If you are confused about choosing between Breville Infuser vs Gaggia Classic, I recommend the first one.
I’d like to say that I was extremely impressed by the quality of the espresso that came from Breville Infuser. Frothing milk was a breeze but not ideal for latte art. Plus, if a compact gadget is your main priority, I doubt the Infuser is a disappointment.
Gaggia Classic is a great entry-level semi-automatic machine for anyone just starting their home barista journey. It still does a great job at brewing coffee and frothing milk and shows that the classics never go out of style.
Last update on 2024-12-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Breville Infuser vs Gaggia Classic: Key Differences
Breville Infuser wins 3-2 against Gaggia Classic, mainly thanks to its utilities and features, such as its auto turn-off feature and digital PID temperature control.
Espresso taste
The Winner: Breville Infuser
Dosing And Tamping
Gaggia Classic and Breville Infuser are semi-automatic machines, which means many steps will require your intervention. It includes grinding beans first with an external grinder, dosing the amount that you need with a scoop or spoon until the portafilter is almost full, and tamping.
This may seem overwhelming for beginners, but doing everything manually will help develop your home barista skills. On top of that, you will have plenty of control over the coffee brewing process as your confidence grows.
The steps are the same with Gaggia Classic and Breville Infuser. But I found some differences between the espressos of these babies.
The former doses longer, and the espresso is more bitter, more robust, and darker. I think its notes of flavor will suit drinkers with a stronger taste.
The Breville Infuser doses quicker, the espresso comes out brighter, and the flavor isn’t bitter. I’ll describe this flavor as nutty, smooth, and balanced.
Heating System
Both Gaggia Classic Pro and Breville Infuser are single-boiler machines, so they cannot brew coffee and steam milk simultaneously. That means you will have to wait a bit for the machine to reheat between brewing coffee and frothing milk sessions and vice-versa. I noticed that the thermocoil heating system of the latter helps produce my espresso drinks slightly faster.
If you are familiar with the Thermoblock system, the thermocoil heating system won’t like much of a jump. The only difference between the two is that the thermocoil system relies on a single tube instead of a block with various pieces. This excellent design is both a blessing and a curse.
This design allows for more consistent water temperature and even outperforms the thermoblock system. But it may need extra time to reheat in between brewing and lose heat faster.
The Winner: Gaggia Classic
It’s no secret that the steam wand is one of the essential parts of an espresso machine, especially for drinkers who love a creamy and frothy milk-based drink.
Both Breville Infuser and Gaggia Classic offer an in-built steam wand. They are both outward wands, allowing you to froth any amount of milk you want in a larger jug. This is a big plus, as if your machine has an inward wand, you can only use a small jug in the restricted area.
I found that the Panarello steam wand of the Gaggia Classic was easily steam and froth my milk with the proper time and texture for the espresso shot. The foam has a perfect texture and is velvety.
The traditional wand of the Breville Infuser, on the other hand, still froth the milk well, but I think it is not ideal for creating a lot of microfoam for latte art. Plus, it is slower and inconvenient for beginners.
Portafilter and tamper
The Winner: Tie
The Gaggia Classic takes the lead with the 58 mm portafilter so that you will have a large surface area of the coffee exposed to your tamper. Thanks to that, it will distribute water evenly through your coffee puck for the best extraction. In addition, it is made from chrome-plated brass, improving heat retention and resulting in better coffee quality.
The Infuser, on the other hand, comes with a 54mm wide portafilter. A smaller portafilter typically means less flexibility regarding the amount of ground that can fit inside. In other words, it will limit your espresso size options.
The Infuser has an area for you to store the portafilter. This extra feature is helpful as it will prevent losing and falling cases when you don’t use the portafilter.
On the other side, as with many other budget-oriented models, your purchase will include a “free” plastic tamper if you go with either of these machines. This tamper works well enough, but it is very little flimsy. Hence, once you get the hang of the machine, I recommend upgrading to a stainless one for more even results.
Utilities
The Winner: Breville Infuser
Water Tank Capacity
The water tank capacity of Breville Infuser vs Gaggia Classic is 61 oz and 72 oz, respectively. A larger tank can serve more coffee before running out of water, resulting in less frequency of refilling the tank.
Moreover, the Gaggia Classic water reservoir is located at the front of the machine, allowing you to observe the water level. On the other hand, the Breville Infuser tank is at the back of the machine, so you should plan where to put this machine carefully due to accessibility concerns.
