The idea that a company can have a patent on using a potentiometer on electrical device is mind blowing. Pots were invented 180 years ago, the only place to use them is on electrical devices. There is no way breville is the first company to put them on a pump
Totally agree. That patent is bogus. But then one company extorted millions out of Microsoft by patenting one button press for starting recording video on a PC playing a TV channel.
Exactly. Breville makes disposable appliances and sells them based upon marketing features. That is the way of most large corporations. If you want something built to last, the premium you pay is hard to justify in most cases..@@DaveT-cv9gp
After shopping for say, ten years or so for an espresso machine, this Rancilio ticks the most of my boxes and one will soon be on its way. Thank you for a thorough and digestible review. While the X is a relatively "new" model for Rancilio, they seem to measure their product cycles by decades, and that works for me. Don't knock the soft infusion too much. Rancilio says the goal is to reduce channeling and your boy Tate seems to agree. Still, this is a machine that will put a quality espresso in your hands quickly and with little fuss. Spend much more money on another machine and you will find yourself deep into E-61 Land, geeking out to try to obtain conditions over a longer time period what the Silvia X already does for you inside of 15 minutes. I'll stick to pour-over for lighter roasts. Can I get one in a nuclear fallout motif?
Happy to see this pop up! I have a Silvia Pro X and am very happy with it. Bought it from Pantechnicon Design - same standard retail price, but includes their replacement drip tray (SO much better!), a naked portafilter, and custom wood accents.
Let is know how the plastic drip tray deformes over time. And how often you cut your fingers and/or microfiber cloth when cleaning the ultra sharp grill. And if your nice wooden steam knob fell off. And what your feelings are about the somewhat thin walled (at least stainless) bottomless PF. All practical experience - I just dislike what they charge for those mediocre parts when bought as retrofit
Fair enough! I didn't pay anything extra for those components since I bought direct from Pantechnicon, they were included in the same purchase price as buying new from someone else. They are not cheap when purchased separately, and I imagine I'd be frustrated if I had the experience you describe. I haven't experienced the things you describe, but I will be aware if they do. @@Martin-i8o8n
@@Martin-i8o8n Almost 2 years in from using the replacement drip tray and steam knob from Pantechnicon so here's my opinion... (if you are actually interested but you seem like you already have your own preconcieved opinion without owning these items yourself.) The drip tray is as good as the day I bought it. No deforming at all. No complaints. Amount of cuts received from the grill... None. The steam knob hasn't fallen off and as it has a grubber screw holding it in place I don't expect it to either. Unlike the original steam knob that was just push on, pull off with nothing to keep it in place. So yeah, good replacement parts. The drip tray in particular is a very worthwhile upgrade. No complaints with regards to build quality. The only complaint I have was the original price being a bit expensive. But they are optional upgrades made in low volume by a third party so I kinda understand the pricing. Pleased I bought them. Sorry if that isn't what you wanted to hear.
Everyone is thinking it Lance…but not enough comment it. Thanks for your passion, instruction, consistency and dedication to this channel. I have learned so much in the past year and I love this new hobby. I’ve made thousands of dollars worth of purchasing decisions with your guidance.
I've had a Rancilio Silvia V2 for 15 years. I've never had to replace anything. 2 cappuccinos a day minimum, Brita water, very average maintenance, but I always kept the group clean. It continues its life with my sister, who is very happy with it. The Silvia starting to have slight leaks in the steam arm, nothing too serious to repair. You can't kill this thing.
I've had my silvia V1 for 23 years. Original boiler still. I have only changed gaskets and done maintenance. I use the machine everyday and it will never die.
I bought a second hand Silvia V5 when I had a brand new Breville Dual Boiler. I was very impressed with the quality of the Silvia, no issues apart from having to change a new gasket on the group head. On the other hand, I started having issue on steam pressure with BDB. I decided to sell BDB and upgraded to Silvia Pro X, it has been over a year now, no regret and very happy with my Silvia Pro X.
I upgraded from a gaggia classic to this. Enjoying it so far. Your review is the 1st one that I’ve seen that actually explains the difference between their “soft infusion” and pre infusion. Thanks for that! I actually enjoy my shots with a shorter soft infusion. Or even having it off completely
I'm here and waiting for you to review the Silvia Pro X's direct competitor, the Lelit Elizabeth V3. The Elizabeth circumvents your gripes with the soft infusion by programming an initial pump run into it. But I want to see how you test its thermal stability as it gets its preinfusion pressure from the steam pressure.
No one expects the unexpected Monty Python reference! Its chief weapon is surprise...surprise and fear! Its 2 weapons are fear and surprise...and a ruthless dedication to Brit comedy... our three......
Thanks for the review! I've had one of these for almost 4 weeks now - I went for white though (I just can't imagine having that leopard print on my bench, but each to their own). I was initially worried about the drip tray too having read reviews, but in practice it's never been an issue - I make anything from 4-8 milk coffees a day, I might empty the tray every 2 days on average and don't think I've come close to overfilling and making a mess. I don't purge the steam wand into the drip tray because the wand slightly slightly too long in my opinion, or the tray cover is too high at the lower setting - if you bring the wand down to purge into the tray it'll make contact with the cover. Not sold on preinfusion myself, I actually turned it off a few days ago as an experiment to see what changed - I haven't noticed any difference except maybe my pucks are a bit drier some of the time. I like that it has auto power off/standby (because I'm lazy) and the auto power on might be handy for people who get up early (but it's annoying that it needs to be set up every time) - I thought I might use it but haven't yet, as it's really quick to warm up - not as good as a thermoblock obviously but it's not so long as to be annoying. The steam wand is better than my old Lelit (and far better than my old Breville Barista Pro) - steams in half the time. I too wish it came with a naked portafilter (I need to buy one) and a better tamper than the plastic one. But overall it seems to be built like a tank, it fits nicely on the bench, and almost matches the white Niche Zero I bought to go with it. And perhaps most importantly, it makes good coffee.
no it doesnt. And also the insides have a lot of silicone parts in comparison to the rancilio. If you have the money id say get the rancilio but I'm quite happy with the lelit tbh@@Daniel_Adam
Another thoughtful review, thank you. Surprised at their build quality being slightly off, I have not seen that before in a Rancillio review (other than the drip tray -consistent complaint). I am still very happy with my Profitec GO, but always interested to see what is new. Bravo on the new sponsor.
I absolutely love your content, Lance, and I love that you were so open with your audience about the mental health struggles that you deal with. Ideally, we should all be able to speak so openly, and I believe that we’ll get there. I have also found so much solace in coffee over the last decade, so to hear you be, so forthright just makes your channel that much more special to me. ❤
Thanks for the video Lance! Just found your channel about a month ago and really enjoy the content. This video really helped me decided on my next purchase. Keep up the good work.
I've had a Silvia E for the last 5 years and learned a lot from it. This year I've upgraded to Bianca, but Silvia stayed in the family. Rancilios are really good work horses. If you maintain them well they will last you a lifetime.
