Silvia V6 Manual Espresso Machine

5 out of 5 stars

Still going strong 4 years later - rust free!

Item reviewed: V5 Stainless Steel (no longer available)

Review by Dougal on 8 October 2017

I bought my Silvia about 4 and half years ago and can't live without her. I live at the coast on the beach, and read some reports that the machine rusts, so was curious and I opened up my Silvia to investigate. I cant detect any rust at all. I backflush every few weeks, and the only maintenance required since new was to replace the gasket where the portafilter inserts at minimal cost. The machine hasn't missed a beat and pulls the perfect shot! Read more

I would recommend this product to a friend.

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Two months and counting since I took delivery of the Ranchilio Silvia manual expresso machine and I'm delighted. Blood caffeine levels in all members of our house hold are soaring! Quick and effortless to use, the Ranchilio is everything I was told it would be. One bit of advice, however. If you do decide to acquire one of these brilliant machines, the first thing you will need to to is lose the plastic tamper!!! Read more

I would recommend this product to a friend.

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This is a great machine, and very well priced for its capabilities. It draws an espresso like a true commercial machine and makes perfect micro foam. This is the machine for someone that has some knowledge of extracting the perfect brew, as it don't have a PID you have to play around with the Temperature as it can get a little to hot. But overall a great piece of equipment for any household who loves proper Coffee! And the Rancilio Rocky grinder complements this machine well! Read more

I would recommend this product to a friend.

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At first I was tearing my hair out because no matter what I did, I just could not get any crema. Once I opened it up and gave the pressure a bit of a boost, things changed and now I am getting crema, and plenty of it.

Simple machine, no fancy bits and bobs, good old solid coffee machine. I am happy with it, yes I am!

I would recommend this product to a friend.

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I wanted to buy a decent espresso machine to make proper cappuccinos. After plenty of research and reading of reviews, I've set my mind on the Rancilio Silvia. For me it was more about superior coffee than convenience. Most people buy pod or bean to cup machines where you can press a button and have a standard cappuccino waiting. This machine however is for people who love experimenting with coffee and refining their technique to get a quality of coffee that you can only find in the best coffee shops. It involves grinding your beans (I use the Rancilio Rocky), tamping it, extracting your espresso and steaming the milk using the steam wand. Once you've mastered these techniques, you can experiment with latte art, creating beautiful cappuccinos!

It is a solid machine that will last a long time if looked after and is in a completely different class to most other machines you'll find in the shops. I can recommend this machine with the grinder, to anyone who is serious about good coffee, more than just convenience. Read more

I would recommend this product to a friend.

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This is a great machine for any enthusiast. It is a solid no nonsense workhorse. You can produce top level espresso drinks, but you do need to know what you are doing. The steam wand is really powerful and is close to a full on commercial machine. I can recommend this machine to anyone who loves to make real espressos.

I would recommend this product to a friend.

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I bought Silvia more than three years ago, to replace a fancy automatic machine that cost three times the price. Silvia is better. She is dead simple to use and clean (to be honest, I backwashed the machine for the first time ever, today). There have been no breakdowns, zero maintenance costs and consistently good and sufficiently hot coffee. Highly recommend her over more electronic, less controllable devices.

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I would recommend this product to a friend.

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This is an awesome coffee machine. If you are looking to get into coffee brewing, the Silvia is the perfect single boiler machine. It does take some time to learn how to use it and pull a proper shot of espresso, but it is well worth the time and effort, and once you have figured out how much coffee to use, how to tamp nicely, and how to steam milk you will be producing café quality coffee.

Positives:
- Commercial build quality
- 58mm commercial sized protafilter
- Very powerful steam wand
- Big water reservoir

Negatives:
- Single Boiler (you need to surf between temperatures to steam and pull shots), and it is not ideal for making multiple milk based drinks consecutively.
- Takes a while to warm up (+/- 30mins)
- The boiler does not auto-fill, in other words once you have steamed milk you must run water through the boiler to fill it up again. This also means that you cannot leave the machine on permanently as you run the risk of burning out the boiler.

