The Truth about this Espresso Machine: Lelit Bianca
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 27 фев 2021
- Lelit Bianca: geni.us/hrZu5B
Become a PATREON: / kylerowsell
Watch Next: • Saying Goodbye to the ...
How to steam milk for Latte Art: • HOW to Steam Milk for ...
Be sure to SUBSCRIBE for more videos like this one.
Espresso Gear: prz.io/N0nLkmkHv
Become a PATREON to support this channel and win Gear:
/ kylerowsell
Shop MY BREW BAR (USA): www.amazon.com/shop/brewathom...
Shop MY BREW BAR (CANADA): www.amazon.ca/shop/brewathome...
Shop MY BREW BAR (UK): www.amazon.co.uk/shop/brewath...
INSTAGRAM: kyle.rowsell?ig...
The Website & Blog: www.kylerowsell.com
Eight Ounce Coffee Equipment: bit.ly/2GAuS9v
Fellow Products: bit.ly/3lSgsBx
Espresso Gear - (PRIMA): www.prima-coffee.com?aff=59&_
Third Wave Water: geni.us/k8Fcdo
Kyle Rowsell
Brew At Home Blog
#SpecialtyCoffee #ThirdWaveCoffee #KyleRowsell
If you could buy one espresso machine... which would it be?!
I'd definitely love to get my hands on a De1 one day. The information it can give you is next to none by today's standards.
@@harrisonbrown5258 the DE1 is fantastic 👏🏻
I considered a Bianca, but went with a Bezzera Mitica instead. Thinking it’s more proven technology (aside from the PID it’s basically a 60 year old design, right?). The Bianca is a great machine, but what it offers for the price seemed a bit to good to be true. To each their own, I’m hapy with my Bezzera which is built like a tank (outclassing a Rocket if you ask me) and is super quiet. Not saying I’m not envious of some of the Bianca’s features, though. Thanks for making an honest video!
The CREM ONE 2B PID GSP is a competing machine new to USA but, been available elsewhere for a year. Very expensive and exclusive to WLL importing to USA. The LFPP will undoubtedly be close to $3,000 or more according to price structure right now
Crem One LFPP.
I have bought the Bianca because of your earlier reviews. Keep going, I always enjoy your videos and added value to me.
Much appreciated!
Great followup Kyle, thanks! Just bought a Bianca based on your earlier glowing review and I'm really happy so far. The good news: Lelit actually includes 3 spare rubber dampers on the newer machines (taped under the drip-tray).
Man I love you hoodie YHWH shirt, I think it’s awesome you rep it!! I have one of their MRCY trucker hats and love it!
I own the same machine and this review is spot on. Also the video editing is excellent and interesting and the lighting is as well. Some tips - if you lose the plastic nubs he mentioned, watch out. You can cut yourself very easily cleaning the inner drip tray holder, learned that the hard way. Also another downside is it takes 30 minutes to heat up. Buy a Wyze smart plug and problem solved. We have ours turn itself on from 7am to 1pm. Finally I’ve done back to back shots fine but I also have a single dose grinder and I measure so it gives the machine time to keep up. I also set the steam boiler to max and use the 2-hole steam tip.
Finally, my favorite profile is starting 9 bar then gradually ending at 7 bar.
I just ordered one. Thanks for your reviews, they helped. Ended up finding myself comparing the Bianca to much more expensive machines often with less features. I was still tempted but couldn't justify spending almost twice the price for those diminishing gains. I'm looking forward to using the flow control on the Bianca, and purchasing a quality single dose grinder (maybe the upcoming Eureka Mignon single dose) and just getting into it all. I'm going from a Sunbeam Cafe Series (which I have kept going for years now with many repairs) and Breville grinder...so yeah, big upgrade.
How's your Machine doing after 2 years? I am about to place my order as we well!
I got my Bianca 2 days ago. I guess I underestimated how difficult and messy esspresso making is. But I can't imagine having a better experience with a different machine. Your videos made it look very simple and clean haha.
Hi, if you are having issues with coffee sputtering on to the front of the machine, you need to look at the following:
WDT - google it
Your grinder, if it makes very uneven particles.
