Gaggia Evolution Espresso Machine

Pros: Excellent value for the money, made in Italy, makes heavenly espresso, cappuccino, and lattes.
Cons: Plastic housing and water tank scratch easily, cup warmer is ineffective, included tamp is cheap

After many happy (and dare I say, naive) years with our DeLonghi Caffe Espresso, it was time to replace our old workhorse. Having just spent the summer in Spain, where no bar is complete without the standard superautomatic Gaggia espresso maker, I ...

Pros: Elegant looking machine
Cons: Complex and time-consuming to clean, frequent breakdowns

We've had two Franke Evolution machines in our office for 12 months. The machines produce about 100 cups of coffee each per day.

They are elegant looking machines but we've found they're a headache to maintain. It takes a good hour every day to clean them as there are numerous small tubes and parts that have to be cleaned with tiny brushes as they get constantly clogged with milk.

We have regular breakdowns which means regular service callouts - if you take on this machine, make sure you have a lease that includes free service callouts.