The third tier in the Gaggia Anima line, the Prestige is a small wonder, with its one-touch specialty espresso drink capability, which swaps out the manual pannarello steam wand and cappuccinatore for an integrated milk carafe. The carafe is dishwasher safe and can be store in the fridge for easy access. The Prestige is much more versatile than the Deluxe and standard Anima models, particularly given its ability to produce an airy cappuccino foam as well as a silky latte milk. Like the rest of the Anima line, the Prestige’s espresso spouts are high enough to brew into a travel mug; it’s highly programmable, with the option to personalize grind and coffee strength across five settings, and coffee temp across three; and the innovative Gaggia Adapting System, or as we like to call it “the brains behind the brewing operation,” which learns how fast to spin those ceramic burrs and how hard to tamp for the first fifteen or so brews for revolutionary results in the cup. Another important upgrade is the programmable preinfusion, which pre-soaks the grounds to ensure they are fully saturated prior to extraction.
The Anima Prestige is as easy to maintain as it is to use, with its intuitive maintenance alerts, automated descaling cycle, and, of course, Gaggia’s removable brew group, which can be easily rinsed by hand. Additionally, you can install a Mavea Intenza water filter in the Anima’s 1.7 L water reservoir to preserve your coffee’s taste and the machine’s longevity.
With the Optiaroma system you can select between 6.5 – 11.5 grams of coffee to be ground per brew. There are five strength settings in total, and you can program your preferred strength to have the Anima brew your perfect espresso with the mere push of a button. Drinks include: an espresso, espresso lungo, cappuccino, latte macchiato and hot water.
The grinder can be dialed in to one of five fineness settings and uses the Gaggia Adapting System to adjust the grinding process. This ensures that the selected quantity of ground coffee is used for your espresso regardless of the blend you’re using. The Anima also features a bypass doser which allows you to fill the brew group directly with pre-ground coffee for decafs.
The Gaggia Anima Prestige features a double-chambered carafe which locks into the front of the machine to froth milk directly into your cup. The Prestige runs an automatic cleaning cycle after every use to keep the milk circuit clean, and the carafe can be removed and stored in the refrigerator. A spout can be installed in its place to dispense hot water for tea and Americanos.
The Gaggia Anima Prestige has an alert system that will notify you if the dregs drawer or drip tray need to be emptied, if the bean hopper needs to be refilled, or when it’s time to descale. Additionally, the removable brew group and Mavea Intenza water filter compatibility make keeping the Prestige in tip top shape simple.
