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  • #16
    Re: Never used a coffee machine before,will I mana

    Ive been drinking the gunpowder green tea for a while but am now brewing it at 65C - so much better!

    Back on topic Ive been developing a theory about the Silvia lately. The difference I think is not that the Silvia will make a better coffee out of the box, but that she will last forever if treated with some care, and anyway shes like a good axe - all of the bits can be replaced and most of the simple bits are commercial standard. Plus you can upgrade her in various ways so she can grow with you.

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    • #17
      Re: Never used a coffee machine before,will I mana

      Hi Denise,

      I bought a Rancilio Silvia not too long ago and I think its a fantastic machine. The other great thing is that later on down the track if you want an upgraded Silvia you can add a PID to her for greater consistency... but shell give good coffee regardless.

      Anyway, I think your choice on whether to get a Silvia or not would really depend on how many coffees with milk you plan on making at a time. If youve got 15+ friends over all wanting a drink I would probably recommend something else due to the time waiting between brewing, steaming and cooling down. Its perfect for 1 or 2 which is what I use it for 95% of the time and should be ok for a few more than that as long as people are happy to sit around and talk whilst youre preparing the drinks.

      After having problems with my grinder I would HIGHLY recommend finding out how and where the item will be repaired. I purchased online from a store in Melbourne... and Im in Melbourne myself. I had a problem with the grinder and was given contact details for a repairer in Melbourne as well which is fine. What was a bit strange was that despite leaving messages on voicemail, calling the work phone and mobile I couldnt reach anyone only to find out that the sole repairer had probably gone off on holiday with no return date given. Now Ive got a Rocky sitting around gathering dust for the past week while waiting for the repairer to return. Just something to consider....


      Regards,
      Tim

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      • #18
        Re: Never used a coffee machine before,will I mana

        Ill add my support to what Chris advised above,

        If the budget is fixed or tight, then you are much better off getting the best grinder you can for that money, then using freshly roasted, quality coffee it pretty well doesnt matter what brew method you use as the most important ingredient in achieving great coffee, is exactly that "Great Coffee" ground immediately before brewing. No need to spend a heap of money straight up on an espresso machine, if its the coffee youre after then the above advice will get you there.

        If however, you opt for an espresso machine now and then buy a very basic entry level grinder, you will need to replace that grinder further up the track since you will be unable to extract the best from the bean without a quality grinder, the converse doesnt work Im afraid . All the best,

        Mal.

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        • #19
          Re: Never used a coffee machine before,will I mana

          Hi Andrew, Im a happy Silvia owner of almost a year now. Get a good grinder to go with her eg: Rocky or upwards and you will make great coffees once you get the variables of the machine sorted out.
          As Mal says the grinder is the crucial part of the equation in coffee making.
          Good luck on your decision........................gm

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          • #20
            Re: Never used a coffee machine before,will I mana

            Thanks everyone, certainly given me food (or should I say coffee) for thought.

            I think if I take the view that my coffee consumption will decrease once I have some decent stuff to drink; remove the kids from the extra frothing need; hide the machine when we have more than a couple of visitors and try to squeeze some more cash out of DH, I am still leaning towards the Silvia with a better grinder. Found a non sponsor who does the Silvia and a range of grinders and hope to visit on Saturday after a visit to Coffee Talk, stinking cold willing.

            Thanks again,

            Denise

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            • #21
              Re: Never used a coffee machine before,will I mana

              Hi Denise,

              I would whole-heartedly recommend Talk Coffee. As mentioned before, Ive been having problems with my 4 month old grinder and Chris from Talk Coffee kindly offered to help depspite the fact that I didnt purchase it from him. His level of service is already way above the store I purchased from (I wont mention any names even though it feels like Ive been hung out to dry) and when I upgrade either my machine or grinder I will definitely go through him and will recommend him to anyone looking for coffee equipment as well. Fantastic after-sales service speaks volumes of a store I think!


              Cheers,
              Tim

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              • #22
                Re: Never used a coffee machine before,will I mana

                Sadly, this morning we found out that Talk Coffee operates by appointment only so we made our way to a non-sponsor near Melbourne, which sells freshly roasted coffee and various coffee making tools.

                Even with a cold, the smell was wonderful. We spotted the Silvia and various grinders and after a minute of looking at them were joined by the owner who proceeded to show us the Silvia in action, what a lovely cup of coffee it was!

                We decided to go with the Iberital Challenge grinder - set up by the owner and with hopper filled with beans - with the Silvia in a special package deal for $1050, a bargain with 1kg coffee, 750g drinking chocolate, chocolate shaker, stainless steel tamper, knock box, cleaning brush, milk jug and thermometer and possibly more (kids have unpacked!)....

                Less than we would have paid for the two machines separately, so DH is extremely relieved!

                Just waiting for the machine to heat up so that I can give it a run.

                Thanks to everyone for your advice.

                Denise

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                • #23
                  Re: Never used a coffee machine before,will I mana

                  Great news Denise and a great deal too... [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

                  The journey now begins ,

                  Mal.

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                  • #24
                    Re: Never used a coffee machine before,will I mana

                    Welcome to the Silvia fan club Denise, you will get many hours of enjoyment out of this machine once you settle into her little nuances.
                    Get a good tamper...............
                    cheers gm

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                    • #25
                      Re: Never used a coffee machine before,will I mana

                      Congratulations, Denise, youll be very happy with that set up. Post any questions you have, someone will answer, and have fun with the new toys.

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