I have an older (2003) Silvia that I am trying some modding on. Most major parts in it have been rebuilt. It operates similar to the original. But with a better than original modern OPV and boiler. I am currently adding a PID unit on it. The next mod I would like to work on is a second OPV (run series to the main OPV) set at a lower pressure than the 9-bar OPV. Maybe 2-4 bars. This will be connected to and run through an exterior accessible and operable water stop. If I can figure this out, I would be able to pivot between a 2-4 bar pre-infusion, and a 9-bar extraction. A current cheapster hack is to keep a cup under the steam wand. I turn the brew switch on until a small amount of expresso comes out of the basket. Usually this takes about 5-6 seconds. Then I open the steam knob to allow some hot water to come out of the steam wand into the cup. This gives me another 6-8 seconds of lower pressure pre-infusion TIME. Then I close the steam wand off and continue with the extraction. If you wait too long with the steam wand open, you may cool down the water in the boiler. So this is kind of tricky.
Well done Lance great to have these deep dive videos available as reference. In my experience the main advantage of the soft infusion is a slower ramp up to full pressure. Also in my experience it works best if you do a flush immediately prior to placing the loaded portafilter into the group and pulling a shot. Otherwise it results in uneven wetting and potentially more channeling as a result.
Dear beautiful, Lance. I love your videos. Your comments on the soft infusion make sense if we are talking about a six second infusion that doesn’t wet the bottom of the puck. However, my local coffee guru, Kevin, who has a Roastery called General Strike here in Vancouver, Saved my light roast espresso‘s on my flair by showing me to let the entire puck soak ( you can see the bottom get wet and drip, before stopping the process and letting it bloom for anywhere from 30 to 90 seconds or whatever, and then pulling the shot, and then resuming. I do this on my flare, and on my ECM. Produces beautiful results.
Loved the review and I love my Silvia PRO X too. I am now going to try shots with soft infusion off and see how they do. I know that small drip tray gets on lots of lists of 'Do not like' but as you said 'It's not really a big deal.' Personally I have never had any issues with it at all.
Every review seems to bring up the drip tray? In the year I have had mine, I have never had any problems with the drip tray or the machine for that matter. I make my coffee, flush the group, empty the tray and life goes on. Even making multiple drinks the tray is not been a problem. If you let the tray fill for many days, you may reach the situation brought out in the review. I feel the reviewers are looking for design flaws that in everyday life are a nonissue. I like products that work consistently and are reliable…….this Machine fits that criteria. A very satisfied owner.
That's great for you! Begs the question why you're watching reviews of a machine you find no fault with? As for the drip tray, for the price, it's rubbish. I own/have owned over 35 machines. This is definitely the worst. Hard to Not point it out. Hardly takes much scrutinizing.
I appreciate the reply Lance! As to why I was watching the review, it’s because I enjoy watching your reviews and hearing your opinion’s. My reply was not meant as a criticism of your review, only as A comment on my experience with the machine. If my wording implied me challenging your opinion, I apologize. Keep up the good work! :-)
Great review and thank you for really touching on the "soft Infusion". I've been struggling to pull great shots and found they were always just slightly off but I couldn't figure out where I was going wrong. Going to try with it OFF for a month! Thanks
@@Didvere YES! After this video released, I completely turned this setting off and my shots have been exponentially better. A lot more consistent too. I get “southern weather” beans from onyx coffee and I can get a near perfect shot 90%+ of the time.
I don’t know if you can compare the Silvia Pro X vs Breville Dual Boiler. It’s totally different quality. I use both of them but I think the Silvia is more consistent and provides a better taste espresso, and have a much more powerful steam pressure.
And, objectively, better thermal stability on BDB AND you have more control. Soft infusion isn't helpful. Unlimited PI control from 55% PP up on BDB is far superior
I have the Profitec Pro 600 and it's a dream! Had it since March paired with a Niche Zero and it's ruined buying coffee from coffee shops, as we have only one specialist coffee shop in the city we live that can match what I can now make at home.
I’m highly considering the Pro 600. Was contemplating over a lesser priced Elizabeth but so unsure. The quality of the 600 and reliability are probably worth the price difference but still a good chunk of money. Lol
@@Frank-i-e It's built like a tank lol. I'm pretty sure it'll outlast me and it never gets boring using it. I honestly couldn't recommend it highly enough.
Thanks Lance. A thought - have you considered trying to stop drinking coffee for a while only sticking strictly to the morning to see if that helps the sleep and maybe helps the other stuff too
I was considering a profitec go, but realized that I LOVE cappuccinos. This machine is twice the price but I strongly believe in buy once cry once. I'm buying this as my endgame machine as I don't think that I'll be needing anything else. I considered the Lelit Elizabeth, but I won't lie, sticking with Rancilio based on the stength of the brand.
i was about to pull the trigger on the Lelit Elizabeth based on a few extra features, but it's out of stock in the US currently due to QC issues. Now has me questioning the quality of the Lelit and seriously considering the Rancilio instead. How are you liking your Silvia Pro X ?
Seriously considering this machine. Didn't realize soft infusion is not the same as pre-infusion. It's a bit concerning it takes so long to reach brew set temperature. Thanks for the review!
ProX owner for a year plus now. Rancilio recommends and I find it true that you need to flush the grouphead before pulling a shot with soft-infusion. Side-by-side with no soft with flush confirms that 1. time to puck penetration is reduced by about 2-3 seconds, 2. extraction moves from donut outside-in pattern to flat all-at-once pattern, and 3.watching the pressure gauge, pre-infusion changes the pressure profile to a slower ramp-up to 9bar, which I find useful. If you try to soft-infuse with a hot but dry grouphead, sure are gonna get a dry bottom of the puck once the pump kicks on. It looks like that's what happened in this side-by-side. Results of soft-infusion vary also if you're plumbed-in vs using the tank.
Lance what is you view on Thermoblocks? is a machine with 3 thermoblocks "usable"? or even better than a boiler? if the question is stupid pls ignore. I couldn't find an ultimate answer on the net.
Here is where your old mod kicks in where you connect a light dimmer to the pump and now you have pre infusion :) They should listen to you then they would have had a better machine :) I am happy I never bought the Rancilio. I love my Dual boiler Breville :)
Idk man my BDB started making high pitch vibrating noise after 21 days…. Bad solenoid after 21 days sent it back and got pro x and I honestly felt more confident in my skill. I was a fan of breeville but never again. I couldn’t imagine working on one. Check the inside of a rancilio out I can work on that all day
Lance you argued persuasively that the soft infusion really should not work. Is it worth an experiment or two to see what kind of results you get and whether the lack of even saturation is a problem as you expect? -Toby
@@Dh76-tc9qmyeah I was thinking about that. I have a la Pavoni, 0.8 bar in the boiler usually saturate the puck in 10-30 seconds depending on the grind etc. ,maybe the max time needs to be increased.
Can these things be modded with a rheostat like the BBE to bring it up to feature parity? The fact that Breville patented something as basic as a potentiometer in series with a pump makes me not want to buy a BDB out of spite.
Thanks for so much info on the topic! As for me, still leaning toward Elizabeth more than Silvia pro in my long-term upgrade list. Interesting, why haven't you included it into the dual-boilers' list in this price range. However, looks like I'm stuck with my modded delonghi for the next few years as it's a beast for the price and doesn't look like giving up any time soon ;) Cheers!
Whole Latte Love made a video where they measured the temp stability of the Pro X using a scace device, and their test results were different from yours. The desired temp was reached within the first 10-11 seconds of the extraction and subsequently stayed within a couple tenths of a degree for the remainder of the 25-30 second shot.
