Gaggia Accademia Review: Graduate to Next-Level Espresso!

The wait is finally over, folks! I’m super pumped to be writing this updated Gaggia Accademia review for you, my North American readers.

As it happens, the Italian manufacturer provided me with one of these beautiful new machines last year. Having put it through its paces, I’m really excited to share my observations.

If you checked out my original Gaggia Accademia review, you’ll remember how impressed I was. Well, get ready for an extra dose of enthusiasm, because the updated Gaggia Accademia takes things to a whole new level.

Trust me, this is one of the most versatile and high-quality super automatic espresso machines I’ve ever used.

Overview: Gaggia Accademia Review

You may already know that Gaggia’s founder pretty much single-handedly invented modern espresso preparation. How? Well, by using a car piston to create pressure for brewing. Now that’s the kind of dedication to coffee that I really appreciate!

Still, the Italian manufacturer has focused most of its efforts on producing automatic coffee makers in recent years, making big inroads into the North American market in the process.

Listen, there are plenty of impressive models in my guide to the best automatic coffee makers.

However, all super automatics have inherent limitations in terms of espresso quality. Essentially, that one-button convenience we love so much comes at a price.

Costing $1,599.20, the updated Gaggia Accademia seems to be intended as somewhat of a crossover device. By that, I mean there’s definitely a renewed focus on the user getting involved with espresso and milk foam.

If you ask me, the Italians have been paying attention to the fact that consumers increasingly want a more “authentic” espresso-making experience at home. Just look at the raging success of Breville espresso machines if you want further evidence.

Anyway, I’ll get into more detail about espresso and milk foam quality a little later in this Gaggia Accademia review. Suffice to say, this thing is capable of producing truly exceptional results.

As far as looks go, Gaggia has completely abandoned the outdated aesthetics of the original Accademia. Instead, we’re dealing with a machine that’s simply gorgeous to behold. This is no plastic box with shiny metal accents. Rather, the Gaggia Accademia espresso machine is a stainless steel work of art featuring a huge touchscreen display, elegant glass facade and typical Italian flourishes.

And here, allow me to remind you of the Accademia’s relatively attractive price point. Because Gaggia has quite clearly thrown down the gauntlet while staring directly at both Jura and DeLonghi!

Gaggia Accademia Features

So far, we’ve established that the Italians mean business with this new machine. Let’s continue my Gaggia Accademia review by taking a closer look at what makes it tick.

Size and Design

While I was definitely a big fan of the original Accademia, its overall design hadn’t aged well by the time I reviewed it. In fact, I remember poking fun at the old-school LCD display and antiquated push buttons.

Well, the new Gaggia Accademia couldn’t be more different. We’re now confronted by a sleek, stylish espresso machine that oozes contemporary luxury and quality. Sure, this is far from a compact machine, but it isn’t gratuitously over-sized. Besides, Gaggia has made room for both a professional steam wand and an automatic milk frother.

What’s more, there’s a generous five-inch color touchscreen display as well as capacitive buttons and a rotary dial. See – I told you the Italians mean business!

Incidentally, I tested the black version, which comes decked out in mirrored glass. However, you can save a few bucks by picking up the Brushed Stainless Steel Accademia, which costs $1,599.20.

User Interface

There are two types of people – those who love touchscreens and those who’d prefer to use buttons. Well, have no fear because the Gaggia Accademia’s user interface offers both options.

As well as the impressive color touchscreen I mentioned earlier, there are also capacitive buttons on one side and a prominent rotary dial. I’d say that most users will end up using a combination of the touchscreen and dial, although I found the color icons a little small and relied on the dial as much as possible.

I never thought of myself as having fat fingers, but maybe I just need to accept that I do!

More importantly, the Gaggia Accademia’s user interface is extremely intuitive. There’s quite a lot going on here, but navigating the various menus is a breeze. For starters, you’re able to create user profiles, name your drinks and adjust the main screen to highlight your preferred drinks. What’s more, the level of drink customization on offer is quite staggering.