Are you using the bottomless filter?
I've been using Bianca for a few months and its doing great. I haven't struggled any issue you mentioned except naked portafilter's splash problem (guess because of channeling). But I fix it by using WDT. Nice content, thanks for it. Don't forget there is bianca community cheering and supporting you :)
Appreciate it!
Thanks for taking the time to share these points Kyle. I have one on order and can't wait to get it. Your points allow me to think of how I might manage them when I do get the unit.
Very welcome!
i love how he wants people to make happy to other people, he is so kind and i love his smile ❤ you making other people happy too 😊
Dude, you're really upping your content game!
I try! Just wait until the studio is finished :)
Great shirt dude! Loving the content from a fellow Ontarian!
Hey thanks Josh!
As someone looking and weighing options for my first home espresso machine,this is a very good and helpful review. Now all I need is to save up. Thank you.
I’m glad it helped!
If I could go back in time, I would have skipped the Gaggia classic and delongi I purchased and put that money towards the Bianca. But there is something to say about the entry level machines teaching you how to become a better home barista. Just make sure to get a good grinder.
@@alexandernikodem8597 yes of course. Thanks
For those that don’t know - there are three spare plastic covers for the drip tray lugs that come with the Bianca. Look under the removable drip tray and you will see three of them supplied around the edge of the big hole to the left of the machine’s frame.
I recently bought this machine - supported by some of the commentary you made. I love it. I have the same issue as you, though, with the bottomless portafilter. I found that it was predominantly my tamping technique. Too tight and it would fissure down the sides. I tamped less and made sure I tamped to the edges - plus pre-soak - and I get much less/ none on most extractions
This review thoroughly convinced me that my decision to order the Synchronika was the right call.
I bought got my Lelit Bianca over a month ago and love it! Upon first set up I got a pump error code. I was so worried that I had to get it service on day one. Nope. It was just 15 degrees fahrenheit, and had to warm up in the room before the system filled itself up! It does take a LOT of flushing to keep the shower head clean, but its worth doing in the long run. By the way, check the box for the other steam wand head. It has 4 holes instead of 2. It literally steams milk up to temp twice as fast!
My hubs pulled the trigger for me and ordered a Bianca V3 today since I'm too frugal and freak at spending that much. But being my introvert self and the fact that only I drink coffee in our house....this machine will be the perfect fit! Thanks for the honest review, Im super excited!!
From the beginning I can say: “AWESOME B ROLL”
I try!
I've owned the Bianca since the day it was released. Mine has never leaked or rattled, but I hand wash the tray. 100% agree its messy with bottomless and switched to the spouted portafilter for this reason after a couple years. Overall great machine. Regarding servicing, unless you live in Seattle you're gonna have trouble finding anyone to service prosumer level machines. Ran into this same problem with other machines too.
This is so helpful even though I’m not in the market for a new machine yet but these points are great to know ahead of time for any future machines I might buy. Thank you for your honesty. This is a true review with pros and cons! Much appreciated.
Hi Kyle. Very nice video as usual. Well for me Bianca so good, also if I came to change anything in this machine it would be a joystick instead of the rotating valve for steam and hot water. Also automatic backflush in the LCC would be awesome.
Looked very closely at this machine when upgrading my espresso machine because it's a great value, but ultimately couldn't pass up the 220V ECM Synchronika with flow control. It came down to ECM's superior build quality, fast recovery time, and my preference for classic aesthetics. I've had my Synchronika for a couple of years now and love it.
I agree. I'm looking at purchasing something in this price range and after watching a lot of videos, I still can't see anything that would make me choose the Lelit over the Synchronika despite the higher price tag.
Have started looking and the Synchronika is at the top of my list, don't really like the design of the Bianca.
The v3 bianca will have the same price as the synchronika, which will make it easier to justify the ecm.
@@chookchack It depends where you're from. Here in Germany the Bianca is 2000€ and the Synchronika is 2500€.
@@Tim_E88 found it for 1600
You had me worried there for a minute and 29 seconds!