I believe it's just a PID offset issue. We've seen here that temp is pretty stable after reaching the 94.1 so it's just the unit itself thinks that it's the correct temp. I'm sure that in few clicks it can be calibrated and everything will be fine afterwards (at least my xmt7100 gives that option)
Still unsure whether these Pesado readings are worth anything. But then, WLL tends to rave in their reviews. While they celebrated Profitec Pro 500 for it’s thermal stability, actual users‘ reviews sound different
@user-ns4em5sk9b it is identical to a scace. I have both and have done extensive testing with them. The reason I like pesado is the flow control.capability
Your publication is the first and so far only one that shows something other than absolute temperature stability for this machine. (This is a statement, not an insinuation.) Would be quite interesting to understand the procedure and/or behaviour of this specific machine more precisely
Lance!!! Love you videos! You are the best!!!! Please continue! If possible, please review also an ordinary Silvia with single boiler. Many thanks to you!!!!
After just one week of ownership, my Silvia Pro X has an issue where if I use the hot water dispenser, it won't turn off and it just pumps out water until the tank empties. I took the solenoid apart and it was perfectly clean. I'll be sending this back and buying a better machine.
Very interesting video. It kills me that Rancilio couldn't do anything better than what I can achieve with a meCoffee PID and controller in my SBDU Silva. It's a jank DIY solution (and it's by now unsupported) but it's got a dimmer mod, customizable actual preinfusion, variable boiler power during the extraction to adjust temp mid-shot... and it's all invisible (sits inside the machine and controlled via Bluetooth). It's hard to believe a thousand euros doesn't give you that. Also some buttons being plain switches and some others toggles, but you can't tell which, is plain bad design.
ECM Synchronika E61 machine and likely some other E61s can do the same thing with a soft-pre infusion or whatever (with the brew lever half way up, while not plumbed in). I heard it wasn't good either so never really experimented with it, but have you tested and compared using that feature? It's likely that it could saturate the whole puck (maybe needs longer than 6 seconds though!) and even if not, it might still help... is a briefly half saturated puck that bad? It likely would help achieve an more even extraction (less channeling and even flow) once the pump pressure builds up. *ah Ok I see you did test that a bit later in the video, you found it usually wouldn't improve the extractions it seems. I always kept my Steam boiler off on the Synch until I was ready to steam milk with it, probably saves a lot of energy and lessens wear.
It’s the grinder I got to pair with my Rancilio. It gives a very consistent fast grind. I love how well it holds the portafilter. Getting drinks made quickly in the morning is our priority. But of a learning curve like everything buys it’s great 👍
La Spaziale has the Lucca A53/Vivaldi II (not the mini)....been around for a bit...why no love? Features now include rotary pump(plumbed), Bluetooth connectivity, volumetric programmability, pre-infusion(plumbed)... I want to pull the trigger on it... Lance!! help a brother out...please!?
I believe brew boilers of some of the earlier Rancilio Silvia models were made of alloy including lead that sparkled health concerns around the community. Do these new models include boilers made of steel?
Good explanation about the soft infusion, I guess it's similar to the Lelit Elizabeth "bloom" with the steam boiler off? Guess I'll turn on both boilers for light roasted coffees from now on :P
Major downside is it doesn't have an insulated steam wand so milk will burn onto it. That should be standard on machines at this price point. The Lelit Elizabeth has an insulated steam wand and also higher temperatures for the same prices. So definitely not thr best in that price range.
Awesome video @LanceHedrick! Always super helpful and informative. Would love to see a video comparing different types of brew groups and impact on the cup. You mentioned this Rancilio is semi-saturated. Curious how it compares to E61s vs fully saturated.
The cheetah girls wrap was funny for the video but wish you would have reviewed a stock one to highlight the quality of the powder coated finish. Essentially scratch resistant, matte finish and will last for many years. Big advantage over the scratch magnet stainless steel and plastic housing combo on the BDB. (Owned both)
I love your knowledge man about these machines.. Would you think this machine could handle 2-3 weddings per week as a wedding coffee cart? i'd be serving 50-150 wedding guests over a 2-3 hour period. If not this machine or two of these machines on a wedding cart what sole machine would you recommend for this type of work?
I'm kind of curious on your thoughts on the Ascaso Steel Duo; a lot of the features you mention are in that. The duo has a programmable volumetric shot function as well, which seems to be finnicky but dependent on your puck prep/consistency of puck prep but it'd be interesting to see what you have to say about it.
120v 20amp cord so it basically cuts many out. Usually people have 120v 15amp.... I feel manufactures building prosumer espressos sub 3000 are only feature saturated, not raw power because of these market limits on home kitchen power outlets being only 120v 15amps. Nothing is better or worse after a prosumer machine produces 1200 watts on 120v 15amp. (Pricing is 80% taste in style and 20% inflation)
@@aktejas_2095 It doesnt really cut many out. It's very common for kitchen electrical circuits to be 20amp. I checked before I ordered and that was most certainly the case. They also ship with a converter plug to fit standard 15a sockets. I think it's only called out because it's got the bladed 20a plug pigtail. But it's not as big an issue or a block as a lot of people make it out to be.
@@DGPHolyHandgrenade thanks for sharing, have you ran a 20amp machine on a 15amp converter? from most i see it's prioritized to do the brew and then the steamer, 20-30% less output on steam capabilities.
@@aktejas_2095 yes, it's my current setup. It's close enough to the proper 20a bladed outlet for the fridge that I was able to test things out and there's no difference running both brew and steam at the same time. That said, I'm well aware that this being the thermoblock, it is a little underpowered and will take about 35-40 seconds to steam a pitcher of milk. The V2 and the 20a requirement was explicitly to alleviate the "20-30% less output on steam" For me it just seems to work. Something to note here, the adapter is just that, an adapter. It's not a converter. Electrically, any demand asked for by the machine is going to be drawn through the outlet and through the adapter. This is where it will make sense to verify your outlets but it's not the eliminator most thought when the emphasis on 20a outlets was put on all the marketing materials. Most modern kitchens already have this. The house I'm in is already going on almost 25 years old...I still consider it a "new build" but everything here is 20a in the kitchen. And it's kinda standard practice from what I'm told due to other kitchen appliance needs.
At this point I am torn between this machine and Profitec Go as choices for my setup :) Differently priced yes but the money is not a problem just trying to see if the extra for the Silvia is justified. Kudos to the hard work Lance as alaways!
I was able to get the profitec pro for a similar price, and did not regret buying it over the Silvia. There are good sales and I think it's a better machine.
Yea definitely leaning towards the GO myself. Here the Silvia is around 1200-1300 and the GO goes as low as 750-800 on sales but around 900 most of the time. Breville or Sage DB is also nice option but unfortunately I don't have it anywhere close available. Cheers! @@kaisegrud
Having the profitec go, i'd say that i would not ask for anything more as an espresso only drinker... as a single boiler needs some extra time for heating up to steaming temps, but when in temp steams great too!
