Gaggia Velasca Prestige vs Babila is a debate between 2 machines with very different price ranges. And, of course, there is no doubt that the more expensive and elaborate one wins, which is Gaggia Babila.
Gaggia Babila offers more flexible grinder settings than Gaggia Velasca Prestige. However, the two boilers and the steam systems, which give us the option of using a milk carafe or a steam wand, are the things that most persuade me. This machine also has a more elaborate milk-based one-touch system that actually has proper dosing. These are some of the reasons why I recommend this model.
The Gaggia Velasca Prestige coffee grinder is reliable and potent, but it’s noisier than Gaggia Babila. Users do not need to stir the milk jug since the milk carafe automatically steams and foams milk. It does not, however, have as many one-touch beverage and grinding options as Babila.
Gaggia Velasca Prestige vs Babila: Comparison Chart
Last update on 2023-05-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Gaggia Velasca Prestige vs Babila: Differences
Gaggia Babila wins 4-0 against Gaggia Velasca Prestige. Its overall design is much better, allowing users to control the recipes better, like the coffee strength and grind settings.
Coffee Flavor
Winner: Gaggia Babila
Grinder
First, the conical burr grinder in both devices preserves the unique flavor of the coffee beans you use. Both of the grinders pass my tests and perform a respectable job. There are no bumpy areas on the grounds; they are level and smooth. However, they occasionally become clogged if you ground oily beans, just like any other coffee grinder on the market.
With Babila, you can enjoy a more varied set of grind levels than Velasca Prestige. There are 15 levels to pick from, and you may alter depending on the sort of beans you utilize. For the Velasca Prestige, we only have 10 options. Babila is, therefore, unquestionably victorious in this regard.
Noise-wise, I think both produce a certain level of loudness when they grind. But it’s not a rare phenomenon between espresso machines with a built-in grinder.
Brewing technique
One-touch beverage choices that automatically make cappuccino, espresso, lungo, etc. are included with both machines. While Velasca Prestige only has four one-touch choices, Babila provides five, with the fifth different one being a latte macchiato.
These settings may also be altered, including the coffee’s strength, fragrance, texture, etc. Additionally, there are variations in the crema’s thickness. This depends on the grind setting and the coffee strength you set as well. This is because so many factors contribute to the alternation of the coffee crema.
Also, the pair employs a 15-bar pump that extracts at 9 bars, so the coffee flavor is really balanced and delicious. I don’t notice any taste too overwhelming, like the bitter note. I’m satisfied with what I get from this pair.
Heating system
Winner: Gaggia Babila
The dual boiler Babila boasts of has one for brewing and the other for steaming. As a result, you may anticipate superior temperature control for the water and steam with this product range. Additionally, the steam wand’s pressure will be much more consistently high with multiple boilers.
Velasca Prestige, on the other hand, may heat up rapidly and needs the least amount of preparation. Compared to Babila, which needs roughly 2 minutes to heat up, this model does it in 10 seconds. So Velasca will make your coffee boil faster if you need it every morning before leaving for work, even though two minutes is also not much of a waiting time, especially for a hot and steaming cup of espresso.
Milk system
Winner: Gaggia Babila
Although I wouldn’t describe Babila’s milk system as “better” than Velasca Prestige, I do like that it allows you to froth milk with more control. One milk carafe and one steam wand, this is the dual milk system that comes with Gaggia Babila. This feature excites me since I can manually froth using the milk wand. And when I want to, I can use the carafe when I feel sluggish.
The steam pressure and milk temperature are both highly constant because of the separate boiler. With this model, you can also anticipate substantial foam to froth, making it perfect for cappuccinos and macchiato.
The Velasca Prestige is furnished with a practical milk carafe. With this model, I never struggle to get a cup of coffee. Instead, I consistently get the ideal ratio of steamed milk to froth, which suggests that the milk system was created with lattes in mind. Additionally, the steaming and foaming operation is virtually noiseless.
But be aware that the Velasca Prestige tends to steam fairly heated milk. Therefore, milk will be at least 140°F. I don’t see anything wrong with enjoying a patient coffee sip.
Cleaning
Winner: Gaggia Babila
Both Gaggia Babila and Velasca Prestige feature an auto-purge function that rinses the brew path and the steam wand when the machines turn on or off. So, the good thing is that your devices will always be clean and free from bacteria, all thanks to this feature.
However, you should remember that constant cleaning will directly use the water resource from the tank to keep it up. Thus, it’s more convenient to have a larger water reservoir capacity or a machine that uses less water when it purges. This is where Babila excels. After owning these machines for so long, I notice that Babila uses less water when it rinses.
As a result, the water tank lasts longer than Velasca Prestige, even though both are equipped with a 50.7oz reservoir.
Gaggia Velasca Prestige vs Babila: Similarities
Check out these interesting similarities between Gaggia Velasca Prestige and Babila!
Alert system
These machines have an elaborate set of alerts that notify users about the real-time condition of the system. For example, you can enjoy the empty bean hopper, empty water tank, full dreg drawer, or clean and descale alert. All the indicators offer a more up-front home-barista experience for users who can’t keep up with the cleaning schedule.
Standby energy-saving mode
Babila and Velasca Prestige both feature a standby mode that put the devices into idling mode to save energy. After some time without usage, these devices will turn themselves off. The nicest feature is that you may change how long the system is idle before going into standby mode. 15, 30, 60, and 180 minutes are the choices.
Quick Rundown of Gaggia Babila
- One touch brewing and frothing: bean-to-cup feature. Milk carafe includes automatic milk frothing for cappuccinos, and milk froth. Manual steam wand doubles as a hot water dispenser
- ACCESSORIES INCLUDED: 1 bottle of Gaggia Descaler, 1 AquaClean Water Filter, 1 Water Hardness Test Strip, 1 Tube of Brew Group Lubricant, 1 Brew Group Brush, 1 Coffee Scoop/Grinder Key
- PROGRAMMABLE: 8 Programmable brewing options for espressos, espresso lungos, coffee, ristrettos, lattes, cappuccinos, macchiato, flat whites and milk foam
- Easy access to water reservoir: features a top Loading removable 50.7oz water reservoir; Brew Boiler Wattage: 1400
Last update on 2023-05-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Quick Rundown of Gaggia Velasca Prestige
- 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
- One touch brewing and frothing: bean-to-cup feature with automatic milk frothing for cappuccinos, baby cappuccinos, and milk froth
- Programmable: programmable brewing options for Espresso and Espresso Lungo, cappuccino, and milk froth, with 3 different temperature settings
- Ceramic burr grinder and brew unit: ceramic burr grinder with 10 fineness settings, 5 brew strength settings, and bean hopper with 10.5oz capacity
- Front loaded water reservoir: features a 54oz capacity and pulls out from the front of the machine, ideal for low hanging cabinets
Last update on 2023-05-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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References:
- Gaggia Babila: https://gaggia.com/automatic-machines/babila/
- Gaggia Velasca Prestige: https://gaggia.com/automatic-machines/velasca-prestige/
I am Ralph Mason and I am a passionate coffee drinker. I worked as a barista for a few years and since 2012 I have been trying to convince as many people as possible of good coffee.
I started writing on the barista blog on RepublikCoffeeBar in 2018. It was a pure hobby site and I tested coffee products like coffee machines, beans, mug, and other accessories. After the first year, my blog is becoming a well-known coffee site with about 100 thousand visits per month.
In 2019 I decided to focus on RepublikCoffeeBar only. I became a full-time coffee blogger and was declared crazy by many.