Every true espresso lover fantasizes about being able to make coffee-shop premium espresso in the comfort of their own home in a matter of minutes. When it comes to making an espresso shot, there are many factors to consider, like the temperature and the pressure of water, the fineness, and the density of the ground coffee.
To make a good espresso shot, an expert espresso maker or barista keeps track of all these factors. An espresso machine creates dense, concentrated coffee by pushing pressurized water near boiling point through a “puck” of ground coffee and a filter.
Espresso machines can be steam-driven, piston-driven, pump-driven, or air-pump-driven. Also, they can either be operated manually or automatically. It can be difficult to choose between all of the alternatives in the market, particularly when they are all claiming to have the same next-level experience at comparable prices.
This article will compare two top espresso machines – The Breville Barista Express vs Rancilio Silvia, on different parameters.
Breville Barista Express vs Rancilio Silvia
About The Breville Barista Express
Breville is an Australian small appliance company that was established in Sydney in 1932. Blenders, coffee makers, toasters, kettles, microwaves, and toaster ovens are among the company’s best-known items. As of 2016, the company also collaborated with the Nespresso espresso machines and came up with products such as Inissia, Bambino, and Citiz. With over 85 years of experience in the market, Breville has gained customers’ trust and loyalty.
The Breville Barista Express is part of the Barista Series, which includes all-in-one espresso machines with an integrated grinder enabling the machine to go from beans to espresso in under one minute. No doubt, why it is one of the bestselling products of the company. To begin with, it’s important to understand the product features and specifications. So here is an overview.
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Product Features
- The integrated conical burr grinder comes with dosing controls in the Breville Barista Express that ensures that your coffee is freshly grounded with each cup. In under 60 seconds, you’ll be able to grind your beans and inject them straight into the coffee filter.
- You get an instant hot water functionality that fastens the process of coffee making.
- There is enough space for storing and transferring coffee beans.
- The Barista Express has a 15-bar pump and thermo-coil heating system to make brewing and frothing simple.
- There is an adjustable temperature control that helps to get an optimum coffee flavor.
- A “Clean me” light indicator offers a quick reminder when it’s time to clean the machine.
- There is a dry puck feature that enables easy disposal of the coffee puck.
- The machine offers an adjustable grind size and amount, which helps to get an optimum coffee aroma.
- With pre-programmed Espresso options, you get to make single or double shots by simply pressing the corresponding buttons.
- It has a modern brushed stainless-steel finish.
- It comes with an automatic filter size which lets you choose a single or double filter basket by default.
- The Brewing pressure gauge tells you how you’re dialing in your shot based on the pressure level.
Product Specifications
| Accessories | Razor Dose Trimming Tool 54 mm Stainless Steel Portafilter 1 Cup & 2 Cup Single & Dual Wall Filter Baskets Coffee Scoop Integrated Tamper Stainless Steel Milk Jug Cleaning Disc and Tablets Cleaning Brush, Tool & Allen Key Water Filter Holder & Water Filter. |
| Capacity | Bean Hopper Capacity: 225 grams (Approximately) Water Tank Capacity: 2 liters (Approximately) |
| Construction Materials | Brushed Stainless Steel |
| Dimensions (LXWXH) | 12.5 x 13.25 x 15.75 inch |
| Heating System | 1600W Thermocoil- integrated stainless steel water path accurately controls water temperature. |
| Power | 1600 Watts |
| Pre-Infusion Function | Gradually increases water pressure to extend grinds for an even extraction subtly. |
| Purge Function | After steam, the water temperature is automatically adjusted for the best espresso temperature. |
| Settings | Single or double shots are available. Grind amount can be adjusted, and there is a manual override option. |
| Frothing Wand | Yes |
| Grinder | Inbuilt grinder |
| Pressure Gauge | Yes |
| Weight | 10.5 kg (Approximately) |
| Voltage | 110-120 volts |
| Warranty | 1 Year Limited Product Warranty |
The Breville Barista Express is a well-rounded espresso machine with a good combination of semi-automatic and super-automatic features, making it the best value for money on the market.
