#lelit — Public Fediverse posts

Lelit Victoria Espresso Machine

Out of the BoxLelit Victoria

The Lelit Victoria comes double boxed for protection, a good thing. The main box is black and fairly basic, but still features the outdated glossy painted finish that Lelit would do well to update to more environmentally friendly bits.

Inside, it doesn’t get much better: the machine is cocooned between two plastic-wrapped styrofoam forms. As always, we encourage companies to go 100% environmentally friendly packaging, ditching polystyrene, styrofoam, and other chemical-based materials. Plant-based is the way to go. Breville has now done it with their Oracle machine, Rancilio does it, time for Lelit to get on board here.

Pulled out of the box and styrene-y type materials removed, the Victoria is wrapped in more plastic, easily removed. On top of the machine is a thick manual, and a cardboard box holds most of the accessories; it is taped and saran-wrapped to the drip tray area. There’s also more goodies inside the reservoir area. Lastly, the plastic wrapped cup riser is also included.

With bits of tape removed, all that comes with the machine is revealed, including portafilter, baskets, a tamper, water filter starter kit, coffee scoop, blind filter and a power cord.

The “look” of the Lelit Victoria is industrial chic. I just made that up. It actually reminds me a lot of the grand daddy of overbuilt consumer espresso machines, the Rancilio Silvia. Brushed metal finish, hard angles, lots of metal. In some ways, it’s what many of us wish the Rancilio Silvia had evolved into today.

Up top, the brushed steel cup warming tray actually warms cups and has a large surface area. The reservoir has a matching steel lid for the back of the machine, with a plastic handle formed into the middle. The cup tray also has a rubber seal all around it to prevent any liquid from ingressing into the electronics and boiler area, in case you put wet cups on top of the machine.

Up front is the controls, pressure gauge, PID controller / OLED display panel and the red Lelit logo. When you power on the machine (via a rocker switch on the left side), the display panel lights up showing the firmware and startup sequence, and the three control buttons – brew, steam activation, hot water – all have their round LED rings light up. When you press one of the buttons, that one stays lit, and the other two turn off.

Unlike Lelit’s less expensive machines, the control buttons on the Victoria look premium (and in fact are the same as some of the push buttons on their flagship Bianca machine). They do have a slightly mushy feel when pressing, but the construction is all metal.

The pressure gauge and display panel – called the LCC (or LECS) system (Lelit Electronic Control System) – is the same diameter as the gauge, which gives the machine a good aesthetic look. The pressure gauge is black, with white numbers and a red dial; it matches the look further of the LCC. The gauge lights up when the machine is pulling a shot.

On the right side of the machine is the steam knob. It is one of the cheapest and most mismatched steam knob dials I’ve seen on any espresso machine. It’s almost as if they said “we give up” when they got to this component, especially when compared to the rest of the machine’s fit and finish.

Moving down the front of the Victoria, there’s the grouphead and steam wand, which doubles as a hot water tap. The wand is fully extendible, and also rotates a full 360 making it very easy to use. It is not a cool touch wand, but does have a silicone sleeve at the bend for handling during use. The wand is a single hole type, important since it also dispenses hot water.

The grouphead is directly attached to the boiler, and Lelit claims it is a “saturated” grouphead (what that means in this case, I’m not sure, as I do not think boiler water is flowing around a cavity in the grouphead; it is too small to do that). Being directly attached, it aids in temperature stability and gets the grouphead heated up to the boiler’s temperature. This means even stability in temperatures through the shot, and good recovery times between shot pulls.

Lelit includes a high end portafilter with a lower-end handle with the Victoria. It’s the same PF steel parts as the flagship Bianca’s PF, but instead of a nice wooden handle, it is an angular plastic model that’s weighted. I’m not a fan of the handle. It is angled, which, in conjunction with the wraparound spouts and flat base on the portafilter, let it sit flat on the counter when tamping.

The backsplash is plain and brushed metal, with a black anodized sticker showing the machine name and type. The drip tray is voluminous and all steel. Lelit cut some minor corners on the drip tray by not fully finishing the welds at the back, but they’re hidden most of the time. The drip tray cover is Lelit’s signature grid wire bars. I’ve seen some complaints about the grid-wire look of Lelit’s drip trays on many of their machines, but if I’m honest, I love the look. I also like how the espresso cup riser looks when placed on top of the main drip tray.

The back of the Victoria features a tastefully embossed Lelit L logo, two rather ugly product spec and certification stickers, and the power outlet at the middle bottom of the machine. Everything is very boxy, but it also is well put together and finished nicely.

When you buy a Victoria, it comes with a single and double filter baskets (both high end IMS baskets!), a blind filter, a water filter system, a thick manual, and a tamper and scoop. Surprisingly, it does not come with any cleaning tabs, or water hardness testers.

Both the scoop and tamper are basic plastic, and while these may have been acceptable with a machine in 2003, but in 2024, not so much. I don’t expect an ultra-premium tamper, but this doesn’t cut it. I’m hoping that Breville’s ownership of the company will see them upgrade this down the road, and possibly also include an entry level steam pitcher.

Lastly, some specs. The Lelit Victoria is 23cm wide (9”), 27.5cm deep (11”), and 38cm tall (14.8”). The machine weighs 11.4kg (25lb). Drip tray capacity is 950ml (30 fl.oz). The reservoir is listed as a 2.5l size, but I’ve measured it at 2.85l. It draws 1200W for the boiler, and another 100 or so for the pump and electronics. The warranty is 1 year, though I hear extended warranties may be available soon from the company if you buy direct.

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Features of theLelit Victoria

The featureset for the Lelit Victoria is an impressive read. On top of the general build quality and materials built in, Lelit’s LCC offers a lot of advanced customizations and automations. Let’s go through the features, section by section.

LCC Controls

The brains of the machine offer a lot of control through the front display panel and the two soft-press button controls. Definitely a “read the manual” situation to get the most out of it.

• Full PID control of both brew and steam temperatures

New up on CoffeeGeek this afternoon: an Introduction to an overlooked entry point prosumer espresso machine: the Lelit Victoria. Find out why this could be best in the sub $1,000 price point. It certainly has the features!

(nb, link may be down thanks. to MastoDDos, for about 5 min after posting).

cc @espresso @coffee

#espresso #espressomachines #lelit #lelitvictoria

https://coffeegeek.com/blog/new-products/lelit-victoria-an-overlooked-prosumer-espresso-machine/

New up on CoffeeGeek this afternoon: an Introduction to an overlooked entry point prosumer espresso machine: the Lelit Victoria. Find out why this could be best in the sub $1,000 price point. It certainly has the features!

(nb, link may be down thanks. to MastoDDos, for about 5 min after posting).

cc @espresso @coffee

#espresso #espressomachines #lelit #lelitvictoria

https://coffeegeek.com/blog/new-products/lelit-victoria-an-overlooked-prosumer-espresso-machine/

New up on CoffeeGeek this afternoon: an Introduction to an overlooked entry point prosumer espresso machine: the Lelit Victoria. Find out why this could be best in the sub $1,000 price point. It certainly has the features!

(nb, link may be down thanks. to MastoDDos, for about 5 min after posting).

cc @espresso @coffee

#espresso #espressomachines #lelit #lelitvictoria

https://coffeegeek.com/blog/new-products/lelit-victoria-an-overlooked-prosumer-espresso-machine/

New up on CoffeeGeek this afternoon: an Introduction to an overlooked entry point prosumer espresso machine: the Lelit Victoria. Find out why this could be best in the sub $1,000 price point. It certainly has the features!

(nb, link may be down thanks. to MastoDDos, for about 5 min after posting).

cc @espresso @coffee

#espresso #espressomachines #lelit #lelitvictoria

https://coffeegeek.com/blog/new-products/lelit-victoria-an-overlooked-prosumer-espresso-machine/

New up on CoffeeGeek this afternoon: an Introduction to an overlooked entry point prosumer espresso machine: the Lelit Victoria. Find out why this could be best in the sub $1,000 price point. It certainly has the features!

