This time, we’re talking about the Ninja Auto Barista Pro, which is Ninja’s fully automatic bean-to-cup coffee machine, and in many ways, it feels like an automatic version of the Ninja Luxe Café.

Same kind of “Starbucks in your kitchen” idea, same huge drinks menu, same focus on hot and cold drinks, big milkies, filter-style coffee, cold brew-style coffee, and convenience. However, the big difference is that with the Auto Barista Pro, the coffee side is largely hands-off.

And I’ll say this straight away: this is, without a doubt, the most interesting automatic bean-to-cup coffee machine I’ve tested so far.

Not because it’s perfect. It isn’t. Not because it’s for everyone. It definitely isn’t. But because it does a few things I really didn’t expect from an automatic machine, including surprisingly intense espresso, very big doses, auto dialling-in, two clever bean hoppers, and a drinks menu that’s absolutely enormous.

If this is your first time here, hello. I’m Kev (aka Coffee Kev). I run CoffeeBlog.co.uk, the Coffee Kev YouTube channel, and CoffeeKev.com for my coffee-loving cousins in the US. I’m also the Founder & Director of Coffee at Cworks.co.uk, where we sell affordable, very freshly roasted, MEGA-tasting coffee.

My reviews are fully independent. This isn’t a paid review; I’ve never done sponsored content, and I wouldn’t. Ninja did send me this machine, which is the first time that’s happened with a Ninja machine I’ve reviewed. All the other Ninja machines I’ve reviewed, I bought with my own pennies.

This one isn’t mine, though. I’m using it to create a few videos, and then it’s being shipped off to one of you lovely lot in a giveaway. Want to try your luck? Join my “Brew Time” mailing list, and you’ll be notified when the giveaway is live.

So in this article, I’m reviewing the Ninja Auto Barista Pro. I’ll explain what it is, who it’s for, who it isn’t for, what the espresso is like, how Grind IQ works, what the filter and cold brew-style coffees are like, how the milk system performs, what I like, what I don’t like, and whether I think it’s worth considering.

This article is also supported by my YouTube video review, which I’ve embedded below, along with my own photos throughout the article to highlight specific features, design details, and anything I think is worth showing you up close rather than just waffling about in text.

Quick Navigation

• Ninja Auto Barista Pro Review
• What Is the Ninja Auto Barista Pro?
• Who It’s For (and Who It Isn’t For)
• Price
• Specs
• First Impressions
• Espresso Intensity
• Big Doses
• Grind IQ
• Grind Settings
• Shots & Strength Settings
• What’s the Espresso Quality Like?
• Filter Coffee
• Hot Water
• Cold Brew
• The Two Bean Hoppers
• Steaming Milk
• Profiles & Saving Settings
• Test Results
• Settings Menu
• Cleaning & Maintenance
• Is It an Upgrade to the Ninja Luxe Café?
• How Does It Compare to Other Automatic Machines?
• How Does It Compare to Sage/Breville Machines?
• What I Like
• What I Don’t Like
• Verdict

Ninja AutoBarista Pro Review

£784 on Amazon£949 on Ninja

What Is the Ninja AutoBarista Pro?

The Ninja AutoBarista Pro is a fully automatic bean-to-cup coffee machine. The easiest way to describe it is that it’s like an automatic version of the Ninja Luxe Café.

With the Ninja Luxe Café, you’re still handling a portafilter. You’re grinding into it, locking it in, knocking out the puck, and generally doing semi-automatic espresso machine things. With the Auto Barista Pro, the machine handles the coffee side for you. You choose the drink, choose your settings, and the machine grinds, doses, brews, purges, and gets on with it.

But it isn’t a normal bean-to-cup machine in the traditional De’Longhi/Philips/Jura sense either.

It’s still very “Ninja”. By which I mean: there are loads of drink options, hot drinks, cold drinks, filter-style coffee, cold brew-style coffee, milk drinks, big drinks, multiple settings, and a fair bit going on.

The headline features, for me, are:

• Fully automatic bean-to-cup brewing
• Grind IQ auto dialling-in
• Two removable bean hoppers
• Huge doses of up to around 30 g
• Surprisingly intense espresso for an automatic machine
• Steam wand with automatic milk texturing
• Filter-style coffee
• Cold brew-style coffee
• Hot water from a separate spout
• Two user profiles

So it’s not trying to be a traditional espresso machine. It’s not trying to be a pourover brewer. It’s not trying to be a cold brew maker in the true overnight cold brew sense. It’s trying to be a big, flexible, mostly automated coffee drinks machine for people who want lots of options without having to learn barista skills.

Who It’s For (and Who It Isn’t For)

This machine is for you if:

• You like the idea of a big coffee shop style drinks menu at home
• You mainly drink milk drinks, such as cappuccino, latte, flat white, iced latte and so on
• You want more intense milk drinks than you usually get from bean-to-cup machines
• You like big Americanos or big lattes and want a machine that can produce large, bold shots
• You want more automation than the Ninja Luxe Café
• You want the option of filter-style coffee and cold brew-style coffee
• You regularly switch between different beans, such as regular and decaf
• You want convenience, but you still want something a bit more interesting than a basic one-touch bean-to-cup machine

This machine probably isn’t for you if:

• You mainly drink neat espresso and you’re fussy about perfect extraction
• You want the same level of control you get from a portafilter espresso machine
• You’re a filter coffee purist
• You’re a cold brew purist
• You don’t want to spend a lot of money on an automatic coffee machine
• You want a tiny, discreet machine that disappears into the background

The person this definitely isn’t for is the espresso purist who sees the big doses and espresso intensity and thinks this might be a more convenient route to perfect morning espresso than a portafilter machine. It isn’t. It can produce intense espresso, yes, but you don’t have the same control, and the flavour can be a bit hit and miss neat.

The person this is for, in my humble opinion, is the same person the Ninja Luxe Café is for, but who wants more automation. If you’d quite like a Starbucks-style drinks menu in your kitchen, with big hot and cold drinks, but you don’t want to faff around with a portafilter, this is where the Auto Barista Pro starts to make sense.

Price

Currently, the Ninja Auto Barista Pro is £949 on Ninja

There is also the Ninja Auto Barista, the non-Pro version. That model has one hopper rather than two, three fewer drink options, no lungo, cortado, or iced latte, and no extra-thick milk foam option. That one is around £800 in the UK, at least based on the pricing I’ve seen so far.

As always, price is a big part of the verdict here. This is not a cheap machine. But it also isn’t really trying to be a cheap machine.

The question is whether you determine that the automation, drinks menu, espresso intensity, dual hoppers, Grind IQ, and milk system make it worth the money, compared to other automatic bean-to-cup machines, or whether going with the Ninja Luxe Café and doing more yourself is the better option.

Specifications

• Machine type: fully automatic bean-to-cup coffee machine
• Dimensions: around 47 cm deep, 40 cm tall, and 27 cm wide
• Bean hoppers: two removable hoppers on the Pro model
• Grinder: built-in grinder with Grind IQ automatic dialling-in
• Grind settings: 50 in theory, but mostly controlled by Grind IQ
• User grind adjustment: two steps finer or two steps coarser from the Grind IQ setting
• Dose sizes in testing: around 15 g single, 20 g double, 30 g triple
• Espresso strength settings: five bean strength levels
• Filter coffee volumes: nine options, from 175 ml to 1200 ml on the EU version
• Milk system: cool-touch steam wand with four-hole tip, temperature probe, and magnetic whisk jug
• Milk settings: dairy and plant-based options
• Profiles: two user profiles
• Hot water: separate hot water spout behind the coffee spout
• Cleaning: clean cycle, descale cycle, removable/rinsable brew unit, steam wand auto purge

First Impressions

First impressions? It looks very Ninja.

That may sound like a daft thing to say, but if you’ve used Ninja appliances, you’ll know what I mean. It looks like a Ninja kitchen appliance. It could almost be an air fryer, ice cream maker, blender, coffee machine, or something that converts into a small robot and starts doing karate in the kitchen at night.

Personally, I wouldn’t call it a beautiful machine. It looks like an appliance. If you have a kitchen full of Ninja gear, it’ll probably fit right in. If you want something that looks like a classic espresso machine, or something with brushed steel and café vibes, this probably isn’t going to make your heart flutter.

That being said, looks are subjective, and the bigger question is what it actually does in the cup.

Espresso Intensity

This is one of the most interesting things about the Ninja Auto Barista Pro.

Automatic bean-to-cup machines, the ones with internal brewing units rather than portafilters, usually produce less intense, thinner espresso. They can extract a reasonable amount overall, but because they tend to brew into bigger shot volumes, the resulting espresso is often thinner and less concentrated than espresso from a portafilter machine.

I’ve TDS-tested this, as I always do these days with bean-to-cup machines, and I’m getting surprisingly intense espresso. I’m not going to go too deep into the numbers here because it gets a bit geeky, but the basic point is this: the Auto Barista Pro is producing espresso with a higher-than-normal TDS for an automatic machine, which means it can get closer to the intensity of portafilter machines like the Ninja Luxe Café.

That doesn’t mean it produces the same cup quality as a good portafilter machine in the hands of someone who knows what they’re doing. It doesn’t. You don’t have the same control over extraction.

But if you like intense milk drinks, even really big intense milk drinks, this is where the Auto Barista Pro becomes very interesting compared with a lot of other automatic machines.

Big Doses

The other big difference between most portafilter machines and most automatic bean-to-cup machines is dose size.

In my testing, I’m getting roughly:

• Single: around 15 g
• Double: around 20 g
• Triple: around 30 g

That’s huge for an automatic machine.

Just to be clear, the dose size itself isn’t the only thing responsible for intensity. But it does mean that not only can you get intense espresso, but you can also get big shots of intense espresso. That’s useful if you want big Americanos, big lattes, big flat whites, or if you want to split one big shot between a couple of smaller drinks.

For people who find most automatic bean-to-cup machines a bit weak in milk, this could be a major benefit.

Grind IQ

Grind IQ is Ninja’s automatic dialling-in system.

You tap Grind IQ, the machine pulls shots and adjusts itself until it thinks it’s roughly dialled in. I’m actually quite impressed with it. It does appear to do a good job of getting into the right kind of zone.

You can run Grind IQ for both hoppers, and it stores the settings until you choose to redo it. So, for example, you could have regular espresso beans in one hopper and decaf in the other, run Grind IQ on both, and then swap between them without having to dial in from scratch every time, assuming you’re using the same beans.

That said, I did have one issue in testing. Every time I ran Grind IQ, it took around 10–12 minutes, pulled around six or seven shots, and used roughly 120–150 g of beans.

This isn’t the expected behaviour. It’s supposed to make 2-3 shots during this process, but I’ve discovered that the unit they’ve sent me isn’t the only one that does this. I’d say maybe 30% of the comments and emails I’ve received are from people who’ve experienced the same as me, while the majority are telling me it usually does this in 2-3 shots.

Grind Settings

In theory, the Ninja Auto Barista Pro has 50 grind settings.

In practice, those 50 settings are really for the machine itself via Grind IQ. As a user, you don’t have direct access to all 50 settings. Once Grind IQ has done its thing, you can adjust the grind two steps finer or two steps coarser from the machine’s chosen setting.

That’s not necessarily a problem for the person this machine is aimed at. If you want automation, you probably don’t want to manually dial in espresso anyway. But I do think it limits the appeal slightly for people who might want a bit more control.

The 2 finer/2 coarser manual adjustments also seem quite big to me. I think if Ninja had given users access to a wider range of finer adjustments, this machine might have appealed to a slightly wider audience.

But again, this is an automatic machine. The whole point is that Grind IQ has most of the control.

Shots & Strength Settings

This is a section worth paying close attention to if you’ve bought one of these and you’re struggling, because I think some people are getting confused about the shots and the strength settings. I was, too, until I figured it out.

The three shot settings, single, double and triple, relate to dose. In other words, how much coffee is ground.

From my testing:

• Single/1 shot: around 15 g
• Double/2 shots: around 20 g
• Triple/3 shots: around 30 g

The five bean settings are the strength settings. These change the drink volume and brew ratio.

At strength setting 5, the strongest setting, I’m getting approximately:

• Single: around 1:3
• Double: around 1:2.1
• Triple: around 1:2.2

Strength 5 is the strongest, with the shortest volume and the smallest ratio. Strength 1 is the weakest: highest volume, highest ratio.

Some of the drink volumes I recorded in testing were quite different from the guide that came with the machine, so I wouldn’t rely too heavily on the printed numbers until you’ve tested what your own unit is doing. It may be a guide typo, a unit variation, or just another case of coffee machines being coffee machines.

What’s the Espresso Quality Like?

The espresso is intense for a bean-to-cup machine, and the texture is decent too. But the taste isn’t perfect.

As far as neat espresso goes, I find it a bit hit-and-miss. I’ve tasted a few half-decent shots, but I’ve also tasted some over-extracted, under-extracted, fairly meh espresso. Because you don’t have much manual control over the extraction, you’re largely in the hands of Grind IQ and the machine’s own logic.

Obviously, this will depend heavily on the beans you’re using. I’d recommend forgiving medium/dark espresso blends for this machine, rather than very light roasts or speciality coffees that require a lot of fine control.

For example, the kinds of coffees in the Cworks best sellers collection are the sort of beans I’d personally be using in this kind of machine: fresh, easy to work with, and well suited to milk drinks.

Overall, I think the espresso this produces is better suited to milk drinks than to neat espresso. If you want big, bold milkies, it’s really impressive. If you’re hoping to sip perfect espresso like you would from a well-dialled-in portafilter machine, this probably isn’t the machine for you.

Hot Water

The Ninja Auto Barista Pro has a hot water button that dispenses hot water from a separate set of spouts behind the main coffee spouts.

In testing, the hot water temperature was in the high 70s Celsius. which I consider to be about right for drinking temperature, Americanos and similar drinks. 

Filter Coffee

The Auto Barista Pro also makes filter-style coffee.

There are nine volume options, ranging from 175 ml to 1200 ml.

For bigger volumes, it breaks the brew into multiple grind-and-brew stages, up to four stages depending on the volume selected. A single cup takes a couple of minutes. A 1200 ml/40 oz brew grinds four times and takes around 10 minutes.

One detail I like here is that it grinds by weight for filter, as it does for espresso. I’m mentioning this because the Ninja Luxe Café grinds by time for filter.

There are five strength settings, just like with espresso. Setting 2 is the default for filter. Personally, I’d go 3 or 4. Setting 2 is a bit on the weak side for me, while 5 is very strong, which may be great if you like big, bold filter-style coffee.

It grinds much coarser for filter, and from looking in the dreg drawer, there seems to be little or no tamp pressure from the brewing unit for this mode.

As for what the filter coffee is like, it really depends on what you’re used to.

If you’re a pourover fan and you’re used to speciality filter coffee with careful pouring, bloom control, paper choice, water recipes, and all that lovely faff, this isn’t that. Filter purists probably won’t be impressed.

But if you’re used to big pots of filter made in an automatic filter machine with whatever pre-ground coffee you picked up from the supermarket, then switching to this with freshly ground, freshly roasted beans could be a big upgrade.

Cold Brew

The Auto Barista Pro also makes cold brew-style coffee.

As with other machines that do this, including the Ninja Luxe Café, it isn’t true cold brew. It isn’t brewed cold over many hours. It’s a slower, cooler brewing process, and if you brew it over ice, the drink ends up cold.

I actually find it quite enjoyable for what it is.

If you’re a cold brew purist, you’ll probably hate it, because it’s not proper overnight cold brew. It’s more like a fast, lukewarm brew that becomes cold when you add ice.

But if you’re someone who just wants the occasional cold brew-style drink, especially if you’re mixing it with milk, syrups, ice or whatever else, I think it’s fine. Just don’t expect it to have the same taste, texture or mouthfeel as true overnight cold brew.

In testing, the half-litre cold brew setting took around 8 minutes, and produced around 250 ml of liquid, because it allows space for ice. The temperature before adding ice was around 36°C, though this will likely vary with room temperature.

The Two Bean Hoppers

One of the cleverest parts of the Ninja Auto Barista Pro is the hopper system.

The Pro model has two hoppers, and you tell the machine which hopper you’re using. This is very useful if you regularly switch between different beans, for example normal beans and decaf, or a blend and a single origin.

The really clever bit is that the hopper has a metering system. It only feeds into the burrs the dose it’s about to grind, which means you can remove and swap the hoppers without having to hoover beans out of the burrs or pick them out with your fingers.

That’s genuinely clever.

It does come at a small cost in time, as the metering system slows things down slightly. And it doesn’t mean you’ll have zero exchange retention when switching beans. There won’t be any whole beans retained in the burrs, but there will still be a bit of ground coffee in the chute and the internal path. Probably only a gram or so, but it’s worth knowing.

One small issue I found: it can be a bit tricky to tell if the hopper is properly locked in. There’s no definite click sound, and on a couple of occasions I ended up with water instead of espresso because the machine seemed to think the hopper was in, but it obviously wasn’t actually feeding the burrs.

So if you buy one, make sure the hopper is properly seated before brewing.

Steaming Milk

The milk system is another interesting part of this machine.

You get a cool-touch steam wand with a four-hole tip and a temperature probe in the tip. You also get a jug with a whisk, which is spun magnetically by the motor underneath.

This is where Ninja differs from Sage in terms of automatic milk texturing. Sage use an air-pump system for automatic milk texturing, whereas Ninja uses a spinning whisk in the jug.

If you’ve used the Ninja Luxe Café, the whisk idea will be familiar. The whisk is the same, but the Auto Barista Pro pulses the whisk intermittently while the shot is pulling, to help keep the bubbles distributed, which is a nice little touch.

The wand itself is different from the Luxe Café. The Luxe has a single-hole tip, while this has a four-hole tip, and in my testing, the four-hole tip wand is almost a minute faster.

There are dairy and plant-based milk settings. I found the plant-based setting to produce fairly lacklustre milk texture with plant-based milk, while the dairy setting was really good with both dairy and plant-based milk.

So, if you’re using oat milk or another plant-based milk and you’re not happy with the plant-based setting, try the dairy setting. Be a rebel like me!

You can also steam manually by pulling the wand out, tapping milk only, and then pressing and holding the start button. I haven’t found manual steaming to be as good as on the Ninja Luxe Café. I seem to create big bubbles no matter what I do.

Overall, the automatic milk system is good, especially for the person this machine is aimed at. But I do think the milk’s texture is a slight downgrade compared to the Luxe Café.

Profiles & Saving Settings

The Auto Barista Pro has two profiles, and saving settings is easy.

You make the change you want to a drink, then press and hold the profile button for the drink you’re editing. Easy peasy.

This is useful if two people in the house like different strengths, sizes, or drink setups. It also makes sense on a machine with this many options, because otherwise you’d spend half your life tapping buttons.

Test Results

Here are the main results from my testing:

• Ready time from turning on: around 40 seconds
• Double espresso time: around 1 minute 30 seconds
• Flat white time: around 2 minutes 30 seconds
• 1 litre filter coffee time: around 9–10 minutes depending on strength
• Single 240 ml / 8 oz filter-style coffee: around 2 minutes
• Cold brew at half-litre setting: around 8 minutes
• Cold brew volume at half-litre setting: around 250 ml, allowing for ice
• Cold brew temperature before ice: around 36°C / 97°F
• Hot water temperature: high 70s °C / low 170s °F
• Espresso temperature: usually mid to late 70s °C
• Filter coffee temperature: similar, high 70s °C
• Milk temperature low: around 65°C
• Milk temperature medium: around 68°C
• Milk temperature high: around 70°C
• Grind IQ time in my testing: around 10–12 minutes, although this may not be expected behaviour
• Grind IQ bean use in my testing: roughly 120–150 g

The key takeaway from these results is that this isn’t an instant machine, but it’s still fairly convenient for what it does. A flat white in around two and a half minutes, with the machine handling the grinding, brewing and milk texturing, is pretty good.

Settings Menu

The settings menu is actually quite simple and intuitive, but the screen is tiny.

It fits only about four characters, so it’s a scrolling marquee instead of static digits. That’s fine once you get used to it, because you don’t really need to read the full word every time, but I’m not entirely sure why they didn’t just make the screen bigger.

Cleaning & Maintenance

The drip tray and used puck drawer are both quite big, so the machine isn’t constantly nagging you to empty them. The puck drawer fits around 10–12 pucks, depending on dose size.

It does use quite a bit of water, though. There’s a fair amount of purging going on. I measured around 65 ml when turning the machine on, and around 35 ml during the auto-purge after steaming.