Anyway, if you start feeling overwhelmed, there’s a handy question mark icon. Press that and the machine will give descriptions and tips along the way. Heck, there’s even a book icon that’ll give you a QR code on the screen for the user manual. Wowzer!

Ceramic Grinder

The Gaggia Accademia comes equipped with a ceramic burr grinder, which makes me really happy. Not only will you get fast, consistent results from the ceramic burrs, they’ll also seriously cut down on heat transfer. That means you won’t have to worry about the grinder affecting the delicate aroma of your coffee beans. 

Located above the bean hopper, the grinder dial allows you to choose between eight grind settings. Although this might seem limiting, I think you’ll have more than enough control over your grind size to make excellent espresso. Remember not to use oily coffee beans, though; they’ll really mess with the Accademia’s insides.

At 67.9 decibels, the grinder is quieter than some other Gaggia machines, but the pitch and noise quality are still quite average for this manufacturer. The noise is perfectly fine, but a little louder than you would theoretically expect from a ceramic grinder.

One more thing: you can use pre-ground coffee in the Accademia seeing as there’s a bypass doser next to the grinder.

Removable Brew Unit

During my Gaggia Accademia review, I constantly noticed things that make this super automatic espresso machine stand out from the competition. Case in point: Gaggia’s newly updated brew unit.

What’s particularly impressive is the brew unit’s increased capacity; the Accademia is capable of packing in up to 11.5 grams of coffee per brew cycle.

Milk Frothing

In my opinion, the Gaggia Accademia’s automatic milk frothing system is one of the best I’ve ever seen. The auto frothing milk carafe can be taken straight out of the fridge and clipped onto the front of the machine. Besides, there aren’t any pesky hoses or pipes to deal with.

Instead, the carafe’s carry handle doubles as a movable milk spout which swings over your cup when you’re making a latte macchiato or cappuccino. Best of all, the milk system is self cleaning – once the spout is back in place it blows hot water through the circuit to rinse it of any milk residue.

Like the old Gaggia Accademia, there’s a manual steam wand option for milk based drinks. However, the Italians have made some serious upgrades. Previously, there wasn’t much steam pressure and the wand felt a little like an afterthought. However, the Gaggia Accademia is now equipped with a professional-grade, ball joint-mounted steam wand with more than enough power to create silky microfoam.

Of course, you’ll need a decent stainless steel milk jug to achieve your barista dreams. Still, that won’t cost very much. Then you can let the machine whip up a quick cappuccino-a-go-go in the morning, then come back and hone your latte art skills in the evening!

Specialty Drinks

You learn something new every day. Along with the usual suspects – latte macchiato, flat white, cortado coffee – Gaggia has included a couple of regional Italian specialties to the Accademia’s 19-drink repertoire. Namely, a macchiatone and a melange. Are these specialty milk drinks worth getting overly excited about? Nope. But they prove that the Accademia is clearly Italian through and through!

More importantly, you’re able to make tons of adjustments to every drink, and you can do so “on the fly” as your coffee is being prepared.

There are a whopping five aroma levels for setting the strength of your espresso, as well as a Coffee Boost function. If you choose that particular option, the machine will add an extra ristretto shot to your espresso. Don’t say you weren’t warned!

You’re also able to adjust the temperature and volume of your espresso as well as the texture of your milk foam. Again, taking care of this stuff is super easy, thanks to the intuitive user interface.

Finally, you guys often ask in the comments section whether a machine performs two grind cycles when it’s making two espressos at once. Well, I’m happy to report that the Gaggia Accademia does the right thing and grinds twice!

Pre-Brewing

I love the fact that Gaggia allows you to customize pre-infusion settings. All too often this part of the brewing process is overlooked or ignored, yet it’s an essential step in achieving well extracted coffee. 

There are three options, one of which involves skipping the pre-infusion process altogether for lighter coffee. Personally, I’d recommend going with the extended pre infusion option every time – your tastebuds will thank you!

Espresso Plus System

As if control over grind, temperature, dose and pre-infusion weren’t enough, Gaggia has also included the Espresso Plus System. A dial on the dispensing spout allows you to control the espresso’s flow rate in real time, which is something you just don’t see every day.

