# Steaming with the Silvia



## awholelatteproblems (Jan 9, 2019)

I'm pretty happy with my setup for espresso making - my Silvia has the meCoffee PID, and after various amounts of adjustment, I have a consistent brew temperature.

Where I'm struggling is with milk steaming. I'm very happy drinking espresso, or a long black, so it's not the end of the world. In fact, if I got good at steaming maybe my consumption of milk wouldn't be so good! Having said that, I'd like it at least to be a viable option.

My overarching question is, is it ever really going to be a viable option with the Silvia?

I've bought a 330ml jug, but even with that I get to the point of water running through the wand more quickly than I'm able to get enough air incorporated. I have my boiler set to 140C as I found that helped some, at least with having a little more steam.

One thing I'm considering is this jug that encourages a toroidal flow - if anyone has any experience with them, I'd appreciate any feedback (as a newbie I'm not sure I should be posting links as yet, but it's called an Espro Toroid. Seems like a lot of money for a milk jug though!

Thanks in advance for any help and advice


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## L&R (Mar 8, 2018)

How many holes does your steaming tip have, 3 or one?


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## awholelatteproblems (Jan 9, 2019)

Just the one hole.


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## L&R (Mar 8, 2018)

That is the easiest type to work with, the only way I have found to master frothing and latte is watching youtube vids and waste milk. As a result I can make some simple patterns.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

awholelatteproblems said:


> My overarching question is, is it ever really going to be a viable option with the Silvia?
> 
> Thanks in advance for any help and advice


Yes ...

get alot of milk , watch a few video , and then practice , practice , practice.

You can make decent milk texture on a Siliva, dont focus on fancy jugs etc.

A Toroid jug wont make up for lack of practice or technique, yes i had one , it was no better than a Motta etc.

Just do alot of practicing til you get it.


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## awholelatteproblems (Jan 9, 2019)

Mrboots2u said:


> Yes ...
> 
> get alot of milk , watch a few video , and then practice , practice , practice.
> 
> ...


Can I ask what size jug you're using, out of interest? Also are you running a PID, and if so what temperature do you have your steam set to?

I went through about 2 litres of milk initially, attempting to nail it, but the biggest problem I was running up against was that it starts spurting hot water, rather than steam, into the milk. Hence my question of whether it's ever really going to be viable. I've used a proper HX machine a couple of times and haven't had nearly as much of a problem in getting my milk moving well, and my air incorporated fully. That was with a bigger jug - say a 500ml one.


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## Stanic (Dec 12, 2015)

Steaming with Silvia 3:24 - 4:17


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

awholelatteproblems said:


> Can I ask what size jug you're using, out of interest? Also are you running a PID, and if so what temperature do you have your steam set to?
> 
> I went through about 2 litres of milk initially, attempting to nail it, but the biggest problem I was running up against was that it starts spurting hot water, rather than steam, into the milk. Hence my question of whether it's ever really going to be viable. I've used a proper HX machine a couple of times and haven't had nearly as much of a problem in getting my milk moving well, and my air incorporated fully. That was with a bigger jug - say a 500ml one.


Used to have one, dont anymore

Purge the steam wand , before you steam , get rid of that hot water.

Presumably you are adding about 160-200 ml of milk in your jug.

I think mine was around the same size as yours

Watch the video above from 330 onwards


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## awholelatteproblems (Jan 9, 2019)

Stanic said:


> Steaming with Silvia 3:24 - 4:17


This made it very clear what my issue was (perhaps, in my occasional dalliances with steaming I should have given it more than a cursory consideration - I tend to largely drink espresso / long black as mentioned)...

I had the pump running while steaming. Happy to take some flak for this - seems rather obvious in retrospect. I had wondered at the big problems. In any case, just steamed some milk very successfully, thank you. A picture speaks a thousand word, a video with the exact machine and what you should be doing (not foolishly turning on the pump), many many more so! Thanks.


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## Stanic (Dec 12, 2015)

Cool, glad it helped


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## ashcroc (Oct 28, 2016)

awholelatteproblems said:


> I'm pretty happy with my setup for espresso making - my Silvia has the meCoffee PID, and after various amounts of adjustment, I have a consistent brew temperature.
> 
> Where I'm struggling is with milk steaming. I'm very happy drinking espresso, or a long black, so it's not the end of the world. In fact, if I got good at steaming maybe my consumption of milk wouldn't be so good! Having said that, I'd like it at least to be a viable option.
> 
> ...


Assuming the steam temp is set by the PID you could increase it to get better steam. IIrc the Silvia has a 165° safety stat so 155° steam temp (minus the offset if you've set one to show group temp instead of boiler temp) should be safe


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## awholelatteproblems (Jan 9, 2019)

Stanic said:


> Cool, glad it helped


Given you're running the same setup with the meCoffee PID, could I ask what you have your steam temperature set at with the meCoffee?


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## awholelatteproblems (Jan 9, 2019)

ashcroc said:


> Assuming the steam temp is set by the PID you could increase it to get better steam. IIrc the Silvia has a 165° safety stat so 155° steam temp (minus the offset if you've set one to show group temp instead of boiler temp) should be safe


It's a nice idea, the PID seems to allow for a maximum of 140° though. Certainly the steaming controls on the PID are much less refined than for the brew! Simply a temperature to set, and an on / off functioning of the boiler on the way to attaining that temperature! Interestingly in the app, the default for that is 125° - will be interested to hear what @Stanic has his set at.


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## ashcroc (Oct 28, 2016)

awholelatteproblems said:


> It's a nice idea, the PID seems to allow for a maximum of 140° though. Certainly the steaming controls on the PID are much less refined than for the brew! Simply a temperature to set, and an on / off functioning of the boiler on the way to attaining that temperature! Interestingly in the app, the default for that is 125° - will be interested to hear what Stanic has his set at.


Surprised the max is so low. The mecanical steam stat on the gaggia classic is 145° as standard & even that's considered worthwile upgrading to a 155° one if not running a PID! The Silvia has a larger boiler though so can produce more steam at a lower temp I suppose.


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## Stanic (Dec 12, 2015)

awholelatteproblems said:


> It's a nice idea, the PID seems to allow for a maximum of 140° though. Certainly the steaming controls on the PID are much less refined than for the brew! Simply a temperature to set, and an on / off functioning of the boiler on the way to attaining that temperature! Interestingly in the app, the default for that is 125° - will be interested to hear what @Stanic has his set at.


AFAIK that maximum temperature is due to the meCoffee PID temp sensor operating capacities, you don't really need temperatures of a nuclear powerplant primary circuit to get the job done.

I had it set to 123 Celsius and never had any problems with steaming (assuming you're not going to froth multiple one litre jugs in one go







)

The lower temperature also provides for longer life of the heating element and everything else inside of the machine


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