When you empty the drip tray, I’d recommend having a cloth or towel ready, because water can drip onto the counter. I ended up with a little pool of water on the counter a few times.

The machine auto-purges the steam wand after steaming, but you still need to rinse the jug and whisk after each use. You can also run the frother with soapy water, or with milk wand cleaner, to give it a deeper clean.

There’s a clean cycle, basically a backflush cycle, which you run monthly or when prompted. You press clean, press start, and use a cleaning tablet in the pre-ground chute.

You can also descale when prompted by pressing the descale button.

The brewing unit can be rinsed, and the machine comes with lubricant. The guide says you should lubricate the brew unit every couple of months, and I think you probably should.

Is It an Upgrade to the Ninja Luxe Café?

I’ve seen quite a few people asking whether the Auto Barista Pro is an upgrade to the Ninja Luxe Café.

The answer depends on what you mean by upgrade.

If you mean: is it more automated, more convenient, and does it involve less physical faff? Yes.

You don’t need a portafilter. You don’t need a knock box. You don’t need to grind into the basket, tamp, lock in, pull the shot, knock out the puck, and clean up in the same way. The Auto Barista Pro handles much more of the process for you.

But if you mean: is it an upgrade in cup quality? I’d say no.

It’s surprisingly close in espresso intensity, which I didn’t expect from an automatic machine versus a portafilter machine. But you don’t have as much manual control over grind size or extraction, and I’ve found the milk texture to be a slight downgrade from the Luxe Café.

So I’d put it like this:

• Want more convenience and automation? Auto Barista Pro.
• Want more control and potentially better cup quality? Ninja Luxe Café.

How Does It Compare to Other Automatic Machines?

Compared with many other automatic bean-to-cup machines, the biggest advantages of the Ninja Auto Barista Pro are:

• Espresso intensity
• Big dose sizes
• Huge drinks menu
• Big, bold milk drinks
• Two clever hoppers
• Grind IQ auto dialling-in

Most bean-to-cup machines are aimed at convenience first and cup intensity second. This feels like Ninja trying to bring more of the intensity people liked from the Luxe Café into a more automatic format.

Some people may still prefer one-touch milk carafe machines. With the Auto Barista Pro, you do have to pour the milk yourself from the jug, and you do have to rinse the jug afterwards. But milk carafes need rinsing too, and they can be a bit of a faff in their own way.

Personally, I quite like Ninja’s jug-and-whisk approach for the kind of drinks this machine is designed to make.

How Does It Compare to Sage Machines?

When it comes to Sage integrated grinder machines, such as the Oracle Jet, Barista Touch Impress and so on, the simple answer is: it doesn’t really compare directly.

It’s the same answer I’d give when comparing the Ninja Luxe Café with Sage machines.

If you’d prefer Starbucks in your kitchen, Ninja makes more sense.

If you’d prefer an indie coffee shop in your kitchen, Sage probably makes more sense.

The Auto Barista Pro is an automatic machine with an internal brewing unit. Yes, it’s capable of surprisingly similar espresso intensity to portafilter machines, but you have very little control. You’re mainly in Grind IQ’s hands, with limited manual control over the extraction.

That’s not a criticism if you want convenience. It’s just an important distinction.

What I Like

• Espresso intensity: it’s genuinely impressive that Ninja have managed to get espresso this intense from an automatic bean-to-cup machine.
• Big dose sizes: not only can it make intense espresso, it can make big shots of intense espresso too.
• The hopper metering system is genius: being able to remove and swap hoppers without hoovering beans out of the burrs is very clever.
• Two hoppers: great for regular and decaf, or for switching between two different coffees.
• Grind IQ: the auto dialling-in is impressive, and the fact it can store settings for both hoppers is really useful.
• Huge drinks menu: this is exactly what the target user will probably love.
• Good automatic milk system: especially with the dairy setting, even for some plant-based milks.
• Profiles are easy to use: press and hold to save, simple as that.
• Filter-style and cold brew-style drinks: not for purists, but useful for people who want variety.
• Big drip tray and puck drawer: less constant emptying than some smaller machines.

What I Don’t Like

• Shots and strength can be confusing: the relationship between dose, strength, volume and ratio isn’t as intuitive as it could be.
• The display is tiny: the scrolling four-character screen feels odd on a machine at this price.
• Grind IQ took too long in my testing: 10–12 minutes and 120–150 g of beans is a lot, although this is not the expected behaviour.
• Limited manual grind control: Grind IQ has nearly all the control, and users only get two steps finer or coarser.
• The hopper lock could be clearer: I’d like a more obvious click or confirmation that it’s properly seated.
• It uses quite a lot of water: there’s a lot of purging going on.
• The plant-based milk setting seems unnecessary: I got better results using the dairy setting for both dairy and plant-based milk.
• Manual steaming isn’t as good as the Luxe Café: I found it harder to avoid big bubbles.
• It’s expensive: it needs to be judged as a premium automatic machine, not a budget bean-to-cup.

Verdict

Overall, for the people I think Ninja have aimed this at, I think they’ve knocked it out of the park.

Not espresso purists. Not filter coffee purists. Not cold brew purists. But people who want a big chain coffee shop style drinks menu at home, with big, intense espresso-based drinks, lots of automation, and enough flexibility to make hot drinks, cold drinks, milk drinks, filter-style coffee and cold brew-style coffee from one machine.

The Ninja Auto Barista Pro has some really impressive innovations. Grind IQ is clever. The espresso intensity is genuinely surprising for an automatic. The dose sizes are huge. The hopper metering system is excellent. The dual hopper setup is genuinely useful. These are the kinds of features that could push automatic bean-to-cup machines forward more broadly.

But it isn’t perfect.

The shots and strength system could be clearer. The tiny display is strange. Grind IQ used far more time and coffee than I expected on my review unit. There isn’t much manual control over the extraction. The plant-based milk setting didn’t impress me. And the whole thing is very much an appliance rather than a beautiful coffee machine.

But at the end of the day, it’s an automatic machine. It isn’t supposed to be a manual espresso machine. It’s supposed to make lots of coffee drinks with minimal faff, and for the right person, I think it does that very well.

If you mainly drink cappuccino, latte, flat white, iced latte, big Americanos and other larger drinks, and you want more intensity than most bean-to-cup machines deliver, this is one of the most interesting automatic machines I’ve tested.

If you mainly drink neat espresso and you care about perfect extraction from shot to shot, I’d go for a portafilter machine instead.

So, the short version?

If you want an automated Ninja Luxe Café-style experience for big, bold hot and cold drinks, the Auto Barista Pro is very impressive. If you want café-level control and perfect espresso, it probably isn’t for you.

The post Ninja Auto Barista Pro Review: Big Espresso, Auto Milk & Is It Worth It? appeared first on Coffee Blog.

Yes, the Lelit Anita is an espresso machine with an integrated grinder, but doesn’t quite mean what most people think it does.

Before we continue, though, allow me to introduce myself. Hello, I’m Kev, Coffee Kev, the very clearly coffee-obsessed bloke behind CoffeeBlog, the Coffee Kev YouTube channel, and CoffeeKev.com for my coffee-loving cousins in the U.S. I’m also Founder & Director of Coffee at Cworks.co.uk, where we sell very freshly roasted, mega-tasting coffee at sensible prices.

In this review, I’ll explain precisely what the Lelit Anita is, what the grinder is like, how it performs for espresso and milk drinks, what I like, what I don’t like, who I think it’s for, and how it compares with some of the obvious alternatives.

Quick Navigation

• What Is the Lelit Anita?
• Lelit Anita Features & Specs
• Lelit Anita Price
• What’s the Grinder Like?
• Does the Lelit Anita Have Preinfusion?
• PID Controller & Temperature Control
• The 57mm Portafilter
• Espresso Quality
• Workflow & Milk Drinks
• Test Results
• The Built-In Tamper
• Build Quality
• What I Like
• What I Like Less
• Who Is the Lelit Anita For?
• Alternatives & Comparison Table
• Verdict

What Is the Lelit Anita?

The Lelit Anita is the integrated grinder version of the Lelit Anna. Or, to put it another way, it’s more or less Anna and Fred combined.

The espresso machine side is a compact, traditional single-boiler espresso machine with a brass boiler, PID temperature control, brew pressure gauge, 3-way solenoid valve, and manual controls.

The grinder side basically identical to the Lelit Fred Prima: a compact on-demand espresso grinder with 38mm conical burrs, stepless adjustment, and a simple push-to-grind workflow.

This is a very capable grinder for an integrated grinder espresso machine, so if you were to stop reading this review, you might get the impression that this is the Italian cousin of the Barista Express, but with a more classic Italian design and a more capable grinder. 

But Anita is quite a different beast.

The big difference here is the boiler type. The reason for the massive popularity of the Barista Express and the subsequently released models like the Barista Pro, Express Impress & Touch Impress, is the choice of water heater.

These are on-demand water heaters, and they’re what bring a lot of the convenience that automatic bean-to-cup coffee machines and pod machines are known for.

Sage (Breville Group, known as Sage in Europe, which also owns Lelit, hence me referring to these machines as cousins) was very clever to do this, as it brings a more convenient workflow to home espresso, including almost instant heat-up time, steam-ready time, and shot-ready time again after steaming milk.

While Anita does have an integrated grinder, it’s a single-boiler espresso machine, which makes it very different for workflow than the Barista Express & Barista Pro:

• Heat-up time: several minutes vs seconds. 
• Steam ready time: over a minute, vs seconds.
• Shot-ready time after steaming: around 20 seconds if you flush the group, vs. seconds.

If you’re accustomed to single-boiler workflow, you’re probably nodding & thinking “yeah, and?”.

If you’re coming from using a pod machine or an auto bean-to-cup machine, on the other hand, you’re probably thinking, “wait, what?”.

This is a single-boiler espresso machine; it’s essentially the Lelit Fred Prima & the Lelit Anna 2 in the same case. 

It’s really impressive for the price, with a PID for temperature stability, an adjustable brew temperature, a pressure gauge, and a pro steam wand.

The grinder is also impressive as far as integrated grinders go, but the only benefit of being integrated, in this case, is that everything is in one neat unit, you’re saving a plug socket, and you’re saving a bit of money vs the Anita & the Fred Prima.

Lelit Anita Features & Specs

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• Price: £599 Now £539 on Lelit including my 10% OFF code
• Traditional single-boiler espresso machine
• Integrated espresso grinder
• 250ml brass boiler
• PID temperature control
• Adjustable brew temperature: 80–130°C in 1°C increments
• Adjustable steam temperature: 120–140°C in 1°C increments
• 57mm portafilter: an own goal by Lelit, in my opinion
• 3-way solenoid valve
• Brew pressure gauge
• Factory OPV around 9 bar
• Hot water via the steam wand
• 2.7L rear-access water tank
• Built-in grinder with 38mm conical burrs
• Stepless worm dial grind adjustment
• On-demand push-to-grind operation
• Basic digital display
• No shot timer
• No automatic preinfusion
• Built-in fixed tamper

Dimensions-wise, it’s roughly 32cm wide, around 29cm deep to the point where the cable exits the back, and about 37cm tall, including the sunken hopper section.

Cup clearance is about 8cm with the standard portafilter and splitter, so it isn’t huge if you’re using scales. A bottomless portafilter would help, but because this is a 57mm group, you can’t just buy any 58mm bottomless portafilter and expect it to fit.

Lelit Anita Price

With my exclusive discount code, you’ll get the Anita for: £599 Now £539 on Lelit including my 10% OFF code

In Europe, this is where the Anita starts to make a lot of sense, because it’s cheaper than buying the Lelit Anna and Lelit Fred separately. In the UK, at RRP it’s about £80 cheaper than buying the separates. In Germany, it’s about €140 cheaper. Weirdly, in America, it’s actually about $20 cheaper to buy Anna and Fred separately.

What’s the Grinder Like?

The built-in grinder is more or less the Lelit Fred Prima, which is a pretty decent grinder for the money.

It uses 38mm conical burrs, a 150W DC motor, and a geared system to convert RPM into torque. It’s an entry-level grinder, but a capable one.

It has stepless adjustment via a worm dial, which gives you much finer control than a stepped grinder, and it makes it easier to dial in properly. 

There are also numbers on the dial as reference points, which makes it a bit easier to use than the grinder on the Lelit Kate, which doesn’t have the same clear reference system.

In my testing, it took around 12–14 seconds to grind an 18g dose, depending on grind size. It’s on-demand only, so there’s no timed dosing (as there is with the Lelit Kate). You just push the portafilter in to grind.

One thing I’m not a massive fan of is the hopper removal. As with the Lelit Kate, you need a screwdriver to remove the hopper, which seems a bit daft. I’d much prefer a quick-release locking hopper.

But in terms of capability, the grinder is better than you might expect. It also has plenty of torque, although I wouldn’t say it’s capable of lighter roasts.  In my testing, I did actually find that it would cope with Cworks Custard Cream Nicaragua, which is a high-grown, lighter roast, speciality single origin that Sage integrated grinder machines can struggle with. 

However, although it has the torque to grind this coffee, after filming my video review, something shifted during another test, and I wasn’t able to dial it in again with this coffee. I don’t know exactly what shifted, but I do think these very dense, lighter roast espresso beans were a bit too much of a challenge for it. 

Does the Lelit Anita Have Preinfusion?

The Lelit Anita doesn’t have automatic preinfusion, although you can do the manual preinfusion “trick” that works on most single-boiler machines. Just open the steam valve slightly to bypass some of the water via the wand, thus reducing the flow rate through the group.

This does work for manual preinfusion; it even gives you some form of flow control, allowing you to do similar things to what you can do with the Mara X3 Pagaia, such as low-flow start and low-flow finish.  The only real downside is that you’re wasting water and filling the drip tray. 

PID Controller & Temperature Control

The Anita has a basic digital PID control, but it’s not the same as the full LCC (Lelit Control Centre) found on machines like the Victoria and Kate; it’s simple to use.

You can toggle between T1 and T2 to adjust the brew and steam temperatures, and the display shows the temperature as the machine heats and recovers.

The shame is that it doesn’t double as a shot timer. I think shot timers are genuinely useful on espresso machines, especially for beginners, so I would have liked to see that included.

On the other hand, the display showing the steam temperature as it heats and cools does make up for the lack of a steam pressure gauge. You don’t really need a separate steam gauge when the temperature display already shows you the boiler’s status.

The 57mm Portafilter

The Lelit Anita uses a 57mm portafilter.

I don’t know why Lelit went with 57mm on the Anna and Anita. I’m sure they had a reason other than just trying to be annoying, but it is probably the one thing that puts a lot of people off these machines.

The problem isn’t that 57mm can’t make good espresso. It absolutely can. The issue is aftermarket accessories.

With 58mm machines, there are loads of portafilters, baskets, puck screens, tampers, dosing funnels, and other accessories available. With 57mm, you’re more limited.

Some accessories listed as 58mm will actually fit, including some tampers and puck screens, but not all of them. So you do need to be more careful when buying accessories.

If you’re the kind of person who likes upgrading baskets, playing with different puck screens, buying bottomless portafilters, and generally tinkering, this is something to keep in mind.

What’s the Espresso Quality Like?

Pretty flipping good!

As always, espresso quality depends massively on the coffee beans you’re using, how fresh they are, how well dialled in you are, and whether you’re using the right recipe for the coffee.

But with medium to dark roasts, especially if you’re after classic Italian-style espresso, I think most people will be happy with what the Anita can produce.

The fundamentals are good:

• A capable grinder
• Stepless adjustment
• PID temperature control
• 9-bar OPV from the factory
• A 3-way solenoid valve
• Traditional portafilter workflow

That combination gives you a lot to work with.

In the video, I used Cworks Classic Italian Blend and Chocolate Brownie Blend, and once dialled in, the shots were really nice.

With Classic Italian Blend, it produced exactly the kind of rich, traditional espresso I’d expect from this kind of setup. With Chocolate Brownie Blend, I was aiming for around an 18g dose and roughly a 1:1.8 to 1:2 ratio, so around 34–36g out in the mid-to-high twenties in seconds.

As is often the case when the camera is rolling, I somehow managed to get dialled in quicker than expected, which is obviously deeply annoying for anyone hoping for a proper dialling-in struggle ;-), but to be fair, it’s a good example of how forgiving the blend is, although it’s also part fluke.

Workflow & Milk Drinks

The workflow is a very traditional single-boiler espresso machine workflow.

You pull your shot, then switch to steam mode, wait for the boiler to reach steam temperature, purge condensation from the wand, steam your milk, and cool the boiler back down if you want to pull another shot.

That’s completely normal for single-boiler machines, but it’s very different from the workflow on something like the Sage Barista Pro, which is much faster thanks to the ThermoJet heating system.

Steam power is good for a small single-boiler machine. Once it’s up to steam temperature, I found it took around 37 seconds to steam 170ml of milk to 60°C at the maximum boiler temperature of 140°C.

The steam wand is good, too. I actually slightly prefer it to the Lelit Kate steam wand. It still isn’t cool-touch, but it does feel slightly cooler to the touch than the Kate’s wand.

For flat whites and cappuccinos, the Anita is perfectly capable. You’re just going to have a slower workflow than you would with a thermoblock or thermocoil machine.

Lelit Anita Test Results

Heat-Up Time

Heat-up time is around 7 minutes.

As is common with single-boiler machines with a PID, this isn’t because the element is slow. In fact, it does most of the heating in about 3 minutes. The rest of the time is down to sensible PID tuning, which is set to avoid overshooting.

Steam Ready Time

Steam-ready time is about 1 minute 15 seconds to reach 140°C.  By steam ready time, I mean that when you’re pulling the shot the boiler temp will be in the low to mid 90s, and it needs to reach around 130-140°C (depending on what you set the steam temperature to) until you start steaming. 

Once you’ve steamed your milk (or milk alternative) the boiler needs to cool back down to the low to mid 90s, and it’ll do that in aobut 15-20 seconds if you flush the group.

Steam Power

Once heated for steam, it takes just under 40 seconds to steam 170ml of milk to 60°C at the maximum steam temperature. Really not bad at all for a small single boiler espresso machine.

Noise

Pump noise is in the low 50s dB, and grinding noise is in the low 70s dB from 1m.

So the pump is fairly quiet, but the grinder isn’t the quietest. It isn’t unusually loud, but the grinding is definitely the noisiest part of the machine, which is the norm, although knocking your puck out and swearing at the top of your lungs when you thought you were dialled in and realise you’re not, are both slightly louder.

Hot Water

Hot water comes from the steam wand. There’s no separate hot water spout.

I got around 200ml in about 22 seconds, which is almost identical to the Lelit Kate. Temperature-wise, it starts in the mid-80s Celsius and fairly quickly drops into the mid-70s.

For topping up an Americano, that’s actually pretty much where I’d expect it to be.

The Built-In Tamper

The Lelit Anita has a built-in plastic tamper on the front of the machine.

This is very old-school; you’ve probably seen this kind of thing on older commercial espresso machines, and it’s not something I’d choose, but I have to say, I don’t hate it. 

It’s infinitely better than the tiny plastic pretend tampers that often get bundled with entry-level machines. And even if you buy a separate tamper, at least you always know there’s one attached to the machine if you can’t remember where you put your proper one.

After using it a few times, it’s actually OK. If you’re careful, you can tamp level with it. Its difficult to apply a lot of pressure this way, but tamping is more about consistency than applying a ridiculous amount of pressure, so as long as you can use it consistently and keep things level, it’s usable.

Build Quality

The Anita is a lot of machine for the money, and the construction is mainly metal, but it’s thin, it does feel a bit flimsy and a bit rough around the edges externally.

On my unit, the sides of the frame where the drip tray parts fit were slightly bent. I’m not sure whether that was just an issue with this particular machine, but I did find the drip tray a bit fiddly to get in and out.

Inside, though, it looks much more impressive.

I had to take it apart because the pump wouldn’t prime, and I had to syringe-prime it. Once inside, the machine looked very neat, simple, and sensible.

It doesn’t look like it would be a nightmare to maintain, which is always good to see with traditional espresso machines.

So my take is this: internally, it looks simple and impressive. Externally, the chassis and finish are where you’re reminded that this is a lot of performance for the price.

