All > Rancilio Silvia
Rancilio Silvia
Retail Price
$830.00
Lowest Price
$807.00
Release Date
2009
The Rancilio Silvia is a great home espresso machine but has some quirks and limitations, though once one knows how to work with them, they will be rewarded with delicious espresso. Newbies are encouraged to not let the learning curve put them off.
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Overview
- Steaming Power
- Target Market
- Durability
- Build
- Recommendation
- Alternative
- Performance
- User-friendliness
- Overview
- Positive
- Negative
Steaming Power - The standout feature of the Silvia is its steaming power that allows you to quickly create a latte quality milk for one or multiple drinks at a time, which makes it a great option for a lower price than high-end units that cost hundreds or even thousands.
Lifestyle Lab
05/09/2021
Target Market - It's a great machine for a user with experience pulling espresso shots and who wants to experiment with their technique at home. In contrast, newcomers and beginners should opt for a unit that's easier to use.
Gear Lab - Max Mutter and Steven Tata
06/24/2021
Durability - It's a great option for a well-built machine that will last longer if properly taken care of.
Lifestyle Lab
05/09/2021
Build - This latest version has changed the boiler and heating elements. Specifically, they're now stainless steel and copper, respectively. However, it's still a single-boiler machine, and while it is completely normal for its price range, a dual boiler is expected for a prosumer model.
Seattle Coffee Gear
05/15/2015
Recommendation - It's the least user-friendly model, thus, not recommended for beginners, as the learning curve will be steep enough to cause a good amount of frustration, also with the controls having a somewhat arcane symbol instead of clear labels, and there is no pressure gauge to give an idea for grind size and tamping pressure.
Gear Lab - Max Mutter and Steven Tata
06/24/2021
Alternative - For users who want quality while keeping on a budget, the Breville Barista Express is a great option to start, especially for all aspiring enthusiasts. Overall, it's reliable, has a built-in grinder, enough power for tasty extractions, and decent steaming capabilities.
Sip Coffee - Miguel Papa
Performance - It's a good price for the espresso quality it can make. Aside from that, it's easy to use, simple to clean, fast, reliable, and light to maintain.
Sip Coffee - Miguel Papa
User-friendliness - It's a great home espresso machine but has some quirks and limitations. But once you know how to work with them, you will be rewarded with delicious espresso. For newbies, don't let the learning curve put you off.
Home Grounds - Julia Bobak
Overview - Overall, it's much like a professional-level espresso machine in terms of its quality and the skill required to use it effectively. Additionally, it allows you to customize every aspect of the espresso-making process, from grind size to shot length.
Gear Lab - Max Mutter and Steven Tata
06/24/2021
Sources
Tags
- Steaming Power
- Target Market
- Durability
- Build
- Recommendation
- Alternative
- Performance
- User-friendliness
- Overview
Sources
- YouTube
- Gear Lab
- Sip Coffee
- Home Grounds
Lifestyle Lab
05/09/2021
Gear Lab - Max Mutter and Steven Tata
06/24/2021
Lifestyle Lab
05/09/2021
Seattle Coffee Gear
05/15/2015
Gear Lab - Max Mutter and Steven Tata
06/24/2021
Sip Coffee - Miguel Papa
Sip Coffee - Miguel Papa
Home Grounds - Julia Bobak
Gear Lab - Max Mutter and Steven Tata
06/24/2021
See All Sources
Pros & Cons
- Pros
- Cons
- Don’t Buy If…
- Positive
- Negative
Pros - The pros are that it's a well-built machine and is reliable for its price point.
Seattle Coffee Gear
05/15/2015
Cons - The cons include only having a single boiler, an odd design wherein the top grate lifts off to reveal a shallow pan that reduces the capacity and makes it difficult to remove when very full, cup warming, and a drip tray.
Don’t Buy If… - Don't buy the Silvia if you're a total beginner, you don't want to buy a burr grinder separately, you most likely just drink black coffee, you need to produce shots at a fast rate, you want something cheaper, you don't have a good coffee grinder, and you want to get serious about your coffee.
