GhostyFeb 10, 2024

And it's here!

Just took my sweet time to set up the new espresso machine... after having to carry the 25kg parcel up into the 4th floor. Oh, my deer... -.-
But... IT'S HERE! And I couldn't be happier!

So.... meet the new Miss!
The Rancilio Miss Silvia Pro X black.

I'm staying with Rancilio as a brand, because I am very happy with the build quality, temperature stability and overall performance.

The SPX is a dual boiler machine with a 0,3L brew boiler and a 1,0L steam boiler with PID and a bunch of useful features, like a shot timer, pressure gauge, Group head flush, cleaning cycle etc.
Heats up very quickly. With the steam boiler, it's ready to go in 11 minutes. Even less if you turn off the steam boiler.
Comes with a decent enough 58mm metal tamper and two reasonably well-made filter baskets.
I won't use both tamper and baskets, because I have a couple of VST precision baskets and my Normcore V4 Titanium tamper, but if you are just starting, they look decent enough.
I also switched out the typical mesh shower screen for an IMS competition shower screen.
No, it doesn't do much for the taste, but it is far easier to clean and fine coffee particles don't get behind the screen (or get stuck in the mesh)

The big Miss Silvia also built like a tank and has the aesthetic charm of an old Volvo car.
Which honestly ... I very much prefer over the typical Faema E61 chrome "Steampunk" monsters.

And yes, there are a few issues, like with every machine.
The typical "Rancilio Silvia" quirks, like the tiny drip tray, which will get replaced in the future.
Or the water tank with hoses instead of a more modern quick coupling system.
Or the questionable placement of the drain from the 3way valve.
But nothing really major and more of an inconvenience than really a big problem.
Compared to other machines, even well into the 2000+ € class, the Silvia Pro X has remarkably few real issues.

Already pulled my first shots of espresso.
Very chilled workflow, lots of space under the group head and the shot timer makes it so much more convenient.
Tasted great as well. Even feel a little more balanced than the (already tasty) shots that I pulled with the Little Miss.

And it is funny how big it is, compared to the Little Miss in the 4th Photo ^.^'
But it still fits very nicely into my existing setup.

As I said ... I really couldn't be happier!
#espresso #coffee #portafilter #rancilio #silviaproX

Show threadLilSandyKitFeb 10, 2024

@GhostyCub wicked! I’ve been happy with Rancillio for years. Never disappoints.

Over the last ten years the only things I’ve had to replace have been:

Year seven of ownership - hot water valve
Year nine of ownership - button board
Year ten of ownership - steam valve

Very solid machine.

Show threadGhosty

@Lilsandykit I am really super happy.
And I was already very pleased with my little Miss in terms of build quality.
It was an older V3, built somewhere between 2009 and 2014 and the former owner had used it extensively. And it still worked quite well.
Needed a serious deep clean, a new group head gasket, a few other gaskets and that was it (and the PID was a big plus of course).
Might need a fresh seal for the steam valve before I can sell it.

I'm very confident that the new big Miss will work just as well.
Rancilio really builds espresso machines like tanks.
Or like they said in the Kaffeemacher Channel ... like an old Volvo car.
Not very sexy, but very reliable, pleasant to work with and super sturdy.

Haven't tried the steam wand yet, but I am pondering if I should replace the 3-hole tip with a 4-hole tip.
But looking forward to trying that out as well.

There will be some modifications to the SPX in the next couple of months, but I don't think I will upgrade to another machine any time soon.

Feb 10, 2024 at 6:58pmWeb
Show threadLilSandyKitFeb 10, 2024
@GhostyCub we replace the gasket on the group head once or twice a year as needed. That is just normal maintenance. We have it plumbed in and change the inline filter/softener as needed as well. Otherwise it’s rock solid.
Show threadGhostyFeb 10, 2024

@Lilsandykit Yeah, group head gasket and fibre inlay is something many people forget about. The one we took out of my old silvia was quite brittle.. so probably older than it should have been... even if that's really a quick and cheap part to replace on a regular basis.

But then .. people love to forget about maintenance in general.
No matter is espresso machine or grinder.

Show threadLilSandyKitFeb 10, 2024
@GhostyCub we just changed the burrs in our Macap M2D grinder. It’s been a trooper.
Show threadGhostyFeb 10, 2024

@Lilsandykit Never tried one of those.
Started of with a meh Graef, then tried a Eureka Silenzio.
Nice grinder, but I had some issues with it that I could not resolve (partially my own fault, to be fair).
But I am very happy with my DF64 now, at least for espresso.
I know it can also grind for filter, but I totally fell in love with my little Fellow Ode for that (with the Gen1 burrs switched out for the much better Gen2).

But I haven't ground up enough coffee for having to replaces the burrs on those two.
I think, compared to your setup, I think I am lot of kilograms of coffee behind ;)

Show threadLilSandyKitFeb 10, 2024
@GhostyCub I’m a bit of a coffee snob for sure. I used to be a voting member of the Specialty Coffee Associations of America and Europe for my day job at the time.