Rancilio Silvia Espresso Machine

There really is a difference between using an espresso machine made from brass and stainless steel and all the rest made from aluminum and light guage stainless steel. But except for the Rancilio Silvia, you will have to spend a lot of money. The Silvia is the cheapest serious espresso machine out there. There is only one boiler for both steam and brewing and this is not typical for high end espresso machines. The rest are "heat exchanger" type systems which are a lot more expensive to produce. The lack of immediate steam is a minor irritation for the latte or cappacino fan. Still, the Silvia has a huge following of fans ready to apply the machine to connoisseur levels of espresso making. There are a lot of these machines out there.

Espresso Machines & PID's - a look at quality.


Getting ready to buy an espresso machine with a PID, or about to buy a PID kit for your espresso machine? Have you done the necessary homework to find out what a PID adds to an espresso machine?


A PID is basically a replacement for the OEM bi-metallic, mechanical thermostat (tstat) that comes standard on consumer espresso machines. The tstat is notorious for having a wide dead-band - that is the range of temperatures above of below the tstats preset temperature limit. This dead-band has been measured to be 30 - 40 degrees Fahrenheit - that means the actual temp may be as much as 20 degrees above or below a tstats typical operating limit of 200 degrees.


Since espresso is best made within a temperature range of 196 - 203 degrees Fahrenheit, it's obvious that the OEM tstats are an obstacle to making good espresso. That's where a PID comes in; with the electronics of a PID controlling the brewing temperature of an espresso machines boiler, the coffee will be better and you'll know that you're making coffee that's equal to what's being made with machines costing thousands of dollars more.

There's also the issues of which PID's to use & where to locate them.

Too often you'll see installers mounting the PID next to the group head or actually *inside* the machine case. This is just bad engineering practices; putting electronics too close to heat sources and in a potentially wet environment. Most quality temperature controllers have a maximum recommended operating temperature of ~130°F. The home espresso machine group heads typically are maintained at ~200°F, and the boilers of HX machines are usually set at ~254°F. This is way above the max temp ratings of even the best American & UK made controllers, and far beyond the Chinese controllers so frequently used. And of course, anyone who's ever looked inside a HX machine knows that water leaks are inevitable - in fact, the anti-vacuum valve always lets moisture escape until the boiler is above the boiling point.

I'd think hard about the wisdom of mounting PID's in such hostile environments. Two company's insist on mounting their Chinese controllers like this. The other two kit producers do not recommend this practice. Just look at the espresso machines listed to the right. See all those with PID's mounted next to the group? They won't last long in that hot environment!

Then there's the question of what PID to get for your espresso machine? Well, there are PID kits and installs & there are PID kits and installs - some with parts made in the U.S. or Great Britain and some with parts made in countries with less-than-stellar reputations for quality control. If it was my money being spent I'd also want to know that my PID & power controllers weren't made in a country with a less-than-stellar human rights track record. But that's me - I care about things like that. I also don't care to spend big bucks on a cheap $10 Chinese knock off of a legitimate American or UK made product. What will you be spending your money on?

Since I am not enough of an aficionado to have owned any other espresso machines than this one, I can only report that I was recommended to this machine over all the others as a first machine to get for home use. With very little effort you will find reports, comparisons, and reviews elsewhere on the web. My experience however has been that the machine is neat and trim on the countertop and it makes a great cup of espresso and great steamed milk drinks. I also think that wholelattelove.com is a great store to deal with.

Good construction and easy to use. Great quality of espresso if you practice a while. Good coffee grinder and tamper is important. Please be prepared to buy them.

Thought simplistic in design, it delivers on all aspects. Many things can be said about this machine, and anyone who has done any research knows most of them. For home use, this is a lifetime machine for daily use. If you're making quite a few drinks, say for a party, this machine will take a bit longer as I feel it is good for a one/two at a time use. Otherwise this machine is a perfect addition for anyone just beginning into the world of espresso, to those latte addicts looking for an advanced home solution. Love it.

I love the Silvia, although she is a little particular at times. Finding the right grind and correct tamping pressure is kind of annoying, but past that the coffee is amazing. I had previously had the starbucks barista and this machine blows it out of the water. A bad shot from Miss Silvia is better then a good shot from from the starbucks barista. I recomend getting the naked portafilter, and a 3 shot basket, but I have not gotten mine yet. I order them from (coffeeladycarol) on Ebay 2 weeks ago and no communication or responses to my emails. the machine has a long warm up period with its 12 oz boiler, but that is easily solved by attaching it to a wall timer just make it come on 30 min prior to using it. I recomend this machine to everyone, you will not be sorry.

We are very pleased with the Rancillo Silvia Espresso Machine. After our research this machine proves to be the best for our needs.

I selected this machine after a lot of research into the world of making Espresso. It came highly recommended. I believe in "form follows function" and this espresso machine certainly fits that. I like the construction. It is built like a tank. It does require a learning curve to learn to operate it properly. But that is OK. That fits my personality. The instruction manual is not as detailed as I would like. However, there is all the information you will ever need about this machine available at many sites on the internet. Overall I am very happy with it.

The Silvia is the gold standard of home espresso machines. Adding a PID makes it thoughtless to get great espresso every time.

My second expresso machine and still worth every dollar no questions asked, will never buy another automatic espresso machine after this one. 19 months of daily use and no issues to report... as the shop owner I get my coffee from once said 'They're built like a tank'. Being a single boiler it does take a bit of planning if using the steamer, the grind and tamper has to be just right so a good grinder and tamper is a MUST... But boy once you get the grind just right and learn to do a little temperature surfing just before pulling your shot, you're sure to fall in love with it every time...

I used to have a Gaggia Coffee which worked great but because it has the aluminum top to the boiler it has been repaired twice for corrosion. I heard the Rancilio does not have this - being all brass. I am pretty good at getting a good extraction from shots that I pull. I just have to do a little "temp surfing" at the begining with the Rancilio cause it seems to run a little hot after the light goes out, other than that it's just the beans, grind, tamp and temp. I think this unit is built like a tank. I wish it was plumbed and had a PID and a second boiler for the steam - but otherwise I'm completely satisfied with my purchase and would recommend this unit to others.

A search of best espresso makers turned up a website that recommended this machine if all you want is a real work horse.

That it is. I've had 4-5 makers over the years, culminating in the last Briel I'll ever own. Piece of junk that doesn't hold a candle to the Rancilio.

It takes about 10-15" to reach ideal temperature, and an automatic shutoff after a half cup of water runs through it would be a nice addition but
that is a minor flaw.

I didn't like the catch basin under the removable tray. It holds less than a cup of water and when removed to throw the water away seems to get all over the place. So I drilled a 1/4" hole in the rear of the catch basin, ran a 1/4" piece of tubing about 1" into basin, routed the other end of the tubing through a pre-drilled hole in the bottom. Now I never have to remove the basin; overflow water just drains into the tube, and out into the sink right beside the espresso maker.

Highly recommend this machine.