I am looking for a new machine and as originally thinking the profitec 700 was the best engineered ( after watching a review from USA.) After watching another review I now think the Lelit is far superior. I am really confused. I was initially put off by the lelit as the mushroom was not stainless steel but the engineering and design seem amazing and good value as well. The flow paddle gives an interesting novel feature which in a way mimics a lever machine. I can see very little against it . My priorities are: 1. a good extraction 2. well designed 3. easy to service 4. quality components 5. spares easy to obtain 6. reliable Which one should i go for to fit those criteria please?

@"coffeealex"#p25735 I do not know anything about Profitec, but Bianca will serve you very well. It hasn’t disappointed the Bianca owners, who are plenty here. @"Cuprajake"#144 was one happy owner until acquiring Evo. Edit Please review some of the Bianca threads here https://coffeetime.freeflarum.com/?q=bianca

If I had to choose between bianca and pro-700, I’d go Bianca. Better value for money, more features. If I had to choose between Bianca and Pro-700 with flow control, and money was no objection… I think I’d still go with the Bianca for some of the features and a flow control valve which is easier to maintain. I owned a Pro-700 in the past. It was a good machine. But it’s been essentially the same machine for ages now. Apart from the upgrade in steam boiler pressure to 2 bar, I don’t think there was much else. Saying all of the above, Lelit has been taken over by the Breville group. That may sway in your decision.

> @"MediumRoastSteam"#p25745 Saying all of the above, Lelit has been taken over by the Breville group. That may sway in your decision. Thanks for that. Lelit was the one i was going for. The Breville bit does make me pause but then I am thinking that the current model has been designed by Lelit with input from some very clever people and so essentially is Lelit more than Breville

Very very happy Bianca owner here. However! I almost never really use the flow control. It can be fun to play around with profiling and see how it affects different beans but I get such incredible shots without touching the flow control I don’t bother 99% of the time. I’m not sure if Lelit do a dual boiler without flow control but if they did and I was buying again I’d go for that. No complaints about the machine though, a joy to use and own and not a single issue with it in coming up to a year of owning it.

> @"Ernie1"#p25748 I’m not sure if Lelit do a dual boiler without flow control but if they did and I was buying again I’d go for that. The Elizabeth: https://www.bellabarista.co.uk/lelit-elizabeth-pl91t.html

@"Ernie1"#p25748 THank you> I think i probably would not use the flow control often . Did think it might come in useful if I wanted a weaker shot or just to experiment with it. Encouraging to hear you are pleased with it and with no issues.

I like the Bianca so much I have 2 of them….it's a fine machine, I don't think you will be disappointed with your choice.

Bianca is a very clever machine, I loved mine

I think I know the 2 videos you are referring to, no love lost between those two! I've had the Bianca for about a month now and I'm all in on flow control. The Slayer style shots have been working great! The v3 Bianca does a few things the Pro700 doesn't thanks to the electronics/LCC and I love the way it looks, as does my wife (most importantly). I've yet to try the half pressure pump start/preinfusion on the LCC, been doing it all manually so far.

I've had my Bianca for a couple of years now and still love it. I use the flow control with every shot. I had to replace the T-shaped hose fittings as the originals disintegrated. Also I needed a new safety valve but it was pretty easy to replace. Lots of help and advice here on the forum. The biggest thing for me was the flow control valve needed replacing. It wasn't cheap but it was my fault. I failed to do the routine maintenance so an expensive lesson learned.

Lelit Bianca or profitec 700.

CoyoteOldMan

coffeealex It definitely is - particularly as it uses just good ‘common sense’ to program the logic; no cost in implementation beyond writing and testing the firmware (which has to be done anyway): no extra components, no added maintenance/failure points, assembly or inventory costs.

Can you tell that I like the idea? 😁

Cuprajake

No burn steam wand too

DavecUK

The method is akso valid as i was suggesting it back in 2007 for rhe Izzoo Alex Duetto, it’s in the coffeetime wiki somewhere.

ken0062

CoyoteOldMan

Does this principal also ring true for the V2 in that when the display says it is ready it is actually ready, I still dont like pulling a shot till at least 30min as I have not been beliving it.

CoyoteOldMan

ken0062 The honest answer is “I don’t know”, since I don’t have a Bianca. Cuprajake did, until a few months ago.

