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Got a good grinder that can choke the machine, got a decent tamp, got a different basket. Think I'll try different coffee.
I can't get good crema either from my Gaggia Dose. I've moaned about it before.
I've used all kinds of different coffee, all sorts of grinds and tamps. I've had it spurting through and dripping through. All these things make big differences to the coffee but NOT the damn crema.
My parents' Cuisinart gives tons of lovely crema no matter what they do. Supermarket ground coffee, no problems. My previous cheaper machine also gave loads of crema.
This leads me to conclude it's the machine - or at least my particular one.
if it's a recent machine it will have replaced the regular filters with a Crema Perfetta filter and one for using those branded pods
Hmm.. mine came with a small and large filter and one for pods - is that what you are talking about?
if your basket looks like this:
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then bin it. it's the 'perfect crema device' and is designed to get crema from crap coffee, the best basket to use is the double basket, looks like this:
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Oh I have that second one you post. Still not impressed so far. I found there was some adjustment in my OPV, so I tried lowering the pressure and it made it worse. I was in the process of trying to raise it with a shim on the spring and I broke it.
my opv was the opposite way to what the forum said, then it broke and I got a new machine
It was the opposite way? Meaning what? The pressure was too low?
I think it said clockwise to lower pressure, mine was anti-clockwise.
Seen [url= http://www.coffeeitalia.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=a-gaggia&gclid=CJae3KngnawCFZJc4Qod7F4sAg ]this[/url]?
Anyone want to buy my classic 🙂
where can I get a replacement basket from? I have the crap perfect crema device that just blocks up with limescale/coffee particles over time.
Talking about Gaggia Classic I think I need to de-scale mine soon ... 🙄
www.happydonkey.co.uk do replacement baskets/filters.
I strongly recommend getting the bottomless portafilter however. Excellent coffee and crema and pretty too as it pours out. Many of the coffee sites recommend the ultimate is to go 'naked' 😀
They also do grinders, tampers and coffee. Plus you can get a backflush basket, which is basically a basket with no holes to clean through the machine. Check if it's okay to use on your machine, but should be okay on a Classic.
And also for good coffee, try www.hasbean.co.uk
Descaling, I live in a hard water area and use filtered water which will help avoid build up. Occasionally you may need to go through the descale process though but should be less frequent. Filtering is also useful if you have high chlorine water to get rid of the nasty tastes from it.
Happy Donkey do the Rancilio steam wand for the Classic, as requested by Mastiles a few days ago. [url= http://www.happydonkey.co.uk/hdr0001.html ]Clicky[/url]
They also do a splendid grinder (Iberital, that dispenses a measured freshly-ground dose into your portafilter) and a whole bunch of other good stuff, including rather fine beans.
Is it just me who finds all of Hasbean's beans a bit bitter?
@molgrips - The new crema basket could also look like a double basket with pattern covering the whole base. The give away is there's actually just one tiny hole in the bottom side and that plastic thing used in the portafilter.
The new models will also have an extra leaflet with the instructions stating that the baskets have been replaced by the new ones.
Whilst the Classic is a great machine, this is the worst thing they could have done to the machine really. Though I suppose as these are sold in high street shops (I got mine from Argos!), then you're going to get a lot of people non the wiser just popping into the supermarket and getting pre-ground espresso coffee or even just picking up filter coffee! These gadgets make a half arsed attempt at giving them something resembling coffee.