I bought this machine about 6 weeks ago and it was actually your previous review that brought it to my attention.
I had also looked at ECM/Profitec but to get the same features was going to take another 800 USD equivalent. I'm not a heavy user, 3 coffees a day, and I'm careful with machines so I decided I could manage with the slightly lower build quality. 6 weeks in I have no regrets.
It has worked perfectly so far. Would be great to see a video of how you use the paddle. I find the response time makes it challenging to use!
I also use the bottomless but place my cup on top of an upsidedown bowl to minimise the splatter.
Getting into coffee is a oneway trip down a rabbit hole!
Keep the videos coming...
Ah! Sorry to stress ya! The Bianca is fantastic. There should be no regret.
I bought it last October. Because of your reviews as well And then it was great, did not disappoint.
Amazing! Glad to hear it
@@KyleRowsell im new to all this i see people talking about shots i just want a normal coffee shop coffee
Glad you are still enjoying the Bianca one year out! Especially since I bought one in January partially based on your first ringing endorsement. One nit... you can hardly blame the Bianca for a rattling drip tray if you lose the rubber dampers! Mine doesn’t rattle at all. Maybe you can convince Lelit to send you a few new dampers, especially since you have given them some free advertisement.
As a new MaraX owner I still love following all the tips and info for the Bianca since they share a lot in common (mine has the Lelit flow control installed as well). This is a huge upgrade from my 15 y/o Gaggia and I'm still learning a ton!
About the pull the trigger on the Bianca but seeing if there's a cheaper way to get flow control and I'm wondering how easy was it to mod yours and add it?
@@paulbaker7489 Honestly I ordered my MaraX from 1st Line and they added it for me since I bundled them together.
how are things with the MaraX Dan?
@@chadgregory9037 Still going great. I'm coming up on a year old and haven't had a single issue. I should probably look into doing a descale at some point (I use Zero water with a touch of filtered tap for minerals, KISS method). Happy with my decision and would thoroughly recommend it again.
Wow!!! That machine is aesthetically gorgeous!
Great vid Kyle. I can relate to the annoyances you brought up. Just cleaning the drip tray is annoying, because the welds let water through. For such a great machine, it just feels weird that they forgot to polish that part of it.. I wish it would also let you know ahead of time when you're running out of water. It's very annoying to have everything heated up and you take some water out and then it tells you to fill up, before you can pull a shot :) I also enjoy using the bottomless portafilter and the cleanup is just annoying, but I guess it's the same for every machine.
Could you make a video for the Bianca about your cleanup procedure? Like how often you clean the showerhead, how often you descale and what the process is like for you and what ever else you do as maintenance work for the machine?
You are da man for posting this Sir! Just placed my order with Clive coffee and read the review likely by the same person you mention with the parts issue. So glad to know about the boiler size /time between multiple shots issue. I have already bought some extra rubber pads for when I lose mine. I have had an Expobar E61 machine for over a decade. it finally died and parts to fix it would have been cost prohibitive to be worth it. Also, what better reason to upgrade to this sexy beast with the flow control paddle, wooden accents etc…. :) can’t wait to have a plumbed machine and not have to pull the thing out from under the cabinet to refill. Thanks again, I appreciate you!
I've been using Lelit Elizabeth for a year and a half now and actually was quite surprised to hear about a problem with the Bianca's boiler heating🤔 I also pull a lot of back-to-back shots, however, most of them are intended for cappuccinos, maybe that's the reason I've never had a real issue with that. There's another one with Elizabeth though - Steam Boiler heating)) When you set pre-infusion, the steam pressure can drop while you're still working on your milk and that was quite annoying for a while, but I found a way around it and now working with it is nothing but pleasure )) Of course, I would love to be able to play with the flow profiling, but when buying ANYTHING, you should be ready to make compromises.. and for me it was quite easy to do for two reasons
1. Elisabeth is cheaper
2. (and the most important, probably) - Bianca is too big to fit into my kitchen🤗😁
14 moths with me. Love it!!
Thanks for your video.
Thanks for your honest straightforward comments.
