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Pros
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- 6 reviews
- 6 likes
Love it. Good basic machine with no frivolous bells and whistles but made from commercial components.
Makes very good coffee once you get the hang of it. Easy to maintain too.
- 3 reviews
- 2 likes
Hasn't missed a beat in 12 years my Rancilio Silva matched with a Rocky grinder. Price was $1300 the pair and I can make as good as most good cafes and sometimes better as I use quality milk and beans. Even cheap beans can make good coffee. I have replaced the grinder plates couple of times but not expensive. Do need to clean to look after but the savings making your own are huge.
Purchased in October 2010 for $1,300.
Bought this machine for my husbands 40th birthday, worked fabulous for 2 weeks and now just sits on the bench because it doesn’t work. Biggest waste of time and money.
Purchased in December 2020 for $1,200.
7 years old and used twice daily. Have replaced a group head seal - easy to do. Cleaned and flushed regularly. Makes great coffee and simple to use. Drip tray is warped and its a bit noisy - but hey, it's Italian.
Purchased in July 2015 for $1,350.
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-My machine is the V5 with installed PID controller (takes the variability out of both temperature and pouring the shot).
-I've installed the machine in my office and would estimate that it pours at least 20 shots per week with it and I have not had the machine for almost exactly 1 year. I use it with a Breville BCG800 grinder and fresh locally roasted coffee.
I have read some of the other reviews and will comment on some of the items they've raised.
Positives:
Firstly, I was a bit hesitant to spend this much on a machine as an upgrade to my ...
Purchased in February 2020 at Espresso Tenango for $1,500.
- 10 reviews
- 5 likes
My review relates to the Rancilio V6 (2020).
Per the headline, this certainly is a practical, robust, and no-nonsense espresso machine. You can't go much more basic without getting something that doesn't have a pump (or ended any electrical at all). This machine will certainly win no beauty contests (eye of the beholder maybe?), is noisy, and you really need to drive it properly to get the best out of it. It is, however, capable of pulling some truly exceptional shots of espresso for the truly skilled practitioners - but for the rest of us it ...
Read morewill still do very nicely indeed. Like many who have picked up one of these machines, I am a budding enthusiast. I've never really consumed coffee much, but was recently exposed to pod machines, and decided that I didn't mind a coffee with steamed milk in it at all! After a little research I decided that pod machines were too wasteful, and wouldn't provide the best experience anyway. I jumped in with a cheap semi-auto machine, and enthusiastically began to learn to pull a half decent shot from it every day. Sadly, the cheap machine developed a leak around the steam wand joint after a month or so of use. I decided it probably would only get worse, so I arranged a return. By this time, my wife realised that I was getting some pleasure out of my new 'hobby' (one which she enjoyed the fruits of), and so she suggested I get something better. I proposed the Gaggia, available around the $700 (AUD) mark. She had been doing her own research and asked why not the Silvia. The Silvia was about $400 more at the time, so I was quite surprised, but her rationale was that we should be buying a machine for the long-run. We were a little concerned by the number of Silvia’s we saw on the secondhand market with rusted frames (particularly around the water tray), but further investigation revealed that Rancilio moved to a stainless steel frame for the V6, so we went ahead and ordered the Silvia V6 ‘M’. Had a bit of a false start with the Silvia, as we somehow ended up with the E model (initially) instead of the M as ordered. I was going to settle for this, but found that the machine had a leaking tank and, since it had also obviously been repackaged at some point, the supplier arranged to get it sent back and shipped out an M model to replace it.Purchased in December 2020 for $1,099.
Inconsistent is the only way to describe the machine. One shot is under extracted the next is over extracted. At first I joked about the machine being a temperamental Italian but after throwing coffee after coffe down the drain I'm pretty sick of it. I've had many machines over the last 20 years but this is definitely the worst. No other machine can ruin an expensive bean quite like this.
Also in an amazing piece of stupid design the milk wand is too low to fit a milk jug (small one) under so after steaming the milk you have to lift the whole machine to remove the jug, brilliant! If the drip tray is has some water in it beware because at this point the water will spill over your bench.
Purchased in May 2020 for $1,175.
Related Articles
- 2 reviews
I have been through a lot of machines in the past year. Coffee has become somewhat a hobby, having started with pod machines, and then moving onto automatic machines and then switching through several manual espresso machines.
As I learned more about the brewing process what I started to notice is the more manual you go, the more control and flavour options you have.
After the fact I can say, learning to brew properly does take a bit of effort, but when you know what your doing you will not go back.
Out of all the machines I have been through...
Read more, the Silvia will stay. Build quality is like a tank, no circuits, dependable, heats up in a couple minutes and makes a fantastic cafe quality coffee I have paired mine with a Mazzer Luigi and am very happy. A few people here have pounted out that the base can rust and group head starts to peel, but other than that the boiler and internals are simple and should last a very long time if you take care of it. Highly recommend this machine, but only buy it if you understand the brewing principles of grind, dosing and tamping.Purchased in October 2020.
- 4 reviews
- 2 likes
Very happy with this machine as it came but have upgraded it over the years, including adding a pid controller. It is a genuine Italian boiler based coffee machine and with the right grind makes as good a coffee as you will get. Now over 10yo still going strong. Easy availability of spare parts. Love it.
Purchased in October 2009 for $750.
