. After preparing a latte with the Anima, I like to run a lungo, but through the doser, with no coffee in it. Hence I am making hot water. This 'makes me feel better', in that I feel that I have cleaned it out of remaining espresso. Is this possible with the Accademia? 3. When I use the steam wand on the Anima, I always run water through the spout afterwards, to ensure that all milk is cleared out of the nozzle. Is this possible on the Accademia, and also, is there an easy way to 'extra' clean the carafe system after each milky drink. Thanks Bertie
Hi Bertie, You are welcome and thank yoou for sharing your thoughts on the Anima and your questions. 1. Heating the cup will certainly help with temperatures. Due to the number of variables involved hard to give a specific in cup temperature with pre-heating. I can say in our tests milk temps leaving the spouts was about 135F/57C. Well trained baristas froth milk to that range for best milk flavor. But I do understand (and don't judge) those who may like it hotter. Manual wand is perfect for that. As mentioned pre-heating helps as well and the new Accademia has a heated cup warmer that can be set to turn on well before the machine. Not as hot as pre-heating with boiling water but might be a ll you need. 2. You can definitely run a blank water only drink by choosing pre-ground on the aroma strength setting. You should know the machine does essentially the same thing when you power it off and it rinses. The rinse does not run as much water as a lungo but it's the same process. 3. The Accademia has a dedicated purge button. This can be used before using the wand to clear any condensation. After using the wand to froth milk the machine reminds you to touch the purge button to clean the wand. Touch purge and the machine does it all and stops automatically. You could also run hot water through the wand but it's not really needed. The easy way to clean the carafe is to simply push the spout over after making a milk drink. Doing so automatically runs steam through the frothing components in the carafe's spout without adding water to milk in the carafe. If desired, you can easily trigger the quick clean again from the Clean/Set menu. Hope that helps! Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage Thank you Marc. That is a really clear and helpful explanation. I am in the UK, and am arranging to go to Gaggia UK to try one out in a couple of months time. Raj Beadle the managing director of Gaggia UK is always very helpful and good to deal with. Thanks again
Hi Marc. Great overview. This machine def looks great. I own the prior Accademia and served us well. However, it lacked in a few areas. Coffee was hot but never seemed hot enough, steam wand performance was good but not great so as to make different drinks (old had 15 bar, new has ??) and cup warmer was weak. What do you think about the improvements in these areas on the new machine compared to the old...basically have these been improved?
Hi SP, Thanks for the comment and question. Cup warmer on the new Accademia is electrically heated. Previous version was passive heat only. So a lot warmer! And, you can set the cup warmer to turn on before waking the machine at three times and select days of week for each time. Steam wand on the older model does not have the same power of a commercial semi-auto but was capable of frothing to latte art quality. New wand is much nicer - it's longer and on the ball joint. Steaming performance is similar. the 15 bar is pump pressure for brewing. That spec describes max pressure rating of pump for brewing (it doesn't brew at 15 bar, it's just a bigger is better number for marketing purposes) and has nothing to do with steaming performance. Internally, coffee/espresso is extracted in the 195-205F/91-96C range. It cools some before it reaches the cup. This is the case in all super-auto machines. Out of the spout coffee temps measured in the stream come in at 185-192F/85-89C. Brewing into a cold cup will reduce the temp more - but hey, it has an awesome cup warmer. If you liked the old Accademia you're going to love the new one. Check out the reviews here. There are a bunch from people who have owned both versions: www.wholelattelove.com/products/gaggia-accademia-espresso-machine#product-reviews Hope that helps! Marc
Hi Marc! Wonderful review, nice job! The academia is really a great machine but do echo the other comments that the internal wash down tray is too small and needs to be emptied every 4 drinks. I do have a question for manual mode. I was wondering what type of testing you have performed to where the grinds and dose need to be? Maybe a separate video that goes into detail? My testing has shown that 10g of expresso ground is too much for the internal brew group and the dosing spoon that is given is approximately 5-6g. Also the grind needs to be closer to a mocha grind as well so it can flow properly through the machine. Thanks - Jet
I have had this machine now for a couple days. Some early findings. The drip tray seems very very small. After 3 coffees it asks to be emptied. The other is the shots are going to require some fine tuning. The coffee flavor is weak but I think it will take some adjustment
Hi Marc. So many questions but just three for now. You state "from power on to ready to brew in less than 1 minute minute" - how is that possible? Would making a double espresso involve using the boost button or adjusting the drink size or both? My wife is too intimidated to use our Profitec Pro 500 but would definitely be comfortable using this machine. But will she be disappointed with the quality of the drink from this machine compared with our Pro 500?
Hi Paul, Yes, it's about 1 minute from power on to ready to brew. Possible because automatic machines use thermoblocks to heat water. They heat water on demand to some extent so are much faster than large volume boilers in semi-automatic machines. You can use the boost function for the double or you can just make a double. Both methods will do 2 grind cycles to get a shot using as much coffee as a specialty cafe. Depending on your strength setting, the machine grinds up to 23 grams total when doing 2 grind cycles. We've done a lot of taste testing and the boosted espresso from the Accademia is the best we've had from a bean to cup automatic. Adding the ristretto to the espresso using boost produces a shot with extra body and more sweet flavors. Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage Thanks Marc Should have guessed it used a thermo lock. Read the manual and was surprised to learn that grind setting is done manually. Seems to me that if you intend to prepare two drinks, one of which is coffee and the other an espresso based drink, then you either have to use a separate grinder and use the pre-ground coffee compartment for one of the drinks, or you have to manually adjust the setting, or you have to use the same grind setting for both (yuck).
Could you brew a standard size regular cup of coffee with this machine ? I read the Gaggia Cadorna prestige the biggest cup of coffee is 6oz for a more European style cup, just wondering if this machine is similar or an upgrade. Thanks
Hi Kelsey, Yes you can brew a regular coffee on the Accademia. Maximum liquid volume is 8.1oz for a single coffee. If you hit two cups you could get as much as 16.2 and the machine would do 2 grind cycles for that volume. Another option for a "regular" coffee is the Americano. Many prefer the flavor of the Americano to coffee made by pushing all the water through the ground coffee. If not familiar, the Americano combines espresso with hot water. Maximum Americano size on the machine combines 4.4oz of espresso with 7.1oz hot water for an 11.5oz cup. Hope that helps! Marc
Hi Marc Does it mean (if money was not an issue nor cold brew was something which interested you at all) you would pick the Gaggia Accademia before the Jura Z10 or other Jura's??
Hi Viktor, Yes I would. Understand I have an older Jura model at home with about 7,000 brew cycles on it and I like it. In years past I preferred the interface of high-end Jura machines to Gaggias. That opinion changed with the new Accademia. The touch screen and user interface of the Accademia is every bit as good and larger than the Z10's. The Accademia's Boost function takes espresso and coffee quality to another level. Of all the automatic machines I've used the Accademia using the new Boost function along with flow control comes closest to specialty cafe quality espresso from a barista operated semi-automatic. The milk carafe system is very convenient with simple automatic steam cleaning for daily use. Plus it has 4 levels of milk froth density programmable by drink. Hope that helps! Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage Couldn’t Coffee boost be replicated on most superauto machines? Seems like you could just configure espresso and ristretto settings to match the option. I guess the benefit of a dedicated option is having the machine do water volume conversions for you…
What are exact dimensions of the machine? I really like it by review and would buy it if it fits my counter space, have only 14.75 inches height space…
Hey, Mark! Just got my Accademia but can you help with some info? I have 2 issues: 1. When the milk jug makes self cleaning program after the milk based drinks, it spits some of the water out from the jug’s handle. 2. The quantities of the milk especially are not correct. I want 200ml milk and it only gives 120-140ml and so on. Thanks!
Hi IN, Thanks for the questions. 1. Steam/hot water is pusjed through the carafe frothing components during quick cleaning. The rinse travels down through the handle and into the drip tray so that's normal. A small amount of steam/water drops may leak where the spout meets the handle connection - especially when the 2 are not lined up during cleaning. 2. Milk amounts may vary a bit based on the milk type used as different types froth to higher volumes than others. Also varies by the froth setting used on the machine. Amounts are best estimates and can be used as a reference to adjust milk amount in programming your drinks. Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage issue no. 3: when I remove the carafe milk or water with milk is dropping from the carafe bottom where the steam is released and somethimes it's a lot. I understand that it's not perfect, but for 1800$ a lot of things that I didn't expect. P.S. modifying the grinder size it's very difficult. I tried when it's in use but it moved very little
Hi Marc, excellent review. I watched your Jura J8 review and then this one and am strongly leaning toward the Gaggia. I noticed the J8 requires you to be enslaved to buying their water filters, does the Gaggia do this as well? Also, I couldn't find how many ounces of water the reservoir holds. Could you give me that info?
Hey user, Thanks for the comment and questions! You do not have to use the filter with the Jura J8 or the Gaggia Accademia. If you choose to use a filter with the J8 you will never need to descale the machine. If you don't use the filter you will be prompted to descale as needed. Frequency depends on your water hardness. For average hardness at 150ppm it's about 500-750 brew cycles. For the Accademia, you can use a filter if desired but will still need to descale. Using a filter about doubles the time between descaling. The Accademia water reservoir holds 54oz. Hope that helps! Marc
Marc or anyone who knows, what is the total height of this machine with the water lid open fully? I'm worried about it fitting under my cabinet. Thanks!
Hi RP, It has functions like the flow control on the spouts and boost which help to make a better coffee. Beyond that usability features large color touch screen, self-cleaning carafe, manual steam wand and multi-user drink customization. It's a better build quality with all metal housing and full glass front panel. If those features are important to you then yes. If they are not then the Cadorna could serve your needs. Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage Thanks Marc. I’ve been fighting the urge to pull the trigger (price not a huge issue, just being cheap lol). Probably won’t hold out much longer though. The accademia is a beautiful machine and ultimately the one I do want
Hi Alex, For non-dairy milks most work well but some types/brands work better than others in the automatic carafe. Cream is usually too thick for good results using the carafe. If a particular non-dairy milk does not do well in carafe, you may get better results using the machines commercial steam wand for manual frothing. Marc
Mark I noticed on your site that you have pre 2022 models for sale. They are more in my price range and the fact that they are built so well I think that at the price they are perfect. Am I missing something? Can I have one shipped to Canada? You do not have any for sale on the Canadian site just the American. Thanks for your site it is very informative.