Another amazing video from the man himself
you're the man, Phil
Kyle! Love your honesty about Linea Mini!! I ordered mine 4 weeks ago and still waiting for it. I am upgrading from ECM Classika single boiler to Linea Mini. Thanks for your opinion!
Beautiful machine and fantastic shirt!
I also use a bottomless portafilter and found the only time it’s messy is if the grind or tamp is off Try keeping the tamped puc level I use a leveler tamper combo love it 😍
Kyle, love the t-shirt! Nice to know you’re a Brother! Shalom from Texas.
Just discovered your videos and they're super informative, thank you! Question: where is that cup from with the "drip" ceramic coating?
Ive owned a Ranchillio Sylvia, La Spaziale (kinda regret selling this one...) , Izzo Alex Duetto & Rocket Appartmento then after a lot of ups and downs with my last 2 machines, I finally said screw it and went with a Linea Mini with the bluetooth upgrade. Ive had it for a year now and there is no going back. No regrets! All stainless steel parts (no plated brass, including the portafilter!), nice front loaded brew tray, very accurate temps and quick shots. It is built like a tank and makes great shots consistently.
I think you are on the path to a Linea Mini from what I just heard for your comments. Its only a matter of time.... :-)
A quick fix for the "rubbers on the drip tray" would be to use a piece of shrink wrap tubing appropriately sized. it would go on very fast and is very cheap and easy to replace.
Fun to see folks thoughts on high end machines :)
Recently got rid of my long time Elektra A3 :) loved it beast of a machine but 30 years into espresso and various high end machines along the way I now am on a Cafelat Robot and loving it for simplicity low maintenance and so much more still use my mazzer grinder some but Comandante is my main go to the manual everything feel and I mean the true feel of the beans cracking under pressure the pull on the robot feeling the shot come out etc... has brought me back to loving the art and feel of espresso again and I say again this is 30 years into espresso it just needed a change up big time for me
Bummer to hear about the tray and clean up
The less stuff you mention get into a robot for fun good thread on Home-Barista about them and you can decide I want to pull a shot and be clean and put away in minutes etc...
I have no regrets getting rid of my Elektra A3 and going into manual lever setup and the taste in cup did not suffer ! Which if it did I would be into another high end machine
I'm considering getting a Robot for my very first machine. I could make the budget for more, but every time missing features and quirks on really expensive machines just immediately turned me off for what I'd be paying for. Yeah I'm sure I'll have some periods of time that I'll wish I wasn't manual, but it's the simplicity and satisfaction of doing it yourself that *always* draws me back to it.
I say go for it :) I did have to dial it in beans vs previous beans I liked as some did not taste the same as they did out of my elektra ? So I tested/tried a bunch to find the ones I liked and for me the thing is still more joy to use than my Elektra was
I do hear ya on the what you get ! And why having had high end machines I cant get anything under 3k and be happy :) hahahahah
Just no its a bit of a curve like anything to learn and get good results but two shots today were superb so much I went and pulled back to back and ready to pull another as I just ate and finish off my meal with a nice double !
I do say as many fresh as in good fresh beans makes all the dif :) if ya get one post up :)
One thing about the manual I have a manual grinder comandante and a mazzer I find the manual side of the machine never has gotten old (hope it does not) but the manual grinding can get old :) so I do not manual grind EVERY time but today I did and the one I am pulling in a minute will be manual grind
@@LastAphelion
Love your videos but also love your shirt brother!
Thanks!
My Rocket machine also came with a real metal tamp which is alright nothing too fancy. The drip tray is tiny relatively but at least doesn't leak. That's probably something they'd send you a replacement for I'd think if you talked to Lelit or where you purchased it from.
My machine also rattles sometimes it's more the top water resevoir cover that rattles so having a cup on top helps prevent that due to the extra weight.
I also bought the Bianca based on you review. I’d love to see more recipes with flow control and/or a simple calculation on how to use it more consistently. I.e. if I normally pull a shot in 28 seconds, how long would I pull a shot using flow control.
I own an Lelit Bianca too and I share the views in this video 100%:
- love it (coffee, design, etc.)