Cuprajake

Yeah,. Ready it’s ready

MediumRoastSteam

I think this is the most useless review I ever read…

https://www.homegrounds.co/uk/lelit-bianca-review/

Milk frothing was given a 3.5 out of 5 because the system is excellent and the brewing capabilities is so advanced that it’s often compared with more expensive machines. The ECM Synchronika with flow control or even the GS3 or the slayer cannot match these models in terms of steam power. I wonder how a flow valve affects steam power on the ECM machine… but before hand compares he relatively small boiler of the Bianca compared to these other machines. So badly written it’s not even funny.

In the conclusion then it goes and say not to buy a Bianca if you don’t make many milk drinks, and, if you still want to play with flow profiling, to look at the La Pavoni instead. Flow profiling on a La Pavoni? Crikey. I thought it was pressure profiling. Maybe I’m wrong…. One reason why one should be careful on what’s written on the wider internet. Full of nonsense.

coffeealex

MediumRoastSteam One reason why one should be careful on what’s written on the wider internet

Although you do have to read with caution what’s written on the net, a cursory look at reviews of the Lelit Bianca and Lelit in general on the internet are overwhelmingly positive

CoyoteOldMan

MediumRoastSteam Another pearl of wisdom:

You want something for commercial use: Maybe you’re buying a prosumer machine with the dream of starting a catering business or running a small cafe. In that case, you’ll need something NSF rated for commercial use.

Maybe in the US or Canada. Not in Europe (including the UK, at least until something changes)… yet the review is stored under a ‘uk’ folder. Bah, humbug.

delta76

MediumRoastSteam

very late to the party (almost one year too late), but homegrounds are basically “spec review”. i.e. they don’t even get their hands on the machine, let alone using it and going in depth like @DavecUK does. only stock photos is a give away. I would not poke their “reviews” with a ten feet pole

DavecUK

coffeealex I keep saying Bianca is a nice machine. MaraX is an innovative HX, and Elizabeth is super clever. The vale for money from Lelit is high for those 3 machines. I actually own 2 Biancas, a MaraX V1 (and the gicar to upgrade it to V2) and an Elizabeth. I used them all quite extensively, not just for a few days to make a review. I even fed back/requested various software and hardware changes.

ECM/Profitec are also good, but more expensive and not quite as innovative. Construction is good. Lelit machines although lighter, are all stainless construction (apart from boiler in MaraX).

All machines will make great coffee, but with the ability to play a bit more built into Bianca. It comes with a great accessory pack as well.

Cuprajake

thats because its the best bang for buck, its the best option below £2000, plus what comes with is everything to get you going bar water, beans and a grinder, the accessory kit is superb.

id of still had mine had not a bargain leva come up for sale

coffeealex

Cuprajake its the best bang for buck, its the best option below £2000

Cannot argue with that

MediumRoastSteam

DavecUK Lelit machines although lighter, are all stainless construction (apart from boiler in MaraX).

Dave, according to your review, the boiler in the MaraX sports a “Large premium stainless steel boiler 1.8l”.

I’m assuming you are getting confused with another machine? The Elizabeth has a brass brew boiler and a stainless steel steam boiler.

Cuprajake

MediumRoastSteam he is getting on now

Giphy - Confused Joe Biden GIF by CBS News

Doram

MediumRoastSteam Dave, according to your review, the boiler in the MaraX sports a “Large premium stainless steel boiler 1.8l”.

You beat me to it. I actually prepared a screenshot and wanted to say it’s a review from someone I trust. ;-)

DavecUK

I’m getting old .. clearly loosing my mojo.

DavecUK

Doram perhaps i got it wrong….nope i checked, i was right MaraX has an AISI 316L stainless boiler. However I think the old Mara (non X) had a nickel coated copper boiler…

coffeealex

I remember reading on a review of the Lelit Bianca that mentioned “I especially like the attention to small details that many manufacturers overlook!” DavecUK will no doubt remember.

To prove that point, how many manufacturers do you know that have such attention to detail, that do an unboxing video of their own machine, and go out of their way to put handles in the internal cardboard packing to allow the machine to be pulled easily out. That’s what I call attention to detail!

lelit unboxing

Cuprajake

Yeah there that good.

Have you made plans to go BB?

coffeealex

Cuprajake Yes next week. Unless there is something dramatic that i see, the pendulum is firmly in the Lelit camp at mo

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