Hey RD, Yes, we do have a few older version Accademia's available. I do not get involved with sales and inventories change daily. You could contact our sales staff here to inquire on possibility of shipping to Canada from purchase of US inventory: www.wholelattelove.com/pages/contact-us
Hi E, Thanks for the question. Super-autos can use dark beans so long as visible oil spot coverage is less than ~25% of bean surface. It's the oils which can clog the grinders of automatic machines. Marc
Nixe review although it seems a little hyped. I am actually thinking whether to buy this machine or go for another brand. Like this machine but fear that the drip tray is way too small. Does anybody know how often it'll have to be emptied? Read something about every two to three cups, which would be extremely annoying. Apparently from that I love the looks, finish and features.
Hi SK, Frequency of drip tray emptying depends on type of drinks made and number of startup and shutdown cycles as the machines rinses for each. On average it's about every 5-7 drinks before emptying drip tray.
@Whole Latte Love Thanks for your helpful reply. 5-7 doesn't seem much. Maybe I will give it a try nevertheless. Somehow I just fell in love with the design. 😀
Hey Kyle, Here are some temps from the Accademia. These are for an 8oz/237ml Americano with a 2oz/60ml double shot (boosted) and 6oz/180ml water. Unless noted otherwise temps measured in stream out of spout. Cup was a room temp 12oz/355ml dual walled stainless steel travel mug. Water in reservoir: 68F/20C Espresso shot: 182F/83C Boosted shot: 184F/84C Water: 185F/85C In cup finished temp: 173F/78C Marc
@@KyleGP You're welcome. The Accademia does well in that respect. I honestly do not test the latte temps on machines. Too many variables involved for meaningful results like starting milk temp, ambient temp, drink size, froth density settings on machines with that feature. Here's the thing... Super-automatics with automatic frothing generally produce a variable dependent frothed milk temp of 120-145F. That's because it's in the peak sweet point of milk due to heating. A well trained barista will tell you a proper latte should be served at a chuggable temperature. That said, I understand some want a hotter drink. For that you really need to froth manually. For that you've either got to use a traditional semi-auto machine with steam wand or a super-auto like the Accademia which hasd the steam wand in addition to the automatic carafe. Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage Thanks for the detailed reply Marc, I really appreciate it. I fully get where you're coming from. I do own a barista express and am doing milk with a steam wand at the moment. I get good results but my morning routine running a small business is making it hard to stand there and go to all that effort, plus clean the machine such as purging the wand, rinsing out the jug, emptying the puck and rinsing it, wiping everything down. It's less about laziness and more about the fact that I need to get up, have my coffee in a few minutes and spend as little time doing that as possible so I can get on with other business. The accademia at least has auto function but also a wand, making it effectively the best of both worlds it seems. It's definitely one I'll be considering.
Hey c, It's better in the sense that it's adjustable. Jura uses PEP - Pulse Extraction Process only for espresso and it's not adjustable. Flow control is adjustable on the Accademia. I loved that feature on the original Accademia. One can really fine tune an extraction if they want to. On the old Accademia I'd make red eyes on a regular basis. For that I'd make a long coffee with flow rate turned up then do an espresso with flow rate turned down. On the new Accademia I use coffee boost. When turned on, it adds a sweet short ristretto shot to espresso or coffee beverage. I love the espresso with the boost and it makes the 2 step red eyes a 1 step process. The ristretto boosted espresso is a drink with a unique flavor profile. Similar to a good manual lever shot with added sweetness and body. Marc
Hi Anna, Thanks for the question. Creamer comes in many varieties. Some thicker than others, some with added sugars so it's difficult to give a blanket yes/no. In most cases, creamers are not intended to be frothed. Depending on type it may work. Likely more success using the lowest froth density setting. If not, there's always the option to use the manual steam wand to heat and potentially froth. Hope that helps! Marc
Hi DD, Z10's marquee feature is the true cold brew option. Cold brew from the Z10 is excellent and not available on the Accademia. For espresso/coffee brewing the Accademia is better with more options and deep user control through features like flow control and coffee boost. The espresso using coffee boost function plus restricting with flow control is the best I've ever had from a super-auto machine. For milk drinks, I prefer the carafe system to the pick up tube of the Z10. Plus you have the option to froth manually on the Accademia. The Z10 is an elegant machine but the outer case is plastic while the Accademia is wrapped in metal with a sleek glass front. I like the high contrast display and touch screen of the Accademia. It's a bit larger at 4.25"w vs. 3.75"w on the Z10 and has smartphone like sensitivity. The Accademia's heated cup warmer can be programmed to come on before you wake up the machine. No cup warmer on the Z10. I've never had an issue with the brew unit of a Jura machine (I'm over 7,000 brew cycles on a Jura at home) but they are not accessible. Some appreciate the peace of mind inherent in the easy accessible brew units of Gaggia machines. Hope that helps! Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage Thank you very much Marc for taken the time to answer. It looks like the Accademia is a better choice. Is it as easy to clean as the Z10 ?
@@DIFLAZIO You are welcome! Accademia is is fairly easy to maintain. Daily milk cleaning is easier as you just push the carafe spout over and steam runs through the frothing components without touching milk remaining in the carafe. Depending on use you do want to do a deeper clean of the carafe 1x week or so. Daily cleaning of Z10 milk system isn't hard but more time consuming as cleaning agent must be run through the pick up tube. Z10 group cleaning is automated. Drop a cleaning tablet in the bypaser doser and the machine does the rest. With average use you'll do that 1x a month or so. Accademia has similar tablet cleaning system. In addition you should remove the brew group and rinse under room temp tap water 1x week or so. Hope that helps! Marc
Hey John, Thanks for the question. Yes it is. A lot of performance/features for the price compared to the competition and it makes the best espresso of any bean to cup machine I've used over the past decade. Marc
Hi there. Your best bet for making flavored milk-based drinks like mochas or caramel & vanilla lattes would be to add the flavored sauce / syrup to the cup prior to making the drink and then make a latte, cappuccino, or whichever drink you would like be flavored. You could even take a moment while the machine switches between milk and espresso preparation to give it a quick stir if you want it to be really integrated.
Hi Marc, I called a couple of weeks ago asking when this video would be coming. I need to know what temperature the hot water dispenses at. I have the Cadorna Barista Plus, it really is not hot enough. I was told this would be passed on to someone in your video dept. I had another question which you covered. P.S. I bought my Cadorna from you.
Hi feslope, Thanks for your patience! I took the time to get some data before responding. Using a thermocouple connected to a digital meter we read temperatures in water stream from the wand (coffee spouts for Americano). Each was tested 4 times. Results were very consistent across the 4 tests for each dispensing method. Here are the averages: Hot water: 186.5 (max 187.4, min 185.2) Black Tea: 185.6 (max 186.5, min 184.9) Americano: 160 (max 160, min 160) Green Tea: 155.2 (max 155.8, min 155) Hope that helps and thanks for your patronage! Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage Thank you so much. This is more than I had hoped for. This is the machine I have been waiting for. I am a big Americano fan who might like to dabble in Latte art and like to clean and service the " Internal Barista" daily. This machine seems to check all the boxes. The water getting hot enough for hot cereal is the bonus star. I will be ordering today. 😀😃😄
Hi e, No, startup is relatively quiet with just a quick rinse - from turn on to ready to brew in less than a minute. If you purchased in North America please contact out tech support here for assistance: support.wholelattelove.com/hc/en-us
Hi Joe, Thanks for the comment. Gaggia and Saeco have shared design elements in some products. Not really a secret. One big difference - all Gaggia machines are manufactured in Italy. That's not true for Saeco. I've used the Exprelia, Gaggia Babila and the previous version of Gaggia Accademia. They are all very similar in design. This updated Accademia has been thoroughly modernized with an all new UI, powerful touch screen control and extensive selection of new drinks and brewing capabilities as highlighted in the video. Marc
Not disagreeing.... although Exprelia was made in Italy. Those are merely sw/hw changes with a new interface and added cup warmer and nothing more. Components ( brew head, caref, pump grinder, trays etc are pretty much the same. I'm simply pointing out its a refresh /improvement of the older design which imo is a trusted design that works. Appreciate the feedback and your honest reviews!
Hi P, Thanks for the comment. So do 2 of those a day and it's 6 months. And what about next year? Comfort of your own home? Automatic bean to cup machines regularly do over 15,000 brew cycles with nothing more than routine maintenance. The example in this video was at 30,000. What would that cost at the cafe?
Hi Luis, thanks for the comment. There is a slight tradeoff in potential quality using a super-automatic vs. semi-automatic machine. What you gain for that is consistency and convenience. Marc
Hi Peter, Yes it is. Gotta say shots from the Accademia using Boost and restricting the flow are as close to semi-auto quality as I've ever had from an automatic. Marc
There’s still a milk wand😂. Jura is about to consume this entire market. Gaggia missed the memo that this generation liked thier one touch buttons. That means no FKKING work. Like zero.
Maybe Jura missed the memo?... Accademia has one touch milk drinks with self-cleaning carafe plus the steam wand for frothing to latte art quality when desired.
Just got mine today! Set it up and started brewing. I went through half a bag of coffee just setting all the customizations to the way my wife and I enjoy our coffees - she's a coffee lover and I am a latte lover. By the time we were done, we both had the perfect cup to our liking. The paper manual and setup details were fine, but this video was so much better to understand how and why to use certain functions. Thanks again!
Hey jimwilder, Congrats on your new Accademia! You're welcome for the video. Thanks for the report on your perfect cups ☕️☕️
Marc
still liking that gaggia?
I bought my Gaggia Accademia in 2012 (after a visit to Italy!). It lasted me great until about 6 months ago (a decade later! when it started to leak. I researched and tried tons of espresso machines in stores and ended up ranking the old Gaggia Accademia higher than any other new espresso machines. So I stuck with it, because despite the strange leak, it makes great espresso and drinks.
I started to search for an espresso machine just for kicks and now see this!
SOLD!!!
