Anyone make their own espresso at home?

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I don't understand, there are thousands of brands of k-cups. You mean the single cup brewing method in general is terrible?
yes I guess that is a better way to put it. I purchased a Keurig machine many years ago and thought I loved it at first. (certainly love the ability to make JUST one cup when needed). Loved that everyone could have diff type of coffee at the same time, but quickly realized how bad the coffee tasted and I tried ALOT of different brands and flavors. Too watery and after awhile it seemed like everything tasted the same.
 
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http://www.theedgecoffee.com/rancilio-hsd-silvia-silvia-espresso-machine-review/

<header class="entry-header" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 30px 0px; text-align: center; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 16px;">[h=1]Rancilio Silvia Espresso Machine Review[/h]
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The Good: Complete bang for your buck here, this is the best value for the money you are going to get in a semi-automatic espresso maker. Extremely durable and constructed of top-quality materials, especially on the interior of the machine. The heating element is easy to remove for simple cleaning and repairs. High-performance for barista-style espresso.
The Bad: Does not come with a PID temperature control which means there might be some fluctuation between the low point and high point temperature, meaning you might get 1st shot only luke-warm.
Tip:To solve the temperature problem, you can Temperature Surf. Temperature Surfing simply means running water through the container until the orange light comes up so you can heat the boiler back up to the max water temp—when the light goes off, brew your shot and they will all be hot afterwards.
The Bottom Line: Hands down, this is the best value semi-automatic espresso machine on the market, no matter which price range or boiler type it goes up against. If you’re looking for a single-boiler under $1,000, the Rancilio is also the best in the field.
Click here to get upto 23% off from Amazon and free shipping.[h=2]The Rancilio HSD-SILVIA “Ms. Silvia” Review[/h] When you’re looking for value in an espresso maker, one thing you want to be sure of is that it is lasting. For the past five years, the Rancilio HSD-SILVIA (aka the “Ms. Silvia”) has been proving that it brings a lasting value to any kitchen, professional or home. With an extremely powerful linear housing and brilliant overall design, this iron and stainless steel espresso maker doesn’t just look professional, it’s built for a barista as well.
Rancilio put their commercial grade group head into Ms. Silvia to ensure that the heat levels were stable and the extraction quality was optimal. They then added a 58mm ergonomic porta-filter to provide the best extraction action this side of $1,000. In fact, these porta-filters are the same exact ones that Rancilio puts on their commercial espresso machines, showing you just how closely Ms. Silvia was designed to the professional kitchen models.
And since the HSD-SILVIA is a single-boiler, the design team over at Rancilio wanted to make sure that it stood out in its class. To do so, they made the Ms. Silvia espresso maker contain the largest volume capacity of any home espresso machine single-boiler in the world. Packing a whopping 12 ounces of capacity in its chrome-plated brass boiler, the steaming power is only surpassed by the instantaneous recovery time between brewing shots.
While some have complained that the water reserve indicator could do a better job, the two-quarts that it holds is not only more than adequate for most espresso making sessions at home, it is is also refillable during operation. Add to this a fully articulating stainless steel steam wand with a commercial steam knob and you can quickly understand why so many people have made Silvia a resident family member on their countertop. Also comes with a plastic tamper and two filter baskets.
Features that Make the Rancilio HSD-SILVIA Espresso Machine Stand Out
Aside from the top value and quality you are getting for your dollar with the Silvia espresso maker, you also get a number of other neat features that make life just a little bit easier (until you get that delicious espresso to your lips!):

  • The chrome-plated steamer wand is commercial grade, giving you the option to steam for milk or boil water, accommodating not only your espresso-loving friends, but your Americanos as well.
  • Consistent extraction thanks to the Brew Group brassing which means you get even water and heat distribution every time.
  • A three way solenoid valve reduces splatter from porta-filter mis-pulls as well as post-brew drip, making this commercial grade pressure release system super-clean and efficient.
  • A 15 BAR water pump gives you heavy duty forcefulness where you need it, getting the most flavor extraction out of your grounds as possible.
  • A removable 67 ounce water tank that can be refilled before, during and after operation.
  • Three thermostats to monitor the 12 ounce brass boiler to ensure that the steam, espresso and boiler heat are all on the same page, giving you consistency in method.
  • Warming surface on the top of the machine lets you pre-heat cup to get the perfect pour each and every time.
  • A warranty worthy of the value that you get with Rancilio products.
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It's expensive, I was amazing at the amount people spend on these. You can spend anywhere from $100 to $3,000+

My unit was $700 for the espresso machine, and $150ish for the grinder. You can get them slightly used for $500/$120

Justin, If you read the reviews, the Rancilio is by far the best for it's price range. I'm real happy with it. So far
I've just been making espressos and Americanos, but I next want to try macchiatos.

I was spending $10-$20 a week at Starbucks, so this thing will pay for itself in less than a year, and the
coffee is better.


thanks for the info. I'll check it out
 

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yes I guess that is a better way to put it. I purchased a Keurig machine many years ago and thought I loved it at first. (certainly love the ability to make JUST one cup when needed). Loved that everyone could have diff type of coffee at the same time, but quickly realized how bad the coffee tasted and I tried ALOT of different brands and flavors. Too watery and after awhile it seemed like everything tasted the same.

Were you descaling regularly and running cleaning pods through there? I drink a few different brands, primarily Dunkin original, and I think it's delicious. And yes I've had other kinds of "real" coffee/espresso/cappuccino
 

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Were you descaling regularly and running cleaning pods through there? I drink a few different brands, primarily Dunkin original, and I think it's delicious. And yes I've had other kinds of "real" coffee/espresso/cappuccino
I do not even know what descaling is, so the answer would be NO on that, but I am not arguing with you, to each his own. I buy cheap coffee from Aldi actually and it works perfectly for my tastes.
 

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I do not even know what descaling is, so the answer would be NO on that, but I am not arguing with you, to each his own. I buy cheap coffee from Aldi actually and it works perfectly for my tastes.

Right on, yeah, if you keep your Keurig clean and run some vinegar through it from time to time it keeps the flavor on point.

For those of you out there drinking from a Keurig:

1. Run one tank of half water/half white vinegar through an empty keurig (no k cup)
2. Run 2-3 tanks full of straight water through afterwards, until the smell of vinegar is completely gone
3. Run one of these pods through. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074CK3QSH
4. Change your filter. Rinse it really well first, then soak it for 5 minutes before putting it in. Soak it while you're doing the other shit. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073DCKJB1/

Do this once a month and your coffee will taste 100x better out of there. Night and day.
 

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