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We were introduced to Lelit about a year ago, and since then the response from our customers has been brilliant. People often tell us how solid the machines feel, how well they’re built, and how much easier it is to get café-quality coffee at home once everything is properly dialled in.
Why Choose Lelit?
Lelit is an Italian brand that focuses on compact machines with serious build quality and proper espresso hardware. They’re known for offering features you’d normally expect on much larger, more expensive machines, but in a size that works in a home kitchen.
Whether you’re just getting into espresso or you’re ready for a more advanced setup, Lelit has a model that fits your space, your budget and your level of interest. From simple single-boiler machines to dual-boiler models with flow control, they’re all designed with one goal: making consistently good coffee at home.
What Actually Matters When Choosing
Before jumping into specific models, it helps to understand a few basics:
-
Boiler type:
Single-boiler machines can brew or steam, but not both at the same time. Heat exchanger (HX) machines make it easier to switch between brewing and steaming. Dual-boiler machines can do both at once and offer the most temperature stability. -
Temperature control:
A PID controller keeps brew temperature steady, which means more consistent shots, especially when switching between different roast styles. -
Portafilter size:
Most higher-end machines use a standard 58 mm portafilter, which makes it easier to find baskets and accessories. Some compact models use 57 mm. -
Steam power:
If you make a lot of milk drinks, steam performance and recovery time really matter. -
Extra features:
Things like pre-infusion, shot timers, quieter pumps and, on top models, manual flow control can make dialing in easier and more enjoyable. -
Space and layout:
Check the machine’s width, height, and how the water tank is filled, especially if it needs to slide out from the top under cupboards.
Lelit Models Explained
Lelit Anna (PL41 series)
A great starting point for anyone moving into proper espresso. The Anna is compact, solidly built, and includes PID temperature control, which is something you don’t always find at this level. That means you get much more stable brewing temperatures and more consistent shots, even when you’re still learning and experimenting with grind size and dose.
It heats up quickly, doesn’t take up much counter space, and is straightforward to use, making it ideal for smaller kitchens. Steam performance is perfectly capable for the occasional cappuccino or flat white, though, as with all single-boiler machines, you brew and steam one after the other rather than at the same time.
Overall, it’s a very capable, honest espresso machine that lets you learn the fundamentals and produce excellent coffee without jumping straight into larger, more complex machines.
Best for:
First-time buyers, espresso-first drinkers, and anyone who wants a compact, high-quality machine with proper temperature control and simple day-to-day operation.
Lelit Victoria
Victoria takes what people love about the Anna and adds a noticeable step up in performance and control, while still keeping the machine a sensible size for a home kitchen. It uses a full-size 58 mm portafilter, which means you can use standard baskets and accessories, and it includes a built-in shot timer and programmable pre-infusion to help you pull more consistent shots.
Thanks to its PID temperature control, brew temperature is very stable, which makes dialing in different coffees much easier. The steam power is also stronger and more responsive than on entry-level machines, so making silky milk for flat whites and cappuccinos is quicker and more reliable.
It’s a machine that feels reassuringly solid and refined in day-to-day use, and one that many home baristas choose when they want café-style results without moving to a much larger heat-exchanger or dual-boiler setup.
Best for:
Coffee lovers who want a compact, well-built single-boiler machine with a standard 58 mm setup, better steam performance, and more control for consistent, high-quality espresso and milk drinks.
Lelit Mara X (V2)
The Mara X is where things start to feel truly café-like at home. It uses the classic E61 group head and a heat-exchanger system, but with Lelit’s clever temperature management that makes it far easier to live with than traditional HX machines. You don’t need to worry about complicated cooling flush routines, the machine automatically prioritises stable brewing temperature or stronger steam, depending on the mode you choose.
In everyday use, it really shines if you enjoy milk drinks. Steam power is strong and consistent, so texturing milk for cappuccinos and lattes is fast and smooth, and you can move from pulling a shot to steaming without long waits. Build quality is excellent, with that solid, reassuring feel you expect from an Italian E61 machine.
Despite the professional hardware, the Mara X is still relatively compact, so it fits well in a home kitchen without dominating the worktop.