PS: dang you, Italy. I didn’t even drink coffee before I visited you! 😂
Hi AA, If you liked the original Accademia, you will love the updated model. As I said, the new Accademia makes the best espresso of any bean to cup super-automatic I've ever used. The new UI is awesome and it's one of the only machines of it's type with a full metal exterior aside from the very lux glass front. Still using as my daily driver in the studio and I could choose just about any machine for that duty.
Marc
We love Gaggia, I’ve had the Platinum for 17 yrs. Only reason I bought an Academia is because it was struck by lighting!! Best machines and coffee on the market!!
Hey jackie, Thanks a whole latte for sharing your Gaggia love! 17 years is awesome - lightning not so much! ☕️⚡️
Marc
I've been seriously thinking of getting this machine, but it would be good to see a genuine review rather than a 14 minute advertisement. There must be some negatives. There always are, with anything. My reservation with these super automatics is temperature. Nothing useful on that question.
Hi Graham, I'm always happy to respond to any specific questions here in the comments. Look through the comments here for a list of hot water temps I provided for another viewer. For temperatures, if you are looking for burn your tongue temps, no super-automatic machine from any manufacturer goes there. This machine and others brew at 195-205F internally. Coffee cools as it travels to the spouts with typical dispensing temp measured directly in the flow of coffee from the spouts of 180-190F. Brewing into a cold, heavy ceramic cup further reduces the temp. Frothed milk dispenses in the mid 130'sF. That's right in the sweet zone and is the same temp range used by well trained baristas. You might also have a look at the reviews of the machine left by verified purchasers here for their impressions and more information: www.wholelattelove.com/products/gaggia-accademia-espresso-machine
Hope that helps!
Marc
I was considering to buy an saeco xelsis suprema or Jura J8. Ive seen this masterpiece & features of this solid machine ive just ordered this in The Netherlands. I hope to get this soon within few days. Solid piece of italian craftmanship is always good👍
Hi y, Congrats on the new machine! Still our daily driver in the studio!
Marc
Im using the Gaggia Academia 2022 now for couple of days. Its really a nice to jave machine. Different coffees, different flavors. All good. The only thing what a bit annoying is the internal driptray thats really small and getting full quickly. So after 5-6 drinks u need to change that. But after all this is the machine which is much better than the newest saeco xelsis suprema & Jura J8.
Awesome, this is exactly like my OG Saeco Xelisis touch. Love the format, like the carafe. Ours is almost 12 years old and is starting to leach. This is a great upgrade!
Right on!
Excellent review as always! Thank you for the outstanding video. I am quite torn between the Accademia and the Delonghi Eletta Explore. Any thoughts?
Hi M, Thanks for the comment. I recommend the Accademia because I've used them all. Superior quality in drinks made, UI and build. I could choose any Jura, Gaggia or Delonghi to be our daily driver in the studio and it's been the Accademia now for 1.5 years.
Marc
Thank you, Marc. I was concerned that the grinder was not comparable to Jura but your endorsement answered my question! Thanks again! @@Wholelattelovepage
Hi Marc. Firstly - thank you for all of the hours you guys have put in to creating these videos over the years. So very helpful.
How does the brew unit and boiler compare between the Gaggia machine line, are they the same? Specifically between the 2022 Accademia, Cardona Barista, or Magenta Plus. Looking at pictures of these (or even Philips Latte Go machines) the brew units all look the same. Are they? Same capabilities/durability? thinking of espresso shot size/pressure/how they handle fine grinds/etc.
Hi JT, You are welcome - thanks for the kind comment and question!
The brew units between the machines are very similar - nearly identical in some cases. In my observation, the new Accademia is set to a slightly finer minimum grind size than the other machines. The adjustable flow restriction on the spouts of the Accademia makes a big difference in user control of espresso quality. Combined with a slightly finer grind and the Boost function it makes the best espresso I've ever had from a bean to cup super-automatic machine. Durability of the brew units is excellent. As mentioned we get regular reports of far greater than 15,000 brew cycles with nothing more than routine maintenance.
Marc
Cannot believe my friend has surprised me with this for Christmas! I’m so excited! 😂 It gets delivered this week!
So pleased I opted for this over the Jura. The whole pipe connection for the milk I found really ugly, this looks so smart. My ONLY issue with this is it doesn’t look as if there’s a coffee pot/jug setting… how would I work around this? Would the Americano setting be able to fill a full coffee pot?
Hi m, wow, nice friend!!! These machines are designed for 1-2 cups at a time. There are a couple of more expensive Jura machines which have jug/pot capabilities using multiple automatic grind and brew cycles. The Americano on the Accademia maxes out at ~10oz/300ml per brew cycle. You could do multiple drinks manually. Another option is doing multiple brews of 2 coffees. Max single coffee is ~8oz so each 2 gets you 16oz.
Hope that helps!
Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage That’s useful Marc and doesn’t sound too much of a faff!🤣 So a 2.5 pint vintage coffee pot I have, how many 2 coffee servings would I need to fill it would you say? That’s a complex maths sum!😂
@@matth7443 The maths are hard😜 think 2.5 pints is 40 ounces so 2 x 2 coffees at max volume.
I was wondering when this review would pop up! Just got mine today. This is my first super automatic. Still trying to play with settings to get espresso shots as good as my Barista Express. The machine seems well thought out so far. Quite a bit of adjustability. I really like having the auto milk carafe (with the neat auto cleaning function) and a traditional milk wand. Styling is much improved over the prior model IMO. Definitely unique looking compared to the polished steel machines from every other brand.
Hi Frank, Thanks for sharing your initial impressions of the Gaggia Accademia! If you appreciate rich sweet espresso try a boosted shot. Set "Aroma" to Bean+ symbol. Suggest setting beverage quantity to 1.7oz/50ml, grind to finest setting, temperature = high. The Accademia will grind and extract about 35-40ml, grind again and extract 10-15ml. That second extraction is a sweet ristretto. Combined, the 2 extractions are similar to shots pulled on a manual lever machine.
Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage Interesting, thanks for the tip! I will try that!
This review convinced me to buy this machine. I just got my Accademia today and so far I love it. The milk drinks are far superior to any other machine I have ever used. I was surprised how easy it was to set up and start using. This machine is worth every penny spent. One question: Can you tell me why my coffee is coming out the spout in the middle instead of the two side spouts? It is doing this, no matter which coffee type I choose. What am I doing wrong? Thanks
Hi Beth, Thanks a whole latte for the report on your Accademia and question! The dual spout unit moves back and forth. It's designed so it can be fully removed or pushed back to fit larger cups. To stop liquid from dispensing out of the center spout pull it forward until the face of the dual spout unit clicks into place. It will sit flush with the face of the center square section it slides on.
Marc
Thanks for the fast reply Marc, I tried it this morning and it worked! Now I love the machine even more!
@@bethberk9518 No problem!
Hi Marc. Loved this video.
Just as I was about to pull the trigger on a Jura S8, I came across your video for the Accademia. I want a bean to cup machine, but I’m not sure how I feel about the texture of milk with the Jura, the cleaning process for the milk, and the laggy touch screen.
On the other hand although I like the idea of a steam wand, it sounds like the gaggia makes weaker coffee in comparison to the Jura.
Would like to hear any insight you might have.
Hi andrew, Thanks for sharing the love. I don't do a ton of milk drinks myself but I do prefer the carafe of the Accademia to the pickup tube system used by Jura machines. With the carafe, just push the milk spout over and the carafe automatically cleans the frothing components with steam. It only takes a few seconds and after the carafe is ready to go back in the fridge. The pickup tube system is a little more involved. The Accademia has per drink programmable milk froth density. You can change density on the S8 manually but are limited to either steamed or foamed milk. With the Accademia you get a lot more control over the coffee brewing process. The flow control on the spouts lets you adjust the extraction rate to suit your flavor and beverage type. flow faster for longer coffees and restrict the flow for espresso. Using the boost function, the Accademia makes the best espresso I've ever had from a bean to cup machine. It runs a second grind cycle and adds a slighty shorter ristretto to your total programmed shot volume. This increases body and rounds out the extraction with added sweetness. Jura machines use a pulse extraction process when making espresso and turn that off for longer coffees. PEP does make for better espresso than without but you have more flavor control on the Accademia. Full disclosure, I have a Jura ENA 8 at home which brews identically to the S8 and use it to make long coffees. The Accademia is still my daily driver at the office where I make 2-3 boosted Americanos daily. For larger cups I prefer the flavor from the Accademia's Americanos to the long coffees from the Jura. From a value standpoint the Accademia is a winner. Love the build quality with metal surround and glass front compared to all plastic housing of S8. The S8 does have a larger water reservoir, higher capacity in drip tray and more used coffee capacity. So more frequent filling and emptying of things with the Accademia. I've used nearly every been to cup machine available in the US over the last decade and there are only a couple of high-end ($$) dual grinder Jura machines I'd pick over the Accademia if price is not a factor.
Hope that helps!
Marc
Received my wonderful machine from your company last week after watching your informative and passionate review. The machine has not disappointed. As someone who has to balance a love of coffee with acid reflux I need to be mindful of my caffeine intake. Can you please tell me how much coffee is brewed using the different aroma settings. I love the pre ground feature for an afternoon decaffeinated cappuccino, perfection in a cup! Thank you for your help.
Hi Amy, Thanks a whole latte for your kind comment, feedback on the Accademia and question!
Coffee Dose Quantity (grams/cycle) ranges from 6.5g - 11.5g
1 bean = 6.5
2 bean = 7.8
3 bean = 9
4 bean =10.3
5 bean = 11.5
Boost = 23g (uses 2 grind cycles and doubles the 5 bean setting)
Hope that helps!
Marc
Yes it does. Thank you kindly!
As always, enjoy your videos!! When did the gaggia accademia update? What are the major differences between the new and old?
Hi s, Thanks for the comment! New Accademia came out about 15 months ago. Major differences are: Serious upgrade to UI, 4 user profiles, extra shot function, new steam wand design, glass front panel...
Marc
It seems like every 4 coffees, we need to empty the drip tray from some reviews on your website. Is this correct?
Marc, awesome video reviews. your energy enthusiasm transpire your passion, thank you! After this review I’m wondering if I should go with this machine, My Oracle touch broke down and not sure if I should stay with Breville after not being able to fix my 2 year old machine😢 I wonder if it would be the right choice for my family.