- small drawbacks (display, messy bottomless filter,...)
- never had an issue
- would buy it again
One thing I wish would be available is some „how to“ tricks from lelit on exactly this machine. In particular helpful would be on how to fine tune the espresso shots and the options using the paddle as it provides a multitude of things that make this machine unique.
Hey Reto! Thanks for responding!
I've put out a few videos on what you're talking about. Be sure to check them out if you'd like!
@@KyleRowsell will do, cheers mate
Great shirt! And thank you for the review :-)
Thanks for watching!
Now I know what those bellows do. Fantastic.
Coming from a ECM e61 machine to the La Marzocco Linea Mini I can say it’s much easier to keep clean.
And you can keep pulling shots despite the small brew boiler.
But it comes at a price …
For me the linea mini is divine. It isn’t cheap and some might want other features included.
Furthermore I love the brand and the people from La Marzocco which I got to experience after the purchase.
Hello i dont have the budget for la linea mini, but i can purchase the ecm, dou you recomand it for me for good espresso ? Thanks
@@NoQuinn Difficult question .. since it all depends on your taste… there are many machines that can offer a tasty espresso.. some prefer a la pavoni lever machine, others love their e61 machine.. or rancillio ..
it also depends on your grinder .. so try and taste the things you can affort and see which combination you enjoy the most within your budget ..
Great edits ~ you’ll have to do a behind the scenes how u did your shots. Btw which color La Marzocco Linea Mini do you see in your kitchen next year? 😅
If I’d ever get one, it would be white 😇
@@KyleRowsell same! Pretty much set on it for next year.
I considered this machine few years back JUST because aesthetic. True it's gorgeous. But I don't know about the quality so, forgot. Until I saw your video. And tbh seeing your love towards the machine. I think I will choose this one alright
Gear review.Kyle: Thinking the Bianca will be my next step after starting with the De'Longhi Dedica three years ago. Have ordered a bottomless PF for De'Longhi Dedica as step two and will work educating myself before treating my self to the Bianca.
Randy
The small screen is a UX/UI issue. They could take a page from what GoPro has done- similarly only two buttons but being able to easily navigate multiple control menus or even connect to the mobile app for additional control and remote capabilities.
I just bought one. It's great for playing around with origins that are not typically espresso. But it takes a lot of practice to find the sweet spot. That is most of the fun I guess isn't it
This is also stated in manual,home espresso machine ,which can produce 1-2 espresso cups at the time.with larger group of people ,time between preparations and getting another shots is good enough for Bianca to recover ,already tested and succeeded
I really love the Bianca and all of it's features and am considering buying one since following you, quick question though. If you're feeling lazy one day and don't want to bother flow profiling, is there a position you can leave it in that still pulls good shots? Or should you always manually adjust the flow profile paddle with this machine?
yes just have it fully open, I love mine. And I don't really understand what he is trying to say here. It sounds like half of the issues are things he should have gotten fixed under warranty or things that are not related to the machine at all
This was an interesting video. I have an older Izzo Alex Duetto. Can you plumb your machine? And can your machine heat both boilers at the same time or does it have to pulse between the two? Plumbing my machine and changing to 20 amp service was a game changer for me. Fwiw I have noticed that if my bottomless portafilter is spitting a bit then my grind is off a bit.
I enjoyed this video. I do agree that the Bianca is one of the best looking machines on the market at that price range. Otherwise, I think in terms of features perhaps the decent stands out at a similar price range and offers a new range of experimentation and control. Whereas the Decent machine is very modern looking and very much computer centric, I feel the Bianca is really attractive to those consumers who want to still feel like they are operating an Italian espresso machine. I just got Bianca's little sister MARAX because of its aesthetics and somewhat friendly price tag (considering it is an espresso machine). I might try to some mods down the road, but heard they don't simulate the Bianca perfectly. For me, I'd likely purchase the Bianca over the ECM/Profitec luxury machines because it offers the profiling. Now my newest quest is trying to get a hold of a niche zero which is really hard to get. Thanks for the videos.
Thanks for this comment! Great thoughts here. Appreciate the kind words!
