Rancilio Silvia V6

“I don't recommend the Silvia. Mine is only 5 years old and is already rusty, and it's absolutely inconsistent without a PID.”

“I don't have any other issues with the machine. Been using it for two years. I don't have a PID and don't temperature surf. I adjusted the pressure to 9 bars. That was easy enough.”

“The Silvia is pricey and requires a separate espresso grinder. Because of this, it is only a good value if you want the ability to control shot length and pump pressure.”

“It's not nearly as strong or fast as the rancilio, but I don't have to wait 5 minutes for it to heat up, so it ends up being faster at the end of the day.”

“I scrapped the Gaggia Classic Crap and got a Rancilio Silvia V6. It's fantastic, froths milk like an espresso machine should, and also just feels way better in terms of quality.”

“The worst thing about the silvias — and I. Was flabbergasted they didn’t address this in the pro — is that the drip tray holds almost nothing in volume and it’s very shallow which means if you need to carry it more than a foot to a sink the chance of spilling is high.”

“My parents have the Silvia (stock) and it takes long to switch to steam mode.”

“I find Rancilio better as it has bigger boiler which is plus with steaming and temperature stability while brewing (lower temp drop). The steam wand is much nicer (GCP sucks).”

“However, the single boiler and the lack of PID should be a deal-breaker for most modern people. You get a lot of metal for your money with this model. It's a well-made machine that can last for a long time.”

“after monkeying around with it a bit I have to say, the Bambino rocks in just about every possible way unless you are VERY serious about espresso”

“Silvia is rarely on par with 'anything, anywhere'. She's a PITA to use.”

“I own a modded silvia and I am perfectly happy with the results for Espresso. The machine is perfectly capable once you add a PID controller and maybe flow control for pressure profiling.”

“What it lacks in fancy features, it makes up for with impeccable build quality and reliability. The Silvia retails around $900, which is still fantastic value given its build quality and durability.”

“A really big con for silvia in my opinion is insanely long brew to steam time. I rarely make milk drinks but when I do I don‘t feel like waiting for almost a minute. Apart from that I think Silvia is a better choice if you can afford it.”

“Recently switched from a Gaggia to a Silvia, the only thing Gaggia did better was have a seemingly bigger drip tray.”

“I really like my Silvia with Gaggimate. I think it's a really cool project. Especially if you use it to upgrade a used machine, it is a tremendously good value”

“I made the switch from a Silvia to a Mini after 10 years of Silvia. Can’t imagine using a single boiler again.”

“Silvia is about double the money compared to GCP for a reason... No plastics,build like a tank,300ml brass boiler,way better portafilter,better steaming etc”

“As a newer Silvia owner, I concur with everything you stated. Edit: I’d also like to add that the steam wand/power was significantly better than my Bambino”

“After about a month, I am finally enjoying espresso. Man, is there a learning curve! It's a finicky machine.”

“My boiler/heating element is approaching 13 years old. I had to open it to do a gasket replacement and only had one chunk of scale built up on the coil.”

“100% the Silvia... it’s built better. That being said I didn’t like either and went with the Lelit Anna.”

“I paid $325 for my 2006 Silvia and replaced the gasket and the group surround piece, and one of the clamps on a hose and it has worked great for over two years of daily use and I hope will last for years more.”

“Compared to your BBE, a Silvia is built like a tank and will last forever if properly maintained.”