(nb, link may be down thanks. to MastoDDos, for about 5 min after posting).

cc @espresso @coffee

#espresso #espressomachines #lelit #lelitvictoria

https://coffeegeek.com/blog/new-products/lelit-victoria-an-overlooked-prosumer-espresso-machine/

Lelit Victoria: an Overlooked Prosumer Machine

The $1,000 price point for Italian espresso machines is a small but interesting market segment. At this level, machines transition from “consumer” to “prosumer” status with upgraded build quality, materials, and features. Some notable gear in this range include the Profitec Go, ECM Casa V, Rancilio Silvia (the top of the “consumer” category), Quickmill Pippa, and Lelit Grace and Victoria.

The most talked-about machine in this range is the Profitec Go, which we’ll review soon. While popular, it lacks one must-have feature: hot water on demand for tea, americanos, and cup preheating.

Another option, priced about $75 less than the Profitec Go, is the $999 Lelit Victoria. It doesn’t receive much attention, with few non-vendor reviews available. The closest comparison is Tom’s look at the Lelit Grace (Youtube video), which is nearly identical to the Victoria, except for a smaller portafilter. I’ve said this before on some other products, and I’ll say it again: the lack of attention given to this machine by popular influencers is a detriment to consumers, because the Lelit Victoria is stacked.

Lelit sent us a Victoria in early spring, understanding we’d be slotting it in for a late summer or early fall review. After using it for a few weeks, I regret not unboxing it sooner. It’s a fantastic machine at the $1K price point, and in some ways, I prefer it over the Profitec Go (though not in every way).

This is our introduction post for the Lelit Victoria; it is in no way a review or even our patented First Look. I just wanted to introduce you to a possible contender for an Italian made, generational quality “prosumer” espresso machine.

Lelit’s Lineup and History

Lelit, founded by Eduardo Epis in the 1980s in Brescia, Italy, initially focused on clothes iron appliances before expanding to espresso machines in the late 1990s. For a few years they made machines for third parties, but in 2002, they launched their first espresso machine under the Lelit name, the PL041 “Anna,” priced at $399. It remained their sole coffee machine for nearly a decade. By 2012, they collaborated with a U.S. importer to release a PID-controlled version of the Anna at $550, which stood out for its price point.

By 2015, Lelit expanded its lineup, introducing a dual boiler machine (the Diana) and their first E61-equipped machine, the Mara. The Anna received upgrades, including better PID controls and a pressure gauge.

2018 was a banner year for the company. They debuted the Bianca the year previously at Milan HOSTS Expo in 2017, and sold the machine globally in 2018. The Lelit Bianca was a groundbreaking dual boiler E61 machine with advanced PID controls, a rotary pump, and a unique flow pressure control paddle. The Bianca has since been updated three times, and today, we consider it to be one of the best espresso machines in the world.

Lelit’s lineup continued to grow with models like the Anna II, Anita, Diana, Kate, Elizabeth, MaraX, and Victoria between 2015 and 2020. During the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for consumer espresso machines skyrocketed, and Lelit thrived, growing from 80 to 320 employees and selling 48,000 machines globally in 2020. Impressively, 80% of their workforce is women.

In 2022, based on Lelit’s impressive performance and product line, Breville acquired the manufacturer for well over $150 million dollars. Breville’s takeover is unique though: Lelit is still run (mostly) independent, retaining their leadership and engineering teams, with the prospect of future collaborations with Breville’s engineers.

The Machine in the Middle

I’m not sure if the Lelit Victoria is a dead set in the middle of Lelit’s lineup, but I needed a catchy title. At $999, (historically it’s lowest price – it was introduced at $1,079 back in 2016), it is in the lower third of Lelit’s offerings, but in many ways, it is the company’s flagship single boiler machine, putting it at the top of its own heap.

When introduced about eight years ago, this was a groundbreaking machine, and it remains class leading to this day. The machine has been slightly tweaked and improved since, but most of what was introduced in 2016 is still core to the Lelit Victoria today. Here’s some of the machine’s features.

• Full PID control of both brew and steam temperatures, via Lelit’s OLED “LCC” control panel
• Temperature control down to 1F / 1C, with a programmable offset
• Programmable preinfusion mode
• Shot timer during shot pulls
• Steam timer during steaming sessions
• Machine status updates (power on, warm up time, recovery time, cool down status, etc) via LCC
• Auto purge function, going from steaming to brew temperatures
• “Reserve Mode” is basically a two stage water level indicator, that will always complete your shot if the reservoir is running low.
• Auto fill function for the boiler, will never let the boiler run dry
• Auto steam mode “off” function (30min) to protect the boiler if you leave the machine in steam mode accidentally
• Full pressure gauge that’s backlit
• Hot water functionality via steam wand
• 58mm commercial portafilter with Lelit’s unique wrap around spouts
• IMS high quality filter baskets
• Water filter system included
• 300ml boiler sits directly above the brew group, leading to better temperature stability and quicker heat up times
• Claim of a “saturated group”, which I need to look into more. Saturated group = better temperature stability in shot pulls.
• Nearly 3l reservoir (though it is a pain to refill)
• All metal, all steel construction: only real plastic is the portafilter handle and the steam knob
• Drip tray is easily the biggest in its class.

Phew. That is a lot of features. And many of them not found on the Profitec Go, such as auto-fill, auto-purge, hot water functionality, and programmable pre-infusion. Despite both machines having nearly the same footprint (8” wide, 10” deep, 15” tall), the Victoria offers much better cup clearance between the portafilter and drip tray, even including a grid stand to adjust cup height—a feature lacking in the Profitec Go.

Here’s a gallery of photos highlighting aspects (and a few detriments) of the Lelit Victoria.

The Lelit Victoria has its downsides. Like the Profitec Go, it’s loud, likely due to basic pump mounting. The vibration of the pump causes the reservoir lid and drip tray to rattle, to the point where your espresso cup dances across the drip tray grill during shots. Rubber or silicone bumpers you install may help reduce this issue.

The water reservoir is also problematic. Though it holds 2.8 liters, it’s set deep inside the machine, making filling difficult without spilling. Removing it for sink filling is tricky due to the fill and overflow tubes, and water filter positioning. The design here could be much better.

While the IMS baskets are a welcome upgrade, the cheap plastic tamper with rough edges is a letdown, likely to keep the price under $1,000. Lastly, the Victoria’s design is very industrial, similar to the Rancilio Silvia. If you’re after multiple color options or a sleeker look, the brushed metal might feel too stark.

A Prosumer Machine

With features like a 58mm high-end portafilter, advanced LCC controls, and automations such as auto-fill, auto-purge, auto-standby, and steam mode shutoff, the Lelit Victoria is undeniably a prosumer machine. Its all-metal construction and top-tier internal parts solidify its place in this category.

This machine is built to last for decades with proper care. Using water filters, especially aftermarket magnesium/calcium swapping systems like BWT, can help minimize scale buildup and extend the life of gaskets and o-rings. Even if repairs are needed, they’re easy for local service centers or can be done yourself with some help from YouTube.

The Lelit Victoria is an investment, offering an amortized cost of about $75 per year over its lifespan. They also have a good resale value when kept in good condition, often as much as 70% of the original cost.  The Victoria delivers exceptional, temperature-controlled espresso and reliable steaming for a few drinks per session; if you want more volume, you have to start looking at dual boilers, thermojet systems, or heat exchanger machines.

With its small footprint, impressive features – many rare in machines under $1,000 – and outstanding temperature stability, the Lelit Victoria is a top contender for anyone ready to level up their espresso game. I can’t wait to put it through its paces in a full review.

If you’re already sold, consider buying it directly from Lelit USA via this link.

There’s several reasons why. First, in full transparency, we get a small commission from that link, and that money goes to our writers first, and to the site operation second. This allows us to bring your fresh coffee content. Using that link helps our website, at no cost to you.

