r/gaggiaclassic

I put some sound deadening on the inside of my machine and on the bottom and it made a pleasant difference. The pitch and vibration are different and it is at least 5 decibels quieter. Im gonna try the vibration pump 3d print mount next to see if it improves the noise level. For those thinking about using the deadening material, it is just normal 80mil car deadening material, i would recommend taking some of the wiring out because it made it especially hard to stuff this shit in. Also pay no attention to the average its not accurate, the noise level was taken when the brew pump was running and pulling a shot.

Up next -> https://www.printables.com/model/771590-low-noise-ulka-pump-mount-gaggia-classic-pro

I designed and CNC machined a new screen mount for Gaggiuino. Wasn’t a huge fan of the flexible 3D printed original

Here you go ... some impressions of an
Alba installation

Hi everyone,

I’m losing my mind here and desperately need some fresh eyes on my espresso setup. No matter what I do, every single shot tastes like straight-up battery acid. It’s a sharp, metallic, aggressive sourness that completely ruins the cup.

My Setup:

• Machine: NewGaggia Classic Pro E24 (upgraded with 9-bar spring)

• Grinder: Timemore S3 ESP (the s3 version with espresso-focused S2C burrs)

• Basket: IMS Competition non-pressurized basket (dosing ~20g)

The Problem:

Extreme, piercing sourness. This isn't just "bright, fruity acidity" – it's genuinely unpleasant. It happens even with freshly roasted dark roasts (~1 month old) and, bafflingly, even with 6-month-old stale medium-dark beans that shouldn't have any organic acids left in them.

Everything I’ve Tried & Ruled Out:

Grind Size & Ratios: At setting 28, a 1:2,5 ratio flows in about 30 seconds. Extremely sour. I tried going finer to increase extraction. At setting 25, the Gaggia completely chokes (zero flow). I tried tighter, traditional ratios: 1:2 in 30s, 25s, 20s, even 40-50s. I tried 1:3 in 40s, 30s, 20s. The sourness actually got worse at lower ratios, which strongly points to severe under-extraction.

I previously owned a HiBrew H10B and experienced the exact same issue. I assumed the harsh sourness was caused by the poor thermal stability of a cheap, budget machine, so I upgraded to the Gaggia Classic expecting a massive difference. To my horror, the exact same "battery acid" flavor carried over completely unchanged.

Water & Boiler: My baseline water is tap water filtered through a standard Brita-style pitcher.

◦ I tried a 50/50 mix of this filtered water and pure distilled water. No change.

◦ On my previous machine, I tried high-quality commercial bottled spring water to rule out the tap entirely — still pure acid.

◦ Today, I completely flushed the boiler and filled it entirely with fresh bottled spring water. Absolutely no change in the sourness.

If I use cheap, commercial pre-ground coffee in the Gaggia's pressurized basket with the same water, it comes out completely fine and not sour at all.

I suspected severe misalignment, so I did the paper test (spreading the grounds flat on a white sheet). IMO the grind looks uniform with no obvious large boulders.

Visually and physically, I haven't noticed any obvious issues with the machine's heating, though I don't have a thermometer to measure the exact temperatures. The steam wand produces strong, proper steam, the water coming straight out of the group head is piping hot, and the final espresso shot in the cup is hot as well. Furthermore, the water distribution from the shower screen looks completely even and uniform.

The machine and the portafilter (kept locked in the group head) are always preheated for at least 20 minutes before pulling any shots. Everything is thoroughly hot to the touch, so a cold group head or portafilter is definitely not the culprit.

I am attaching a photos of my workflow/puck prep and some photos of the grounds. Attaching video of example shot. I know this shot is too long (but its still sour even with dark roast), but this is just example how visually all my extractions looks clean from the bottomless portafilter—no obvious spraying or massive channeling.

https://imgur.com/a/tuXoKdb

Just to head off any "bitter-sour confusion" comments: Yes, I can absolutely tell the difference. When I pull a longer shot using the pressurized basket, the result becomes intensely bitter and astringent. I also know exactly what a proper, well-dialed espresso is supposed to taste like from visiting professional specialty cafes—this is definitely a textbook, aggressive under-extraction acid issue.

Am I missing something completely obvious? Any advice would be highly appreciated!

Been offered this machine for $380 USD second hand.

Is this a good deal? He has shown me it all working.

Anything else to ask other than seeing steam wand working and water flow?

My completed build on a 2013 gaggia classic. Mods include, gaggimate, shades of coffee steam knob and portafilter, espresso lane steam wand, low profile drip tray and powder coated casing.

Blues decent, probably will wrap.

We proudly announce the shipping of ALBA ...
Water tank light and level sensor add-on for Gaggimate.

It comes READY TO PLUG & PLAY WITH ENCLOSURE, MAGNET AND ADHESIVE STRIP AND CABLE!

Features include:

Customizable phase to RGB editor.
Water level to light color.
Finetuning of laser sensor (water level) ...

Check it out on gaggimate.eu (->parts).

Any advice for dialling in on the Eureka Oro from fellow owners? Kinda winging it at the moment.

Started +2.0 from true zero and slowly working my way up to about a +4.0 at the moment, still shots are feeling a bit choked so just wondering what others experience is.

Shots taste great though but that's probably just my unrefined palate. ​

Moved nearer fridge and sink. Any suggestions would be marvellous ✌️

Hola! Este es mi setup. Gaggia classic E24 y Baratza encore esp.
Estoy con un problema del baratza, se me rompio el anillo que sujeta las muelas y desde ahi la molienda en 0 es muy gruesa para mi shot de espresso. Llegando a sacar extracciones de 18gr / 36 en 10 segundos.
Soy de argentina y los repuestos de baratza no llegan directamente por ende va a estar al en pausa por un tiempo.
Sumado a esto estaba evaluando la posibilidad de mejorar el molinillo y pasar a un Df64.
Estuve leyendo bastante del molinillo y tengo muy buenas reseñas sobre el resultado en taza. Entiendo que el workflow puede ser un poco molesto por la estatica pero con un buen wdt va a ayudar bastante.
El df 64 gen 2 es el que esta disponible para comprar.
Ustedes que opinan? Me recomiendan el molinillo?
A mi me importa mas que todo el resultado en la taza.
Muchas gracias por leer y saludos!!

Any tips? Water is coming from the boiler.

I just bought this Gaggia Classic Evo Pro from Second Hand.
The seller concealed this from me :(