This is a beautiful machine! I started learning about brewing espresso at home with a Gaggia Coffee. I've since stepped up to the Silvia and I wish I had bought it right away. The espresso I produce with it is far superior, never sour or bitter if I use the right amount and tamp it properly, and I can make microfoam. I also appreciate its heaviness, good looks, quiet operation and metal steam wand.
Many say and it bears repeating that you will only get the results you are looking for at home if you invest in a burr grinder of at least Rancilio Rocky or Gaggia MDF quality, grind right before brewing and use beans roasted within weeks, not months! I have had disappointing results with other grinders and all preground espresso including expensive Illy, etc.
Shop around and be sure to get free shipping, because this thing weighs a ton. I have seen good package deals where you can get the Silvia and Rocky together; with no tax and free shipping plus some free goodies such as a stainless steel tamper, you will be in business and might have some cash left over for the beans. Of course the instruction booklet is nearly worthless, but you can find some great videos on YouTube to show you what to do with all that stuff once you get it home.
If you have better things to spend your money on, like mortgage and groceries, or if you aren't too picky, look elsewhere; maybe try a stovetop moka pot. If you think you will be making espresso for years to come get this machine, a good grinder and a water filter, and some freshly roasted beans from Intelligentsia; then you will want a collection of little cups for serving your creations, and your friends might begin to think you are an insufferable coffee snob... and at that point, you will be. Trust me, your buddies most likely do not want to hear about your machine's brass portafilter and temperature stability.
This is NOT a cheap hobby. Maybe you should consider supporting your local coffee shop instead! As for me, I'm in too deep. Let me know if someone starts a twelve step program for espresso addicts. Enjoy!
If you are anything like myself, you too have probably seen the many reviews and warning online citing how finicky the Rancilio Silvia is with its wild temperature swings and its taste for exact grinds. Like myself, you too are not bothered by any of that and are still considering the Silvia.
So in all fairness, there are plenty of GREAT things about this machine; It is good-looking (but design-wise it fails to make any statement, it is neither modern nor retro, doesn't look commercial but also doesn't look like a home machine). Great construction too (though slightly crude). It has features galore; brass boiler and brew group, large tank, ample steaming pressure etc. It is famously reliable and been made with little change for over a decade. On paper it seems to have it all, and it is the only machine of its class at this price point. The question is however, "can it pull a decent shot of espresso?" The short answer for it is, yes, it certainly can but not straight out of the box on its own. It will require additional equipment, time and investment.
First, spend at least a $350 on a burr grinder. Yes, you've heard this before and refused to believe it. It's true. This machine is so picky about grind that it will change on you with the room temperature and humidity. Be prepared to dump lots of shots to the garbage on a regular basis while re-adjusting. Let's assume your tamping technique is perfect, (and that you are using a good tamper -not the wrong-size plastic joke that comes with this machine, frankly an insult, don't even try it). With that in mind, some of the finest grinds from top-of-the-line grinders will yield extraction faster than the speed of light (double shot in 8 seconds), producing sour shot with poor crema. Grind just 0.1 point too fine and you will get a slow burnt, bitter drizzle from even the sweetest roast. Adding the minimal capable burr grinder realistically means that you should be willing to spend $1000 for the entire experience, so don't let the $650 price tag fool you. There is also $25-$80 you need to spend on a tamper. This is a must. In short, comparison-shop the Silvia against $1000 machines that need no grinder like the Expobar Office Pulser, Pasquini Livietta or La Pavoni PC-16 -not against the Francis-Francis X1 or the Baby Gaggia which may not seem to be at the same class at all but will give you much better shots with far less overall investment.
Secondly, be prepared to learn to temperature-surf. Temperature swings are a major issue with this machine, so even with the perfect grind and tamping; your shot can still easily burn or come out weak and sour. Temperature surfing is acceptable when you try to improve a really great shot to Godliness, but if you can't achieve merely a consistent basic decent shot without surfing, you will quickly find it to be time-consuming and laborious; an annoyance that is not much of a joy as a morning routine.
Now there are hundreds of guides and videos all over the internet on how to temperature surf the Rancilio Silvia online (I especially liked "Cheating Mrs. Silvia"). There is even an entire aftermarket dedicated to digital temperature controllers for this machine. Wait, wait, can someone please stop the madness? Common sense... Doesn't the fact that this machine cannot brew espresso straight out of the box without all this nonsense raise some red flags to you? Shouldn't you expect a $650 machine to -at the very least give you some basic version of espresso without turning you into a hacker?
I can understand Rancilio not wanting to fix the brew group. After all, this grind-fussiness sells them thousands of their Rocky model grinders every year. I do however find it BAFFLING that after 10+ years and 3 versions of this machine, the temperature control issue had not been addressed. Thermocouples and PIDs are cheap and reliable, and so are dial thermometers and pressure gauges -which could be a lifesaver for users of this machine. In fact, these are standard features on far cheaper machines. What gives?