Sip Coffee - Miguel Papa
See All Sources
Build & Design
- Back Flush Disc
- Baskets
- Boiler
- Brewing Capacity
- Build
- Buttons
- Casing
- Clearance
- Design
- Energy
- Footprint
- Grinder
- Grouphead
- Heating Element
- Overflow
- PID
- Portafilter
- Power
- Pressure Gauge
- Pump System
- Size
- Solenoid Valve
- Steam Wand
- Tamper
- Thermostat
- Water Tank
- Weight
- Positive
- Negative
Back Flush Disc - The backflush disc is for back flushing that works best in the single basket and covers up the holes.
Seattle Coffee Gear
05/15/2015
Baskets - The unit comes with a single shot (8g) and a double shot (16g) filter baskets that are non-pressurized.
Home Grounds - Julia Bobak
Boiler - If the boiler configuration changes, the machine will have a laser film on the drip tray that needs to be peeled off to reveal the polished design. Also, it's a single boiler brewer, meaning brewing and steaming milk can't be done simultaneously. Build-wise, it uses brass making it a cost-effective option and impervious to burning out. Performance-wise, it hits 200 to 285 on temperature.
Brewing Capacity - It can hold 12 ounces for brewing and steaming.
Home Grounds - Julia Bobak
Build - The build concentrated more on quality and function rather than look. The inside is made of all professional-grade metal parts, which makes it a solid workhorse, with a simplicity that makes it easy to repair. Also, it has some heft to it, which makes it sturdy. Also, it has a full-size 58-millimeter portafilter, a 0.3-liter brass boiler, a single-hole steam arm, a 2L removable water reservoir, and front-mounted switches for power brewing steaming and hot water that will exit through the steam arm.
Buttons - The control panel is stripped back and very practical, with no text on the switches, but it has symbols. Specifically, it has an on/off button, a water button for dispensing hot water, a boiler button, and a steaming button. Also, there's a green indicator light that shows when the machine is powered on and an orange light that shows when the boiler is working on getting up to temperature.
Casing - It has a stainless steel casing, a minimalist exterior, a chrome-plated brass finish, and a bigger brushed stainless steel drip tray. Also, the body is mostly stainless steel, while the buttons are a matte black finish.
Seattle Coffee Gear
05/15/2015
Clearance - The cup clearance is higher.
Seattle Coffee Gear
05/15/2015
Design - The pattern has changed, along with the handle, portafilter, knob, and steam arm that can now swing. Also, the power cord is routed at the bottom, leaving a clean look on the back of the machine.
Seattle Coffee Gear
05/15/2015
Energy - It uses less energy to operate and has coffee shop-level espresso shots.
Sip Coffee - Miguel Papa
Footprint - It has a small footprint, which gives enough space to put the grinder beside it.
Sip Coffee - Miguel Papa
Grinder - The grinder is more important than the espresso machine and should never touch a drop of tap water. However, the unit doesn't come with a grinder; thus, selecting a decent grinder like the Rocky will be best to maximize the performance and shot quality. Though prices vary for electric, the typical entry-level recommendations are the Baratza Sette 270 or the Niche Zero.
Grouphead - The group head is a 58mm commercial-grade part made of thermally stable brass from black plastic.
Home Grounds - Julia Bobak
Heating Element - The heating element is made of stainless steel, and in the models from V4, it has been screwed to the boiler rather than welded, making it easier to replace.
Home Grounds - Julia Bobak
Overflow - The cold water in the overflow is better because it won't leak as many chemicals from the plastic into the water.
BeatTheBushDIY
11/02/2019
PID - It's an excellent candidate for installing a PID controller as one of its biggest downsides is the temperature fluctuations due to the single boiler and traditional thermostat. Therefore, having a PID can ensure a consistent temperature within 1 degree of accuracy. However, you will still have to manage the temp change between the brew and steam processes. Performance-wise, the PID will allow you to perform functions not available with the regular machine, such as pre-infusion and shot timing.
Home Grounds - Julia Bobak
Portafilter - It's equipped with a 58mm commercial-grade portafilter that makes it easier to follow recipes developed on commercial machines. Usage-wise, there's a red dot wherein the portafilter handle should be aligned. Build-wise, it's made from chrome-plated brass, so it's a good weight in hand and helps maintain a consistent temperature throughout the extraction.
Home Grounds - Julia Bobak
Power - It does a powerful job for a single boiler and has a powerful steamer that goes fairly fast with a conventional steam arm.
Seattle Coffee Gear
05/15/2015
Pressure Gauge - It doesn't have a pressure gauge.
