Gaggia Carezza Deluxe review

With room for mugs up to 95mm tall, the Carezza can fill into practically any cup. We had no problem getting our regular test mug under the machine, so it’s good news if you want to make longer drinks, such as Americanos.

Good-looking espresso comes out of the Carezza, although the crema is a little bubbly in places

With the right tamp, the quality of the coffee is very good. Decent flow through the coffee grounds means that you get a great crema that’s reddish-brown in colour. We found the crema was a little bubbly to the side where the coffee poured into the cup, but far from bad. Taste was very good, with the bitter nuttiness of the coffee coming through, while the temperature of 63C was just about right.

The Carezza can produce tightly-packed foam

For frothing milk there’s a second button to heat the Carezza up to the right temperature. The temperature gauge shows you the temperature rising, but it’s the indicator lighter turning on that gives you the full information. The steam wand is long and a tap gives you control over the flow, so it’s easy to get the right combination of hot milk and froth. The machine doesn’t auto vent, so make sure you get rid of the steam if you want to pour another espresso in order to avoid burnt coffee.

As well as for frothing, the wand can also be used to dispense hot water. All you have to do is turn on the pump and use the tap to control the flow. It’s useful if you want to top up a drink, say for an Americano.

The Gaggia Carreza makes great coffee at the right temperature and looks fantastic, too. It’s one of the best machines that we’ve tested, but the De’Longhi Scultura produced slightly better coffee in our tests and is cheaper.