Gaggia Classic E24 Review: Brass Boiler, Problems, Verdict
Gaggia Classic E24 review from published data: what the brass boiler fixed, what still fails, how it differs from the Evo Pro, and who should skip it
The short answer
The Gaggia Classic E24 is the Classic Pro to buy if you want a repairable, moddable 58 mm single boiler and will put up with a short warm-up routine, but it still has no PID or pre-infusion and ships with almost no accessories.
Strengths
- Lead-free brass boiler (Gaggia spec), so the coated-boiler flaking on the 2023 Evo doesn't apply, per CoffeeBlog
- Fewer heater cycles than the aluminum Evo Pro: 4 vs 7 in a 300-second hold, per Whole Latte Love's measurements
- Faster steaming on bigger jugs: 350 ml of milk to 60°C in 62 s vs 74 s on the Evo 2023, per Coffee Kev
- Factory 9-bar OPV on North American units, per Gaggia North America's spec table
- Easy to open, repair and mod, per Tom's Guide, which has seen reports of Classics lasting up to 15 years
Weaknesses
- No PID: Tom's Guide still needed a 1 to 2 minute temperature-surfing routine to avoid thin shots
- A shot pulled straight after steaming comes out thin and under-extracted, per Tom's Guide
- Steam runs out on large milk jugs (Tom's Guide); a wet, underpowered wand is a top con among Reddit owners, per RedditRecs
- Plastic tamper, no milk jug, no backflush disc or cleaning kit, per Tom's Guide and TechRadar
- Tall drip tray makes mugs hard to fit, and water dribbles for a few seconds after the pump stops, per TechRadar
The Gaggia Classic E24 is the brass-boiler Classic Pro (model RI9380 in Gaggia’s US manual), and it suits you if you want a repairable, moddable 58 mm single boiler, own a good grinder and will learn a short warm-up routine. Tom’s Guide and TechRadar both rate it 4 out of 5. Tom’s Guide’s main complaints are no PID and a plastic tamper. This Gaggia Classic E24 review sets their findings against Gaggia’s specs and owner reports.
Nobody at Kitchen Watcher used this machine. This page pulls together manufacturer specs, published measurements and owner reports, each credited; how we research explains the method. It sits on our best espresso machines hub.
Gaggia Classic E24 specs: three sets of figures that don’t agree
Gaggia North America, Gaggia.com’s spec page and the reviewers publish different numbers for the same machine. They are shown side by side below and not averaged. Gaggia figures are manufacturer specs.
| Spec | Gaggia North America (manufacturer spec) | Gaggia.com (manufacturer spec) | Independent figure (source, linked) | Notes / conflict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boiler | Lead-free brass, 3.5 oz, single boiler | Lead-free brass; capacity not published | 3.68 oz (Whole Latte Love); just over 100 ml (Coffee Kev) | Tom’s Guide says 25% larger than before; Coffee Kev says about 30% |
| Pump and OPV | 15 bar Ulka pump; OPV calibrated to 9 bar | 15 bar pump (nominal); OPV not published | About 15 bar in Europe, 9 bar in North America (MyHomeCoffee) | OPV setting depends on region |
| Water tank | 72 oz | 2.1 L | 2.1 L (Tom’s Guide, TechRadar) | Consistent |
| Power | 1425 W total; boiler 1370 W | 1350 W at 120 V; 1200 W at 230 V | Not published | Gaggia’s two pages disagree for 120 V units |
| Dimensions | 14.2 H x 8 W x 9.5 D in | 20 x 35.5 x 27 cm | 9 x 15 x 9.5 in (Tom’s Guide); 9 x 15 x 9.4 in (TechRadar) | Reviewers don’t name axes; Gaggia NA’s 14.2 in height roughly matches Gaggia.com’s 35.5 cm |
| Weight | 19 lb | 8.1 kg | 17.8 lb (Tom’s Guide); 17.6 lb, 8 kg (TechRadar) | Four different figures |
| Portafilter and baskets | 58 mm stainless; baskets 7 to 18 g | 58 mm stainless; 3 filters | Two single-wall baskets plus a pressurized basket (Tom’s Guide) | Consistent |
| PID | Not published | Not published | No (Tom’s Guide) | None from the factory |
| Pre-infusion | Not published | Listed as ”-” (none) | Not published | None from the factory |
Gaggia E24 vs Evo Pro: which Classic are you buying?
