The Gaggia Classic – a name that echoes like thunder in the coffee world. However, its historic legacy has faded in recent years due to changes in ownership and immature machines – much like that distant echo. With production moving back to Italy, the Gaggia brand being split (Evoca Group: commercial machines and Saeco Professional; Versuni/Philips: household machines like the Gaggia Classic and fully automatic machines), which we won’t go into further here, and a renewed focus on traditional values, things are supposed to improve again.
The Gaggia Classic GT is an expression of this effort and at the same time a bigger leap forward. In terms of design, it leans on the much cheaper Gaggia Classic and thus follows in the footsteps of the pioneer of home espresso machines, the Gaggia Baby. In terms of ambition, however, the Classic GT is a dual boiler equipped with a vibration pump and several predefined flow-profile functions that open up genuinely interesting possibilities.
The Gaggia Classic GT promises a lot: volumetrics, fast heat-up and temperature stability. But can it deliver? Our first impression is mixed. While the internal specs look great on paper, the exterior divides opinion. As always with our tests: we bought the Gaggia Classic GT ourselves and tested it thoroughly.At retail, the espresso machine costs between 1,600 and 1,700 euros or Swiss francs.
Design, dimensions & feel: 80s charm
Design is always debatable – and we certainly debated it within the team. Some like the industrial, boxy look. For me, the front with its large buttons and quirky layout is more reminiscent of the dashboard of my grandmother’s Opel Kadett. It’s a design that clearly shouts “retro”, but maybe took the wrong exit one turn too early.
At 23 centimetres wide, the machine is extremely slim, but with a depth of 42 centimetres it stretches quite far back. That means it will fit into smaller niches – as long as there’s enough space behind it. What bothers us, however, is the mix of materials: alongside solid stainless steel, there is a surprising amount of plastic. The portafilter handle in particular doesn’t feel as high quality as we would expect in this price range. The drip tray and cup tray also tend to rattle as soon as the pump is running.
Technology & heat-up time
Technically, this is a true dual boiler. That means separate boilers for brewing espresso and steaming milk – unlike a heat exchanger or single boiler, where you always have to accept certain compromises. Gaggia uses one brew boiler and one stainless-steel steam boiler.
The manufacturer promises fast heat-up – and that’s exactly what we found, especially compared to dual boilers in a similar price range. Many E61 tanks need 20 to 30 minutes to be fully heated through. Our KM temperature protocol paints a more pleasant picture: after 9 measured minutes the machine, including portafilter, is up to temperature. For a dual boiler, that’s an excellent value and very practical for everyday use.
But be careful: don’t rely blindly on the display. Give the machine those 9 minutes so the portafilter is really hot as well.
Manageable energy consumption
In our power measurements, the Gaggia Classic GT positions itself as a classic boiler machine with solid values. With a measured heat-up time of 8 minutes and 30 seconds, it initially needs 0.1457 kWh to be ready to go. If you pull a single espresso in the morning, you end up at 0.1555 kWh including heat-up. If you add milk for a cappuccino, the requirement rises to a moderate 0.1759 kWh.
Especially compared to many dual boilers, the Gaggia does very well here. While larger machines often use clearly more than 0.20 or even 0.30 kWh for the scenario “one espresso including heat-up”, the Gaggia runs comparatively frugally. The energy consumption for keeping the machine warm – just under 0.07 kWh per hour – is also acceptable for this boiler size.
However, if you compare the Gaggia with modern efficiency leaders like current thermoblock machines or insulated single boilers, the energetic difference of the classic design becomes obvious. If you’re looking for maximum energy efficiency and mainly drink single espressos, those machines are significantly more economical alternatives.
Noise level
The built-in vibration pump is clearly audible. We measured around 63 dB in operation. That’s not whisper-quiet, but it’s also far from a jackhammer. However, the vibrations are transferred to the housing, which encourages the already mentioned rattling of the cup tray.