Yea I am more of espresso drinker also and only beans on the light side or light-medium from some roasters that have like dedicated "espresso roast". Milk drinks are occasional and mostly in the winter or for friends that come and like milk based coffees. So being single boiler the GO is not a problem for me at all! @@anastkats2367
I have the Profitec GO, absolutely no regrets. This Rancilio is closer to $2000, GO is $1000. Once you work out your workflow, it is a breeze to use. @@anastkats2367
I've got the povo spec V6 Silvia and love it but the drip tray does suck and not knowing the water tank level is a pain but aside from that its a great machine
I had them both on my kitchen table, among several others. I went for Silvia Pro X. Compare the Pro 300 against the Profitec Go, it's newer single boiler sibling. You will see and feel, that an update for the Pro 300 must be waiting in the wings
I bought this machine 2 years ago no complaints except that sometimes when I have friends and guests over I can't pull 4-6 back to back shots. However if I were to upgrade what do you recommend upgrading to a Linea Micra or a Linea Mini ? I want something that heats up fast and pulls 4-6 great shots consistently. E61 sounds good but I have kids who run around the kitchen so it doesn't work for me. Love your content!
Other reputable reviewers say, back to back shots are doable undefinetely. Just give it 90 seconds between two shots. They measured by SCACE and found it incredible stable in that schedule
@@gbf5972 Yeah if you pull shots really quickly they taste different. Also, the steam boiler runs out if you make 2 milk based drinks you'll have to wait for a few minutes for it to come up to temp. If I make just 2 drinks it works without any issues. Its when I start to make the 4-5th drink I see these issues. I guess I just have to wait after 4 drinks for the machine to come up to temp.
Only thing that sucks on this machine is the water reservoir. I hate that a dinky piece of plastic just sits on top of an essentially exposed tank, and some tubes suck the water out.
Hi Lance, thanks a lot for your review. Very informative, indeed! Could you maybe test/demonstrate in a future video whether variable soft infusion using basically mere gravity causes uneven water saturation of the coffee pack according to your claims? Thanks again!
I played with soft infusion on my Flair and found what happened is exactly what is described in this video. This was reflected in the taste of the extraction and is undesirable IMHO. Also, with pre-infusion I find there are so many variables coming into play that I like using a bottomless portafilter with it lit and observable with a mirror and timing each shot's pre-infusion by inspection - the time varies quite a bit. So my preference would be holding the start extraction button down starts a pre-infusion, releasing it stops the pre-infusion and moves on to extraction, and then a further touch of the button stops the extraction, or it is terminated by a timer. Having any sort of infusion running on a timer is useless to me. And the comment about the Flair is misleading for the Flair 58 where the water only contacts the coffee when the lever is raised.
That's exactly how the manual button works in Breville/Sage Dual Boiler, and you can adjust pressure as well. It's surprising how well designed it is from UX perspective; such small touches, e.g. that you can get immediate full pump power by holding either of the programmable buttons, and not only the feature is there, it is well described in the manual and it's usage is suggested for backflushing and guess flushing as well. If only there were no completely unacceptable issues like internal steam leaks after only a year of light usage...
I agree. My personal experience with Breville products is that they meet the marketing bullets in the features they provide, and are built like appliances, that is, they are priced well and fail after a relatively short usage of a few years.@@OYeahan
Other trusted reviewers swear by the Lelit Bianca and the Breville Bambino Plus as the best espresso machines in their respective price ranges. Any thoughts? I plan to pull the trigger by Christmas.
Hey Lance, off topic, but I noticed the Vectis in the background. I have one and I’d be very curious what its peak pressure is. Purportedly it has a 8-bar spring, but I suspect (based on how easy it is to pull the lever vs my 9-bar Londinium Compressa) that it’s less than that. Anyway, if that’s something you can test, it would be interesting to know. Thanks for the videos, really enjoy them.
Hey Lance Hendrick, thank you for all the energy you put on your videos all the time! I want a buy a new expresso machine but I'm a bit confused and can't decide with all the machines existing on the market. Would you have a recommendation for a machine below 3000€ ? I currently have a simonelli nuova which served well, but I feel like it reached its limits. Thanks!
Regarding the pressure pump mod: Can't I just manually pre-infuse by pushing the brew button, letting the pump kick in for a couple of seconds, turn it off, wait and turn it back on again? Absolute noob here so please don't roast me like a bean
The idea that a company can have a patent on using a potentiometer on electrical device is mind blowing. Pots were invented 180 years ago, the only place to use them is on electrical devices. There is no way breville is the first company to put them on a pump
Totally agree. That patent is bogus. But then one company extorted millions out of Microsoft by patenting one button press for starting recording video on a PC playing a TV channel.
@@TomJones-tx7pb yeah I know companies take advantage of patent and copyright law the time... But still this surprised me
Breville clearly has some dumbgineers building their disposable appliance line trying to be a real threat to the market.
Exactly.
Breville makes disposable appliances and sells them based upon marketing features.
That is the way of most large corporations.
If you want something built to last, the premium you pay is hard to justify in most cases..@@DaveT-cv9gp
@@DaveT-cv9gp dumb? when they have some of the best value for money and features coffee machines on the market?
That paint job 😂 my eyes are bleeding
Where is it ? I can't see it 😅
It's like staring at Rod Stewart's Arse.
Mad respect to being vulnerable by sharing your struggles with mental health!
After shopping for say, ten years or so for an espresso machine, this Rancilio ticks the most of my boxes and one will soon be on its way. Thank you for a thorough and digestible review. While the X is a relatively "new" model for Rancilio, they seem to measure their product cycles by decades, and that works for me.
Don't knock the soft infusion too much. Rancilio says the goal is to reduce channeling and your boy Tate seems to agree. Still, this is a machine that will put a quality espresso in your hands quickly and with little fuss. Spend much more money on another machine and you will find yourself deep into E-61 Land, geeking out to try to obtain conditions over a longer time period what the Silvia X already does for you inside of 15 minutes. I'll stick to pour-over for lighter roasts. Can I get one in a nuclear fallout motif?
How do you like it so far? Have you ever considered the profitec go? I'm trying to decide between the 2
Happy to see this pop up! I have a Silvia Pro X and am very happy with it. Bought it from Pantechnicon Design - same standard retail price, but includes their replacement drip tray (SO much better!), a naked portafilter, and custom wood accents.
Let is know how the plastic drip tray deformes over time. And how often you cut your fingers and/or microfiber cloth when cleaning the ultra sharp grill. And if your nice wooden steam knob fell off. And what your feelings are about the somewhat thin walled (at least stainless) bottomless PF.
All practical experience - I just dislike what they charge for those mediocre parts when bought as retrofit
Fair enough! I didn't pay anything extra for those components since I bought direct from Pantechnicon, they were included in the same purchase price as buying new from someone else. They are not cheap when purchased separately, and I imagine I'd be frustrated if I had the experience you describe. I haven't experienced the things you describe, but I will be aware if they do. @@Martin-i8o8n
@@Martin-i8o8n very chill of you, very adult comment.
@@Martin-i8o8n Almost 2 years in from using the replacement drip tray and steam knob from Pantechnicon so here's my opinion... (if you are actually interested but you seem like you already have your own preconcieved opinion without owning these items yourself.) The drip tray is as good as the day I bought it. No deforming at all. No complaints. Amount of cuts received from the grill... None. The steam knob hasn't fallen off and as it has a grubber screw holding it in place I don't expect it to either. Unlike the original steam knob that was just push on, pull off with nothing to keep it in place. So yeah, good replacement parts. The drip tray in particular is a very worthwhile upgrade. No complaints with regards to build quality. The only complaint I have was the original price being a bit expensive. But they are optional upgrades made in low volume by a third party so I kinda understand the pricing. Pleased I bought them.