We do lattes with both milk and almond milk, americanos and Cortados. The Breville has been an awesome machine but seems to have reliability issues. I do enjoy latte arts and simplicity of the semi automatic and I am not sure if the Accademia would easily surpass it, considering it is not a dual boiler.
Any thoughts that can help? I see you enjoy adjusting flavor on your shots, would this be better or par feature than the oracle’s shot and crema?
Hi Marc. One of the best features of the high end Gaggia and Saeco super automatics was their dual boiler system. It seems the new Accademia has gone back to a single boiler. Do you notice any difference, i.e., longer times to make milk based drinks, versus your old Accademia (or our Saeco Xelsis)?
Hi JK, Thanks for the question. Yes, the new Accademia uses a new single boiler design. We did some testing and found on average it was about 15 seconds longer to steam production on the new Accademia. One gives up a little time but can argue it's a less complex and more reliable system.
Marc
Thank you showing off the model, I’ve been using Gaggia Classic with Grinder for 9 years and love the machine. I have thought of upgrading to this model but had a question about the grinder performance and how much water does the reservoir hold?
Hi BO, the Accademia uses a flat ceramic burr grinder with 8 grind settings. Water reservoir holds 54oz/1.6 liters.
Hope that helps!
Marc
I’m saving for this
What is the proper milk temperature for milk-based espresso drinks? The machine I currently tolerate barely froths the milk past 100 degrees-definitely not hot enough for me.
I’m adding the new Accademia to my wish list!
Hi Molly, Thanks for the question. Well trained baristas froth to 130-140F/54-60C. That's the sweet spot of milk flavor due to heating. In our testing the Accademia's carafe frothed in that range in spot measurements of milk leaving the carafe. Some do like it hotter. Preheated cups from the heated cup warmer help keep in cup temperatures higher. For those who like milk scorching hot, you can get there with the manual wand.
Marc
This machine is a rock star.
🤘thanks for the comment!
can you control the machine via app?
Hi pb, no, the Accademia does not have app control.
Marc
I can’t find the comparison chart you showed on the video comparing the models you presented. Can you please provide the link? Thanks.
Hi John, Not sure which comparison chart you are referring to as there is not one in the video. For a side by side comparison of features, pricing and specs you can use the compare feature at our website: www.wholelattelove.com
To use, navigate to a product you're interested in. Then click "Add to Compare". From there, you can navigate to additional products (max of 5 in a compare) and add them to the compare. Once you've added the ones you want click "View Compare" and you'll get a side by side of the products like this: www.wholelattelove.com/pages/compare?products=MTU0NTkxNzM5OTA5OSw2NTM1NzQ1MTc1NjA2
Hope that helps!
Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage yes sorry I should’ve posted it to the best 2022 automatic espresso coffee machine review. Thanks.
Quick question - is it possible to have mutliple versions of the same drink within one profile? Such as "strong" Espresso in the mornings (letd say 5/5 beans and maybe boost) and a weaker during the day (maybe 3/5 beans, no boost) without needing to switch to another profile? Or is it always only the 19 beverages which can be modified within one profile and i'd have to save another version of the drink at another profile?
Thanks in advance. Sorry for tippos, I'm writing from germany ;)
Hi d, You can have multiple versions of a drink in a single profile. For instance,I currently have 5 different espresso recipes in a single user profile on the Accademia I have in our studio.
Marc
Just got my accademia today. And if i want the most foam on top of my Coffee, how would u do that? 😅
Very nice machine, a lot to learn! Startede by putting the water filter wrong in, so i got milk with no Coffee. Great start 😅
Hey JAH, Congrats on your new machine! It will take a few brew cycles for the grinder to auto adjust to the proper dose so your first few coffees may be on the light side. By most foam, I assume you refer to crema? If so, a lot depends on the coffee beans you are using. Classic Italian style bean blends usually contain some Robusta beans in the mix which are proficient crema producers. Beyond bean selection, I always start with the grinder set to the finest setting, strength at 5 beans, temp on high. From there adjust to suit your taste preferences. If tasting bitter flavors decrease the grind size a notch or 2. If coffee is too strong reduce the strength setting. Hope that helps!
Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage im gonna try that later! It was your good review that convinced me to the gaggia 🙌🏻
It is safe to use the machine i Think after the 1 run without water ? 😅
Just received my Gaggia Accademia. Pretty excited, BUT the drip tray is so small!! I would think it would be bigger for this size of machine. And I cannot seem to change the grind size. I did read where it says you can only change it WHILE IT'S GRINDING.... I tried that and it won't budge. Plus it's such a tiny knob! I realize I sound like a whiner, but at this price-point......errrr...... I'll keep playing around with it and update this "first impression" as needed.
Hi Terri, Congrats on your new Accademia! It's still my daily driver in the studio here. For changing grind size, you need to push down with the adjustment tool while turning. And yes, if changing to a smaller grind size the grinder should be running when doing so. If setting coarser it does not have to be grinding. The front external tray is not huge. I tend to leave a cup under the spouts for turn on and shut down to catch water from the rinse cycle. With that, I almost never have to empty the external tray.
Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage ok, got the grind size down. And I've started leaving my cup to catch the rinse cycle water. I'm starting to fine tune my espresso by playing around with the other parameters and it's getting better. I still think the tray inside is tiny, but I'm getting happier overall with the purchase. I guess I'm more of a do-it-myself kind of girl than I thought - probably should have just ordered a full manual machine. 🙂
Just got mine today and made it through set up! So excited....:) Question, the rinse cycle seems to come unexpectedly and frequently. Is this correct?
Hey m, Congrats on your new machine! The coffee circuit automatically rinses on startup and shutdown.
Marc
I am considering replacing my Gaggia Anima Prestige, which I purchased from Whole Latte Love five years ago, with either the Academia or Jura E4. Since I primarily consume espresso and coffee, I am seeking a machine that is user-friendly and efficient in terms of cleaning and maintenance. I would appreciate your expert guidance in selecting the most suitable option between the Jura E4 and Gaggia Academia.
Hi p, Maintenance is similar with the exception of descaling. With Jura machines use and replace the in-reservoir water filter and you will never descale the machine. On the Accademia, you will be alerted to descale. Frequency depends on your local water hardness and use of filter. Without filter and medium hardness it's ~500 brew cycles between descalings. Accademia has a lot more control of espresso brewing and using the boost function makes the best espresso of any bean to cup machine I've had. I'm still using the Accademia as daily driver in the studio and the Jura ENA 8 at home. I prefer the Accademia.
Marc
Thank you, brother. Keep doing God's work 😂
I am really considering this machine but I have an issue. My wife can only drink decaf and I drink regular. It’s there a way to use both?
The easiest solution for this scenario using this machine would be to use pre-ground espresso for either your caffeinated or decaffeinated drinks. You would load the bean hopper with whole beans of whichever type of coffee you would perhaps brew more often, and then buy pre-ground espresso for whichever your secondary coffee would be. From there, you could program drinks to use either whole bean or pre-ground espresso and then scoop some into the bypass chute at the top for brewing the pre-ground drinks.
@@Wholelattelovepage OMG wow 😮 I didn’t know this machine had that option. Thank you so much
How would you compare shot quality to Nespresso vertuo pods? This is what we currently have in our office
Hey user, Quality starts with the bean and the Accademia starts with whole beans ground fresh. Makes a big difference! Plus you can customize by adjusting grind size, flow rate and more. Compared to whole bean coffee the pods are incredibly expensive.
Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage thanks- so ranking quality of espresso shot
1- breville oracle type
2- Accademia
3- vertuo pods?
@@user-ku7ly9ru5x That's fair
So, were does all the used coffee grounds go? How do you Clean the old ground out of the machine, and can it hook up to a water line never talked about that...I wonder if I'll get answers 🤔...hmmm
Hi dt, Grounds go into a used coffee box within the machine. No water line hookup.
Marc
How do I turn off the grinder so I can use a different coffee already grinded poured in the middle?
Hi dh, To use the pre-ground bypass doser use the touchscreen and press on the beverage you want to make. When you press the beverage on the screen its parameters will display. In the aroma setting touch to select the bean+ icon. Load the preground in the chute and press the play button on the knob to make the beverage.
Marc
@@Wholelattelovepagethank you so much! I never knew this until now
@@demhustler1128 My pleasure!
Just purchased this machine from you guys and I’m already really enjoying it, definitely had a few too many espressos today. I was currently running cycles with the gaggia beans that come with the machine but I will at some point be running with a fresher lighter roast as that’s what I prefer… considering I prefer a lighter roast what type of settings work best for espresso with this machine? I have heard it’s not best to go all the way to the finest settings with these super autos but do you agree with that? I am definitely using espresso boost and the minimum flow rate as those seem essential for a good shot but what about the pre infusion? I’ll be doing some testing myself of course but just curious what you have found, seems you’ve used this machine quite a lot and know a lot about dialing it in. Thanks !
Hey B, Happy to hear you are enjoying your new Accademia and thanks for your patronage! It's easy to go overboard with the caffeine.
I've used dozens of super-auto machines and the only time I've ever moved off of the finest grind setting is when I'm doing longer coffees. I've never had a problem. Problems can happen with fine grind settings when using beans with a lot of visible surface oils. Those can gum up the burrs and clog the delivery path to the brew unit. It's best to avoid beans with more than ~20% coverage with visible surface oils. You should not have a problem with lighter roast as they are not oily. I'd stick with the finest grind setting and only dial it back if you feel the coffee is over-extracted. Fresher roasts tend to benefit from pre-infusion. It allows the coffee a little time to off-gas CO2 that's still locked up in the fresh beans. The result is a reduction in acidity/brightness which allows the fruit to come through.
Hope that helps!
Marc
Thank you for this review! Would you recommend this over Jura machines? The milk clean cycle does seem annoying on a Jura. You mentioned in another comment that this machine doesn’t make the strongest coffee? I want a fully automatic that does coffee and espresso. Seems like you can’t win with everything on any given machine 😅. Is the coffee decent enough on this machine? I don’t need super strong coffee or anything. Thank you!