But more important for you: buying direct from Lelit includes free shipping, and you are also registering directly into Lelit USA’s service support system, which, as of late 2023, is run by the best after sales service and support team in specialty coffee: the Baratza Service Team. That’s right: the Baratza support team expanded this past year, and now also covers all Lelit equipment sold in the USA.

#Espresso #espressoMachine #lelit #lelitVictoria #singleBoiler

Six months, a year from now, there's going to be a lot of very happy Lelit Bianca owners who will be bragging about the crazy deal they got on their machines. $2,400 is a TON of money for many. But considering that is a full $1,000 cheaper than the Bianca was a year ago... This sale's on till May 13.

#lelit #lelitbianca #espresso @espresso

https://coffeegeek.com/blog/lelit-espresso-machines-at-their-lowest-prices-ever/

Six months, a year from now, there's going to be a lot of very happy Lelit Bianca owners who will be bragging about the crazy deal they got on their machines. $2,400 is a TON of money for many. But considering that is a full $1,000 cheaper than the Bianca was a year ago... This sale's on till May 13.

#lelit #lelitbianca #espresso @espresso

https://coffeegeek.com/blog/lelit-espresso-machines-at-their-lowest-prices-ever/

Six months, a year from now, there's going to be a lot of very happy Lelit Bianca owners who will be bragging about the crazy deal they got on their machines. $2,400 is a TON of money for many. But considering that is a full $1,000 cheaper than the Bianca was a year ago... This sale's on till May 13.

#lelit #lelitbianca #espresso @espresso

https://coffeegeek.com/blog/lelit-espresso-machines-at-their-lowest-prices-ever/

Six months, a year from now, there's going to be a lot of very happy Lelit Bianca owners who will be bragging about the crazy deal they got on their machines. $2,400 is a TON of money for many. But considering that is a full $1,000 cheaper than the Bianca was a year ago... This sale's on till May 13.

#lelit #lelitbianca #espresso @espresso

https://coffeegeek.com/blog/lelit-espresso-machines-at-their-lowest-prices-ever/

Six months, a year from now, there's going to be a lot of very happy Lelit Bianca owners who will be bragging about the crazy deal they got on their machines. $2,400 is a TON of money for many. But considering that is a full $1,000 cheaper than the Bianca was a year ago... This sale's on till May 13.

#lelit #lelitbianca #espresso @espresso

https://coffeegeek.com/blog/lelit-espresso-machines-at-their-lowest-prices-ever/

As for the Lelit Bianca being the Best Espresso Machine available today, I give my reasons.

#espresso #lelit #lelitbianca cc @espresso

https://coffeegeek.com/opinions/state-of-coffee/the-best-espresso-machine/

As for the Lelit Bianca being the Best Espresso Machine available today, I give my reasons.

#espresso #lelit #lelitbianca cc @espresso

https://coffeegeek.com/opinions/state-of-coffee/the-best-espresso-machine/

As for the Lelit Bianca being the Best Espresso Machine available today, I give my reasons.

#espresso #lelit #lelitbianca cc @espresso

https://coffeegeek.com/opinions/state-of-coffee/the-best-espresso-machine/

As for the Lelit Bianca being the Best Espresso Machine available today, I give my reasons.

#espresso #lelit #lelitbianca cc @espresso

https://coffeegeek.com/opinions/state-of-coffee/the-best-espresso-machine/

As for the Lelit Bianca being the Best Espresso Machine available today, I give my reasons.

#espresso #lelit #lelitbianca cc @espresso

https://coffeegeek.com/opinions/state-of-coffee/the-best-espresso-machine/

All Lelit machines are on sale right now at 20% off (authorized by Lelit USA), which means "The Best Espresso Machine of All Time" (see my next post), the Lelit Bianca is at $2,399 at all authorized vendors.

This is an insane deal. Essentially, the machine is $1,000 cheaper than it was just 1.5yr ago, when it was $3,400 because of the previous importer.

It's an investment, but quite literally, the best. I recommend buying it from 1st in Coffee.

#espresso #lelit #lelitbianca cc @espresso
https://www.1stincoffee.com/lelit-bianca.htm

All Lelit machines are on sale right now at 20% off (authorized by Lelit USA), which means "The Best Espresso Machine of All Time" (see my next post), the Lelit Bianca is at $2,399 at all authorized vendors.

This is an insane deal. Essentially, the machine is $1,000 cheaper than it was just 1.5yr ago, when it was $3,400 because of the previous importer.

It's an investment, but quite literally, the best. I recommend buying it from 1st in Coffee.

#espresso #lelit #lelitbianca cc @espresso
https://www.1stincoffee.com/lelit-bianca.htm

All Lelit machines are on sale right now at 20% off (authorized by Lelit USA), which means "The Best Espresso Machine of All Time" (see my next post), the Lelit Bianca is at $2,399 at all authorized vendors.

This is an insane deal. Essentially, the machine is $1,000 cheaper than it was just 1.5yr ago, when it was $3,400 because of the previous importer.

It's an investment, but quite literally, the best. I recommend buying it from 1st in Coffee.

#espresso #lelit #lelitbianca cc @espresso
https://www.1stincoffee.com/lelit-bianca.htm

All Lelit machines are on sale right now at 20% off (authorized by Lelit USA), which means "The Best Espresso Machine of All Time" (see my next post), the Lelit Bianca is at $2,399 at all authorized vendors.

This is an insane deal. Essentially, the machine is $1,000 cheaper than it was just 1.5yr ago, when it was $3,400 because of the previous importer.

It's an investment, but quite literally, the best. I recommend buying it from 1st in Coffee.

#espresso #lelit #lelitbianca cc @espresso
https://www.1stincoffee.com/lelit-bianca.htm

All Lelit machines are on sale right now at 20% off (authorized by Lelit USA), which means "The Best Espresso Machine of All Time" (see my next post), the Lelit Bianca is at $2,399 at all authorized vendors.

This is an insane deal. Essentially, the machine is $1,000 cheaper than it was just 1.5yr ago, when it was $3,400 because of the previous importer.

It's an investment, but quite literally, the best. I recommend buying it from 1st in Coffee.

#espresso #lelit #lelitbianca cc @espresso
https://www.1stincoffee.com/lelit-bianca.htm

Right now seems like a really good time if you want to get a premier espresso machine. A machine filled with all the latest tech and parts. A machine that could easily serve for decades on your kitchen counter as long as you do regular maintenance and are religious about using good filtered water. 

That’s because for the first time ever, and part of Breville’s full push of a brand they recently bought and have completed the transfer of, Lelit espresso machines are on sale across the board, for 20% off their list price. But you need to hurry if you want one, because the sale ends on May 13, 2024.

NB – none of the links below are affiliate links. This is not a paid product announcement. We make no income from this post. The post exists to inform our readers about a fantastic short term sale on great products.

Lelit Bianca V3

This 20% off sale includes the Best Espresso Machine (yes, very subjective), the Lelit Bianca V3 machine. 

In fact, because of this sale, the Bianca, brand new, and in black or white (or the original brushed steel) is a full $1,000 cheaper than it was just a year ago. $3,000 might seem like a lot to drop on an espresso machine, but what do you think about spending $2,399 on one of the best machines ever built for the home? ‘

To be frank, $2,400 for the Lelit Bianca V3–a machine that in many ways puts the $9,000 La Marzocco GS3 MP to shame–is an unbelievable bargain.

Everything about this machine is amazing, from the built in rotary pump and dual boilers, to how it manages 110V power more efficiently than almost any other machine in its class. The wealth of preinfusion, low flow, and manually controlled pressure options are staggering. The machine can even be plumbed in, and doing so opens up even more brewing options. 

This machine is available from two of our sponsors:

• Lelit Bianca V3 at 1st in Coffee
• Lelit Bianca V3 at Whole Latte Love

Entry Point Lelit Anna

If $2,400 is crazy to you, how does $559 sound? Because that’s how much the full PID equipped Lelit Anna is right now. We’re just starting our full review process on this machine (First Look expected in early summer); the build quality is excellent, and overall functionality leaves machines like the Rancilio Silvia in the dust.