The E24 is the fourth Classic Pro version, and the only one with a brass boiler, per Coffee Kev. The names get mixed up: Tom’s Guide and TechRadar title this machine the “Classic E24 Evo Pro”, while Gaggia North America calls it the Classic Pro E24. Coffee Kev’s version history:
- Classic Pro 2019: aluminum boiler, about 80 ml.
- Evo Pro 2023 (discontinued): solid brass group, stainless portafilter, factory 9-bar OPV in North America, and an aluminum boiler with a non-stick coating.
- Evo Pro 2024: the Evo Pro with an uncoated aluminum boiler; Coffee Kev says it isn’t an official global model, just a name some markets use.
- E24: lead-free brass boiler, just over 100 ml.
Tom’s Guide lists the E24 at $549, the Evo Pro 2024 at $449 and the Pro 2019 at $349 (Tom’s Guide follow-up). Snapshots: $549 for stainless ($599 for colors) at Gaggia North America on Oct 4, 2026, and $450.83 at Amazon in Tom’s Guide’s price widget the same day. The Amazon listing is titled “Gaggia RI9380 Classic Pro” without “E24”, so confirm the version before you buy.
The serial number is on a sticker on the base. CoffeeBlog says it starts with the year and production week, so 2319 means 2023, week 19, but that the week alone won’t tell you if a 2023 Evo was affected.
Is the Gaggia Classic E24 affected by boilergate?
No, per CoffeeBlog, which says only the 2023 Evo was affected; the 2019 Pro and the Acrobat edition were not. The boiler was coated with Exelia 3010/B242, a food-safe coating used in bakeware and cookware. As far as CoffeeBlog could find out, the coating was there to prevent galvanic corrosion between the uncoated brass group and the aluminum boiler. CoffeeBlog reports Gaggia blamed “a failure in polymerization.”
Coffee Chronicler calls the coated Evo a 2024 update, which conflicts with CoffeeBlog and Coffee Kev. Both of those are written by Kev Lewis, so that is one source against one.
Kev Lewis gives the same test on both sites: remove the steam tip, flush hot water through the wand into a white cup or bowl and look for dark grey flakes. Gaggia lists the E24’s boiler as lead-free brass, and Coffee Kev says the coating issue doesn’t apply to it. CoffeeBlog says it wouldn’t buy from a grey importer, after hearing of some that tried to charge owners for the boiler fix.
What did the brass boiler change? Measured E24 vs Evo Pro figures
On heat stability, the E24 cycled its heater 4 times in a 300-second hold against 7 for the aluminum Evo Pro, per Whole Latte Love. Whole Latte Love, a retailer that sells the E24, compared it with the aluminum Evo Pro using instruments. Coffee Kev ran his own comparison against the Evo 2023.
| Measurement | E24 (brass) | Evo Pro (aluminum) | Who measured it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boiler capacity | 3.68 oz | 2.5 oz | Whole Latte Love |
| Boiler weight | 1,349.80 g | 506.81 g | Whole Latte Love |
| Time to brew-ready light | 90.5 s | 71.3 s | Whole Latte Love |
| Extraction temperature range | 199.6 to 202°F | 207°F at start, 195°F at end | Whole Latte Love (different devices) |
| Heating cycles in a 300 s hold | 4 | 7 | Whole Latte Love |
| 5 oz milk, 42 to 140°F | 24 s | 24 s | Whole Latte Love |
| 170 ml milk to 60°C | About 30 s | 33 s | Coffee Kev |
| 350 ml milk to 60°C | 62 s | 74 s | Coffee Kev |
| Group water after 5 to 10 min | About 3°C hotter | Baseline | Coffee Kev |
Two caveats. Whole Latte Love measured the E24 with an in-puck device and the Evo Pro with a Scace device, so the temperature ranges aren’t a clean comparison; it estimates the Evo Pro’s real range at 195 to 202°F. Coffee Kev prints the 3°C gap as “37°F”; a 3°C difference is about 5.4°F, so only the °C figure is used here.
The evidence on steam is mixed. Whole Latte Love found no difference on 5 oz of milk, while Coffee Kev’s gap grew with the larger jug.