Best for:
Anyone who regularly makes milk-based drinks and wants the look, feel and performance of a classic E61 machine, with a much simpler and more forgiving workflow than a traditional heat-exchanger design.
Lelit Elizabeth
The Elizabeth is our best-selling Lelit espresso machine, and it’s easy to see why. It offers true café-style performance in a size that still works comfortably in a home kitchen. With separate boilers for brewing and steaming, you can pull a shot and texture milk at the same time, with excellent temperature stability and no waiting between steps. This makes it ideal for busy mornings and for making several drinks in a row.
It includes PID temperature control, programmable pre-infusion, a shot timer and very responsive steam, so results are consistent and easy to repeat. Despite the advanced internals, the controls are clear and intuitive, which means it suits both confident beginners and more experienced home baristas.
Many of our customers choose the Elizabeth because it strikes a rare balance: powerful enough to feel truly professional, but compact and straightforward enough for everyday home use.
Best for:
Households making multiple coffees back-to-back, especially milk drinks, who want simultaneous brewing and steaming, excellent temperature stability, and our most popular, proven Lelit model.
Lelit Bianca (V3)
The Bianca is Lelit’s flagship machine and the one for people who really enjoy getting hands-on with their espresso. It’s a dual-boiler machine with a beautifully built E61 group and a manual flow-control paddle, which lets you control how fast the water flows through the coffee during extraction. This opens the door to experimenting with different pressure and flow profiles, particularly useful for lighter roasts and more complex coffees.
With separate boilers for brewing and steaming, you can make espresso and steam milk at the same time, with excellent temperature stability and very powerful, dry steam. The build quality is superb, with a premium feel throughout, and thoughtful touches like the movable water tank (which can be positioned at the side or back) make it surprisingly practical for a machine of this level.
The Bianca is often chosen by experienced home baristas who enjoy tweaking, learning and refining their technique, and who want a machine that will grow with them rather than limit what they can do.
Best for:
Advanced home baristas who enjoy experimenting with different beans and extraction styles, and who want top-level control, build quality and performance in a true flagship machine.
Lelit Anita
The Anita is designed for people who want a proper espresso setup without filling their kitchen worktop with separate machines. It combines a single-boiler espresso machine with a built-in conical burr grinder, giving you an all-in-one solution that’s compact, tidy and easy to live with.
Despite being a combined unit, it still offers the core features needed for good espresso, including PID temperature control and solid build quality. It heats up quickly, takes up less space than a separate grinder and machine, and keeps everything in one neat footprint, which is especially useful in smaller kitchens.
As with all single-boiler machines, you brew and steam one after the other rather than at the same time, but steam performance is perfectly adequate for the odd cappuccino or flat white. The integrated grinder is convenient and well matched to the machine, making it a straightforward way to get consistent results without a complicated setup.
Best for:
Smaller kitchens and anyone who wants a neat, space-saving, all-in-one solution with proper temperature control and straightforward day-to-day use.
Lelit Kate
The Kate is Lelit’s more advanced all-in-one option, combining a high-quality single-boiler espresso machine with a built-in stepless grinder in one clean, compact unit. It’s based on the same platform as the Victoria, so you get a full-size 58 mm group, PID temperature control, programmable pre-infusion and a shot timer, but with the convenience of an integrated grinder.
In everyday use, it feels very refined. The grinder adjustment is precise, the workflow is smooth, and having everything in one machine keeps the counter tidy without sacrificing performance. Steam power is strong for a single-boiler, making it well suited to regular flat whites and cappuccinos, even though you still brew and steam one after the other.
The Kate is often chosen by customers who want café-style features and control but don’t want to commit to separate machines and extra space.
Best for:
Home baristas who want a premium, space-saving all-in-one machine with full-size 58 mm compatibility, strong features, and a clean, uncluttered setup.
