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  • gronk62
    replied
    Re: EM5900 or EM6910 or Silvia

    Originally posted by AngerManagement link=1216816971/0#17 date=1217234532
    Originally posted by gronk62 link=1216816971/0#16 date=1217208220
    Id like to mention too that early last week I emailed Sunbeam about the spout design on my 0480 grinder. I told them it tends to overshoot the PF and I thought the design could be improved on by making the spout face down more.
    A nice lady called Poppy emailed me to say they would send me out a specially designed plastic spout extension that just slips over the existing spout and has an angled down exit to aim the grind straight down into the PF.
    Anyway it arrived in the post today and I can say it works perfectly and looks like part of the machine, not some afterthought add on.
    Ill post pics of it in the next day or 2
    Looking forward to it... I use a 90 pvc bend that has been cut and it works a treat... But if I can get the real deal that would be better.
    Ive started a new thread about it. Spout extension for Sunbeam 0480 grinder

    Leave a comment:


  • A_M
    replied
    Re: EM5900 or EM6910 or Silvia

    Originally posted by gronk62 link=1216816971/0#16 date=1217208220
    Id like to mention too that early last week I emailed Sunbeam about the spout design on my 0480 grinder. I told them it tends to overshoot the PF and I thought the design could be improved on by making the spout face down more.
    A nice lady called Poppy emailed me to say they would send me out a specially designed plastic spout extension that just slips over the existing spout and has an angled down exit to aim the grind straight down into the PF.
    Anyway it arrived in the post today and I can say it works perfectly and looks like part of the machine, not some afterthought add on.
    Ill post pics of it in the next day or 2    
    Looking forward to it... I use a 90 pvc bend that has been cut and it works a treat... But if I can get the real deal that would be better.

    Leave a comment:


  • gronk62
    replied
    Re: EM5900 or EM6910 or Silvia

    Because my tamper would only fit the double basket, but not the single, I took them both, and the tamper, back to the shop to show them.
    The nice lady was a bit surprised that it didnt fit. She had a search through her supply of single baskets and found that the tamper fit in them all.

    The single that came with my Silvia is tiny (she said 7 grams) and asked if I would be happy with a slightly larger one (9 grams I think).
    I said yes so she swapped em over and Ive just used it. Perfect size for a single shot latte so Im a happy little camper

    While I was there I bought a group head brush and a milk thermometer so Im almost completely set up now except for some kind of little rubber tamping mat. Ive always just used a piece of paper towel folded over a cuppla times, but I figure it would be nice to have a proper mat.

    Id like to mention too that early last week I emailed Sunbeam about the spout design on my 0480 grinder. I told them it tends to overshoot the PF and I thought the design could be improved on by making the spout face down more.
    A nice lady called Poppy emailed me to say they would send me out a specially designed plastic spout extension that just slips over the existing spout and has an angled down exit to aim the grind straight down into the PF.
    Anyway it arrived in the post today and I can say it works perfectly and looks like part of the machine, not some afterthought add on.
    Ill post pics of it in the next day or 2

    Leave a comment:


  • sdg
    replied
    Re: EM5900 or EM6910 or Silvia

    Originally posted by porschemad911 link=1216816971/0#13 date=1217157218
    I use the single just about every day, and no problems here.
    Well?? Dont keep us in suspense -- whats the secret?!

    Leave a comment:


  • gronk62
    replied
    Re: EM5900 or EM6910 or Silvia

    Originally posted by reubster link=1216816971/0#12 date=1217122321

    BTW I love the AGGH site.
    Gday reubster, I just searched up your AGGH profile. Registered May 28, 2007.

    Yeah its a fantastic little forum!

    Leave a comment:


  • porschemad911
    replied
    Re: EM5900 or EM6910 or Silvia

    Originally posted by greenman link=1216816971/0#8 date=1217044833
    ... no-one with a Silvia uses a single basket!!
    I use the single just about every day, and no problems here.

    Leave a comment:


  • reubster
    replied
    Re: EM5900 or EM6910 or Silvia

    Hi gronk62

    Welcome, you should be very happy with that combo.
    Youll get plenty of good advise here so keep askin questions.

    Soon youll be lurking in the home roasters section and scouring the markets for a breadmaker to convert into a HG.

    Looks like weve got another one..........Mwwwwugh ha ha ha !

    BTW I love the AGGH site.

    Leave a comment:


  • sdg
    replied
    Re: EM5900 or EM6910 or Silvia

    Awww -- dont be so mean about the single basket Mine lives on one of the cups on top of the machine, and every now and then, usually late at night when I really feel like a coffee, but I know I shouldnt because I wont be able to sleep, so Ill just have a *little* one -- so then I have yet another go with the single basket.

    And just because Im as yet unable to claim any sort of success doesnt mean Im going to give up :P Its the challenge you know :

    And congrats on your purchases too, Gronk -- too bad youre gunna be walking if the bike breaks down ;D but thems the breaks!

    Yes youll need a proper grouphead brush -- for a while I cleaned mine with just a sponge, kept burning my fingers, ouch :P

    Leave a comment:


  • gronk62
    replied
    Re: EM5900 or EM6910 or Silvia

    Man my hands are shakin like I have parkinsons and Ive lost my appetite. I think Ive had WAAAAAAAAAY too much caffeine for one day. My eyes are startin to look like this..