Hi laura, On a price performance comparison I def recommend the Accademia. Not sure which comment you are referring to in regards to coffee strength. The Accademia makes the best espresso I've ever had from a bean to cup automatic. If you use the boost function it doses as much as 23g of ground coffee for a single cup. Most Jura's max out at 16g dose. For longer coffees I make boosted Americanos which are delicious!
Marc
Hi
Can you suggest the jura E8 or academia. Both are same price for me
@@Wholelattelovepagei want to know which is the better machine academia or jura e8. It's the same price for me and it's for home use. Most coffee preferred are the milk based ones.
Great review Marc. I'm debating this unit vs the Oracle Touch. My personal use is about 90% americanos and 10% milk drinks. You have mentioned that this machine makes the best espresso and americanos of any super automatic you have tested. Not apples to apples, but how would espresso/americanos from the Oracle Touch compare? I would assume a portafilter machine might produce better espresso. I have heard the Oracle Touch doesn't consistently produce great espressos and its longevity might be questionable. Any thoughts on that? Thank you!
Hey tb, Thanks for the kind comment and questions! The Accademia does make the best espresso and Americanos of any bean to cup super automatic I've used over the last 12 years and I've used nearly every super-auto available in North America during that time. As I write this I'm drinking an Americano from the machine, I do 2 a day, and have used it every work day for the last 9 months. The Accademia is consistent, convenient and reliable. In about 2 minutes from from power on my Americano is ready to drink! No skill involved just touch the screen for my customized Americano and it makes it just like my last one. That said I regularly use high-end semi-automatic machines with advance brewing techniques like flow control. On those I can make an incrementally better espresso but there's skill and a lot of effort involved to produce that. I'm good at what I do and enjoy the process but admit at times it's a bit frustrating. But it can be rewarding as well when everything comes together. The Oracle is a decent product - I've reviewed it in the past. Compared to the other semi-auto machines I use it exists in the appliance grade with lots of plastic components and proprietary parts. It just doesn't have the same build quality of more traditional machine grade, made in Italy semi-automatic machines. I 100% prefer a separate large flat burr grinder if using a semi-auto machine. The built in grinder and other automatic functions make using the Oracle a bit wonky for my process and open the door to inconsistency. Longevity in any espresso product comes down to quality of water put into it and performing routine maintenance as directed by manufacturer. I hope that helps!
Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage That helps a ton Marc. Thank you so much!
Also consider customer service. Breville does not contact you back, after multiple hour long calls, they have not progressed my ticket for weeks. I’m so glad I only bought a food processor with them. Im looking into the above expresso machine over theirs because of their horrible customer service. Did you purchase it yet?! If so, how is it?!
I just bought this machine from your site! Almost went with a Jura but having to clean the milk system seemed very annoying.
Thank you for the reviews.
Would I be able to send the machine to you for repair if something occurred down the line? I’m hoping this will last me 10+ years
Hi Peter, Thanks for your patronage and you are welcome for the reviews! Yes, we provide factory authorized service for Gaggia machines. Perform routine maintenance and the Accademia should provide many years of service. One key to longevity is water quality. Be sure and set the machine up correctly testing your water hardness and entering test results into the machine. Do that, and the machine will alert you when it's time to descale.
Marc
I probably should have saved all my questions for one comment, but discovering as I go, so thanks for your patience and really appreciate your response. I think I have found the answer to my previous two questions scrolling through the comments, but not this one -- Is it normal for the steamed milk from the carafe to splatter a good amount upon discharge? And a final burst at the end too? (carafe is filled to the correct level) It gets all over the front of the machine, and splatters outside of the cup, making a bit of an unexpected mess. I could send a video? Or do you have a video somewhere to compare?
Hi m, A small amount of splatter is normal due to the chaotic nature of milk frothing. Final burst is normal as well. You can adjust the milk froth density to one of 4 levels per drink in the menu. The different densities may be more or less likely to splatter. Using different cup size so top is closer to dispensing point from carafe can help reduce. If you feel splatter is abnormal you can reach out to our Tech Support where you can supply a video of your machine in action: www.wholelattelove.com/pages/contact-us
Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage Thank you again! And absolutely loving my machine!!
You’re welcome and thanks for sharing your love of the Accademia!
Marc
Oh wow!!! A dream come true espresso machine!!!
Right?!
Marc, for you to say this is your go to machine says a lot. Still using my Gaagia Anima Prestige, but it is really hard not to trade it in for one of the newer, more techy Gaggia machines. Lol Mark
Hi Mark, Thanks for the kind comment! I'm drink a boosted Americano (2nd of the day) from the Accademia as I write this!
Marc
Hi, their a lot of info regarding cleaning and maintaining the brewgroup but do you advise to maintain / clear your grinder as well ? For instance with Grindz Coffee Grinder Cleaner ? Thank you for your reaction.
Hi Paul, Cleaning the grinder is not required but can be done using Urnex Grindz: www.wholelattelove.com/products/urnex-grindz-grinder-cleaner-15-2oz-bottle
It's more impactful for those using darker roasts which tend to have more oils which can gum up burrs over time and potentially go rancid.
Marc
I'm tossed between buying this machine or the Jura Z10....but I feel the Jura design is beautiful
Did you decide?! Im stuck on the gaggio but have not purchased yet:/
Very nice review! I see features of the old Xelsis Evo in this Gaggia continue as well (e.g. the self-cleaning milk carafe handle, steam wand, flow control knob). I just ordered the newer Xelsis on sale but seeing this, I'm rethinking! However, I do like the ability to make two milk based drinks as the same time and the cleaning systems for the wand on the newer Xelsis. Any thoughts between the two in terms of quality of espresso?
Hi Rudy, Thanks for the comment and question. I have yet to use the newer Xelsis so can't compare. I do know the older model was very similar to the older Accademia. Personally I prefer carafe systems to those with pickup tubes for milk. There's a lot to like on the new Accademia at first glance it seems to have deeper control of drinks and wider selection. My favorite feature is the boost function. When enabled, it adds a short sweet ristretto shot to drinks using a second grind cycle. Makes the closest shot to semi-auto I've ever had from a a bean to cup automatic.
Marc
Which settings You Find the best? Playing around with beans provided with machine set temp to high, grinder to 2 preinfusion to max , double shot 50 ml, flow control turned either max to left or right and espresso still tastes sour.
Hi YG, If you're still doing initial shots give the machine at least 6 grind cycles for grinder to learn and adjust for proper dose. I use these settings when starting up:
Grinder: finest setting
Temperature: high
Volume: 50ml
Prebrewing: Max
Aroma (strength): set to bean+ which runs the second grind cycle automatically
Flow control: fully clockwise
Cups: 1
If you are doing the double shot by selecting 2 cups then you're making ~100ml espresso from the 2 grind cycles. Once the grinder goes thru initial self adjustment max dose per grind cycle is ~11.5g so that 100ml is using max 23g ground coffee = to a 1:4 brew ratio.
Using the bean+ (boost) feature and 50 ml volume you'll be at a more typical 1:2 ratio.
An alternative is to stick with 2 cups and reduce the drink volume to lower the brew ratio.
Hope that helps!
Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage Thank You, key was changing grinder to lowest settings and flow control turned clockwise. Now both deault settings or aroma set to boost tastes good just different flavor profiles.
Can the boost option work with 2 cups of espresso?
Hi j, no, you cannot select boost in combo with the 2 cup option.
Great walkthrough! Is it possible to turn off the red led light?
Hey Robin, yes red light, and all lights turn off when machine is off.
Marc
Hi Marc, I currently have a Jura E8. I had a Gaggia Cadorna Prestige for a few weeks and I found that I couldn't get a good cup of espresso. I really like the quality / flavor of the espresso I am getting from my Jura. How would you compare the two? My only issue with the Jura E8 is that it is at relatively the same price point but does not offer the flexibility / customization that this machine does. Thanks.
Hi c, Gaggia has taken bean to cup automatic espresso to a new level in the latest Accademia. It's a crossover machine bridging the gap between bean to cup and traditional portafilter semi-automatics. I've used most every Jura and Gaggia bean to cup available in North America over the last decade. The updated Accademia makes the best espresso of them all. For those who are more serious about modern espresso quality one issue with most automatics is limited coffee dose compared to what's used in a specialty shop. Most Jura's have a max dose of 15-16g. Specialty shop baristas report average dose of 19g. To kick extraction up a notch Jura employees their PEP (pulse extraction process) when making espresso beverages. This extends the depth of the extraction. PEP works well in most cases but depends on the coffee used and personal flavor preferences.
The updated Accademia has 3 key items giving a user more control and a better drink: Adjustable flow rate control, the Boost function and it can grind a little finer than most machines. The flow rate control is similar to Jura's PEP. It slows down the extraction but on the Accademia the rate is adjustable. Jura's PEP is either on or off based on the beverage. It's on for espresso and off for regular coffee. The Accademia's Boost function adds a second grind cycle to an espresso or coffee. Make a boosted espresso and the second cycle is used for a short ristretto over top of the espresso made with the first grind cycle. The combination is what makes the best tasting espresso I've ever had from an automatic bean to cup machine. Set to full strength a boosted extraction doses up to a total of about 22g of ground coffee. The new Accademia is my daily driver in the studio. Once I tasted the boosted espresso I can't go back to any other machine.
Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage very nice response to the inquiry pertaining the Jura E8. I was on the verge of ordering the E8 but this product seems to outperform the Jura on several levels. I also am not a fan of the expensive water filters required by Jura.
@@James-ej7yd Hi there, I do my best to give detailed information! The E8 is a decent machine. But, the Accademia is a fantastic value when comparing features and gives one more control. I hear you on the filters. One thing Jura has is use the filter and you never need to descale the machine. Using filters in Gaggia machines like the Accademia lengthens the interval between descaling but you will need to descale eventually.
Marc
Gaggia really nailed this one.
Hi Andrew, Thanks for the comment!
Marc
Thanks so much for the great review!
I am new to this and coming from Nespresso world here. Both my wife and I are heavy coffee drinkers. My first cappuccino, I added the extra bean click (sorry forgot the name of it) to make it stronger and also increased the amount of coffee. Still, I felt it is not as strong as the Nespresso double shot. The flow was in the middle. Any advice to make it stronger? Appreciate it in advance
Bassam
Hi BS, You are welcome! I'd limit the boost total volume to 60ml. Set grind to the finest position and flow to most restrictive. If your machine was new it takes a few brews for the dosage amount to reach full strength as the machine adjust grind amount to suit your coffee.
Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage thanks so much Marc.
How do I Iimit the boost volume? It only gives the option of boost or no boost.
The most restrictive flow is when the capsule figure on the left, correct?
I figured it out. The oz of the boost pop up and adjustable. I assume the flow system most restrictive setting is the one described as "lighter body, thinner crema"?
@@bassamsonbol7092 Hi, most restrictive is with the flow dial turned fully clockwise.
Marc
@@WholelattelovepageWhy doesnt any1 talk about this feature? I've read about it 2 or 3 Times but i dont find any further information while this seems like a pretty improtant Feature to me. What exactly is the grinder doing to calibrate to my beans? Does it automatically Change whenever I put other beans in it? Can I take any influence on this automatic adjustments the machine makes?
Love the very in depth review. I have been considering this machine vs the Jura S8. Anything thoughts on this comparison? My wife and I are milk based coffee lovers and looking for something to last with rich features, great convenience at 6am in the morning. I come from a breville dual boiler and specilita grinder but now looking for a one quick and easy. Thank you! 🙏🏼
Hi Alex, Thanks for the comment and question. Here's a side by side spec comparison of the Accademia and S8: www.wholelattelove.com/pages/compare?products=NDU3ODQ2Mjc5Mzc4MiwxNTQ1OTE3Mzk5MDk5
Coming from a semi-auto, I know you'll appreciate the deeper level of control using the Accademia's flow control on the spout. For milk drinks, I find the carafe system more convenient than the Jura's pick up tube system. It has 3 levels of programmable froth density. When done making milk drinks just push the carafe's spout over and steam is automatically run through the frothing components. After that you can place the carafe back in fridge ready to go for next time. Also prefer the Accademia's UI which presents all drink parameters before drink is made and allows for easy adjustment of those. Did I mention the Accademia using the boost function makes the best espresso I've ever had from a bean to cup? I'll finish up with the Accademia having more clearance under the spouts and it's one of the only machines with a full metal jacket with exception of the sleek front glass panel. hope that helps!
Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage Thank you very much for the very quick and thorough reply. Sounds like a better overall machine vs the Jura S8. My last thoughts are how does the quality of the milk frothing system compare to the Jura S8. Flat whites etc etc (foam quality). We only do milk based drinks and I use oatmilk for my drinks so also wondering about the ability to handle different milk types. Again thank you so very much for your time and reply.
Hi Mark, seems like this unit is double the price of the previous model Accademia. Do you think it's really worth that much more?
Hi James, It is more than the previous model but nowhere near double if you compare list price of the old model before the new model was released. Some retailers may be discounting the old model or perhaps you're seeing a refurb price? I do think the new Accademia is worth the price - especially if you compare to Jura machines at the same price. The new Accademia makes the best tasting espresso I've ever had from an automatic and Jura machines don't have near the features at this price point.
Marc
I'm trying to duplicate Blue Bottle Coffe Flat white. They tell me they use roughly 20g of coffee and a litlle more than 20g of finished espresso, I believe it is a Ristretto shot? Can I duplicate that on this machine? What about the Gaggia Breva? Thank you for sharing your knowledge and information!
Hi warren, Thanks for the question. Yes you can duplicate. To do so you would first make a double ristretto set to strength of 4 beans which results in a dose of ~10g for each ristretto. By selecting the 2 cups option when making the ristretto the machine will grind and brew 2 times for total coffee dose of 20g. The minimum ristretto size on the machine is .5oz/15ml so you'd end up with 30ml in your cup. You could increase the coffee strength setting to 5 beans to compensate for the extra 10ml. Then you'd do the frothed milk over top adding however much you'd like to achieve your desired coffee to milk ratio. As far as the Breva - think you mean Brera? It's a very bare bones machine. Minimum single espresso size is ~.75oz/23ml so the double is going to be larger than on the Accademia. The Accademia makes a much better ristretto due to the flow control on the dial which allows one to restrict the flow for a much sweeter extraction.
Hope that helps!
Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage Fabulous and THANK YOU for your detailed response. Looks like there is an Accadamia in my future!
@@wwnow2013 You're welcome. The Accademia is a wonderful machine!
Hey Marc! I noticed on your website that I'm able to use AR to view many of your machines in my home. Are you planning to add this for the Accademia?
Hey Q&A, The AR is cool right! Should be coming soon. Not sure of exact date. Model creation for AR is in progress.
Marc
Hello! How often should I be lubricating the brew group? I make about 3-5 coffee drinks/day. Thank you so much!
Hey mm, Lubricate the group every 3-4 months at your use level. Here's a very in-depth video presented by Ted our Lead Gaggia Service Tech on brew group maintenance. Link cues to the point in the video where he discusses maintenance frequency. Likely a lot of other useful info in the video for you: ruclips.net/video/uFD3SzthFJQ/видео.htmlsi=1hw4BUQHRjgC3ChI&t=545
Hope that helps!
Marc
Thank you so much! @@Wholelattelovepage
I have a question, can you show how to refill the water and empty the grind pucks. I’m trying to decide between the Gaggia Accedemia with the Gaggia Cadorna, I like how with the Cadorna, I have easy access to the water in the pucks from the front of the machine.
Hi Q&A, Thanks for the question and sorry I did not show in the video. Water refill is from top of the machine. For used coffee pucks the entire front door swing open. You can see how that works in this video on the previous version of the Accademia: ruclips.net/video/cLibV1dgwiE/видео.html
Marc
Hello! I have this model for about 4 months now. This machine never produces a hot cup of coffee, even on the highest temp setting. And since I add about a tablespoon of milk after brewing, it results in a cup that's just barely warm. In fact it's so mildly warm I'd like to put it on the stove to warm it up, which is not an ok process. Can you tell me what temp the brewed coffee should come out at? I believe there must be something wrong.
Hi m, If you dispense an 8oz/240ml coffee with brew temperature set to high the coffee temperature measured directly in stream of coffee from the spout with a fast reading digital thermometer should be in the 180-192F (82-89C) range. Internal brewing takes place at 195-205F. The coffee cools a bit as it travels to the spout. Brewing into cool large ceramic cup or similar can drop the in cup temperature significantly. Has your coffee always been cool? Over time, limescale deposits may form inside the boiler of the machine resulting in less efficient heating of water and cooler temperatures. No idea if that's your issue. If it is, regular descaling maintenance as recommended by manufacturer can prevent. If you purchased the machine in North America and need additional assistance please contact our tech support here: www.wholelattelove.com/pages/contact-us
@@Wholelattelovepage Thank you for your reply. Yes, the temp has always seemed low. I toyed with ounces, settings to see if there were any variances. I have a fast read digital thermometer and the highest temp of the coffee coming from the spout measures 172F. When I place the thermometer in a tempered cup of freshly brewed coffee it measures at @155F and then of course dips down from there. I have done cleaning of brew group, descaling, etc all as advised. I do appreciate how helpful you have been, and I will be contacting customer support.
Marc, thanks for the review. I have used an Anima deluxe for 4 years now. I like the machine, and in particular like the fact that I can manually froth the milk to a high temperature. The Accademia appeals to me because of the milk frothing carafe.
1.The only issue is the temperature of milk drinks. I appreciate from previous postings and replies that the final milk drink will not be as hot as I prepare manually. I always heat the cup with near boiling water anyway. If I do that, could you give me an idea of what would be the maximum temperature that I would expect for a latte using the carafe?
2. After preparing a latte with the Anima, I like to run a lungo, but through the doser, with no coffee in it. Hence I am making hot water. This 'makes me feel better', in that I feel that I have cleaned it out of remaining espresso. Is this possible with the Accademia?
3. When I use the steam wand on the Anima, I always run water through the spout afterwards, to ensure that all milk is cleared out of the nozzle. Is this possible on the Accademia, and also, is there an easy way to 'extra' clean the carafe system after each milky drink. Thanks
Bertie
Hi Bertie, You are welcome and thank yoou for sharing your thoughts on the Anima and your questions.
1. Heating the cup will certainly help with temperatures. Due to the number of variables involved hard to give a specific in cup temperature with pre-heating. I can say in our tests milk temps leaving the spouts was about 135F/57C. Well trained baristas froth milk to that range for best milk flavor. But I do understand (and don't judge) those who may like it hotter. Manual wand is perfect for that. As mentioned pre-heating helps as well and the new Accademia has a heated cup warmer that can be set to turn on well before the machine. Not as hot as pre-heating with boiling water but might be a ll you need.
2. You can definitely run a blank water only drink by choosing pre-ground on the aroma strength setting. You should know the machine does essentially the same thing when you power it off and it rinses. The rinse does not run as much water as a lungo but it's the same process.
3. The Accademia has a dedicated purge button. This can be used before using the wand to clear any condensation. After using the wand to froth milk the machine reminds you to touch the purge button to clean the wand. Touch purge and the machine does it all and stops automatically. You could also run hot water through the wand but it's not really needed. The easy way to clean the carafe is to simply push the spout over after making a milk drink. Doing so automatically runs steam through the frothing components in the carafe's spout without adding water to milk in the carafe. If desired, you can easily trigger the quick clean again from the Clean/Set menu.
Hope that helps!
Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage Thank you Marc. That is a really clear and helpful explanation. I am in the UK, and am arranging to go to Gaggia UK to try one out in a couple of months time. Raj Beadle the managing director of Gaggia UK is always very helpful and good to deal with. Thanks again
Hi Marc. Great overview. This machine def looks great. I own the prior Accademia and served us well. However, it lacked in a few areas. Coffee was hot but never seemed hot enough, steam wand performance was good but not great so as to make different drinks (old had 15 bar, new has ??) and cup warmer was weak. What do you think about the improvements in these areas on the new machine compared to the old...basically have these been improved?