What I Like About the Lelit Anita

• It offers a lot of performance for the money. In Europe, especially, it’s cheaper than buying Anna and Fred separately.
• The grinder is capable. It’s an entry-level grinder, but it’s stepless, and it has enough torque for proper espresso use.
• The PID controller is simple and useful. I like being able to see the temperature as the machine heats and recovers.
• The OPV appears to be set around 9 bar from the factory. That’s exactly what I want to see.
• The steam wand is good. I slightly prefer it to the one on the Lelit Kate.
• It has a classic look. I think it looks like a proper little traditional espresso machine.
• The height is good. Sinking the hopper helps keep the overall height sensible.

What I Like Less

• The external build feels a bit rough and ready. It’s mainly metal, but the chassis does feel a little flimsy in places.
• The hopper needs a screwdriver to remove. I’d much prefer a quick-release locking hopper.
• The 57mm group is limiting. It can make good espresso, but aftermarket accessories are more limited than with 58mm machines.
• There’s no shot timer. The PID display is useful, but it would be even more useful if it doubled as a timer.
• It’s slower than thermoblock and thermocoil machines. Heat-up, steam readiness, and recovery are all more traditional single-boiler territory.
• The grinder can be affected by heat from the boiler. As the machine warms up, the grinder area warms too, which can mean you need to adjust to a finer grind as time passes.

That last point is worth keeping in mind if you’re comparing this with Sage integrated grinder machines.

All integrated grinder machines can be affected by room temperature and machine temperature to some extent, but most Sage machines use thermoblocks or thermocoils, which don’t radiate heat in quite the same way as a traditional boiler that’s sitting there hot.

With the Anita, it’s unlikely you’ll be at exactly the same grind size an hour after switching the machine on as you were 20 minutes after switching it on.

Who Is the Lelit Anita For?

I think the Anita is mainly for people looking for really good bang for buck.

It’s essentially the Lelit Anna and Lelit Fred in one unit, and in the UK it’s cheaper than buying the two separately.

It’s also for someone who specifically wants a traditional single-boiler espresso machine with an integrated grinder.

That’s a fairly niche person, though.

Most people who want a single-boiler espresso machine will probably prefer a separate grinder if budget and counter space allow. A separate grinder gives you more flexibility, easier upgrades, and less heat interaction between the espresso machine and grinder.

But if you want a compact unit, prefer the traditional single-boiler workflow, and want good espresso fundamentals for the money, the Anita makes sense.

What I don’t think it is, is a straight alternative to the Sage Barista Express or Barista Pro.

Those machines are built around convenience and speed. The Anita is built more like a traditional espresso machine that happens to have a built-in grinder.

Lelit Anita Alternatives & Comparison

On the face of it, you’d probably think the obvious alternatives to the Anita are machines like the Sage Barista Express and Sage Barista Pro, because they also have integrated grinders.

But as I’ve said, I don’t think this is the case.

The Anita is a single-boiler espresso machine with a built-in grinder. Apart from the Lelit Kate, there aren’t many truly direct alternatives.

The most obvious alternative is probably the Lelit Anna paired with the Lelit Fred.

The Gaggia Classic Up, paired with a capable grinder, is another option, but it’s at a very different price point. The Classic Up alone is about £250 more than the Anita in the UK before you’ve even bought the grinder.

The Sage Barista Express and Sage Barista Pro are worth considering if you want an all-in-one machine with a more convenient, modern workflow. Just remember, they’re not traditional single-boiler machines.

Here’s a quick comparison table:

Lelit Anita vs Lelit Anna + Fred

This is probably the most direct comparison.

The Anita is basically the Anna and Fred combined, so if you want the closest alternative, this is it.

The advantage of the Anita is price, especially in Europe, it’s also in one neat package, and you save a plug socket.

The advantage of the separates is flexibility. If you later want to upgrade the grinder, move things around, or service one without affecting the other, separates are always better.

So the Anita makes sense if you specifically want one unit and the price works in your market. The Anna and Fred make sense if you prefer flexibility.

Lelit Anita vs Gaggia Classic Up + Grinder

The Gaggia Classic Up is a very different proposition.

It’s still a single-boiler machine, but it’s a more modern factory-upgraded Classic with PID, adjustable automatic preinfusion, pressure gauge, timed auto-on, timed shot preset, and a 58mm portafilter.

But it doesn’t have a grinder built in, and in the UK, the Classic Up alone is about £250 more than the Anita before you’ve bought a grinder.

So this isn’t really a like-for-like price comparison. The Gaggia Classic Up might make sense for you if you want the Gaggia heritage,  58mm accessories, flexibility with separate grinders, and more modern features. The Anita makes sense if you want the lower-cost all-in-one traditional setup.

Lelit Anita vs Sage Barista Express

The Sage Barista Express is the original all-in-one “proper espresso” machine that created this category.

It’s still really hard to beat for the money; in fact, all of the cheaper or similarly priced would-be contenders to the Express’s throne have proven to be, in my opinion at least, only comparable in the marketing blurb.

It’s still excellent value, especially when it’s on offer. It’s a traditional portafilter espresso machine with an integrated grinder, but with a thermocoil heater instead of a single boiler, which makes the workflow more convenient. 

The Anita has the more traditional single-boiler feel and a stepless grinder, but the Express is easier to recommend to someone who wants a more mainstream all-in-one home barista experience.

Lelit Anita vs Sage Barista Pro

The Sage Barista Pro is the more modern Sage all-in-one option, and for a lot of people, it’s the sweet spot.

It has ThermoJet heating, a shot timer, an LCD screen, strong steaming, fast recovery, and a proper manual workflow.

Compared with the Anita, the Pro feels much faster and more modern in daily use. The ThermoJet makes a big difference in heat-up, steam readiness, and recovery between drinks.

The Anita is more traditional and more single-boiler-like, while the Pro is much more about speed and everyday usability.

So the Pro is probably the better choice if convenience, speed, and a slicker workflow matter most. The Anita is more appealing if you specifically want a traditional single-boiler setup with built-in stepless grinding.

Lelit Anita Review: Verdict

So, in a nutshell, the Lelit Anita is, more or less, the Lelit Anna and Lelit Fred in one unit.

It’s a capable little setup, and in Europe especially, I think the clear reason to buy it is the cost compared to the separates.

You get a traditional single-boiler machine, PID temperature control, 9-bar OPV, a brew pressure gauge, a 3-way solenoid valve, and a stepless built-in grinder that’s actually pretty capable for the money.

That’s a lot of performance for the price, but it’s clearly not for everyone. 

If you want speed, convenience, and a more modern all-in-one workflow, you’re probably better off looking at the Sage Barista Express or Barista Pro.

If you want a traditional single-boiler machine and you don’t specifically need a built-in grinder, you may be better off with separates, such as the Lelit Anna and Fred.

But if you like the idea of a compact, traditional single-boiler espresso machine with a proper stepless espresso grinder built in, and the price works in your market, the Anita is genuinely interesting.

It’s not a Sage Barista Express killer, and it’s not trying to be.

It’s more like a compact, old-school, value-focused home barista setup for people who understand what a single-boiler machine is and are happy with that workflow.

The post Lelit Anita Review: Why It’s NOT Just an Italian Barista Express appeared first on Coffee Blog.

The Lelit Anna PL41TEM, also known as the Anna 2 or Anna PID, is a single-boiler Italian espresso machine with a brass brew boiler, PID temperature control, and a pro steam wand, and it’s cheaper than the Gaggia Classic. 

So Anna clearly punches above her weight, but could this actually be the best sub-£500 single-boiler espresso machine right now?

We’ll get into that, but first: Introductions. If you’re new around here, hello. I’m Kev, aka Coffee Kev. I’m the coffee-obsessed bloke behind  CoffeeBlog.co.uk,  CoffeeKev.com for my coffee-loving cousins in the US & the Coffee Kev YouTube channel.

My reviews are fully independent, no sponsored content, no thinly disguised marketing nonsense.  I’ve been putting machines through their paces for over a decade now; hopefully, I know what I’m doing, and it’s always my goal to 

I’m also the Founder & Director of Coffee at Cworks, where we offer very freshly roasted, MEGA-tasting & affordably priced coffee.

In this review, I’ll explain what the Lelit Anna is, how it compares with the Gaggia Classic, Rancilio Silvia, Sage Duo Temp Pro, Miicoffee Apex, Turin Legato, and the Lelit Victoria, what the espresso is like, what the steam power is like, what I like, what I don’t like, and whether I think it deserves a place on your shortlist.

Quick Navigation

• Which Lelit Anna Is This?
• Specs
• First Impressions
• Price
• Why Am I Just Hearing About Lelit?
• What’s the Espresso Like?
• Steam Power
• Steam Ready Time
• Espresso Temperature
• Hot Water
• What Does the Lelit Anna Compare To?
• Alternatives
• Comparison Table
• What I Really Like
• What I Don’t Like So Much
• Verdict

Which Lelit Anna Is This?

You may have noticed there are a few different Lelit Anna versions, or at least there were. So just to be clear, the current version of the Anna that I’m talking about here is the Lelit Anna PL41TEM. also known as the Anna 2 or Anna PID, and it’s the version with:

• PID temperature control
• Brew pressure gauge
• Pro steam wand
• Toggle switches

If you’re wondering about the other versions (in case you’ve found them reconditioned or used) the LEM version doesn’t have the PID, and the EM version doesn’t have the PID or the pro steam wand, and it has buttons instead of toggle switches.

Lelit Anna 2 Review

SAVE £142£509 Now £367 on Lelit including my 10% OFF codeCheck price on Amazon

Specs

• Dimensions: 23cm wide x 26.5cm deep x 33.7cm tall
• Boiler: approximately 250ml brass boiler
• Group: brass group
• Portafilter: 57mm
• Temperature control: PID, with adjustable brew and steam temperature
• Brew temperature range: 80°C to 130°C in 1°C increments
• Steam temperature range: 120°C to 140°C in 1°C increments
• Valve: 3-way solenoid valve
• Pump: vibration pump
• OPV: adjustable, internally, but very easy to access once the lid is off
• Included baskets: single and double standard baskets
• Water tank: 2.7L
• Drip tray: over 800ml capacity
• Steam wand: pro steam wand
• Controls: toggle switches

For a machine at this price point, this is a very strong spec list.

The big one is the PID. This is an algorithmic temperature controller. In plain English, it’s a smarter temperature controller than a basic thermostat, as it features a feedback loop so it can learn when to turn the element off/on.

It gives you proper adjustable brew temperature and steam temperature in 1-degree increments, and that’s a big deal at this kind of price.

With machines like the Gaggia Classic or Rancilio Silvia, unless you fit a PID yourself or buy a modified version, you’re generally temperature surfing. With the Anna PID, you just set the temperature.

That alone is a major reason this machine is so interesting for the price.

First Impressions

My first impression of the Lelit Anna is that it’s nice and compact, and I think it looks pretty cool.

It’s all polished stainless steel, so it looks like decent quality for the money.

Until you put your hand anywhere near it, of course, at which point, like all shiny stainless steel machines, it turns into one great big fingerprint.

The footprint feels stable. It doesn’t give you the impression it’s going to slide around all over the worktop when you’re locking and unlocking the portafilter (one of the downsides of machines like the Sage Bambino & Bambino Plus).

I really like the look of the toggle switches, and I like the PID controller display too. The digits are bright and easy to see.

The steam and water valve looks a bit like a bottle lid, and I do think that could be nicer, but overall, I really like the appearance of the Anna. It has a simple, slightly old-school, polished-steel espresso machine look, and for the money, I think it looks very decent indeed.

Why Am I Just Hearing About Lelit?

You could have been living under a rock ;-). But to be fair, Lelit is a premium Italian espresso machine brand, rather than a mainstream coffee machine brand, so unless you’re a seasoned home barista, you probably won’t have heard all that much about them.

Lelit have been around for quite some time. They’ve been manufacturing espresso machines for well over 20 years, and they’re very well known among the home barista community, especially for machines like the Mara X and Bianca.

But if you’re fairly new to shopping for espresso machines, you may not be as familiar with Lelit as you are with some of the bigger high-street names. Lelit is now part of the Breville Group, known in Europe as Sage Appliances.

The machines are still hand-built in Italy, so that hasn’t changed, but Lelit is now part of a much larger entity for distribution and marketing, which is why more people are now discovering the brand.

What’s the Espresso Like?

This is a capable little machine, but the espresso quality will always depend on the coffee beans you’re using and how well the espresso is extracted, which comes down to the grinder & the skills of the home barista. 

Don’t let the word “skills” intimidate you, though ;-). It’s literally a matter of knowing your recipe and how to follow it, and with a bit of practice, it’ll be second nature. 

By “recipe,” I mean the variables that go into making an espresso. Namely brew ratio, shot time and brew temperature.

You’ll find all of the recipes for my coffee beans in my brew guides. For example, with the Chocolate Brownie Blend, which I demonstrate using with the Anna in my review video, the recipe is:

• Temp: 93C 
• Ratio: 1:1.8-1:2
• Shot time: 24–28 seconds 

So if you were pulling a double shot using the Anna, with Chocolate Brownie blend (my favourite coffee, especially for flat whites), this would be a base of setting the brew temperature to 93, dosing 18g into the portafilter, tamping, flipping the toggle switch to run the pump until you have 32-36g of espresso. 

Then dialling in would mainly be a case of adjusting the grind finer if the shot ran faster than 24 seconds, and coarser if it ran slower than 28 seconds. 

It’s fairly simple. When you’re using more forgiving beans, and espresso blends (usually blends of lower-grown arabica and Robusta) are the most forgiving, and the most cost-effective, too, when we’re talking about freshly roasted coffee.

Steam Power

The Lelit Anna surprised me a bit with its steaming performance.

If you crank it up to the max boiler temp of 140°C, it takes about 36-40 seconds to steam 170ml of milk to 60°C, which is really quite quick for a little single-boiler machine at this price point. 

If you drop the boiler temp to 125°C, it’ll make it a bit easier if you’re new to steaming milk (which isn’t quite as simple as it may sound), and it’ll increase the total steaming time to around a minute.

But the important thing isn’t just the raw steaming speed. It’s also how easy it is to steam milk with. I have to say, this is one of the best single-boiler machines I’ve used for how easy it is to texture milk. The steam is manageable, and because you can adjust the steam temperature, you have some control over how aggressive or gentle the steam power is.

That makes the Anna a really good machine for learning milk texture, especially compared with some cheaper single-boiler machines, where the steam can be weak, short-lived, or harder to control.

Steam Ready Time

As this is a boiler machine, it doesn’t have an instant-on, on-demand water heater like most Sage espresso machines, and it has only one boiler. So you have to put it in steam mode once you’ve pulled the shot (or vice versa), then wait for it to reach steam-ready temperature.

From my testing, it takes about one minute to one minute and thirty-five seconds to heat up, depending on the chosen steam temperature. This may sound like a long time to wait, but compared to other single-boiler espresso machines, including the Rancilio Silvia and Lelit Victoria, it’s really quite quick.

Hot Water

The Lelit Anna dispenses hot water via the steam wand, and it does it really quickly, too; 200ml took about 22 seconds.

On average, the hot water leaving the wand tip was about 20°C cooler than the brew temperature, and then, of course, dropped a few °C from there once in the cup. 

When I set the brew temperature ridiculously high, around 130°C, I was getting close to 100°C, and even slightly over 100°C at the outlet, so you can get really hot water from this machine. 

It’s worth pointing out, however, that really hot water from boiler machines can taste a bit weird. If you want the best-tasting hot water, start with cold water & heat it with the steam wand to the desired temperature. Weirdly, steamed water ends up tasting really good, as James Hoffmann recently pointed out.

What Does the Lelit Anna Compare To?

The Lelit Anna is a single-boiler espresso machine, so the closest obvious comparisons are the Gaggia Classic and Rancilio Silvia.

There are various pros and cons of both of these machines, but the main advantages of the Anna are:

• It has a PID, so you don’t have to temperature surf 
• The OPV is adjustable, and it’s very easy to adjust once the lid is off.
• It has a brew pressure gauge.
• It has a pro steam wand.
• The steam temperature is adjustable.
• It has a very large drip tray for its size.

Against the Rancilio Silvia, Anna’s steam power is more manageable and adjustable, and the steam-ready time is quite a bit quicker.

Compared to the Gaggia Classic, the Anna may steam a bit quicker, but it has more steam power for longer, adjustable steam, and I think most people will find it easier to learn proper milk texturing with the Anna.

The main drawback versus the Classic and Silvia is the 57mm portafilter.

Third-party accessories are easier to find for 58mm machines.

You can get accessories for the Anna. Lelit make official tampers, and I found that the Gaggia wood-handle tamper fits the 57mm portafilter perfectly. But there’s nowhere near the same choice as with 58mm machines.

Lelit Anna Best Alternatives

Gaggia Classic

£507 at Gaggia with my discount codeCheck price on Amazon

The Gaggia Classic is probably the best-known entry-level single-boiler espresso machine.

It has a huge community behind it, loads of parts and accessories, and endless modding options.

The main advantage of the Classic vs the Anna, is that it uses a 58mm portafilter, and third-party accessories are everywhere.

But out of the box, the Lelit Anna offers several things the Classic doesn’t, including PID temperature control, a pressure gauge, adjustable brew and steam temperatures, and an adjustable OPV once the lid is removed.

If you’re planning to heavily mod the Classic, it’s still an interesting option. But if you want more out-of-the-box capability, the Anna is very strong. Read my full Gaggia Classic Pro review ‭→ 

Rancilio Silvia

£569 on Clumsy Goat

The Rancilio Silvia is another classic single-boiler machine.

It’s solid, well-known, and has been around for ages. It’s capable of great espresso quality and very powerful steam.

But again, without a PID, you’re temperature surfing unless you modify it. By the time you fit a PID to the Silvia, you’re probably spending around £700-£750, depending on the kit and whether you install it yourself.

The Silvia does have a 58mm portafilter, which is a plus, but for out-of-the-box value, the Anna is very hard to ignore. Read my full Rancilio Silvia review ‭→ 

Sage Duo Temp Pro

£399 on AmazonSAVE £49£399 Now £349 on Sage including my 12.5% OFF code

The Sage Temp Pro is a more convenience-focused machine, and it uses a dial rather than toggle switches.

In terms of workflow, there’s a slight similarity to the Anna: you choose brew, steam, or water with one toggle, then activate the pump with another.

But the Anna is more of a traditional single-boiler home barista machine, with PID control, adjustable OPV, and pressure gauge. Read my full Sage Duo Temp Pro review ‭→ 

Lelit Victoria

SAVE £75£759 Now £683 on Lelit including my 10% OFF codeCheck price on Amazon

The Lelit Victoria is the obvious upgrade option from the Anna within the Lelit range.

It’s more expensive, but you get a more premium single-boiler machine with a 58mm portafilter, larger 300ml brass boiler, Lelit LCC digital control centre, shot timer, brew pressure gauge, adjustable brew and steam temperature, and a more refined overall package.

If the 57mm portafilter on the Anna bothers you, the Victoria solves that problem.

The Victoria is also a better long-term platform if you want greater compatibility with standard accessories, because 58mm is the most common size for home barista accessories.

That said, the Victoria costs quite a bit more. So the question is whether the 58mm group, LCC, shot timer, and more premium build are worth the extra money to you.

For lots of people, the Anna will be enough. But if you’re already thinking you’ll quickly outgrow the Anna, or you really want 58mm from the start, the Victoria is well worth considering. Read my full Lelit Victoria review → 

Lelit Anna vs Gaggia Classic vs Rancilio Silvia vs Lelit Victoria

What I Really Like

What’s amazing about the Lelit Anna, particularly at the price in Europe and the UK, is how much value for money it offers.

To get a machine with:

• Adjustable PID temperature control
• Brew temperature adjustment in 1°C increments
• Steam temperature adjustment in 1°C increments
• Adjustable OPV
• 3-way solenoid valve
• Pro steam wand
• Brew pressure gauge
• Proper standard baskets
• Large 2.7L water tank
• Huge drip tray for the footprint

For around £450 is amazing value for money.

Another way to put it is this: the cup-quality potential of this machine, paired with a capable grinder, is very impressive at this price point.

By the time you’ve fitted a PID to a Gaggia Classic, you’re probably up to about £600 or so, depending on the PID kit.

With the Rancilio Silvia, you could easily be around £700-£750 once you’ve added a PID.

So we’re talking serious value here.

I also really like:

• The simplicity of the PID adjustment.
• The brightness of the display digits.
• The look of the toggle switches.
• The stable footprint.
• The steam performance at 140°C.
• How easy it is to texture milk with.
• The size of the drip tray.

The drip tray is genuinely impressive for a single-boiler machine with this kind of footprint.