I would also recommend buying a heavy tamper as the machine comes with a light plastic one. You will also only get the most out of this machine if you have a proper grinder to go along with it - I used it for a while with a cheap Krups burr grinder and could not get the grounds to the right consistency. I then upgraded the the Rancilio Rocky grinder which made a world of difference to the quality of shot that can be pulled.

I would rate this as the best single boiler home machine money can buy. Recommended if you are making no more than 2 to 3 milk based drinks at a time. If you are consistently making milk based drinks for many people at a time a single boiler machine does become time consuming - I would then rather look at a double boiler machine so you can froth and pull shots at the same time. That being said the machine is capable of making lots of milk based drinks if you have the time and patience. If you are mostly making 2-3 cups at a time this machine is a dream. Read more

I would recommend this product to a friend.

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5 out of 5 stars

I am a huge coffee snob - this is perfect!

Item reviewed: V5 Stainless Steel (no longer available)

Review by Nick M. on 13 December 2018, 1 month after purchase

Verified Owner

Firstly, whenever I travel, I take my own beans (usually Rosetta), a hand-grinder and an Aeropress or Pour-Over so that I can make my own coffee. Once, I even jumped behind the counter (upon invitation) in Texas to steam my own milk and make my own Cortado (they weren't sure how to make a Cortado, or 'Gibraltar', as it's often called by the US coffee-snobberati).

Yes, I am unabashedly a coffee-snob of the second highest order (the highest order is just pure neurosis if you ask me).

I hesitated buying this machine due to the requisite financial outlay required to slake my daily coffee addiction in-house. I even did all the calculations of how many cups it would take to pay off.

However, I am pleased to say that the Rancilio has the ability to pull shots indistinguishable (to my palate at least) from the you-need-to-get-a-bond-priced professional machine I regularly drink from at my local coffeeshop.

This isn't a press-button-drink-cappa machine - for that I recommend doing a coffee-course to improve your palate so you too can be annoyingly refreshing whenever you have coffee with friends or colleagues.

All pretence aside, this machine pulls great shots and can make fantastically silky milk. You don't need a degree in coffee-making to use it, it's really simple - but not plug and play. It took me about 5 attempts to pull shots right and a few more to get my milk just right.

If you love coffee like I do, and would love to up your game, this is a great way to do it without breaking the bank.

If you were put off by all the pretence in this review - that is a strong indication you're in the fifth order of coffee-snobriety. You should look at getting a Nespresso machine! Read more

I would recommend this product to a friend.

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Bought 2 years ago for Father's Day. Spotted rust below drip tray - contacted the supplier as it was out of warranty. Was informed that my machine is the only one so must be how we use or clean it. When the steamer switch tripped I had to open the machine and found the whole frame was rusted. When I contacted supplier I was told it is likely the fact that I live on the coast and the sea breeze causes the problem. Far too much money for something that rusts after two years. Read more

I would not recommend this product to a friend.

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This is an incredible machine. It requires some effort with tamping, dosing, grind settings and of course a little research but once you have played around with it for 3-4 weeks you will be able to make some A Grade Coffee. You need to match this machine with a decent grinder in order to get satisfying results. It also has commercial components which means this machine can and will last a long time if well looked after and maintained. I would recommend this beautiful machine to anyone. Read more

I would recommend this product to a friend.

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After substantial research, and having owned numerous cheaper espresso machines, and comparing this machine to a fully automatic bean to cup machine, I followed through on the Silvia. Well constructed, durable etc, which I'm sure you'll read about when you research further.

It must be noted, that you will not take this machine out of the box, start it up and pull a perfect espresso. It takes time to find the right grind mix (very specific) and bean to create the perfect 27sec espresso. You will be frustated, but its like learning to ride a bike, if you give up, then buy a pod machine. I roast my own beans and grind them, and I'm starting to get results, however you need a proper tamper.

The downside: Dont expect to make 6 cuppachinos, flat whites etc for a dinner party. The single boiler system doesnt allow for that, as the steam wand heats the boiler to 240'F, which is way too hot to pull an espresso again, and which then burns the beans. Alternatively, pull 6x shots and they get cold, then add the foam (but who likes cold coffee) - maybe I am yet to figure it out.