Find out how Rancilio Silvia compares to other Semi-Automatic and Manual Coffee Machines
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I have had my Silvia for over 10 years and think it is fantastic. Note that these machines are fully manual and you need to learn how to use them. But once you do, you really can make a coffee as good as any cafe. An added bonus is that parts are cheap and widely available online as they use the same components as commercial machines. If you're reasonably handy you can maintain or fix it yourself. Considering they are likely to still be making Silvia's in another 25 years, it could be the last Espresso machine you ever need to buy! Last piece of advice. You MUST pair it with a quality grinder or you'll never make a decent coffee. I use a Rancilio Rocky.
Purchased in February 2010 for $800.
- 2 reviews
Produces ok coffee. My grinder passed away, now using supermarket coffee which is no real indicator.
Older version was better. New machine is noisy and build quality is 2 stars max.
Purchased in July 2018 for $900.
Dont know what the family or I would have done without the Silvia during our harsh lockdown!. It produces beautiful shots consistently with my fresh beans that I get from local roasters and independent supermarket. Crema is coppery orange and thick. I grind with the paired Rocky Grinder that has 55 gind increments. I typically grind on the 8th finest setting out of 30 or even finer down to about settng 4 of 55. The milk frothing is superb but you need to use the freshest milk and some brands are better than others. For good textured milk that ...
Read moreyou can use for late art you really need to swirl it in the jug for circa 25 seconds as shown in youtube videos. If you like lactose free I find Zymil works well.As everyone else says the quality of the coffee poured is related to grind, freshness of beans (hopefully they were roasted within a week or 2) and the tamp pressure - which in my opinion has to be quite hard push (circa 12kg). For me the machine quality is fine (old school design). I think ti is essential to wipe under the drip tray daily to prevent water buildup and potnetial of rust. I purchased from Cafe a Roma in Malvern East Melb. I have no hesitation in reccommending the Rancillio Sivia it is a pleasure to use each day!Purchased in November 2019 for $999.
Find out how Rancilio Silvia compares to other Semi-Automatic and Manual Coffee Machines
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- 2 reviews
- 1 like
Base rusted after 12 months. Started cutting out after 12 months. Makes great coffee.
The base has rust on it. Trying to dry after each use although it is worrying for at 12 months. The machine was inoperable for a week at just 12 months old. It trips as soon as you turn it on. Doing it again at 18 months. I've enjoyed the coffee and steam pressure although it doesn't seem to be holding up longevity wise.
Purchased in May 2018 at Caffe Bianchi for $900.
- 4 reviews
I am completely satisfied with the coffee maker and Rocky grinder. Both machines were easily set up and simple to use. I watched a demonstration of both machines in the shop prior to purchase and duplicated the process at home. Very well made coffee machines.
Purchased in September 2018 for $1,300.
- 25 reviews
- 12 likes
After having Seaco Esspresso machine, we purchased Silvia Rancilio. It's small Esspresso machine but it serves purpose for many years. We love our coffees and believe this machine is good quality.
Purchased in June 2009 for $1,359.
Questions & Answers
The portafilter on my Rancilio Silvia won’t stay in place unless I hold it now and only moves a fraction when I slot it in. I’ve done a full clean on the machine and regularly backwash it too. Any ideas?
You can adjust the tension of the portafilter "grip" by adding paper shims under the group gasket. Ask your dealer for the shims. Buy a new gasket while you are at it as the old one may be a bit compr...
Read moreessed which is probably what has caused the problemHi There, I want to replace the driptray of my Silvia which is a little rusty.... anyone want to recommend someone selling spare parts or wrecking Rancilios?? Also for new gaskets and other service needs, I'm sure they could help too....Most grateful for any leads! Thanks, Ronnie (ronnieatlas@gmail.com)
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Details
Features
- Filter baskets are provided to make either 8 grams or 14 grams of ground coffee.
- The brass boiler has a 300mL capacity for coffee.
- Contains a 2-litre water tank.
- A thermostat controls the brew temperature, allowing the machine to reach heat.
- A stainless steel frame and steam wand offer a sturdy construction.
- The water reservoir, cup tray and drip tray are all removable, for easier cleaning.
- Auto-off function turns the appliance off automatically after 30 minutes, but you can program this so it doesn’t turn off.
Points of praise
- Durable and reliable, the Rancilio Silva produces consistently good quality coffee that rivals coffee made in cafes.
- This machine was reported to have longevity, with many reviewers saying it lasted them for years, provided they cleaned and maintained it often.
- A PID controller lets you directly control the temperature of the coffee machine, as well as the infusion, shot duration and steam temperature. Coffee lovers enjoyed the consistent reliability of the PID controller.
- While parts usually last a long time, if you do need a replacement the parts are cheap to replace and also easy enough to source.
- Reviewers were fans of the paired Rocky grinder for the Silvia coffee machine.
Rancilio Silvia V63.0(2) | ||||
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Category | Semi-Automatic and Manual Coffee Machines | Semi-Automatic and Manual Coffee Machines | Semi-Automatic and Manual Coffee Machines | Semi-Automatic and Manual Coffee Machines |
Price (RRP) | $1,199.00 | |||
Pump Pressure | 15 bar | |||
Input Power | 1,100 W | |||
Dishwasher Safe Parts | No | |||
Water Tank Capacity | 2.5 L | |||
Dimensions | 340 x 235 x 290 mm | |||
Weight | 14 kg | |||
Milk Frother | Steam Wand | |||
Bean Grinder | None | |||
Colour / Finish | Stainless Steel | |||
Release date | June 1998 | June 2006 | Aug 2009 | |
Replaced by | Rancilio Silvia V2 | Rancilio Silvia V3 | Rancilio Silvia V4 |
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