Gaggia Anima Barista Plus Super Automatic Espresso Machine

Gaggia Anima Barista Plus Overview

The Gaggia Anima Barista Plus is a slim Italian espresso machine that is perfect for brewing full cups of coffee at the push of a button. This espresso machine also has a commercial grade stainless steel steam wand, which means you can froth milk for lattes, cappuccinos, and more with precision. Its tall spouts are just shy of 6 inches and can fit a wider variety of oversized cups and travel mugs than your typical espresso machine. Thanks to the added height, the Anima Barista Plus also has a 60 oz reservoir and 15-puck dreg drawer, meaning less refilling and less emptying.

Features and Performance

At just 8.8 inches wide and 13.4 inches high, the Anima Barista Plus’ ideal home is under extra tall cabinets or on an island or dedicated espresso bar. Coffee is ground fresh for each drink by a five-setting ceramic burr grinder and brew strength can be set in five steps between extra mild and extra strong. Thanks to the Gaggia Adapting System, the Anima Barista Plus will refine the dose based on your strength and grind setting to optimize brewing conditions for your coffee. Pre-ground coffee can also be loaded directly into the brew group via the bypass doser. You can also set the Anima Barista Plus’ brew temperature to low, medium, or high for a range of 160-185°F.

What really sets the Barista Plus apart from the other Anima models is the commercial-grade steam wand. If you want to make specialty milk drinks and non-coffee favorites like tea or hot cocoa, the Anima Barista Plus has a dedicated button for steam and another for hot water. The commercial grade steam wand allows for total control while you froth your milk so you can get the perfect texture to make your favorite milk drinks like lattes and cappuccinos.

On the left of the screen are programmable buttons for one-touch espresso and espresso lungo. Each button can be programmed to your desired volume by simply pushing and holding it until the “memo” icon appears on the screen. You can also brew a double by pressing the drink button twice, which will prompt the machine to automatically begin two consecutive cycles of grinding and brewing so you don’t lose the strength of your espresso or coffee while still getting enough in your cup.

The Anima Barista Plus’ large 60 oz water reservoir and 15-puck dreg drawer are ideal for brewing frequent long coffees or for a household with multiple users. The bean hopper holds up to 8.8 oz of whole bean coffee and the drip tray has a 24 oz capacity with a red float to remind you when it needs to be emptied. The brew spouts are just shy of 6 inches tall and the blue LED screen alerts you when you need to refill the water reservoir, add more beans, empty the dreg drawer, or descale.