The Gaggia Brera vs Anima are perfect options for folks who either have budget constraints or prefer the control of manual milk frothing rather than relying on a super-automatic espresso machine. They are compact in size and user-friendly, but achieving perfect milk-based drinks may require some practice and skill development.
The Gaggia Anima has some own advantages, such as the fact that its spout can move up higher to fit mammoth-sized cups. Also, its water reservoir and bean boast larger volumes, cutting down on the frequency of refills.
The Gaggia Brera has the upper hand with rapid steam technology, which allows it to heat up water to the right temperature significantly faster. Additionally, it boasts a tight lid to ensure that the aroma of the beans is preserved for a more extended period of time.
Gaggia Brera Vs Anima: Comparison Chart
Last update on 2023-11-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Gaggia Brera Vs Anima: Differences
The Gaggia Anima wins 3-2 against the Gaggia Brera. Keep reading to discover the disparities between them and determine which one is better suited for you.
Coffee Flavour
Winner: Gaggia Brera
Built-in Grinder
Unlike most budget-friendly espresso machines equipped with stainless steel grinders, the Gaggia Brera and Anima shine uniquely with their ceramic grinders. Why? Unlike its stainless steel counterpart, the ceramic grinder doesn’t overheat during operation (because it conducts heat poorly), so it ensures the coffee grounds remain unscorched, safeguarding the quintessential taste of the espresso.
I found the Gaggia Anima to be a tad louder than the Brera, but it was still fairly quiet, or at least it wouldn’t wake the street up. I suspect that the absence of an airtight seal on their bean hoppers is responsible for making the grinding sound louder than it should.
Regarding grind settings, both have five levels, which is less than average but a characteristic shared by all budget-friendly coffee machines. If you are keen to have a wider field for experimentation, just spend extra bucks on models like the Gaggia Velasca, equipped with up to 10 settings.
Also, I found toggling between grind settings on the Gaggia Anima to be a bit of a complex maneuver, necessitating the use of the dual-purpose spoon linked to a yellow tip in the bean hopper. Obviously, a simple knob, such as the one present on the Gaggia Brera, would make this adjustment process more user-friendly.
Heating System
Both have only one boiler system. In the realm of espresso machines, a dual boiler system always scores brownie points due to its ability to brew and steam, which necessarily have different temperatures at once. But this tends to drive up the price, making it a feature predominantly found in the more premium models.
Their boilers are made from stainless steel, which heats up quickly and retains heat well. But the Gaggia Brera takes the lead with rapid steam technology, which is designed to reduce the wait time it takes for the machine to shift from brewing to steaming. From its switched-off state, the Brera could make a cappuccino or latte within 2 minutes, marginally quicker than the Anima.
Brewing System
Unlike the Jura super-automatics I’ve tested that come with built-in brewing groups, the Gaggia Brera vs Anima’s brewing group is removable and necessitates occasional removal via the side door for regular rinsing and upkeep. This does add to your maintenance responsibilities, but I’m of the belief that manually cleanable brewing groups have greater longevity than their built-in counterparts that rely solely on automatic cleaning processes.
There’s an unshakeable fact in the world of coffee brewing – the necessity of pre-infusion. By pre-soaking the coffee grounds with a proper amount of hot water, carbon dioxide will be released from the beans for better extraction. Fortunately, this feature is the default on these Gaggia machines.
These machines also offer some settings to customize each drink option, including five coffee strength levels and three brewing temperatures – there aren’t too many options to experiment with. They have no option to create profiles to save your preferred settings, which come in handy when your coffee preferences deviate significantly from those of other family members.
Milk Frothing System
The Gaggia Brera vs Anima are a bit different in the world of superautomatic espresso machines due to their lack of an automatic milk frothing system. Rather, they come fitted with a manual Panarello steam wand, which requires a bit of a learning curve to produce quality lattes, cappuccinos, or any other milk-infused espresso beverages.
This isn’t a negative point at all. Yes, I agree that it may take a few attempts to master a steam wand, but it keeps these machines more pocket-friendly compared to fully automatic models. As you get the hang of it, you’ll create a silky-smooth foam that auto-frothing systems can’t quite match. On top of that, there’s a sense of fulfillment that comes with it, and I’m certain many will be impressed by your hard-earned barista skills.
Simply flick a switch, immerse the Panarello steamer into a milk metal pitcher, and hold on. The Gaggia Brera employs Rapid Steam technology, so expect your milk to be steamed in about 10 seconds on average, while the Anima may take a little longer. Then you’ll see subtle bubbles that sound akin to the rustling of paper. Continue to submerge the steam wand’s tip deeper into your milk to distribute the microfoam for approximately 20-30 seconds until your jug becomes too hot to touch, around 65 °C. The thing is, Gaggia seemed to forget about milk pitchers, and I had to use mine.