I own the Lelit Bianca since December and totally can relate to what you say: Right after unpacking, I had to re-adjust the body a little bit because of some gaps between the body parts. It worked out, but I don't know if I want to re-adjust a 2000 € coffee machine. Also the experience with the rubber bobbles holding the grid - I lost one and (thank god) found it again after searching a few minutes. Since then, I always try to remove them before washing the tray. Third: Actually, I like the display. Most of the machines do have worse displays. But the buttons are a little annoying. For me, it's okay because I dont use them on da daily basis and I understand why they use this unit (water proof etc). But I wish they were better. But nevertheless: I totally love my Bianca and I don't regret buying it.. even if I'm still a beginner. It looks stunning, the espresso is great and It's fun brewing coffee with it.
Thanks for sharing!
Did you have a look at Rocket espresso machine before buying a Lelit? The R58 is just better in every way with an extra flow rate kit.
@@aurelienbozet1684 here in Germany the R58 costs another 500 euros.. so that was the reason Not buying it
I just ordered one and THEN went searching for reviews. Yeah, I know. However, I was pleased to hear that the things that you don't like are not likely to be a significant issue for me and that, overall, you love the machine. That makes me very confident that I've made a good choice.
It’s a wonderful machine. I’m sure you’ll love it.
Thank you very much for your honest longtime reaccions. I am planning getting this machine, but one question: How is it at breing as well Lungo Coffee? Could you recommend it as well for that?
hey, what do you think about the pl92t? For almost half the price of the bianca it seems very nice. Also i dont really like the E61 style. (Also my reason against the MaraX + dont want to temp-surf)
You mention the mess generated... does this machine exhibit a lot of channelling? (I do know this is mainly due to the preparation of the puck, but I think some machines do channel more than others)
I did not have any issues brewing back to back shots. If anything weighing beans for the niche was the thing holding me back. It might be the difference in heating elements. The 110V version only has a 1000W heater in the coffee boiler compared to the 1400W in the 230V model which i am using.
exactly my thought.....
You mention that the flow paddle helps rescue shots that aren’t quite dialed in; can you talk about how? If there’s another video on the topic that’s great also. Thanks!
I think what Kyle is referring to is the ability to reduce the flow during the extraction if it becomes obvious it is flowing too fast. Let's say you are looking for 30 grams out in 25 seconds, but the flow rate, perhaps due to having a too coarse a grind, is going to give you much more in that time. You can partially close the paddle so you still end up with getting approximately 30 grams in your 25 seconds. So rather than a 'blond gusher' which would be a 'sink-shot,' you may end up with something that is still drinkable. :-)
Thank you for the honest opinion. I am in the market for a new espresso machine and the Bianca is in the running. The "short cuts" should have been expected considering the Bianca's weight is 15 to 30 pounds lighter than comparable machines. That is why I am looking at an HX from Bezzera with their BZ group head. The heated group head will make the wait shorter. I don't make a lot of milk drinks so not having a dual boiler that weighs 80+ pounds is not an issue. Have you ever used a Bezzera?
Drip tray leak: lay a small bead of silicone along the inside edges of the tray to seal any leaks. After applying the bead, run your finger down the edge collecting any excess silicone and to get a smooth silicone surface that will stay cleaner in dirty environments.
Great video. Loved your sincerity.
You mentioned you’d consider the LM given the budget... but the LM doesn’t come with flow control which u mentioned u cannot live without... so if u had the budget to get the LM... which would You go for?
Imho using normal portafilter is beneficial in at least 2 ways: 1) better temperature stability 2) less mess 😊
While I'd love to own a sexy machine like that, I'd have a really hard time justifying the expense over the PID Silvia I currently use. Does a fantastic job for the 2-3 shot a day I need.
I have a feeling we will be seeing a Linea Mini on the coffee bar soon!
I wish this were true. Who know!
Own both the Linea Mini and the Lelit Bianca, aesthetics goes to the LM Mini but if you are in pursuit of a good tasting espresso Lelit Bianca will give you that.
This is a beautiful machine!