It’s over 800ml, which is huge for a compact machine like this.

Yes, it doesn’t have a floating popup indicator to tell you it’s full, and it would benefit from that, but it does have a very good capacity.

What I Don’t Like So Much

The cons of this machine, in my opinion, pale into insignificance compared with the pros at this price point. But it does have cons.

The 57mm Portafilter

The main one is the 57mm group, and I really don’t know why, but it seems like an own goal. There’s no obvious benefit, for Lelit or for the user; in fact, I can only see downsides all round. 

They wouldn’t have been able to use all the established tooling & components, etc., for this group size, so presumably they had to invest money to make this possible, and surely it would have been easier to stick to 58mm for all machines to save stocking different-sized shower screens, groups, portafilters & baskets?

For the user, there’s also no obvious benefit. I can see the point of going to 54mm, or 51mm, as there is method to that madness, in the form of a narrower and taller puck that is theoretically a bit more forgiving. But 1mm smaller makes no sense to me. All it does is greatly limit the range of third-party accessories available, things like:

• Dosing funnels
• Dosing cups
• Puck screens
• Replacement baskets
• Bottomless portafilters
• Tampers

You’ll find them, but you’ll have fewer choices.

The Water Tank Visibility Isn’t Great

The Anna has a cut-out so you can see the water tank, but the tank itself is relatively opaque.

You can see the water level if you really look closely, but it’s not especially obvious.

Some Edges Are a Bit Sharp

Some of the edges are a bit sharp, particularly the black plastic parts on the drip tray.

Some of the metal edges are a little sharp too.

It’s not a huge deal, but it’s one of those reminders that this is still a machine built to hit a particular price point.

The Water Tank Has No External Handle

I’m not a massive fan of the water tank not having an external handle.

To place the tank into the machine carefully, rather than dropping it in and splashing water everywhere, you have to put your fingers into the water tank because there isn’t enough space for your fingers around the sides.

So if you’ve filled it, your finger ends up in the water.

That probably isn’t the most hygienic thing to be doing.

I’d much prefer a tank with a proper handle.

The Steam Knob

The steam knob doesn’t inspire me much.

I’m not a huge fan of the way it looks or how far it sticks out from the machine.

It’s not a big deal, but if I’m nitpicking, that’s one thing I’d probably change.

The Pump and Mode Selection Are Separate

The only other thing to mention is that you have to run the pump separately from selecting water or espresso.

Instead of just pressing a shot button for espresso or a hot water button for hot water, you set the toggle switch to brew, steam, or water — and then, for espresso or hot water, you activate the pump using the pump toggle switch.

This is similar in concept to the Sage Duo Temp Pro, except that machine uses a dial instead of toggle switches.

It’s not difficult. You get used to it quickly. But it’s worth knowing if you’re expecting a simple one-button shot workflow.

Verdict

In a nutshell, if you’re considering the likes of the Gaggia Classic, Rancilio Silvia, Sage Duo Temp Pro, Miicoffee Apex V2, the Lelit Anna should definitely be on your shortlist.

She punches well above her weight. OK, it’s not perfect, no machine is perfect, and you’re definitely not going to get close to perfection at this price.

The biggest compromise is the 57mm portafilter, because accessories are more limited than with 58mm machines.

I’d also like a better water tank handle, smoother edges in a few places, a nicer steam knob, and a clearer view of the water level.

But these are relatively minor complaints when you consider what this machine gives you for the money.

To get a single-boiler espresso machine with:

• PID temperature control
• Brew and steam temperature adjustment in 1°C increments
• Adjustable OPV
• Brew pressure gauge
• Pro steam wand
• 3-way solenoid valve
• Large 2.7L water tank
• Really nice-sized drip tray
• Italian-made stainless steel body

For under £500 is seriously impressive.

And yes, the steel is fairly thin, but it’s still steel. It isn’t steel-clad plastic.

If you want the best accessory compatibility or if the 57mm portafilter bothers you, the Lelit Victoria is the logical upgrade.

But if your budget is under £500 and you want as much espresso capability as possible for the money, I think the Lelit Anna PL41TEM is one of the strongest options out there.

Bottom line: the Lelit Anna is a compact, capable, PID-controlled single-boiler espresso machine that offers outstanding value for money. If you’re shopping in this price bracket, it absolutely deserves to be on your shortlist.

The post Lelit Anna PL41TEM Review: Proper Italian Espresso with a Smart Twist appeared first on Coffee Blog.

It’s very similar to the Profitec Go, same boiler size & material, similar premium build, similar performance, but more affordable and with a couple of pros and cons.

If this is your first time here, hello. I’m Kev aka Coffee Kev. I run CoffeeBlog.co.uk, the Coffee Kev YouTube channel, and CoffeeKev.com for my coffee-loving cousins in the US. I’m also the Founder & Director of Coffee at Cworks.co.uk, where we sell affordable, very freshly roasted, MEGA-tasting coffee.

My reviews are fully independent. You won’t find ANY sponsored content here, EVER. I’ve been doing this for over ten years, I know what I’m looking for when it comes to home espresso machines, and I’ll be telling you everything I’ve discovered about the Lelit Victoria in this review, warts ‘n all. 

I’ll also be explaining what it’s like to use, what the espresso is like, how quickly it heats up, what the steam power is like, how the preinfusion works, how it compares with the Profitec Go, what I like, what I don’t like, and whether I think it’s worth buying.

Quick Navigation

• What Is the Lelit Victoria?
• Specs
• First Impressions
• Price
• What’s the Espresso Like?
• Heat-Up Time
• What’s the Progress Bar?
• Steam Power & Steam Ready Time
• Hot Water
• Preinfusion
• Portafilter
• How to Disable Auto Standby
• Lelit Victoria vs Profitec Go
• Alternatives
• Comparison Table
• What I Like
• What I Don’t Like
• Verdict

What Is the Lelit Victoria?

The Lelit Victoria is one of the more premium single-boiler PID espresso machines on the market.

It’s a compact machine, but it’s not really an entry-level machine. It’s aimed at people who want a proper home barista espresso machine with good temperature control, a 58mm portafilter, a pressure gauge, a shot timer, and enough control to make genuinely good espresso at home.

The obvious comparison is the Profitec Go, which is also a premium single-boiler machine with PID temperature control, a brass boiler, a 58mm portafilter, a pressure gauge, and a compact footprint.

The Victoria is usually slightly more affordable than the Go, and I’ll go into that comparison in more detail later.

In simple terms, this is the kind of machine you might look at if you want something more capable and more refined than a basic entry-level single boiler, but you don’t want to jump up to a heat exchanger or dual boiler machine.

It’s especially interesting if:

• You mainly drink espresso or Americanos.
• You make the occasional milk drink but don’t need to steam milk constantly.
• You want PID temperature control.
• You want a compact machine.
• You want a standard 58mm portafilter.
• You want a machine that can produce very good espresso without taking over the kitchen.

Lelit Victoria Review

SAVE £75£759 Now £683 on Lelit including my 10% OFF codeCheck price on Amazon

Specs

• Price: £759 Now £683 on Lelit including my 10% OFF code
• Dimensions: 22.8cm wide x 27cm deep, or around 37cm deep including the portafilter handle, x 38cm tall
• Boiler: 300ml brass boiler, autofilling
• Group: brass group
• Portafilter: 58mm, E61 compatible
• Temperature control: PID controlled
• Interface: Lelit LCC digital control centre
• Shot timer: yes, via the LCC
• Brew temperature adjustment: 80°C to 110°C in 1°C increments
• Steam temperature adjustment: 110°C to 140°C in 1°C increments
• Preinfusion: preset pre-brew/pre-wetting style preinfusion, on or off
• Valve: 3-way solenoid valve
• Pump: vibration pump
• OPV: adjustable, but internally
• Pressure gauge: brew pressure gauge, measuring pressure in the basket
• Low water warning: yes
• Reserve mode: yes, warns early so you have time to top up the tank
• Included baskets: single and double standard baskets
• Water tank: 2.5L
• Drip tray: around 0.7L capacity
• Standby: optional 30-minute standby time
• Progress bar: heating and recovery progress display on the LCC
• Cup clearance: around 10cm with the supplied portafilter

PID, or P.I.D if we’re being fancy, just means it has an algorithmic temperature controller that’s smarter than a standard thermostat.

Instead of simply turning the heating element on and off when the temperature drifts too far, a PID controller continuously responds to temperature feedback to control the heating more precisely.

In simple terms, it helps keep the brew temperature more stable.

The LCC, or Lelit Control Centre, is the little digital interface on the front of the machine. This controls the brew temperature, steam temperature, preinfusion, and standby settings, and also provides the shot timer and heating progress bar.

First Impressions

My first impression of the Lelit Victoria is that it’s a very slim, compact, good-looking machine.

It’s only around 23cm wide, which makes it ideal if you’re short on worktop space.

I also think it’s a stunning machine overall.

The brushed stainless body, the compact shape, the pressure gauge, and the simple front layout all work really well. It looks like a proper espresso machine, but it doesn’t seem to be trying too hard.

The one thing I’m not mad about visually is the steam knob.

I said the same thing about the Lelit Anna, and I’ll say it again here: I think the plastic steam dial is a bit of a letdown on an otherwise very nice-looking machine.

It’s not a deal breaker, but it’s one of those things where the rest of the machine looks and feels premium, and then the steam knob looks like it wandered in from a slightly cheaper machine and hoped nobody would notice.

Price

At the time of putting this review together, the Lelit Victoria sells for £759 Now £683 on Lelit including my 10% OFF code

That makes it a very interesting machine, because it’s cheaper than some of the other premium single-boiler machines, but it still gives you a lot of the features most home baristas are looking for.

You get PID temperature control, a 58mm portafilter, a shot timer, a pressure gauge, adjustable brew and steam temps, a 3-way solenoid valve, and a genuinely compact body.

So while it isn’t an entry-level machine, I do think it offers a lot for the money.

What’s the Espresso Like?

The quality of the espresso will depend on the espresso beans you’re using, the grinder, and your home barista skills. That’s true of any espresso machine.

But the Lelit Victoria is definitely capable of producing very good espresso, especially with more traditional medium- to dark-roast espresso beans.

I’m not saying you can’t use lighter roasts with it, by the way. You can. But the Victoria has a pre-wetting, pre-infusion style, and it’s fixed rather than adjustable, which means it’s not necessarily the most flexible machine for lighter roasts.

More on that shortly.

For classic espresso blends, medium roasts, medium-dark roasts, and darker roasts, though, the Victoria is very capable.

You’ve got proper PID control, a brass boiler, a brass group, a 58mm portafilter, and a pressure gauge, so assuming you’re pairing it with a decent grinder and good coffee, there’s no reason you can’t get really good results.

Speaking of coffee beans, this would probably be a good time to introduce you to my coffee beans from The Coffeeworks, which are freshly roasted, usually on the day of dispatch. We have a growing range, currently around 25 different coffees, and they’re amazing.

Heat-Up Time

From cold, the Lelit Victoria took around 7 minutes 40 seconds to heat up on 220V power.

If you’re in a 110V country, such as the US, I’d expect it to take a couple of minutes longer.

For a boiler machine, that’s pretty reasonable.

Thermoblock and thermocoil machines can technically heat up much faster, but that’s a different kind of machine. With boiler machines, you’re heating a body of water in a boiler, so you’re not going to get three-second ready times.

Still, under 8 minutes on UK power is decent for this kind of machine.

As always, you will get the best results if you allow the group, portafilter, and cup to heat through properly. But if you’re in a rush, the machine is brew-ready fairly quickly.

What’s the Progress Bar?

One of the little things I like about the Victoria is the progress bar on the LCC screen.

It’s a simple “loading” style bar that shows roughly where the machine is up to while it’s heating up. It also shows progress when heating to steam temperature and when cooling back down after steaming.

This is a small feature, but I find it helpful, and far more helpful than waiting for a light to turn on or off. 

I do think they could improve it, actually, by showing the current temp on the screen as well as the bar, instead of the set temp, but I far prefer the progress bar to just being in the dark re how long I still have to wait. 

Steam Power & Steam Ready Time

The Lelit Victoria is a single-boiler machine, so you don’t brew and steam at the same time. When you’re making a milk drink, whatever you do first, you then have to wait for the other. 

So if you pull your shot first, you then switch to steam mode and wait for the boiler to heat to steam temperature. If you steam your milk first, you then switch to brew mode and wait for the temperature to recover (you can speed it up by flushing the group.

Steam Power

At the maximum steam temperature of 140°C, steaming 170ml of milk to 60°C took around 35-36 seconds.

That’s decent for a compact single-boiler machine.

It’s not going to match a heat exchanger or dual boiler machine, and it’s definitely not going to give you the kind of steam power you’d get from something like a Lelit Bianca or Gaggia Classic GT, but for home milk drinks, it’s perfectly capable.

Steam Ready Time

The steam-ready time was around 90 seconds to get to 140°C.

That’s not instant, but it’s not terrible either.

If you only make the odd flat white or cappuccino, I don’t think this will bother you too much. If you’re making lots of back-to-back milk drinks, though, this is where a single-boiler machine starts to feel like the wrong tool for the job.

Shot Ready Time After Steaming

After steaming milk, the machine needs to cool back down to brew temperature.

If you leave the steam valve open, it takes about 35 seconds to get back to shot-ready temperature.

That’s actually pretty nifty.

It’s one of the reasons I think the Victoria is quite nice to live with as a single-boiler machine. Yes, it has the usual single-boiler workflow, but the recovery back to brew temperature is fairly quick if you know what to do.

Hot Water

Hot water from the Victoria is usually around mid-70s Celsius.

That’s not boiling hot water, but for Americanos and long blacks, it’s not necessarily a bad thing. A lot of people use water that’s too hot for Americanos anyway.

The hot water power is very good.

It dispenses around 200ml of hot water in about 18.5 seconds.

It comes out as a small jet under fairly high pressure, so if you’re making an Americano or long black, I’d probably do the water first, then the espresso.

If you do espresso first and then blast water into it under pressure, it can get a bit messy. And nobody wants a surprise Americano facial.

What’s the Preinfusion Like?

The Victoria has what I’d describe as a pre-brew or pre-wetting-style preinfusion. It delivers water into the basket for about 3 seconds, then pauses for about 3 seconds, and then continues the shot.

You can turn this on or off, but you can’t adjust it.

To understand what this means, it helps to briefly talk about where preinfusion comes from.

Traditional preinfusion started with commercial espresso machines connected to mains water. With a plumbed-in machine, water can enter the group under line pressure before the pump ramps up to full pressure.

That gently wets the puck before full-pressure extraction begins.

Most home machines aren’t plumbed in, so they can’t do that exactly unless they have another way to control pump flow or pressure.

Some machines mimic this by running the pump at lower power first, then ramping up. Sage machines do this, for example, and the Sage Dual Boiler gives you quite a lot of control over preinfusion pump power and time.

Other machines, including the Victoria, use a different approach: they deliver water into the basket under pump pressure, pause, and then continue the shot.

This can work well, especially with more classic espresso profiles.

Generally speaking, this pre-wetting/pre-brew style of preinfusion is better suited to more traditional medium- to dark-roast espresso.

Longer, gentler, ramped preinfusion is usually better suited to lighter roasts.

So if you’re mainly using classic espresso blends, the Victoria’s preinfusion is perfectly fine. If you’re mainly using very light roasts and want to experiment with long, low-pressure preinfusion, you may want something with more preinfusion control.

What’s the Portafilter Like?

The Victoria comes with Lelit’s coffee slide portafilter, which I think is very cool.

It has a split spout design where you can see the coffee running down the spouts, and if you listen very carefully, you might even hear the coffee enjoying itself. Weeeeeeee….

The chrome-plated brass portafilter head is really heavyweight, quite a bit over half a kilo. The handle is plastic, and it’s fine. It actually feels quite nice in the hand, with an ergonomic finger dimple.

But because the head is so heavy and the handle is so light, it’s quite top-heavy. So it doesn’t feel especially well-balanced.

The good news is that the Victoria uses an E61-compatible fitting, which means you’ve got plenty of options if you want to use a different portafilter.

If you want a bottomless portafilter, for example, you’ll have loads of choice.

How to Disable Auto Standby Mode

The Victoria has an optional standby mode that you can disable.

Here’s how:

1. Turn the machine off.
2. Hold all three front buttons in.
3. Turn the machine back on while holding the buttons.
4. If the hot water button is not flashing, standby mode is disabled.
5. If you repeat the process and the bottom button flashes, standby mode is back on.
6. After doing this, turn the machine off and back on again to use it normally.

It’s a bit of a button-combo situation, but it’s easy enough once you know how to do it.

Alternatives

Profitec Go

£849 on Bella Barista

The Profitec Go is Victoria’s closest rival, in my humble opinion. 

It has the same size 300ml brass boiler (if you find a specs list showing it’s 400ml, it needs updating, this changed a while ago), and is similar in size & in build quality. 

Pros of the Profitec Go Vs the Lelit Victoria

• Externally adjustable OPV: Both are adjustable, but it’s way easier on the Go
• Slightly more powerful steam: Both are powerful, but the Go is a bit more aggressive (5-10 seconds faster)
• Colour options: Victoria is classic stainless steel, and Go is available in a range of colours. 

Pros of Lelit Victoria Vs Profitec Go:

• Hot Water: Victoria dispenses hot water via the steam wand. Profitec Go doesn’t, unless you put the backflush basket in the portafilter to bypass the water manually.
• Preinfusion: Victoria has preinfusion, Profitec Go doesn’t.
• Price: Victorica is about £90 cheaper

Other Differences:

• Steam wand position: Victoria is on the right-hand side, Go is on the front, so just consider where you need to position your machine. For example, if you need to push it into a right-hand corner, Go makes more sense. 
• Footprint: They’re both compact, but the Profite Go is the smallest, it’s about 2cm slimmer & shallower.
• Style:  I can’t really say one is better than the other here; it’s subjective, but they’re different, so you may find you prefer the look of one over the other. 

If you want the externally adjustable OPV and more preinfusion control, the Go may be the better choice. If you want to spend a little less and you like the Lelit design and LCC interface, the Victoria makes a lot of sense. Read my full Profitec Go review ‭→ 

Lelit Anna

SAVE £142£509 Now £367 on Lelit including my 10% OFF codeCheck price on Amazon

The Lelit Anna is the cheaper option in Lelit’s single-boiler range.

It’s a smaller, entry-level machine that uses a 57mm portafilter rather than the standard 58mm.

If you’re looking to spend less, the Anna is worth considering, but the Victoria is the more premium, more flexible machine.

The Victoria gives you the 58mm portafilter, LCC interface, shot timer, pressure gauge, more premium overall feel, and a better platform if you’re taking espresso more seriously. Read my full Lelit Anna review ‭→ 

Lelit Kate

SAVE £94£949 Now £854 on Lelit including my 10% OFF code£1,398 on Amazon

The Lelit Kate is basically the Victoria with an integrated grinder.

So if you like the idea of the Victoria but want the grinder built into the machine, the Kate is the obvious Lelit alternative.

Personally, I think most people will be better off with the Victoria and a separate grinder, because it gives you more flexibility and avoids the trade-offs of having the grinder inside a hot espresso machine. Read my full Lelit Kate review ‭→ 

But if you specifically want a traditional single-boiler machine with an integrated grinder, the Kate is worth a look.

Lelit Victoria vs Profitec Go vs Lelit Kate

What I Like

• I like the way it looks. Apart from the steam dial, I think it’s a really nice-looking machine.
• It’s very compact. At around 23cm wide, it’s one of the slimmer premium espresso machines.
• The LCC is useful. It gives you temperature control, shot timer, standby control, and the progress bar.
• The progress bar is a nice touch. It gives you a clue what the machine is doing rather than leaving you in the dark.
• It heats up fairly quickly for a boiler machine. Around 7 minutes 40 seconds on 220V is reasonable.
• The steam-ready time isn’t too bad. Around 90 seconds to steam temperature is fine for occasional milk drinks.
• The shot-ready time after steaming is good. About 35 seconds if you open the steam valve.
• I really like the portafilter. The coffee slide design is cool, and the 58mm E61-compatible fitting gives you loads of options.
• It can make a very good espresso. Especially with medium to dark roasts and a good grinder.
• It feels like good value. For the money, I think most people will be very happy with the results straight out of the box.

What I Don’t Like

The Plastic Steam Dial

I think the plastic steam dial is a bit of a letdown. The machine is otherwise really nice-looking, so I think the steam knob could be better.

