the inspiration
after watching lance hedrick's excellent video on modifying his gaggia classic espresso machine, i was inspired to start my own modification project. the idea of turning a simple machine into something you can actually control and monitor was too good to pass up.
what is gaggimate?
gaggimate is an open-source project that transforms the gaggia classic into a machine that can do way more than pulling basic shots. you get control over temperature, pressure profiles, and pre-infusion timing. basically, it takes the machine from "press button, hope for the best" to "dial in exactly what you want."
key features include:
- programmable pre-infusion and brewing profiles (set your own timing and pressure ramps)
- PID temperature control and monitoring (finally know what temp you're actually brewing at)
- real time pressure profiling (watch the pressure change as you pull a shot)
- integration with home automation systems (because why not)
- data logging and analysis of brewing parameters (for the data nerds)
- modular design: you can source the components yourself and assemble the system
sourcing the parts
when i looked into getting the kit, i found that buying directly from the gaggimate shop cost about the same as ordering all the components from aliexpress. going the diy route would mean learning more about the electronics, getting some new tools, and having spare parts on hand. i went with aliexpress because i wanted to see how everything fits together from scratch.
waiting and preparing
the coffee machine itself arrived first. i got the gaggia classic e24 with the brass boiler, a df54 grinder, and various other accessories. while waiting for the electronics to ship, i spent a good chunk of time dialing in the grinder. turns out getting the grind size right is half the battle with espresso. i also couldn't resist cracking open the machine to see what i was working with. the internals are surprisingly simple, which makes sense since people have been modding these machines for years.
before
unmodified internals
the assembly
after a few weeks of waiting for parts to arrive from china, everything finally showed up and i got to work. the assembly instructions from gaggimate were clear and well-documented, which made the whole process pretty straightforward. my desk turned into a mini electronics lab for a while, covered in circuit boards, wires, and coffee machine parts.
the results
after a few evenings of careful assembly and testing, everything came together. now i can pull shots with custom pressure profiles, see the exact temperature, and track all the brewing parameters. the difference between guessing and knowing exactly what's happening during extraction is night and day. plus, it's just really satisfying to use something you built yourself. best part is that the gaggimate project is still alive and well, with new features and improvements being added all the time.