    Yeah I tried the single basket and used the plastic tamper that was supplied with the machine. Filled with enough coffee so that the shower screen just cleared, it was a weak as wee pour. There just wasnt enough coffee in the basket to make a normal strength latte. So the single basket now resides in the back of a kitchen draw, never to see the light of day again

    My shot times are currently about 20 seconds so Im homing in on the correct grind, dose and tamp. Doesnt really matter too much to me as I drown the shot in frothy milk, which brings me to my next observation. WOW!! How good does Silvia froth milk!! Absolutely amazingly easy to get perfect micro froth every time. And really quickly too!
    It used to take me 2 or 3 times as long with my little sunbeam and the froth was never quite as good.

    So anyway Ive spent all this money but its not over yet. Few more $$ this week to buy a milk thermometer and Ill also need to get a brush to clean the group area as my old toothbrush doesnt work on this machine.

    Leave a comment:


  • Viviane
    replied
    Re: EM5900 or EM6910 or Silvia

    Congratulations, Silvia is a great machine, theres no doubt about that. Dont get too frustrated if you have a bit of a learning curve, the coffee you make in the end will be worth it. Just ask lots of questions here.

    I did the same as you and bought the Sunbeam grinder before getting the espresso machine, I was happy with it for while. You may find, however, that as your shots get closer to "great", you wont have as much adjustability in your grinder as you would like. At that point raid every piggy bank you own and get a grinder in the same price bracket as the Silvia.

    As far as the single basket is concerned, Im about to find a small saucer for mine and try to grow a plant in it. In terms of making coffee its next to useless. I use the double basket that came with as my single, and a larger double LM that I got with my Pullman tamper as the double. Ive played with other single baskets, but this works best for me.

    In the meantime, its a Saturday afternoon, you probably dont have to wake up too early in the morning, so it doesnt matter if you dont sleep tonight - keep enjoying that coffee.

    Leave a comment:


  • greenman
    replied
    Re: EM5900 or EM6910 or Silvia

    Well done Gronk, throw away the single basket, they dont work. Its too hard to get a good shot and very inconsistent, no-one with a Silvia uses a single basket!!
    Have fun with your new machine, Im sure you will get great pleasure out of her!!
    cheers gm

    Leave a comment:


  • gronk62
    replied
    Re: EM5900 or EM6910 or Silvia

    Thankyou for your helpful advice.

    As I mentioned earlier in this thread I didnt have enough money for the more expensive machines....well at least not in my "general stuff" piggy bank.
    I have a second piggy bank that is set aside for funds to cover motorcycle tyres, chains and sprockets and servicing items like oil and filters.

    Well this morning that piggy bank got raided for the extra $$ I needed to make up the difference.

    Look what I now have! A brand spankin new Silvia, Pullman tamper and a bang bucket



    Ive made a few lattes and am a bit shaky from too much caffeine. Still adjusting my grind and tamping pressure. Not quite there yet.

    One problem I have though is the Pullman tamper does not fit the single shot basket. It wont got deep enough to tamp the coffee low enough to fit under the shower.
    It fits the double shot basket ok though. Ill have to take it back to the shop and either swap it for one that fits or try some different single baskets.

    Leave a comment:


  • greenman
    replied
    Re: EM5900 or EM6910 or Silvia

    Good advice from Stuart and Bennett, the Silvia build quality leaves the Sunbeam for dead, cared for Silvia should last for many many years, whereas the Sunbeams show wear and tear after a short period of time, they do a great job but I chose Silvia for longevity and build quality, also their resale value is excellent.
    As far as Silvia being finicky, its takes a little while to get all the variables in place but once you have a routine it produces consistently good espresso.

    Leave a comment:


  • stuartgrant
    replied
    Re: EM5900 or EM6910 or Silvia

    Gronk,

    My mates have a Silvia and an EM0480 (as well as an Iberital Challenge - good grinder). Id have to say that the EM0480 is perfectly good for the Silvia! At the moment it needs a washer taken out (search the site for this mod - you might need it) because were using it on a setting of 0 or 1 on the Silvia, but the grind quality is great, and I havent noticed it being inferior to the Challenge in terms of the resulting coffee flavour.

    Dont get too caught up in the Snobbery that goes on here (with no disrespect to anyone posting here! ), youll generally find that when someone describes a grinder-machine match - or the flavour of an espresso - as "only adequate", they mean "awesome, but could be improved even more".


    I have never found the Silvia to be finicky - but because we home roast, we end up using 2-4 different beans a day, which makes adjustment difficult anyway. I guess there are some "temp surfing" trick to learn, but its still easier than a Breville or Sunbeam. Once again, Id say that 95% of home baristas would find the Silvia a joy to work on - its only the REALLY experienced people (you can call them "snobs") who would notice problems.

    The other thing about Silvias is that they come up for sale on this site (and probably others) almost weekly - and youll pay much less than retail for a 2nd hand one. Hey, youll probably pay less for a 2nd hand Silvia than you would for a brand new 6910.


    Hope that helps.
    Forgive me for "keeping it real". :P
    Cheers
    Stuart.

    Leave a comment:


  • bennett
    replied
    Re: EM5900 or EM6910 or Silvia

    Its quite a simple equation. The Silvia will without a doubt outlive the 6910. It is however a finicky beast and in the right hands can produce an awesome espresso shot and once you get the hang of it Im sure it wont be that hard to produce a great coffee time and time again. The 6910 is easier to get a good espresso on quicker ie less wasted coffee to begin with and a bit easier to master. Both need freshly ground coffee and so the 0480 is a must ! and as previously mentioned is good enough just ! Enjoy the ride.

    Leave a comment:

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