Sip Coffee - Miguel Papa
Pump System - The pump system is made of a 48W vibratory pump that prevents direct pumping to the waterline. Performance-wise, it can hit 15 bars of pressure at the pump side, well above the 9 bars needed for espresso extraction.
Home Grounds - Julia Bobak
Size - It's not a big machine.
Seattle Coffee Gear
05/15/2015
Solenoid Valve - The valve opens to allow the water through when the pump is switched on. Specifically, the 3-way solenoid valve will control the water flow between the boiler, brew head, and drain port. When the pump is in action, the water flows freely between the boiler and the brew head while the drain is blocked off. At the end of the extraction, the opening to the brew head is shut, so any water and extra pressure are diverted to the drain port, which means a cleaner extraction all around and a dry puck.
Steam Wand - The 2-hole steam wand operates at a higher temperature than the group head, and steamed milk stays primed longer than a shot. Also, it comes in an easy-to-clean stainless steel finish with smoothed-out sides and edges, making it simpler to anchor at the right angle to introduce aeration into the milky coffee and maximize the steam pressure. Overall, it's a professional-grade steam wand that can make thick, luscious foam and creamy, microfoamed steamed milk.
Tamper - It comes with a plastic tamper that can be replaced with a heavier tamper with a scoop.
Thermostat - It uses 3 different thermostats, with one each for brewing, frothing, and hot water. However, there's no option to adjust any of them.
Home Grounds - Julia Bobak
Water Tank - The water reservoir can only be filled with fresh mineral water. Build-wise, it's made of plastic and can hold 67 ounces.
Weight - It weighs 31 pounds, meaning it doesn't need to be held when locking the portafilter and brass group head in.
Lifestyle Lab
05/09/2021
Sources
Tags
- Back Flush Disc
- Baskets
- Boiler
- Brewing Capacity
- Build
- Buttons
- Casing
- Clearance
- Design
- Energy
- Footprint
- Grinder
- Grouphead
- Heating Element
- Overflow
- PID
- Portafilter
- Power
- Pressure Gauge
- Pump System
- Size
- Solenoid Valve
- Steam Wand
- Tamper
- Thermostat
- Water Tank
- Weight
Sources
- YouTube
- Home Grounds
- Gear Lab
- Sip Coffee
Seattle Coffee Gear
05/15/2015
Home Grounds - Julia Bobak
Gear Lab - Max Mutter and Steven Tata
06/24/2021
Seattle Coffee Gear
Home Grounds - Julia Bobak
Home Grounds - Julia Bobak
theo766
02/11/2021
Home Grounds - Julia Bobak
Sip Coffee - Miguel Papa
Seattle Coffee Gear
05/15/2015
Seattle Coffee Gear
05/15/2015
Seattle Coffee Gear
05/15/2015
Sip Coffee - Miguel Papa
Sip Coffee - Miguel Papa
jkeith123
04/13/2020
Sip Coffee - Miguel Papa
Home Grounds - Julia Bobak
Home Grounds - Julia Bobak
BeatTheBushDIY
11/02/2019
Home Grounds - Julia Bobak
Home Grounds - Julia Bobak
Seattle Coffee Gear
05/15/2015
Sip Coffee - Miguel Papa
Home Grounds - Julia Bobak
Seattle Coffee Gear
05/15/2015
Seattle Coffee Gear
05/15/2015
Seattle Coffee Gear
05/15/2015
Sip Coffee - Miguel Papa
Gear Lab - Max Mutter and Steven Tata
06/24/2021
Seattle Coffee Gear
05/15/2015
Home Grounds - Julia Bobak
Home Grounds - Julia Bobak
Seattle Coffee Gear
05/15/2015
BeatTheBushDIY
11/02/2019
Lifestyle Lab
05/09/2021
See All Sources
Features & Performance
- Backflushing
- Brewing Process
- Durability
- Espresso Brewing Process
- Extraction
- Froth-Assist
- Limescale
- Milk Frothing
- Performance - Steaming
- Start-Up
- Taste
- Temperature Surfing
- Usage
- User - Friendliness
- Positive
- Negative
Backflushing - Backflushing is not recommended unless necessary.
Home Grounds - Julia Bobak
Brewing Process - The temperature needs to increase when it's brewing coffee. Specifically, brewing requires 285 degrees, while steaming only needs 200 degrees. Performance-wise, on the brewing side, it allows you to commercial-grade espresso. On the milk side of things, you have a steam wand that is powerful enough to make silky and commercial-grade milk-based drinks.
