GaggiaRI8525/08 Carezza Manual Coffee Machine - grey

This replaces a Gaggia Pure machine that lost its steam function.The first Carezza received from Amazon was very, very , noisy, sounding like a pile driver as it made steam.The second one screamed as it made steam and ran consistently hot.Thanks to Amazon's returns policy they went back swiftly and smoothly.The third one is superb. Intense espresso, we use Cooper's of Jersey's Sumatra. The machine is much better than the Pure, and creates oodles of frothy milk.Top tip, hold the frother, panarello, just under the surface of the milk as it makes froth. When froth is sufficient put the frother to the bottom of the steel jug to heat the milk, do not boil it.Follow the instructions, If you want, but they are very confusing.In a nutshell;Put coffee holder, empty, in, it automatically rinsesWhen rinsed and the coffee light is steady, run off water through panarello, turn steam knob offFill holder with coffee, press coffee button, dispense to taste.Wait until green coffee light is steady and then press the steam button ,wait until it has a steady green then start the steam for frothing. Always start with cold milk.A lovely retro design, taking styling hints from its commercial cousins, the footprint is acceptable, the coffee holder is substantially made and the water holder is much easier to refill than the Pure.We had similar quality issues. with the Pure, needing five machines before we got a good one. So persevere, when you a get a good one, relax, smell the coffee, and enjoy.In short , a great , substantially made, machine with final quality issues.

I've been using this for nearly a year now and have not regretted buying it. This was bought to replace a Cuisinart machine which we owned for 3 years and which was replaced 4 times under the guarantee - it made good coffee but was clearly a dudd design from a technical point of view.. This consistently makes good coffee. It's nice to use and looks good. However, other reviews are correct in that it has an apallingly rubbish instruction manual.It took me a while to work out that after steaming your milk for a latte you then need to clear the steam in order to extract your coffee. This means pressing the 'coffee extract' button then removing the milk from under the wand, replacing it with another container, and then turning the steam knob to clear the remaining backlog of steam into your spare vessel. Then, when the 'extract' light stops flashing and turns a steady green, you can press the extract button and get your coffee. This is all fine and adds a bit to the performance of making coffee - which I quite enjoy - but none of it is explained in the instructions.Come on Gaggi (Philips) get your act together with the instructions - I'm paying you over £200!

I dislike it because it is not fit for purpose. On the very first use, it paused mid stream into the cup, and then started again. After 12 or so cups it has stopped altogether. The company keep referring me to the Gaggia helpline, and I do not want a replacement or another machine I want my my money back. They have told me that the Classic Gaggia machines we had are far superior and more expensive than this one. I beg to differ!They were made in Italy, and far superior for a similar price at the time, that this one has cost.I shall have to report this to Amazon.

Although the drip tray was scuffed and marked when the package arrived (actually two of them, we eventually settled for a scuffed one as that seemed to be they way it is!) I have rated the product 5 stars. 'Why', you might ask. Well, it's because of the coffee it makes which is frankly the best I've ever had. The instructions aren't the best but you can easily work through them if you stick with it and follow your instincts once in a while. I can honestly say the crema and depth of flavour bettered my expectations by a distance. I've also taken delivery of some Pure Gusto ESE pods as an experiment and I've been really impressed given what most pod-coffee is like. These are well worth a try and good value - also less clearing up if you're in a hurry. But that said, if you have five mins to devote to preparing a drink made from your favorite 'pre' or 'home' ground coffee, I would imagine you'd struggle to beat this for the price. Also, it looks great too, so why not treat yourself!

This was to replace our old Gaggia which gave up the ghost after around 15 years of daily use. Took a few days to get used to it and for the machine to begin giving good espresso but now, it is performing beautifully. Only drawback is I would love it to have a time like our previous model - I have to stand and time each extraction.