During the test, these machines could make perfect cappuccino with their wands, but they failed to create microfoam with the creamy texture required for delightful lattes or flat whites. Besides, I found their wands were somewhat short and didn’t have a broad range of movement, so it was very difficult for me to get a good view of what was happening inside my milk metal pitcher.
Interestingly, their steam wands can double as a hot water dispenser, which comes in handy when you need to brew tea, make hot chocolate, and the like. Thus, they can essentially replace your traditional kettle. That is great, but remember to flush it with steam to ensure there is no milk residue in your tea.
Design & Usability
Winner: Gaggia Anima
Dimensions, Footprint, & Weight
| Gaggia Brera | Gaggia Anima | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 10 × 12.4 × 17.6 inches | 8.7 × 13.4 × 17 inches |
| Weight | 18.7 lbs | 19.1 lbs |
Both the Gaggia Brera vs Anima possess a vintage appeal with their clean-cut lines and pixel-like LED screens reminiscent of yesteryear. They aren’t unattractive machines at all, but if you’re seeking a modern, battleship-inspired aesthetic machine, they may not meet your expectations.
These bad boys are mainly made from sturdy ABS plastic with some sturdy metal accents, such as the drip tray, boiler, steam wand, and spigots. By cutting down on stainless steel, they aren’t as weighty as they look, and you’ll get cutting-edge technologies without spending an arm and a leg as you would for models completely made of metal.
I loved that they aren’t very large so that they can fit into small kitchens with limited counter space. This is a big pro because, after all, not all of us are blessed to have a palatial kitchen, right?
Pre-programmed Coffee Options
| Gaggia Brera | Gaggia Anima |
|---|---|
| Espresso Espresso lungo Hot water | Espresso Espresso lungo Hot water |
Regarding pre-programmed beverage options, the Gaggia Brera vs Anima offers nothing but espresso and hot water. No milk-based drinks are available at the touch of a single button, so you’ll need to put on your barista apron and get hands-on with their steam wands to froth milk. The art of milk frothing isn’t something that can be mastered overnight, and you should brace yourself for the possibility that your initial few milk-based beverages might not meet your expectations.
The Gaggia Brera has 3 levels of coffee strength, while the Gaggia Anima offers 5, so you don’t have a vast playground to tinker with your espresso. But on the plus side, they certainly won’t overload you with a surplus of settings to adjust and manage.
Both have a bypass doser where you can put pre-ground coffee in – Just flip a flap on top of the machine, and you’re ready to go. This nifty feature can be your lifesaver on mornings when your coffee bean supply runs out, but you still need a drink to kick off the day.
Spout & Cup Clearance
| Gaggia Brera | Gaggia Anima | |
|---|---|---|
| Spout Type | Dual | Dual |
| Cup Clearance | 3.5–4.5 inches | 4.3–6.5 inches |
The Gaggia Anima’s dual spout offers a wider range of space to play with, allowing it to fit more cup sizes. However, it can’t be lowered deeper like the Gaggia Brera to preserve a rich, tan-colored crema on top of your espresso and minimal splashing during dispensing.
Coffee purists need not fret over tedious morning lines since these machines are capable of brewing two cups of espresso simultaneously. That way, there are fewer frowns and more gleaming smiles to kick-start the day!
Water Reservoir & Bean Hopper
| Gaggia Brera | Gaggia Anima | |
|---|---|---|
| Water Reservoir | 1,2 liter | 1.8 liter |
| Bean Hopper | 0.13 liter | 0.26 liter |
If I had the opportunity to make a modification to the Gaggia Brera, it would be to increase the size of its water reservoir, at least to the 1.8-liter mark of the Gaggia Anima. The current size will require frequent refilling unless you live alone. It’s really easy to access, remove, and put them back in, but these tasks are not something you will want to perform throughout the day.
If you want to reduce the frequency of descaling the machine, you can use an Intenza+ water filter, which is designed to be placed in these water tanks to remove all the impurities from the water. It will raise a small monthly recurring fee, which is a trade-off I deem worthy, given that it negates the need for regular descaling and preserves the delightful flavor of your espresso over a long period of time.