Durability - The V1 can last 18 years, which makes the line of units like tanks great quality.
SPANH0BGH0BLIN1
02/11/2021
Espresso Brewing Process - It produces great espresso right out of the box when paired with an equally capable grinder. Also, one noteworthy inclusion is the ability to adjust the brewing pressure without cutting any overpressure valves. Process-wise, it has to warm up for 15-20 minutes before it's ready to brew.
Extraction - Filtered or mineral water works best with your coffee machines as the minerals carry the flavors from the grounded coffee beans. After your dose, tamp and pull, and extraction occurs. Also, the standard Italian double dose is 16gr. However, problems arise over time with heat coming into contact with minerals, which causes buildup, that tends to spread in areas where there is an interaction between heat and water from the water reservoir.
Froth-Assist - There's no froth-assist or Panarello wand; rather, there's a commercial-grade steam wand with an acorn tip, which is articulated for ease of use.
Home Grounds - Julia Bobak
Limescale - Depending on the water, the time it takes for limescale to build up can be anywhere from 1-3 months, which will require a descaling of the machine, wherein a cleaning solution is added to the water tank and is allowed to run through the entire espresso machine.
Sip Coffee - Miguel Papa
Milk Frothing - It can create a café-standard microfoam. Steaming your milk on it feels like a luxury compared to other espresso machine models for non-commercial use. However, success is based on the boiler's power, while the 2-hole tip of the wand helps control that power to help create that coveted vortex of air and hot water.
Performance - Steaming - The steaming performance is the most impressive part of the machine, but also one possible downside depending on how you structure your workflow. Performance-wise, when wide open, it reaches the standard 60 degrees celsius in just under 26 seconds, and the steaming capacity was also good due to the 300-milliliter boiler.
Lifestyle Lab
05/09/2021
Start-Up - The start-up time is 10-15 mins on average, from switching it on to when it's ready to pull a shot.
Sip Coffee - Miguel Papa
Taste - It produced some of the best espressos with a rich, strong shot and great flavor with just a hint of sweetness. The steam wand is also high quality and makes great-tasting steamed and frothed milk.
Gear Lab - Max Mutter and Steven Tata
06/24/2021
Temperature Surfing - After steaming the milk and cleaning off any residue, you're going to want to put a spare container underneath the steam wand, and by switching on the button for hot water, the boiler is forced to take in more cold water from the reservoir, which drops the temperature; thus, the element indicator light will come on, showing that the water is too cool and the boiler is heating again, then you'll need to shut off the flow of water. For brewing, temperature surfing might seem complicated at first, but once you get the hang of it, you can improve the quality of your espresso.
Home Grounds - Julia Bobak
Usage - Once primed and ready to go, you need to decide if you're making a black or milk-based drink, and it's important to remember that it's ideal for steaming milk first before pulling shots. Though beginners may not fully appreciate the quality of the espresso shot the machine makes, it's not a bad idea to get started on the right path in terms of flavor and recipe.
Sip Coffee - Miguel Papa
User - Friendliness - By user-friendliness, coming to a semi-automatic machine for the first time, you'll probably find that Silvia's straightforward controls make it pretty simple to pull a shot of espresso. Also, one thing about it is that you can focus on your learning curve by making drink recipes. It's not underpowered, it doesn't change your coffee grounds recipe, and it lasts the test of time. It also helps that the brewer has a simple design with a perfect premium build.
Home Grounds - Julia Bobak
Sources
Tags
- Backflushing
- Brewing Process
- Durability
- Espresso Brewing Process
- Extraction
- Froth-Assist
- Limescale
- Milk Frothing
- Performance - Steaming
- Start-Up
- Taste
- Temperature Surfing
- Usage
- User - Friendliness
Sources
- Home Grounds
- YouTube
- Sip Coffee
- Gear Lab
Home Grounds - Julia Bobak
BeatTheBushDIY
11/02/2019
Seattle Coffee Gear
05/15/2015
Sip Coffee - Miguel Papa
SPANH0BGH0BLIN1
02/11/2021
Lifesstyle Lab
05/09/2021
Lifestyle Lab
05/09/2021
Sip Coffee - Miguel Papa
theo766
02/11/2021
Home Grounds - Julia Bobak
Sip Coffee - Miguel Papa
Sip Coffee - Miguel Papa
Home Grounds - Julia Bobak
Lifestyle Lab
05/09/2021
Sip Coffee - Miguel Papa
Gear Lab - Max Mutter and Steven Tata
06/24/2021
Home Grounds - Julia Bobak
Sip Coffee - Miguel Papa
Home Grounds - Julia Bobak
See All Sources
Cleaning & Maintenance
- Cleaning
- Maintenance
- Positive
- Negative
Cleaning - After making coffee, the chrome-plated brass and stainless steel finish make it easy to wipe down. Also, for the coffee and milk stains, use a damp microfiber rag and immediately dry it with another rag to polish it. Immediate purging before and after every pull of coffee and backflushing every 50 pulls is recommended, while descaling should be done every 1-2 months. Plus, the drip tray must be emptied almost every use to prevent overflowing.
