tonini Senior Member Joined: 22 Jan 2013 Posts: 7 Location: GTA, Ontario, Canada Expertise: Just starting
Espresso: Silvia V3 Grinder: Preciso
Posted Tue Jan 22, 2013, 3:57pm Subject: Silvia or Alternative.
I am an Espresso Newbie. I am looking to get into my first machine and grinder. I have been reading for months on here at CG and HB. I see people say the silvia is outdated and really is a little over priced considering how dated it is. One problem, after these comments there is never a real true definite alternative. There is a store near my house selling a Demo Ascaso Dream up for $399 that I am debating on. I have a budget of around $1000 before tax for Grinder and Machine. My grinder is a debate between the Rocky, Preciso or Vario. My biggest goal of this is to get a good Espresso Machine that is reliable. I could care less for the fancy gadgets, I am interested in reliability. I have read so many articles, so any suggestions you could personally recommend to me would be perfect.
jwoodyu Senior Member Joined: 31 Dec 2010 Posts: 704 Location: Michigan Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Allex Duetto II Grinder: Mazzer Major Roaster: Poppery
Posted Tue Jan 22, 2013, 4:18pm Subject: Re: Silvia or Alternative.
Baratza Preciso and a CC1. Better yet a Mazzer Major and Mypressi Twist.
You know those people that want to tell you how to raise your kids but have none of their own? That is how i feel when someone with a kitchen appliance tells me how the merits or dis-merits of my machine or how to use it.
Iluvdabean Senior Member Joined: 7 Mar 2005 Posts: 1,058 Location: California Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: La Nuova Era Cuadra/Gaggia... Grinder: Baratza Preciso/K-A Pro... Drip: Capresso MT 500/Pour Over Roaster: Nesco 1010/Behmor 1600
Posted Tue Jan 22, 2013, 11:06pm Subject: Re: Silvia or Alternative.
The reason that there are so many opinions about Rancilio Silvia and the Gaggia Classic is because they have had so many, many, many people use them for years. My Gaggia Classic has every single day for the last five years worked like a champ.Many people here will report 10 to 15 years of use with either of these machines. If I were you Ide go with the Silvia due to brass boiler. For another hundred over your budget your could get the Silvia V3 and a Baratza Vario. Which any serious espresso person will tell you that is a very good place to start. The Rancilio is built like a tank. If you want my second opinion and you want to go over budget and get another great machine with more adjustability. One that can brew and steam at the same time I would say Quickmill SIlvano and Baratza Vario grinder. But trust me you need to start somewhere and a Silvia V3/Vario is a great place.
tonini Said:
I am an Espresso Newbie. I am looking to get into my first machine and grinder. I have been reading for months on here at CG and HB. I see people say the silvia is outdated and really is a little over priced considering how dated it is. One problem, after these comments there is never a real true definite alternative. There is a store near my house selling a Demo Ascaso Dream up for $399 that I am debating on. I have a budget of around $1000 before tax for Grinder and Machine. My grinder is a debate between the Rocky, Preciso or Vario. My biggest goal of this is to get a good Espresso Machine that is reliable. I could care less for the fancy gadgets, I am interested in reliability. I have read so many articles, so any suggestions you could personally recommend to me would be perfect.
tonini Senior Member Joined: 22 Jan 2013 Posts: 7 Location: GTA, Ontario, Canada Expertise: Just starting
Espresso: Silvia V3 Grinder: Preciso
Posted Wed Jan 23, 2013, 3:19am Subject: Re: Silvia or Alternative
Thank you all for your replies. The silvano is just to much. All of the stores near me selling them are 1100 plus. I looked at the cc1 reviews but it didn't do much for me. I'm so skeptical of thermoblocks. All though there is a store near by which is selling the gaggia classic and mdf combo for 799. Are the newest gaggia's worth it? If they are still going for 10-15 years like someone said I would think that would be great. I'm pretty sure it is also a thermoblock but if it has legendary reliability I can live with that for sure.
CMIN Senior Member Joined: 14 Jun 2012 Posts: 509 Location: South FL Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: Crossland CC1 Grinder: Baratza Preciso
Posted Wed Jan 23, 2013, 7:10am Subject: Re: Silvia or Alternative
tonini Said:
Thank you all for your replies. The silvano is just to much. All of the stores near me selling them are 1100 plus. I looked at the cc1 reviews but it didn't do much for me. I'm so skeptical of thermoblocks. All though there is a store near by which is selling the gaggia classic and mdf combo for 799. Are the newest gaggia's worth it? If they are still going for 10-15 years like someone said I would think that would be great. I'm pretty sure it is also a thermoblock but if it has legendary reliability I can live with that for sure.
It's a single boiler machine (single boiler dual use), the CC1 has a boiler and a separate thermoblock for steaming which makes switching back and forth very fast vs the Classic or Silvia, as well as the built in PID for full temp control/preinfusion etc. You have to add that to the Silvia or Classic otherwise you have to learn temp surfing.
calblacksmith Moderator Joined: 25 Nov 2007 Posts: 5,684 Location: Riverside, Ca, U.S.A. Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: ECM Veneziano A1 Grinder: Many different commercial Vac Pot: 40s era Silex Drip: Milita, Bunn&Curtis... Roaster: Cast iron pan, gas burner
Posted Wed Jan 23, 2013, 7:51am Subject: Re: Silvia or Alternative
I have a Sylvia I bought and rebuilt for a work machine, I would take a CC1 in a heart beat straight across trade(no PID on Sylvia) if someone offered me the chance, it is a much better machine. Once you add a PID to Sylvia, it is nearly the same machine but you still need to wait for the switch to take place. But then a new Sylvia with PID, you might as well spend a few dollars more and buy a REAL machine that can both steam and brew, back to back without a hickup, a machine such as an Oscar. OH, BTW, Used Oscars are about $500 and are in a whole higher class than ANY SBDU machine. YMMV!
Other than that, ya, a Major and a twist if you don't need to steam milk. OH, you might need to add an electric kettle to that but that will be less than $50.
A used Oscar and a used SJ, under $1K with a little shopping and a much higher quality level than anything you could buy new for the same price. I took care of gatherings of 50 people with an Oscar and a SJ. Back to back to back drinks without skipping a beat but then I guess that is just me.
In real life, my name is Wayne P.
Feed the newbs, starve the trolls and above all enjoy what you drink!
tonini Senior Member Joined: 22 Jan 2013 Posts: 7 Location: GTA, Ontario, Canada Expertise: Just starting
Espresso: Silvia V3 Grinder: Preciso
Posted Wed Jan 23, 2013, 8:07am Subject: Re: Silvia or Alternative
I like the idea of the used oscar and SJ. I shall look into that more. Can't say I know a store that sells them near me in the GTA but I will do some research and check classifieds.
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