Review on Rancilio Silvia Espresso Machine - Iron Frame, Stainless Steel Side Panels, 11.4" x 13.4 by Philip Anderson

Except perhaps for the Expobar office, which tops the list in the sub-$1,000 price range, the Rancilio Silvia should be your only home choice. espresso machine. Sylvia is built like a tank. Treat it right, keep it clean and it will serve you for many years. What You'll Need: * The portafilter (the part where the coffee is placed) is solid, full-size, chrome-plated brass. It retains heat well, so the drink that enters your cup is at the right temperature. The 58mm diameter filter basket lets you brew a healthy dose of coffee.* 3-Way Solenoid Valve: The electric brew solenoid valve opens to allow water to flow through the brew head and coffee. When the brew switch is turned off, it immediately relieves pressure on the coffee grounds and dumps excess into the drip tray. The result is a compact portion of brew set that's easy to tap out of the filter.* Reliable switches and mechanical components: Rocker switches are reliable and durable. The internal piping is securely fitted and the lines from the boiler are brass-copper. There's no fiddly electronics in this box - solid wiring, spade points, mechanical switches. This has an unpleasant side effect, but more on that later: Omnidirectional steam wand: It's mounted on a ball joint, so it rotates where you want it, not just sideways. Good for tight spaces.* Easy to use: very few errors. There is no built-in meat grinder. No automatic brewing or cumbersome push-button controls that cause crashes.* All-Metal Body and Frame: Easy-care polished stainless steel trim. Wipe occasionally with a damp cloth and mild soap. Cast iron frame. Pretty damn heavy when you move it, but it doesn't flex and keeps everything securely in place. This machine does not vibrate by itself. What you may not like: * The lines from the tank and pump to the boiler are made of silicone rubber and/or high temperature flexible vinyl. It's a problem for some people.* The tank isn't the biggest and can only be accessed from above - it can't be lifted without a large gap. You can fill the reservoir with water, but you must have space to reach it.* Brewing evenly with the Silvia takes some practice. This simple design has been around for decades and uses electromechanical thermostats with a fairly wide deadband in the middle. Temperature surfing Google search will help you get more consistent results. That's the main complaint people have about Silvia.* The large brass kettle takes a long time to heat up from brewing temperature to steaming temperature. If you're making a lot of milky drinks it'll have plenty of capacity, but you'll need to make all your coffees first before switching to steam. In the box. Purchase a well-machined aluminum or steel rammer, preferably one with a non-metal handle. Tapping the portafilter with a steel plunger (as opposed to a wooden/nylon handle) to set the grind will dent the brass. They are easy enough to connect to a person with basic mechanical and electrical knowledge. Not essential when learning Silvia functions, but a smart project when you want precision. You can't expect decent results from a pump-powered espresso machine without constant grinding, no matter what you're told. Yes, that means you have to spend at least another hundred dollars on a coffee grinder to get at least a basic cone burr machine. However, after a decade of experience with espresso at home, I firmly believe that Silvia is the best choice. for the vast majority of coffee lovers who don't want to break into the four-figure consumer market. At this price you can get more automation, but at the expense of reliability/durability in my opinion. And while you can fix Silvia thermostat issues if you want, you can't fix durability/performance issues with other machines.