Gaggia Velasca Prestige Espresso Machine Review

The Prestige espresso machine offers all of the features you would expect from Gaggia, including programmable buttons, an integrated milk frother, and a removable water reservoir. 

The Prestige also includes innovative touches, like thermal stabilization to ensure accurate temperature control and an easy-to-read digital display. 

These features allow you to make genuinely delicious cappuccinos and lattes, as well as other espresso-based drinks at the push of a button. 

In addition, the Gaggia Prestige Espresso Machine has a sleek, stainless steel exterior with a brushed nickel finish, and it measures only 17 inches tall, making it an attractive addition to any kitchen.

The Gaggia Prestige Espresso Machine has a removable brew unit and an automatic rinse cycle, a removable water tank and an automatic descale cycle. 

The Velasca Prestige is an excellent choice for the on-the-go coffee drinker who wants excellent coffee anytime, anywhere.

Key features

• The dregs drawer, drip tray, and water tank can all be removed from the front of the machine for easy cleaning and maintenance.

• Pushbuttons and an LED monitor are located on the top-front of the machine, allowing you to control it with your intuition, making it ideal for everyone.

• You may either utilize the machine’s pre-ground coffee beans or the ceramic burr grinder and bypass the doser to make freshly ground coffee.

• You’ll be able to shoot a lot of shots without having to wait long, thanks to the 10.58 oz hopper capacity and quick-heating functionality.

• You may use cups with a height of up to 4.5 inches, and hot water from the wand can make americanos or tea.

Let’s look at the main features of the Gaggia Velasca Prestige Espresso Machine.

Design

The Velasca is one of the prettiest bean-to-cup machines in existence. It has a brushed stainless steel exterior with a brushed nickel finish and a thin, elegant profile that will look great in almost any kitchen. 

It is a tiny, compact machine that stands 13.5 inches tall, 10.25 inches wide, and 17 inches deep. It's also relatively light, weighing only 18 pounds.

Ceramic grinder

The Gaggia Prestige has a ceramic burr grinder. Ceramic grinders are very durable, don’t create static electricity, and produce a consistent grind. They are also easier to clean than steel burrs. 

The Velasca comes with a built-in, removable doser that features 14 settings for different types of coffee. The coffee is fed into the machine automatically whenever you start brewing, so you never have to worry about malfunctioning dosing mechanisms.

Water reservoir

The Gaggia Prestige has an automatic water tank, which is removable for easy cleaning and maintenance. You can also use hot water from the wand to make iced coffees or teas with this machine.

Taste

The Gaggia Prestige set-up produces amazingly delicious espresso and other coffee drinks. It has a stainless steel milk frother, which can be attached to the wand.

You can remove the frother if you want to use it as an espresso maker or serve hot milk as part of a latte or cappuccino. 

The Velasca also comes with a water filter pod that allows you to brew espresso and serve the espresso-based drinks without producing any dregs in the coffee bean container or reservoir.

Several drink options

Choose from latte, espresso, or cappuccino by using Velasca’s Pulse-Brew button. The Pulse Brew simultaneously extracts flavour and temperature for a short time to produce a flavorful, aromatic coffee drink. 

An Express Coffee option also cuts the brewing time in half, allowing you to make just one or two cups of espresso rather than an entire carafe.

Programmable

The Gaggia Prestige comes with two adjustable programmable buttons that allow you to customize your drink.

 For example, you can set the water temperature to match your type of coffee, the degree of extraction, the amount of froth, and even the time it takes to make a cappuccino or latte.

Cleaning

The Velasca is very easy to clean. The dregs drawer, water tank and drip tray can all be removed from the front of the machine for easy maintenance. You can also remove pieces of equipment like the drip tray and drip catcher to give them a thorough cleaning.

One-touch Brewing

You can make espresso and espresso-like beverages in one touch with this espresso machine. Even if you aren’t a barista, the technology allows you to personalize your coffee exactly as you want it.

You can adjust the foam with only one button if you want a frothy cappuccino or latte. The frother offers many settings to regulate the foam in your beverage.

You can modify many things, even though it’s a one-touch gadget. The milk carafe is self-contained and assists you in making your favourite beverages.

Depending on your taste and drink, you may adjust the volume and temperature at the same time.