What the Breville Infuser has in its favor is its tank use a water filter, which is not the case with its counterpart.
Auto Turn-off Feature
Many espresso machines have an automatic shut-off feature to protect the user’s property and life.
Breville Infuser is equipped with this feature. If this machine has been idle for an hour or you have forgotten to turn it off, it will switch to standby mode and finally shut off after three hours of no use.
Unfortunately, I found no automatic shut-off function on the Gaggia Classic. If you don’t want to use the machine, you must press the power button to switch it off. Forgetting to do this can lead to big problems, such as burnt coffee, increased electricity bill, broken machine, and more.
ESE Coffee Pod Compatibility
You will receive pressurized filter baskets no matter which machine you choose, which let you use Easy Serve Espresso (ESE) pods with your machine. These coffee pods may come in handy if you are in a rush and have no time to grind coffee beans yourself.
Digital PID Temperature Control
The Breville Infuser features something called Proportional Integral Derivative (PID) temperature control. This term means the heating system continually inspects itself for deviations in temperature.
If the heating system notices any temperature change, it will automatically adjust to compensate for that change. That way, the end result will be an incredibly stable extraction temperature, giving you an outstanding espresso flavor.
Breville Infuser vs Gaggia Classic: Similars
No built-in grinder
Like most semi-automatic machines, the Breville Infuser and Gaggia Classic don’t have integrated grinders, so you’ll need to invest in an external grinder.
secure mounting and quiet operation
These machines can keep the brewing noise to a minimum. They hardly vibrate during the brewing process, and up to now, I’m very satisfied with their coffee quality and the noise level they produce.
Cup height
If you are worried about being able to fit your tall glasses under the spout, both of these machines don’t have any nasty surprises. Their spouts aren’t adjustable, but you can remove their drip tray if you need more cup clearance. I was able to slide my decent-sized travel mug under there without trouble.
Quick Rundown Of Breville Infuser
- The Breville Infuser delivers optimal flavor in every cup creating third wave specialty coffee at home using the 4 keys formula, ensuring the right dose of beans, optimal water pressure, precise temperature control and microfoam milk for latte art
- VOLUMETRIC AND SHOT CONTROL: Control the volume of each pour at the touch of a button and choose 1 shot, 2 shot or manually control over how much espresso ends up in your cup for the perfect dose every time
- OPTIMAL WATER PRESSURE: Low pressure pre-infusion gradually increases pressure at the start and helps ensure all the flavors are drawn out evenly during the extraction for a balanced tasting cup
- PRECISE ESPRESSO EXTRACTION: Maximize flavor potential with low pressure pre-infusion, digital PID temperature control, adjustable in 2°F increments complete with pressure gauge that guides you to the right extraction every time
- MANUAL MICROFOAM MILK TEXTURING: High power 1650W element for high pressure steam wand and faster heat-up to create the microfoam necessary for a third wave specialty taste and essential for creating latte art at home
Last update on 2024-12-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Quick Rundown Of Gaggia Classic
- Rugged brushed stainless steel housing
- Commercial three-way solenoid valve
- Commercial-style 58mm chrome-plated brass portafilter and Brew Group
- Easy-to-use Turbo-Frother steam wand attachment
- Easy-to-use Turbo-Frother steam wand attachment
Last update on 2024-12-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Product Videos
Final Verdict
In conclusion, The Breville Infuser features everything from a simple espresso machine to powerful brewers. It is an espresso machine specially designed for coffee lovers who need stability and control at the same time.
Meanwhile, The Gaggia Classic is a well-built appliance and is an ideal option for the great using demand.
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References:
- Espresso the Infuser: https://www.breville.com/us/en/products/espresso/bes840.html
- NEW CLASSIC: https://gaggia.com/manual-machines/new-classic/#
I’m Floyd J. Alcock, an experienced barista with a deep love for coffee. I curate personalized coffee experiences, guiding customers through diverse flavor profiles and suggesting ideal brewing methods. My extensive knowledge of espresso machines enables me to recommend the best equipment to match specific needs and budgets. Sharing my expertise and passion with coffee enthusiasts brings immense satisfaction. I look forward to continuing my journey of coffee discovery with every customer I serve, fostering connections over a shared love for this magical beverage.