Nice video, I have a simple machine, Rocket Appartemento. I do love the coffee it makes, no complaint. The Linea Mini is a great machine, to big for me. The Lelit Bianca, I kind of like for one reason, that flow control paddle, I don’t really care about pid or double boiler, but to able to control the flow is something that is really nice, and for that reason alone if I ever decide changing my Rocket, I would choose the Bianca, but need a dealer close enough for me to drive to, that is one reason I bought the Appartemento. My Niche Zero is due shipping in march, I really am looking forward to use that grinder.
Thanks for this response!
I've installed the flow control on my Appartamento. Costs just $160. Made my Appartamento feel like a new machine.
Great videography again, Kyle! Intreresting thoughts on your Lelit Bianca!
Thanks Gabriel!
Hi Kyle, I put my time on puck prep and once I have long preinfusion there is no mess due to bottomless portafilter. Even if I use extremely light roast and get bad results, the thin strong channeling disappears with puck prep+preinfusion.
On the other side, the full wide open drip tray causes mess anyway on the shiny panel:) nothing to do:)
Thanks for the video btw;)
Hi kyle! Have you checked the profitec pro 700? Ive been torn between this two machines, lelit bianca and the profitec pro 700, do you have any toughts? Thanks btw!💪
Drip tray: I don't own the Letit Bianca but I recently upgraded from a very old espresso machine to a newer E61 model which has a plastic tray and a stainless steel drain plate. I thought I'd hate it but I love it! Why? Because it's so much lighter and easier to empty out because it's plastic. My old machines drip tray was solid metal and needed two hands to carry full of water. That might explain why the metal is thinner on your Bianca drip tray. I wouldn't want something with thick metal that is very heavy when full of water to carry to the sink.
i have the same machine and been using in for close 2 years daily just like you have. the only upgrades i went with are the shower screen to ims nano tech and ridgeless vst filter basket. never really have that issue with messy back splash and im using the naked portafilter as my go to daily. maybe you're getting channeling issue? puck prep?. was contemplating the same thing with the LM but basically the paddle on that is just an on off switch not the flow profile paddle like on the bianca. The price is also a huge difference here where im at. 3888$ for the bianca and 5k$ for the basic Linea Mini.
I have the profitech pro 700 and I think you would have been more happy with that considering what you're saying in this video. I have the flow control and once you get that down you'll never have a problem making the mess as far as coffee on the machine.
Your video are so good! I have bought an Elizabeth V3. Amazing machine for me but do you think that the bianca will be much more? I like the fact that the elizabeth can use timer on espresso. Is slim. is "ëasy to use"....what do you think?
Nice shirt!
Thanks for this re-cap. I have been wanting a higher end espresso machine for a while and was about to pull the trigger on the Breville Oracle Touch. However, the recent reviews have been HORRIFIC and honestly scared me. So I started looking around for other units and came across this one at Clive Coffee. Honestly it is Stunning visually. But it was definitely good to get a third party "Real" user.. not someone who bought it for a video and returned within the 30 day return window 🙄..(So Lame & happens often).
Yes I know this unit is more expensive than what I originally was going to get and I will have to get a dedicated grinder... But this is something that will definitely be my last machine... Honestly, even if it stopped working and I could not get it fixed.. I would keep it as a former functional art piece.
I have to agree with your pros and cons except the one about the wait for the boiler to heat up, maybe it's because you're using 110v ?
The only complain I have is that sometime the lever is a bit tough to pull up and down, have you experienced that too ?
One thing I question about the machine is the flow control. I have a Rocket with a Profitec flow control and it looks like I can flow way more water. With the stock E-61 valve in place, it looks like I can flow a lot more than the Bianca when the Bianca is set on full. With the Profitec flow control. I have to turn it way more than the Bianca' s handle would allow. 540 degrees from stop. The Bianca flow looks like my Profitec at about 230 degrees rotation when I see the flow. Coincidentally It looks like the knob only rotates that much on the Bianca. The shots taste different if I only go up to where the Bianca stops. The other day, I got schooled by my 11 year old Rancilio and then dialed up the flow on my Rocket.