The Anna has all the premium bells and whistles you’d want, including a 3 way solenoid valve, a pressure gauge, full PID controls up front, a stainless steel outer body, and top grade parts inside. The only slight knock is the portafilter is a 57mm version, which means 3rd party accessories are a bit more limited, compared to 58mm and 54mm equipped machines.

This machine is available from one of CoffeeGeek’s Sponsors:

• Lelit Anna at Whole Latte Love

The Premium Single Boiler Lelit Victoria

We are also in the process right now of reviewing the Lelit Victora, and at $1,000, it truly gives the Profitec GO, (also $1,000) a run for its money. But at the sale price of $799? It’s nearly a steal.

There’s a lot going on with the Victoria. 58mm portafilter with Lelit’s uber premium wrap around spout system. Full advanced PID controls and programmable preinfusion (something the Profitec doesn’t have). Fill and level sensors in the boiler so it never runs dry. The machine even has an auto-flush system to cool down the boiler after steaming milk so you can steam, then pull shots almost back to back. The Victoria even comes with a proper water filter system, something the Profitec GO does not.

In a lot of ways, this machine is the natural successor to the Rancilio Silvia… or what the Silvia should have become after 20 years on the market. 

This machine is available at two of CoffeeGeek’s sponsors:

• Lelit Victoria at 1st in Coffee
• Lelit Victoria at Whole Latte Love

Advanced E61 at an Entry Point Price: Lelit Mara X

If you want a very compact machine that punches entirely above its weight class, and want to get into the world of E61 groups (including the ability to modify them down the road to include a pressure profiling lever), a machine that’s well loved is the Lelit Mara X.

At $1,700, this E61 equipped, PID controlled machine based around a ginormous 1.8litre single boiler is absolutely state of the art, and well worth the price. During this sale, the Mara X is down to $1,359, which kind of boggles the mind. And that includes the premium painted white or black models, both of which feature premium wood accents.

We do not have one of these machines for review… yet (that’s planned for this fall). But I have worked on one. The first thing you note is just how “pro” every single thing about this tiny machine seems to say. Build quality is through the roof. Everything fits nicely together and looks polished and finished. Then you realise this machine has a lot of tech inside. There’s three settings for brew temperatures, a steam priority mode, and even if you have it brew priority mode, there’s a kick on super heater when you activate the steam function. The machine is also so quiet, I thought perhaps they had a rotary pump inside (it’s a vibration pump, but well insulated). 

This machine is available from two of CoffeeGeek’s sponsors:

• Lelit Mara X (in white with wood accents) from Whole Latte Love
• Lelit Mara X (in polished steel) from 1st in Coffee

Other Choices in the Lelit Line

Of course, there are other machines in the Lelit line to consider, from the Kate (a Victoria with a built in grinder), to the Elizabeth machines. Both are also 20% off at every official vendor in the US of Lelit products. 

Lelit also makes grinders; in fact, we’ll be getting one to review later this year. They have the budget friendly Fred Grinder (just $207 during this sale), and the advanced William Grinder (that’s the one we’re reviewing, it is $480 during the sale period). Both also have the 20% discount applied.

Every authorised vendor of Lelit products in the USA is offering these discounts, so you can pick and choose where you want to buy them. We ask you to consider one of CoffeeGeek’s sponsors if you are in the market for one of these machines.

• Lelit Products at Whole Latte Love
• Lelit Products at 1st in Coffee

Without their support, our website would not exist. If you do buy from one of them, please let them know where you heard about them. The links above are not affiliate links. We make absolutely no income from this post or the links.

https://coffeegeek.com/blog/lelit-espresso-machines-at-their-lowest-prices-ever/

#deals #espressoDeals #espressoMachines #lelit #lelitBianca

Right now seems like a really good time if you want to get a premier espresso machine. A machine filled with all the latest tech and parts. A machine that could easily serve for decades on your kitchen counter as long as you do regular maintenance and are religious about using good filtered water. 

That’s because for the first time ever, and part of Breville’s full push of a brand they recently bought and have completed the transfer of, Lelit espresso machines are on sale across the board, for 20% off their list price. But you need to hurry if you want one, because the sale ends on May 13, 2024.

NB – none of the links below are affiliate links. This is not a paid product announcement. We make no income from this post. The post exists to inform our readers about a fantastic short term sale on great products.

Lelit Bianca V3

This 20% off sale includes the Best Espresso Machine (yes, very subjective), the Lelit Bianca V3 machine. 

In fact, because of this sale, the Bianca, brand new, and in black or white (or the original brushed steel) is a full $1,000 cheaper than it was just a year ago. $3,000 might seem like a lot to drop on an espresso machine, but what do you think about spending $2,399 on one of the best machines ever built for the home? ‘

To be frank, $2,400 for the Lelit Bianca V3–a machine that in many ways puts the $9,000 La Marzocco GS3 MP to shame–is an unbelievable bargain.

Everything about this machine is amazing, from the built in rotary pump and dual boilers, to how it manages 110V power more efficiently than almost any other machine in its class. The wealth of preinfusion, low flow, and manually controlled pressure options are staggering. The machine can even be plumbed in, and doing so opens up even more brewing options. 

This machine is available from two of our sponsors:

• Lelit Bianca V3 at 1st in Coffee
• Lelit Bianca V3 at Whole Latte Love

Entry Point Lelit Anna

If $2,400 is crazy to you, how does $559 sound? Because that’s how much the full PID equipped Lelit Anna is right now. We’re just starting our full review process on this machine (First Look expected in early summer); the build quality is excellent, and overall functionality leaves machines like the Rancilio Silvia in the dust.

The Anna has all the premium bells and whistles you’d want, including a 3 way solenoid valve, a pressure gauge, full PID controls up front, a stainless steel outer body, and top grade parts inside. The only slight knock is the portafilter is a 57mm version, which means 3rd party accessories are a bit more limited, compared to 58mm and 54mm equipped machines.

This machine is available from one of CoffeeGeek’s Sponsors:

• Lelit Anna at Whole Latte Love

The Premium Single Boiler Lelit Victoria

We are also in the process right now of reviewing the Lelit Victora, and at $1,000, it truly gives the Profitec GO, (also $1,000) a run for its money. But at the sale price of $799? It’s nearly a steal.

There’s a lot going on with the Victoria. 58mm portafilter with Lelit’s uber premium wrap around spout system. Full advanced PID controls and programmable preinfusion (something the Profitec doesn’t have). Fill and level sensors in the boiler so it never runs dry. The machine even has an auto-flush system to cool down the boiler after steaming milk so you can steam, then pull shots almost back to back. The Victoria even comes with a proper water filter system, something the Profitec GO does not.

In a lot of ways, this machine is the natural successor to the Rancilio Silvia… or what the Silvia should have become after 20 years on the market. 

This machine is available at two of CoffeeGeek’s sponsors:

• Lelit Victoria at 1st in Coffee
• Lelit Victoria at Whole Latte Love

Advanced E61 at an Entry Point Price: Lelit Mara X

If you want a very compact machine that punches entirely above its weight class, and want to get into the world of E61 groups (including the ability to modify them down the road to include a pressure profiling lever), a machine that’s well loved is the Lelit Mara X.

At $1,700, this E61 equipped, PID controlled machine based around a ginormous 1.8litre single boiler is absolutely state of the art, and well worth the price. During this sale, the Mara X is down to $1,359, which kind of boggles the mind. And that includes the premium painted white or black models, both of which feature premium wood accents.

We do not have one of these machines for review… yet (that’s planned for this fall). But I have worked on one. The first thing you note is just how “pro” every single thing about this tiny machine seems to say. Build quality is through the roof. Everything fits nicely together and looks polished and finished. Then you realise this machine has a lot of tech inside. There’s three settings for brew temperatures, a steam priority mode, and even if you have it brew priority mode, there’s a kick on super heater when you activate the steam function. The machine is also so quiet, I thought perhaps they had a rotary pump inside (it’s a vibration pump, but well insulated). 

