Coffee legend Gaggia relaunches in the UK
One thing that seems to go hand-in-hand with gadgety fans is the love of caffeine. Gaggia, the inventors of the modern coffee machine 75 years ago, has arguably done more than any other company to guarantee making quality, authentic Italian espresso at home. So it pleases me to see them back in the UK.
Gaggia’s new range of entry and mid-level bean to cup machines are designed to offer a lower cost and wider coffee quality alternative to the constraints of the coffee capsule!
Capsule coffee is easy and quick but isn’t really environmentally friendly. Gaggia is keen to point out that, although the kick-off price of a good bean-to-cup machine might seem steep, it will soon pay for itself.
Gaggia finds its soul
The Naviglio and Anima (soul in Italian) ranges offer five bean-to-cup machines ranging in price from just £399 for the standard Naviglio model.
The major benefit of these new models is that they close the cost of ownership gap with capsule machines.
The introduction Naviglio model can therefore repay the difference with a basic £100 capsule machine in just two years. Plus, there’s no need to worry about what to do with the one of 200 million coffee capsules used each year.
Gaggia UK cost calculation
Gaggia calculates that the bean-to-cup machine can save between £175 to £205 per year.
Assume 2 cups of coffee consumed per day
Capsules will cost 2x 365 days x 32 pence – 45 pence (if you use a milk capsule as well) i.e. £232 – £328
Beans can cost between £8- £20 per Kg. 1 Kg produces 130 coffees i.e. per cup cost for coffee is between 6p – 15p. Fresh Milk costs 2p per cup.
Total Cost £58 – £124. Therefore a saving of £174 – £@204 per year.
Cost of Capsule Machine: say £100
Cost of Bean to cup Machine: £399
Difference in cost: £299
Therefore it takes less than 2 years to recover the additional cost of the
Low prices, high quality
Despite the lower prices, all of the new models have a similar specification to Gaggia’s more expensive machines with 100% ceramic adjustable coffee grinders that resist heat build up and remain consistent throughout use. Quick-heat, stainless-steel thermal block boilers promise a long life and remove the wait between cups of espresso, while in addition to automatic internal circuit cleaning, there is also an easy removable brewing group ready for a more intensive clean.
Naviglio range
There are two models in the Naviglio range.
The range begins with the standard Naviglio product which is available in black and has a pannerello frothing wand priced at £399.
The Naviglio Deluxe model is available in a stylish silver finish, priced at £439 and featuring a ‘cappuccinatore’ milk frother with a patented cyclonic chamber designed to produce a superior micro foam and hotter milk straight from a carton or jug and dispensed directly to a cup.
Both machines feature adjustable grinders and programmable buttons to memorise three different strengths of coffee.
Anima range
The Anima range features three ultra-stylish models with chrome metal finishes and a digital display.
First model in the range is the Anima priced at £650 with its pannarello frothing wand.
The middle model is the Anima Deluxe priced at £699 and featuring Gaggia’s cappuccinatore milk frother with it’s patented cyclonic chamber.
The final product in the range is the Anima Prestige priced at £750 and with an integrated (500ML) milk carafe.
All of the Anima products offer the option of using either coffee beans or ground coffee and the choice of five strengths by selecting between 6 – 11g of coffee.
Coffee temperature can also be adjusted from cup to cup.
Gaggia Naviglio and Anima availability
The Naviglio and Anima bean-to-cup models are available from Gaggia coffee shops, leading independent coffee specialists, Amazon UK and House of Fraser online plus selected stores.