Hopefully, Lelit will improve this in the future, or maybe someone in the community will make aftermarket mods, like the ones you can get for the Gaggia Classic Pro.

The OPV Is Internal

The Victoria comes out of the box with the OPV set to around 10 bar. Many people will want it set to 9 bars, and some will want it lower. You can adjust it, but you need to open the machine to do it.

I think it would be a huge improvement if Lelit added an external OPV adjustment, so you wouldn’t have to mess about opening the machine just to change the brew pressure.

The Water Tank Needs a Handle

The water tank is 2.5L, which is good, and the machine has a water sensor and reserve mode, which is also good. But there’s no easy way to get the tank down into the machine without sticking your fingers inside it.

That means if you fill it to the max, you can end up with your fingers in the water. I’d much prefer it if the Victoria came with a water tank like the Mara X and Bianca, with a proper handle.

Verdict

The Lelit Victoria is a compact, premium single-boiler espresso machine that offers a lot for the money.

It’s slim, good-looking, and capable of great espresso & great milk texture, and as far as single-boiler espresso machines go, I think it’s up there with the best.

It’s not the machine I’d choose if I were making loads of back-to-back milk drinks. It’s a single boiler, so you have to work around the brew-to-steam-to-brew workflow. But for normal home use, especially if you’re not steaming milk constantly, it’s a very capable machine.

For me this is the obvious very similarly capable yet more affordable alternative to the Profitec Go, and hopefully the Profitec Go Vs Lelit Victoria section above has helped you to decide which might be the best premium single boiler espresso machine for you. 

Let me know what you think by clicking “leave a reply” below. Would you go for the Lelit Victoria, spend more on the Profitec Go, or jump up to a Dual Boiler?

The post Lelit Victoria Review: Serious Home Barista Power in a Slim Package appeared first on Coffee Blog.

Most integrated grinder machines are built around convenience. They usually use thermoblocks or thermocoils; they heat up quickly, they’re steam-ready quickly, and they’re aimed at people who want home-barista-style coffee without having to build a full separate machine-and-grinder setup.

The Lelit Kate is different, but whether that’s good or bad depends on you & what you’re looking for in your espresso machine.

But wait, before I continue, I should introduce myself. I’m Kev aka Coffee Kev. I run CoffeeBlog.co.uk, the Coffee Kev YouTube channel, and CoffeeKev.com for my coffee-loving cousins in the US. I’m also the Founder & Director of Coffee at Cworks.co.uk, where we sell affordable, very freshly roasted, MEGA-tasting coffee.

My reviews are fully independent; they’re never sponsored, and I say exactly what I think about each machine I review, good or bad. 

In this review, I’ll explain what the Lelit Kate is, how it differs from most integrated grinder machines, what the grinder is like, what the workflow is like, how it performs in testing, what I like, what I don’t like, who I think it’s actually for, and whether I’d buy this or go for the Lelit Victoria with a separate grinder instead.

Quick Navigation

• Lelit Kate Review
• What Is the Lelit Kate?
• How Is It Different From Other Integrated Grinder Machines?
• Specs
• Price
• What’s the Grinder Like?
• Preinfusion
• OPV
• Pressure Gauge
• Lelit LCC Digital Controller
• Workflow
• What’s the Espresso Like?
• Test Results
• The Downside of the Integrated Grinder
• What I Like
• What I Don’t Like
• Who Is the Lelit Kate For?
• Alternatives
• Lelit Kate vs Lelit Victoria + Grinder vs Lelit Anita
• Verdict

Lelit Kate Review

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What Is the Lelit Kate?

The Lelit Kate is a traditional single-boiler espresso machine with an integrated grinder.

The easiest way to explain it is this:

It’s basically the Lelit Victoria with a built-in Lelit grinder.

That’s not just a lazy comparison. The espresso machine side of the Kate shares most of Victoria’s features, including:

• 300ml brass boiler
• PID temperature control
• Adjustable brew temperature
• Adjustable steam temperature
• Fixed 5-second preinfusion
• 58mm portafilter
• 3-way solenoid valve
• Brew pressure gauge
• Lelit LCC digital controller
• Shot timer

So on the espresso side, this is a proper, traditional, premium single-boiler machine. It isn’t a convenience-focused thermocoil machine.

And that’s the key thing to understand before you start comparing it with machines like the Sage Barista Express, Barista Pro, or Barista Touch.

It’s easy to look at the Kate and think it’s more or less the Barista Pro’s more traditional-looking Italian cousin, but it’s a very different machine.

So if you’re already interested in machines like the Lelit Victoria or Profitec Go, but you like the idea of saving a bit of worktop space and a plug socket by having the grinder integrated, the Kate may make sense. 

But if you’re leaning towards integrated grinders for convenience & workflow speed, this probably isn’t quite what you think it is.

How Is It Different From Other Integrated Grinder Machines?

The Lelit Kate is very different from most integrated grinder espresso machines because it’s a single-boiler machine, not a thermoblock or thermocoil machine. This is a very important distinction. 

Most integrated grinder machines are built around fast heat-up, fast steam readiness, and, therefore, workflow convenience. They usually use on-demand heating systems, which heat water as needed and recover quickly to brew temperature.

The Kate is exactly the same as using a traditional single-boiler espresso machine, such as the Lelit Victoria or Profitec Go, except that the grinder is integrated into the case.

So when comparing this to a machine like the Barista Express or Barista Pro:

• It takes longer to heat up from cold
• It takes longer to heat up to steam, and longer to recover back to brew temperature after
• It has more of a traditional single-boiler workflow.
• It feels exactly like using a “traditional” single-boiler espresso machine 

There is no additional convenience from integrating the grinder, other than saving a plug socket and having everything in one unit.

On the grinder side, it’s also different from many other integrated grinder machines.

The grind adjustment is very fine, which is great for espresso, but it does take some getting used to. Instead of stepped numerical adjustments, you get a worm-dial-style adjustment. This gives you lots of precision, but it also makes it harder to return to a previous setting for a particular coffee.

You also get two timed doses, adjustable in 0.1 second increments, which is more granular than I’d usually expect from an integrated grinder setup.

So this is not really a typical integrated grinder machine. It’s a traditional single-boiler espresso machine with a grinder built in. And whether that’s brilliant or slightly odd depends on what you’re looking for.

Lelit Kate Specifications

The Lelit Kate is fairly compact for a machine with an integrated grinder, but it’s not tiny.

• Price: £949 Now £854 on Lelit including my 10% OFF code
• Width: about 34 cm, including the knobs
• Depth: about 26 cm, or roughly 27 cm, allowing for the kettle lead at the back
• Height: about 45 cm
• Water tank: 2.5L removable rear top-accessed tank
• Portafilter: 58mm
• Boiler: 300ml brass boiler
• Temperature control: PID via the Lelit LCC
• Brew temperature range: 80°C to 110°C
• Steam temperature range: 110°C to 140°C
• Preinfusion: fixed 5-second preinfusion, on or off
• Grinder: built-in grinder with 38mm conical burrs
• Grind adjustment: stepless worm dial adjustment
• Dosing: two timed doses, adjustable in 0.1 second increments
• Controller: Lelit LCC digital control centre
• Shot timer: yes, on the LCC screen
• Valve: 3-way solenoid valve
• OPV: yes, internally adjustable
• Pressure gauge: brew and steam pressure gauge
• Hot water: from the steam wand
• Steam wand: single-hole steam tip, not cool touch

The water tank is the type without handles, so you have to reach into the tank to remove it. I much prefer Lelit’s water tanks that have handles, which come with machines like the Lelit Mara X & Bianca.

The portafilter is 58mm, which is a good thing, mainly because it’s the most common portafilter size, making aftermarket accessories easier to find.

It’s a nice quality portafilter with Lelit’s cool coffee slide splitter. It’s heavyweight, but as is usually the case, there’s very little weight in the actual handle, so it doesn’t feel particularly well-balanced. 

What’s the Grinder Like?

The grinder in the Lelit Kate is actually quite impressive for an integrated grinder.

Lelit tell me it’s more or less the Lelit Fred internally. That means:

• 38mm conical burrs
• 150W DC motor
• Gear system to convert RPM into torque
• Stepless worm dial adjustment

The main difference is that the Kate uses the hopper from the Lelit William and Lelit Steve grinders.

Interestingly, to me, it doesn’t quite feel exactly like the Fred. It seems faster, and it sounds different. But Lelit tell me it’s more or less the Fred, and they should know, given that they make the thing.

Grind Adjustment

The grind adjustment is very fine.

That’s good because it means you’re unlikely to find yourself stuck in between two grind settings as can be the case with machines with stepped adjustment. It does take a bit of getting used to, though, if you’re used to stepped adjustment, as there are no numbers or useful reference points.

I usually make adjustments of around half a turn at a time until I’m close, and then, once I’m fine-tuning, I usually make quarter-turn adjustments. It’s fine when you’re tweaking things with the same espresso beans, but it’s difficult to return to a previous grind size for a particular bean. You can’t easily say, “Ah, yes, this coffee was good at 2.4, so I’ll start there.” 

That’s not unusual for this style of adjustment, but it is something to be aware of.

I do think Lelit could have improved this by using some kind of rotation indicator, similar to what Eureka have done on some of the newer Mignon grinders. Even a basic reference system would make it easier to get back to previous settings.

Timed Dosing

The Kate has two timed doses, single push & double push, and they can both be adjusted in 0.1 second increments, which is very granular for an integrated grinder. This is something I really like.

Once I’m dialled in, I usually find that around 9 seconds is about right for an 18g dose, depending on the coffee and grind setting, but this does change depending on how long the machine has been on for, more on that later.

The Hopper

The hopper is removable, but it’s not quick-release. You need a screwdriver.

I don’t really get this, quick-release hoppers aren’t exactly breaking news ;-). If you’re the kind of person who switches beans a lot, just keep in mind that this may get annoying. You’re forced into either using all the beans in the hopper whether you like it or not, or digging out your Phillips screwdriver. 

The hopper lid also has a bit of an uncomfortable fit, there’s really no satisfying feeling that you’ve put the hopper lid on properly, it kind of just balances in place. 

It’s a shame I have to be negative about the hopper, really, because it’s one of the things that I think is great in terms of visuals. It’s a great-looking machine, and the hopper is part of that. 

Preinfusion

As with the Lelit Victoria, the Kate has preset automatic preinfusion.

You can turn it on or off via the LCC, but you can’t adjust the timing.

It’s about 5 seconds of low-pressure preinfusion.

That’s useful, especially with some coffees, and I like that it’s there. But if you’re looking for manually adjustable preinfusion, pressure profiling, or anything more advanced, this isn’t that kind of machine.

OPV

The Kate has an over-pressure valve, which appears to be set to around 11-12 bar.

It is adjustable, as with the Victoria, but you need to take the machine apart and adjust the OPV internally with a spanner.

I think it would be better if the OPV adjustment were accessible externally, like it is on the Profitec Go. I also wish Lelit would set it to around 9 bars out of the box.

I’m sure there may be a technical or commercial reason for the factory setting, but from a user’s perspective, I’d rather see it set closer to standard espresso-brewing pressure from the start.

Pressure Gauge

The Kate has a 2-in-1 pressure gauge for group and steam pressure. As with the Victoria, it seems there’s roughly a 1-bar offset, so the gauge will show about 10 bar for a 9-bar shot. 

This is fine as long as you’re aware that there is an offset, and there often is, due to where the gauges are tapped in, and due to there often being no calibration to deal with the offset. In theory,  you’d think they’d just adjust the gauge to deal with the offset, but in reality, I’m guessing it’s not quite that simple, or surely they’d all do that? 

Anyway, although pressure gauges are a nice little illustration of what’s going on with the shot, it’s really not all  that important; you can tell way more by what the espresso looks like (especially with a bottomless portafilter) the shot time, and most importantly, taste.

What’s the Lelit LCC Like?

The LCC, or Lelit Control Centre, is the digital controller on the Kate.

It’s the same basic system as on the Victoria, and once you figure it out, it’s really easy to use.

The LCC controls:

• Celsius or Fahrenheit display
• Brew temperature in 1-degree increments
• Steam temperature in 1-degree increments
• Preinfusion on or off
• Single dose time in 0.1 second increments
• Double dose time in 0.1 second increments
• Shot counter

It also gives you a shot timer, which is a big plus. Once you’ve had a machine with a built-in shot timer, going back to using your phone or a separate timer feels a bit faffy.

The LCC also shows progress bars, so you can see roughly where the machine is up to when heating up or recovering back to brew temperature. This is something I quite like about the Kate, and the Victoria, although I have to say I’d prefer to see the actual temp reading.

What’s the Workflow Like?

The workflow is very much like using a traditional single-boiler espresso machine, but with the grinder built in.

In the video, I used Cworks Chocolate Brownie Blend, which works really nicely with this machine. I usually flip between Chocolate Brownie and Chocolate Fondant, but Chocolate Brownie is one of my favourites for this kind of setup.

The general workflow is:

1. Let the machine heat up (~ 10 mins)
2. Grind into the portafilter using the timed dose.
3. Distribute and tamp.
4. Lock in the portafilter.
5. Pull the shot 
6. Switch to steam mode if you’re making milk drinks.
7. Wait for the boiler to heat up to steam-ready (~1 min)
8. Steam the milk.
9. Flush to return to brew temperature if making another drink (~15-20 secs)

If you’re scratching your head at the idea of all this waiting, this is probably a sign that this machine isn’t for you. 

Many people who are coming from auto bean-to-cup machines will find the thought of having to wait 10 mins just to make the first coffee really bizarre, let alone then waiting a minute for the steam to heat up to temperature. 

This is one of the key things Sage got right with the Barista Express, which is why it quickly became one of the world’s best-selling coffee machines. 

But as I’ve mentioned, the Lelit Kate isn’t this kind of machine. It’s a traditional single-boiler espresso machine, with an integrated grinder.  It takes a while to heat up, and because brew temp is around 94 °C & steam temp around 130-140 °C, it takes time to get up to steam temp then back down to brew temp for the next shot.

If you’re used to single-boiler machines, none of this will be a surprise. It’s just the normal single-boiler workflow.

If you’re coming from a Barista Express or Barista Pro, though, it may feel slower, especially with steam readiness and recovery time.

That doesn’t mean it’s bad. It just means it’s a different type of machine.

What’s the Espresso Like?

As usual, this really comes down to how well dialled in you are and what coffee beans you’re using.

But the Kate is a very capable espresso machine, and the grinder is fairly capable as far as integrated grinders go. With medium to dark roasts, I’ve had some really good shots from it.

The machine side is very capable. It’s essentially the Victoria, and the Victoria is one of the best premium single-boiler espresso machines on the market, in my opinion.

The grinder is also good enough to get dialled in properly, especially with medium and darker roasts. I actually think it gives you more precise dialling-in ability than the Sage integrated grinders, although it isn’t as user-friendly.

The worm dial adjustment gives you lots of precision, but because there are no useful reference points, it’s not as easy to move between coffees or return to previous settings.

What About Light Roasts?

As with most integrated grinder machines, I wouldn’t especially recommend the Kate if you mainly drink lighter roasts.

The grinder just doesn’t have the same grunt as a more capable separate grinder. That’s usually the case with integrated grinders, and the Kate is no exception.

For medium and medium-dark espresso blends, it can do a good job. For lighter roasts, especially dense modern specialty coffees, you’ll probably be better off with a separate grinder with more power and better burrs.

That’s not really a criticism of the Lelit Kate specifically. It’s just one of the realities of most integrated grinder machines.

Test Results

Here are the key test results from my time with the Lelit Kate.

Heat-Up Time

Heat-up time to 94°C was about 7 minutes 15 seconds on UK power.

That’s not bad for a single-boiler machine, but it’s obviously slower than many thermoblock integrated grinder machines.

As usual with traditional espresso machines, even once the display says the boiler is at temperature, you may still get better results by allowing a bit more time for the group and portafilter to properly heat through.

Steam Ready Time

Steam-ready time was around 52-55 seconds when set to 140°C.

Again, that’s normal single-boiler territory. You’re not instantly ready to steam after pulling the shot, but you’re not waiting forever either.

Steam Power

Once heated up for steam, the Kate took about 40 seconds to steam 170ml of milk to 60°C during my testing.

That’s perfectly fine for a single-boiler machine. It’s not commercial steam power, obviously, and it’s not going to match bigger heat exchanger or dual boiler machines, but for home flat whites, cappuccinos, and lattes, it’s capable enough.

The steam wand has a single-hole tip, and it is definitely not cool touch.

It gets hot. Very hot. Even the plastic bit can get flipping hot in use.

Noise

Grinding noise was about 65-68 dB.

Pump noise was roughly 50-54 dB.

So it’s not silent, obviously, but it’s not outrageously loud either.

Hot Water

Hot water is delivered via the steam wand.

In my testing, it started at about 92°C, then dropped fairly quickly to around 85°C, which is pretty typical for a single-boiler machine dispensing hot water through the steam wand.

Hot water output was fairly quick: about 200ml in 22 seconds.

Test Results Summary

The Downside of the Integrated Grinder

There’s always a trade-off when you choose an integrated grinder espresso machine vs. a separate grinder and espresso machine. The obvious one is that all your eggs are in one basket.

If you want to upgrade the grinder later, you can’t really do that without defeating the point of having chosen an integrated grinder machine in the first place.

But there’s another issue with the Kate: internal heat transfer affecting grind size. It’s not a massive deal, but only if you’re aware of it. The boiler releases a lot of heat internally, and from my testing, it makes a definite difference in the required grind size. 

You’ll always need to tweak the grind slightly throughout the day anyway if you want to stay properly dialled in, and you’ll neede to be aware that you’ll need to tweak the grind size quite a bit with a just heated machine vs a machine that’s been on for an hour or so.

What I Like

• It feels like a proper traditional single-boiler machine. If you like that kind of workflow, the Kate delivers it.
• The espresso machine side is excellent. It’s basically the Lelit Victoria, and I really rate the Victoria.
• The LCC is useful. Brew temp, steam temp, preinfusion, shot timer, dose timing, and shot counter are all controlled from one place.
• The shot timer is a big plus. I always like having a built-in shot timer.
• The progress bars are useful. They help you see what the machine is doing while heating or recovering.
• The grinder is better than many integrated grinders for dialling in. The fine stepless adjustment gives you lots of control.
• The two timed doses are good. Being able to adjust in 0.1 second increments is very useful.
• It uses a proper 58mm portafilter. That’s always a good thing.
• Espresso quality can be very good. Especially with medium and darker roasts.
• It’s a compact all-in-one setup. If you specifically want a single-boiler machine with a grinder integrated, this is one of the few options that really does that.

What I Don’t Like

It’s Slower Than Convenience-Focused Integrated Grinder Machines

If you’re coming from something like the Sage Barista Express or Barista Pro, the Kate will feel slower, and less convenient.

Heat-up time, steam ready time, and recovery time are all more like a traditional single-boiler machine than a fast thermoblock machine.

If you’re used to single-boiler machines, this probably won’t bother you. But if you’re expecting a Barista Pro style workflow, it may take some getting used to.

The Hopper Isn’t Quick Release

I don’t understand the lack of a quick-release locking hopper.

It’s only four screws, yes. But still, for an integrated grinder machine, needing a screwdriver to remove the hopper feels like a mistake.

The OPV Adjustment Is Internal

As with the Victoria, I wish the OPV adjustment were accessible externally.

The Profitec Go does this really well, and I’d like to see Lelit do something similar.

The OPV Seems Set Higher Than I’d Prefer

I don’t really understand why anyone using this machine would benefit from an OPV setting higher than 9 bars, and given that it’s a pain to adjust the OPV, I’d much prefer it if it came with the OPV set to 9 bars out of the box, as id the case with the Lelit Anita.

The Steam Wand Gets Very Hot

The wand isn’t cool-touch, and it gets very hot.

Even holding it by the plastic part can feel hotter than I’d like. It actually seems slightly hotter than the wand on the Lelit Anita, at least to me.

No Grind Reference Points

The grinder adjustment is very fine, which is good, but the lack of numbers or reference points makes it harder to return to previous grind sizes.

You can only really adjust from where you are now.

The Grinder Is Inside a Hot Machine

As I’ve mentioned, the heat from the boiler appears to affect the grinder output as the machine warms up. That might not bother experienced users, but I can see it causing confusion for people who weren’t expecting it.

Who Is the Lelit Kate For?

I think the Lelit Kate is for someone who wants a traditional single-boiler espresso machine with an integrated grinder.