Hi SP, Thanks for the comment and question. Cup warmer on the new Accademia is electrically heated. Previous version was passive heat only. So a lot warmer! And, you can set the cup warmer to turn on before waking the machine at three times and select days of week for each time. Steam wand on the older model does not have the same power of a commercial semi-auto but was capable of frothing to latte art quality. New wand is much nicer - it's longer and on the ball joint. Steaming performance is similar. the 15 bar is pump pressure for brewing. That spec describes max pressure rating of pump for brewing (it doesn't brew at 15 bar, it's just a bigger is better number for marketing purposes) and has nothing to do with steaming performance. Internally, coffee/espresso is extracted in the 195-205F/91-96C range. It cools some before it reaches the cup. This is the case in all super-auto machines. Out of the spout coffee temps measured in the stream come in at 185-192F/85-89C. Brewing into a cold cup will reduce the temp more - but hey, it has an awesome cup warmer. If you liked the old Accademia you're going to love the new one. Check out the reviews here. There are a bunch from people who have owned both versions: www.wholelattelove.com/products/gaggia-accademia-espresso-machine#product-reviews
Hope that helps!
Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage Ah thanks for clarifying and for the info; definitely helps. Yes it does seem this new machine is much improved.
I'm searching the "steel" version on your shop and can't seem to find it, do you have it available? What's the link to it? Thanks
Hi ds, the Steel version is not due in North America until sometime this summer. As soon as it's available for shipping it will be on the site.
Marc
Hi Marc! Wonderful review, nice job! The academia is really a great machine but do echo the other comments that the internal wash down tray is too small and needs to be emptied every 4 drinks.
I do have a question for manual mode. I was wondering what type of testing you have performed to where the grinds and dose need to be? Maybe a separate video that goes into detail? My testing has shown that 10g of expresso ground is too much for the internal brew group and the dosing spoon that is given is approximately 5-6g. Also the grind needs to be closer to a mocha grind as well so it can flow properly through the machine.
Thanks - Jet
The Accademia is perfect.
Hey MG, Thanks for the comment.
Marc
I have had this machine now for a couple days. Some early findings. The drip tray seems very very small. After 3 coffees it asks to be emptied. The other is the shots are going to require some fine tuning. The coffee flavor is weak but I think it will take some adjustment
Hi Marc. So many questions but just three for now. You state "from power on to ready to brew in less than 1 minute minute" - how is that possible? Would making a double espresso involve using the boost button or adjusting the drink size or both? My wife is too intimidated to use our Profitec Pro 500 but would definitely be comfortable using this machine. But will she be disappointed with the quality of the drink from this machine compared with our Pro 500?
Hi Paul, Yes, it's about 1 minute from power on to ready to brew. Possible because automatic machines use thermoblocks to heat water. They heat water on demand to some extent so are much faster than large volume boilers in semi-automatic machines. You can use the boost function for the double or you can just make a double. Both methods will do 2 grind cycles to get a shot using as much coffee as a specialty cafe. Depending on your strength setting, the machine grinds up to 23 grams total when doing 2 grind cycles. We've done a lot of taste testing and the boosted espresso from the Accademia is the best we've had from a bean to cup automatic. Adding the ristretto to the espresso using boost produces a shot with extra body and more sweet flavors.
Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage Thanks Marc
Should have guessed it used a thermo lock.
Read the manual and was surprised to learn that grind setting is done manually. Seems to me that if you intend to prepare two drinks, one of which is coffee and the other an espresso based drink, then you either have to use a separate grinder and use the pre-ground coffee compartment for one of the drinks, or you have to manually adjust the setting, or you have to use the same grind setting for both (yuck).
Could you brew a standard size regular cup of coffee with this machine ? I read the Gaggia Cadorna prestige the biggest cup of coffee is 6oz for a more European style cup, just wondering if this machine is similar or an upgrade. Thanks
Hi Kelsey, Yes you can brew a regular coffee on the Accademia. Maximum liquid volume is 8.1oz for a single coffee. If you hit two cups you could get as much as 16.2 and the machine would do 2 grind cycles for that volume. Another option for a "regular" coffee is the Americano. Many prefer the flavor of the Americano to coffee made by pushing all the water through the ground coffee. If not familiar, the Americano combines espresso with hot water. Maximum Americano size on the machine combines 4.4oz of espresso with 7.1oz hot water for an 11.5oz cup.
Hope that helps!
Marc
Hi Marc
Does it mean (if money was not an issue nor cold brew was something which interested you at all) you would pick the Gaggia Accademia before the Jura Z10 or other Jura's??
Hi Viktor, Yes I would. Understand I have an older Jura model at home with about 7,000 brew cycles on it and I like it. In years past I preferred the interface of high-end Jura machines to Gaggias. That opinion changed with the new Accademia. The touch screen and user interface of the Accademia is every bit as good and larger than the Z10's. The Accademia's Boost function takes espresso and coffee quality to another level. Of all the automatic machines I've used the Accademia using the new Boost function along with flow control comes closest to specialty cafe quality espresso from a barista operated semi-automatic. The milk carafe system is very convenient with simple automatic steam cleaning for daily use. Plus it has 4 levels of milk froth density programmable by drink. Hope that helps!
Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage Thanks Marc , very detailed answer. It definitely helps.
@@viktor.madarasz You're welcome!
@@Wholelattelovepage Couldn’t Coffee boost be replicated on most superauto machines? Seems like you could just configure espresso and ristretto settings to match the option. I guess the benefit of a dedicated option is having the machine do water volume conversions for you…
@@Dirty_Bear22 Yes, it could be replicated. As you mention it's automatic on the Accademia and a one step process.
Marc
What are exact dimensions of the machine? I really like it by review and would buy it if it fits my counter space, have only 14.75 inches height space…
Hui VS, height is 15.15" all size specs here: www.wholelattelove.com/products/gaggia-accademia-espresso-machine#product-specs
Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage Thank you
How does the Gaggia Academia 2022 compared to Miele CM 7750?
Hi Amit, well the Accademia is less than half the price and makes the best espresso I've ever had from an automatic bean to cup.
Marc
Hey, Mark! Just got my Accademia but can you help with some info? I have 2 issues:
1. When the milk jug makes self cleaning program after the milk based drinks, it spits some of the water out from the jug’s handle.
2. The quantities of the milk especially are not correct. I want 200ml milk and it only gives 120-140ml and so on.
Thanks!
Hi IN, Thanks for the questions.
1. Steam/hot water is pusjed through the carafe frothing components during quick cleaning. The rinse travels down through the handle and into the drip tray so that's normal. A small amount of steam/water drops may leak where the spout meets the handle connection - especially when the 2 are not lined up during cleaning.
2. Milk amounts may vary a bit based on the milk type used as different types froth to higher volumes than others. Also varies by the froth setting used on the machine. Amounts are best estimates and can be used as a reference to adjust milk amount in programming your drinks.
Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage issue no. 3: when I remove the carafe milk or water with milk is dropping from the carafe bottom where the steam is released and somethimes it's a lot.
I understand that it's not perfect, but for 1800$ a lot of things that I didn't expect.
P.S. modifying the grinder size it's very difficult. I tried when it's in use but it moved very little
Hi Marc, excellent review. I watched your Jura J8 review and then this one and am strongly leaning toward the Gaggia. I noticed the J8 requires you to be enslaved to buying their water filters, does the Gaggia do this as well? Also, I couldn't find how many ounces of water the reservoir holds. Could you give me that info?
Hey user, Thanks for the comment and questions! You do not have to use the filter with the Jura J8 or the Gaggia Accademia. If you choose to use a filter with the J8 you will never need to descale the machine. If you don't use the filter you will be prompted to descale as needed. Frequency depends on your water hardness. For average hardness at 150ppm it's about 500-750 brew cycles. For the Accademia, you can use a filter if desired but will still need to descale. Using a filter about doubles the time between descaling. The Accademia water reservoir holds 54oz.
Hope that helps!
Marc
Marc or anyone who knows, what is the total height of this machine with the water lid open fully? I'm worried about it fitting under my cabinet. Thanks!
Hey tb, It's 19" to top of water lid when open.
Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage Thank you!
I have 5000 brew cycles on my older academia and it was properly maintained. Now getting Error 14. Not sure if I can trust the product.
For a first time super auto user, do you think this machine is worth twice the price of the cadorna prestige?
Hi RP, It has functions like the flow control on the spouts and boost which help to make a better coffee. Beyond that usability features large color touch screen, self-cleaning carafe, manual steam wand and multi-user drink customization. It's a better build quality with all metal housing and full glass front panel. If those features are important to you then yes. If they are not then the Cadorna could serve your needs.
Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage Thanks Marc. I’ve been fighting the urge to pull the trigger (price not a huge issue, just being cheap lol). Probably won’t hold out much longer though. The accademia is a beautiful machine and ultimately the one I do want
@@ronnieprestamer3548 You're welcome!
Hi, does it work with plant milk? or plant coffee cream?
Hi Alex, For non-dairy milks most work well but some types/brands work better than others in the automatic carafe. Cream is usually too thick for good results using the carafe. If a particular non-dairy milk does not do well in carafe, you may get better results using the machines commercial steam wand for manual frothing.
Marc
Does this have a double boiler? Thanks!
Hi jc, no, the Accademia uses a single thermoblock boiler to heat water and create steam.
Marc
Mark I noticed on your site that you have pre 2022 models for sale. They are more in my price range and the fact that they are built so well I think that at the price they are perfect. Am I missing something? Can I have one shipped to Canada? You do not have any for sale on the Canadian site just the American. Thanks for your site it is very informative.
Hey RD, Yes, we do have a few older version Accademia's available. I do not get involved with sales and inventories change daily. You could contact our sales staff here to inquire on possibility of shipping to Canada from purchase of US inventory: www.wholelattelove.com/pages/contact-us
Are there any super automatics can take super dark beans? If not then are there any coming in the future?
Hi E, Thanks for the question. Super-autos can use dark beans so long as visible oil spot coverage is less than ~25% of bean surface. It's the oils which can clog the grinders of automatic machines.
Marc
Nixe review although it seems a little hyped. I am actually thinking whether to buy this machine or go for another brand. Like this machine but fear that the drip tray is way too small. Does anybody know how often it'll have to be emptied? Read something about every two to three cups, which would be extremely annoying. Apparently from that I love the looks, finish and features.
Hi SK, Frequency of drip tray emptying depends on type of drinks made and number of startup and shutdown cycles as the machines rinses for each. On average it's about every 5-7 drinks before emptying drip tray.
