By: The Caffeinated Gear Team
When it comes to bean-to-cup machines, finding the sweet spot between quality and convenience can be quite the challenge. During our recent visit to the Gaggia headquarters in Elland, Yorkshire, what started as a routine examination of their latest espresso machine turned into an enlightening discovery about their impressive range of automatic coffee makers.
While our primary mission was analysing the newly released Gaggia Classic, we found ourselves drawn to an enlightening demonstration happening just across the showroom. There, in the capable hands of Raj Beadle—the former managing director of Gaggia UK and current owner of Gaggia Direct—a family was getting a masterclass in bean-to-cup brewing technology.
The star of this impromptu demonstration? The Gaggia Anima. This experience opened our eyes to Gaggia’s impressive lineup of automatic coffee machines, which spans an remarkably broad spectrum of price points and features.
After extensive testing in our coffee lab, our team decided to dedicate significant time to each bean to cup machine in our review lineup.
The world of home espresso divides into two distinct camps: those who prefer bean to cup machines and those who opt for semi auto espresso machine.
You’ll find this same split in the commercial world – while Costa relies on espresso machines, Starbucks embraces bean to cup technology.
While our team primarily works with semi-automatic machines, our recent deep-dive into bean to cup models has revealed compelling advantages.
The standout benefit? Sheer convenience and speed of operation.
With prices starting around £300, these machines offer remarkable value – especially when you consider that matching a quality entry-level espresso machine with a decent electric grinder often pushes well beyond this price point.
Plus, the learning curve is notably gentler than with traditional espresso setups.
Picture the classic Gaggia Anima, but with a significant upgrade: instead of the standard Panarello wand, this model sports the professional steam wand found on the Magenta plus.
For coffee enthusiasts serious about crafting silky microfoam for their lattes, cortados and flat whites, this feature alone makes the Barista Plus worth considering.
We should note that semi-automatic machines still offer unmatched control over your espresso, with greater potential for exceptional results as you develop your skills.
Most bean to cup machines we’ve tested can’t quite match the precise grind control you’d get from a dedicated grinder paired with a semi-auto machine.
However, not everyone needs that level of control.
Many coffee lovers are perfectly satisfied with the consistent, reliable results that a quality bean to cup machine delivers straight away – particularly if milky drinks are your preference.
When it comes to choosing your ideal bean to cup machine, the options can seem overwhelming.
Our last review covered the Gaggia Brera, a compact powerhouse that sits in the entry-level price range.
At £425, we consider it significantly undervalued – this quiet, user-friendly machine offers professional-grade steam power for perfect microfoam, making it an absolute steal.
Now, turning our attention to the Gaggia Anima – this model sits higher in the range, just below Gaggia’s one-touch offerings (though they do produce a one-touch version, which we’ll explore later).
We’ve spent nearly three weeks with the Anima as our primary espresso machine, putting it through its paces to bring you this comprehensive, honest review…
The Anima strikes an impressive balance between sophistication and modern tech with its LCD panel and streamlined, button-only interface.
While slightly taller than the Brera, it saves space with a narrower footprint.
The build quality and finish speak of premium craftsmanship.
Setting up the Anima proves remarkably straightforward.
Simply slot in the drip tray (ensuring the grounds bin is positioned correctly), rinse and fill the water tank, insert it, switch on the rear power button, and press the front panel power button.
The interface couldn’t be more intuitive.
The left side features three buttons: espresso, lungo, and aroma strength (with a tick symbol).
The right side mirrors this with steam, hot water, and menu buttons.
For espresso, one press delivers a single shot, two presses for a double.
The lungo button produces a longer coffee (factory set to 50ml, but fully customisable).
Programming drink volumes is simple – hold down your chosen button until you reach your desired amount, then press the aroma strength button (with the tick) to save this setting.
For double shots, the machine will grind twice the coffee amount.
We recommend setting your preferred single shot volume, then using the double-press method for doubles.
However, don’t let this simplicity make you overconfident – as we discovered the hard way!
Our team made an interesting discovery about the steam function.
Unlike machines with traditional steam knobs, pressing the steam button again won’t stop the steam flow.
Instead, you need to press the aroma strength button (with the tick symbol) to stop both steam and hot water functions.
We began our testing with Gaggia Arabica beans, and the initial results impressed us even before any adjustments.
We noticed the extraction running slightly quick, so we made minor grind adjustments to compensate.
As dedicated semi-automatic users, we typically aim for a precise 1:2 extraction ratio over 28-32 seconds, matching professional barista standards.
Bean to cup machines generally can’t match this level of precision due to more limited grind settings.
This isn’t a criticism – it’s about matching the right tool to your needs.
The Anima offers five strength settings (compared to the Brera’s three), ranging from 7g to 11g in 1g increments across the 1-5 bean scale.
Both espresso and lungo buttons control volume only, with factory defaults at 25g and 50g respectively.
Remember, these volumes use the same coffee amount – at the 1-bean setting, both 25g espresso and 50g lungo start with 7g of beans.
For double shots, the machine performs two complete cycles – grinding and brewing each shot separately.
At default settings, that means two 7g doses, each producing 25g of espresso.
Our team prefers 18g double shots, so we use the 3-bean setting (9g) with volume set to 18g (measured using brew scales, though graduated espresso glasses work too).
