No list of entry-level espresso machines would be complete without a review of the Solis Barista Gran Gusto. The Solis Barista Gran Gusto belongs to the group of thermoblock espresso machines. At a purchase price of around 320 Swiss francs and 350 euros, it combines decent performance with a very competitive price.
Thermoblocks and the most important test questions
All thermoblock espresso machines have two things in common: they are ready for use in a very short time and are highly energy-efficient. Unlike boiler-based espresso machines, they don't need to heat a large, sluggish boiler full of water, but rather an aluminum block. This generally takes three minutes. From this point on, the espresso machine can, in principle, draw boiling-hot water.
However, the big questions are:
- How consistently does the Solis Gran Gusto deliver the desired water temperature of approx. 93 degrees?
- How hot does the portafilter get and what are the machine's heating intervals?
- What is the milk-frothing performance of the Solis Barista Gran Gusto like? Is it possible to create fine-pored milk foam suitable for latte art?
Preparing espresso with the Solis Barista Gran Gusto
The most important aspect of an espresso machine is the taste of the espresso. This also forms the basis for all milk-based drinks such as cappuccino, latte macchiato, and flat white.
During a standard test of 10 espressos, the Solis Barista Gran Gusto provided us with two good, three decent, and five bad shots. With an adjusted brewing rhythm, the record improved to three good, five decent, and two bad shots.
As is often the case with thermoblock espresso machines, it is a matter of getting the brewing temperature under control. We have developed a few tips for this.
Getting the brewing temperature of the Solis Barista Gran Gusto under control
The Solis Barista Gran Gusto does not have heat transfer to the portafilter. This remains cold while the thermoblock heats up. If you use it without preheating the portafilter, the brewing water loses its temperature to the portafilter. So, the first important step when using the Solis Gran Gusto is:
Keep the portafilter inserted and draw water without coffee. This allows the portafilter to heat up.
The first double espresso drawn thereafter usually tasted best to us with darker coffees. The temperature briefly touches 95 degrees, but then falls to below 90.
Temperature of the Solis Barista Gran Gusto.
If you intend to draw a second double espresso immediately, we recommend rinsing right before the extraction. In other words: clean the portafilter first, then add the coffee grounds and tamp. We have described the exact procedure in our article on preparing espresso.
The next extraction will be higher in temperature and then drop again, but not as low as the first one. Subsequent extractions get progressively hotter. The temperature excerpt chart shows the temperature spike during the 6th extraction if a rinse of at least 4 seconds is not performed before brewing.
Build quality and external dimensions of the Solis Barista Gran Gusto
Externally, the Solis Barista Gran Gusto looks good. The body is made of stainless steel and the rail is robust. There are few sharp edges to spoil the look. The drip tray is a bit small, and the base plate, which is unfortunately just laid on top, tends to slip when cleaning. But all this must be kept in perspective given the very affordable price.
Many things we encounter in a similar price range feel cheap and are dominated by plastic. That is not the case with the Solis Barista Gran Gusto. This also applies to the accessories. The tamper and portafilter are particularly worth mentioning.
The Solis Barista Gran Gusto has a 58 mm brew group that accepts Faema E61-compatible portafilters. The portafilter itself is high-quality and stable. The included filter basket holds 19 grams of coffee. A real statement! Those looking for an upgrade are well served by more precise IMS Competition or VST baskets. It's brilliant that these fit.
The included tamper also lives up to its name. Weighing in at 700 grams, it feels like a real tool when you use it to tamp. There is a small gap around the tamper. If it fit even more precisely into the filter basket, the risk of channeling would be reduced. However, the gap is not so large that it leads to automatic channeling.
Also included and perfectly functional: a 0.35 L milk pitcher for frothing milk. Let’s put it this way: it’s not the pitcher's fault if the milk doesn’t froth well. The milk pitcher is even very well-suited for latte art.
The quality of the milk foam here makes up for the difficult frothing performance.
Milk performance in review
In addition to temperature consistency, the milk-frothing performance of the Solis Barista Gran Gusto is challenging. The Solis Barista Gran Gusto delivers very little steam power into the pitcher. This makes it very difficult to initiate the rotation necessary for frothing milk.
In our test, Michel has to hold the pitcher at an extreme angle just to get any rotation going. The rotation is part of the stretching phase of frothing and thus the second step of the process. In the first step, air is introduced under the milk to build volume. Even that is difficult, but possible.
Our conclusion: frothing milk with the Solis Barista Gran Gusto is not easy, especially for beginners. With practice, it should be manageable. However, if milk-based drinks like cappuccino or flat white play a major role in your daily routine, we would recommend the Sage Bambino Plus instead.
Descaling the Solis Barista Gran Gusto
Thermoblock machines are inherently less prone to scale buildup. This is partly because the thermoblock is emptied after every brewing process. If you compare the risk of calcification with single-circuit, dual-circuit, or multi-boiler machines, the thermoblock espresso machine is the least at risk.
Nevertheless, thermoblock espresso machines can also accumulate scale. You will notice this in everyday use when the power of the frothing steam gradually decreases.
A good choice for a descaler is one based on lactic acid. The brand-name product from Solis called Solipol* works perfectly and is made on a lactic acid basis. The agent is food-safe yet potent enough to dissolve limescale. No-name brands will do the job as well.
Descaling the Solis Barista Gran Gusto in five steps:
- Add the descaling agent to the espresso machine's water tank according to the manufacturer's mixing instructions and fill to the maximum mark.
- Place a large container, such as a pot, under the outlet and draw approx. 150 ml of water in coffee mode using manual extraction.
- Switch to steam mode and wait until the button light turns solid. Now turn the steam to maximum and blow steam into the pot for about two minutes at full power.
- Next, let the machine rest for 15 minutes and allow the descaler to work. Subsequently, repeat the process a few times until the liquid in the tank is largely used up.
- Now rinse the water tank thoroughly and fill it to the brim with as soft water as possible (ideal: 2–5 degrees of German hardness). Now repeat steps 2 and 3 until the water in the tank is used up again.
Done. The machine is descaled and ready for use again after refilling the tank.
Conclusion on the Solis Barista Gran Gusto
There are as many different espresso and coffee habits as there are people. This makes it difficult for us to give an absolute recommendation for espresso machines. Unfortunately, one reason for this is that espresso machines, especially in the more affordable segment, have their strengths and weaknesses.
The strengths of the Solis Barista Gran Gusto include:
- With our tips, it is possible to brew a good espresso relatively reliably.
- Like almost all thermoblock machines, it has low power consumption of only 0.10 kW per hour.
- It heats up in a short time and is therefore ready for use.
- The external build quality is good and the included equipment is functional and very high-quality.
- The portafilter's compatibility with classic 58 mm portafilters is pleasing and also makes it easy to purchase additional tampers and baskets.
Unfortunately, there are also some weaknesses:
- The machine's frothing performance provides little joy.
- The drip tray is difficult to clean because the plate is just placed on top.
- Without manipulation, the temperature races into ranges above 100 degrees. This leads to an extremely bitter taste.
- The steam wand of the Solis Barista Gran Gusto drips.
Are you more of a milk-foam drinker? Then definitely take a look at the Sage Bambino Plus. For espresso and the like, you should compare the Solis Barista Gran Gusto with the Quick Mill Orione 3000 and the New Gaggia Classic.
If you want to learn how to dial in the perfect espresso, then attend our Home Barista Course. It is available as an online course on the net as well as in person in Basel. It’s worth the trip!
We also recommend the following articles and videos:
Preparing espresso and Cleaning your espresso machine.
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