In Loving Memory of "Machine Guru Rob"Rob receiving an award from Gaggia in 2007 ![]() An inspiring figure in the world of coffee, a cherished friend, and a true gentleman. We are deeply saddened to share the news of the passing of Rob, lovingly known by many as "Machine Guru Rob". A name that echoed with respect and admiration throughout the coffee world. Rob’s journey in the industry began with a long and dedicated tenure at Whittard of Chelsea, where he became a trusted and familiar presence. His depth of knowledge, quiet confidence, and unrelenting passion for coffee machines made him a guiding figure to many—customers and colleagues alike. Never one to rest on his laurels, Rob went on to co-found, with his wife Alison, Rosie and Java in Richmond-upon-Thames—a delightful boutique where his love for fine coffee and tea blossomed into a community hub. There, with his characteristic warmth and sincerity, he built lasting connections with countless visitors who left not only with the perfect brew, but with the sense they’d just had a chat with an old friend. Even in recent years, as he faced illness with quiet courage and grace, Rob remained as committed as ever to his craft. His trusty Gaggia Classic machine never gathered dust—he used it with the same joy and attention he always had. A true coffee enthusiast to the very end. But beyond his knowledge and professionalism, it was Rob’s kindness, humility, and deep love for his family that touched us most. He was a man who gave generously of his time, always willing to share a tip, repair a beloved machine, or simply enjoy a moment over a perfectly brewed espresso. He leaves behind not only a legacy of excellence in coffee and customer service, but also the warmth of every smile he shared and every cup he lovingly crafted. Rob, your presence will be greatly missed—but your spirit will linger in every steam of a Gaggia, every aroma of a freshly brewed cup, and every person you inspired. Rest peacefully, Rob. You brewed a beautiful life. PS: One of the photographs displayed at the funeral, among family photographs was a picture of Rob with his beloved Gaggia Classic and grinder - a lobster red model, which happened to match Rob's orange trousers!
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Why Good Food, Good Housekeeping and Tech Radar all rate our Gaggia coffee machines so highlyGood Food says Gaggia Classic is the best manual expresso machine in 2025
Gaggia coffee machines have been very highly rated after being reviewed by three national magazines. Good Food, Good Housekeeping and Tech Radar all love Gaggias. Good Food rated the Gaggia Classic espresso machine as the Best Manual Expresso Machine in 2025, rating it 5 out of 5. They say it’s easy to use with an efficient steam wand, a good tamper and coffee scoop and love its professional grade accessories and specifications. The review adds: “Designed and made in Italy, the Gaggia Classic is pitched as a state-of-the-art coffee machine for the home – a statement we don’t disagree with. “Much of this is due to the impressive functionality hidden behind its stainless steel body, such as the solenoid valve which is responsible for controlling water temperature inside the filter holder, but you can also feel it in the parts for manually making coffee. “The chromed brass group and filter holder are the same size, weight and style of those used with professional commercial machines, designed to control the heat during brewing for optimal extraction. “There’s space to store and warm five espresso cups on the top. Even with its state-of-the art style, this is still one easy-to-use machine.” Tech Radar says the Gaggia Magenta Plus is the best bean-to-cup coffee machine in 2025 for budding baristas. The magazine’s reviewers say it’s simple to use, drinks can be customised, it gives the user control over milk steaming and produces smooth coffee with a thick crema. The review states: “The Gaggia Magenta Plus is an excellent bean-to-cup coffee machine for those who want more input into the finished drink. It’ll still take care of grinding fresh coffee beans and pouring coffee. This machine delivers four types of coffee in 30 seconds flat. “We were impressed with the espresso’s robust crema and rich flavour on the test. We also liked that the drinks can be customised regarding strength, aroma, drink size and temperature. “For milky drinks you’ll need to become familiar with the steam wand and master the correct technique for texturising milk but it’s not too tricky once you get the hang of it. “This sleek black machine looks great on your counter and it’s more affordable than most bean-to-cup machines.” Good Housekeeping also highly rates the Gaggia Magenta Plus, saying its review team rigorously reviews each coffee machine, measuring their performance against its detailed protocols so readers can shop with confidence. They state: “We’ve been testing products at the Good Housekeeping Institute for 100 years so we know quality when we see it.” The 2025 review of the Gaggia Magenta Plus adds: “With an innovative, professional-style steam wand this machine is a standout if you love milky coffees and want more control than most offer. It reaches a range of temperatures quickly and will help you whip up any style of drink in a jiffy. “It’s a thoughtfully designed machine that comes with clear instructions and an intuitive digital interface and controls. It’s compact, efficient and you can also adjust the settings to suit your taste.” Musical moments in mayConcert starring some of Huddersfield’s well-known musicians to be broadcast live worldwide thanks to Gaggia UK
