# 2020 Model Silvia V6



## Bica60s (Dec 3, 2019)

After a lot of wrangling about which was the right machine for me, have taken the plunge and bought a V6 Silvia. Have to say I'm delighted with it and have the hang of it I think. My regime is switch on, check water in boiler and water level in tank, warm it up, run hot water through the portafilter and remove and dry it. I then wait for the boiler light to go out and while doing that, dose 16gr into the double basket, distribute and tamp. Once light is off, I run the brew button for a few seconds until the water doesn't flash to steam, insert portafilter and brew for 30 seconds. Seems to provide very consistent results so far. I'm amazed by what an improvement in flavour is achievable over my old delonghi pressurised basket machine. Love the solidity of the Silvia too...very nicely made thing.


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## Seagull (Apr 23, 2018)

Congratulations on your wise purchase.

I bought my Silvia 3years ago and I'm very happy with it, I might add a PID this year. It took me a few days to perfect steaming the milk and dialling in my grind.

I considered both the Gaggia and Sage at the time, but I went for a Silvia that's been slowly improved over 20years. The beauty with the Rancillio is every component is replaceable and the machine can be modified.

I will look to get 10years out of my machine and fix it along the way if anything fails.

With machines like the Sage, I wonder if they're repairable a few years down the line or just landfill?

My mum has a bean to cup Delonghi it's internals are all plastic,it's 4years old and working fine, but the day it breaks will probably spell the end of it.

My mum can't believe the improvement in flavour of coffee the Silvia produces over her Delonghi we both use the same beans.


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## TomHughes (Dec 16, 2019)

I see you went for the model with the diamond encrusted portafilter


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## shadow745 (Apr 29, 2012)

I personally wouldn't waste time/$ on anything from Breville. May give a lot for the $, but durability/longevity was left out of the mix. Gaggia/Rancilio are tried/true and will last/perform indefinitely. Same goes for grinders as in the case of Baratza as they are the same as what Breville focuses on.


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## L&R (Mar 8, 2018)

Not bad starter machine, just tested V6, a real tamper and back flushing disk is a really nice complement for the customer who supposedly doesn't have them in hand.


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## Guente (May 22, 2020)

Im looking at getting a V6 myself - what grinder would you recommend for it? I've been looking at the Iberital MC2 which looks ideal for espresso but wanted of other recommendations.


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## Rob92 (May 3, 2020)

@[email protected] The eureka mignon silenzio pairs nicely with this! In fact any in the Eureka mig range works well.


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## Rob92 (May 3, 2020)

Rob92 said:


> @[email protected]
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> 
> 
> ...


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## Guente (May 22, 2020)

thanks @Rob92 - Do you mind me asking why you think the Eureka pairs well with the Rancilio V6?


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## Rob92 (May 3, 2020)

From personal experience @Guente (I used this just for espresso though)

With the Silvia being a quality entry level prosumer machine pairing it with a "decent" entry range grinder talking £200-£300 is a must Your quality of shots, taste and body are so much better! Its grind is very reliable, minimal clumping, static and depending on model of Mignon, the grinder will carry over with you nicely to when you eventually upgrade the machine itself  The machines are pricey enough without thinking about having to buy another grinder on top of machine upgrade cost - I get bored easily so always wanting to swap and change, so I try to think ahead with what im buying.

This is just my opinion though and from what has worked well for me. Others might have other preferred match ups  I just think for the money, you cant beat it.

Check out the Eureka Mignon Manuel/Facil as well for lower cost. This the same high quality internals just without any of the thrills.

Hope that helps


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## cracked_bean (Apr 13, 2014)

Are there two lights on the power switch, what are they for?

I have, I think, a V3. I fitted a PID to mine 
, it was just a thermocouple control unit I got from eBay. Never really used it without it but always a solid machine.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Guente (May 22, 2020)

@Rob92 - thanks for the update. I certainly want to spend the cash on a grinder that doesn't necessarily need to be upgraded down the line, so the Eureka's may fit the bill.


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## sand (Jun 7, 2020)

How long does the 2020 version take to heat up roughly?


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## Alan b (May 28, 2020)

anyone try to remove the splitter on the portafilter for v6 ?


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## Doram (Oct 12, 2012)

sand said:


> How long does the 2020 version take to heat up roughly?


 You can speed up the heating time by making a couple of flushes when the heater is off, to lower the temp and get it to heat again, while running hot water through the group and PF. If you do that, you can shorten the heating time to maybe 15-20 minutes (or even less). However, for me it's more likely to get good shots if you let everything heat up properly for 25-30 minutes (or even more). I am not an expert, but I think maybe the temperature stabilises if you take your time.

No matter what you do, if you don't have a PID you MUST temp-surf the machine if you want a chance at getting a good shot. This is fairly easy to do: 1. Flush water to lower the temp and get the boiler to start heating. While it heats - prepare the coffee in the PF. 2. When heating stops, let the machine overshoot for a bit (maybe a minute?). 3. Flush water for 2-3 seconds to get rid of the boiling water and steam, then immediately put in the PF and pull the shot. Plenty more on that on the web, if you are interested.

If you add a cheap (£5 maybe) thermocouple under the steam thermostat at the top of the boiler, you will have an indication of the temperature and your temp-surfing will be easier and more accurate. Next upgrade after that is a PID or a machine with better temperature control (I haven't reached that stage yet, and I have had a Silvia since 1999. But I am getting there... )


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## Doram (Oct 12, 2012)

Alan b said:


> anyone try to remove the splitter on the portafilter for v6 ?


 Yes, and it's easy to do. Just take care not do damage the PF and spout. To do this, I wrapped everything in a towel, then inserted the spout in a slotted piece of wood (I used a stool as seen below). A couple of knocks with a mallet on the PF handle and the spout came off, with no damage to anything.


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## SteveA.Guildford (Jul 24, 2020)

Bica60s said:


> After a lot of wrangling about which was the right machine for me, have taken the plunge and bought a V6 Silvia. Have to say I'm delighted with it and have the hang of it I think. My regime is switch on, check water in boiler and water level in tank, warm it up, run hot water through the portafilter and remove and dry it. I then wait for the boiler light to go out and while doing that, dose 16gr into the double basket, distribute and tamp. Once light is off, I run the brew button for a few seconds until the water doesn't flash to steam, insert portafilter and brew for 30 seconds. Seems to provide very consistent results so far. I'm amazed by what an improvement in flavour is achievable over my old delonghi pressurised basket machine. Love the solidity of the Silvia too...very nicely made thing.
> 
> View attachment 34616


 Hi I was also a De'Longhi pressurised basket user for many years and was satisfied with what it gave me but frustrated that I couldn't properly experiment with changing the grind so after much agonising I went for a V6. I am still getting the hang of it particularly with regard to consistency of brew temperature. I use distilled water so I hate to waste it on multiple flushes through the group head to speed up the warming process. So generally I have to wait about 40 Minutes before I can start brewing. What I am finding critical is the short flush of the group head after the heater light has gone out. It is so easy to burn the coffee if you brew without a flush to bring the water temp down. I notice you are getting 16g into the stock basket. I have tried different beans but generally the most I can get in is around 14g. Sometimes less. And yes I am giving it a firm tamp. Perhaps my supplier is importing low density beans!


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