This machine is available from two of CoffeeGeek’s sponsors:

• Lelit Mara X (in white with wood accents) from Whole Latte Love
• Lelit Mara X (in polished steel) from 1st in Coffee

Other Choices in the Lelit Line

Of course, there are other machines in the Lelit line to consider, from the Kate (a Victoria with a built in grinder), to the Elizabeth machines. Both are also 20% off at every official vendor in the US of Lelit products. 

Lelit also makes grinders; in fact, we’ll be getting one to review later this year. They have the budget friendly Fred Grinder (just $207 during this sale), and the advanced William Grinder (that’s the one we’re reviewing, it is $480 during the sale period). Both also have the 20% discount applied.

Every authorised vendor of Lelit products in the USA is offering these discounts, so you can pick and choose where you want to buy them. We ask you to consider one of CoffeeGeek’s sponsors if you are in the market for one of these machines.

• Lelit Products at Whole Latte Love
• Lelit Products at 1st in Coffee

Without their support, our website would not exist. If you do buy from one of them, please let them know where you heard about them. The links above are not affiliate links. We make absolutely no income from this post or the links.

https://coffeegeek.com/blog/lelit-espresso-machines-at-their-lowest-prices-ever/

#deals #espressoDeals #espressoMachines #lelit #lelitBianca

Right now seems like a really good time if you want to get a premier espresso machine. A machine filled with all the latest tech and parts. A machine that could easily serve for decades on your kitchen counter as long as you do regular maintenance and are religious about using good filtered water. 

That’s because for the first time ever, and part of Breville’s full push of a brand they recently bought and have completed the transfer of, Lelit espresso machines are on sale across the board, for 20% off their list price. But you need to hurry if you want one, because the sale ends on May 13, 2024.

NB – none of the links below are affiliate links. This is not a paid product announcement. We make no income from this post. The post exists to inform our readers about a fantastic short term sale on great products.

Lelit Bianca V3

This 20% off sale includes the Best Espresso Machine (yes, very subjective), the Lelit Bianca V3 machine. 

In fact, because of this sale, the Bianca, brand new, and in black or white (or the original brushed steel) is a full $1,000 cheaper than it was just a year ago. $3,000 might seem like a lot to drop on an espresso machine, but what do you think about spending $2,399 on one of the best machines ever built for the home? ‘

To be frank, $2,400 for the Lelit Bianca V3–a machine that in many ways puts the $9,000 La Marzocco GS3 MP to shame–is an unbelievable bargain.

Everything about this machine is amazing, from the built in rotary pump and dual boilers, to how it manages 110V power more efficiently than almost any other machine in its class. The wealth of preinfusion, low flow, and manually controlled pressure options are staggering. The machine can even be plumbed in, and doing so opens up even more brewing options. 

This machine is available from two of our sponsors:

• Lelit Bianca V3 at 1st in Coffee
• Lelit Bianca V3 at Whole Latte Love

Entry Point Lelit Anna

If $2,400 is crazy to you, how does $559 sound? Because that’s how much the full PID equipped Lelit Anna is right now. We’re just starting our full review process on this machine (First Look expected in early summer); the build quality is excellent, and overall functionality leaves machines like the Rancilio Silvia in the dust.

The Anna has all the premium bells and whistles you’d want, including a 3 way solenoid valve, a pressure gauge, full PID controls up front, a stainless steel outer body, and top grade parts inside. The only slight knock is the portafilter is a 57mm version, which means 3rd party accessories are a bit more limited, compared to 58mm and 54mm equipped machines.

This machine is available from one of CoffeeGeek’s Sponsors:

• Lelit Anna at Whole Latte Love

The Premium Single Boiler Lelit Victoria

We are also in the process right now of reviewing the Lelit Victora, and at $1,000, it truly gives the Profitec GO, (also $1,000) a run for its money. But at the sale price of $799? It’s nearly a steal.

There’s a lot going on with the Victoria. 58mm portafilter with Lelit’s uber premium wrap around spout system. Full advanced PID controls and programmable preinfusion (something the Profitec doesn’t have). Fill and level sensors in the boiler so it never runs dry. The machine even has an auto-flush system to cool down the boiler after steaming milk so you can steam, then pull shots almost back to back. The Victoria even comes with a proper water filter system, something the Profitec GO does not.

In a lot of ways, this machine is the natural successor to the Rancilio Silvia… or what the Silvia should have become after 20 years on the market. 

This machine is available at two of CoffeeGeek’s sponsors:

• Lelit Victoria at 1st in Coffee
• Lelit Victoria at Whole Latte Love

Advanced E61 at an Entry Point Price: Lelit Mara X

If you want a very compact machine that punches entirely above its weight class, and want to get into the world of E61 groups (including the ability to modify them down the road to include a pressure profiling lever), a machine that’s well loved is the Lelit Mara X.

At $1,700, this E61 equipped, PID controlled machine based around a ginormous 1.8litre single boiler is absolutely state of the art, and well worth the price. During this sale, the Mara X is down to $1,359, which kind of boggles the mind. And that includes the premium painted white or black models, both of which feature premium wood accents.

We do not have one of these machines for review… yet (that’s planned for this fall). But I have worked on one. The first thing you note is just how “pro” every single thing about this tiny machine seems to say. Build quality is through the roof. Everything fits nicely together and looks polished and finished. Then you realise this machine has a lot of tech inside. There’s three settings for brew temperatures, a steam priority mode, and even if you have it brew priority mode, there’s a kick on super heater when you activate the steam function. The machine is also so quiet, I thought perhaps they had a rotary pump inside (it’s a vibration pump, but well insulated). 

This machine is available from two of CoffeeGeek’s sponsors:

• Lelit Mara X (in white with wood accents) from Whole Latte Love
• Lelit Mara X (in polished steel) from 1st in Coffee

Other Choices in the Lelit Line

Of course, there are other machines in the Lelit line to consider, from the Kate (a Victoria with a built in grinder), to the Elizabeth machines. Both are also 20% off at every official vendor in the US of Lelit products. 

Lelit also makes grinders; in fact, we’ll be getting one to review later this year. They have the budget friendly Fred Grinder (just $207 during this sale), and the advanced William Grinder (that’s the one we’re reviewing, it is $480 during the sale period). Both also have the 20% discount applied.

Every authorised vendor of Lelit products in the USA is offering these discounts, so you can pick and choose where you want to buy them. We ask you to consider one of CoffeeGeek’s sponsors if you are in the market for one of these machines.

• Lelit Products at Whole Latte Love
• Lelit Products at 1st in Coffee

Without their support, our website would not exist. If you do buy from one of them, please let them know where you heard about them. The links above are not affiliate links. We make absolutely no income from this post or the links.

https://coffeegeek.com/blog/lelit-espresso-machines-at-their-lowest-prices-ever/

#deals #espressoDeals #espressoMachines #lelit #lelitBianca

Right now seems like a really good time if you want to get a premier espresso machine. A machine filled with all the latest tech and parts. A machine that could easily serve for decades on your kitchen counter as long as you do regular maintenance and are religious about using good filtered water. 

That’s because for the first time ever, and part of Breville’s full push of a brand they recently bought and have completed the transfer of, Lelit espresso machines are on sale across the board, for 20% off their list price. But you need to hurry if you want one, because the sale ends on May 13, 2024.

Lelit Bianca V3

This 20% off sale includes the Best Espresso Machine (yes, very subjective), the Lelit Bianca V3 machine. 

In fact, because of this sale, the Bianca, brand new, and in black or white (or the original brushed steel) is a full $1,000 cheaper than it was just a year ago. $3,000 might seem like a lot to drop on an espresso machine, but what do you think about spending $2,399 on one of the best machines ever built for the home? ‘

To be frank, $2,400 for the Lelit Bianca V3–a machine that in many ways puts the $9,000 La Marzocco GS3 MP to shame–is an unbelievable bargain.