Sorry if that isn't what you wanted to hear.
Everyone is thinking it Lance…but not enough comment it. Thanks for your passion, instruction, consistency and dedication to this channel. I have learned so much in the past year and I love this new hobby. I’ve made thousands of dollars worth of purchasing decisions with your guidance.
AND.........That that damn thing is ugly, it might not be for at an Army base. LOL
I agree, I don’t understand why people in forums are so critical. I feel Lance’s integrity is strong
im not
@@cameronkenneth860 you should
@cameronkenneth860 nice! No need to watch, friend! Plenty of other great youtubers.
Peggy Bundy would be in love with this machine!
I've had a Rancilio Silvia V2 for 15 years. I've never had to replace anything. 2 cappuccinos a day minimum, Brita water, very average maintenance, but I always kept the group clean. It continues its life with my sister, who is very happy with it. The Silvia starting to have slight leaks in the steam arm, nothing too serious to repair. You can't kill this thing.
I've had my silvia V1 for 23 years. Original boiler still. I have only changed gaskets and done maintenance. I use the machine everyday and it will never die.
@@JB-pk1jx I've had mine 15 years, and it's now like Triggers broom
I bought a second hand Silvia V5 when I had a brand new Breville Dual Boiler. I was very impressed with the quality of the Silvia, no issues apart from having to change a new gasket on the group head. On the other hand, I started having issue on steam pressure with BDB. I decided to sell BDB and upgraded to Silvia Pro X, it has been over a year now, no regret and very happy with my Silvia Pro X.
I upgraded from a gaggia classic to this. Enjoying it so far. Your review is the 1st one that I’ve seen that actually explains the difference between their “soft infusion” and pre infusion. Thanks for that!
I actually enjoy my shots with a shorter soft infusion. Or even having it off completely
as a beginner but willing to buy top of the line.. which double boiler would u choose if you had to choose
@@execattylol
I'm here and waiting for you to review the Silvia Pro X's direct competitor, the Lelit Elizabeth V3. The Elizabeth circumvents your gripes with the soft infusion by programming an initial pump run into it. But I want to see how you test its thermal stability as it gets its preinfusion pressure from the steam pressure.
No one expects the unexpected Monty Python reference! Its chief weapon is surprise...surprise and fear! Its 2 weapons are fear and surprise...and a ruthless dedication to Brit comedy... our three......
Thanks for the review!
I've had one of these for almost 4 weeks now - I went for white though (I just can't imagine having that leopard print on my bench, but each to their own).
I was initially worried about the drip tray too having read reviews, but in practice it's never been an issue - I make anything from 4-8 milk coffees a day, I might empty the tray every 2 days on average and don't think I've come close to overfilling and making a mess. I don't purge the steam wand into the drip tray because the wand slightly slightly too long in my opinion, or the tray cover is too high at the lower setting - if you bring the wand down to purge into the tray it'll make contact with the cover.
Not sold on preinfusion myself, I actually turned it off a few days ago as an experiment to see what changed - I haven't noticed any difference except maybe my pucks are a bit drier some of the time.
I like that it has auto power off/standby (because I'm lazy) and the auto power on might be handy for people who get up early (but it's annoying that it needs to be set up every time) - I thought I might use it but haven't yet, as it's really quick to warm up - not as good as a thermoblock obviously but it's not so long as to be annoying.
The steam wand is better than my old Lelit (and far better than my old Breville Barista Pro) - steams in half the time. I too wish it came with a naked portafilter (I need to buy one) and a better tamper than the plastic one.
But overall it seems to be built like a tank, it fits nicely on the bench, and almost matches the white Niche Zero I bought to go with it. And perhaps most importantly, it makes good coffee.
Which lelit was yours? Looking for better steam. I have an anna
@@PabloLeChuck I had a Kate. Wasn't a fan of the steam wand much, the Rancilio is much more powerful.
lelit elizabeth is also dual boiler and costs a bit less for the same functionality
Yes but does it come in different colours ?
no it doesnt. And also the insides have a lot of silicone parts in comparison to the rancilio. If you have the money id say get the rancilio but I'm quite happy with the lelit tbh@@Daniel_Adam
Another thoughtful review, thank you. Surprised at their build quality being slightly off, I have not seen that before in a Rancillio review (other than the drip tray -consistent complaint). I am still very happy with my Profitec GO, but always interested to see what is new. Bravo on the new sponsor.
I absolutely love your content, Lance, and I love that you were so open with your audience about the mental health struggles that you deal with. Ideally, we should all be able to speak so openly, and I believe that we’ll get there. I have also found so much solace in coffee over the last decade, so to hear you be, so forthright just makes your channel that much more special to me. ❤
This video made me even more happy with my Silvia pro (non x) purchase!
For a dual boiler in this range would you go with Profitec Pro 300 or Lelit Elizabeth instead?
Thank you for the insightful review Lance. I appreciate your dedication and time you take on these videos.
Thanks for the video Lance! Just found your channel about a month ago and really enjoy the content. This video really helped me decided on my next purchase. Keep up the good work.
I've had a Silvia E for the last 5 years and learned a lot from it. This year I've upgraded to Bianca, but Silvia stayed in the family. Rancilios are really good work horses. If you maintain them well they will last you a lifetime.
How do you like your Bianca?
I have an older (2003) Silvia that I am trying some modding on. Most major parts in it have been rebuilt. It operates similar to the original. But with a better than original modern OPV and boiler. I am currently adding a PID unit on it. The next mod I would like to work on is a second OPV (run series to the main OPV) set at a lower pressure than the 9-bar OPV. Maybe 2-4 bars. This will be connected to and run through an exterior accessible and operable water stop. If I can figure this out, I would be able to pivot between a 2-4 bar pre-infusion, and a 9-bar extraction. A current cheapster hack is to keep a cup under the steam wand. I turn the brew switch on until a small amount of expresso comes out of the basket. Usually this takes about 5-6 seconds. Then I open the steam knob to allow some hot water to come out of the steam wand into the cup. This gives me another 6-8 seconds of lower pressure pre-infusion TIME. Then I close the steam wand off and continue with the extraction. If you wait too long with the steam wand open, you may cool down the water in the boiler. So this is kind of tricky.
Lance. You are unike! Who wouldn't love you and your channel? Greetings from Norway.
Well done Lance great to have these deep dive videos available as reference. In my experience the main advantage of the soft infusion is a slower ramp up to full pressure. Also in my experience it works best if you do a flush immediately prior to placing the loaded portafilter into the group and pulling a shot. Otherwise it results in uneven wetting and potentially more channeling as a result.
Dear beautiful, Lance. I love your videos. Your comments on the soft infusion make sense if we are talking about a six second infusion that doesn’t wet the bottom of the puck. However, my local coffee guru, Kevin, who has a Roastery called General Strike here in Vancouver, Saved my light roast espresso‘s on my flair by showing me to let the entire puck soak ( you can see the bottom get wet and drip, before stopping the process and letting it bloom for anywhere from 30 to 90 seconds or whatever, and then pulling the shot, and then resuming. I do this on my flare, and on my ECM. Produces beautiful results.
Loved the review and I love my Silvia PRO X too. I am now going to try shots with soft infusion off and see how they do. I know that small drip tray gets on lots of lists of 'Do not like' but as you said 'It's not really a big deal.' Personally I have never had any issues with it at all.