Smart Interface

The Velasca’s control panel display notifies you when the machine needs maintenance. For example, it indicates when the water reservoir needs to be refilled, when the grinder bin needs to be emptied, when the hopper is low on beans, and when you need to clean the equipment.

However, the interface is primary enough for anybody to utilize. It allows you to set a timer, adjust the temperature and check the hardness of the water, among other things.

Price

The Velasca is one of the least expensive bean-to-cup machines on the market. It is priced at just under $1,000, making it an ideal choice for those who don’t want to or can’t spend a lot of money on a home espresso machine.

Pros

• It provides the opportunity to make great-tasting coffee using an excellent grinding technique.
• The finer points of the settings make the perfect cup of coffee for you.
• A two-year warranty. 
• Controls on the front make it simple to operate.
• Water storage capacity is adequate.

Cons

• It’s rather costly.
• Due to the plastic body, it is not very durable.

FAQs

How hot does this super-automatic espresso maker’s milk get?

The milk is just warm enough to make a hot beverage. But you can’t wait too long, or you’ll have to drink something cold.

Is there any contact between the hot components and plastic or aluminium?

Don’t be concerned about it. This machine’s material is highly heat resistant. As a result, the likelihood of an accident is relatively low.

Is the machine capable of brewing regular coffee?

The machine can only make espressos and cappuccinos. However, creating an Americano, which is another type of coffee, is feasible.

Customer reviews

The Gaggia Velasca Prestige espresso machine is regarded favourably by almost all users, even professionals. The gadget has a lot of intriguing features that I appreciate. However, some of the disadvantages are unavoidable.

The first thing that all consumers appreciate is how easy it is to clean using the machine. You can easily clean them thanks to their detachable components. Unfortunately, the brew section is also detachable, and cleaning it once a week is required.

The machine is small in size. And it may simply fit between other appliances in a small area. Furthermore, the front-mounted water reservoir takes up no additional room. Additionally, using the gadget to make espresso is a breeze. The frother performs admirably.

Even with so many positive qualities, you should be aware of the potential drawbacks. The loud noise of the grinder is something I dislike about it. 

I am a morning person who prefers to have my beverage first thing in the morning. My entire family, though, was awakened by the grinding noise. As a result, I had to put it in the basement, far away from the living area.

Users also find it difficult to program since there are so many possibilities. However, the Gaggia Velasca automated coffee and espresso maker is fun to operate once acclimates to the minor learning curve.

Alternatives

If the Gaggia Velasca is not exactly your cup of tea, other alternatives may interest you. Whether you prefer a one-touch espresso machine or a super-automatic coffee maker, these alternatives have what you’re looking for.

1. The DeLonghi Nespresso Lattissima Pro – Automated Espresso Maker

The DeLonghi Nespresso Lattissima Pro is a top-rated, one-touch coffee machine with a compact design. This superb machine produces excellent espresso and hot beverages.

The machine comes with famous Nespresso pods and capsules to provide the convenience of a high-quality coffee experience. 

Once you set up your beverage, it will start automatically grinding and brewing in seconds. It has an easy-to-use lever and brew button.

2. The Melitta Handpresso – Automatic Espresso Coffee Maker

The Melitta Handpresso is a fully automatic espresso machine that offers the option of single-serve espresso. Although you have to pay a little bit more, it is a fast and easy way to make a fresh cup of coffee.

If you want a compact size, go for this automatic espresso maker from Melitta. It only weighs 2.7 pounds, so it's easy to pop it on your kitchen counter.

3. The Nespresso U – Espresso Maker by De’Longhi

Although the price of this device is relatively high, it is worth every penny. The Nespresso U Espresso Maker works with coffee pods of the same brand. So it makes it easy for you to enjoy your coffee exactly as you like it.

With its one-touch automatic digital interface, you can easily select your drink. This compact machine grinds and brews your favourite espressos and coffee beverages in minutes.

Conclusion

If convenience is what you’re looking for, then you will love the Gaggia Velasca espresso machine. It does an excellent job of making a great cup of coffee.

However, I do not recommend it for those who need a steady stream of hot beverages throughout the day. 

It is suitable for commercial and domestic usage, but only in communal areas with many coffee enthusiasts. It’s a high-end computer, so it’ll set you back a lot of money, but it’ll be well worth it.