A major charity concert featuring some of the top names in Huddersfield music will be livestreamed worldwide and sponsored by Gaggia UK. The event at Lindley Methodist Church on Saturday, May 17, will by compered by well-known Huddersfield music leader and singer Thom Meredith and feature Marsh Ladies Choir, Gledholt Male Voice Choir, deaf musician Paul Whittaker, OBE and his amazing Musical Hands Singing Choir. It will be shown live on Zoom so anyone can watch it anywhere in the world. It’s been organised by church member Raj Beadle, who has been managing director for Gaggia UK and Ireland’s domestic operations for 30 years. The company has sponsored the concert which it does every year as part of its vital community and charity work. Lindley Methodist Church has supported an African charity helping young children for many years and all the money raised by the concert will be going to this charity. It’s the Riziki Children’s Organisation based in Nakuru, Kenya, which supports children, often orphans, from dire poverty and then helps them through their schooling right through to higher education, including universities. Raj first got the idea for live streaming events during the pandemic when he discovered Zoom. He said: “People couldn’t come to our showroom any more so we, like so many other people worldwide, suddenly discovered Zoom on the internet which we used to show our coffee machines and now our engineers give advice to customers on Zoom if they ever have a problem with their machines. “But it also got me thinking and I realised it would be great to use Zoom to take our fundraising to a wider audience and also showcase the great music that comes from Huddersfield to the world at large.” People will be asked to pay £10 to watch the concert on Zoom with all the money going to the charity. If people would prefer to help their own charities they can do that too. They can livestream the concert for £20 to two or more people but can also charge anyone else who attends their venue to raise money for their own charity. The 40-strong Gledholt Male Voice Choir has been singing in Huddersfield for 75 years and has a wide repertoire which includes songs from popular musicals and operas through to traditional Welsh hymns. Marsh Ladies Choir also has around 40 singers and has been going for 65 years with a mix of musical styles from classical and folk to swing, jazz and songs from the shows. Musician Paul Whittaker has been deaf all his life. A pianist and organist, he has a music degree from Wadham College, Oxford, and for 27 years ran a charity helping deaf people access music. He was awarded an OBE for services to music in 2007. His Musical Hands Signing Choir has deaf and hearing members who both sing and use sign language at the same time. Thom Meredith, who has a reputation as a fine baritone soloist, will be both the compere and soloist at the concert. In 2000 Thom formed and conducted the Kirklees Youth Symphony Orchestra which is now called Musica Youth Orchestra. Thom has been Colne Valley Male Voice Choir’s musical director since 1989, is musical director for the Yorkshire Philharmonic Choir and, as a freelance musician, is now regularly in demand to adjudicate and lead vocal workshops, singing days and choral courses nationwide. The concert starts at 2.30pm on Saturday, May 17, and to buy tickets go to Gala Concert - GAGGIA UNITED KINGDOM The capacity for the church is 200 and tickets are £10. Why coffee experts and coffee fans love the new Gaggia Classic GT … including great videos that show its unique features![]() The new Gaggia Classic GT is here … and coffee experts and coffee lovers are raving about it. This is the first time Gaggia has included two boilers in its domestic coffee machines, instantly putting it at the top of the prosumer pecking order. The dual boiler – one is brass and the other stainless steel just for steam and hot water - means you can be making your coffee and frothing your milk or dispensing hot water at the same time with the latest PIDs to control your water temperature to within just 1°C … that’s literally fine-tuning it to the nth degree. By the way, if you want to know what PID stands for on coffee machines it’s Proportional Integral Derivative (of course) which means the water temperature is constantly monitoring the small adjustments made to keep it at the set temperature. The Classic GT also has a fancy programmable digital display screen and even has its own dial to show the brew pressure. The stainless steel wand means you can let your latte art run riot. This machine heats up really quickly to get you brew-ready in just five minutes, full steam power in seven and it takes just 20 seconds to heat 5oz of milk to 140°F. It has automatic and manual pre-infusion and there is room on the warming plate for six expresso cups so, well, why not have a select coffee party to celebrate getting one. The Classic GT even has a hot water dispenser for teas, herbal infusions or American coffees. The machine has five toggle switches to control the main power, manual pre-infusion, brewing, hot water and steam and the style flows through even to the tamper which comes complete with a black wooden handle complete with the Gaggia logo. You can preset the volume dispensed for your expresso so once you’ve perfected it, set the dial and it’ll be exactly the same every time. It also has a timer so the coffee machine will be all ready for you when you get up in the morning. Here at Gaggia we can fully demonstrate the machine to you live if you contact us on Zoom at https://www.gaggiadirect.com/meet-us-live.html. Alternatively, coffee bloggers have been giving the machine thorough test runs, showing you all the Classic’s amazing features. A great British one is Coffee Kev which you can watch on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQLgSfOxpjc&t=355s and he’s also written an incredibly in-depth review too at https://coffeeblog.co.uk/gaggia-classic-gt-dual-boiler-review While from the USA we have Wholelattelove which you can watch at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eTlnWctCTA&t=10s or read at https://www.wholelattelove.com/products/gaggia-classic-gt Wholelattelove says: “Despite being one of the easiest-to-use prosumers out there, the Gaggia GT delivers precision, power and features enough to satisfy even hardcore espresso enthusiasts. “The Gaggia Classic GT offers a unique feature set with the brand’s legendary build quality and a price point that simply can’t be beat. The precise PID-regulated boilers, low-flow pre-infusion, and intuitive display make producing cafe-quality beverages on