Buying the Silvia is for the love of coffee, and you'll need to spend time with it, to get it right. Read more

I would recommend this product to a friend.

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Have had this Machine for 7yrs. It has worked every day. It is wonderful. I would highly recommend as a small home coffee machine together with the coffee bean grinder.

I would recommend this product to a friend.

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I've been in the market for a good espresso machine for a while now and finally bit the bullet and purchased the Silvia and Rockey grinder.

Initial setup was pretty straight forward, but I must admit, even for a technically minded person as myself, I found using the product the first few times quite intimidating! After a few tries I started to understand how to use the Silvia and the quality of shots improved dramatically.

A bit more than a week later I am at a point where the shots I am pulling are really, really good. I am very happy indeed with my purchase.

I read a lot about people modifying the machines with PID controllers etc, but my opinion is that, once you start understanding the temperature surfing, it makes great espresso just as it comes out of the box.

I would love to see a professional barista take the Silvia through it's paces as I'm sure there is still a huge amount one can learn. Read more

I would recommend this product to a friend.

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I have the Rancilio Silva now going on two years... Brilliant, solid and no fuss artisan espresso maker, i.e. you need time to perfect the perfect shot. After two years I got there but still lots of hit and miss with micro foam... But if you take the time, the shot pulled is worth it...

Have the grinder with auto doser, works a treat...

I would recommend this product to a friend.

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Just the kind of approach to a piece of kit that I love. Not overly elaborate, not trying to do too many things. Quality build with two things in mind : Great espresso's and a powerful steaming wand.

Bit of a learning curve but the journey to great coffee is a thoroughly enjoyable one. Youtube is your friend.

One word of caution : You will either need a very good grinder or be prepared to buy ground coffee on a regular basis from someone who can grind properly for you. I had the Kitchenaid grinder and even after sending it back twice to the agent for repair it is not able to grind fine enough, and I had to buy one that could (Rancilio Rocky). This was an unexpected cost. The wrong grind throws off the whole balance of the brewing process and the result is a dreadful coffee. Read more

I would recommend this product to a friend.

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It brought new verve - or should it be gusto (closer to Italian)? - to my home espresso experience.
Many challenges though: right cup, right grind, right bean...
The fluffy milk thing, for those who corrupt their coffee with milk, is beyond me! So, I discourage cappuccino when I offer to make coffee for others.
Some instructions would have helped, but then, Google knows everything. I will have to overcome my judgement on those who put milk and/or sugar in their coffee and learn to be a home barista. (Must I do the little heart on the foam as well?) Read more

I would recommend this product to a friend.

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Excellent item, worth the money.

I would recommend this product to a friend.

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This machine has changed my life! It took a few days to get the hang of it, but the coffee is superb. It is definitely made easier by using the Rancilio Rocky Grinder to get the right grind size and consistency. A substandard grinder that doesn't have fine enough calibrations or grinds unevenly would make using the Silvia more tricky. Now to perfect my milk frothing technique....

I would recommend this product to a friend.

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5 out of 5 stars

Nearest to commercial-grade cappuccino machine at the price

Item reviewed: V5 Stainless Steel (no longer available)

Review by Philip M. on 17 September 2017

Note to Yuppiechef: you have this in the espresso machine category and not cappuccino – it does milk frothing so it does both.

It has very solid construction, with the sort of heavy brass that retains heat well that you need for pulling consistent espresso shots.

A few minor things to help (I hope not put off) prospective buyers…

Since it has a single boiler, you have to separate out operations of espresso and milk steaming that need different temperature settings. Also, you need to be sure the boiler is not dry, which I do by running water through the steaming wand as soon as I switch it on (steam mode can run the boiler dry since it does not use the pump). Since I bought mine, it seems a thermal cut out has been added, but it is a hassle to reset.

The drip tray is on the small side so you need to empty it frequently if making a lot of cups and there is any overflow (e.g. from cleaning out the group head between shots). This is particularly important as the tray sits on a base that is not stainless steel and water in that zone can be a starting point for rust.