How well does the machine handle back-to-back shots? I hear it comes back to temp quickly, but someone here commented that the shots tasted different.
as a beginner but willing to buy top of the line.. which double boiler would u choose if you had to choose
Every review seems to bring up the drip tray?
In the year I have had mine, I have never had any problems with the drip tray or the machine for that matter. I make my coffee, flush the group, empty the tray and life goes on.
Even making multiple drinks the tray is not been a problem. If you let the tray fill for many days, you may reach the situation brought out in the review.
I feel the reviewers are looking for design flaws that in everyday life are a nonissue.
I like products that work consistently and are reliable…….this Machine fits that criteria.
A very satisfied owner.
That's great for you! Begs the question why you're watching reviews of a machine you find no fault with?
As for the drip tray, for the price, it's rubbish. I own/have owned over 35 machines. This is definitely the worst. Hard to Not point it out. Hardly takes much scrutinizing.
I appreciate the reply Lance!
As to why I was watching the review, it’s because I enjoy watching your reviews and hearing your opinion’s.
My reply was not meant as a criticism of your review, only as
A comment on my experience with the machine. If my wording implied me challenging your opinion, I apologize. Keep up the good work! :-)
That makes sense! I get inundated with odd criticism frequently so it's hard to read nuance in text format
Thanks a lot for this review, you made me to decide in buying this, and today finally arrived and im loving it
How would you compare this to a Lelit Mara X if you could get both at the same price
Great review and thank you for really touching on the "soft Infusion". I've been struggling to pull great shots and found they were always just slightly off but I couldn't figure out where I was going wrong. Going to try with it OFF for a month! Thanks
so... was an improve trying it OFF? curious here! thx
@@Didvere YES! After this video released, I completely turned this setting off and my shots have been exponentially better. A lot more consistent too.
I get “southern weather” beans from onyx coffee and I can get a near perfect shot 90%+ of the time.
@@nate.99555 Thx for answering!!
I don’t know if you can compare the Silvia Pro X vs Breville Dual Boiler. It’s totally different quality. I use both of them but I think the Silvia is more consistent and provides a better taste espresso, and have a much more powerful steam pressure.
I have both, obviously, and disagree heartily on espresso quality. Sure, steam power is higher, but I can make just as high quality steam on either.
And, objectively, better thermal stability on BDB AND you have more control. Soft infusion isn't helpful. Unlimited PI control from 55% PP up on BDB is far superior
Breville is a joke at best in all they do. Some garbage needs to stay in China!
I have the Profitec Pro 600 and it's a dream! Had it since March paired with a Niche Zero and it's ruined buying coffee from coffee shops, as we have only one specialist coffee shop in the city we live that can match what I can now make at home.
I’m highly considering the Pro 600. Was contemplating over a lesser priced Elizabeth but so unsure. The quality of the 600 and reliability are probably worth the price difference but still a good chunk of money. Lol
@@Frank-i-e It's built like a tank lol. I'm pretty sure it'll outlast me and it never gets boring using it. I honestly couldn't recommend it highly enough.
@@Martin-i8o8n Similar price and more bang for your buck. :0)
Interestingly, there are plenty of reviewers on TH-cam that have praised the soft infusion feature. It's hard to know who to believe haha.
Yes. It's easy to praise something that sounds innovative
I decided that I needed a new Dual Boiler Machine....My first response was "I wonder what Lance recommends"....That says it all.
Thanks Lance. A thought - have you considered trying to stop drinking coffee for a while only sticking strictly to the morning to see if that helps the sleep and maybe helps the other stuff too
Yes. I did four months.
I was considering a profitec go, but realized that I LOVE cappuccinos. This machine is twice the price but I strongly believe in buy once cry once. I'm buying this as my endgame machine as I don't think that I'll be needing anything else.
I considered the Lelit Elizabeth, but I won't lie, sticking with Rancilio based on the stength of the brand.
i was about to pull the trigger on the Lelit Elizabeth based on a few extra features, but it's out of stock in the US currently due to QC issues. Now has me questioning the quality of the Lelit and seriously considering the Rancilio instead. How are you liking your Silvia Pro X ?
Seriously considering this machine. Didn't realize soft infusion is not the same as pre-infusion. It's a bit concerning it takes so long to reach brew set temperature. Thanks for the review!
Will beat the hell out of a BDB any day though yo
I have one and the timing wouldn’t be an issue unless like me you live in the EU and the auto switch off kicks in which is very frustrating.
Still unsure whether these Pesado readings are worth anything
@@DaveT-cv9gp doubt that
@nhayes927 Breville is a pathetic joke, but they will still have their fan club
I’m curious to know what you think about this machine vs the Profitec 300
So awesome to see your take on this machine! Please do a review on the Lelit Elizabeth! It isn't talked about enough.
Yes please, would be super helpful to get your take Lance how the Pro X‘s ”soft-infusion“ compares to the pre-infusion on the Elizabeth!
THE VIDEO I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR!
Wow on the paint job tho 😂☕️
ProX owner for a year plus now. Rancilio recommends and I find it true that you need to flush the grouphead before pulling a shot with soft-infusion. Side-by-side with no soft with flush confirms that 1. time to puck penetration is reduced by about 2-3 seconds, 2. extraction moves from donut outside-in pattern to flat all-at-once pattern, and 3.watching the pressure gauge, pre-infusion changes the pressure profile to a slower ramp-up to 9bar, which I find useful. If you try to soft-infuse with a hot but dry grouphead, sure are gonna get a dry bottom of the puck once the pump kicks on. It looks like that's what happened in this side-by-side. Results of soft-infusion vary also if you're plumbed-in vs using the tank.
I did and do flush as they recommend. I say this in the video.
How would you compare it to the ascaso steel duo PID ?
I wonder how you think this compares to the Lelite Elizabeth dual boiler.
Lance what is you view on Thermoblocks? is a machine with 3 thermoblocks "usable"? or even better than a boiler?
if the question is stupid pls ignore. I couldn't find an ultimate answer on the net.
Here is where your old mod kicks in where you connect a light dimmer to the pump and now you have pre infusion :) They should listen to you then they would have had a better machine :) I am happy I never bought the Rancilio. I love my Dual boiler Breville :)
Idk man my BDB started making high pitch vibrating noise after 21 days…. Bad solenoid after 21 days sent it back and got pro x and I honestly felt more confident in my skill. I was a fan of breeville but never again. I couldn’t imagine working on one. Check the inside of a rancilio out I can work on that all day
Researching for upgrade options from my Breville Barista Express led me here. Am I on the right track?
Lelit mara x or the bianca 😊
🎉 lance, big up promoting therapy!!!
Lance you argued persuasively that the soft infusion really should not work. Is it worth an experiment or two to see what kind of results you get and whether the lack of even saturation is a problem as you expect? -Toby
I've done many shots and consistently get inconsistency with soft infusion vs non.
The pressure in a closed boiler is not ambient pressure. On lever machines soft infusion from the boiler saturates the whole puck
@@Dh76-tc9qmyeah I was thinking about that. I have a la Pavoni, 0.8 bar in the boiler usually saturate the puck in 10-30 seconds depending on the grind etc. ,maybe the max time needs to be increased.
