Rancilio Silvia

Pros: Commercial machine for home, brass boiler, commercial-size portafilter, resale value, savings from trips to cafes.

Cons: Steep learning curve

The Bottom Line: Best machine for money, well-known name, brass boiler, high quality, and high resale value makes excellent machine. Extensive modifications available online, well worth the price even with expensive burr grinder

Review: If you have an interest in high-quality home espresso equipment then you are at the perfect place to learn more about one in particular the infamous Rancilio Miss Silvia.

This machine is by far the best machine for the money. It excels on...

Pros: This can be a great machine for those who are picky about their coffee

Cons: Unless paired with an excellent grinder you may be disappointed in the results.

The Bottom Line: In my opinion this is probably the best machine on the market for under $400.00. but don't handicap yourself by trying to use it with an inadequate grinder.

Review: I have owned the Silvia by Rancilio for almost three years now. It is a genuine espresso machine with many commericial grade parts. It is not a "steam toy" by which I mean that it has a pump designed to put hot water under several atmospheres of...

Pros: Good espresso with a good crema; easy to learn the basics

Cons: Getting it perfect takes time and practice; pricey grinder almost necessary

The Bottom Line: The Silvia is a great product, and the perfect way to bring a little taste of Rome into your daily life.

Review: In May 2008, I moved back to the United States after two years in Rome. While I've always loved coffee, anyone who's been to a coffee bar in Italy can tell you that the Italians elevate the quality and ritual of caff to an entirely different level...

Pros: Solid construction, nice design, powerful steam, makes killer espresso!

Cons: Brass shavings in steam, modest boiler size, very sensitive to bean grind and quality.

The Bottom Line: Silvia is a great home machine. Once you get the hang of using it, it'll make FANTASTIC espresso and steamed drinks. You'll also need a good quality Burr grinder.

Review: A little background about my coffee tastes:

I have been drinking coffee for about 20 years, since my teens. In my 30's, I discovered the joys of espresso, and purchased a couple "cheapie" home espresso machines. I was always disappointed...

Pros: Easy cleanup.

Cons: Noisy.

The Bottom Line: If you can't justify the Isomac, buy a Sylvia.

Review: I bought my Silvia along with a Rancilio Rocky grinder from http://www.1st-line.com/. While the grinder has been a source of frustration, the Silvia has been much better. The instructions for priming, preparing, and using the system were re-written...

Pros: Reputation! Durable construction. Commercial components. Allows for tweaking and modifications. Heavy portafilter!

Cons: Autofill for boiler would be great! Could use hotter cup warmer. Long warm up time.

The Bottom Line: You might find cheaper machines, fancier machines or ones with more gadgets, but if you buy this one, you will not find a better performing machine.

Review: In searching for an espresso machine, I discovered the enourmous amount of information on the web, far greater than any review could ever hope to give.

Firstly, I will list several resources that you ABSOLUTELY need to see before making...

Pros: Looks great, built like a tank, super espresso!

Cons: None so far.

The Bottom Line: If you want great espresso and cappuccino buy Miss Silvia!

Review: I searched long and hard on the internet to find a good home espresso machine to replace my Krups (UGH!) bad tasting coffee machine (it was one of those $49.95 numbers). OK, so beat me, I didn't know any better at the time. After tons of reading I...

Pros: Solid, Best Single Boiler Around, Great Steaming Power, Looks Great

Cons: Minor issues with the water reservoir.

The Bottom Line: For individual cups to small parties - this is the machine!

Review: My Epinions Philosophy
When I make a purchase, epinions is one of my most valuable resources for non-biased experiences and information. When I come here to research a product I read all of the reviews and the product specifications and...

Pros: Authentic espresso and related coffee drinks at home....goodbye to Starbucks and paper cups forever.

Cons: Wish it had a single extraction filter basket for that single shot.

The Bottom Line: This machine duplicates the excellent espresso and Cappuccinos of Italy. A little work to learn, but worth the time and effort for the outstanding results.

Review: My husband and I returned from our second trip to Italy in April and hauled out the small Krups espresso machine with the hopes we could brew some espresso like we had enjoyed daily on our trip. Well, after a few tries, we remembered why it had been...

Pros: Rugged, professional, great results

Cons: Not automatic, this is a manual machine in every respect.

The Bottom Line: So far this machine does what it says it can do - make great espressi!

Review: It is December 30th; five days after my wife opened her new Rancilio Ms. Silvia from Santa. Why write a review so soon? Because Santa was intimidated in bringing it and we were both intimidated in trying it, anticipating long and boring Sunday...