Gaggia RI8760/18 Anima Automatic Bean to Cup Coffee Machine – Black, Stainless Steel, 1850 W

Product Information

The Anima doesn’t have any standout features that aren’t seen on other espresso machines. That’s not what Gaggia is going for with this model. Semi automatic espresso machines are then split into two categories too, well – three if you also count commercial espresso machines, but we're talking about home coffee machines here. Out of the box, espresso quality wasn’t quite what I wanted, and the first shot was watery and weak. The likely explanation is that the first shot didn’t grind enough coffee, as the machine was new; by the second shot, the grinder was pre-loaded with beans. After every brew the Gaggia Anima Prestige will give you a button to press to initiate the automatic cleaning cycle.

The Anima has ceramic burrs, as with all of the Gaggia bean to cup machines including the one touch Accademia & Babila. Most bean to cup machines have stainless steel burrs and Gaggia state that they go for Ceramic because they don’t lead to the coffee beans being heated when grinding.

Michelle Powell has spent over a decade working in the specialty coffee industry. That journey has seen her train with such hallmark establishments as Blue Bottle and Four Barrel. She has also competed multiple times in the Southwest Regional Barista Competition. Having made tens of thousands of lattes, cappuccinos, and macchiatos, Michelle is the cornerstone of our espresso machine testing and evaluation. A lot of machines have a fixed height between the exit valves and the cup or mug tray below. Those that don’t typically use some sort of adjustable drip try on which the cup or mug sits.

While I do think it's a case of the more the merrier with grind adjustments, I have to be honest and say that it probably isn't going to make a huge difference re the 5 settings vs 10.The original Accademia was known for being built like a tank and being a real workhorse, often used by busy offices which really should have installed a commercial machine! From what I can tell, they've not changed anything internally which will make this updated model any different in that regard. If you just want to get a coffee machine out of the box and start making espresso-based coffees, you're not fussed about achieving perfection, and you don't see yourself as a home barista, then something like the Gran Gaggia is a very affordable option. When it comes to double shots of espresso, you press the espresso button twice, and it will grind the corresponding amount of coffee to whatever setting you have it on, for instance, if it's set to default, it'll grind 7g of espresso, then pour whatever volume of espresso you have it set to (default being 25g) – it will then grind another 7g, and then pour another 25g of espresso. By the way, it's fine to freeze coffee beans, this is something I'm commonly asked. The only issue with freezing is if you freeze the full bag and keep getting that bag out, as the constant changes in temp can damage the beans. If you're going to freeze them I'd separate them into smaller amounts, and then take out one smaller bag at a time to be used that day or the next day for example.

One touch machines also known as one touch milk coffee machines or cappuccino makers, handle both the coffee and the milk at the touch of a button. I’d really like it if it did like 15ml shots and/or 18g shots. As it is, I do double 30ml/11.g shots for most milk drinks to get the strength. Philips (who own Gaggia) used to sell this same machine under the name “Philips 2100”– but it seems they decided to move it over to the Gaggia brand. This machine has a lot more going for it than this single feature, but to have a pro wand on a bean to cup coffee machine is almost unheard of, so this is what makes this machine particularly special. Overall, the Gaggia Anima is easy to use and has some handy features (such as Temperature and Strength Control), and pulls a quality shot, especially compared to similarly-priced machines.

Value

The one thing that would possibly lead me to spend a little bit more on the Gaggia if I'm honest, is simply that I know that Gaggia Direct supply and service them, so you can get good old fashioned support on the phone or online if you need it.

Most of the Gaggia bean to cup machines have three versions, the standard version, a version with a cappuccinatore frother, and a carafe version. OK so now we're looking at a coffee machine that actually looks like a coffee machine ;-). The Naviglio from Gaggia is fairly minimalist in its design, and it's a very simple coffee machine to use. Everything is ridiculously simple with the Anima, they've not made anything at all complex. The only thing that didn't work as I had guessed it would, was turning off the hot water and steam, and that is just because I guessed rather than reading the instructions! 😉 Reasonably priced: I think it looks great, it's nice and narrow which is great if you don't have much kitchen space (as we don't, it's full of coffee machines!), it looks smart with the LCD screen, there's nothing ugly about the Anima. Fast coffee:

Key Features of Gaggia Anima

This is the same tried and tested Gaggia Anima, but instead of the Panarello steam wand, it has the same pro steam wand that you'll find on the Magenta plus. If you're someone who loves your milkies, and you want the control to enable you to create a velvety microfoam texture for your latte, cortado & flat white, then this is well worth a look.