Everything about this machine is amazing, from the built in rotary pump and dual boilers, to how it manages 110V power more efficiently than almost any other machine in its class. The wealth of preinfusion, low flow, and manually controlled pressure options are staggering. The machine can even be plumbed in, and doing so opens up even more brewing options. 

This machine is also available from one of our sponsors, 1st in Coffee.

Entry Point Lelit Anna

If $2,400 is crazy to you, how does $559 sound? Because that’s how much the full PID equipped Lelit Anna is right now. We’re just starting our full review process on this machine (First Look expected in early summer); the build quality is excellent, and overall functionality leaves machines like the Rancilio Silvia in the dust.

The Anna has all the premium bells and whistles you’d want, including a 3 way solenoid valve, a pressure gauge, full PID controls up front, a stainless steel outer body, and top grade parts inside. The only slight knock is the portafilter is a 57mm version, which means 3rd party accessories are a bit more limited, compared to 58mm and 54mm equipped machines.

The Premium Single Boiler Lelit Victoria

We are also in the process right now of reviewing the Lelit Victora, (update – our introduction is now available) and at $1,000, it truly gives the Profitec GO, (also $1,000) a run for its money. But at the sale price of $799? It’s nearly a steal.

There’s a lot going on with the Victoria. 58mm portafilter with Lelit’s uber premium wrap around spout system. Full advanced PID controls and programmable preinfusion (something the Profitec doesn’t have). Fill and level sensors in the boiler so it never runs dry. The machine even has an auto-flush system to cool down the boiler after steaming milk so you can steam, then pull shots almost back to back. The Victoria even comes with a proper water filter system, something the Profitec GO does not.

In a lot of ways, this machine is the natural successor to the Rancilio Silvia… or what the Silvia should have become after 20 years on the market. 

This machine is also available at 1st in Coffee.

Advanced E61 at an Entry Point Price: Lelit Mara X

If you want a very compact machine that punches entirely above its weight class, and want to get into the world of E61 groups (including the ability to modify them down the road to include a pressure profiling lever), a machine that’s well loved is the Lelit Mara X.

At $1,700, this E61 equipped, PID controlled machine based around a ginormous 1.8litre single boiler is absolutely state of the art, and well worth the price. During this sale, the Mara X is down to $1,359, which kind of boggles the mind. And that includes the premium painted white or black models, both of which feature premium wood accents.

We do not have one of these machines for review… yet (that’s planned for this fall). But I have worked on one. The first thing you note is just how “pro” every single thing about this tiny machine seems to say. Build quality is through the roof. Everything fits nicely together and looks polished and finished. Then you realise this machine has a lot of tech inside. There’s three settings for brew temperatures, a steam priority mode, and even if you have it brew priority mode, there’s a kick on super heater when you activate the steam function. The machine is also so quiet, I thought perhaps they had a rotary pump inside (it’s a vibration pump, but well insulated). 

This machine is also available from 1st in Coffee.

Other Choices in the Lelit Line

Of course, there are other machines in the Lelit line to consider, from the Kate (a Victoria with a built in grinder), to the Elizabeth machines. Both are also 20% off at every official vendor in the US of Lelit products. 

Lelit also makes grinders; in fact, we’ll be getting one to review later this year. They have the budget friendly Fred Grinder (just $207 during this sale), and the advanced William Grinder (that’s the one we’re reviewing, it is $480 during the sale period). Both also have the 20% discount applied.

Every authorised vendor of Lelit products in the USA is offering these discounts, so you can pick and choose where you want to buy them. We ask you to consider one of CoffeeGeek’s sponsors if you are in the market for one of these machines.

• Lelit Products at 1st in Coffee

Without their support, our website would not exist. If you do buy from one of them, please let them know where you heard about them. The links above are not affiliate links. We make absolutely no income from this post or the links.

https://coffeegeek.com/blog/deals/lelit-espresso-machines-at-their-lowest-prices-ever/

#deals #espressoDeals #espressoMachines #lelit #lelitBianca

Lelit is showing some influence from Baratza... they are now offering parts and upgrade kits for their machines. I don't know what the prices are yet, but Lelit told me themselves that prices would be "competitive" and "not like what it costs to upgrade La Marzocco machines'

#lelit #espressomachine cc @espresso

https://www.lelit.com/product/upgrade-kit/

For the entire time I’ve run CoffeeGeek, this is one of the top questions from our readers and members, and via social media. It’s even more common than “hey, have you heard of that cat poop coffee?” or “what’s the best coffee in the world”.

What is the best espresso machine of all time, for consumers? 

The answer, of course, is entirely subjective. Based as much on opinion and personal preferences as it is on technology, ability and reliability of the machine. Because of this, I usually try to avoid answering this question, often deflecting it or redirecting the conversation to what’s really important in a home espresso setup (the grinder).

The Speedster

If I were put on the spot, my go to answer for a long time was always the same: the Kees van der Westen Speedster. Not only is that machine capable of producing five star espresso shots all day long, but it actually makes you feel kind of awesome while you’re doing it. You feel part of the process, but the machine’s unique ability and engineering deliver the goods as well. It is the true ultimate in a hand crafted, unique and individual espresso machine with character to spare.

After owning the machine for a few months, I paired it up with a Verslab M3 grinder. This may be a boast, but I knew I was pulling better shots on the Speedster and Versalab than the finalist baristas at the World Barista Championship were doing in competition. This wasn’t because of my own skill. It’s because I had an espresso machine better than the WBC machine of the era. Ditto on the grinder. They were that good together.

You don’t see a lot of influencers online talking about the Speedster because, to be honest, Kees don’t got time for influencers. He very rarely sends out test machines for people to try and blog or youtube about. I suppose if Hoff asked him, he’d send him one (Jim does own a KvdW machine, just not a Speedster).

I owned and used a Speedster for a decade (yup, I bought one of the first ones ever sold in North America), and that gave me the background and experience to label it the best machine of all time. But there is a caveat. Not only is the Speedster obscenely expensive (landed cost in the US is around $15–$16K now, incl taxes and shipping); it is one of the most expensive machines to own and maintain in a home environment.

In my 10 years of ownership, I spent, on service and maintenance, more than what I paid for the machine initially. A lot of stuff on that machine broke down and needed replacing, from the SSRs to the PIDs, and most of the 7(!!!) Parker solenoids. I even had to replace the preinfusion piston assembly at one point.

And therein lies the rub. If you factor in literally everything about an espresso machine, including initial cost, ability, mechanics, reputation, features, build quality, how it makes you feel operating it, and operational cost, maintenance and service, well, the Speedster is not the best espresso machine in the world.

To this day, it pains me to say that. I sold the machine three years ago, and I still miss it. A lot.

The La Marzocco GS3

Then there’s the La Marzocco GS3, which would normally be my very close second choice as the best in home espresso machine in the world after the Speedster. But sadly, when all things are factored in, it too is not the best machine you can buy today.

The GS3 is an absolutely landmark, ground breaking, standards setting machine. It was the first machine developed (not sold, but developed) with PID controls. It was the first true dual boiler machine to run on 110V with no real compromises. It was the first successful home machine to have a rotary pump running on a 110V setup.

The GS3 also has La Mazocco’s unique saturated group design (KvdW machines sort of copy it, to be fair). The steam ability is off the chart. It had the ability to run on an economy mode (which still seemed like full power) on 110V 15A, but if you plugged it into a 110V 20A circuit (most kitchens have this), it would go into full throttle mode. 

And it produces absolutely amazing, super consistent and temperature stable shots of espresso. All day long.

I was involved in the development of the GS3 machine; indeed, I still own one of the late prototype versions. It’s sitting on a workbench in our basement, and I still fire it up once in a while. Here’s what it looks like:

I’m on my third production La Marzocco GS3, and it sits in our kitchen as I type this.

Third? Yup, because like the Speedster, the GS3 is finicky, had some early build issues, and continues to be a machine that requires a lot of expensive service. Let me walk you through my own history with the GS3.