Volumetrics on the Gaggia Classic GT
To be able to dial in your espresso precisely, the Gaggia Classic GT offers volumetric dosing which proved surprisingly accurate in our tests. The programmed shot volumes consistently ended up in the cup as expected and make for a smooth workflow.
This volumetric control is genuinely a game changer. In this price range – and often well above – you still often only find time-based dosing. Because the resistance of the coffee puck varies, those systems can hardly deliver consistent volumes.
Reliable volumetrics are extremely valuable both for dialing in the machine and for everyday use. Without it, you have to work with a scale all the time. Fluctuating water volumes change the brew ratio – and that clearly affects the taste in the cup.
Temperature performance & flavor
Now to the most important part: How does the coffee taste? If you give the machine enough time to heat up and run a quick rinse shot before the first espresso, the Gaggia Classic GT delivers very convincing results. The first shot without flushing is noticeably too hot. Our measurements show a temperature overshoot of more than 1 °C compared to the stable state.
A short flush without the portafilter before your first espresso instantly smooths out the temperature. If you do that, the machine deserves full marks for speed.
Everyday suitability (KM protocol)
In our simulated home use – several espressos in a row with realistic pauses – the Gaggia shows its best side. Once it has settled, it hits the target temperature of 93 °C very precisely. Shots three to five were extremely consistent.
Typical for machines with smaller boiler volumes, the temperature curve shows a slight drop during the shot. Sensory-wise, that’s no disadvantage: many espresso fans like this profile because it reduces bitterness and makes the espresso taste rounder.
Stress test (WBC protocol)
In the tough WBC-style stress test with continuous shots and simultaneous steaming, the Gaggia Classic GT hits its limits. The small 0.1-litre brew boiler simply can’t replenish heat fast enough. The temperature drops continuously. So it’s not the right machine for a garden party with 20 cappuccinos – but more than good enough for relaxed everyday use.
The flavor: fruit meets body
Our tests with the “Mano” espresso confirm the measurements. With a classic pressure profile at 9 bar, we get a good balance, sweetness and clear fruit – a sign of clean, well-controlled temperatures.
If you switch to manual pre-infusion, the flavour profile shifts. A long, gentle pre-infusion of around 15 seconds brings more body, chocolate and nutty notes into the cup. This shows that despite its limitations under heavy load, the GT offers real room to experiment.
In our temperature rating, the Gaggia Classic GT scores 6 out of 10 points – a solid mid-field result. It’s not a machine for high-volume gastronomy, but a quick, thermally forgiving partner for home use.
Flow profiles
Gaggia heavily promotes its pre-infusion, with profiles like “Light”, “Medium” and “Dark”. Unfortunately, the preset water volumes are so small that the puck is often not fully saturated. That tends to promote channeling rather than clean extraction.
Our recommendation: use the manual pre-infusion. It gives you control and enables even puck saturation – which pays off in a sweeter, more complex espresso.
We go into this topic in detail in the video.
Steaming & milk: power with a catch
Thanks to the dual-boiler design, we benefit from constant steam availability when steaming milk. Waiting or venting like with a thermoblock or single boiler is not necessary. Steam performance is absolutely sufficient for home use.
The rubber piece on the steam wand is a bit bulky and can get in the way when working with small pitchers. The results are still convincing: fine, silky milk foam is achievable without issue. For a 0.6-litre pitcher, the machine needs around 40 seconds – a bit slow for a dual boiler, but overall a solid average.
Conclusion & recommendation
So who is the Gaggia Classic GT for? For anyone who likes the design, values good temperature stability and, above all, appreciates volumetric dosing. A heat-up time of 8 minutes 30 seconds is very competitive, and steam performance is solid. Aside from the rather underwhelming preset profiles, the machine doesn’t make any major mistakes.
Everything else – as so often – is a matter of taste. And that, as we know, lives on the tongue. In that regard, the Gaggia Classic GT leaves little to be desired.
Do you have experience with the Gaggia Classic GT? Feel free to share it with us in the comments.
