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Reviews

4.2

104 reviews
5
(68)
4
(16)
3
(4)
2
(9)
1
(7)
  • Build Quality
    4.4 (9)
  • Value for Money
    4.6 (9)
  • Ease of Use
    4.9 (8)
  • Cleaning & Maintenance
    4.5 (8)
  • Noise Level
    3.7 (3)
  • Product is used
    • Daily (6)
    • Several times a week (1)
  • Consistency
    4.9 (8)
  • Milk Frothing
    4.9 (7)
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Reviewer Photos & Videos

teckleicq

teckleicqAdelaide

  • 12 reviews
  • 3 likes

Great espresso maker, if you know how to use it properly!

published

I've had this coffee machine for over 5 years now, and until a few months ago I was wondering why I wasn't getting great coffee out of it, and whether it needed a service, or something.
I googled and watched some video tutorials and found out it needed finer ground coffee in order for it to work at its best and since then i've been getting much better coffee from it.
Fairly easy to clean with the group head, catcher, frother, tray and tray cover to clean after making a flat white, but it is no Nespresso machine in convenience.
Do your research and get to know how to use your Rancilio Silvia first and maintain it with decalcification and cleaning the group head.

Date PurchasedJul 2011
Matt B

Matt BMelbourne

  • 2 reviews

Solid construction, works well

published

It makes a good coffee, doesn't have the double boilers that a lot of the newer machines do or the dials and sensors that you could get in a similarly priced machine now.
Simple and easy to use, though you need to let it sit for about 10minutes to warm up, even though it may say it is ready the head and group need to be warm as well to make good coffee. Pressure and temp are good
Cleaning is simple, robust design, mines lasted 5 years.

Date PurchasedMar 2011
Lrey

LreyPerth

So disappointing...

published

Purchased this machine because of its fantastic reviews, many of my friends have had theirs for years and very happy. Unfortunately, I have not had this experience and I am obsessive about looking after my machine. In the three years I have had it I have had the element replaced twice.

Date PurchasedDec 2015
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Donna Byrne

Donna ByrneBrisbane

  • 3 reviews
  • 1 like

Love this coffee machine

published

Absolutely can not live without this machine, it is a machine that is easy to use and can be easily cleaned. I have had the machine for over a year now and has not missed a heart beat. It still leaves the flavour of the beans at its fullest that delivers you an amazing coffee



Date PurchasedDec 2015
purplethings

purplethingsGreater Melbourne (Inner), VIC

  • 24 reviews
  • 1 like

Coffee is a must!

published

If you are after a coffee machine that is not automatic, this is a good one. It does take a little practice in the beginning to get the coffee the way you like it (trying out different grinds and types of coffee etc), once you are there you can make a consistent great tasting coffee. There is a little work involved in cleaning it, however by taking care of the machine and keeping it clean, the coffee tastes much better.

Date PurchasedApr 2016

Once a fantastic Machine punching above its weight, but new ones iffy. They have trashed the name.

published

My version from what I'm hearing was the last one of quality. It needs some attention now (perhaps a new element, but hopefully just electrics, will know soon) Turns out Rancilio have cheapened all components to the point where its not really serviceable any more. The replacement element according to the repairer only last a year or so, and they aren't cheap to replace. This downgrading began with my model cosmetically (started using plated plastic instead of the old real metal etc) and apparently continued into the innards now with really cheap parts being used. Why they didn't go with a higher price and keep the quality I don't know but wouldn't now buy another.

Date PurchasedOct 2009
Sceptic

ScepticInaminka

Be very careful of this lemon

published
Date PurchasedApr 2016
1 comment
Sceptic
Sceptic

I wrote the review that began..."Context: Seven (7) home espresso machines since 1982." Would you like another more detailed review of the Rancilio after a further 3 months of fine tuning and despair?

awesome machine. Get a PID. Patience.

published
Date PurchasedAug 2009

Fiddly & time consuming

published

Before buying the latest Rancho Silvia, I read a number of product reviews & almost seemed to say this was a great machine. But I find the relatively small water reservoir, lack of any gauge to tell how much water is in it & the absolutely token drip tray painful features. I also hadn't heard about the water temperature issues until just now & didn't know I had to "temperature surf" to hit the right temp. The small basket is useless, as is the tamper. So all in all, I find the Silvia way too fiddly to be fun. It's a real disappointment. The Rocky grinder is good.

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Anthony Goodwin

Anthony GoodwinLong Jetty, New South Wales

  • 8 reviews
  • 7 likes

If you know what you're doing, this is your best value for money machine

published

Ok, so I've had mine for a few years now. Use it 2-3 times a day. Invest in a good grinder or you are wasting your time. To get best results, you also gotta buy a thermostat switch unit on ebay. It takes a bit of fiddling, but once on, you have all the control you need. Do your steamed milk first, then switch over to the extraction run water through till you are at 96 degrees celsius. Then pop in your group and run your coffee through.... DON'T leave your machine on, you'll burn it out! Another tip for longevity is to keep your steam wand stationary and the gaskets and seals will last longer.... mine has been serviced twice

Disgruntled consumer

Disgruntled consumer

  • 3 reviews
  • 7 likes

Great machine straight outa the box

published
Domino1352

Domino1352Victoria

  • 2 reviews

Had mine for 12+ years

published

Perfect reliability
No problems with spare parts (only needed a tine spring for steam tap).
Makes 4+ coffees EVERY day.
Pulled boiler apart only twice to descale. Easy job all you need is hex key and screw driver.
(Takes some before photos to, particularly wire locations).
I would definitely recommend!!

