The Rancilio Silvia is a must-have when considering affordable espresso machines. For little money, this little machine simply delivers a lot of power. When it wants to. And that's the crux of the matter. The Silvia is about as moody as a pubescent teenager at the peak of its form . The speed at which it switches between elation and despair is unparalleled. When brewed to perfection, the espresso tastes as delicious as the luxury models costing €3,000 or more . If it misses the mark, then those who can do without are happy.
This article gives you an honest overview of what the Rancilio Silvia can and can't do. There are numerous online shops and reviews of the Rancilio Silvia that praise and recommend it as a test winner (e.g., here and here ). We also think there are many arguments in favor of the Rancilio Siliva. But only if you know what you're getting into will you be happy together in the long run.
And the espresso tastes
We brewed truly fine espressos with the Rancilio Silvia. Strong, balanced, and sweet . The Rancilio Silvia brews exactly the espresso you'd want, with a little love. We enjoyed both classic dark roasts and light-roasted fruit bombs. There are no limits with the Rancilio Silvia.
The Rancilio Silvia makes better espresso than almost any other model in this price range. This requires, of course, a good grinder and the ability to cope with temperature fluctuations ( more on that below ). The Silvia's double sieve holds a good 17 grams. We brewed 38 to 42 ml with it for a double espresso.
Solid, durable and well made
The espresso machine weighs around 14 kg. This is quite a decent weight and ensures that the Rancilio Silvia stands firmly and securely . This is especially important when clamping the portafilter. Lighter espresso machines tend to spin. The Silvia, with its stainless steel casing, appears high-quality and well-made. At 23.5 cm wide and 34 cm high, it fits well on many countertops, and its depth of 29 cm is also manageable.
The Rancilio Siliva has proven itself to be durable and robust in all models to date. One design flaw is the shallow drip tray . This fills up after just a few brews and then threatens to overflow. It's also very important to consistently push the drip tray all the way back. If you fail to do so, water from the overflow valve risks running under the tray. This is not only inconvenient, but also poses a risk of rust over time.
Single-circuit and temperature difficulties
The Rancilio Silvia is a single-boiler espresso machine. Single-boiler espresso machines use a single boiler to both brew the espresso and generate the pressure needed to froth the milk. A good brewing temperature for espresso is generally around 90–94 degrees Celsius . To build up enough pressure to froth the milk, the boiler must be heated much higher. At around 120–130 degrees Celsius, the pressure built up is ideal for frothing milk.
If the Silvia only had to perform one of these two tasks, it would be among the test winners in its class in both categories. The Rancilio Silvia maintains a surprisingly consistent temperature of around 94–96 degrees Celsius in espresso mode and can be quickly brought to the target temperature with a quick rinse (letting hot water flow from the brewing head without clamping the portafilter).
The Rancilio Silvia's built-up frothing pressure is also truly impressive . Even a 0.6-liter carafe can be frothed easily in a short time. Some dual-circuit espresso machines have more difficulty with this.
The challenge lies in switching between the two functions. Once an espresso has been brewed, the boiler can be brought to the required steam pressure in about 1:30 using a button. The milk can be frothed, and the process is perfect.
However, when you want to make the next espresso, the challenges begin.
Temperature surfing with the Rancilio Silvia
The quickest way to reduce the boiler temperature is to empty the small boiler. This only holds 0.3 liters and is therefore emptied quite quickly. The steam pressure also needs to be released, so it's recommended to vent the hot water and pressure via the steam wand. At the same time, you can refill the water using the manual fill button.
This process continues until the orange heating light comes on. This indicates that the temperature in the boiler has dropped enough for the machine to heat up again.
Since it is now in “ espresso mode ,” it heats up to the aforementioned approximately 96 degrees and can be brought back to the target temperature with a quick rinse.
A portafilter that feels good in the hand
For us, the machine's high-quality impression is reflected in the portafilter. It's a real portafilter, and in no way inferior to the portafilter of a commercial espresso machine. It feels good in your hand. It weighs more than 600 grams.
The 58 mm diameter of the sieve is a classic size , which is also found in all Faema E61 brewing groups. Accordingly, there are a variety of sieves available for purchase and use. A single sieve with a stated capacity of 7 grams is included. However, the single sieve easily holds 8.5 grams, although this depends on the degree of roasting of the coffee. The double sieve, stated at 14 grams, held 17.5 grams in our test with a medium roast coffee.
Temperature 2.0 at the Rancilio Silvia
As you've already noticed, the temperature is the challenge that must be mastered . It determines whether the Rancilio Silvia is a very good or a bad machine. As explained above and in the video, the temperature can be controlled manually. Of course, there are also technical solutions. One such solution is the retrofitting of a PID controller . This allows the temperature of the Silvia to be precisely controlled.Seattle Coffee Gear has explained the installation very well in English. We will provide a corresponding explanation in German here.
Technical information and user manual Rancilio Silvia
- Single-circuit espresso machine
- Water tank 2.5 liters
- Width 23.5 cm, height 34 cm and depth 29
- Power watts: 1100
- Price: approx. 550 € / 770 CHF
- Weight: 14 kg
- Vibration pump
- Brewing boiler: 0.33 l made of brass
- Control of the boiler via thermostat
Here you can download the user manual for the Rancilio Silvia directly from Rancilio in German.
What speaks for the Rancilio Silvia
- Really good espresso
- Really good milk foam
- Milk nozzle with a lot of oomph
- Compact, solid and durable
- Relatively enormous weight for a small machine provides firm footing
- Unbeatable price-performance ratio
- Stainless steel case looks really good
- Portafilter according to catering standards
What speaks against the Rancilio Silvia
- Time-consuming switching between brewing and frothing (typical of single-circuit machines)
- Only one hole in the steam wand requires some practice when foaming, as the steam is released in very concentrated pulses
- A lot of water must be drained from the lance before frothing to avoid diluting the milk foam too much
- Small drip tray and risk of overflow
Conclusion
The Rancilio Silvia is a truly excellent espresso machine. We agree with many esteemed coffee enthusiasts, such as Arne Preuss from Coffeeness . The emphasis is on espresso. If you primarily want to make espresso, then the effort required to control the temperature is quite minimal and can be mastered quite easily. It becomes more challenging if you regularly want to drink cappuccinos and other milk-based beverages. The Silvia is perfectly suited to producing fine-pored or voluminous foam, making it ideal for latte art. However, after frothing the milk, it takes a few steps to get the temperature in the boiler back up to espresso range.
If you're ready for that and willing to accept the expense, then the Rancilio Silvia is the right machine for you. If you know that everyday equipment that doesn't run smoothly gets on your nerves, then save yourself the frustration and invest in a dual-circuit machine in the €1,000/CHF 1,200 price range.
Read more here:
- 20 mistakes when making espresso
- Why strong and weak coffee actually make sense
- Which espresso machine is right for me? Which one is right for you?
