Gaggia Classic Evo Pro (E24)

It ranks #4 (A tier) on our consolidated espresso machines board, drawn from 17 cited sources across 15 outlets.

1 of the 16 sources that state a view is unconvinced or negative, from Coffee Blog. Crude by prosumer standards. Less convenient to use than more automated machines.

The Gaggia Classic Evo Pro (E24) is for the buyer on a budget who wants a machine they will still own in ten years. Specialist reviewers call it the sturdiest build in the budget tier, and it has the best mod and parts community in espresso. It sits in A tier at rank four on our board. If you want easier milk frothing and better shots straight out of the box, the Breville Bambino Plus is the top pick. If you can spend more and want a PID and hand assembly included, the Profitec Go is the next step up.

A decade or two. The Classic line has five-plus-year long-term reviews behind it and many owners run them far longer, because the construction is simple and every wearing part is cheap and available. On our board this is the defining reason it ranks in A tier despite costing less than most of the machines below it.

E24 is the 2024 revision of the Gaggia Classic Evo Pro. The research notes that this update fixed the coated-boiler misstep of the 2019 refresh, so the E24 is the version to buy rather than an older Evo Pro at a discount. Check the model code RI9380 and the E24 marking if you are buying second-hand.

It is more hands-on than an assisted machine. You control the grind, dose, tamp and shot time yourself, and the single boiler means you wait for it to reach steam temperature before frothing milk. That is a short learning curve rather than a hard one, and the huge community means every problem has a written answer. If you want the machine to do more of the work, the Breville Bambino Plus is easier from day one.

The common ones are a PID temperature controller for more stable brew temperature, a lower-pressure spring or adjustable valve for the pump, a bottomless portafilter and a better steam wand tip. The Gaggia Classic Evo Pro (E24) is the most modified machine in home espresso because the parts are standard and the case is easy to open. None of the mods are required to get good coffee, so start stock and add them if you find a limit.

Run a descaling solution through the boiler with the steam wand and group as the manual describes, then flush with several tanks of clean water. How often depends on your water: every couple of months with hard water, far less often with filtered or softened water. Prevention is easier than cure, so filter the water from the first day.