Rancilio Silvia & Mazzer Mini

Union Cafe in Montreal offered me a Rancilio S24 which they had used for a week at a trade show at a very decent price. Sending me on a frantic search for information regarding the specific model. Along the way, I found a link to a new Silvia for a fantastic price. I bought it as well as a Mazzer Mini.

The Silvia came first despite the delay at Loomis (highly not recommended). I practised with a pack of Lavazza Rosso preground but unable to make a decent cup of espresso - sour, black with no crema. I was almost beginning to rate it a dud based on what I read about other people's first experience with the Silvia. I finally made my first decent espressi when the Mazzer arrived with both Union Cafe's standard Espresso blend and the Colombian Decaf - 2oz in 25 seconds with plenty of crema!

Despite what I read online, I ground fine and do very minimal tamp, with the Silvia tamper(!). I don't find the default basket insufficient at all, My usual dose fills the basket and pack almost to the spring line when tamped. I consistantly make better coffee than the inconsistant ones at my local cafe. Currently I am making about 10 doubles a day and drink about 8.

I temperature surf when I can, out of curiousity but even the cooler pulls, about when the thermostat kicks in, are drinkable. Maybe it is the Union Cafe coffee, or my wife's singlehandedly-supporting-an-economy Pimax water filter! I don't drink frothed milk, but can now froth "velvety microfoam" 40% of the time. Not consistent enough to show off!

In conclusion, buy a Mazzer Mini, it grinds and sounds very nice! The Silvia is may be the cheapest decent espresso machine out there, but you have to put up with the inefficiency of not able to do continuous run, no heat exchanger, no temperature control... features that should but may not even be available if you are spending three times that much. I was also considering the Giotto (love the manual flip switch) and the Livia.

Gimmick I have acquired since: a stanless steel backflushing basket, a Rancilio water softener - the one that comes with the S24....

Several coffe links
coffekid-Rancilio
coffeekid-Miss Silvia
coffeekid-Grinder Guide
Illy


Friday, 2 May 2003
Still operating well. I am consistently making better coffee than my local coffee shops. The need to cool the boiler after frothing milk or else you get burnt coffee is annoying me somewhat. Latest addition is a commercial spring for the portafilter. No more looking for filter in the trash can.