@Whole Latte Love Thanks for your helpful reply. 5-7 doesn't seem much. Maybe I will give it a try nevertheless. Somehow I just fell in love with the design. 😀
Would of been nice to onow how hot it can make the coffees. I need a really hot cup of coffee.
Hey Kyle,
Here are some temps from the Accademia. These are for an 8oz/237ml Americano with a 2oz/60ml double shot (boosted) and 6oz/180ml water. Unless noted otherwise temps measured in stream out of spout. Cup was a room temp 12oz/355ml dual walled stainless steel travel mug.
Water in reservoir: 68F/20C
Espresso shot: 182F/83C
Boosted shot: 184F/84C
Water: 185F/85C
In cup finished temp: 173F/78C
Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage Thanks for that! Out of all the super automatics you've tested, which makes the hottest Cappuccino and Lattes?
@@KyleGP You're welcome. The Accademia does well in that respect. I honestly do not test the latte temps on machines. Too many variables involved for meaningful results like starting milk temp, ambient temp, drink size, froth density settings on machines with that feature. Here's the thing... Super-automatics with automatic frothing generally produce a variable dependent frothed milk temp of 120-145F. That's because it's in the peak sweet point of milk due to heating. A well trained barista will tell you a proper latte should be served at a chuggable temperature. That said, I understand some want a hotter drink. For that you really need to froth manually. For that you've either got to use a traditional semi-auto machine with steam wand or a super-auto like the Accademia which hasd the steam wand in addition to the automatic carafe.
Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage Thanks for the detailed reply Marc, I really appreciate it. I fully get where you're coming from. I do own a barista express and am doing milk with a steam wand at the moment. I get good results but my morning routine running a small business is making it hard to stand there and go to all that effort, plus clean the machine such as purging the wand, rinsing out the jug, emptying the puck and rinsing it, wiping everything down. It's less about laziness and more about the fact that I need to get up, have my coffee in a few minutes and spend as little time doing that as possible so I can get on with other business. The accademia at least has auto function but also a wand, making it effectively the best of both worlds it seems. It's definitely one I'll be considering.
@@KyleGP My pleasure!
Hi Mark, will this come in a white color by chance?
Hi JM, I like that idea. Have not heard of plans to make a white version but will have our product specialists enquire with Gaggia.
Marc
Great review.
Thanks!
Could you use oat or Almond milk instead?
Hi nathan, thanks for the question. Yes, you can use unsweetened non-diary milks. Most do well in the auto-frothing carafe.
Marc
Hello Marc! Is it better than Jura with PEP system? Thanks!
Hey c, It's better in the sense that it's adjustable. Jura uses PEP - Pulse Extraction Process only for espresso and it's not adjustable. Flow control is adjustable on the Accademia. I loved that feature on the original Accademia. One can really fine tune an extraction if they want to. On the old Accademia I'd make red eyes on a regular basis. For that I'd make a long coffee with flow rate turned up then do an espresso with flow rate turned down. On the new Accademia I use coffee boost. When turned on, it adds a sweet short ristretto shot to espresso or coffee beverage. I love the espresso with the boost and it makes the 2 step red eyes a 1 step process. The ristretto boosted espresso is a drink with a unique flavor profile. Similar to a good manual lever shot with added sweetness and body.
Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage Wow, thank you😛
can i use flavor creamer in the milk frother
Hi Anna, Thanks for the question. Creamer comes in many varieties. Some thicker than others, some with added sugars so it's difficult to give a blanket yes/no. In most cases, creamers are not intended to be frothed. Depending on type it may work. Likely more success using the lowest froth density setting. If not, there's always the option to use the manual steam wand to heat and potentially froth. Hope that helps!
Marc
Hi! Can you put a password to lock the settings options ?
Hi gw, sorry, no password lock for settings.
Marc
Is it better than Jura Z10 ?
wondering the same, as these 2 are what I'm considering.
Hi DD, Z10's marquee feature is the true cold brew option. Cold brew from the Z10 is excellent and not available on the Accademia. For espresso/coffee brewing the Accademia is better with more options and deep user control through features like flow control and coffee boost. The espresso using coffee boost function plus restricting with flow control is the best I've ever had from a super-auto machine. For milk drinks, I prefer the carafe system to the pick up tube of the Z10. Plus you have the option to froth manually on the Accademia. The Z10 is an elegant machine but the outer case is plastic while the Accademia is wrapped in metal with a sleek glass front. I like the high contrast display and touch screen of the Accademia. It's a bit larger at 4.25"w vs. 3.75"w on the Z10 and has smartphone like sensitivity. The Accademia's heated cup warmer can be programmed to come on before you wake up the machine. No cup warmer on the Z10. I've never had an issue with the brew unit of a Jura machine (I'm over 7,000 brew cycles on a Jura at home) but they are not accessible. Some appreciate the peace of mind inherent in the easy accessible brew units of Gaggia machines.
Hope that helps!
Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage Thank you very much Marc for taken the time to answer. It looks like the Accademia is a better choice. Is it as easy to clean as the Z10 ?
@@DIFLAZIO You are welcome! Accademia is is fairly easy to maintain. Daily milk cleaning is easier as you just push the carafe spout over and steam runs through the frothing components without touching milk remaining in the carafe. Depending on use you do want to do a deeper clean of the carafe 1x week or so. Daily cleaning of Z10 milk system isn't hard but more time consuming as cleaning agent must be run through the pick up tube. Z10 group cleaning is automated. Drop a cleaning tablet in the bypaser doser and the machine does the rest. With average use you'll do that 1x a month or so. Accademia has similar tablet cleaning system. In addition you should remove the brew group and rinse under room temp tap water 1x week or so. Hope that helps! Marc
the milk system looks great but those connectors probably get so gross after a couple days
Hi RM, connectors never touch milk so no.
Would you say this is your favorite automatic machine?
Hey John, Thanks for the question. Yes it is. A lot of performance/features for the price compared to the competition and it makes the best espresso of any bean to cup machine I've used over the past decade.
Marc
14:03 How do you make flavored lattes like mocha and caramel? Thanks!
Hi there.
Your best bet for making flavored milk-based drinks like mochas or caramel & vanilla lattes would be to add the flavored sauce / syrup to the cup prior to making the drink and then make a latte, cappuccino, or whichever drink you would like be flavored. You could even take a moment while the machine switches between milk and espresso preparation to give it a quick stir if you want it to be really integrated.
Thanks!
Hi Marc, I called a couple of weeks ago asking when this video would be coming. I need to know what temperature the hot water dispenses at. I have the Cadorna Barista Plus, it really is not hot enough. I was told this would be passed on to someone in your video dept. I had another question which you covered. P.S. I bought my Cadorna from you.
Hi feslope, Thanks for your patience! I took the time to get some data before responding. Using a thermocouple connected to a digital meter we read temperatures in water stream from the wand (coffee spouts for Americano). Each was tested 4 times. Results were very consistent across the 4 tests for each dispensing method. Here are the averages:
Hot water: 186.5 (max 187.4, min 185.2)
Black Tea: 185.6 (max 186.5, min 184.9)
Americano: 160 (max 160, min 160)
Green Tea: 155.2 (max 155.8, min 155)
Hope that helps and thanks for your patronage!
Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage Thank you so much. This is more than I had hoped for. This is the machine I have been waiting for. I am a big Americano fan who might like to dabble in Latte art and like to clean and service the " Internal Barista" daily. This machine seems to check all the boxes. The water getting hot enough for hot cereal is the bonus star. I will be ordering today. 😀😃😄
@@Wholelattelovepage Order Placed.☕☕🍵🍵🥃
@@feslope Happy to help!
Is the machine supposed to have a loud start up? Lasts about 5 minutes, and wakes up the whole house!
Hi e, No, startup is relatively quiet with just a quick rinse - from turn on to ready to brew in less than a minute. If you purchased in North America please contact out tech support here for assistance: support.wholelattelove.com/hc/en-us
This machine is a cleverly disguised Saeco Exprelia. Only modernized with slight improvements. Don't be fooled.
Hi Joe, Thanks for the comment. Gaggia and Saeco have shared design elements in some products. Not really a secret. One big difference - all Gaggia machines are manufactured in Italy. That's not true for Saeco. I've used the Exprelia, Gaggia Babila and the previous version of Gaggia Accademia. They are all very similar in design. This updated Accademia has been thoroughly modernized with an all new UI, powerful touch screen control and extensive selection of new drinks and brewing capabilities as highlighted in the video.
Marc
Not disagreeing.... although Exprelia was made in Italy.
Those are merely sw/hw changes with a new interface and added cup warmer and nothing more. Components ( brew head, caref, pump grinder, trays etc are pretty much the same. I'm simply pointing out its a refresh /improvement of the older design which imo is a trusted design that works.
Appreciate the feedback and your honest reviews!
1800€? wow
Compared to Jura machines with common features it's a bargain.
Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage Is it worth 6 Giaggia Classic Pro's?
I'd better buy an E61 grouphead machine
However, there's a customer for premium superautomatic as well
I mean this is cool, but you could buy a venti specialty latte from Starbucks every day for a whole year for this money.
Hi P, Thanks for the comment. So do 2 of those a day and it's 6 months. And what about next year? Comfort of your own home? Automatic bean to cup machines regularly do over 15,000 brew cycles with nothing more than routine maintenance. The example in this video was at 30,000. What would that cost at the cafe?
You are ignoring the time and money involved with walking/driving to Starbucks every day.
Nice to have but if you want real espresso its not worth it
Hi Luis, thanks for the comment. There is a slight tradeoff in potential quality using a super-automatic vs. semi-automatic machine. What you gain for that is consistency and convenience.
Marc
all is nice but semi is a semi :)
Hi Peter, Yes it is. Gotta say shots from the Accademia using Boost and restricting the flow are as close to semi-auto quality as I've ever had from an automatic.
Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage honestly semi is unmatched at home but at work with many people bean2cup is preferred!
There’s still a milk wand😂. Jura is about to consume this entire market. Gaggia missed the memo that this generation liked thier one touch buttons. That means no FKKING work. Like zero.
Maybe Jura missed the memo?... Accademia has one touch milk drinks with self-cleaning carafe plus the steam wand for frothing to latte art quality when desired.
@@Wholelattelovepage Omg my Jura doesn’t do latte art? Well that changes everything 🤣😂