Pros
- Breville Barista Express is an easy-to-use compact espresso machine.
- It has default settings that are useful for beginners.
- High-quality material is used in machines which ensures that the espresso you are brewing offers the finest taste you can have.
- Complementary accessories are provided, like a stainless steel milk jug, cleaning disc, cleaning tool, cleaning brush, coffee scoop, water filters, etc.
- Six types of coffee can be easily made using the product, such as Espresso, Americano, Latte, Cappuccino, Macchiato, Ristretto.
Cons
- All parts of the product need to be cleaned manually.
- The water filters used are quite expensive.
About Rancilio Silvia
Roberto Rancilio founded the Rancilio espresso machine company in Parabiago, Italy, in 1927.
Rancilio’s first machine was ‘La Regina,’ a vertical boiler machine similar to the original Bezzera and Victoria Arduino machines. In October 2013, Rancilio was acquired by Ali group (an investment fund).
Rancilio Silvia is one of the most cost-effective espresso machines available. This semi-automatic machine is of excellent quality and long-lasting. The machine is also easy to maintain; the heating element can be removed and cleaned with ease. It brews some of the finest espresso drinks. The Rancilio Silvia is reasonably priced when considering the machine’s build quality, reliability, and efficiency. It is the perfect brewing machine for beginners to polish their skills.
Rancilio Silvia has a reputation for being the best entry-level machine for home espresso enthusiasts, thanks to its superior results over the past ten years. it is also often compared with Gaggia, and you might like our article about Gaggia Classic vs Rancilio Silvia.
To better understand a product, it’s important to learn about product features and specifications. So here is an overview.
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Product Features
- The machine is mainly built of semi-commercial and commercial-grade materials. Most of the machine parts are made either of stainless steel or cast iron, which makes the machine very durable.
- When the brew switch is turned off, the three-way solenoid valve relieves the water pressure on the coffee, which is a commercial feature. This accomplishes two goals: it dries the coffee to avoid dripping, and it makes it simple to remove the coffee from the portafilter with a single knock.
- Semi-automated system and quality elements offer maximum even distribution of heat and water.
- A 15-bar heavy-duty powerful water pump, will force water through your coffee grounds and extract all of the flavors.
- The brushed stainless-steel body can be cleaned and maintained easily, which makes it a low-maintenance machine.
- The machine has 2 thermostats, 3 temperature controls, and a high limit (which eventually helps prevent overheating).
- Articulating steam wand allows the user to control the machine’s pressure accurately.
- The machine’s linear, classic design makes it suitable for almost every kitchen décor.
- The easy plug into socket feature makes it easy to operate.
Product Specifications
| Accessories | Rancilio Silvia Coffee Machine 58 mm Stainless Steel Portafilter 2 Filter Baskets of 16 grams and 8 grams 58 mm Metal Tamper Plastic Measuring Scoop Plastic Water Reservoir Rubber Blind Disks for Cleaning Instruction Booklet |
| Capacity | Bean Hopper Capacity: 0.3 liters (Approximately) Water Tank Capacity: 2 liters (Approximately) |
| Construction Materials | Black painted stainless steel |
| Dimensions (LXWXH) | 9.2 x 11.4 x 13.3 inch |
| Heating System | High thermal accumulation boiler |
| Power | 1100 Watts |
| Pre-Infusion Function | Gradually increases water pressure to extend grinds for an even extraction subtly. |
| Purge Function | Manual purge button available |
| Settings | Single or double shots are available. |
| Frothing Wand | Yes |
| Grinder | No grinder |
| Pressure Gauge | Not Available |
| Weight | 13.6 kg (Approximately) |
| Voltage | 120-230 volts |
| Warranty | 2 Years Product Warranty |
Pros
- Easy to use because of no programming features except for the Proportional Integral Derivative (PID) electric controller, which is optional to install.