Gaggia Classic E24 problems owners and reviewers report
| Problem | Who reports it | Fix or workaround |
|---|---|---|
| No PID, so you temperature-surf | Tom’s Guide: 1 to 2 minutes of routine | Brief surfing, an aftermarket PID, or the Classic Up |
| Thin shot right after steaming | Tom’s Guide: “thin, under-extracted” | Pull the shot before steaming (Tom’s Guide); the manual says to cool the boiler first |
| Brew pressure above 9 bar | MyHomeCoffee; Reddit owners via RedditRecs | OPV spring mod, mainly outside North America |
| Steam runs out on large jugs | Tom’s Guide; RedditRecs top cons | Stick to about 8 oz drinks, per Tom’s Guide |
| Drips after the pump stops | TechRadar | None given; TechRadar says it lasted a few seconds |
| Few accessories | Tom’s Guide; TechRadar | Budget for a tamper, jug and cleaning kit |
Temperature. Tom’s Guide still needed a light surfing routine of under two minutes, or got “the odd thin, watery shot.” Coffee Kev suggests 10 to 15 minutes of warm-up for best stability.
Shots after steaming. Tom’s Guide says the ready light says go after steaming, but the shot comes out thin, so it pulls espresso first. Gaggia’s US manual also says to lower the boiler temperature before brewing after steaming, “otherwise the coffee may taste burnt.” Its method: with no filter holder fitted, put an empty cup on the grill, press brew to fill it with water, then press brew again. The manual doesn’t say this cures thin shots.
Pressure. Gaggia North America lists a 9-bar OPV. MyHomeCoffee says European units run about 15 bar, and a Reddit owner quoted by RedditRecs says European Classics ship with 11 to 12 bar springs. Our bar pressure explainer covers why 9 bar is the target.
Steam and drips. RedditRecs, summarizing 346 Reddit users at 80% positive, lists an underpowered, wet steam wand and a small boiler for back-to-back drinks among the top cons. TechRadar saw water dribble for a few seconds after the pump stopped, even with no portafilter fitted. It also found the tall drip tray made mugs hard to fit.
Auto-off. MyHomeCoffee says an Eco Mode shuts the machine off after about 15 minutes. Gaggia.com lists stand-by “just for WE version”, and the US manual mentions no auto-off. None of our sources settles whether US units have it.
How long does the Gaggia Classic E24 take to heat up?
The sources disagree, from about 60 seconds to 15 minutes. Tom’s Guide says it is ready within a couple of minutes. TechRadar says about 60 seconds, then under 10 seconds between shots. Whole Latte Love measured 90.5 seconds to the brew light, and Coffee Kev recommends 10 to 15 minutes.
They are measuring different things. The first three figures are time to the ready light or target temperature; Coffee Kev’s is how long he gives a Classic “to warm through properly” for better temperature stability.
Gaggia Classic E24 running costs: accessories and descaling
Gaggia’s US manual recommends descaling every 2 to 3 months even with purified or bottled water. Its descaling section says every 2 months, so the manual disagrees with itself. It says to use only Gaggia’s descaling product, never vinegar. It also says not to put the pressurized filter holder in the dishwasher or clean it with washing-up liquid or a cleaning agent.
For the steps, see how to descale an espresso machine; for the vinegar question, vinegar vs descaler. Tom’s Guide puts the missing extras at under $10 for a cleaning kit, about $15 for a tamper and about $12 for a milk jug.
Who should buy the Gaggia Classic E24, and who should skip it
Buy it if you want a machine you can open, repair and mod, with a 58 mm portafilter and a steam boiler. Coffee Chronicler says the Classic Pro can last “a decade or two” with care, and that any espresso budget must include a grinder. If you’re unsure about baskets, read pressurized vs non-pressurized baskets.
Skip it if you want PID and pre-infusion out of the box, or an easy first machine. Tom’s Guide says it is hard to recommend to beginners because of the missing accessories. The Breville Bambino Plus, from the same hub, has a PID and pre-infusion per Tom’s Guide; the trade-offs are in Bambino Plus vs Gaggia Classic E24.
If you like the Classic but want the mods built in, Coffee Kev points to the Gaggia Classic Up: the E24 platform with a factory PID, pressure gauge and pre-infusion. For the single-boiler trade-off in general, see single vs double boiler.
