Coffee - All about my Rancilio Silvia Espresso Machine and Rocky Grinder...

Pictured here is my Rancilio Silvia Espresso machine and Rancilio Rocky grinder. I would consider the Silvia to be a commercial grade machine condensed into a domestic sized body. The components used are of high quality with a marine grade brass boiler and group head. The Silvia is a fully manual machine so it takes a bit of practice to pull a great shot (even a bad shot from the Silvia is better than instant coffee). A good quality grinder and freshly roasted beans are essential to get a good pour from this machine.




The portafilter (pictured right) is made of chrome plated solid brass and it is a commercial size of 58mm in diameter. I upgraded to a Synesso ridgeless double basket which holds slightly more grinds than the original Rancilio basket, and gives a slightly better shot in my opinion. This is a very solid portafilter which you can feel in your hand, weighing in at about 600 grams.





I purchased a custom fit tamper as the supplied tamper is plastic and loosely fitting in the filter basket. I purchased the filter baskets with the tamper so they are a perfect fit. This makes the job of tamping the coffee grounds a bit easier and more consistent, giving better results in the cup.






Pictured to the right is the solid brass group head. The only disappointment for me is the chrome surround covering the group head is plastic! It would be nice if this part was made from Stainless Steel.







With the top off you can see the brass boiler to the left and conventional toggle on/off switches at the front. The Silvia is solid state, no electronics here! Apart from minor design changes, the Silvia has not changed much over the years. Treat her right and she will last many years.