And honestly, I don’t think that’s a huge group of people.

The espresso machine part of it is really good. It’s basically the Lelit Victoria, and I think the Victoria is one of the best machines in this category.

The grinder is also decent, especially compared with many integrated grinders, but it’s still a relatively entry-level grinder, and it’s sitting inside a hot machine.

So you get the convenience and space-saving benefit of an integrated grinder, but you also get the limitations:

• You can’t upgrade the grinder easily.
• The grinder is affected by internal machine heat.
• The grinder isn’t ideal for lighter roasts.
• You’re locked into the grinder that came with the machine.

I think most people who want the Victoria will be better off buying it and pairing it with a separate grinder.

That gives you more flexibility, easier upgrades, and avoids the issue of the grinder sitting inside a hot espresso machine.

I don’t think the Kate is really aimed at the same people as the Sage integrated grinder machines. Those are mostly aimed at normal coffee drinkers who want home-barista-style quality with a convenient workflow.

The Kate feels more aimed at the traditional single-boiler user who specifically wants the grinder integrated.

If that’s you, it’s well worth a look. If it isn’t, I’d think carefully before choosing this over a separate machine and grinder setup.

Alternatives

I’m not going to suggest the Sage Barista Express or Barista Pro as alternatives, because although you might have initially thought this was the obvious comparison, you’ll be fully aware that they’re very different machines, intended for different people.

When it comes to other traditional single-boiler espresso machines with an integrated grinder, there’s only really one, which is Lelit’s smaller & lower cost Sibling. 

Lelit Anita

SAVE £59£599 Now £539 on Lelit including my 10% OFF code£913 on Amazon

It’s about £350 cheaper than the Kate, and it’s basically the Lelit Anna with an integrated Lelit Fred-style grinder. So if Kate is Victoria+Fred, then Anita is Anna+Fred, so the same concept but a more entry-level platform. 

It’s a good little machine for the price, as long as you’re OK with the traditional single-boiler workflow, and the fact that it’s not quite as refined as the Kate.

It’s on-demand only for grinding, has no timer, and uses a fixed tamper, which is weird at first, but I actually don’t mind it; at least you always know where your tamper is. Read my full Lelit Anita review → 

The main con for Anita, and Anna, is the 57mm portafilter. It makes no difference to taste, but it does make it more of a pain to buy aftermarket accessories. Read my full Lelit Anna review →

Lelit Victoria

SAVE £75£759 Now £683 on Lelit including my 10% OFF code

If you’re looking for a single-boiler espresso machine, and at this point you’ve come to realise that in this case at least, the grinder being integrated has more downsides than upsides, the most obvious alternative to the Lelit Kate is the Lelit Victoria paired with your choice of grinder. Read my full Lelit Victoria review → 

Which grinder you’d choose mainly comes down to budget, and also the kind of grinder you’re looking for.

The Lelit Fred Prima is a great entry-level option and isn’t a bad choice at all, especially if you’re sticking to more traditional espresso blends and are happy with the classic hopper grinder workflow.

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It’s a low-priced grinder with no frills; you’re literally paying for grinding performance, which is why it’s such a capable grinder for the cash.  It’s fairly loud, it has quite a high-pitched motor, which is one of the reasons I was surprised when Lelit told me this was the grinder in the Lelit Kate, as it sounds quite a bit different to me.

It has a worm-dial adjustment, so it’s infinitely fine adjustment, which is great for making small dialling in adjustments, but no so great for getting back to the grind size you were at for a specific grind size. 

This pairing is clearly the most obvious alternative, given that it’s more or less the same setup, but without the grinder being integrated with the espresso machine.

If you want a single-doser grinder and/or a more capable grinder that can dial in lighter roasts, there are many choices depending on your budget. See my best coffee grinders post for more ideas.

Lelit Kate vs Lelit Victoria + Grinder vs Lelit Anita

Verdict

If you’re someone who wants an integrated grinder simply for the neatness of this over a separate espresso machine and grinder, plus the saving of a plug socket, you’re fine with a single-boiler workflow and the fact that you’ll need to tweak the grind once the machine fully heats up, then the Lelit Kate may be perfect for you. 

There’s no massive benefit to the grinder being integrated; there’s no money-saving vs the Victoria & Fred Prima. In fact, the Kate is about £20 more in the UK at RRP, so I can’t see masses of people rushing to buy this, to be perfectly honest.

Not that it’s not a good machine, just that I can’t see the clear benefit here in going for the integrated version vs the separates.

Bottom line: the Lelit Kate is a very capable but quite niche machine. It makes sense if you really want the Victoria experience with a built-in grinder. But for most people, I’d probably go for the Victoria with a separate grinder instead.

Let me know what you think by clicking “leave a reply” below. Do you fancy the Kate, or would you rather save a bit of money and go for the Victoria with a separate grinder, upgrading the grinder as and when?

The post Lelit Kate Review: Victoria With a Built-In Grinder? appeared first on Coffee Blog.

But there are many other options these days, and I don’t review machines in a vacuum. In this updated Barista Express review, as well as clarifying exactly what the Express is (and is not), whether it’s still a valid choice in 2026, and how it compares to the various popular alternatives I’ve tested in recent years.

But I should probably introduce myself first….

I’m Kev, my full name is Coffee Kev. I’ve spent over a decade using & testing just about every home coffee machine I can get my hands on, and producing content here on CoffeeBlog, CoffeeKev.com, for our coffee-loving cousins across the pond, and on the CoffeeKev YouTube channel. I’m also the founder & head of coffee at Cworks, where we sell very freshly roasted coffee beans made for people using home coffee machines just like the Barista Express. 

My reviews are 100% independent, so if you’re looking for thinly disguised marketing drivel, sorry to disappoint you!

If you’re looking for a completely honest Barista Express review, though, written in a way to help you decide which machine may be the perfect choice for you if this isn’t it, you’ve come to the right place.

Quick Menu

• What Is the Barista Express?
• Why Is the Barista Express Regarded as Convenient?
• Who Is It For?
• Price
• Specs
• Video Review
• My Observations
• Espresso Performance
• Steam Wand & Milk Texturing
• The Grinder
• Workflow & Ease of Use
• Test Results
• Tips for Getting the Best From It
• What I Like
• What I Don’t Like
• Alternatives
• Final Verdict

What Is the Sage Barista Express?

The Barista Express is a traditional portafilter espresso machine with an integrated grinder.

It’s a proper espresso machine; it’s not a bean-to-cup machine, nor an “in-between” machine. It’s literally a traditional espresso machine with a built-in grinder. 

That’s an important distinction, because the kind of people who’ll love the Barista Express is very different from the person who just wants to press one button and get coffee with as little involvement as possible.

You still grind into the portafilter, tamp manually, lock the portafilter into the group, pull the shot, steam your own milk, and knock out the puck afterwards. The grinder being built into the machine saves a bit of space, frees up a plug socket, and keeps everything in one tidy unit. 

Why Is the Barista Express Regarded as Convenient?

The convenience factor with the Barista Express comes from the choice of water heater.

Instead of a traditional boiler, a heat exchanger (a pipe running through the main boiler, heating the brew water) or a dual boiler, Sage chose to use a thermocoil. 

This is a type of on-demand water heater similar to those used in automatic, bean-to-cup coffee machines. They heat up very quickly, and they cool quickly too, which makes the workflow more convenient. 

With the Barista Express, you can walk up to a completely cold machine, turn it on, and walk away with a couple of cappuccinos within a few minutes, just as you can with a bean-to-cup coffee machine, but in this case, you’re making true, cafe-quality espresso!

Who Is It For?

The Barista Express is for people who want true espresso at home, at a reasonable investment, with a convenient workflow, and ideally for those using freshly roasted blends. The Barista Express will cope with single origins, but expect more tweaking, and possibly more swearing…

If you’ve ever wondered what an “espresso blend” is, and why coffee shops tend to pick these as the “house” coffee, it’s a combination of crowd-pleasing flavour and being more forgiving, requiring less effort to stay dialled in throughout a busy shift.

What makes them forgiving is that they’re usually a mix of lower-grown Arabica beans and Robusta, which generally makes them easier to dial in and less fussy from shot to shot. So if you’re finding home espresso frustrating & you’re mainly choosing single origins, just try freshly roasted blends, and you should find your mornings are less stressful!

The Barista Express is also for people who like having control over the process and are happy to learn a bit as they go. The convenience doesn’t extend into the espresso-making itself; there’s no assistance or automation. 

If you want a machine to take over some of the process, you’d be better off looking at something like the Barista Express Impress, the Barista Touch Impress, or even a bean-to-cup machine, depending on where you stand on the cup-quality vs. convenience scale.

This is really the key thing to understand with the Barista Express. It’s convenient for the workflow (meaning heat-up time, steam-ready time, recovery time after steaming). Where the espresso-making and milk-steaming process is concerned, it’s not difficult for the sake of it, but it does expect you to participate.

Sage Barista Express Price & Discounts

SAVE £229£629 Now £399 on Sage including my 20% OFF codeCheck price on Amazon

At full RRP, the Barista Express can look a bit pricey compared to some cheaper integrated grinder machines that have appeared over the past few years, but in most cases, we’re not comparing apples to apples.

It may be quite simple to replicate the Barista Express in marketing blurb, but in reality, I’ve never seen a cheaper Barista Express Alternative that isn’t significantly below par vs the OG.

The Barista Express is also one of those machines that are often on offer, so I wouldn’t necessarily judge it purely by the headline RRP.

Barista Express Specifications

• Price: £629 Now £437 on Sage including my 12.5% OFF code
• Integrated grinder with 18 external grind settings and internal burr adjustment
• Original Sage thermocoil water heater
• Approx. 30-second heat-up time
• 54mm portafilter
• Single-wall and dual-wall baskets included
• PID temperature control
• Adjustable brew temperature
• Low-pressure pre-infusion
• 9 bar OPV on current models
• 3-way solenoid valve
• 2 litre water tank
• Hot water spout
• Manual steam wand with single-hole steam tip
• Pressure gauge
• Integrated tamper with magnetic storage slot
• Storage compartment behind the drip tray

Barista Express Video Review

My Observations

The reason the Barista Express has lasted this long isn’t hype. It’s because, as well as the convenient workflow, Sage got the fundamentals right very early on, and a lot of competitors still haven’t really caught up at this price point.

In fact, when it comes to similarly priced or cheaper machines from competing brands, I’ve never seen a true competitor to the Barista Express. They all tend to fall down quite quickly once you look beyond the marketing buzzwords. 

It isn’t the newest machine, and it doesn’t have the fastest heater in Sage’s espresso machine range, the fanciest screen, auto milk frothing, grind guidance, or any of the other newer “look at me” features.

However, it does have the things that actually help you make good espresso: proper brew pressure, temperature stability, low-pressure pre-infusion, a 3-way solenoid, and a grinder that is still better than most in cheaper rival machines.

That’s really the story of the Barista Express. It’s not trying to impress you with gimmicks. It’s just trying to help you make proper espresso at home.

And it still does that remarkably well, and conveniently vs more traditional machines given the comparatively fast heating thermocoil.

Espresso Performance

The Barista Express was designed to make true, portafilter espresso accessible and convenient for home users, at a time when home espresso was far less accessible. The entire home espresso industry has the Barista Express to thank for opening up this market to a much wider audience. 

As I’ve mentioned, the convenience comes from the choice of the water heater, plus everything being in one neat unit and sharing just one plug.

The espresso quality, however, comes from Sage focusing on the espresso fundamentals:

• PID Temperature Control: Better shot-to-shot consistency
• 9 bar OPV: Limits the pressure in the basket, makes dialling in slightly easier
• Grinder Quality: One of the best you’ll find in integrated grinder machines
• Low-Pressure Preinfusion: Reduces channelling-related issues

It’s a real espresso machine that makes real espresso and espresso-based coffees. There’s really nothing magic about it; they’ve just completely nailed the espresso fundamentals, and they’ve done some smart stuff to make it more convenient to use than a traditional espresso setup.

It does have limitations, and these are largely down to the grinder. It’s really designed for forgiving blends; it’s capable of good results with single origins too, but you may experience the limitations of not being able to adjust the grind as fine as you need to, and the grinder not having the grunt to plough through denser beans. 

The other thing to keep in mind is the factory pre-set shot volumes. Re-programming the shot buttons isn’t a neat feature you might find useful; it’s an absolute necessity, unless you’re only pulling manual shots, which you can also do.

The volume deals with how much water is pumped, but the puck itself determines how much is stored and therefore how much espresso is delivered. Brew Ratio is one of the most important parts of the espresso recipe, and espresso volume is key to ratio. 

As a rule of thumb, you’d be resetting the double-shot button to deliver approx. 36g, and you’d want to re-set it each time you adjust the grind size.

Steam Wand & Milk Texturing

The steam wand on the Barista Express is one of the reasons I still recommend it so often to people who want to learn proper milk texturing.

It’s not the fastest wand in the world. In fact, the single-hole tip is slower than the four-hole tip on the Barista Pro and Bambino Plus. But that slower steaming is actually part of what makes it a good machine to learn on. It gives you a bit more time during the aeration phase, making it more forgiving.

So if your goal is flat whites, lattes, cappuccinos, and learning to steam silky microfoam rather than just making vaguely hot milk with bubbles, the Barista Express is a great starting point.

And once you get the hang of it, it’s capable of really lovely milk texture.

The Grinder

The grinder in the Barista Express is better than many people give it credit for. Yes, it has limitations, as do all integrated grinders, but if you’re using forgiving blends, you probably won’t often bump into these limitations.

It has a quick-release, locking hopper that makes it quick & easy to switch beans; good-quality conical burrs, a very robust burr carrier, and a Sage exclusive feature in the form of internal burr adjustment.

This means that if you find you can’t quite grind fine enough, because it came from the factory slightly coarser than usual (it happens) or because the burrs wear over time (also happens, although you do have to grind a lot of coffee to see any burr wear), you just take the top burr off and drop the internal setting a notch finer. 

Don’t just go in and whack the internal grind setting to 1, though, as I know some people have done. Find your zero point first, as I explain in this video:

The grinder also has failsafes to prevent serious damage to the grinder:

• Slipper Clutch: Similar to those used on cordless drills, kicks in when the motor tries to deliver too much torque.
• Nyon Gears: If the clutch doesn’t kick in & the torque gets too high, the (£10) gears strip, preventing pricier damage 

This mainly prevents damage if the burrs encounter a stone, although you may find that some denser, lighter-roast espresso coffee beans can be mistaken by these failsafes for stones. This wouldn’t usually happen with espresso blends. 

Stones and bits of drying patio do sometimes come over in sacks of coffee, and the occasional one will make its way through all the steps in place to prevent them from ending up in your bag. James Hoffmann published a really interesting video on this recently, which is well worth watching.

As I’ve said, it has limitations, as all integrated grinder machines do, and more than the Barista Pro due to the fixed, relatively large grinding steps. 

In reality, the Barista Express is aimed at more forgiving espresso blends. If you’re happy with that, then the 18-step grind settings on the Barista Express are probably going to work out fine.

If you’re mainly interested in single origins and have your heart set on espresso from medium roasts or even lighter roasts, the Barista Pro with its stepless adjustment is likely to be a better fit. Just keep in mind that all integrated grinder machines, including the Barista Pro, are somewhat limited with lighter roasts.

Workflow & Ease of Use

As I’ve mentioned a couple of times, what’s special about the Barista Express is the workflow convenience delivered by the thermocoil water heater. 

When the Barista Express was first released, home machines were either auto bean-to-cup machines (with thermoblock heaters) or single-boiler espresso machines, like the Gaggia Classic & Rancilio Silvia, paired with a separate coffee grinder. 

Sage cleverly combined a thermocoil (similar to a thermoblock) heater with a machine with all the aforementioned espresso fundamentals to produce a much more convenient option for true portafilter espresso at home. 

Because it’s thought of as convenient, though, it’s often misunderstood to be a bean-to-cup coffee machine or to be a partly assisted espresso machine. If you were expecting the Barista Express to behave like a push-button bean-to-cup, you may be disappointed. 

You still need to grind, tamp, lock in, pull the shot, steam the milk, and clean up after yourself.

If this sounds like an enjoyable part of the home espresso ritual, as it is for many, then brilliant. If that sounds like a pain in the backside, you probably want a different kind of machine.

In addition to the thermocoil, other clever features lead to convenient workflow:

Magnetic Tamper Slot: You’ll always know where the tamper is, as long as you put it back in its home. 
Dose Marker: If the silver strip on the side of the tamper is flush with the top of the basket; your dose volume is perfect.
Big Drip Tray: You won’t need to constantly empty the drip tray, unlike with some machines (Ninja Luxe, Bambino Plus).
Handy Storage Space: There’s a storage compartment behind the drip tray. Sage really does think of everything!
Dedicated Hot Water Spout: Handy for Americano.

You can tell that Sage (well, Breville Group, known by the Sage brand in Europe) are the kind of folk who actually use their own machines. 

Test Results

• Heat-up time: roughly 30 seconds
• Steam ready after pulling a shot: around 10–12 seconds
• Shot ready after steaming: around 10 seconds, after cooling purge
• Milk steaming time: roughly 1 minute 20 seconds to steam about 170ml of milk to 60°C
• Brew temperature adjustment: 5 settings, approx. 91–95°C

It isn’t the fastest machine in Sage’s range anymore, but it’s still quick enough that I don’t think most people will feel like they’re waiting around ages for it.

Tips for Getting the Best From Your Barista Express

Use the Razor Tool

The Razor tool is one of those accessories that loads of people chuck in a drawer and forget about, which is a shame because it’s actually really clever.

It helps keep your headspace consistent by trimming the puck to the right height after tamping, and that can make the whole workflow a lot more repeatable.

Another really handy little tip, something most people don’t realise; the silver strip around the tamper is the same height as the razor tool blade, so if it’s flush with the rim of the basket your dose volume is perfect.

Properly Preheat

Yes, the machine says it’s ready quickly, but that doesn’t mean the group, portafilter, and cup are properly warm. A short flush before brewing helps a lot, especially in terms of preventing your first shot from being the warm-up shot. If you put the dual-walled basket in the portafilter, this is what I call a “Turbo Flush”, as it pre-heats at full brew temperature.

Use Espresso Blends.

The Sage Barista Express, and most other integrated grinder machines, will get on better with more forgiving beans, and the most forgiving coffee beans are espresso blends made using low-density, lower-grown Arabica and Robusta.

The Barista Express can make lovely coffee, but if you’re looking for an easy ride, you’re better off with medium- to dark-roast espresso blends.

Don’t Fill the Hopper Right Up

Just because the hopper will hold a full bag doesn’t mean you should fill it. Hoppers were designed to feed burrs, not for long-term bean storage. 

Beans react differently depending on their state, which changes with the room environment. Hoppers aren’t air-tight, and they give very little protection against temp swings throughout the day. 

Put simply, beans stored in the hopper for longer periods will be more subject to change & you’re more likely to have to put in more dialling in effort.

Purge Steam Before and After Steaming

Before steaming milk, instead of just a short purge to discharge condensation, allow the pressure to build with a 10-20-second purge. Stop the steam when the pressure is steady, insert the wand tip into the milk jug, then begin steaming.

Purging the wand after steaming is just basic steam-wand hygiene to prevent dried milk from turning into a horrible little dairy fossil on the wand. If you don’t think this is crucial, purposely don’t do it, and then steam some water in a glass, and watch the little milk steam rings, it’ll change your mind ;-).

What I Like

• Still one of the best integrated grinder espresso machines for the money
• Proper espresso fundamentals: PID, low-pressure pre-infusion, 9 bar OPV, 3-way solenoid
• It has a pressure gauge, not crucial but it can be helpful, although it would be more helpful with bar markings
• The grinder is better than most rivals in this price range
• Very good machine to learn milk texturing on
• Big, practical drip tray
• The hot water spout is genuinely useful
• Magnetic tamper slot is a classic little Sage touch
• Very good warranty support and parts/repair ecosystem compared with many rivals

What I Don’t Like

• • The grinder steps are quite wide compared with newer machines (not really a massive deal with forgiving beans)
  • No shot timer
  • Steam is slower than the Barista Pro/Bambino Plus
  • No bar markings on the pressure gauge
  • It still gets mistaken for a bean-to-cup machine, which leads some people to buy the wrong machine for their needs

Sage Barista Express Best Alternatives

You’ll notice that I’m not including similarly priced and cheaper alternatives to the Barista Express that you’ll see popping up, which look very similar but have various different brand names, and there’s a good reason for this: I’ve tried them.

