I have a silvia by Rancilio and was wondering if anyone knew where I could purchase a crema enhancing filter for this machine, you know the ones with the one tiny hole in the filter basket. The reason I need one is simple .... my wife wants to make americano style coffee with just one switch. She could do that with our cuisinart machine. Thanks in advance ....

Why would you want that? We usually talk about getting rid of those things.

That is an odd request. If you mean by "one switch' that she wants to pull an Americano right into the cup... Uchhh. But two possible solutions:
1 - take the time to teach her how to use a regular portafilter basket. Really not a lot more involved in that.
2 - get an Aerobie Aeropress.

It goes against my better judgment to say this, but maybe you need to get a pod kit for your Silvia. The newer Silvias made in the last couple of years are pod compatible. Then she doesn't have to deal with grinding, distributing, tamping, etc. Just throw in a pod and brew your shot. Add hot water, and bingo, instant Americano. It won't be as thick and flavorful as a freshly ground shot, but it should be drinkable.

I know I can teach anyone to use miss silvia, but with a pressurized filter..... one hole 58mm instead of eighty holes 58mm my wife can load and pour and voila there is and eight oz cup of coffee with loads of crema on top. So can any one help me with my quest to find a crema enhanced pressurized 58mm filter for my miss silvia. Thank you so much in advance for your help. I know with this filter I can keep everyone happy in the house, as things are now the grumbler's say the miss silvia is to much work for a cup of java!!!!

I would have to agree with teaching her how to use the Silvia. I can't imagine how 8oz. pulled through a pressurized basket would taste? Pretty nasty I would think, I pretty much drink amercanos and I pour the shot into a mug of hot water. If you are set on getting something check out partsguru.com, they sell a crema enhancing disc for a Gaggia, might work on a Silvia portafilter.

Cheers,
David

Seems like getting the grumblers a drip pot (ooh, one button?) or french press might be smarter. You can make a LOT more mediocre coffee that way. I don't know if it's been clarified yet, but I did want to make sure you know that pulling 8 oz. of water through a double shot's worth of coffee is not going to produce a rich anything, no matter if it goes through 1 hole or 800. The coffee extracts optimally with ~1-2 oz. at 9 bars of pressure. What this means is that, if you continue to pull water through after ~2 oz., you get over-extracted coffee. It's so bitter and awful that your worst espresso shot (I hope) doesn't even compare to it. If you think that a crema enhancer is going to help this at all, I can tell you right now that it will just be lipstick on a pig, to quote a presidential candidate (or both).

What's the trouble with pouring 6 oz. of hot water from the tap into your mug and microwaving it for 30-60s while you prep the shot? It's not hard, it's not any more trouble, and it will yield a drinkable cup of coffee. Crema enhancer schmema enhancer. You're not going to get a decent cup of coffee drawing 8 oz. of water through 2 scoops of coffee grounds on Silvia no matter what you do.

You've got to preach the good word about good coffee! Stick up for it! Send your wife to McDOnald's if she doesn't want proper coffee!

Dink0617 wrote:I would have to agree with teaching her how to use the Silvia. I can't imagine how 8oz. pulled through a pressurized basket would taste? Pretty nasty I would think, I pretty much drink amercanos and I pour the shot into a mug of hot water. If you are set on getting something check out partsguru.com, they sell a crema enhancing disc for a Gaggia, might work on a Silvia portafilter.

So you are making a "crema coffee." I have actually done this type of thing with a cheap pump espresso machine and...of all things....coffee pods. It actually worked quite well. Not over extracted.

A "one step Americano" is called a Cafe Crema nowadays, a very common drink in Europe. You grind much coarser than usual (4 clicks coarser on the Rocky, at least), and run a cup worth of brew through the PF in the usual 25 to 30 seconds. This works perfectly well with a regular basket. Done right, this is a slightly tastier than an Americano

Wow, I stand corrected. That's quite interesting; I will have to try that for myself.

zin1953 wrote:Interesting, but am I the only person who doesn't really like Americanos? I would much rather have a rich, flavorful cup of French Press . . . (shrug!)

Yes Jason, I believe you are!

zin1953 wrote:Interesting, but am I the only person who doesn't really like Americanos? I would much rather have a rich, flavorful cup of French Press . . . (shrug!)

For my taste, they suck big time; while cafe cremas suck a bit less due to their better crema. If you make them from an espresso blend, they are a very flat tasting; if you make them from a brewing coffee, they don't taste as good as brewed. However, I never understood the appeal of Clovers either, so my taste may be limited.

There are cities in Europe where cafe cremas are sold more than either regular coffee or milk drinks. I've heard they use blends specially formulated for the drink; and I think these could be good, since I think I could come up with a blend that would work for the method.