- MANUAL FROTHING FOR MILK-BASED DRINKS: Pannarello steam wand for frothing milk
- PROGRAMMABLE: Programmable brewing options for espresso and espresso lungo
- TEMPERATURE CONTROL: 3 different temperature settings. Min/177.5 °F, Med/182.9 °F, Max/184.5 °F
- EASY ACCESS TO WATER RESERVOIR AND BEAN HOPPER: Features a removable 60 oz water reservoir that can be accessed on the top left of the machine, and an 8.8 ounce capacity bean hopper with access from the top right of the machine
- 2 YEAR WARRANTY: Hassle free 2 year warranty handled by Gaggia USA directly. For Gaggia USA's call center, call 888-389-4123.
The Coffee Maven Conclusion
Easy to use? Yes. Compact design? Yes. Properly extracted shot? Maybe.
The Gaggia Anima is a solid option for anyone looking to get their feet wet on an introductory super-automatic espresso machine. It looks great, is easy to use and has some handy features (such as temperature and strength control) but the resulting shot just seems a little watery and underextracted compared to similarly priced machines.
Our recommendation? Check out the Breville BES870XL for a better espresso machine in the same price range.
The Coffee Maven Rating: 8.2/10
- Design & Performance: 8.3
- Appearance: 8.5
- Durability: 8.8
- Quality of Coffee: 7.0
- Ease of Cleaning: 8.4
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Gaggia Anima Review: Product Images
Features
- Integrated grinder: conical ceramic grinder with 5 grind size settings and bypass
- Bean hopper: 8.8 oz capacity
- Water reservoir: 60 oz removable with water filter compatibility
- Brew sizes: espresso and lungo buttons, which can be programmed for custom size
- Adjustable exit valves: accommodates cups or mugs up to 6″ tall
- Dose size selector: 6.5g-11.5g
- Temperature control: 177.5°F, 182.9°F, 184.5°F
- Auto-Off: 15 min – 3 hours
- Spent puck drawer: holds up to 15 pucks
- Frother: manual Pannarello steam wand
- Drip tray: removable with 24 oz capacity and full tray indicator button
- Removable brew group (internal assembly) for easy cleaning
- Low-energy standby mode after 1 hour of idle time
- Digital display
- Plastic exterior
- 2 year warranty
Design & Performance: 8.3
With the Anima, Gaggia has packed every feature required on a super-automatic espresso machine into the least expensive package possible.
This has its pros and cons:
- Pros: You get a super-automatic espresso machine for a great price
- Cons: The machine a few obvious flaws
With the integrated frother, integrated grinder, adjustable grind size, 3 temperature settings, 5 dose size settings and easily programmable brew sizes, you can pull almost any kind of shot you want and make any kind of specialty beverage you desire.
The flaws in design I mentioned: I’m not a huge fan of the plastic casing, the bean hopper doesn’t have an airtight seal, and the espresso seems a little underextracted.
I have to give the Anima good marks for design — it really is simple to use and has a lot of features — but it loses some points for performance.
Appearance: 8.5
The Gaggia Anima looks great, though the machine is entirely cased in plastic. The black plastic front even has a chrome-like look to it. As always, appearance points are subjective.
Generally I give the Anima very good marks, but I have to deduct a few points because, in my opinion, plastic just never looks as good as stainless steel or chrome.
Durability: 8.8
With proper cleaning and maintenance, the Gaggia Anima will hold up for at least a few years. In this price range that’s pretty standard. Should anything happen Gaggia backs it up with a 2 year warranty.
Quality of Coffee: 7.0
If you’re strictly a cappuccino or latte drinker, the Gaggia Anima will do just fine. Max out the dose size and water temp and go fine with your grind, and you’ll get something that’s properly extracted. It may be a touch bitter, but you’re going to be mixing it with milk, which will mask any imperfections.
But for pure espresso drinkers? No matter how much I messed with the settings, I always got something that was more “meh” than “amazing.”
Ease of Cleaning: 8.4
Gaggia makes cleaning the Anima very easy, but there’s a good deal of cleaning to be done.
All of the typical stuff applies with this machine:
- Wipe it down regularly
- Monitor the drip tray for overflow
- Empty the puck compartment
- Soak the frother nozzle
- Descale every 2-3 months
You also have to open the right-side service door weekly to clean out the brew group. This isn’t a huge deal. The brew group slides out effortlessly and just needs to be rinsed with lukewarm water and wiped down with a cloth, but you’ll also want to make sure the inside of the machine is properly wiped down and any ground coffee deposits are wiped away.
I can’t stress the importance of doing this as frequently as suggested. More often than not when someone complains that the machine isn’t working anymore, it’s because they weren’t up to snuff with their regular maintenance.
Standout Features
Easily reprogram brew size buttons to your custom size
I don’t like being confined to the default shot sizes by hard-to-reprogram espresso systems. That’s why I love the Anima’s custom size selector.
Simply press and hold the shot type you want to set, wait until the machine dispenses the desired amount of espresso, then press again to stop. The Anima will remember that size until you change it.
Overall, control panel is incredibly easy to use
The Anima doesn’t have any standout features that aren’t seen on other espresso machines. That’s not what Gaggia is going for with this model.
Instead, Gaggia’s goal is to take everything you expect to see on a super-automatic espresso machine and make it extremely user-friendly and intuitive.
The digital display and buttons are easy to navigate, and you’re never more than a couple clicks from easily adjusting a setting. You’ll figure out how to master the machine in just a couple uses.
Adjustable espresso exit valves provide clearance for cups/mugs up to 6″ tall
A lot of machines have a fixed height between the exit valves and the cup or mug tray below. Those that don’t typically use some sort of adjustable drip try on which the cup or mug sits.
The Anima goes about this a different way.
It has a telescoping exit valve, which can be adjusted up or down around 2″ to accommodate cups or mugs up to 6″ tall with minimal splashing.
Potential Shortcomings
Bean hopper lid isn’t airtight
Freshly ground coffee beans are crucial for great espresso. With the built-in grinder and custom dose size selector you get the fresh grind, but the lack of an airtight hopper means the beans are a little more exposed to the elements than I’d prefer.
Drip tray fills up quickly with post-extraction rinsing water
You’re going to have to empty the drip tray frequently. I’d suggest doing it every couple days so it doesn’t fill up to the brim. At that point it’s difficult taking out the huge 24 oz capacity tray without spilling.
Technical Specifications
- Dimensions: 8.7″W x 16.9″D x 13.4″H
- Weight: 16.0 lbs
- User Manual
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