So like you, I too thought I would get over the learning curve and can win this machine over in spite of reviews and warnings. I am an ex-barista who had the pleasure to work on anything from La Pavoni, Gaggia, Expobar, Brasillia, Pasquini and Elektra to Francis-Francis and Ascado, using some of the world's finest beans and pro-grinders like Mazzer. I am embarrassed to admit that I spent the past week tossing about 400 shots to the trash before coming to terms with the fact that this machine is not reasonably designed to deliver a decent shot on a regular basis without extreme fuss and expensive grinder, which I have no space for in my Manhattan kitchen. (I also don't believe that my wife or guests would be able to operate it). At this price point I would take a La Pavoni or Expobar machine any day over this. And if you really only have $650 to spend, then get a Francis-Francis X1 or Gaggia Classic or even the super-automatic Gaggia Brera. You WILL get consistently far better shots and be able to use a wider range of grinds (even ESE pods) and some cash in your pocket too. The Rancilio Silvia has so much potential but I am sadly sending it back and getting a more capable machine. My recommendation: don't be tempted.
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This machine is the perfect blend of quality, durability, and ease of repair for a home machine under $500. It makes espresso that rivals any you can buy at a coffee house.
I've been making home espresso for 25 years and have used many different machines of various prices which all died. I bought one for $250 from Starbucks which died in one year. They told me parts were not available. This machine is practically bullet-proof. I've had it for over 5 years and it is still running like new. Sure it hurts to spend this much on an espresso machine, but how many $250 machines will you go through? Learn from my mistake(s) and get a good one.
All the parts inside are commercial or semi-commercial grade. Anyone who works on commercial espresso machines can work on this one, and the parts are readily available. It's all stainless and cast iron. Very nice.
It has a 3-way solenoid, which you want, trust me. The 3-way solenoid lets pressure escape from the basket when you switch off the pump so that the coffee grounds fall out of the portafilter handle in a solid little disk instead of a soupy mess.
You DO NEED a good grinder made for espresso to use this machine. The pump puts out a solid 9 bar, which means most grinders can't get the coffee fine enough. A burr grinder is the only way to go. This makes the grounds fine enough that a shot will take about 20 seconds to make. Any less time for a shot and it means your coffee is too coarse. If you don't want to buy a grinder right now, there are some good preground espresso coffees in a can (such as Illy), but it will go stale fast. You'll want the grinder.
If you want great espresso, and a reliable machine, you can't go wrong with the Silvia. Take a bit of time to learn proper technique and you'll be happy with this one.
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Miss Silvia is not for everyone, but she can reward a little effort and patience with truly great espresso. If, after reading this, you still think $200 is too much to spend on a grinder, look instead at machines with a pressurized portafilter (Saeco/Starbucks Barista).
Start with the freshest coffee. You might as well discover home roasting. It's very economical, easy, and fun. In fact, you can quickly pay for Miss Silvia with your savings when you pay $3-5/lb for green coffee!
Trust me on this: Your grinder is FAR MORE IMPORTANT than your machine, and few grinders under $200 have a fine enough adjustment mechanism to find the "sweet spot" for the particular bean you're using. Grind controls extraction rate, and you're shooting for 20sec for a double shot. If one click on the grinder throws your extraction 5-6 seconds...you'll quickly become frustrated. Good espresso grinders have at least 40-50 settings. Of course, you need to time your shots to get an idea of what is happening.
Give her time to warm up. Google "silvia temperature surfing" to learn how to manually control the brewing temperature, or "PID Silvia" to give Miss Silvia digital temperature control (you now have a $1000 machine for $550).
Put it all together, and you'll soon see just how good espresso can be. Should you currently be addicted to Starbucks, this will cure you. You might even start looking forward to the morning's first espresso shots around dinner time!
Why Miss Silvia? A reasonably sized brass boiler (thermal mass). Heavy chromed brass portafilter (more thermal mass). Three-way Solenoid valve (depressurizes the group head after pulling a shot). Very well documented on-line. Easily serviceable with widely available parts. Good looking, too!
Final recommendation: If you can't afford BOTH Miss Silvia and the grinder, buy a great grinder and an inexpensive but good Gaggia with lots of brass but no 3-way valve.
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I have owned several different expresso machines in different price ranges. Hands down, this machine is the best I've ever used. The machine works exactly as it is supposed to I use it every day, sometimes a couple times per day and the espresso never changes it's always delicious, and the steamed milk comes out perfectly. I've even left the machine on all day a couple of times, and it still does not affect the machine it keeps working like it's brand new. The only downside is that it takes about 45 minutes for this machine to heat up. HOWEVER, there are websites out there that can tell you how to get around this and have your shot of espresso in about 10 minutes.
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Amazingly easy to to brew CONSISTANTLY good espressos with this trouble-free little machine. We're not gourmets, but we are fussy about our coffee. Granted, the little pods cost more, (almost twice as much per shot) as loose espresso, but considering the cost of a good grinder and the time and trouble and mess, not to mention "talent" variables that we avoid, we think it's worth it. You still end up with great espresso for around a dollar a shot, which is pretty good when you consider what you pay for it at the coffee house. The steamer work really well, too. We couldn't be happier with our purchase---and isn't it kinda cool and decco looking? Pretty, hard-working and low maintenance. What more could you ask for?
