Are you considering the Gaggia Anima as your next automatic espresso machine? The Gaggia Anima has a lot of features and we are excited to go over them with you in this review and give you our opinion on who this machine is best for and if it’s one you should purchase.
If you are looking for a machine that will do all the work for you to brew a cup of espresso, this is an excellent one to consider. It has a lot of features that make brewing espresso easy and will do all of the leg-work for you, so you can sit back, relax, and let it brew a delicious cup of espresso.
So, without further auideu, let’s dive in!
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Quick Overview
The Gaggia Anima is an automatic espresso machine that comes with a variety of features that will make brewing a delicious cup of espresso a breeze. Features such as a ceramic burr grinder, milk frother, the ability to use coffee grounds, as well as the optiaroma feature that gives you control over the intensity of the flavor of the espresso.
Overall, we think it is a solid mid-level automatic espresso machine that we recommend. It’s great for anyone who wants to be more hands-off in the process of brewing espresso and wants the machine to do the work for them.
Key Features
Manual Frothing
The Gaggia Anima Espresso Machine features a classic Panarello. The Panarello is stainless steel and a classic tool used by traditional baristas to make steamed or frothed milk for your espresso drink. It can also deliver hot water for tea.
Designed and Made In Italy
This espresso machine was designed and made with premium quality in the coffee capital of the world, Italy. Italians know a thing or two about delicious and high-quality espresso.
Optiaroma
The optiaroma feature allows you to control the intensity of the flavor of your espresso. It will control the quantity of ground coffee per cup out of 5 options which in turn changes the intensity of flavor it produces. This is great if you like having the option to customize the intensity of the flavor of your espresso.
100% Ceramic Burr Grinder
The Gaggia Anima Espresso Machine uses 100% ceramic burr grinders. Ceramic grinders are great because they don’t conduct heat while grinding unlike how stainless steel grinders can. As a result, the integrity and taste of your coffee will remain after its ground. The heat from grinding coffee, if used with the wrong grinder, can ruin the taste and cause the coffee to taste rancid. Burr grinders also provide a consistent grind which results in a better cup of coffee.
Ground Coffee Option
If you are particular about your coffee and want to use coffee that has already been ground, the Gaggia Anima gives you the option to use pre-ground coffee in the machine.
Memo Function
The machine also has a memo function. This will record and remember any custom drink you made so that you can brew it later with the press of a button.
Automatic Cleaning and Guided Descaling
Another feature of the Gaggia Anima is automatic cleaning. The coffee circuit is automatically cleaned when the machine is switched on or off so your coffee will always be fresh and delicious.
The machine will also indicate when it needs to be descaled and will display a guided step by step on how to do so on the screen on the machine. This feature makes it easy and quick to descale the machine to keep it working like new.
Pros & Cons
What We Like
Customizable
We like that this machine makes espresso that is customizable. Specifically through the optiaroma function, which allows you to control how strong your espresso will be. It also will remember any custom drinks you make with the memo function so you can easily recreate them another time.
Easy to Clean
We also like that the machine cleans itself and makes descaling extremely easy. It lets you know when it needs to be descaled and walks you through it step by step. The brew group, which holds the portafilter, is also removable so it can easily be cleaned.
Ceramic Burr Grinder
We also like that this machine includes a ceramic burr grinder. Burr grinders are higher end grinds and are typically quiter than other grinders on the market. The ceramic material also doesn’t conduct heat which will keep the integrity and taste of your coffee intact, instead of ruining your coffee. Burr grinders also provide a consistent grind which ultimately results in better coffee. If you don’t want to use the grinder every time you brew espresso you can even bypass the grinder and use coffee grounds with the machine too.
Quick Start Time
Unlike some other espresso machines, this one doesn’t take very long to warm up and be ready to brew espresso or steam milk. Once you turn the machine on to brew, it takes about 30 seconds to warm up and flush the water lines. Then you are ready to place your cup and start brewing espresso. Frothing milk also takes about 20 seconds to warm up before you can use it.
What Can Be Improved
Grind Control
Since the machine is an automatic espresso machine, it does not give you grind control. It does all the grinding for you, so you have little control over this. If you are big on being able to control the grind size of your espresso we recommend either not purchasing this machine or using a different grinder that lets you control the size and putting the grounds into the espresso machine.
Who Is It Best For?
The Gaggia Anima is best for anyone who wants delicious espresso but doesn’t want to manually make it. The Gaggia Anima is an automatic espresso machine, which means after you set it up to start brewing, such as adding water and the espresso beans, it does all the work for you. So, if you are someone who is looking for a machine that will do the work for you and you can be pretty hands-off during the process, then this is a great espresso machine.
However, if you prefer to have control over the entire process and want to be more hands-on in brewing your espresso, then this is not a great machine for you.
Pricing
In terms of pricing, the Gaggia Anima is about mid-range for automatic espresso machines. You can find cheaper automatic espresso machines, and you can find more expensive ones. The Gaggia Anima falls right in the middle in terms of pricing. We would say that the price is quite good for the quality and features that come with the machine!
Final Verdict
We recommend the Gaggia Anima Espresso Machine. It has a lot of great features that will make brewing espresso very easy and does all the work for you. It grinds the beans, brews espresso, and froths/steams milk.
It has all the tools included that make for fresh and delicious espresso drinks that you can make easily at home. Plus the added convenience of it doing pretty much all of the work for you. This is why we think the Gaggia Anima is a great machine and one we recommend for those looking for a mid-level automatic espresso machine! Happy brewing!