Which Model Matches You?
| You are… | You care most about… | Best models |
|---|---|---|
| Espresso purist, budget-aware, mostly straight shots | Shot quality, consistency, compact size | Anna, Victoria (Anita if you want a built-in grinder) |
| Milk-drink fan, a few lattes/cappuccinos per day | Steam power, quick recovery, simple workflow | Mara X, Elizabeth |
| Experimenter who loves light roasts and control | Flow profiling, precise temperature and pressure handling | Bianca, Elizabeth (Mara X as a capable alternative) |
| Small kitchen, want fewer separate components | Compact footprint, convenience | Anita, Kate |
| Household making several drinks back-to-back | Simultaneous brew + steam, stability under load | Elizabeth, Bianca |
Quick Comparison
| Model | Boiler Type | Group | Key Strengths | Considerations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anna | Single boiler + PID | 57 mm | Compact, great entry to true espresso | Brew/steam not simultaneous; fewer 57 mm accessories |
| Victoria | Single boiler + PID | 58 mm | Pre-infusion, shot timer, stronger steaming | Still single-boiler workflow |
| Mara X | Heat exchanger (E61) | 58 mm | Excellent milk performance; smart temperature management | HX quirks vs true dual boiler |
| Elizabeth | Dual boiler | 58 mm | Simultaneous brew/steam; consistent back-to-back drinks | Larger, pricier than single-boilers |
| Bianca | Dual boiler + flow control | 58 mm | Profiling for advanced extractions; premium build | Highest price and complexity |
| Anita | Single boiler + built-in grinder | 57 mm | All-in-one convenience and small footprint | Upgrading grinder or machine means replacing the unit |
| Kate | Single boiler + built-in grinder | 58 mm | All-in-one with higher-end features | Same all-in-one trade-offs as Anita |
How to Decide in 30 Seconds
Mostly espresso, small kitchen? Choose Anna or Victoria.
Espresso and milk drinks a few times a week? Choose Mara X.
Several milk drinks every day? Choose Elizabeth.
Love experimenting and want the best? Choose Bianca.
Want a tidy, single-box setup? Choose Anita or Kate.
Start with how many drinks you make per day and how much milk you use — that one decision usually tells you whether a single-boiler, heat-exchanger, or dual-boiler machine will suit you best. Whichever Lelit you choose, you’ll get solid Italian build quality and the satisfaction of café-style coffee at home.
Lelit Espresso Machines – FAQs
Are Lelit espresso machines good quality?
Yes. Lelit is an Italian manufacturer known for using commercial-grade components in compact home machines. Customers consistently comment on the solid build, temperature stability and long-term reliability, especially compared with many entry-level brands.
Which Lelit machine is best for beginners?
The Lelit Anna and Lelit Victoria are ideal for beginners. They are easy to use, compact, and include PID temperature control for consistent espresso, without the complexity of heat exchanger or dual-boiler systems.
What is the difference between Lelit Mara X and Elizabeth?
Is the Lelit Elizabeth worth the price?
For many home baristas, yes. As a compact dual-boiler with PID, pre-infusion and excellent steam power, it offers near-professional performance at home and is Lelit’s best-selling model for good reason.
What makes the Lelit Bianca special?
The Bianca features dual boilers and manual flow control, allowing you to control pressure and flow during extraction. This makes it ideal for experimenting with lighter roasts and advanced espresso profiling.
Do I need a separate grinder for Lelit machines?
Yes, unless you choose an all-in-one model. The Lelit Anita and Lelit Kate include built-in grinders. All other Lelit espresso machines require a separate quality espresso grinder for best results.
Are Lelit machines suitable for small kitchens?
Single boiler, heat exchanger or dual boiler – which should I choose?
Single boiler machines (Anna, Victoria, Anita, Kate) are ideal for mostly espresso with occasional milk. Heat exchanger (Mara X) suits regular milk drinks. Dual boiler (Elizabeth, Bianca) is best for making multiple milk drinks back-to-back with maximum temperature stability.
Do Lelit machines use standard 58mm portafilters?
Most models do, including Victoria, Mara X, Elizabeth, Bianca and Kate. The Anna and Anita use 57mm portafilters.
How long do Lelit espresso machines last?
With proper maintenance and regular descaling, Lelit machines are built to last many years. Their use of metal components, PID control and serviceable parts makes them a strong long-term investment for home espresso.
