Gaggia 14101 Classic Espresso Machine Brushed Stainless Steel Best Prices

I am extremely happy with the purchase, I did a lot of research for a quality espresso machine under $500, ultimately it came down to this machine and the rancilio sylvia, after reading many reviews on both machines and seeing many videos online of both the machines brewing what appeared like excellent cups of coffee, I decided on this machine. Gaggia 14101 I have owned it for 2-3 months now and I am very happy. Would definitely recommend to anyone. It took me a few days to get the espresso right. This goes back to the reason why I decided on the Gaggia over Rancilio. To many reviews on the rancilio said it was a picky machine and took some really getting a hand of to have a consistant good cup, I want the quality of a good semiautomatic machine with out to much hassle. Once you get all the variables right. Ex. The amount of coffee grind to use, amount of pressure to tamp with, how long to leave the machine heating etc. once you get the hang of it you will be making a great shot each time, during the trial and error period I used my local supermarket Bustelo supreme, being from cuban parents growing up in miami. We like our coffee strong with delicious crema, I’ve offered coffee to family and friends and it has stood up to the challenge, now I purchase all my coffee online from specialtyjava. I purchased the Gaggia Classic after our 20+ year old Krups espresso novo quit working. We decided to upgrade to the Classic after reading reviews of less expensive models. We are extremely pleased with the machine performance and the quality. The portafilter is heavy duty and I am having great success with the steam wand. I am considering changing the steam wand to a Rancilio steam wand but have not done so because I like the steam wand that came with the machine. I have no problems with this machine and would highly recommend it. Some people have said the steam wand is alittle low, and I could see that being a problem if you are using a 20oz frothing pitcher. I have an 8 oz and 12 oz pitcher and they work fine.