This feature really floats my boat because it adds a whole new dimension to espresso preparation from a super automatic. Essentially, having the ability to control flow rate is kind of like adding more grinder settings. Plus, you have plenty of room to experiment and get creative!

Cup Height

I don’t usually spend much time discussing a super automatic espresso machine’s dispensing spouts. I mean, we all know that you’ll be able to move the spouts close to your espresso cups to preserve crema, and that you’ll likely get frustrated by the lack of headroom for a taller glass.

But hold on – there’s been a new development! When you’re using the Gaggia Accademia, you can actually remove the adjustable telescopic coffee dispenser altogether. During my testing, that meant I was able to brew into a decent-sized travel mug with ease.

It’s stuff like this that really puts Gaggia’s asking price into perspective for me. Still, the question remains: why didn’t anyone think of this sooner?!

Cup Warmer

The Gaggia Accademia is fitted with a single, fast-heating thermoblock, meaning the machine is ready to go in around a minute. That’s pretty impressive, but is the cup warmer going to be hot that quickly?

I think you know the answer to that, which is why I’ll cut right to the chase: you can program the Accademia to activate the cup tray heating element ahead of time. This nifty function is easy to take advantage of, and you’re able to set the machine to start warming on up to three separate occasions during the day.

Incidentally, the cup warmer is up top, between the bean hopper and water tank lids. You can expect to fit two or three espresso cups on there, which should be enough!

The Gaggia Accademia in Use

Although the Gaggia Accademia is full of features that allow you to customize just about every aspect of coffee and milk foam production, don’t think for a second that this super automatic espresso machine isn’t easy to set up and use right out of the box. 

Sure, this is a sophisticated coffee maker, but it’s also been designed to be user friendly and intuitive. After all, that’s the whole point of a super automatic machine!

With that said, you should definitely invest some time in experimenting with the Accademia’s various settings. What’s especially cool is that you can program drinks as they’re being prepared. Trust me, once you get comfortable using the Gaggia, you’ll be able to whip up some pretty fantastic coffee specialties.

Before using the Accademia for the first time, you’ll need to fill the water tank and add freshly roasted, high quality beans to the hopper. This is where you’ll come face to face with a really great feature that few manufacturers offer … doors to cover the coffee bean hopper and water reservoir.

By keeping the light out, coffee beans will stay fresh for longer.

You can also install an Intenza water filter if you want. Personally, if there’s a water filter option I always use one; you’re going to get better tasting coffee and you won’t need to descale your coffee maker as frequently.

Once you’ve plugged the Accademia in and turned it on, the machine will perform a preliminary rinsing cycle. After that’s complete you’re ready to start making drinks!

At this point I should remind you to only make grind adjustments while the grinder is running. It’s a delicate piece of machinery and you’re going to need it to be in tip top condition.

Espresso and Coffee From the Accademia

If you want it to, the Gaggia Accademia practically becomes a real espresso machine. I mean, with the aroma set to five, your morning coffee can knock your socks off on demand.

If you add the Coffee Boost system into the equation, you’ll be pulling an all-nighter. And don’t forget you can play with pre-infusion and flow rate to further dial in.

For the most part, I made the usual settings for all coffee specialties: selected the second finest grind setting, adjusted espresso volume to 1.4 ounces (40 milliliters) and adjusted coffee volume to 4 ounces (120 milliliters).

Normally, Mauricio is neither a fan of black fully automatic coffee nor of overly strong espresso. But the Accademia manages to make its extended version taste even better than the espresso – even though I accidentally triggered a super-strong lungo topped with an extra shot during testing.

Both variations make no secret of the fact that they come from a machine with Italian pedigree. When using my fairtrade coffee beans, the espresso was powerful, slightly bitter and displayed intense chocolate notes with minimal sweetness.

So, we’re talking about caffè in the Italian sense of the word. And in fact, we both noticed that the brew style comes suspiciously close to what you’d get from a home espresso machine.

Overall, the Accademia performed like a true champion – even if I did have to sacrifice some of the sweetness I’d expect from my coffee beans.