Maintenance - For general maintenance, it must be regularly cleaned by backflushing, and the basket and portafilter are cleaned by soaking them in a cleaner for about half an hour.
Rashkh
04/13/2020
See All Sources
Comparison
- Rancilio Silvia vs Gaggia Classic Pro
- Positive
- Negative
Rancilio Silvia vs Gaggia Classic Pro - The only real downside is having to swap the OPV on the GCP to get the pressure right, whereas the Silvia gives 9 bars out of the box, but it may not be worth the nearly $400 price increase. Build-wise, the Silvia has a larger boiler which means better steam and better temperature stability during a shot, larger clearance between the portafilter and grate too, and overall is a better machine. Performance-wise, the Silvia has more steam power, better temperature stability during a shot, and more portafilter to drip tray clearance; plus, the OPV on the Silvia is adjustable. Overall, the Silvia feels like a professional machine scaled down to a single boiler home size, and the Gaggia Classic feels like a cheaper super auto scaled-up.
See All Sources
Miscellaneous
- Buying Second-Hand
- Downside - Boiler
- Improvements - Maintenance
- Espresso Recipe
- Guide & Forum
- Rust
- Value
- Worth
- Positive
- Negative
Buying Second-Hand - A huge second-hand market for these machines is a testament to the build quality of the Rancilio Silvia, the sturdy Italian classic has been known to stay in good shape for several decades, and many owners end up moving on to more high-end machines in that time. Also, buying from a reputable reseller is the best way to avoid scams.
Home Grounds - Julia Bobak
Downside - Boiler - The larger boiler has one notable downside: being a single boiler machine that needs you to wait for it to transition between brewing and steaming temperatures.
Lifestyle Lab
05/09/2021
Improvements - Maintenance - For 6 years, it's been a solid machine. Upgrades include having a PID, which gives you more temperature control, replacing the group head gasket with an upgraded silicone one, an upgraded shower screen, IMS 20g basket, and Rancilio bottomless portafilter.
DaveT72
01/14/2022
Espresso Recipe - The espresso recipes are typically expressed as ratios, and it's good to consider a scale for weighing beans in and the espresso out. Specifically, the standard starter recipe for espresso is 17 or 18g of beans at 1:2 over ~30 seconds, meaning you should get 2g of espresso for every gram of beans, so with 18g, you should get about 36g of espresso. However, some people prefer 1:1.5 while others may like 1:2.25, etc. There's no right or wrong answer, as you'll typically use the grind setting to hit the ratio. You'd grind finer if you're getting too much liquid out. You should grind coarser if you're not getting enough coffee out.
Rashkh
04/13/2020
Guide & Forum - It's a great upgrade, and there are many guides and forums out there that can help with repairs.
Dochart118
02/11/2021
Rust - Keep an eye out for rust as the years go on, as there are spots in the steel frame that don't get painted properly.
Mountainpwny
02/11/2021
Value - It's pricey, plus you need to buy a separate espresso grinder, which only makes it a good value if you want the ability to control shot length and pump pressure. Specifically, it's best suited for experienced users who want a reliable workhorse.
Gear Lab - Max Mutter and Steven Tata
06/24/2021
Worth - It's worthy of the coffee quality it produces.
Sip Coffee - Miguel Papa
Sources
Tags
- Buying Second-Hand
- Downside - Boiler
- Improvements - Maintenance
- Espresso Recipe
- Guide & Forum
- Rust
- Value
- Worth
Sources
- Home Grounds
- YouTube
- Gear Lab
- Sip Coffee
See All Sources
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