It seems that Lelit has made a few changes with the updated Mara X (some a bit confusing), so I thought it might be useful for potential and current owners to list the differences we know about, and maybe add more if we find them in the future.
I am not sure what the cut-off date between V1 and V2, but it seems the V2 is from late 2021 (maybe around September? This is still to be confirmed).
1. Lelit’s Logo. The new machines have a black printed logo instead of the classic red logo which sits proud. This is just aesthetics, and if anything seems like Lelit is cutting costs with the printed logo. In any case, it’s insignificant.
2. OPV discharge. The original version had the OPV discharge water routed to the drip tray. Many owners moded their machines to re-route the OPV discharge to the pump. The new version comes from the factory with the OPV discharging to the pump (A V2 machine is the same as a moded V1). Anyone who has the original version that still vents water to the drip dray can easily rearrange the tubes so that it will be the same as the newer machines. Instructions on how to do that can be found here.
3. [Edited following @DavecUK comments below:] New Xcoffee mode (Coffee priority with no steam boost) replaces Steam Priority mode:
V1 has a Coffee Priority mode (position 1 on the switch on the right side of the machine) and a Steam Priority mode (Position 0 on the switch).
In Coffee Priority mode the machines keeps the set temperature for brewing, and requires a Steam Boost to bring the temp up for steaming pressure.
In Steam priority mode the machine behaves like a classic HX - it keeps a steady temperature for steaming milk and requires cooling flushes to bring the temp down for brewing.
V2 has an Xmode steam (position 1) and Xmode coffee (position 0).
Xmode steam is similar to Coffee Priority mode in V1: The machine keeps the set temperature for brewing, and uses a Steam Boost to bring it up to steaming pressure. (targets may be a bit different, see below, but the general idea is the same). This mode is for making milk-steamed espresso drinks.
Xmode Coffee, however, is new. It is essentially the same as Coffee Priority/Xmode sream but without the steam boost. It is meant for making espresso drinks when no steaming is needed. The advantage is that temperature stability is even better for brewing (like a single boiler machine with PID). It also enables making back to back shots without worrying that Steam Boost will make the temperature too high for brewing (requiring wait time/cooling flush to bring the temp down).
(note that the names of the new modes on V2 may be a bit confusing, because the Coffee Priority mode from V1 is now called Xmode steam, and the new mode is called Xmode coffee).
4. Software updates. This is trickier to compare, and more information is needed. In Coffee Priority mode, Mara X is known to cleverly juggle between keeping a steady set temperature in the group for brewing (without needing a cooling flush), to having enough steam power for frothing milk. It does that by starting a Steam Boost once the machine is used (lifting the lever or purging steam or water). The new version seems to have a different set of instructions in the firmware to achieve that, but it is yet to be clear what these changes exactly are and how they effect the use of the machine.
[Edited following DaveC’s comments below]: Steem Boost in the Xmode steam might be a little longer than in V1, to give a bit more steam power. More information about the tweaks in the software and potential option to upgrade the V1 to V2 software by replacing the Gicar box can be found in DaveC’s messages below.
This is a some information about V2 sent from Lelit to @RobertRo101:
5. Anything else? Please share.
