With the Silvia Pro X, Rancilio is launching a dual-boiler machine that resembles its big sister, the iconic "Miss Silvia." There are many tried-and-true features, but also a few innovations. Will Rancilio successfully transition into the new millennium with the Silvia Pro X without losing its cult status? We put it to the test! As always, we purchased the machine ourselves and can therefore give our honest opinion. Of course, we'll also give you a few tips on how to prepare delicious espresso with the Silvia Pro X.
Many other dual boilers are on the test list and other espresso machines are on the test list.
Rancilio Silvia Pro X in a quick check
The strengths
- For a dual boiler, the Rancilio Silvia Pro X has a relatively fast heat-up time of just 8 minutes without the steam boiler. With the steam boiler, the espresso machine is ready for use in 11 minutes.
- Good temperature consistency , especially with our application tips below.
- Relatively low energy consumption for a dual boiler.
- Possibility of pre-infusion, although a longer programming time would be desirable.
- Shot timer , which indicates the time the espresso is brewed. Many espresso machines are stingy with this feature, but it's such a practical little helper.
- Robust construction and Rancilio Silvia design . Timeless and with cult status.
- Few sharp edges , as the sheet metal is bent in visible places and thus ends softly.
- Solid portafilter , but also with weaknesses.
- High-quality tamper that fits flush into the sieve.
- Good espresso performance . The coffee tastes great thanks to the harmonious overall concept of temperature, pressure, and consistency.
The weaknesses
- Tiny drip tray . In fact, the Silvia Pro X's drip tray ranks last in this category compared to other dual boilers.
- Drip tray is not permeable enough and therefore repels drips and splashes more than a grid.
- Relatively low steam power , although you can live with it.
- Portafilter not balanced.
- The portafilter spouts are positioned close together, which sometimes makes it difficult to get two cups of coffee straight and not extract onto the rim.
- No Cool Touch steam wand .
- Pre-infusion maximum 6 seconds
Test videos for the Rancilio Silvia Pro X
Click here to watch our two test videos on YouTube.
Since our test video has become a bit longer again, we have summarized the video again in a shortened form.
The exterior of the Silvia Pro X - The old Volvo among the dual boilers
The Silvia Pro X is no design marvel . Rancilio remains true to itself and has designed a machine whose design would have been equally at home in 1998: functional, solid, and understated. The comparison with an old Volvo isn't so far-fetched. Anyone who buys an old Volvo isn't looking to flaunt its design, but rather to drive a solid and safe car.
The Silvia Pro X is relatively narrow at 25.5 cm wide. It measures 40.5 cm high and 42.2 cm deep. Even with the portafilter installed, it has a total depth of just 51.5 cm, so it fits on any countertop. Weighing 20 kilograms, it sits firmly on the table and doesn't move.
Inside the Silvia Pro X are two boilers: a small 0.3-liter espresso boiler and a switchable 1-liter steam boiler . In our case, the steam boiler was deactivated upon delivery and had to be activated first.
Our machine did n't have any significant offset, so the displayed values were quite accurate. Nevertheless, we recommend having your dealer measure the coffee before purchasing. The machine doesn't have a built-in volumetric scale, so a scale underneath the espresso cups is a must!
Overall, the machine makes a high-quality impression . The metal edges are bent at the sides, eliminating any sharp edges. The gaps are also kept within limits, and the accessories fit into the overall design—functional and solid. The sieves are neat and well-sized. There's also a blind sieve for cleaning and a really nice, well-fitting tamper.
The included portafilter also feels solid. Aesthetically, the home barista world is divided. Unfortunately , due to its large mass, the portafilter is top-heavy and doesn't feel particularly balanced in the hand. Furthermore, the spouts are very close together, requiring careful aim to avoid hitting the rim of one cup when making two espressos.
The old design of the machine, while robust and time-tested, does have some drawbacks. The 2.2-liter water tank features two hoses that draw in the water. If you're not careful, you'll quickly find yourself high and dry with this system. When refilling and cleaning the tank, you must always ensure that both hoses are submerged in water. While this was once common practice, it's rarely found on modern machines today.
Another significant drawback is the tiny drip tray . Almost nothing fits into it. This is very annoying, as not only the water from the flushing shots, but also the water from the relief valve drains into it.
In everyday life, this means that you have to empty the drip tray after what feels like every second espresso. The mechanism for emptying the drip tray is so wobbly that you always end up spilling something. In addition, the grid design isn't really well thought out, and dripping water ends up standing on it. While alternative drip trays with grids are already available online, Rancilio could have easily avoided this criticism.
Temperature performance
Anyone who knows us coffee makers knows that we measure every machine down to the smallest detail, especially when it comes to temperature and temperature consistency.
