Both the Gaggia Classic Pro vs Rancilio Silvia are old dogs with a lot of life. They have won so many fans over the years, and I’m here to help you figure out which one is better. And it is the Gaggia Classic Pro!
To be fair, they share a lot of things – both pros and cons. They are compact, feel indestructible, and use a professional steam wand. They also lack a built-in grinder and require mastery in temperature surfing since they have no PID, among others.
The Rancilio Silvia is equipped with higher-quality accessories and steams milk faster. Still, the Gaggia Classic Pro also presents its own set of advantages, including a faster heat-up time, a dedicated spout for hot water, and a lower price tag.
Gaggia Classic Pro Vs Rancilio Silvia: Specs & Features Comparison Chart
Last update on 2024-11-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Gaggia Classic Pro Vs Rancilio Silvia: Differences
The Gaggia Classic Pro won the Rancilio Silvia with a score of 3-2. Can’t wait to see how these two machines differ from each other!
Coffee Flavor & Brewing System
Winner: Gaggia Classic Pro
Built-in Grinder
For such machines that don’t have a built-in grinder, you have to go extra mile to hunt down a burr grinder that’s up to the task for espresso. Using pre-ground coffee is fine, but you will need to use a pressurized filter basket and prepare yourself to get a shot that’s good but might not hit that “barista-standard” level.
Dosing & Tamping
With the Classic Pro, you will receive 4 filter baskets, including both pressurized and non-pressurized ones, ready for any situation. The Rancilio Silvia only comes with professional non-pressurized baskets, so if you’re a new guy or want to use pre-ground coffee with this, you’ll need to get the pressurized baskets separately.
They also use nice 58mm industry-standard portafilters, enabling you to feel confident pulling single or double shots from them. But while I’m pleased with the Rancilio Silvia’s heavy-duty tamper, I’m very disappointed with the embarrassing plastic one that comes with the Classic Pro.
Certainly, the inclusion of a plastic tamper is better than not having one at all, but it feels a bit like bringing a toy shovel to a digging contest! So if you opt for the Classic Pro after all, I strongly suggest upgrading to a stainless steel tamper for more consistent and even results.
Heating System
Both the Classic Pro and Rancilio Silvia are single-boiler machines, so they can’t dispense espresso while you’re using their steam wands. This may slow you down a bit when you’re making multiple milk-based drinks in succession.
The Gaggia features an aluminum boiler, heating up and transitioning between brewing and steaming a bit more quickly than the Rancilio with its marine-grade brass boiler. Still, the brass boiler is more resistant to corrosion. See, everyone’s got their strengths and flaws!
Another shortcoming of these machines is that there is no PID controller, so you have to practice what is referred to as “temperature surfing” to get the best results with them or mod them with a PID kit. Whatever, it’s too cumbersome for most newbies. You can also choose the Classic Pro or Rancilio Silvia with a PID installed, but it will cost you more.
Brewing System
These machines technically don’t have a pre-infusion feature. All of us know that this is a very important step for extraction – no buts, ands, or ifs.
I said “technically” since there’s a nifty little trick I’ve got up my sleeve. All you have to do is give the steam wand valve a quarter turn and hit the brew button to gently moisten the puck for a few seconds, and then turn off the steam wand for full extraction to kick in.
Both also feature a three-way solenoid valve at the group head, which I really love. I won’t go too deep into the technical rabbit hole here, but it basically relieves pressure from the group head post-extraction, so you can take out the portafilter immediately after pulling a shot and end up with a dry puck that can be easily knocked out.
The three-way solenoid valve also helps backflush the machine. It just means that the machine uses its own hot water to clean the group head when the portafilter is mounted with a blind basket inside.
Design & Convenience
Winner: Gaggia Classic Pro
Dimensions & User Interface
| Gaggia Classic Pro | Rancilio Silvia | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 14.2 x 9.5 x 8 inches | 13.3 x 11.4 x 9.2 inches |
| Weight | 18.7 lbs | 30.8 lb |
The Classic Pro and Rancilio Silvia are compact and boxy machines. And with their attractive and durable stainless steel casing, they truly look like tanks on your kitchen counter. It always rings true that there’s something timeless and undeniably cool about a stainless steel build.
Size-wise, they aren’t too different, but the Rancilio Silvia is significantly heavier, and I’m not exactly sure why. It even weighs as much as the Breville Dual Boiler, one of the heftiest semi-automatics I’ve had my hands on.