I bought, at a discounted price, a very early production unit back in 2007 (no, La Marzocco did not give me a free one, despite me being involved in the development); that machine lasted about 4 years with me spending about $2,000 on service calls on it past the one year initial warranty. It was a problem machine with a lot of early build quality issues.

La Marzocco USA agreed to swap it for a paddle version around 2011 (which wasn’t available in 2007) though I was charged a one time $1,000 premium to get the GS3 MP variant. That unit also turned out to be really bad (basically a dud, but I won’t go into all its issues with leaks, failing parts, pressure issues, etc), so La Marzocco swapped that one for another model in 2014-2015, provided I drove the dud one down to Seattle, to pick up the new unit to bring back to Vancouver.

I did that. And since then, that 2015 MP GS3 machine has seen about $2,400 in service maintenance, and a one time $2,000 cost to upgrade it to the new Strada pressure control paddle group (which comes standard with the current GS3 MP models). All told, my ownership of a La Marzocco GS3 has cost me an initial investment of $6,800 (that’s $10K in todays’ dollars), and another $7,500+ in service, maintenance and upgrades.

In good faith, I cannot ‘proclaim’ a $7,500-$9,000 machine as the best in the world in the consumer espresso space if the maintenance, service, and parts prices end up costing as much as the initial machine purchase inside of a decade. I mean, La Marzocco charges $400 just for the drip tray pan on the GS3 (which is just plastic wrapped with thin steel, and a few screw on lock claps). And $250 for the drip tray cover! Don’t ask what the replacement tray for the Speedster costs: you cannot afford it.

As a side note, I suggested to La Marzocco, way back in 2004 when I was involved in the development, that they include an AppleCare+ like package for GS3 owners. Pay a yearly fee (I suggested $150 back then, though I guess $250 today would be more appropriate), and get unlimited service and support on the machine. Caveat is, owners can only buy into it within the first year of ownership, then keep paying it every year to stay in the program.

I feel this would make La Marzocco a ton of money, but also save SOME GS3 owners from a lot of repair, maintenance, and service costs. Of course, La Marzocco did not do this. Perhaps because they were aware of the service LM GS3s require a few years down the road.

But I digress. We were talking about the Best Espresso Machines in the World.

The Best Espresso Machine Today

If we are to pick the best espresso machine in the world, every factor about the machine is equally important. I listed most in the Speedster section above, but to reiterate, it includes: the quality of the materials and parts used in the machine; the build quality; the usability factors; the featureset overall; the noise it makes; the machine’s aesthetics; how it makes you feel in ownership; and of course the drinks it outputs. Equally important are the various cost of ownership categories: bang for buck, service costs, after sales service and support from the vendor or manufacturer, parts costs down the road, and resale value. 

With all these factors in mind, there’s two machines that I think stand out as the best machines in the world, in the consumer espresso space.

One is the Lelit Bianca V3 espresso machine. The other may surprise you. It’s the Breville Bambino Plus.

The Lelit Bianca V3: The Best Espresso Machine of All Time

We are midway through our full review process on the Lelit Bianca, and every single day I become more and more impressed with this $3,000 machine. I don’t like the phrase “end game” and how it is so casually used in coffee influencer circles, but I recently learned something about the Lelit product lineup as a whole, and the Bianca in particular that have pushed it over the top into what I think is a true end game machine. 

First of all, pretty much everything the La Marzocco GS3 paddle group machine can do, the Bianca can do in a package costing almost 2/3rds less. And even more so. The Bianca has three independent pressure modification systems on it; two are programmed automatic modes, and the third is a completely manual control. The Bianca’s PID system isn’t as granular as the GS3 is (which can go down to 0.3F adjustments), but it is smarter and more modern than the GS3. The Bianca, like the GS3, can be plumbed in, and attaching this machine to your home water line increases the ways you can play with pressure profiling, more so than the GS3 allows.

Then there’s what comes with the machine. The only thing missing is a steam pitcher, a scale, and cups. The Bianca comes with wood accents and parts and knobs and feet (that can cost you up to $500 more on the GS3); it comes with the complete direct plumbed in parts (so does the GS3); it comes with four IMS filter baskets. It comes with two portafilters: the beautiful spouted model, and a chopped unit (the GS3 comes with only one PF). The Bianca also comes with a very high end tamper, matched to your machine’s wood accents (La Marzocco gives a stock tamper with the GS3; fancy matched wood is extra).

To get a similar package with all the extras when buying a La Marzocco GS3, you would spend about $10,250 ($9,500 plus another $750 for the extra stuff), making the Bianca close to 1/4 the cost.

Things I learned about Lelit this year really push the Bianca to the top. You may know that Breville bought Lelit recently. Starting in January, they revoked the (previous) sole importer’s exclusive control over the brand in the USA, and are now directly handling distribution, sales, service and support. Even better, they are migrating Lelit’s after sales service and support to the Baratza team (which Breville also owns), and bringing Baratza’s parts availability and pricing system to Lelit. 

That means if you buy a Lelit machine today or in the future, you will get Baratza style after sales service, support, and parts pricing. Absolute game changer. LM may charge you $250 for a drip tray cover, but if you want a new one for your Bianca, my guess is you’ll probably pay a fraction of that cost for it. New solenoid valve? Cost plus small handling charge. I bet they’ll even have new body panels available for the machine, at a very reasonable cost.

And one more thing happened. With most companies of high end espresso machines, the painted or limited edition colours are a premium price on top of the base models. La Marzocco charges $450 for custom colour choices on the GS3 (plus another $500 if you want upgraded side panels). Lelit was that way with the Bianca: the base steel unit was $3,000, and the premium white or black models were $200 more.

Breville decided to make them all $3,000 as of January of this year. 

For $3,000, you are getting an incredibly advanced, extremely high end, generational machine that is absolutely state of the art. It isn’t perfect (we noticed more than a few things we’d like to see updated in the Bianca, which I’ll save for our review). But in terms of ability, engineering, robustness, parts used, features available, consistency in the cup, steaming ability, recovery times, pressure controls, accessories included, technology inside, parts availability, maintenance costs (yes, all of this), there is literally not a better machine available today for the home espresso enthusiast. 

Unless of course $3,000 is just an unfathomable number for you for a home espresso machine.

Which brings us to…

The Breville Bambino Plus: The Best Espresso Machine of All Time

I know, crazy right? But when you think about it, for about $450 or less, (sometimes way less), the Breville Bambino Plus gives you a machine with the following:

• PID stable temperature controls (200F, non changeable) at the grouphead
• instant on ability, meaning you can pull a shot 3 seconds after turning on the machine
• instant steam ability, meaning you can start frothing milk about 3-4 seconds after turning the machine on, or after completing a shot pull
• automatic milk frothing ability via its early version of the MilQ system Breville keeps evolving. It produces authentic, high quality microfoam, completely hands off
• can still steam manually with the machine (and it’s powerful)
• full 9 bar at the grouphead thanks to a tuned OPV valve
• 3 way solenoid pressure relief after shot
• volumetric shot controls with preinfusion as well as a manual brew mode
• Extremely low power draw overall thanks to its heating system design
• hot water delivery built in (a surprising number of machines under $1000 do not have this, including the Profitec Go, or Turin Legato)
• Lots of parts available for the machine from Breville at very economical prices. The water reservoir, last I checked, is $35
• Can be serviced / modified by end user (OPV valve, dimmer mod, pump replacement, etc.
• Minimal scale issues (there’s no boiler to scale up). 

Sure, the Bambino Plus has plenty of issues (the cup tray never heats up, the drip tray is pitifully tiny, the grouphead doesn’t heat up, necessitating a couple of blank flushes before a shot pull), but when you factor in the machine’s ability, consistency between shot pulls, instant on ability, steaming ability, temperature stability, parts availability and the absolute massive bang for the buck it delivers…

This is a candidate for the best espresso machine of all time. Because you could easily spend double the amount, buying a Profitec (Go), or Lelit (Victoria), as just two examples, and not get better espresso. You’ll get more robust, less plastic machines, but they also don’t have the technology the Bambino Plus does. I’d argue both machines don’t even steam nearly as well as the Bambino Plus does, automatically.