The Gaggia Anima’s bean hopper is more than twice the size of the one on the Gaggia Brera, allowing it to house a larger amount of whole beans. Unfortunately, the Anima has no rubber seal around the lid like the Brera, which leads to two big issues. One, it is slightly louder (the rubber gasket can definitely block some of the noise, more or less). For another, the lack of a tight lid will leave the beans exposed to air, leading to a quick diminution of their aroma.
Cleaning & Maintenance
Winner: Tie
Here’s one thing you never want to skip – cleaning and descaling your espresso machine. I agree that these Gaggia machines are built to stand the test of time, but a lack of care will force you to kiss them goodbye sooner than you’d prefer.
There are some maintenance tasks that should be done on a daily basis, including emptying the drip tray, removing used coffee grounds, rinsing out and refilling the water reservoir, and giving the machine’s housing a good wipe down to keep it looking nice.
Their brew units are removable and need to be washed and lubricated manually instead of relying on an automatic cleaning program. That means your chore list has an extra maintenance task, but, to my mind, that’s the best way to prolong the life of a brew group. Note that they aren’t dishwasher safe, and only rinse them under the tap.
As for the steam wand, all you need to do is flush it with steam to remove all the leftover milk scum and give it a simple wipe with a damp rag or a steam wand cleaning tool after each use.
You’ll also get an alert from the machine when it needs to be descaled. Don’t ignore this notification since scale build-up will significantly decrease the machine’s performance and lifespan. The descaling process requires the use of a Gaggia solution and is almost fully automated, but you need to be there the whole time. If you reside in a region with a notably high level of hard water, which contains a lot of minerals and impurities, I strongly endorse using the Intenza+ water filter to decrease the odds of the machine getting clogged quickly.
Utilities & Other Features
Winner: Gaggia Anima
Both the Gaggia Brera vs Anima have an automatic shut-off to reduce wasted power consumption and your monthly electricity bill. But the Gaggia Brera’s timer is fixed at 60 minutes, and I wish I could shorten it – not a deal-breaker, just a slight inconvenience. Meanwhile, the interval of the Gaggia Anima can be programmed anywhere between 15 minutes and 3 hours.
Quick Rundown Of Gaggia Anima
- Note: 1)Too coarse a grind, too little coffee, or insufficiently tamping the grounds before brewing can all lead to inadequate pressure for a proper brew. 2)It is important to note that the amount of espresso extracted will vary depending on the grind size and amount and reprogramming may be needed when the size and amount are adjusted
- MANUAL FROTHING FOR MILK-BASED DRINKS: Pannarello steam wand for frothing milk
- PROGRAMMABLE: Programmable brewing options for espresso and espresso lungo
- TEMPERATURE CONTROL: 3 different temperature settings. Min/177.5 °F, Med/182.9 °F, Max/184.5 °F
- EASY ACCESS TO WATER RESERVOIR AND BEAN HOPPER: Features a removable 60 oz water reservoir that can be accessed on the top left of the machine, and an 8.8 ounce capacity bean hopper with access from the top right of the machine
Last update on 2023-11-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Quick Rundown Of Gaggia Brera
- Note: 1)Too coarse a grind, too little coffee, or insufficiently tamping the grounds before brewing can all lead to inadequate pressure for a proper brew. 2)It is important to note that the amount of espresso extracted will vary depending on the grind size and amount and reprogramming may be needed when the size and amount are adjusted
- FROTHING FOR MILK BEVERAGES: Pannarello wand frothing for cappuccinos & lattes. Wand doubles as a hot water dispenser for americanos & tea.
- EASY ACCESS: The dregs drawer, drip tray, and water tank are all within reach and accessible from the front of the machine for quick and easy cleaning and maintenance.Volts:110V-120V
- USER-FRIENDLY DISPLAY: Push-button controls and an LED display with illuminated icons make for an easy and intuitive experience.Watts:1250 W
- RAPID STEAM TECHNOLOGY: Quick heat up times and robust brewing and steaming operations. Coffee bean capacity : 250 gr
Last update on 2023-11-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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References
- Gaggia Anima: https://www.gaggia.com.au/product/gaggia-anima-focus/
- Gaggia Brera: https://www.gaggia.com/automatic-machines/brera/
I’m Floyd J. Alcock, an experienced barista with a deep love for coffee. I curate personalized coffee experiences, guiding customers through diverse flavor profiles and suggesting ideal brewing methods. My extensive knowledge of espresso machines enables me to recommend the best equipment to match specific needs and budgets. Sharing my expertise and passion with coffee enthusiasts brings immense satisfaction. I look forward to continuing my journey of coffee discovery with every customer I serve, fostering connections over a shared love for this magical beverage.