While Sage’s goal with the Barista Express is to make true cafe-quality espresso accessible to home users, the goal of most seemingly similar yet cheaper machines is to appear on par with the Barista Express.

In every case when I’ve tested machines like this, this goal has been achieved, meaning they’ve made the machine appear to compete with the Express in marketing blurb, but this is as close as they usually come. So far, these brands have never nailed the espresso fundamentals. 

Even De’Longhi, the biggest coffee machine manufacturer in the world, in my opinion, hasn’t come close to competing with the Barista Express with their La Specialista machines, to the point that I’d even consider them valid alternatives.

Sage Barista Pro

SAVE £204£729 Now £524 on Sage including my 12.5% OFF codeSAVE £130£599 on Amazon

If you want a faster machine with the newer ThermoJet heater, a four-hole steam tip, more grind adjustment, and an LCD shot timer, the Barista Pro is the main step up. Read my full Sage Barista Pro review→

Sage Barista Express vs Barista Pro: Comparison Table

Sage Bambino Plus + Smart Grinder Pro

If you like the idea of the Barista Express, but you’re wondering whether you’d be better off with a separate grinder and espresso machine setup, the obvious Sage alternative is the Bambino Plus paired with the Smart Grinder Pro.

The Barista Express keeps everything in one tidy box: grinder, espresso machine, steam wand, hot water spout, pressure gauge, the lot. It’s a brilliant “all-in-one but still manual” machine, and for many people, that’s exactly the appeal. Less counter clutter, one plug, one machine, one workflow.

The Bambino Plus + Smart Grinder Pro route is slightly different. You’re still doing the same proper espresso workflow: grinding, dosing, tamping, brewing, and steaming,  but you’ve split the grinder and machine into two separate units. That gives you a bit more flexibility, especially if you later decide to upgrade the grinder, change your workflow, or move towards single-dosing.

Barista Express vs. Bambino Plus + Smart Grinder Pro: Comparison Table

My Take

The Barista Express is still the cleaner, simpler choice if you want everything built into one machine. It looks neat, the workflow is logical, and for many people, it’s the easiest way to get into proper home espresso without buying a separate grinder from day one.

The Bambino Plus + Smart Grinder Pro setup makes more sense if you already know you like the idea of separate equipment. The Bambino Plus is faster, smaller, and more convenient for milk drinks thanks to auto steaming, while the Smart Grinder Pro gives you a dedicated grinder that can be upgraded later if you fall further down the espresso rabbit hole.

So, which would I choose? If you want the tidiest all-in-one setup, go for the Barista Express. If you want a more flexible route into the separate grinder + espresso machine world, the Bambino Plus + Smart Grinder Pro is the smarter alternative.

Sage Barista Express Impress

SAVE £91£729 Now £638 on Sage including my 12.5% OFF code Now £714 on Amazon

If you’re looking at the Sage Barista Express, the obvious question is whether you should spend a bit more and go for the Barista Express Impress instead.

In simple terms, the Barista Express is the more traditional option. You grind, dose, tamp, pull the shot, steam the milk, and learn the workflow properly. The Express Impress is very similar at its core, but adds Sage’s Impress Puck System, which helps with two of the trickiest beginner areas: dosing and tamping.

That doesn’t make the Express Impress a bean-to-cup machine. You still use a portafilter, you still steam milk manually, and you still have to understand the basics of espresso. But it does make fresh-bean espresso more forgiving, especially if you’re new to using standard single-wall baskets. Read my full Sage Barista Express Impress review→

Sage Barista Express vs. Sage Barista Express Impress: Comparison Table

My Take

The Barista Express is the better choice if you actually want to learn the traditional espresso workflow. You’ll get a better understanding of dosing, tamping, shot timing, yield, and how everything affects the cup. It asks more of you, but that’s also what makes it such a good learning machine.

The Barista Express Impress is the better choice if you want the same general style of machine, but with less faff and fewer bad shots at the start. The assisted-dose feedback and tamp lever make a real difference for beginners, especially when you’re using freshly roasted beans and single-wall baskets.

What I like about the Express Impress is that it doesn’t completely remove the home-barista side of things. You can let it help when you’re in a rush, or you can still go more manual when you want to play with scales, shot ratios, WDT tools, and all the usual coffee nerd stuff.

So, which should you buy?

If you’re excited about learning to make espresso properly and want the best value, go for the Barista Express.

If you want fresh-bean espresso but you’d rather the machine take some of the guesswork out of dosing and tamping, the Barista Express Impress is probably the smarter choice.

Final Verdict

The Sage Barista Express is still absolutely worth considering in 2026.

In fact, if what you want is a proper integrated grinder espresso machine, and you care more about espresso quality than gimmicks, it remains one of the safest and smartest buys on the market.

It’s not the fastest. It’s not the most modern-looking. It doesn’t hold your hand. But it still gets the important stuff right, and that’s why it’s lasted. 

Who is it for? Someone who wants to get into proper home espresso, likes the idea of learning a bit, and wants great value in an all-in-one traditional setup.

Who is it not for? Someone who wants a more assisted workflow, less mess, and less learning curve. If that’s you, the Barista Express Impress will probably suit you better.

The post Sage Barista Express: Is the OG Home Coffee Machine Still Worth It in 2026? appeared first on Coffee Blog.

It’s based on the hugely popular Sage Barista Express, but with the addition of Sage’s Puck Impress System, which significantly reduces the learning curve by assisting with dosing and tamping.

If it’s your first time here, Hi! I’m Kev (full name Coffee Kev), and I’ve spent the past decade testing almost every home espresso machine ever released in the UK. It started purely as a hobby and got way out of hand ;-).

You can find me here on CoffeeBlog, watch my reviews on the CoffeeKev YouTube channel, and you probably should buy my freshly roasted coffee beans from Cworks.

In case you were wondering, my reviews are 100% independent, and I’ve never done a sponsored review.  If the Barista Express Impress was just a gimmicky Barista Express with a lever stuck on the front, I’d tell you. But in my opinion, it’s WAY more useful than that, especially for people who want proper, fresh-bean espresso without quite as much early frustration.

What the Express Impress does is reduce the learning curve. It doesn’t remove the home-barista workflow, but it does make the most inconsistent part of that workflow much easier to repeat.

If you’re new to home espresso using fresh beans, and you don’t want to spend the first few weeks making wildly different shots from one attempt to the next, this machine makes a lot of sense.

In this review, I’ll explain exactly what the Barista Express Impress is, who it’s for, what the Impress Puck System actually does, how it compares with the regular Barista Express, and whether newer rivals like the Ninja Luxe Café Pro 701 and Meraki Gen 2 change the equation.

Quick Menu

• What Is the Barista Express Impress?
• Who Is It For?
• Price
• Specs
• Video Review
• My Observations
• The Impress Puck System
• Espresso Performance
• Steam Wand & Milk Texturing
• The Grinder
• Workflow & Ease of Use
• Test Results
• Tips for Getting the Best From It
• What I Like
• What I Don’t Like
• Alternatives
• Final Verdict

What Is the Sage Barista Express Impress?

The Barista Express Impress is a traditional portafilter espresso machine with an integrated grinder and assisted puck preparation.

It isn’t an automatic bean-to-cup machine, and it isn’t a one-touch cappuccino machine.  It’s a “proper” espresso machine; you’re still grinding fresh coffee into a portafilter, locking it into the group, pulling the shot, steaming milk, and knocking out the puck afterwards.

The difference is that the machine helps with the dose and tamp, the main parts of the learning curve that can genuinely be reduced by the machine.  So you’re paying a bit more (about £100 more than the Barista Express) for the stuff that really makes the process earlier.

The grinder doses into the portafilter, the Impress lever tamps the coffee consistently, and the machine gives feedback on whether you need a little more or a little less coffee next time.

That’s the whole point of the Express Impress. It gives you the same broad idea as the Barista Express, but with a big chunk of the beginner inconsistency removed.

Who Is It For?

The Barista Express Impress is for people who want proper, fresh-bean espresso from a portafilter machine but don’t necessarily want to battle the full manual learning curve from day one.

If you like the idea of using fresh espresso beans and standard single-wall baskets, but you’re worried about dosing, tamping, mess, and inconsistency, this is exactly the kind of people Sage had in mind.

It’s also for people who want to spend no more than they absolutely have to, since the Express Impress is on the right side of the point of diminishing returns. 

You’re paying an extra £100 vs the Barista Express for real meaningful assistance, vs nearly £600 more for the same assistance plus a few other “nice” but not exactly “necessary” features, with the Touch Impress.

It’s also a very good “mixed household” machine. One person might want to get geeky with shot ratios, scales, and grind tweaks on the weekend, while someone else just wants a decent flat white in the morning without turning the kitchen into a coffee lab. The Express Impress can work for both types of users better than the original Barista Express.

It’s not for someone who wants one-button convenience. If you want to press cappuccino and walk away, you’re looking at the wrong type of machine, and you should probably be reading my Best Bean-to-Cup Coffee Machines review instead. 

But if you want to be involved in the process up to a point, but you want some assistance where it really counts, without paying over the top for flashy stuff that you probably don’t need, the Express Impress makes a lot of sense.

Sage Barista Express Impress Price & Discounts

SAVE £91£729 Now £638 on Sage including my 12.5% OFF code Now £714 on Amazon

At full RRP, the Barista Express Impress can look expensive compared with the regular Barista Express, especially if you’re already comfortable dosing and tamping manually. But that isn’t really the person this machine is aimed at.

The value depends on how much you’ll benefit from the assistance. If the Impress Puck System helps you get better results sooner, wastes fewer beans, reduces mess, and makes the machine more usable for the whole household, then the price jump over the regular Barista Express is much easier to justify.

As with most Sage machines, I wouldn’t judge it purely by RRP. It’s often worth checking current discounts before deciding which of the Express, Express Impress, or Barista Pro makes the most sense.

Sage Barista Express Impress Specifications

• Price: £729 Now £638 on Sage including my 12.5% OFF code
• Machine type: Barista-assisted, integrated grinder, traditional portafilter espresso machine
• Integrated grinder: Conical burr grinder with 18 external grind settings and internal burr adjustment
• Impress Puck System: Assisted dosing, assisted tamping, dose feedback lights
• Water heater: Original Sage thermocoil
• Heat-up time: Approx. 30 seconds
• Portafilter: 54mm
• Baskets: Single-wall and dual-wall baskets included
• Temperature control: PID-controlled brew temperature
• Brew temperature: Adjustable hotter/cooler steps
• Pre-infusion: Low-pressure pre-infusion
• Pump: 15-bar vibration pump with 9-bar OPV on current models
• Valve: 3-way solenoid valve
• Water tank: 2 litre removable tank
• Hot water: Dedicated hot water spout
• Steam wand: Manual pro-style steam wand with single-hole tip
• Display: Physical buttons and dose feedback indicators
• Pressure gauge: Yes
• Storage: Internal storage behind the drip tray

Barista Express Impress Video Review

My Observations

If the original Barista Express is the “entry ticket” into the home-barista world, the Barista Express Impress is the version that sneaks you in past most of the queue.

You still get a real portafilter machine with a proper grinder and standard baskets, but the Impress Puck System quietly takes over two of the most important and most easily messed-up jobs: how much coffee goes in, and how it’s tamped.

Usually, with fresh beans and single-wall baskets, you’d have to juggle grind size, dose weight, tamp pressure, shot time, and yield. All of those can go wrong in different ways. With the Express Impress, you still need to dial in the grind and pay attention to shot timing and taste, but the machine makes dose and tamp much more repeatable.

That’s the important bit. It doesn’t make espresso effortless, but it makes it more consistent. And consistency is what beginners struggle with most.

Compared with the regular Barista Express, the cup potential is basically the same. Same broad grinder setup, same thermocoil, same 54mm portafilter, same low-pressure pre-infusion, same general espresso fundamentals. The difference is the workflow.

The Express Impress is much more approachable for beginners, partners, or anyone who just doesn’t want to think about tamp pressure before 8am.

The Impress Puck System

The main reason to buy the Barista Express Impress instead of the regular Barista Express is the Impress Puck System.

It does three main things:

• Assisted dosing: The machine learns how much coffee to grind into the basket.
• Assisted tamping: The lever gives you a more consistent tamp.
• Dose feedback: Lights tell you whether you need more or less coffee next time.

It might not sound like much, but dose and tamp are two of the biggest sources of inconsistency when people first start making espresso with fresh beans and standard baskets.

With the regular Barista Express, you’re judging the dose, distribution, and tamp yourself. With the Express Impress, the machine does much more to keep that part of the workflow stable. You still need to adjust the grind size when the shot runs too fast or too slow, but you’re not also fighting an inconsistent dose and tamp every time.

What I really like is that the system isn’t a prison. You can let the machine help when you’re in a rush, or you can still get geeky with scales, shot ratios, WDT tools, and manual tweaking when you want to.

That’s why I think of it as a proper “in-between” machine. It helps, but it doesn’t completely remove the home-barista workflow.

Espresso Performance

The Barista Express Impress has very similar espresso potential to the regular Barista Express, which is good news, because the Barista Express has remained popular for so long for a reason.

Use freshly roasted coffee beans that are forgiving for espresso (more on this shortly), get the grind size and brew ratio roughly dialled in, and the Express Impress can produce genuinely good home espresso.

The key difference is that it’s easier for beginners to get to this point and stay there, by keeping dose volume and tamp pressure consistent, two very important variables that are remarkably easy to mess up.

With dose & tamping taken care of, the important variables you really need to keep in check manually are shot time (via grind size) and ratio (via shot weight/volume). This is really quite straightforward once you wrap your head around it.

• Shot Time: See my Brew Guides for all the cworks recipes, but you’d usually be aiming to get your desired ratio in around *25-30  seconds from pressing the shot button.
• Brew Ratio: Usually around 1:2. Double the espresso weight vs the weight of the ground coffee used for the shot.

*Shot time is only relevant for single-walled baskets. Ignore shot time and focus purely on taste if you’re using the dual-walled baskets.

I mentioned “forgiving” coffee beans. Some beans are easier than others to dial in and to stay dialled in. The most forgiving beans for espresso are espresso blends. I say “espresso blends”, by the way, because not all blends are forgiving.

At Cworks, our best-selling blends like Chocolate Brownie Blend, Chocolate Fondant Blend & Classic Italian Blend, are designed to be easy-going & forgiving. Fruit & Nut blend, on the other hand, is a blend of two high-quality single origins, which is delightful once dialled in, but it’s way more challenging for home setups and beginner home barista skills.

High-quality single-origin coffee beans can be a pain! If you’re experiencing issues like one shot tastes great, the next shot tastes truly awful, if you’re using a decent quality single origin, just be aware that this goes with the territory.

If you ever wonder why some folks who really catch the home barista bug end up spending thousands on high-end setups, it’s not just so they can flex, it’s because this (and well-honed barista skills) is what it takes to acheive shot to shot concistency with high-quality single origins.

The simple solution is to go for freshly roasted espresso blends. These kinds of beans will deliver the kind of espresso most people are actually seeking, too. 

Steam Wand & Milk Texturing

The Barista Express Impress uses a manual pro-style steam wand, just like the regular Barista Express.

This is not auto milk frothing. If you want the machine to texture the milk for you, you’ll need to look at something like the Barista Touch Impress, Bambino Plus, or Ninja Luxe Café Pro 701.

That said, the steam wand can produce proper microfoam once you learn the technique. It uses a single-hole steam tip, so it isn’t the fastest steaming machine in the Sage range, but that slower steam can be quite forgiving for beginners.

If you want to learn how to make flat whites, lattes, and cappuccinos properly, this is a good way to learn. If you want fast, automatic milk while you get on with something else, it won’t be the right fit.

That’s the important distinction. The Express Impress helps with espresso prep, not milk prep.

The Grinder

The built-in grinder is broadly similar to the one in the regular Barista Express, with 18 external grind settings and internal burr adjustment.

That means the same pros and cons apply. It’s convenient, compact, and good enough to get you into proper espresso territory with fresh beans, but it isn’t as flexible as a high-end standalone grinder.

The external steps are quite wide compared with dedicated espresso grinders, so you won’t always be able to absolutely nail every coffee, which is one of the reasons that more forgiving espresso blends are better suited. For most people, using freshly roasted espresso blends, the grinder does the job fairly well.

The internal adjustment is useful if you find you’re in the finest external setting and still need to go finer. I wouldn’t mess with it for the sake of it, though. Leave it alone unless you actually need the extra range.

The Barista Express Impress doesn’t assist with grind size in the same way that the Barista Express Impress, Oracle Jet, and Ninja Luxe Café Pro 701 do. So you’re on your own when it comes to working out the right grind size.

This is simply a case of grinding finer if the shot ran too fast (under 25 seconds) and grinding coarser if it ran too slow (over 30 seconds), so it’s hardly rocket science.

Also, the assistance the aforementioned machines give is really not all that useful. Sage’s barista assistance simply tells you what you already know (that you need to grind coarser or finer). The Ninja Luxe does a much better job in theory, as it guesstimates the actual grind size needed, but it’s usually quite hit & miss. 

Workflow & Ease of Use

This is where the Barista Express Impress makes its strongest case.

The workflow is still traditional: grind, tamp, lock in, brew, steam. But the grinding and tamping stage is easier & more convenient than with the regular Barista Express.

You grind into the portafilter, use the lever to tamp, and the machine gives feedback on whether the dose needs adjusting. Once it has learned the dose, the process becomes much more repeatable.

For busy mornings, that’s genuinely useful. You’re not weighing every dose, worrying about tamp pressure, brushing coffee grounds everywhere, and wondering if you’ve just ruined the shot before you’ve even started brewing.

For me, that’s the appeal. It’s assisted, not automated. It makes proper espresso easier to live with, without turning it into bean-to-cup coffee.

You don’t have to use it in the ultra-convenient mode when you have more time. For example, at weekends, if you have more time, you can put it into manual mode, dose, WDT, manually tamp, whatever you like. Then on Monday morning, just whack it in assisted mode and let it aid you while you’re thinking about not burning your toast and finding your car keys.

Test Results

• Heat-up time: Roughly 30 seconds
• Water heater: Original Sage thermocoil
• Steam system: Manual single-hole steam wand
• Grinder adjustment: 18 external settings plus internal burr adjustment
• Brew temperature: PID controlled with hotter/cooler adjustment steps
• Puck prep: Assisted dosing and assisted tamping

In day-to-day use, the Express Impress feels very similar to the Barista Express in terms of heat-up, steaming, and general espresso performance. The big difference is the puck-prep stage, where the Impress system makes the workflow feel much more guided and repeatable.

Tips for Getting the Best From Your Barista Express Impress

Don’t Treat It Like a Bean-to-Cup Machine

The Express Impress helps with dosing and tamping, but it doesn’t remove the need to understand espresso basics. You’ll still need to adjust the grind if the shot runs too fast or too slow, and you’ll still get better results with good, freshly roasted beans.

Use Fresh Roast Forgiving Espresso Blends

If you’re new to espresso, I’d strongly suggest starting with medium-dark roast blends. Fresh roast single origins can be great, but they can also be more of a pain to dial in consistently.

Let the Impress System Learn

Give the machine some time to settle into the dose. The first few shots may require feedback and adjustment, but once it has learned the right dose for your chosen grind and beans, the workflow becomes much more consistent.

Still Pay Attention to Shot Time and Taste

The dosing help is useful, but it doesn’t replace your palate. If the shot tastes sour and runs too quickly, grind finer. If it tastes harsh, bitter, and barely flows, grind coarser. The machine helps with puck prep, but you’re still in charge of dialling in.

Don’t Fill the Hopper Right Up

Just because the hopper can hold a lot of beans doesn’t mean you should leave a full bag sitting in there for days. Keep most of your beans in airtight storage and only put in what you’ll use in the short term.

This genuinely helps with consistency. The more you allow your beans to change with the ever-changing room temperature & humidity, the more issues you’re likely to have with espresso consistency.

Heat it up properly

If you pull the first shot as soon as the thermoblock heater is ready, you may find that the second shot is different, simply because the first shot was basically the warm-up shot. 

Simply mimic the warm-up shot by going through the motions of making an espresso, but without coffee in the basket, to warm up the group, the portafilter and the cup. Bonus tip: Do this with the dual-walled basket in place, to do your warm-up flush at full brew temperature, what I refer to as a turbo flush.

