DRuff Hello Dawn. Thank you for your question. Both of these models are relatively new and have been performing well. They operate very similar as well. We actually have been using the Academia in our sales office for quite some time and love the coffee that it produces. You can’t beat the one touch milk system for your lattes and cappuccinos and the programmability that these machines offer. We all have our own drink preferences here and the Academia works out nicely for us. The milk management system is easy to use and easy to clean. I like to rinse it out when I’m done, fill it with clean water, and then press the clean button. The milk system will cycle clean water through it and remove any milk that is in the line. A very impressive feature that makes cleaning easy. Some of us will also drink decaf later in the day and use the bypass doser regularly. This feature bypasses the coffee grinder and allows you to use pre-ground coffee via a separate coffee funnel. All in all, both machines are great and offer plenty of features. We do offer a 2 year warranty on the Gaggia Academia. I hope I’ve covered the majority of your question. If not, please feel free to ask any additional questions. We’d be happy to assist.

10-15-2010 3:48pm |