Milk steaming on Racillio

limnam

Hey all


Having a lot of issues with getting milk right on a Rancillio


Anyone got any good tips for steaming for milk drinks.

adrian522

Practice is the main thing, but tips I would say,

Keep your jug in the fridge as you get a bit more time to steam before it gets too warm.
Use Fresh Milk as much as possible.
Full fat is easier to steam than low fat.
Don't put the steamer in too deep, it should only break the surface of the milk.
Have a look at videos on youtube and read some articles on it.
You also need to do the temperature surfing on the Silvia if that is what you are using to get the right temp for steaming.

But practice is the main thing.

J_E

Make sure the machine is up to heat before using it. When the light goes off after you turn on the steam switch, first dump the initial stream of hot water into a jug/container until there is just steam, then start steaming. If it is screeching or you're not getting enough power, it might just not be hot enough.

It's also good practice to keep your machine descaled from time to time if you have hard water, as this can affect steaming performance.

Make sure to keep the wand clean and always purge a bit of steam after every use to prevent any clogging up of dried milk.

Edit: Should also add - the pitcher size matters a lot. The Silvia doesn't have quite enough power to heat a large pitcher of milk properly, it will struggle to replenish another round of steam and you'll hear that screeching as it struggles to push out more. Best use one around 350ml.

It's a single tip so you have to play with the angle you steam at to get the 'sweet spot'. Make sure you are only gently steaming at the surface for foam, a light paper ripping sound. After that, angle the wand slightly to one side of the pitcher so you get a good whirlpool going.

phelixoflaherty

Check the hole in the steam wand is clear also
Use a toothpick
You can twist off the end using a pliers and something to protect it