Rocks

Rocks

  • 2 reviews

Problems With My Rancilio

published

Supposedly the top of the line in home espresso machines, "a highly reliable machine, producing great coffee every time". This is not my experience. An issue with the thermostat on my machine took months to resole. My experience has been poor, both with the machine and the retailer Coffee Aroma.

Mark

MarkMelbourne

  • 19 reviews
  • 14 likes

Great Machine

published

Great single boiler machine which is great fun and makes great coffee. Looks great too and has a fairly small footprint so doesn't take up too much space in the kitchen. Has never let me down and other than monthly back flush cleaning hasn't required any maintenance. Overall I am very happy with it & would recommend it as a first serious expresso machine.

lem

lemWarrandyte

  • 3 reviews
  • 1 like

Nice machine

published

Perfect machine for espresso use. It's pushing about 10 -15 espresso's a week for the last 10 years. Needs routine maintenance and cleaning, which can be found easily on the web. Not the machine I would recommend for making cafe latte or cappuccino due to single boiler design. You would need to spend double for a decent double boiler machine.

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Great option

published

For price and usability you can't do much better. Makes a great coffee. Steam is strong. It is easy to clean. Looks good sitting on the bench in the kitchen. I had read other reviews and was impressed by others thoughts which made it an easy decision to buy this one.

Brad

BradSydney

  • 29 reviews

Working flawlessly for 4 years now.

published

I was a little hesitant at first because at the time $850 was a lot of money to spend on a coffee machine, and I was going through a bit of a coffee phase which I didn't know was going to last. Bought the Rocky grinder as well. I am pleased to say that after 4 years and an estimated 800 cups of coffee, it is still working flawlessly. Produces great espresso shots with crema, and with a little bit of practice you can froth the milk to perfection.

Matty

MattySouth East Queensland, QLD

  • 4 reviews
  • 7 likes

She works hard for the money

published
Andrew

AndrewMelbourne

  • 5 reviews

incredibly reliable - but not foolproof

published
Ingoo

IngooPerth

  • 3 reviews
  • 1 like

Almost perfect, for the money

published
Page 3 of 6
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Questions & Answers

Sharon

Sharonasked

Silvia

My silvia has started to splatter and spit when I try to make coffee - coffee all over the place - the steamer is fine. Any help?

3 answers
Makingtide
Makingtide

Sound like the gasket in the group head is gone or there is stuff stuck to the gasket so it doesn't form a good seal. Be wary about using it as the boiler has a tendency to bake the electrical wiring loom brittle and if there is water spraying around and it is getting inside the unit you run a risk of electric shock. This happened with mine. I don't trust Rancilio anymore - not the quality they profess to be.
I'd get it serviced ASAP.

Sharon
Sharon

Ok I will thank you very much very much appreciated

Sharon
Sharon

Sorry espresso machines

Rob_lam

Rob_lamasked

Silvia

I don't seem to be able to get the expresso to creme

3 answers
Chris
Chris

I will try to help. Its a combination of coffee quality, grind, tampering and water temp temperature. Let's assume the quality is okay and you know how to get the right temperature on the machine. Grind the coffee to the granularity of caster sugar. Fill the basket with 15 -18 grams of coffee. Tamp it down with 30 Pounds or 12 Kilo of hand tamper pressure. Load the group handle and when the light indicator is correct. run the water pump through the coffee for around 30 seconds. If the coffee bubbles through too fast, the grind is too coarse or not enough coffee. If it struggles to drip coffee into the cup, the coffee is too fine or there is too much coffee. Experiment with coarser or finer and tamper pressure. Let me know how this goes.

Chris
Chris

This might help a little to see the result you should be aiming for.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjS8h5DSW3M

Chris
Chris

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5cdYyrvlWM

Peter S.

Peter S.asked

Silvia V5

Where can we purchase the Silvia and Rocky grinder with tamper?
Are they sold as a set?
Any suggestions, I live in Brisbane

1 answer
bilnrobn
bilnrobn

There are plenty of Australian sources. Here is one https://www.coffeemachinespecialist.com.au/shop/rancilio-silvia-with-doserless-grinder-package/ Google to find others. You my need to buy online. Any Rancilio supplier would have them or could get them. This one is in Brisbane, but you may still need to buy online as it is through ebay. https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Rancilio-Silvia-V5-Espresso-Machine-Brisbane-Miss-Sylvia-Coffee-Machine-Maker-/172089351293

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