Perhaps it's time to change the knob and see what more there is left in it???
We use this daily - drip tray never leaks and the rubber pieces don't fall off easily in our experience. The metal feels great. The little screen is simple and says what it needs to... for us, the smaller the screen the better. We didn't want to pay extra for an out of date UI trying to be a smart phone wannabe. Clean up is super easy... just a quick wipe. and about service... Buy it from the American service dealer and you'll get a great price and never have an issue.
Listen - espresso means controlling temperature, flow pressure and time. We wanted control not magic and this machine gives us that and we're happy with it. If you want to brew for large groups, you'll probably want something designed for that. You're already spending a lot so get the unit that matches your needs. For our family, this is the unit.
I have the Profitec 500 flow control. All the nit picking observations you made today are addressed in this model. And I also have used it one year. It doesn’t rattle. The drip tray appears more sturdy. It doesn’t spit coffee over the machine (try a different screen with silicone gasket). Also has flow control. The 500 is a heat exchanger. I got that so I could keep up the flow, which is theoretically infinite. So either use that or huge dual boiler for crowds. And about $600 cheaper. But...no walnut. PS, I agree, flow control is a game changer. I too have saved runaway shots and made them drinkable.
I am considering purchasing the Lelit Bianca. It has been two years since you made this video, have they made any improvements on the machine, fixed any of the negatives that you mentioned or, is everything the same Thx?
After how many shots of espresso you have to wait few minutes? Is it after each shot? Or only after making few back-back shots?
Yo! That is a sick shirt. Where did you get it?
Using a bottomless portafilter is always the best way, you can see if you have any problems with trapping . I have a dual boiler machine, but it heats up very quick between, ie more or less straight away....
Right on! And the Bianca does as well, but when you’re pulling 10+ shots back to back, the boiler needs a bit of time. Most machines have this same issue.
Haha, not much for an esspresso noob like me. I had no idea the amount of mess possible! Hot coffee spurts everywhere!
Lol, "tamping that subscribe button". Well played ;).
Looks Beautiful
Good day Kyle, May I asked how do you maintain/clean your internals lelit bianca ( descaling ) . Appreciate if you can give us tips and inputs on this.
Now that the Bianca is on sale for $2599 would you recommend purchasing or waiting for the V3 improvements to come out next month?
I am currently waiting for my bianca, and your comment about the boiler got me curious. I think it might be just US/Canada issue due to 120v. Let’s see how it performs here in Europe on 230v.
Dont be nervous! This situation is very specific. Since the pandemic I've never faced this issue as it's only when brewing mass amounts of coffee in a limited time.
Can confirm I have never had this problem here in Germany on a 230v line even when using the Bianca to make espresso for our office.
@@FNmey very interesting!
It most definitely is because of 110V vs 220V. I have used both voltages and the 220V recovers much faster.
Currently looking for a new machine, the ecm boiler is slightly smaller and the chem one is 1.2 litres, interesting you say stainless Steel is thinner so question is as chem one is £700 more expensive, which one to go for, research continues
I really like this review. It’s honest and open and I’m glad you don’t regret your purchase. However, I don’t find you are nitpicking - this is good and open feedback. It’s also led me to not consider this machine moving forward. Thanks for the video.
She is beautiful in my eyes!!! 😍😍😍
From Vancouver Canada 🇨🇦
Hey Paul! She is a looker, isn’t she?!
Well, in my country. You can get a Crem One LFPP for 5% more. It doesn't come with wooden accessories and bottomless pf. But it comes with full digital pressure profiling by flow that can be programmed via computer or via the "barista" dial. That means the shots is repeatable and the fact that the profile is based on flow and not time, the extraction from a given profile remains the same even if there are some variable in grind size. And also some added features like gradual soft preinfusion etc.
Also, it carries the DNA of an Expabar Brewtus with the preinfusion chamber to avoid chanelling.
But to be fair to you, the machine wasn't available a year ago. It was just launched back then.
Btw, I'm also not paid by Crem but I have been learning about Crem One since it was launched and extremely keen to get one.
Thanks for sharing this friend!