Check the Gaggia Classic E24 price at AmazonSources and method
All sources read on Oct 4, 2026: Gaggia’s US E24 manual, Gaggia.com’s E24 spec page, Gaggia North America’s product page, Tom’s Guide’s review and follow-up, TechRadar, CoffeeBlog, Coffee Kev, Whole Latte Love (a seller of this machine), MyHomeCoffee, RedditRecs and Coffee Chronicler. MyHomeCoffee’s thermostat figures name no source and are left out. CoffeeBlog and Coffee Kev are both by Kev Lewis.
More on the Gaggia Classic E24 and espresso machines
- Best espresso machines, ranked by weight of evidence
- Bambino Plus vs Gaggia Classic E24
- Breville Bambino Plus review
- How to descale an espresso machine
- How we research
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the Gaggia Classic E24 and the Evo Pro?
The boiler. The Evo Pro uses an aluminum boiler, coated on 2023 units and uncoated on the later run some markets call the 2024, while the E24 uses brass about 30% larger, per Coffee Kev. Whole Latte Love measured 3.68 oz vs 2.5 oz of capacity. Tom's Guide lists the E24 at $549 and the Evo Pro 2024 at $449. Tom's Guide and TechRadar title the E24 the 'Classic E24 Evo Pro'.
Is the Gaggia Classic E24 affected by boilergate?
No. CoffeeBlog says only the 2023 Evo, with its Exelia-coated aluminum boiler, was affected, and that the E24 moved to brass. Gaggia lists the E24 boiler as lead-free brass. If you buy used, check the model, and note CoffeeBlog's point that the production week in the serial (on the base sticker, e.g. 2319 = 2023, week 19) doesn't tell you whether a 2023 Evo was affected.
Does the Gaggia Classic E24 have PID or pre-infusion?
Neither. Tom's Guide lists no PID, and Gaggia.com's spec page lists no pre-infusion. The brass boiler steadies temperature, but Tom's Guide still needed a 1 to 2 minute surfing routine. Coffee Kev notes the Gaggia Classic Up, essentially the E24 platform, adds a factory PID, pre-infusion and a pressure gauge.
Does the Gaggia Classic E24 need the 9-bar OPV spring mod?
Not in North America. Gaggia North America lists the OPV at 9 bar. Outside North America it may: MyHomeCoffee says European units run about 15 bar, and a Reddit owner quoted by RedditRecs says European Classics come with 11 to 12 bar springs. Check your region before buying a spring.
How often should you descale a Gaggia Classic E24, and can you use vinegar?
Every 2 to 3 months, and never with vinegar. Gaggia's US manual recommends descaling every 2 to 3 months even with purified or bottled water, though its descaling section says every 2 months. It says to use only the Gaggia descaling product and never vinegar or other descaling agents.
Price watch
Daily price history and drop alerts for the Gaggia Classic E24 Espresso Machine (RI9380/46) start once our tracker is live.
Sources
- gaggia.com/app/uploads/2023/11/6420-010-18419-MANUAL-GAG.-CLASSIC-E24-USA-Rev-00.pdf
- gaggia.com/manual-machines/new-classic-e24
- gaggia-na.com/products/gaggia-classic-pro
- tomsguide.com/home/coffee-makers/gaggia-classic-e24-evo-pro-review
- tomsguide.com/home/coffee-makers/i-just-tested-my-favorite-espresso-machine-for-purists-on-a-budget-and-it-fixes-a-major-flaw
- techradar.com/home/coffee-machines/tired-of-espresso-machines-you-have-to-micromanage-for-great-results-i-tested-one-that-satisfies-coffee-snobs-with-no-effort
- coffeeblog.co.uk/boilergate-gaggia-classic-pro-evo-boiler-problems
- coffeekev.com/gaggia-classic-pro-review
- wholelattelove.com/blogs/reviews/gaggia-classic-pro-e24-review
- myhomecoffee.com/gaggia-classic-pro-e24-review-the-brass-boiler-upgrade-that-actually-delivers
- redditrecs.com/espresso-machine/model/gaggia-classic-pro-e24
- coffeechronicler.com/gear/espresso-machines