Finally, the included filter baskets when I got mine were on the small size; I use ones from an older machine that broke. Making a good espresso shot with a very small amount of coffee is not super easy.

Despite these limitations I still rate it a 5 since it is as close as you can get to a professional-grade machine for the money.

Pod add-ons? This is a machine for someone who wants the tactile experience of the real deal and does not mind a few coffee grounds escaping into the kitchen. If you want pods, get a pod machine.

The illustrated tamper looks far nicer than the one that came with mine but appears to be an expensive extra – all you really need is something with a bit more heft than the supplied light plastic one.

If don’t yet have a good burr grinder, get one as that is another key factor in getting a great espresso shot. A chopping-blade grinder cannot give you consistent-sized granules.

Despite the limitations I list, it’s a great machine and will last you a long time compared with fancier models with more things to go wrong. Burning out the boiler and rust are the only issues I know of; the first is addressed in newer machines that have a thermal cut-out, the second by being careful about where stray water goes. Highly recommended for the home barista who can’t afford the really fancy gear. Read more

I would recommend this product to a friend.

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If you just want to make coffee, get one of the automatic espresso makers (or one of the cheaper manual machines with the pressurised porta filter or even a pod machine). Miss Silvia is for the secret Barista in you and you will need to go through more trouble than other home machines, but when you get it right, oh boy, you spoil yourself every time. It is a single boiler machine so come with all the extra care necessary with these types of machines. There is a trillion forums and YouTube videos on the internet to help you, make use of them (temperature surfing and dialing in your grinder most important). Why a single boiler then, well a double boiler is double and more the price, heat exchanger machines are more expensive, less steam power and temperature integrity are not always top notch, especially on cheaper models. Rancillio is a big name in the professional and commercial coffee world, and a lot of these commercial parts and building quality is apparent in the Silvia. From the big brass boiler to the amazing steaming power. Warning, Miss Silvia needs a proper husband, and that will be the grinder. Don’t even try to load your portafilter with pre-ground or coffee ground from a cheap grinder. Dedicated espresso grinders are expensive and my feeling is that the Silvia is useless without one, so budget beforehand if you don’t already own a proper espresso grinder. The Rancillio Rocky grinder is an excellent companion to the Silvia and is available at Yuppiechef, compared to other grinders at a very reasonable price. If you know what you are doing, Miss Silvia will treat you daily with the best cup of goodness. Be warned, you will get spoiled very fast and your local coffee shops coffee may taste not as good as you remembered, I do believe Silvia owners will become coffee snobs. Read more

I would recommend this product to a friend.

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4 out of 5 stars

Impressive little Prosumer

Item reviewed: V5 Stainless Steel (no longer available)

Review by Gareth F. on 8 January 2018, 27 days after purchase

Verified Owner

Great product, with excellent build quality. This is a good starter machine, for someone who is serious about coffee. There is a steep learning curve, however, but worth the effort if you pair this bad boy up with a decent grinder. The only 2 shortcomings on the machine are the small drainage and the lack of ability to plumb in the machine.

I would recommend this product to a friend.

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This machine is great! It’s a machine, not an appliance. The more time you put into learning about using it and about what you’re trying to achieve, the more pleasure and satisfaction it will give you. A really well-built machine that instills confidence from day 1 and allows the home barista to really learn and practice the craft. Our only regret is that we didn’t buy one sooner!

I would recommend this product to a friend.

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This is a great little coffee machine! It takes about a week to get the hang of it, but now we are consistently making very good cups of coffee, better than most coffee shops!

I would recommend it to anybody that really enjoys good coffee and appreciates the process of taking a bit of time in making a good cup.

Robust switches and great quality, built to last.

I would recommend this product to a friend.

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It functions perfectly, you need a good grinder,don't try pre ground. The crushgrind hand grinder works well with the machine, just more effort. Only con is the drip tray could be a bit bigger.

I would recommend this product to a friend.