Best Coffee for the Gaggia Accademia

Gaggia Accademia Cleaning

Regular Coffeeness readers already know that I’m more than a little fastidious when it comes to cleaning coffee equipment. I guess I just can’t stand the thought of mold, bacteria and other nasties thriving inside the damp confines of my coffee maker.

It really doesn’t take much work to keep the Accademia clean, but there are a few tasks you’ll have to get used to performing on a daily basis. For starters, keep the Accademia looking its shiny best by wiping it down with a damp cloth.

The brew group, drip tray and used grounds container are all easy to remove and can be rinsed under warm water. Of course, avoid using soap of any kind and definitely forget about putting them in the dishwasher.

Once a month, run the machine’s brew group cleaning cycle using Gaggia cleaning tablets. Don’t skimp on this or else you’ll notice a definite drop in coffee quality!

Although the automatic milk carafe is self cleaning, you should take it apart and rinse all the components thoroughly at the end of each day. As for the commercial style steam wand, I’ll trust that you’re wiping it off with a damp cloth after each use. Still, consider soaking it in dairy cleaner every once in a while.

Just know, if you aren’t using a water filter, you’ll need to descale the Accademia on a fairly regular basis. Conveniently, the machine will let you know when the time has come and the whole process takes around half an hour.

The manufacturer recommends using Gaggia Descaler Solution, but whether you decide to use a cheaper alternative is entirely up to you.

Gaggia Accademia Specifications

Gaggia Accademia vs Other Super Automatics

Thus far, this updated Gaggia Accademia review has established that this super automatic espresso machine is a real winner. Still, there’s an ever-increasing collection of worthy competitors out there. So, let’s take a look at how the Accademia measures up in comparison to a couple of alternatives.

Gaggia Accademia vs Jura E8

Listen, I’ve long been a huge fan of Jura coffee machines, and the Jura E8 is one of my favorites from the Swiss manufacturer.

Still, given how well-conceived the Gaggia Accademia has proven to be, the Jura E8’s $2,388.00 price tag seems kind of outrageous.

Sure, the E8 is a wonderful machine with tons of cool features. And as you’d expect from a Jura, it can pump out some fantastic espresso and milk froth. But it’s impossible to overlook the fact that the E8 has plastic housing and a less-than-desirable external milk frother. Heck, the Swiss don’t even include a milk container!

Ultimately, the Jura can’t compete with the Accademia when it comes to value for money.

See Also: Jura E8 Review 2024

Gaggia Accademia vs Gaggia Babila

I was pretty blown away by the Gaggia Babila during my review of this superb machine. The Babila shares a lot of the Accademia’s features, and was once the manufacturer’s flagship machine.

The Babila offers 15 grind settings and five coffee strength settings. So, in some ways it’s more versatile than the Accademia. Plus, the Babila comes in a more compact package which I really appreciate. 

My only gripe with the Babila is its user interface, which seems altogether too dated for today’s market. No longer a step up from the Accademia, the Gaggia Babila will set you back $1,999.99 on Amazon.

See Also: Gaggia Babila Review 2024

Gaggia Accademia vs Others Comparison Chart

Verdict: Gaggia Accademia Review

By the end of my Gaggia Accademia review, I felt like reaching out to the Italians and asking them to ditch a few of the older models and focus entirely on developing more super automatic machines like this!

With that said, you can still buy the original Gaggia Accademia for the time being.

Seriously, I’ve been waiting a long time for a beautiful and capable automatic coffee machine like the new Accademia. This fantastic machine is a joy to use, and its coffee quality will delight beginners and experts alike.

If I had to nitpick, I’d say the touch screen icons are a little too small and fiddly. Plus, the espresso isn’t quite as sweet and complex as I’d like. That said, lovers of classic Italian espresso will be over the moon when they use this thing.

Of course, I can’t sign off without pointing out that the Gaggia Accademia is an expensive coffee maker. Even in a world where people routinely pay twice as much for a Jura. But hey – the Accademia is built from high-quality materials and offers the utmost in style and functionality. You really do get what you pay for with this machine, and maybe even a little more.