Best is Subjective but Price / Service Must be a Factor

As you can guess, this is all subjective. I’m sure my picks for the best espresso machines in the world won’t match what others pick. I always feel dollars play a very important part of the equation. 

I owned two of the machines that most pundits would pick as the best consumer espresso machines ever made (and continue to own one of them). I absolutely loved working on the Speedster. It made me feel very different from how I feel pulling a shot on a Bambino Plus. But that machine was a serious financial black hole. The GS3 is as well. 

Time will tell if the Lelit stands up to decades and decades of use where the overall service and maintenance is under $150 a year, averaged out over a decade or two. I think that’s a reasonable price to pay. Think of it as the strata fees you’d pay for a condo. The news I heard about Lelit going forward, following the Baratza after sales service model really pushed it over the top for me. 

This is also why I haven’t mentioned the Decent Espresso machine yet. Many would pick that as the epitome – the toppermost of the poppermost – in espresso machines. I cannot. Though it is clearly one of the most advanced espresso machines you can buy today, it is also the most complex espresso machine available today. A gazillion parts inside, all needing to function correctly for the machine to work at full potential. 

Decent is a tiny, almost cottage industry company. I’d make the guess that La Marzocco sells more GS3s in a year than Decent has sold in their lifetime. Service and support is really good, right now, but if the company dissolves down the road, owners of Decent machines might be left with an extremely expensive brick at some point.

For that main reason, and the potential for the machine to be an even more expensive money pit than a Speedster or GS3, I cannot consider it as the best machine you should buy. 

Lelit is a massive company by comparison, and has a nationwide (in the US) service and support infrastructure being built right now, which will be as good as the service in Europe already is. They also have 35 years of sales and support to stand on.

And the Bambino Plus? I dare you to find another machine anywhere near its price point with its ability and tech inside. If it’s not the best espresso machine of all time, it’s certainly the best bang for the buck machine that’s ever existed. And for many, that also makes it the best, overall.

https://coffeegeek.com/opinions/state-of-coffee/the-best-espresso-machine/

#bambinoPlus #best #espressoMachine #laMarzocco #lelit #lelitBianca #speedster

Nice machine, game changer, ground breaker.

But if I had unlimited discretionary funds and was shopping for a top of the line machine today... I don't think I'd buy the GS3 MP.
I'd buy a Lelit Bianca V3 machine. And a kick ass grinder to pair with it.

Will have an article detailing why, very soon.

#espresso #lamarzocco #gs3 #lelit #bianca

cc @espresso

@espresso Here, because I love you #coffee #fediverse folks, is a short snippet of the full 36 minute video. Boring as all heck, but it is two espresso nerds geeking out a bit about an "end game" espresso machine.

#lelit #espresso

So I don't do video. Especially shooting myself on video. I cringe.

But I have a really cool 30 minute interview with the PRESIDENT, GLOBAL BEVERAGES, for Breville, and we are talking about Lelit espresso machines, where they've been, and where they are going in 2024. I need to edit it a tad, and will get it on CoffeeGeek in a Blog post very soon.

So you'll see me and my greying hair, and double chin like, REAL SOON, geeking out on espresso tech.

#lelit #espresso #coffeegeek

cc @espresso

Massive 2 day photo session finally wrapped up in my home, with shoots for 3 machines, four how tos. Today I was doing some "filler" photos we missed yesterday and this morning.

And for some reason, my latte art game was on today (it's more off than on most days). Also, I feel the need to brag: that cappuccino has a solid inch of foam (it's harder to pour latte art with a lot of foam mixture).

Two shots from the Lelit Bianca series (raw, from camera).

#espresso #coffee #coffeegeek #lelit #lelitbianca

cc @espresso

Massive 2 day photo session finally wrapped up in my home, with shoots for 3 machines, four how tos. Today I was doing some "filler" photos we missed yesterday and this morning.

And for some reason, my latte art game was on today (it's more off than on most days). Also, I feel the need to brag: that cappuccino has a solid inch of foam (it's harder to pour latte art with a lot of foam mixture).

Two shots from the Lelit Bianca series (raw, from camera).

#espresso #coffee #coffeegeek #lelit #lelitbianca

cc @espresso

Massive 2 day photo session finally wrapped up in my home, with shoots for 3 machines, four how tos. Today I was doing some "filler" photos we missed yesterday and this morning.

And for some reason, my latte art game was on today (it's more off than on most days). Also, I feel the need to brag: that cappuccino has a solid inch of foam (it's harder to pour latte art with a lot of foam mixture).

Two shots from the Lelit Bianca series (raw, from camera).

#espresso #coffee #coffeegeek #lelit #lelitbianca

cc @espresso

Massive 2 day photo session finally wrapped up in my home, with shoots for 3 machines, four how tos. Today I was doing some "filler" photos we missed yesterday and this morning.

And for some reason, my latte art game was on today (it's more off than on most days). Also, I feel the need to brag: that cappuccino has a solid inch of foam (it's harder to pour latte art with a lot of foam mixture).

Two shots from the Lelit Bianca series (raw, from camera).

#espresso #coffee #coffeegeek #lelit #lelitbianca

cc @espresso

Massive 2 day photo session finally wrapped up in my home, with shoots for 3 machines, four how tos. Today I was doing some "filler" photos we missed yesterday and this morning.

And for some reason, my latte art game was on today (it's more off than on most days). Also, I feel the need to brag: that cappuccino has a solid inch of foam (it's harder to pour latte art with a lot of foam mixture).

Two shots from the Lelit Bianca series (raw, from camera).

#espresso #coffee #coffeegeek #lelit #lelitbianca

cc @espresso

Stunning.

And even more of a surprise: this was literally the second ever shot pull I did on the #Lelit #Bianca when I received the machine for reviewing on CoffeeGeek, back in November. Since then, I've been testing the Bianca very heavily. Our First Look is going up soon on CG.

#lelitbianca #espresso #shotpull

cc @espresso

Stunning.

And even more of a surprise: this was literally the second ever shot pull I did on the #Lelit #Bianca when I received the machine for reviewing on CoffeeGeek, back in November. Since then, I've been testing the Bianca very heavily. Our First Look is going up soon on CG.

#lelitbianca #espresso #shotpull

cc @espresso

Stunning.

And even more of a surprise: this was literally the second ever shot pull I did on the #Lelit #Bianca when I received the machine for reviewing on CoffeeGeek, back in November. Since then, I've been testing the Bianca very heavily. Our First Look is going up soon on CG.

#lelitbianca #espresso #shotpull

cc @espresso

Stunning.

And even more of a surprise: this was literally the second ever shot pull I did on the #Lelit #Bianca when I received the machine for reviewing on CoffeeGeek, back in November. Since then, I've been testing the Bianca very heavily. Our First Look is going up soon on CG.

#lelitbianca #espresso #shotpull

cc @espresso

Stunning.

And even more of a surprise: this was literally the second ever shot pull I did on the #Lelit #Bianca when I received the machine for reviewing on CoffeeGeek, back in November. Since then, I've been testing the Bianca very heavily. Our First Look is going up soon on CG.

#lelitbianca #espresso #shotpull

cc @espresso

Currently on the test bench:

The Lelit Victoria. A machine that doesn't get a lot of press or coverage on various Influencer channels, but nevertheless, a very interesting and capable machine. Worst feature? That too-shallow water reservoir (very easy to spill accidentally when refilling).

Best feature? Overall well built, but the portafitler is a work of art.

And it's named after my home town!

#espresso #coffee #lelit

Lelit MaraX espresso machine arrived today!
#Lelit #MaraX #espresso

Herzlich Willkommen zum heutigen Grundkurs "Einkreis Siebtträgermaschine"

#kaffee #espresso #siebtrager #lelit #werkstatt