Quality and built to last
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...
Fussy and finicky even at experienced hands; far more expensive than it seems. Here's why:
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...
A "real" espresso maker for the home!
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...
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