Saraluna
New member
For Christmas, my family bought me a new Rancilio Silvia based on consistently good user reviews. I have read up on the basics. I'm using fresh beans, right after I've ground them. I'm using the double basket, tamping firmly, heating the machine up first, but I can't pull a shot with decent crema and the shots are pulling WAY too fast. I'm grinding as fine as possible, but the grinder is nothing special. Do I really need an expensive grinder to make decent espresso with a nice machine, or is it possible to pull an ok shot without? My shots are coming out under 10 seconds, even if I fiddle with the pressure, and almost no crema. Tips?