- Rancilio Silvia has an appealing design and durability, which makes it a great fit for your kitchen.
- The materials used to ensure even heat and water distribution to deliver consistent espresso extraction.
- 14 types of coffee can be made using this machine, such as Black Coffee, Latte, Cappuccino, Americano, Espresso, Doppio, Cortado, Lungo, Mocha, Macchiato, Ristretto, Flat white, Irish, and Affogato.
Cons
- The product is a little expensive to buy as a basic espresso machine.
- It requires add-ons such as pod adapter kit, PID (Proportional Integral Derivative) kit, grinder, and tamper to maximize the benefits that pile up the cost.
- Time taken to warm up is high.
Breville Barista Express vs Rancilio Silvia – The Similarities
- Both are semi-automatic espresso machines. Thus, users have the power over when the extraction process starts and finishes. Also, both the Breville barista express and Rancilio Silvia function similarly by following a general brew process.
- Both machines have strong visual appeal when it comes to design. They’re also mid-sized so that they can be placed under overhanging cabinets in a normal kitchen.
- The water tank size is the same, which is 2 litres.
- Both the machines come with two options – single or double shot.
- They are single boiler machines with a standard manual steam wand.
- Both espresso machines have swivel action steam wands that allow you to texture milk at any angle, making frothing and steaming milk for lattes and cappuccinos simple and intuitive.
Breville Barista Express vs Rancilio Silvia – The Differences
- The Breville Barista Express has a 54mm portafilter, whereas the Rancilio Silvia has a 58mm portafilter.
- The Breville Barista Express offers a front and centre pressure gauge that helps optimal extraction, whereas Rancilio Silvia doesn’t.
- Rancilio Silvia is built with stainless steel and cast iron, whereas the Breville Barista Express is made with only stainless steel.
- The Breville Barista Express has a built-in grinder which is a nice convenient option to have. Rancilio Silvia doesn’t have that.
- The Breville Barista Express has an auto-purge function for its steam wands, allowing immediate espresso extraction after using the steam function. In contrast, Rancilio Silvia has a button for manual purging.
- While both machines come with a tamper, the Breville has a heavier chrome version kept in place by a magnet inside the machine for convenient and attractive storage. The Rancilio Silvia has a plastic tamper and no built-in room.
Who should choose Barista Breville Express and Rancilio Silvia?
Breville Barista Express and Rancilio Silvia are ideal for different users based on various differentiating factors, such as the water reservoir, boiler power, used coffee brand and form, etc.
You can make a delicious and aromatic shot of espresso right out of the box with the Barista Express. The Espresso machine ensures that all of the settings are in place so that you can make perfect coffee every time. When you gain a better understanding of the differences between configurations, you will have full flexibility to alter and adjust them as you see fit. It also comes with everything you need, including filters for a single or double shot, coffee scoop, stainless steel frothing jug, and cleaning discs. Thus, this Breville Barista Express is ideal for beginners.
To begin with, Silvia necessitates a great deal of knowledge. If you’re new to this, be prepared for a few bad shots before perfecting the espresso game. And, since a great espresso shot begins with great coffee grounds, you’ll need a top-of-the-line conical burr grinder, which will add to the machine’s cost. Also, you’ll need to buy a frothing jug.
Rancilio Silvia is ideal for more experienced consumers or people looking for a commercial-grade beginner machine, who want to keep track of their espresso shots and have a bigger budget to work with.
It is good-looking, durable, and effective at what it does.
Wrapping Up
The Barista Express offers more value for money than the Rancilio Silvia. It’s less costly than the Silvia and comes with everything you need for a great cup of coffee at home: an espresso machine, a grinder, and a variety of accessories.
It’s much simpler to use because you have the option of programming it yourself or having it run automatically. On the other side, the Silvia is built for precision and durability. You get less for more, but once you are polished with brewing espresso, you will never regret spending more.
However, both machines offer an excellent user experience; depending on what you are looking for, you can select one.
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