Thanks for the clarification Endo, I thought I read you got the 18g but in looking at your post you clearly said double. I was able to find that here in Vancouver for $10 so I will definitely go that route. Have you weighed how much the Silvia allows before you hit the screen? I would assume that you can't get in the 17g that it hold (but I may be wrong).

Endo wrote:Too bad Synesso doesn't make 53mm baskets.

Actually they don't make baskets at all (see Synesso Baskets - group buy!! and A fool and his money for more background information). I have several of them and like them as baskets go, but can't say they're notably different than my other Faema-style baskets in the drawer, except for their slightly greater capacity.

Yes. Like most OEMs, I'm sure they use a supplier.

With Synesso, I'd bet they put quality first and require tighter tolerances on their components. With large volume operations (like Rancilio, Gaggia, etc), I would bet cost reduction (profitability) comes first and tolerances on form and hole pattern would be similarly relaxed. Could be they change suppliers several times over the years to get the best price.

For example, look at your 21g basket. The holes are not even centered. What's the requirement on the drawing here? Whatever it is, it doesn't look like this basket should pass any kind of quality inspection.

The LM/Synesso ridgeless double basket I received was definitely an improvement over the original stock Rancilio basket. Like Mark Prince said, everything about them from material to hole shape was better. Did you try them back-to-back on a Silvia or are you speaking more generally?

Just for fun (since we're showing photos), here's another basket found stock on a high priced machine (not a Rancilio). Ahhh yes....quality is job #1.



Not all baskets are created equal.

Endo wrote:Did you try them back-to-back on a Silvia or are you speaking more generally?

I haven't used a Silvia since 2005 (link). I have lots of Faema-style baskets, including the so-called Synesso baskets, and use them interchangeably since I rarely dose over 16 grams. I haven't noticed an in-cup difference among them.

Endo wrote:The LM/Synesso ridgeless double basket I received was definitely an improvement over the original stock Rancilio basket.

Years ago I read others comment that the stock Rancilio baskets were suspect. I was a newbie at the time and replaced it without much thought, hoping it might improve my espresso. In retrospect, the triple basket made a bigger difference, probably thanks to "pseudo preinfusion". That is, Silvia likes her headspace.

HB wrote:Years ago I read others comment that the stock Rancilio baskets were suspect. I was a newbie at the time and replaced it without much thought, hoping it might improve my espresso. In retrospect, the triple basket made a bigger difference, probably thanks to "pseudo preinfusion". That is, Silvia likes her headspace.

Was this the stock Rancilio 21g? What dosage did you use? I tried underdosing to 18g on this and I ended up with a lot of channeling.

thefly wrote:
Now, question - mine will be sent to my set in celsius, but should it instead be set to fahrenheit to give more adjustment - ie 1 degress F is less then 1 degree C.?

Any thoughts on this? This is in reference to my PID which should (hopefully) arrive this week. It is the Auber Delux which I believe is rounded to the nearest degree (not .1) and it would seem that fahrenheit would give more of a range.

thefly wrote:Was this the stock Rancilio 21g? What dosage did you use? I tried underdosing to 18g on this and I ended up with a lot of channeling.

Around the same, maybe a gram or two more. I doubt your troubles with channeling are due to your choice of basket; it's more likely attributable to Silvia's well-documented finickiness and unevenness of your distribution technique. The WDT is your best friend and the Stockfleths Move for Dummies is your next-to-best friend.

Thanks Dan, I think my channeling issue on the triple was due to underdosing and then not getting a great tamp. I do use the WDT but not Stockfleths as I never dose to the basket ridge. I find if I ever dose this high it hits the screen or I cannot get the PF in.

As the dose is low in the basket I have taken this approach using the stock Rancilio double:

1. measure 2 scoops (~14g) of beans into Rocky
2. grind directly into PF with yogurt container
3. use WDT
4. remove yogurt container. The grounds are now fluffy but not to the edges of basket due to where yogurt container was
5. light tamp & turn with convex tamper - this pushes the grounds out to edge
6. hard tamp & polish

This usually leaves a bit of grounds pushed up side of basket walls. I then pull (after attempts at temp surf).

This seems to get a good pull in terms of evenness most of the time. When I did the underdose triple I think the tamp wasn't done well enough which left a gap. The odd time I get a small spray which quickly resolves itself. Using a naked PF.

I am now just having a bit of issues getting the right grind setting. My pulls are into the 20-25 sec range. Volume is on the low end of 1 to 1.25 oz and some are bitter. Very good tiger striping and speckling in the cup etc. My hope is the bitterness is more to due with too high of a temp rather then overextraction. PID should tell me which one once installed. I think volume is low due to lower dose but I am not 100% sure. I have only had Silvia now for 2 weeks.

erics wrote:It, unfortunately, is not rounded. It is "dropped", i.e., 200.1 F and 200.9 F will both display as 200 F. The table written onto the internal chip is in degrees C and F is displayed as a simple math operation. Even so, it will be "tons" better than the existing on-off thermostat. See here: http://www.home-barista.com/espre...out-pid-t4691.html

Yes, sorry, should not have said rounded as I did read that it is dropped. As that is the case in order to get a touch more accuracy am I correct that setting to fahrenheit is better then celsius?

108C = 226.4F
109C = 228.2F

Therefore setting to F allows me 1 extra setting of chosing 227 F while setting to C would not.

Hmm, now that I think about it some more I wonder if it really matters and I am overthinking this....

thefly wrote:Hmm, now that I think about it some more I wonder if it really matters and I am overthinking this....

Wouldn't want that round-off error to ruin the first recorded Silvia God Shot.....

True! Now just have the hard time of waiting for the PID to show up.

Endo wrote:Wouldn't want that round-off error to ruin the first recorded Silvia God Shot.....

Endo,

Do you have your PID set to read 0.1 degrees? I just received mine today (will install tonight) but see that it states that it is capable of handling 0.1 degree settings but that "it will take much longer to reach the set point".

I use 1 deg C increments.

Thanks Endo. I will see how that works out and whether I want more precision later. Have you tried at 0.1 to see how much longer the stabilization time is? I may try this week and report back.

thefly wrote: Have you tried at 0.1 to see how much longer the stabilization time is?

Endo's Rule: When it comes to the temperature of coffee, any figures after the decimal are "insignificant".

I have a Silvia with Auber PID, if I had to do it over again I'd go ahead and get the steam, for only one simple reason. When I get up in the morning, first thing I do is turn on Miss S. on steam setting, then go shower etc, it would be nice if it was at 280 when I came back 20 minutes later. That would be the only time it would be handy, otherwise watching the temp, starting steaming at 270 gives me loads of powerful steam with the heater always on.
Just my $0.02

I wonder if leaving the Silvia at steam temp for 30 minutes each day would impact life of some components (like gasket or PID)?

Donal, I must be missing something. Why start it in steam mode? If you steam first and brew second, that assures the group will be well over the target brew temperature and negates the added accuracy a PID brings.

Sorry,
Had a typo, it is at most 20 minutes...maybe I'm overdoing it? I flush afterwards twice to get back down to temp. Is it always better to pull first then steam?
Donal