Hi, there's the Lelit Elizabeth which is kind of the same as feature set, but has a real pre-infusion implemented.
Can these things be modded with a rheostat like the BBE to bring it up to feature parity? The fact that Breville patented something as basic as a potentiometer in series with a pump makes me not want to buy a BDB out of spite.
Lance ROCKS!!
Thank you for sharing your stuff (health). Good on you.
Thanks for so much info on the topic!
As for me, still leaning toward Elizabeth more than Silvia pro in my long-term upgrade list. Interesting, why haven't you included it into the dual-boilers' list in this price range.
However, looks like I'm stuck with my modded delonghi for the next few years as it's a beast for the price and doesn't look like giving up any time soon ;)
Cheers!
Whole Latte Love made a video where they measured the temp stability of the Pro X using a scace device, and their test results were different from yours. The desired temp was reached within the first 10-11 seconds of the extraction and subsequently stayed within a couple tenths of a degree for the remainder of the 25-30 second shot.
I believe it's just a PID offset issue. We've seen here that temp is pretty stable after reaching the 94.1 so it's just the unit itself thinks that it's the correct temp. I'm sure that in few clicks it can be calibrated and everything will be fine afterwards (at least my xmt7100 gives that option)
Still unsure whether these Pesado readings are worth anything. But then, WLL tends to rave in their reviews. While they celebrated Profitec Pro 500 for it’s thermal stability, actual users‘ reviews sound different
@user-ns4em5sk9b it is identical to a scace. I have both and have done extensive testing with them. The reason I like pesado is the flow control.capability
(Tldr I have a scace and got same readings as what is shown in video)
Your publication is the first and so far only one that shows something other than absolute temperature stability for this machine. (This is a statement, not an insinuation.) Would be quite interesting to understand the procedure and/or behaviour of this specific machine more precisely
Lance!!! Love you videos! You are the best!!!! Please continue! If possible, please review also an ordinary Silvia with single boiler.
Many thanks to you!!!!
The machine was set to 94 and it stabilized at 94... It wasn't going over, Lance.
After just one week of ownership, my Silvia Pro X has an issue where if I use the hot water dispenser, it won't turn off and it just pumps out water until the tank empties. I took the solenoid apart and it was perfectly clean.
I'll be sending this back and buying a better machine.
Great review, please Lance give us a link about this amazing artist :D
How does this compare to a Profitec pro 300?
Hey Lance, what do you think about Lelit Elizabeth? (vs Breville and Rancilio)
:DDD that intro got me :DDD He's got it all :D
Very interesting video. It kills me that Rancilio couldn't do anything better than what I can achieve with a meCoffee PID and controller in my SBDU Silva. It's a jank DIY solution (and it's by now unsupported) but it's got a dimmer mod, customizable actual preinfusion, variable boiler power during the extraction to adjust temp mid-shot... and it's all invisible (sits inside the machine and controlled via Bluetooth). It's hard to believe a thousand euros doesn't give you that.
Also some buttons being plain switches and some others toggles, but you can't tell which, is plain bad design.
You’re the best as usual!! Thank you for everything!!!(:
ECM Synchronika E61 machine and likely some other E61s can do the same thing with a soft-pre infusion or whatever (with the brew lever half way up, while not plumbed in). I heard it wasn't good either so never really experimented with it, but have you tested and compared using that feature? It's likely that it could saturate the whole puck (maybe needs longer than 6 seconds though!) and even if not, it might still help... is a briefly half saturated puck that bad? It likely would help achieve an more even extraction (less channeling and even flow) once the pump pressure builds up.
*ah Ok I see you did test that a bit later in the video, you found it usually wouldn't improve the extractions it seems.
I always kept my Steam boiler off on the Synch until I was ready to steam milk with it, probably saves a lot of energy and lessens wear.
Appreciate the review Lance. More power. What’s your personal preference between this and the ascaso duo.
Hey Lance. Don't suppose you can share your thoughts on the Rancilio Stile Espresso Coffee Grinder? Keen to hear your thought!
It’s the grinder I got to pair with my Rancilio. It gives a very consistent fast grind. I love how well it holds the portafilter. Getting drinks made quickly in the morning is our priority. But of a learning curve like everything buys it’s great 👍
La Spaziale has the Lucca A53/Vivaldi II (not the mini)....been around for a bit...why no love? Features now include rotary pump(plumbed), Bluetooth connectivity, volumetric programmability, pre-infusion(plumbed)... I want to pull the trigger on it... Lance!! help a brother out...please!?
Ngl that add segue was something else.
I believe brew boilers of some of the earlier Rancilio Silvia models were made of alloy including lead that sparkled health concerns around the community. Do these new models include boilers made of steel?
Good explanation about the soft infusion, I guess it's similar to the Lelit Elizabeth "bloom" with the steam boiler off? Guess I'll turn on both boilers for light roasted coffees from now on :P
Kudos to you and your sponsor on this one. 👏
Shout-out being honest about your mental health 🔥💯
Major downside is it doesn't have an insulated steam wand so milk will burn onto it. That should be standard on machines at this price point. The Lelit Elizabeth has an insulated steam wand and also higher temperatures for the same prices. So definitely not thr best in that price range.
this.
Awesome video @LanceHedrick! Always super helpful and informative. Would love to see a video comparing different types of brew groups and impact on the cup. You mentioned this Rancilio is semi-saturated. Curious how it compares to E61s vs fully saturated.
Hey Lance,
Does your Rancilio Tamper fit well? Mine is a tiny bit to small… greetings from Germany and keep going on with your good work 👍🏻
The cheetah girls wrap was funny for the video but wish you would have reviewed a stock one to highlight the quality of the powder coated finish. Essentially scratch resistant, matte finish and will last for many years. Big advantage over the scratch magnet stainless steel and plastic housing combo on the BDB. (Owned both)
But, nice thorough review on the machine nonetheless. Appreciate we all have individual preferences when it comes to this sport :)
I love your knowledge man about these machines.. Would you think this machine could handle 2-3 weddings per week as a wedding coffee cart? i'd be serving 50-150 wedding guests over a 2-3 hour period. If not this machine or two of these machines on a wedding cart what sole machine would you recommend for this type of work?
I'm kind of curious on your thoughts on the Ascaso Steel Duo; a lot of the features you mention are in that. The duo has a programmable volumetric shot function as well, which seems to be finnicky but dependent on your puck prep/consistency of puck prep but it'd be interesting to see what you have to say about it.
120v 20amp cord so it basically cuts many out. Usually people have 120v 15amp....
I feel manufactures building prosumer espressos sub 3000 are only feature saturated, not raw power because of these market limits on home kitchen power outlets being only 120v 15amps.
Nothing is better or worse after a prosumer machine produces 1200 watts on 120v 15amp. (Pricing is 80% taste in style and 20% inflation)
@@aktejas_2095 It doesnt really cut many out. It's very common for kitchen electrical circuits to be 20amp. I checked before I ordered and that was most certainly the case. They also ship with a converter plug to fit standard 15a sockets. I think it's only called out because it's got the bladed 20a plug pigtail. But it's not as big an issue or a block as a lot of people make it out to be.
@@DGPHolyHandgrenade thanks for sharing, have you ran a 20amp machine on a 15amp converter? from most i see it's prioritized to do the brew and then the steamer, 20-30% less output on steam capabilities.
