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Rancillo Silvia vs Nuova Simonelli Oscar  

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  • chrislng
    replied
    Re: Rancillo Silvia vs Nuova Simonelli Oscar  

    I would save yourself the hassle and go the Oscar. I have had a Silvia and have used a Oscar on numerous occasions.

    A PID on a Silvia may produce better straight espresso as the Oscar can run hot, but that said with the right routine I was able to produce a balanced shot with lasting Crema on the Oscar.

    If you are more than an occasional milk drinker or a bit of an entertainer then I would say 100% Oscar as your guests will tire and you will need to be 110% on the ball to get the goods out in any kind of time or consistency.

    The Silvia is a little champ for the right application but if your budget is not limited then the Oscar is a no brainer.

    Things I liked on the Oscar were

    1. Quality internals
    2. Plastic case (sure not as pretty but just wipe and your a go)
    3. large drip tray
    4. steam train performance
    5. angled portafilter
    6. hose-less water tank

    Things I found somewhat annoying

    1. No as good cup clearance as the Silvia
    2. Steam knob turns anti-clockwise, confusing at first
    3. No hot water tap makes turning over boiler water a bit of pain. Not a taste issue more around maintenance


    Quick vid of me the Oscar to give you an idea.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bs1hhiV2iGs

    Leave a comment:


  • inblues
    replied
    Re: Rancillo Silvia vs Nuova Simonelli Oscar  

    Thanks for sharing. Im think which to choose between this two.

    Leave a comment:


  • fatboy_1999
    replied
    Re: Rancillo Silvia vs Nuova Simonelli Oscar  

    SPEAK UP!!

    Leave a comment:


  • Framey
    replied
    Re: Rancillo Silvia vs Nuova Simonelli Oscar  

    Blessed are the coffee makers.

    Leave a comment:


  • Monti
    replied
    Re: Rancillo Silvia vs Nuova Simonelli Oscar  

    Originally posted by Sparky link=1121420031/15#18 date=1121819172

    To quote Brian "You are all individuals." Crowd replies "We are all individuals!" One person replies, "Im not!"
    LOL

    That is a good one.

    Leave a comment:


  • Sparky
    replied
    Re: Rancillo Silvia vs Nuova Simonelli Oscar &nbsp

    In the end, the satisfaction one gets from making coffee is unique to the individual.

    To quote Brian "You are all individuals." Crowd replies "We are all individuals!" One person replies, "Im not!"

    Leave a comment:


  • Dimal
    replied
    Re: Rancillo Silvia vs Nuova Simonelli Oscar &nbsp

    Originally posted by Sparky link=1121420031/0#13 date=1121661228
    <br>On a shot to shot basis, a PIDed machine may hit the target 80% of the time, while a human may hit it 20% of the time. Just ask Mal about his before and after performance. Why not let technology make life a bit easier for you?<br><br>Science vs Art... Let the buyer decide.
    Yep,

    Thats the crux of it alright. The PID mod to my Mokita has made this a much easier machine to use, quicker from shot to shot and much more consistent in shot quality. Im not saying that a PID modded machine is better or worse than any other machine, but for me it makes my life a bit easier and since I cant afford even one of the cheaper HX machines, Ive now got a machine that provides a performance level that is well on the way to what I would have expected from a domestic HX machine. And, for a lot less money and a lot more fun... nothing like designing and implementing your own improvements to a machine; definitely a sense of satisfaction attached to that [smiley=cool.gif].

    Also, were not talking about a mod that turns a semi-auto into a fully-auto. We are just using a mod that controls the temperature of the water in the Boiler to a much greater degree than a standard t/stat is capable of. Kind of like a Super Thermostat if you will, that also allows a wide range of additional controls to allow one to tailor the Brew Water Temperature to what ever it is that you want. For crying out loud, our 4 year old Fisher & Paykel washing machine is more sophisticated than this .

    Cheers,
    Mal.

    Leave a comment:


  • Monti
    replied
    Re: Rancillo Silvia vs Nuova Simonelli Oscar  

    Originally posted by Sparky link=1121420031/15#15 date=1121752273
    Technology does help make things easier. Remove some of the variables and you have fewer to deal with to get it right.
    Most of us are not world champion baristas, so if we can use technology to help out, then why not? FWIW, I believe that you can make great mlk based drinks with just about any machine, cheap thermoblocks included. Espresso is another matter.

    Ironically the early history of espresso was marked by innovation after innovation to improve the performance of the machines. Now we sit back and say the old ways are the best ways... cest la vie

    Well not everyone sits back... Check out Versalab.
    I agree, Sparky, technology does make things easy.  Is easy what we want, though?
    Imagine when people come over and you just have to press a button to get your perfect espresso.  How good is that going to make you feel?  We dont just like coffee, we like the challenge of making good coffee.  We like its compexities and the difficulties that come with it.  As FC said, the satisfaction can even come from beating the machine with human skill and understanding.

    We dont just sit back, but we practice and practice to understand the art of making coffee.  When it comes to technology and science we do sit back as we are not in the position to do much about it, since we are not scientists with the specific knowledge, tools, funds, etc, to build the right machine.  We are better off, and will have more fun just polishing our skills.  Or should we go and buy nearly $15,000 worth of Versalab equipment to get the perfect espresso?   