This gives us two 9g doses producing 18g each, totalling 36g of espresso from 18g of coffee.
During our extensive testing, we immediately removed the Panarello attachment (just as we did with the Brera) to use the bare steam pipe as a traditional single-hole steam wand.
The Panarello is essentially a plastic sleeve that fits over the steam pipe, directing steam through a small side hole.
It’s designed as a foolproof milk frothing solution for beginners.
However, our testing confirmed that Panarello wands can only create thick, large-bubbled foam – perfect if you’re after a traditional cappuccino with spooned foam on top.
If that’s your preferred style, simply keep the Panarello attached – it’s remarkably straightforward to use.
For those wanting to create silky microfoam for flat whites and lattes, we’ve found the Panarello isn’t suitable.
The brilliant thing about Gaggia machines, though, is their versatility – remove the Panarello sleeve, and you’ll discover the metal steam pipe underneath works brilliantly as a professional-style steam wand, capable of producing the fine microfoam needed for proper milk texturing.
After extensive testing, we’ve discovered this machine produces brilliant microfoam – perfect for creating professional-quality latte art in your own kitchen.
The digital interface marks quite a departure from traditional steam knobs, but we quickly grew to appreciate its precision.
While the steam takes slightly longer to initialise compared to some models, the power delivery is outstanding.
What we particularly liked was the thoughtful interface design.
The screen displays a steam loading indicator, giving you perfect timing to prepare your milk jug.
There’s even a clever warning system – a small puff of steam from the right-hand grill signals that the wand is about to activate.
We found our perfect workflow: press the steam button first, then prepare the milk jug with a quick rinse and the perfect amount of cold milk.
For cleaning, we developed a simple three-step routine: press the aroma/strength button to stop steam, activate hot water for purging, then press aroma/strength again to finish.
The Anima features ceramic burrs, a premium choice shared across Gaggia’s bean-to-cup range, including their Accademia and Babila models.
This ceramic construction prevents heat transfer during grinding – a significant advantage over the standard stainless steel burrs found in most machines.
The grinder offers 5 distinct settings, matching the Brera’s range.
One notable difference from the Brera is the hopper lid design.
Without a rubber seal, the grinding sound is slightly more pronounced – similar to what we’ve observed with our Sage smart grinder pro when running it without its sealed lid.
The lack of an airtight seal means you’ll want to be mindful of bean storage.
Our professional advice? Only load the beans you’ll use in your next few drinks.
The generous 1.8L capacity surpasses the Brera’s tank size.
Its top-loading design might require some consideration depending on your kitchen layout.
For under-cabinet placement, you’ll need to slide the machine forward to refill – but given its lightweight build, this isn’t particularly troublesome.
The tank accommodates a water filter, consistent with other Gaggia bean-to-cup models.
This clever feature sets Gaggia apart from many competitors.
The entire brew unit slides out smoothly for easy cleaning under the tap – no tools or technical expertise required.
This practical design ensures optimal maintenance without any fuss.
The Anima boasts an impressive grounds capacity, holding 15 used coffee pucks before requiring emptying – nearly double the Brera’s 8-puck limit.
We appreciate the full-length drip tray design, extending beneath the entire machine.
This thoughtful engineering provides substantial capacity, reducing the frequency of emptying.
The machine reaches brewing temperature in under 60 seconds – brilliant for quick morning coffees.
However, we’ve noticed the first shot might run slightly cool since the brew unit hasn’t fully heated.
To counter this, we’ve developed a professional pre-heating technique:
We warm our cappuccino cup with hot water, then use a glass espresso cup like this one with a handle.
After a quick pre-heat rinse, we pull the shot into the glass cup and nestle it in the warm cappuccino cup while steaming milk.
The handle keeps the espresso at the perfect height in the warming water.
The Anima comes in three distinct variants, each offering different milk handling capabilities:
The standard Anima features the manual steam wand we’ve described above.
The Anima Deluxe includes a cappuccinatore system – perfect for those prioritising convenience over latte art capabilities.
The Anima Prestige provides true one-touch operation with its integrated milk carafe system.
After thorough testing, here’s what impressed us most:
The sleek, narrow profile suits modern kitchens perfectly.
Its LCD screen and overall design aesthetic reflect premium quality without being ostentatious.
From cold start to cappuccino in just 2-3 minutes.
Espresso arrives even quicker – typically ready in 90 seconds or less.
While initial heating takes slightly longer than the Brera, the steam power delivers exceptional microfoam.
We’ve consistently achieved professional-quality milk texture for both traditional drinks and latte art.
Though marginally louder than the Brera, it remains remarkably quiet for its capabilities.
The interface design prioritises simplicity without sacrificing functionality.
Our only initial confusion came from not reading the instructions for the steam and hot water controls!
With current market prices well below the £699 RRP, we find the value proposition compelling.
Gaggia direct offers the standard version at £499, the Deluxe at £529, and the Prestige at £569.
Our testing revealed few genuine concerns:
The lack of a rubber seal on the bean hopper slightly increases grinding noise.
The grinder continues running when beans run out rather than alerting you.
However, you can interrupt the cycle using the aroma strength button.
Five grind settings might seem restrictive to coffee perfectionists, but they’re sufficient for most users.
At Gaggia Direct’s current prices, we’re thoroughly impressed with the value.
The prestige model particularly stands out – offering one-touch convenience at half the price of comparable machines.
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