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4 out of 5 stars

Great Quality

Item reviewed: V5 Stainless Steel (no longer available)

Review by Jacques P. on 25 June 2019, 13 days after purchase

Verified Owner

This is a great little Espresso machine, it has amazing steam pressure for very fast milk frothing. There's only one caveat you must invest in a decent coffee grinder to pull proper shots, you can't use preground filter coffee otherwise the shots pull too fast resulting in weak coffee.

I would recommend this product to a friend.

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Everything (good) you've heard about this machine is true. I came from a Breville barista express, which is a nice machine, but for my tastes, the Silvia makes better espresso. It's unforgiving, if you screw up your dosage, grind or tamp, you will see (and taste) it reflected in the shot, but making espresso is more of an "experience", where your attention to detail really does matter, and that is exactly what I wanted.

All the good things you have heard about the build quality (like a tank) are true. It has a relatively small, unassuming footprint on your kitchen counter, just oozes quality. Highly recommended if you're after pro-quality espresso. Read more

I would recommend this product to a friend.

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It is very confusing to work with the steam wand and I haven't sorted it out yet. The steam is very "watery" and it is quite a challenge to get it clear. I'm not sure yet if I shouldn't return this product. The built quality of the product is very good. Everything else is working fine.

I would not recommend this product to a friend.

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Very happy with this machine so far, pulls good espresso out of the box and there is plenty of online support to improve your use of the product.

I would recommend this product to a friend.

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4 out of 5 stars

Gives me jitters!

Item reviewed: Stainless Steel

Review by Johan A. on 13 December 2023, 18 days after purchase

Verified Owner

I love the Rancilio Silvia, always wanted one. I did lots of research before my purchase. I am very pleased with Miss Silvia😊.

You can get top-of-the-range espresso from this machine, with a little work (temperature surfing etc.) I must add. One of the highlights of my day is to make a wonderful cup of coffee!

My first proper espresso machine was a Breville Barista Express.

As a coffee enthusiast/hobbyist I grew out of the Breville Barista Express. *Most people would wonder why you would go this route.

The BBE (Breville) has a lot more features and it comes with a built-in grinder.

Well, the first thing you will grow out of is the grinder, the grinder that comes with the BBE is a basic entry-level grinder. If you know a bit about espresso, you will know that the grinder is a lot more important than the espresso machine.

The BBE also has a built-in PID (temperature control), pre-infusion, programable timing for double/single shots, etc.

The answer to this *question is that you can make commercial-grade espresso with the Silvia if you pair it with a proper quality grinder. It comes with a commercial-grade portafilter (the double basket only holds 14g of Coffee grounds, you can upgrade to an 18g basket). It gives you lots of room to grow, and it is one of the most affordable options when it comes to the top line of home espresso.

There is also lots of room for upgrades if you want to, but it is not necessary.

The Rancilio Silvia is not for everyone. I you enjoy the process of making espresso and perfecting your technique and workflow to produce the best shot of espresso then this is the best entry-level espresso machine for you!

You may also consider the Gaggia Classic Pro, but if you’re into milk-based espresso drinks then the Silvia is the way to go.

All in all, it is worth it! Read more

I would recommend this product to a friend.

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Like all machines this product needs running in. (I think!) Your in-house Barista was a great help. The product is powerful and the heating system is very effective. The quality of the coffee I make is improving and I am going to take up John's offer to drop in at your offices to see how I can improve further. It is probably too early to give a definitive review at this time.

I would recommend this product to a friend.

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Don't buy it.
Save up for a bigger, more pricey unit or stick to a french press or moka pot. The unit itself looks solid but it is just messy and impractical.

The water reservoir only holds a tiny two litres and needs constant refilling.
The percolater is small and doesn't hold enough grounds for a strong cup of coffee, which doesn't matter because you can't fit a regular coffee cup into the unit anyway.
The percolator also sprays boiling hot coffee everywhere as it brews.
The frothing stalk doesn't steam, it just spits hot water into the tiny milk jar that will fit in the unit.
For cleaning - the drip tray is ridiculously shallow. It uses a lift and slide mechanism that tips and spills excess water everywhere.
I've trained as a barista and worked with many espresso machines before, trust me - this is more trouble than it's worth.

Read more

I would not recommend this product to a friend.

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