Gaggia Platinum Swing Up Super-Automatic Espresso Machine

Gaggia’s focus on innovation optimizes the machine’s simplicity, ease of use, and most importantly, the quality of each shot of espresso. The Gaggia Platinum Swing Up Super-Automatic Espresso Machine is characterized by a user-friendly interface – a circular dial in the center works similar to an iPod click wheel, allowing you to swing your finger to select the function. Above this touch ring dial is the 24-character LCD screen, which shows your beverage options and programming choices.

Beneath the exterior lies the heavy-duty stainless steel Rapid Steam boiler system, which allows you to switch between brewing and steaming and back without the down time normally associated with warming up and cooling down. With the Rapid Steam boiler system and Gaggia Milk Island, you’re sure to have any of a menu of drinks – café americano, latte, espresso, café crema, cappuccino, café breve – whenever you want it, and how many you want. A Rapid Steam boiler system is what truly elevates the Gaggia Platinum Swing Up into the realm of high-class espresso machines.

Features & Benefits: Coffee

Click-Wheel Programming

The backlit touch ring is the center of the programming menu, and at its center is the confirmation button, signified by an icon of a coffee cup. Above the wheel is a digital LCD screen, which works to guide you through programming and functions. To the left of the wheel are two backlit buttons – the top one has the letter M above a down arrow, and brings you to the menu. The bottom button has a coffee bean icon, and is for changing the coffee dosage from 7-10.5 grams, as well as for using the bypass doser. To the right of the wheel are another two buttons. The top one shows a burst of steam and is for the steam wand, and the bottom one has a droplet of water as an icon and dispenses hot water.

Menu Options

Entering into the menu allows you to customize each of your beverages. You can set your preferences for the quantity of coffee to be brewed, coffee temperature, and pre-infusion in the “beverage settings” sub-menu. The “machine settings” sub-menu allows you to change or adjust the language, water hardness, acoustic alarms, filter alerts, rinsing, cup-warming surface, and clock settings. The other sub-menus – maintenance, energy savings, and special functions – allow for descaling, water filter adjustments, washing the brew group, entering into standby mode, and returning all functions to their factory settings.

Design

Above and to the right of the programming menu are two buttons with arrows and an icon of a coffee cup to raise and lower the cup tray. Below the cup tray buttons are the words “Gaggia Platinum Swing Up,” a design touch neither too subtle nor too over the top. Below the programming menu are the coffee dispenser and Espresso Plus System. To the left of this dispenser is the steam wand. On the right side of the machine is the on/off button as well as the door to access the brew group; since the machine is placed on a swivel base, you can rotate the machine to easily reach the back and sides.

Brewing – Double or Single?

Your machine is preset to brew an espresso coffee, short coffee, or long coffee. Use the click wheel to select your preferred drink, and then press the confirmation button once for a single shot, and twice for a double.

Rapid Steam Technology

The Rapid Steam boiler system means that you can switch back and forth between brewing and steaming, without having to wait for the machine to warm up or cool down. The Gaggia Platinum Swing uses a stainless steel boiler due to stainless steel’s durability and heat retention properties.

Grinder

The ceramic burr grinder grinds quietly, keeping your mornings peaceful. Each time you brew, the grinder grinds the amount of beans needed for the shot. The sealed plastic bean hopper holds 8.8 oz of beans, keeping them fresh – its clear plastic cover means you can monitor bean levels easily, or the machine will also let you know when you’re running low. To adjust your grind to fine, medium, or coarse, use the supplied grinder key to turn the pin located inside the grinder.

Bypass Doser

If you or one of your guests prefers a blend other than what is already in the hopper, you can use pre-ground coffee in the bypass doser. Select your beverage, and then press the coffee bean button until the pre-ground option appears on the LCD screen. Press the confirmation button, add coffee using the included measuring scoop, and press the confirmation button again to begin brewing

Espresso Plus System

The Espresso Plus System is a knob located on your coffee dispenser that allows you to adjust the body and intensity of any beverage, even while you’re brewing. Turn the knob to the left for a mild brew, leave it in the middle for a normal drink, and turn it to the right for a more intense drink.

Cup Lift

For the ultimate ease in brewing, the Gaggia Platinum Vision uses an electronic cup lift, so you can raise and lower the cup tray depending on the size of your cups. Press the top arrow to raise it and the bottom to lower it so you can fit cups of different heights under the coffee dispenser.

Stainless Steel Active Cup Warmer

The active cup warmer is located on the top of the machine towards the front. You can fit about four of your demitasse cups on it, depending on their size. The stainless steel active cup warmer pre-heats your cups; by brewing espresso into a warm cup, it loses heat less rapidly and the crema is better preserved. Use the programming menu to turn the cup warmer on or off.

Features & Benefits: Frothing and Hot Water

Pannarello Steam Wand

The Pannarello attachment makes foaming and steaming easy, even if you’re just learning. The steam wand also rotates out, giving you ultimate leverage each time you steam. Press the steam button and turn the steam knob located on the left side. The display screen will read, “brewing in progress steam” as steam is dispensed from the wand. Once you’re finished, close the knob.

Hot Water

The steam wand also dispenses hot milk for tea, an americano, or instant soup. Press the instant hot water button located under the steam button and open the steam knob. The LCD screen will read, “brewing in progress hot water” as hot water is dispensed into your waiting cup. Close the steam knob to stop the flow of water.

Gaggia Milk Island

You can froth and steam by hand using the Pannarello wand, or you can use the Gaggia Milk Island. This automatic frother connects to the Platinum Swing Up's steam system, foaming and steaming up to 13.5 oz of milk with the turn of a knob.

Features & Benefits: Care, Maintenance & Other

Water System with Aqua Prima Water Filter

The 57 oz water reservoir is removable from the back of the machine – just turn the Gaggia Platinum Swing Up on its swivel base, and pull out the reservoir like a drawer. It comes with an Aqua Prima Water Filter, which was developed to remove impurities from your tap water than can alter the taste of the espresso. When descaling is necessary, the LCD screen will alert you and guide you through the process.

Cleaning the Brew Group and Spent Grounds Box

On the right side of the Gaggia Platinum Swing Up is a service door, which you can open to access the brew group and spent coffee grounds box. The brew group can be removed and rinsed with running water – this removes coffee residue and oils, keeping your espresso tasting fresh. About once a month, a brew group cleaning cycle should also be performed by entering the programming menu, selecting maintenance, and selecting “group wash.” The spent coffee grounds box holds 14 spent portions, and the Gaggia Platinum Swing Up will alert you when it needs to be emptied and cleaned.

Included Accessories

The Gaggia Platinum Swing Up comes with an Aqua Prima water filter, ground coffee measuring scoop, water hardness test strip, grinder adjustment key, lubricant for the brew group, and power cable.