    We might not be world champion baristas but we can achieve a better brew by working on our skills then by working on our machines.  
    I wonder how world champion baristas become so good.  Is it by fiddling with their machines or is it by learning the ART?  
    I think, we all know the answer to that.  

    Leave a comment:


  • Sparky
    replied
    Re: Rancillo Silvia vs Nuova Simonelli Oscar &nbsp

    Technology does help make things easier. Remove some of the variables and you have fewer to deal with to get it right.
    Most of us are not world champion baristas, so if we can use technology to help out, then why not? FWIW, I believe that you can make great mlk based drinks with just about any machine, cheap thermoblocks included. Espresso is another matter.

    Ironically the early history of espresso was marked by innovation after innovation to improve the performance of the machines. Now we sit back and say the old ways are the best ways... cest la vie

    Well not everyone sits back... Check out Versalab.

    Leave a comment:


  • Monti
    replied
    Re: Rancillo Silvia vs Nuova Simonelli Oscar  

    The temperature is just one aspect of making coffee and it can be controlled by a skilled person by surfin the temp, by knowing your machine, by the time the water is in contact with the coffee, etc.  I reckon, if you give a cheap sunbeam machine ($200) to Paul Bassett with no pid and less then perfect temp consistency, he will still make a better coffee then any of us.  Of course you can say as a scientist that - yeah, but if everything else is being equal then...- but everything is never equal when you are making coffee.  

    Even if a thermostat is not as accurate or has more errors, a skilled person can adjust his technique and make it work.  That is where the art is.  I believe a human can achieve the same or better results then the machine can in many a circumstance, and making coffee is one of them.  Otherwise most cafes would have machinery in there that would give you the perfect coffe just by pressing a button and cafe owners wouldnt have to pay skilled baristas good money but rather have a blond with big boobs behind the counter pressing those buttons.  Hmmmmm!  Come to think of it, that is what happens out there but without the good coffee.  lol

    Leave a comment:


  • Sparky
    replied
    Re: Rancillo Silvia vs Nuova Simonelli Oscar &nbsp


    FC, I dont think I missed you point, I just disagree. With respect to what you said, the same goes for washing machines. No need to go fully automatic, the fun is in knowing how to work them...

    BTW, as a scientist, I can say with a reasonable degree of confidence that a PIDed machine does NOT work the same way as a thermostat machine. They are way more stable and less prone to user error. A human cannot achieve that same degree of performance as the machine doesnt work the same way. On a shot to shot basis, a PIDed machine may hit the target 80% of the time, while a human may hit it 20% of the time. Just ask Mal about his before and after performance. Why not let technology make life a bit easier for you?

    Science vs Art... Let the buyer decide.

    Leave a comment:


  • mattyj
    replied
    Re: Rancillo Silvia vs Nuova Simonelli Oscar  

    Hey all, not sure how to go about this with site sponsors and all, not wanting to upset them putting prices online. It was mentioned above that the oscar is $1300 ... you can get it $300 cheaper.

    Or if you want a HX machine, a better option is an expobar office pulser, same price, with a hot water tap as well, which could easily replace the kettle if all youre doing is making a cuppa tea for yer mum when she visits. That and the Expobar isnt plastic, its really thick s/s.

    Rather than saying where to get them from here, you can email me and Ill let you know!

    Leave a comment:


  • Monti
    replied
    Re: Rancillo Silvia vs Nuova Simonelli Oscar  

    FC, you just hit the nail right on the head.
    Those words should be etched in stone.
    Not many are listening, though. :

    Leave a comment:


  • Fresh_Coffee
    replied
    Re: Rancillo Silvia vs Nuova Simonelli Oscar  

    Mark,

    have you missed my point? YOU are the one that realises the best potential that your espresso machine can give.

    You....are a human PID. Dont need no electronic "robot" to do this.

    Dont underestimate the value of the operator in the equation. Besides, this is ofcourse debateable but half the fun is in knowing how to "beat the machine". This is the "art" that people talk about, otherwise we all may as well run out and buy a super automatic, and have the production of all manually operated espresso machines....banned!  ;D

    Too much science & details, not enough fun.

    Regardz,
    FC.

    Leave a comment:


  • Sparky
    replied
    Re: Rancillo Silvia vs Nuova Simonelli Oscar  

    nuff said on the Silvia. Im on the techie side of things, so understanding a machine is what Im about. Ive already discovered a lot over this weekend. Probably more thanmost people would care to know.

    FC, PID temperature control just makes the machine live up to its potential. The other benefit is ease of operation. Turn on, warm up, brew. My routine, that I developed this weekend (without PID control), is turn on, warm up, wait for heating element to switch off, wait 2 mins, brew. The 2 mins is required to wait for the boiler to stabilize after the heating phase. If you dont wait this long the brew temps are all over the shop, with large variations during the shot.

    Taste wise, Ive had a great cappuccino or two out of this machine. Unfortunately the beans I have dont make an espresso I particularly like, so the real test of taste has to await some decent espresso beans.

    After all this science, my head is starting to hurt. Now I just want to relax and enjoy a great coffee....

    Regards,

    Mark.

    Leave a comment:

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