On their front control panels, there are just a few function switches for everything. These switches lack text labels, so you’ll need to memorize what each symbol represents. Still, this learning curve shouldn’t be too challenging as there aren’t many switches.
Spout Type & Cup Clearance
| Gaggia Classic Pro | Rancilio Silvia | |
|---|---|---|
| Spout Type | Dual | Dual |
| Cup Clearance | 3.3 inches | 3 inches |
The amount of space between their portafilters and drip trays might seem limited, but they are still spacious enough for any espresso cup you’ve got, even with a coffee scale underneath. If you need even more room for bigger things, just remove their drip trays.
Both also feature a large cup warming plate on top to heat your cups. That ensures what you drink is a shot at the perfect temperature, not a disappointing lukewarm one.
Water Reservoir & Bean Hopper
| Gaggia Classic Pro | Rancilio Silvia | |
|---|---|---|
| Water Reservoir | 2.1 liters | 2 liter |
| Bean Hopper | None | None |
Their water tanks are spacious and removable, but you can fill them from the top. There is no water filter included, so you should use bottled water or softened water so your coffee tastes better and you are spared from frequent descaling of the machine.
Milk Frothing System
Winner: Rancilio Silvia
These machines use professional-grade manual steam wands. Compared to a Panarello wand or an auto-frothing system, they are ideal tools if you’re aiming for creamy, dreamy microfoam milk needed for latte art.
The Rancilio Silvia wand sits on a ball joint, so it’s easy to try out different angles as you hone your steaming skills since the wand has to adapt to you, not the other way around. The Classic Pro lacks such a ball joint, making it a tad more limited in flexibility.
What’s more, the wand of the Rancilio Silvia is more powerful and can steam milk faster than the Classic Pro. Beginners may initially perceive the Rancilio’s wand as overly powerful, but the steam dial nearby helps adjust the pressure, making it more forgiving.
Drink Options & Programmability
Winner: Tie
Drink Options
| Gaggia Classic Pro | Rancilio Silvia |
|---|---|
| Espresso Hot Water | Espresso Hot Water |
Nowadays, it’s not difficult to locate a super-automatic machine that offers a range of one-touch drinks for convenience, but such machines are typically quite expensive, and of course neither of these two models falls into that category.
Still, at least they have a hot water function, which isn’t universally available in all machines. While the Rancilio Silvia’s wand doubles as a hot water outlet, the Classic Pro has a separate spout to dispense hot water. Personally, I favor the latter setup. It’s quite disappointing when a cup of tea is spoiled by traces of milk residue, isn’t it?
Programmability
| Adjustable Settings | Gaggia Classic Pro | Rancilio Silvia |
|---|---|---|
| Coffee Strength | No | No |
| Coffee Temperature | No | No |
| Milk Foam Temperature | No | No |
| Milk Foam Texture | No | No |
These machines are designed to simplify the espresso brewing process, which is great for beginners. But serious coffee enthusiasts might find them lacking, as they don’t offer the ability to customize certain aspects, such as the water temperature (once again, because both lack a PID controller), to their complete satisfaction.
Quick Rundown Of Rancilio Silvia
- Rancilio Silvia M V6 Espresso Machine, which arrived in 2020.
- New matte-black group cover (Polycarbonate + ABS)
- Updated icons for better usability
- Includes a professional, wood-handle tamper, 9g Single Shot Basket (40-100-106), 17g Double Shot Basket (40-100-107), Double Spout Portafilter
- One Year Manufacturer Warranty
Last update on 2024-11-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Quick Rundown Of Gaggia Classic Pro
- Solid Steel Housing, Made in Italy
- 9 Bar Espresso Extractions
- Stainless Steel 58mm Commercial Portafilter
- Commercial Three Way Solenoid Valve
- Commercial Steam Wand
Last update on 2024-11-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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References
- Rancilio Silvia: https://www.ranciliogroup.com/rancilio/silvia/
- Gaggia Classic Pro: https://www.gaggia-na.com/products/gaggia-classic-pro
Felix Hendricks is a skilled barista with over 12 years of experience. He excels in crafting coffee and has a strong foundation in coffee machine mechanics. Felix holds a Coffee Machine Maintenance Certification from the Coffee Equipment Technical Institute, showcasing his ability to diagnose and repair coffee machines. He’s also worked as a quality control specialist, selecting premium coffee beans for optimal flavor. Felix has a diverse work history, including stints at renowned coffee spots like Café Euphoria & Starbucks. His expertise in both brewing and machine maintenance makes him a respected figure in the coffee industry.