@@aktejas_2095 yes, it's my current setup. It's close enough to the proper 20a bladed outlet for the fridge that I was able to test things out and there's no difference running both brew and steam at the same time. That said, I'm well aware that this being the thermoblock, it is a little underpowered and will take about 35-40 seconds to steam a pitcher of milk.
The V2 and the 20a requirement was explicitly to alleviate the "20-30% less output on steam" For me it just seems to work.
Something to note here, the adapter is just that, an adapter. It's not a converter. Electrically, any demand asked for by the machine is going to be drawn through the outlet and through the adapter. This is where it will make sense to verify your outlets but it's not the eliminator most thought when the emphasis on 20a outlets was put on all the marketing materials. Most modern kitchens already have this. The house I'm in is already going on almost 25 years old...I still consider it a "new build" but everything here is 20a in the kitchen. And it's kinda standard practice from what I'm told due to other kitchen appliance needs.
@@DGPHolyHandgrenade Thank you for this, it's worth wild for others to know I'm sure.
"Thermal Block Thermojet technology" lance mentions at time 22:58 are they as thermal stable as a Boiler and Boiler with PID Lance
At this point I am torn between this machine and Profitec Go as choices for my setup :) Differently priced yes but the money is not a problem just trying to see if the extra for the Silvia is justified. Kudos to the hard work Lance as alaways!
I was able to get the profitec pro for a similar price, and did not regret buying it over the Silvia. There are good sales and I think it's a better machine.
Yea definitely leaning towards the GO myself. Here the Silvia is around 1200-1300 and the GO goes as low as 750-800 on sales but around 900 most of the time. Breville or Sage DB is also nice option but unfortunately I don't have it anywhere close available. Cheers! @@kaisegrud
Having the profitec go, i'd say that i would not ask for anything more as an espresso only drinker... as a single boiler needs some extra time for heating up to steaming temps, but when in temp steams great too!
Yea I am more of espresso drinker also and only beans on the light side or light-medium from some roasters that have like dedicated "espresso roast". Milk drinks are occasional and mostly in the winter or for friends that come and like milk based coffees. So being single boiler the GO is not a problem for me at all! @@anastkats2367
I have the Profitec GO, absolutely no regrets. This Rancilio is closer to $2000, GO is $1000. Once you work out your workflow, it is a breeze to use.
@@anastkats2367
I've got the povo spec V6 Silvia and love it but the drip tray does suck and not knowing the water tank level is a pain but aside from that its a great machine
The machine will show ‚H2O‘ on it‘s display before the shot. It will not cut the shot. So no real issue, I guess
I also have insomnia when I buy a new espresso machine, and I don't understand why
How is the profitec pro 300 holding against the pro x?
I had them both on my kitchen table, among several others. I went for Silvia Pro X.
Compare the Pro 300 against the Profitec Go, it's newer single boiler sibling. You will see and feel, that an update for the Pro 300 must be waiting in the wings
@@Martin-i8o8n Profitec Move!
Thanks for the video! Will you do the ascaso steel duo review soon?
I bought this machine 2 years ago no complaints except that sometimes when I have friends and guests over I can't pull 4-6 back to back shots. However if I were to upgrade what do you recommend upgrading to a Linea Micra or a Linea Mini ? I want something that heats up fast and pulls 4-6 great shots consistently. E61 sounds good but I have kids who run around the kitchen so it doesn't work for me. Love your content!
Other reputable reviewers say, back to back shots are doable undefinetely. Just give it 90 seconds between two shots. They measured by SCACE and found it incredible stable in that schedule
Can you explain why you can't pull consecutive shots? Are you referring to temperature instability?
@@gbf5972 Yeah if you pull shots really quickly they taste different. Also, the steam boiler runs out if you make 2 milk based drinks you'll have to wait for a few minutes for it to come up to temp. If I make just 2 drinks it works without any issues. Its when I start to make the 4-5th drink I see these issues. I guess I just have to wait after 4 drinks for the machine to come up to temp.
La Spaziale has machines in this price range
Lance , is that a subtle Hint at the end about Gaggia and a dual boiler incoming ? Would be great.
Only thing that sucks on this machine is the water reservoir. I hate that a dinky piece of plastic just sits on top of an essentially exposed tank, and some tubes suck the water out.
Hi Lance, thanks a lot for your review. Very informative, indeed! Could you maybe test/demonstrate in a future video whether variable soft infusion using basically mere gravity causes uneven water saturation of the coffee pack according to your claims? Thanks again!
I've done so in my flow.and pressure video
I played with soft infusion on my Flair and found what happened is exactly what is described in this video.
This was reflected in the taste of the extraction and is undesirable IMHO.
Also, with pre-infusion I find there are so many variables coming into play that I like using a bottomless portafilter with it lit and observable with a mirror and timing each shot's pre-infusion by inspection - the time varies quite a bit. So my preference would be holding the start extraction button down starts a pre-infusion, releasing it stops the pre-infusion and moves on to extraction, and then a further touch of the button stops the extraction, or it is terminated by a timer. Having any sort of infusion running on a timer is useless to me.
And the comment about the Flair is misleading for the Flair 58 where the water only contacts the coffee when the lever is raised.
That's exactly how the manual button works in Breville/Sage Dual Boiler, and you can adjust pressure as well. It's surprising how well designed it is from UX perspective; such small touches, e.g. that you can get immediate full pump power by holding either of the programmable buttons, and not only the feature is there, it is well described in the manual and it's usage is suggested for backflushing and guess flushing as well. If only there were no completely unacceptable issues like internal steam leaks after only a year of light usage...
I agree. My personal experience with Breville products is that they meet the marketing bullets in the features they provide, and are built like appliances, that is, they are priced well and fail after a relatively short usage of a few years.@@OYeahan
the NA version has a different steam tip than the EU version I think, a 4 hole which makes for much faster steaming
I never thought I would not buy a coffee machine because of it's driptray - but here we are.
Lance, is this worth to upgrade from Breville express ?
Other trusted reviewers swear by the Lelit Bianca and the Breville Bambino Plus as the best espresso machines in their respective price ranges. Any thoughts? I plan to pull the trigger by Christmas.
Hey Lance, off topic, but I noticed the Vectis in the background. I have one and I’d be very curious what its peak pressure is. Purportedly it has a 8-bar spring, but I suspect (based on how easy it is to pull the lever vs my 9-bar Londinium Compressa) that it’s less than that. Anyway, if that’s something you can test, it would be interesting to know. Thanks for the videos, really enjoy them.
Thanks for the review. Not sure it answers the question “Best home double boiler machine?”
The title was less so an invitation to an answer but moreso the title it has been given online. Especially in the "more affordable" range.
Hey Lance Hendrick, thank you for all the energy you put on your videos all the time!
I want a buy a new expresso machine but I'm a bit confused and can't decide with all the machines existing on the market. Would you have a recommendation for a machine below 3000€ ? I currently have a simonelli nuova which served well, but I feel like it reached its limits. Thanks!
Regarding the pressure pump mod: Can't I just manually pre-infuse by pushing the brew button, letting the pump kick in for a couple of seconds, turn it off, wait and turn it back on again?
Absolute noob here so please don't roast me like a bean
Big fan Lance. Keep up the good work 👍
Is it much better than previous rancilio silvia pro?
the kind of espresso machine that you'll find in a strip club