the GT easier than on just about any other prosumer out there.” One customer, Mark W from Carlisle, who has already got his machine from Gaggia UK says: “This Gaggia GT machine is everything it claims to be and so much more. You can use this machine to consistently pull espresso after espresso that is rich, full bodied and perfectly extracted. The machine is easy and intuitive to use and easy to clean. The Gaggia GT provides coffee that would tax the abilities of many professional machines.” So why brand it the Classic GT? Well, the GT tag on cars is well-known with these vehicles having extra style and power … just like the Gaggia Classic GT. It even has a ‘go faster’ red stripe running along the bottom of the machine. The GT marque originates from Italy and stands for gran turismo (grand touring) to bridge a sports car with a luxury one so it should have a big engine, a comfortable ride, a luxurious interior and elegant bodywork but be able to handle like a sports car when needed. So you can see why the technology, design and performance on the new Gaggia Classic GT are all so outstanding, taking the art of coffee-making to the next level of luxury. The new Gaggia Classic GT delivers exactly what it promises … performance with panache and all for £1,699. If you want to upgrade your Gaggia Classic or any other model please email us for a quote at [email protected] For more information and to order from Gaggia UK go to https://www.gaggiadirect.com Or simply call us direct on 01422 766972 or check out our virtual assistant. gaggia UK supports My mito mission![]() Gaggia UK first to support national charity’s grand idea for 1,000 people to support it every month There is strength in numbers and the same goes for fundraising which is why a charity has set up a scheme to sign up 1,000 people and businesses to donate regularly … and Gaggia UK is leading the way by being the first business to make a donation every month. My Mito Mission has established Project 1000 Strong and its first corporate sign-up has been Gaggia UK which has supported the charity for a few years. The charity operates nationwide but is based in Elland, West Yorkshire, very near to the headquarters for Gaggia UK. My Mito Mission is an all-encompassing charity that provides nationwide awareness and support while promoting research into mitochondrial disease. It fundraises for all these three aims. Mitochondrial disease is a devastating diagnosis - it’s progressive and life-limiting with no treatments or cure. Gaggia UK managing director Raj Beadle has a strong track record of helping charities and has supported My Mito Mission in the past by providing free coffee and machines for coffee mornings, making donations and providing coffee machines as raffle prizes. He says: “When we learned My Mito Mission had set up Project 1000 Strong it was the logical step for us to take that support to another level by making a regular £50 a month donation. “Times are tough for charities to fundraise or apply for grants so regular giving helps them to budget for the months and years ahead, knowing what’s coming in and what they can then afford to do to help support people with mitochondrial disease or to put into medical research.” My Mito Mission co-founder and chair of trustees Christine Beal adds: “Regular donations are the most powerful way to support our vital work, allowing us as a small, high-energy charity to plan and build from a strong foundation. “We need a 1000 strong team of amazing people to donate any amount from just £2 a month. Yes, 1000 is a lot but, one by one, we know we can reach it and strengthen the future of Mito awareness, support and research. “Gaggia UK’s monthly donation is very generous, especially as this amount covers vital counselling appointments for someone impacted by mitochondrial disease.” Mitochondrial disease is a complex condition but, essentially, mitochondrial are like little battery packs inside almost every cell in the body converting food and oxygen into energy and if they don’t work properly they can have a major impact anywhere in the body, especially people’s major organs (which need the most energy) and general health. Medical experts agree that mitochondrial dysfunction is the root causes of many other well-known conditions and these include obesity, hepatitis, dementia, heart disease, cancer, sepsis, autism, epilepsy, stroke, diabetes, motor neurone disease, lupus, migraine, bipolar disorder, Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s, fibromyalgia and multiple sclerosis. This is why research into mitochondrial disease is so critical as it can help in the treatment and research for many other conditions. Christine says: “We now say that mitochondrial research matters to millions. Our slogan is Mito Matters To Me as it really does matter to everyone. How well our mitochondria work dictates our general wellbeing and vitality and how well we age so it really is important to us all which is why need so many people to support Project 1000 Strong.” My Mito Mission is a unique charity in that it has a central office but people around the country with mitochondrial disease set up their own Mito Missions, in effect mini charities within the charity, but all the money comes back to My Mito Mission. Their missions focus on them as individuals, raising awareness in the areas they live about mitochondrial disease and its implications, not only for them but also for the wider population. To find out more and to sign up go to: https://www.mymitomission.uk/project-1000-strong To read more about Gaggia UK’s charity work go to https://www.gaggiadirect.com/supporting-charities.html An interview with James Hoffmann |
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AuthorHello, my name is Raj Beadle. I am the author of this blog. I am the owner and managing director of Caffe Shop Ltd - Gaggia UK. We represent Gaggia spa in the UK and are the exclusive distributor of Gaggia in the UK. We also directly retail via our website www.gaggiadirect.com and also through our own retail shops. Archives
May 2025
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