First of all: The Rancilio Silvia Pro X does a really good job!
If you only want to drink espresso, you can turn off the steam boiler. This helps further reduce the machine's already low power consumption and also shortens the heat-up time. The espresso boiler reaches temperature in about 8 minutes and consumes only 0.13 kilowatts per hour during heat-up. That's a value that's even comparable to a thermoblock!
We have come to the conclusion that we reach a sufficient brewing temperature after 10 minutes plus a rinse to warm up the portafilter (see graphic above).
When measuring with the WBC protocol, we found that at higher clock speeds, the machines lose their temperature equilibrium, sometimes brewing hotter and sometimes colder. Nevertheless, the Silvia Pro X's standard deviation of 1.22 degrees is within the average range.
We achieved the best results when we left 90 seconds between individual espressos. This allowed the temperature of the Silvia Pro X to stabilize very well and deliver consistent results.
If you want to serve yourself or your guests a cappuccino, you should start the machine immediately with the steam boiler switched on and wait about 11 to 12 minutes . Although Rancilio states that the machine should reach the target temperature after just 5 minutes, our measurements show that it only reaches around 70 degrees Celsius. At this temperature, it's not yet possible to make a drinkable espresso. We therefore strongly recommend giving the large Silvia its time! The machine consumes about 0.24 kilowatts per hour to heat up both boilers, which is also a very good value and puts many machines in the shade.
In our WBC protocol, we tested the temperature stability of the Silvia Pro X under extreme load. We found that too high a frequency can overtax the machine. However, that's not a big deal, since we're not talking about a commercial machine here.
Pre-infusion – a great innovation!
And then there's something new! Rancilio offers us the option of setting a pre-infusion on the Silvia Pro X. This involves moistening the coffee puck with hot water for between 0 and 6 seconds. The vibration pump doesn't run during the pre-infusion, but only starts afterward.
What is pre-infusion good for? Ground coffee has a hydrophobic, or water-repellent, surface. If you pump water through the coffee grounds at high pressure, some areas of the coffee cake may "accept" the water sooner and allow it to pass through, while others react later. This can lead to a process known as channeling. Channeling occurs when the espresso is extracted unevenly; small channels form in the coffee cake through which the water flows too quickly. The result is an unbalanced cup of espresso.
During pre-infusion, the entire coffee cake is wetted with water . This means it comes into contact with the water without pressure and is essentially "persuaded" to allow the incoming water to pass through more easily. When the vibration pump starts up and the water flows through under pressure, the extraction is more even.
Pre-infusion isn't a must! Some coffees, especially lighter roasts, benefit more from it than others. Nevertheless, pre-infusion is a new innovation that we very much welcome. It's simply fun to experiment a little more with different coffees. If you ask us, it could have been 10 seconds, but the 6 seconds offered by Rancilio are fine too!
Espresso and cappuccino – we love it!
An espresso machine should make great espresso—and that's exactly what the Silvia Pro X does! When set up correctly, it brews truly delicious espresso of consistent quality. Pre-infusion and PID control allow us to precisely adjust all parameters and achieve the most perfect extraction possible. It's a joy!
Cappuccino preparation also works well. Because it's a dual-boiler system, there's no warm-up time required between making the espresso and frothing the milk. The steam is available immediately, which can really help when making several cappuccinos in a row!
The steam pressure of the Silvia Pro X isn't exceptionally high . Even when we set the PID control for the steam boiler to the maximum of 125 degrees Celsius, the steam power remained limited. Rancilio doesn't use a "Cool Touch" steam wand. Furthermore, the steam wand continues to blow for a short time after it's turned off. So don't pull the wand out of the jug too quickly, or you'll end up blowing large bubbles into the milk foam at the last moment!
Conclusion: A really interesting machine!
"Anything but boring." And with that slogan, the last Volvo comparison in this blog. But this comparison is also accurate. Yes, the design seems understated, almost a bit old-fashioned. The drip tray is a disaster, and the water tank is anything but a modern, clever solution. Nevertheless, the Silvia Pro X is a truly interesting machine.
The machine is ready for use very quickly, taking just 8 minutes or 11 minutes for a dual boiler. The temperature consistency is excellent! The pre-infusion option invites experimentation and gets even more out of many coffees. And most importantly: the espresso tastes great! Every espresso tastes great once the machine is up to operating temperature.
Things get really interesting when we look at the price of the machine. In Germany, it's available for around 1,400 euros, and in Switzerland for 1,600–1,700 francs. For that price, Rancilio offers a really good deal and delivers a solid machine with which you can't really go wrong. Almost like a Volvo... okay, that's it!
