Gaggia Cubika 2 Cups Espresso Machine

Summary
An excellent machine which lives up to the quality that one comes to expect of this brand. It produces an above average cup of espresso and froths a lovely cappuccino.

The Detail
This Gaggia espresso machine has had daily use since it was purchased on eBay approximately three weeks ago. It is approximately 4 years old and was apparently used regularly. Unlike previous, cheaper machines I have had, the pressure seems to have remained high despite its age. The coffee produced is of excellent quality and the milk frothing function works a treat. There is no grinding function but there are a handful of support tools such as a one and two shot espresso filter, a scoop and tamper. There is a built in cup warmer which also has stood the test of time. The machine is made mostly of stainless steel and feels solid and well made. The buttons are a bit flimsy but appear to function fine nonetheless. Equally, the drip tray is very 'plasticy'. I have no major concerns about rating this machine very highly. My only gripe with it is the location and access to the water reservoir. It sits at the back of the machine is annoying to remove and clean/de-scale. Replacing the water in it also requires a sliding action which is less than elegant given the overall solid design traits this machine has.

I would recommend this machine to anyone who enjoys well made coffee and is prepared to invest the time in making and sampling a variety of coffee.

I had been looking for an espresso machine for some time, but was reluctant to pay the large sums for a brand new one. I have seen reviews for a few Gaggia machines and was confident that they were a brand I could trust. The buy it now price of £65 seemed like a bargain to me, so I jumped in.

The Cubika was very easy to set up, and I did not have to refer to the manual whilst doing so. Instructions for making espresso were easy to follow, and 6 minutes later I had a perfect espresso first time. It does seem a little while to wait at first, but it's actually not that much longer than making a cafetiere coffee, and that's only for the first cup. Once the machine is warm, it is good to go as quickly as you are.

There are plenty of tips in the instruction booklet on coffee making, coffee beans and coffee grinding - suitable for an absolute coffee novice, but not patronising for those with a little more experience.

I like the large warming surface, which easily accommodates 6 espresso cups and saucers, as well as the tamper, coffee scoop and espresso baskets.

Overall, I would rate this good - 4/5, as the only slight criticism is a very small tendency to drip into the drip tray (I know that's what it's there for!) when not dispensing espresso. Highly recommended, and if you get one at this price, you are on to a winner!

Hope this is a helpful review.

This is an underrate machine, if you are italian, you will understand why. It has a very strong motor, and can make a perfect espresso cup, with the right amount of "crema" and at the correct heath, personally I am not too bothered about it's frothing abilities, I am not into cappuccino, latte's or any other warped american-ized fancy name that those idiots at Starbuck forced you to think they were original italian coffee variants. No. An italian will drink a cup of espresso first thing in the morning, to help him wake up, one after lunch and seldom one in the evening if a long work shift is due. That's all, we don't drink none of that frothy stuff as a necessity unless we go to a bar and want to dunk a pastry in it.
The Gaggia Cubika fits perfectly at home to those who want a quick fix and are too busy to go to Starbucks to grab a cuppa.

As a coffee enthusiast, especially espresso, I have for a long time been mulling over the justification for purchasing an espresso machine, but didn't want the disappointment of finding out after the event that I had made a very expensive mistake. As a complete novice, I set the criteria for buying, based on a compact machine that didn't dominate the kitchen, yet 'delivered the goods'. I also decided that buying a second hand machine in the first instance would give me a much cheaper insight into whether or not to go that step further, and invest in a model with a higher specification. I have to say that I am delighted with the Gaggia Cubika Espresso Machine that I bought, and apart from its capacity and warm up delay (which I suspect is common to all such machines) I am now beginning to wonder whether I want to, or really need to upgrade in the foreseeable future

Having used stove top espresso makers throughout my coffee drinking career I wanted a change and felt this 'entry' level machine would be ideal for a novice without breaking the bank. I managed to get a mint condition machine just out of the years warranty for £70.00 which appeared to have been well looked after and not used that often. As other reviewers have commented the machine is easy to set up and use and excels when making multiple espresso's/ lattes etc however maybe a bit time consuming/ inefficient if only making for yourself.

Overall a delight to have in the kitchen and always commented on.