Practise the Milk Separately

The Impress system helps with espresso prep, but milk is still manual. If you’re struggling with texture, practise steaming water with a drop of washing-up liquid, or use cheap milk until you get the hang of positioning the wand and controlling aeration.

What I Like

• Reduces the learning curve with fresh beans and single-wall baskets
• Assisted dosing and tamping make the workflow more repeatable
• Same core espresso potential as the regular Barista Express
• Still feels like a proper traditional espresso machine, not an auto bean-to-cup
• Good option for mixed households with different levels of coffee enthusiasm
• You can still go more manual and geeky when you want to
• Proper espresso fundamentals: PID, low-pressure pre-infusion, 9-bar OPV, and 3-way solenoid
• The manual steam wand is capable of very good microfoam once you learn it

What I Don’t Like

• The grinder still has fairly wide steps compared with dedicated espresso grinders
• No auto milk, despite the assisted espresso workflow
• Still thermocoil-based, so it doesn’t feel as fast or modern as ThermoJet machines
• If you already weigh, dose, and tamp confidently, the Impress system may not be worth the extra cost
• It can still be misunderstood as a bean-to-cup machine, which it definitely isn’t

Sage Barista Express Impress Best Alternatives

Sage Barista Express

SAVE £192£629 Now £437 on Sage including my 12.5% OFF codeCheck price on Amazon

The regular Barista Express is the obvious alternative if you like the idea of this machine, but you don’t think you need assisted dosing and tamping.

It has very similar espresso potential but gives you a fully manual puck-prep workflow. That makes it cheaper, more traditional, and arguably better as a pure learning machine. The Express Impress is easier to live with; the Barista Express teaches you more from day one. Read my full Sage Barista Express review →

Barista Express Impress vs Barista Express: Comparison Table

Ninja Luxe Café Pro 701

Check price on Amazon

The Ninja Luxe Café Pro 701 is probably the most obvious non-Sage rival to the Barista Express Impress because it’s also an integrated grinder and a barista-assisted espresso machine with a tamp lever.

But the two machines are aiming at slightly different people. The Express Impress is more espresso-focused. The Ninja is more café-menu focused. It gives you espresso, ristretto, lungo, filter-style coffee, cold-brew-style drinks, cold foam, auto milk, and a lot more hand-holding.

If the Barista Express Impress is for someone who wants to learn to make proper espresso with some help, the Ninja Luxe Café Pro is for someone who wants the widest range of hot and cold café-style drinks with minimal faff. Read my full Ninja Luxe Café review →

Barista Express Impress vs Ninja Luxe Café Pro 701: Comparison Table

Meraki Gen 2

£1,599 on Bella Barista

The Meraki Gen 2 is a very different proposition from the Barista Express Impress. It’s much more expensive, but it also takes the whole “barista-assisted integrated grinder machine” idea much further.

While the Express Impress helps with dosing and tamping, the Meraki offers a more premium workflow: grind-by-weight, stop-by-weight, dual boilers, rotary pump, 58mm heated group, touchscreen workflow, and automatic milk steaming with a temperature probe.

So the Meraki isn’t really a direct budget rival. It’s more like the premium version of the same broad idea: keep the portafilter workflow, but remove a lot of the faff and inconsistency. Read my full Meraki review →

Barista Express Impress vs Meraki Gen 2: Comparison Table

Barista Express Impress vs Ninja Luxe Café Pro 701 vs Meraki Gen 2

Final Verdict

The Sage Barista Express Impress is one of the best options for people who want proper espresso at home, but who don’t want the full manual learning curve of the regular Barista Express from day one.

It keeps the important stuff: fresh beans, portafilter workflow, standard baskets, low-pressure pre-infusion, 9-bar OPV, PID temperature control, and a proper steam wand. But it makes the puck-prep stage much easier by helping with dose and tamp.

Who is it for? Someone who wants fresh-bean espresso wants to use a real portafilter machine but appreciates help with dosing and tamping.

Who is it not for? Someone who wants total one-touch convenience, automatic milk, or the broadest possible drink menu. If that’s you, the Ninja Luxe Café Pro 701 or a bean-to-cup machine may make more sense.

If you already know you want full manual control and you’re happy weighing and tamping everything yourself, the regular Barista Express may be better value.

If you want a much more premium assisted workflow with dual boilers, rotary pump, grind-by-weight, and stop-by-weight, the Meraki Gen 2 is in a different league, but also a completely different price bracket.

For most people shopping for an espresso machine under roughly £700 who want a proper integrated grinder and meaningful assistance rather than gimmicks, the Sage Barista Express Impress is one of the strongest middle-ground machines on the market.

The post Sage Barista Express Impress Review: Real Espresso, Less Frustration appeared first on Coffee Blog.

PID kits, OPV tweaks, low-profile drip trays, better steam wands, pressure gauges, preinfusion mods, timers… half the fun of owning a Classic, for some people, seems to be turning it into a slightly different Classic.

So when I first saw the Gaggia Classic Up, my immediate thought was: have Gaggia finally done what Classic owners have been asking for for years and given us a factory-modded Classic?

Kind of…

If this is your first time here, hello, I’m Kev (Coffee Kev). I run CoffeeBlog.co.uk, the Coffee Kev YouTube channel, and CoffeeKev.com for my coffee-loving cousins in the U.S. I’m also Founder & Director of Coffee at Cworks.co.uk, where we sell very freshly roasted, mega-tasting coffee at sensible prices.

In this article, I’m going to explain what the Gaggia Classic Up is, how it differs from the Gaggia Classic E24, what the new features actually do, who I think it’s for, and whether it makes more sense than buying an E24 and modding it yourself, or going for one of the obvious alternatives.

As with most of my reviews, this article is illustrated with my own YouTube video and my own photos, highlighting specific aspects of the machine as we go.

Quick Navigation

• What Is the Gaggia Classic Up?
• Gaggia Classic E24 vs Classic Up
• What’s New on the Classic Up?
• Features & Specs
• Test Results
• Who Is the Gaggia Classic Up For?
• What I Like
• What I Like Less
• Alternatives & Comparisons
• Verdict

What Is the Gaggia Classic Up?

The Gaggia Classic Up is the latest version of the Gaggia Classic, and although it’s very different in many ways, it is actually based on the newest version of the original Gaggia Classic, the Gaggia Classic E24. 

Gaggia Classic Up

£849 on Amazon£785 at Gaggia with my discount code

Although it has much more modern features, underneath it’s still very much a Gaggia Classic:

• Single boiler
• Compact footprint
• 58mm portafilter
• Vibration pump
• 2L water tank
• Same basic Classic DNA

But Gaggia has added a number of things people have been fitting aftermarket for years, or at least some version of them.

If you’re wondering what the “UP” means, I’m almost certain it means upgrade, although I did mention in the video that I suppose it could also mean the screen is “up there” ;-).

Gaggia Classic E24 vs Classic Up

Before getting into the Up specifically, it helps to understand the E24, because that’s the foundation this espresso machine is built on.

Gaggia Classic E24

£507 at Gaggia with my discount codeCheck price on Amazon

The Gaggia Classic E24 already brought some genuinely sensible changes to the Classic platform:

• All-brass boiler
• Brass group
• No chrome plating
• No non-stick coatings

Generally speaking, I’d say the E24 is the most stable, most common-sense version of the Classic we’ve seen since the original Gaggia Classic launched back in 1991-ish. 

The Classic Up takes that E24 platform and adds more modern features on top. Read my full Gaggia Classic E24 review here. 

What’s New on the Classic Up?

Quite a bit, actually.

And yes, before anyone panics, they’ve kept some of the lovable Classic quirks too.

So no, they haven’t added an obvious LED to make the water tank level easy to see, and yes, the steam wand tip still likes a bit of a drip. I think if they fixed every single Classic irritation in one go, some long-time Gaggia owners would feel cheated ;-).

PID Temperature Control

This is the big one.

The Classic Up has a PID, and that’s one of the most common Classic mods people fit themselves. A PID or P.I.D is a Proportional–Integral–Derivative temperature controller, which means it has a feedback loop so the machine knows when to turn the element on and off to keep it as close to the set temp as possible. 

Many entry-level machines these days are marketed as having PIDs, but be careful, as many brands appear to misunderstand what PID actually means. It’s very common to find any machine with temp control being referred to as having PID control, but it’s only PID control if it’s the algorithmic temperature control with the PID feedback loop. 

Having a PID means that you don’t get the same temperature drifting as with the original classic, and you don’t need to “temperature surf” which is a routine to try to pull your shots at roughly the same temperature each time. You can set your desired shot temperatrue, and be relatively confident that it’ll do as good a job that a small single boiler machine is capable of doing when it comes to temperature stability.

You can adjust the brew temperature in 1°C or 1°F increments from 80–100°C. I’m not sure why anyone would ever set the brew temperature close to 100°C by the way, you’d want around 92-94°C for medium/dark roasts, maybe 95-96°C  for lighter roasts, 90-92°C  for darker roasts.

Flush-Mounted TFT Screen

The Up has a TFT screen flush-mounted on the top of the machine. I think this is quite clever, as it gives you the modern control stuff without making the machine look like they’ve bolted a tablet onto a Gaggia Classic, which is what the PID modded classics can look like. 

It still looks like a Classic, just a more modern one.

The interface is also very intuitive, which matters, because lots of control can end up making things feel way more complicated than they are if the user interface isn’t handled well.

9-Bar OPV

This was already the case in North America, but the Classic Up brings 9-bar OPV to Europe, which is a welcome change.

If you’re not familiar with OPV, it’s an overpressure valve that helps prevent the brew pressure from exceeding the preset. Ultimately, the puck is still in charge because grind size and dose determine puck resistance, but sensibly capping the machine helps.

The classic always had an OPV, but it’s been set higher in the past, and the UP is the first version of the classic in the UK to have a factory pre-set 9 bar OPV.

New Temperature Probe Position

This is one of those details that sounds boring until you realise why it matters.  On the Up, the temperature probe position has been moved to a place on the boiler that produces a more accurate real-time temperature. 

So if you move from an older version and think the Up seems to take longer to heat, or that the temperature drops more when you pull a shot, what’s really happening is that you’re seeing a more accurate picture of what’s actually going on.

Pressure Gauge

The Classic Up has a pressure gauge, but it’s worth understanding what it’s actually showing.

As with the Classic GT, it’s measuring boiler pressure, not a perfectly direct real-time readout of what’s happening at the puck.

So yes, if you see the needle doing odd little things while the machine is idle, that’s normal.

I spoke to Ade at Shades of Coffee about this, because he really knows his stuff, and the explanation makes sense: the gauge may show something close to 9 bar very quickly, while there’s actually still very little pressure yet at the puck. Then, once the shot settles after a few seconds, what the gauge is showing becomes much closer to what’s really happening in the basket.

So I wouldn’t treat it as an ultra-precise brew pressure instrument. What it is useful for, though, is showing you the steam pressure. That means you can basically ignore the steam light and just start steaming when the gauge reaches just under 3 bars.

Adjustable Preinfusion

The Classic Up has three preinfusion settings:

• Min
• Medium
• Max

These alter the preinfusion time and slightly alter the bloom time between preinfusion and full pressure. You can also turn preinfusion off entirely.

And if you change your mind while pulling a shot, you can stop the preinfusion early by pressing the shot button.

That’s a nice little feature to have on a machine at this price point.

Timed Auto-On

You can set the clock and schedule the machine to come on at your preferred time in the morning.

That’s a really handy feature, especially on a machine with a brass group that benefits from being properly warm before the first shot.

The only caveat is this: if someone in your house likes switching sockets off at the wall, you’ll have to set the clock again when the power comes back on. Mildly annoying.

Standby Time Control

You can set standby between 15 and 480 minutes (which is 8 hours, in case you don’t have a calculator nearby), or turn it off altogether.

Again, that’s just nice practical flexibility.

Timed Shot Preset

You can now save a timed shot preset.

That means you hold the shot button to start the shot, stop it where you want it, and the machine remembers the shot time.

Just keep in mind this is a timed shot, not a volumetric shot.

So if you dial in one bean at 25 seconds for, let’s say, a 1:2 ratio, then switch to another bean without changing grind size, a 25-second shot could produce something wildly different. That’s not a flaw, really; it’s just important to understand how timed shots work.

New Portafilter, Tamper & Drip Tray Setup

The Up gets the newer 58mm stainless steel portafilter design you’ll also see on the Classic GT, along with:

• Single and double baskets
• A blank backflushing basket
• A metal tamper

It also comes with two drip tray formats:

• The normal chunkier tray
• A new low-profile drip tray for better cup clearance, especially if you’re using scales

That low-profile tray is a very welcome addition.

It also has a telescopic solenoid exit tube, so the lower tray setup actually works properly rather than just looking like something someone improvised in their shed.

New Articulated Steam Wand

The new steam wand has more movement and is definitely an improvement over the old one. It gives you more flexibility with the steaming position, which is useful.

But, hilariously, the one place you still can’t really get it to point properly is the steam cut-out on the drip tray. Honestly, I think they’ve done this just to wind us up ;-).

Gaggia Classic Up Features & Specs

£849 on Amazon£785 at Gaggia with my discount code

• Price: £849 on Amazon
• Single brass boiler
• Brass group
• PID temperature control
• Adjustable brew temp: 80–100°C / 176–212°F
• 9-bar OPV in Europe and North America
• TFT top-mounted screen
• Pressure gauge
• 3 preinfusion settings + off
• Timed auto-on
• Adjustable standby time
• Timed shot preset
• 58mm stainless steel portafilter
• Single, double and blank baskets
• Metal tamper
• Articulated steam wand
• 2L water tank
• Standard and low-profile drip tray options
• Plastic toggles instead of traditional rocker switches

Test Results

Heat-Up Time

On UK power, I’m finding it takes around 5 minutes and 30 seconds to actually heat up to 94°C.

That said, it has a big brass group, so if you want proper temperature stability for the first shot, you’re still better off setting it to come on around 20–25 minutes before you need it.

Steam Ready Time

Officially, it’s around 50 seconds or so here on UK power, but if you just use the pressure gauge and start steaming just before 3 bars, it’s more like 15–20 seconds.

That’s the more useful real-world number, really.

Shot Ready Again After Steaming

If you run the pump after steaming to cool things back down, it takes about 5 seconds before it’s ready again for the next shot.

Steam Power

I’m finding it takes just under 50 seconds to steam 180ml of milk to 60°C using the stock one-hole tip.

If you swap to a three-hole tip, it’ll probably be a bit quicker.

Noise

Noise-wise, it’s roughly high 40s to low 50s dB from 1m in my testing, so:

• Not the quietest
• Not the loudest

Which is basically what you’d expect. It’s very similar to the E24 because it’s the same kind of pump setup.

Who Is the Gaggia Classic Up For?

I think the Classic Up is mainly for people who like the Gaggia brand and its heritage, and possibly for those who’ve already had a Classic and know what they enjoy about it, but want more modern features without having to do the modding themselves.

If you want the solid, bulletproof, workhorse-style Classic machine but with:

• PID
• Preinfusion
• Auto-on
• Timed shot preset
• More control over standby

…and you’d rather sting yourself with nettles, or do something less painful yet similarly mundane, such as watch paint dry, than start tinkering with internal machine mods, then this is probably for you.

If, on the other hand, you love modding, consider yourself a Gaggia Classic super-user, and enjoy turning a stock machine into your own custom project, then this probably isn’t for you. In fact, I think someone like that could probably turn an E24 into something they’d enjoy more for similar or less money.

And if you’re not remotely fussed about Gaggia’s heritage and have never owned a Classic before, then yes, the Classic Up may still make your shortlist, but I think there’ll be some other very solid machines on it too.

What I Like

From the point of view of the everyday Classic user who wants the Classic experience but doesn’t want to temperature surf and would rather just get on with making coffee, I like most things about this machine.

• The PID is the big one. Better temperature stability without the old-school faff is a proper upgrade.
• Seeing the brew temp as it heats up is genuinely handy.
• The preinfusion settings are a nice addition.
• The timed shot preset is useful as long as you understand what it is.
• Auto-on scheduling is great.
• Standby control is more flexible than a lot of machines at this level.
• The articulated steam wand is definitely better than the older one.
• The low-profile drip tray is very welcome if you use scales.
• The screen placement is clever. You don’t really notice it until you’re standing at the machine.
• The interface is simple, which matters.

Overall, for the people this is actually made for, I think it’s a very well-judged machine.

What I Like Less

Again, from the point of view of the everyday user rather than the hardcore modder, not much.

The Drippy Wand Lives On

Yes, it still has a drippy steam tip. If that sort of thing drives you mad, it’s still here.

You Still Can’t Really See the Water Tank Level

They’ve not exactly made the tank level obvious at a glance, which still feels like one of those slightly daft Gaggia Classic traditions they refuse to let go of.

The Wand / Drip Tray Cut-Out Joke

The articulated wand is better, but the fact that it still won’t conveniently line up with the steam cut-out on the tray is just… classic Gaggia, really.

The Pressure Gauge Isn’t All That Helpful

I’m not convinced the pressure gauge is all that helpful if you’re expecting it to behave like a true, real-time brew pressure gauge. It’s more useful for steam pressure than it is for ultra-precise extraction analysis.

No Steam Temp Display While Heating

You can see the brew temperature as it heats, but not the steam temperature as it climbs. I think it would be helpful if you could.

Clock Resets If You Turn It Off at the Wall

This is probably the most mildly annoying practical thing. If the socket gets switched off at the wall, it loses the clock time, which means redoing your schedule. I’m guessing they simply didn’t put a little backup battery on the board.

The Price May Raise Eyebrows

In the UK, it’s  £849 on Amazon, which some people will immediately say is too much for a Gaggia Classic.

But, to be fair, if you look at what people pay for a ready-modded E24, depending on where they get it done and which mods they choose, you can absolutely end up paying about the same, or more.

Gaggia Classic UP Alternatives & Comparisons

Gaggia Classic E24

£507 at Gaggia with my discount codeCheck price on Amazon

The most obvious alternative is the Gaggia Classic E24, because the Up is basically the E24 with upgrades.

Compared with the Up, the E24 doesn’t give you:

• PID
• Touchscreen
• Pressure gauge
• Preinfusion settings
• Timed shot preset
• Auto-on
• Extra standby control
• Articulated wand
• Low-profile tray

But it does give you the same basic Classic platform for less money, and if you like modding, that’s the one that’ll probably make more sense.

Profitec Go

£849 at Bella Barista

The Profitec Go is an obvious comparison at this price point.

It shares a fair bit with the Classic Up conceptually, including adjustable PID. It also has a larger brass boiler, around 300ml vs roughly 100ml, and it has more steam power.

But it also takes longer to heat to steam temperature, and one downside vs the Classic Up is that there’s no preinfusion.

A plus, though, is the externally adjustable OPV on the top. Just a screwdriver job, much easier than taking half a machine apart. Read my full Profitec Go review here. 

Lelit Victoria

SAVE £75£759 Now £683 on Lelit including my 10% OFF code

The Lelit Victoria is another very solid option, and in the UK it’s actually almost £100 cheaper than the Classic Up.

Like the Profitec Go, it has a larger 300ml boiler and more powerful steam, but again, you do have to wait longer for it to reach temperature.

It does have preinfusion, but it’s just a single preset rather than multiple adjustable levels.

And the OPV is adjustable, but you do have to open it up and handle a spanner, which, as regular readers will know, I’m not always desperate to do. Read my full Lelit Victoria review → 

Gaggia Classic Up vs. Gaggia Classic E24 vs. Profitec Go vs. Lelit Victoria Comparison Table

Feature	Gaggia Classic Up	Gaggia Classic E24	Profitec Go	Lelit Victoria
Boiler Type	Single boiler	Single boiler	Single boiler	Single boiler
Boiler Size	~100ml brass boiler	~100ml brass boiler	300ml brass boiler	300ml boiler
PID	Adjustable		Adjustable	Adjustable
Preinfusion	3 settings + off			Single preset
Pressure Gauge
Timed Auto-On
Timed Shot Preset
Steam Wand	Articulated, 1-hole tip	Standard, 1-hole tip	More powerful steam	More powerful steam
Low Profile Tray			Not needed in same way	Not needed in same way
OPV Adjustment	Factory 9 bar	Varies by market	External adjustment	Internal adjustment with spanner
Best For	People who want a “factory-modded” Classic	Classic fans and modders	People who want a very solid modern single boiler	People wanting strong value and features

Verdict

Overall, I think the Gaggia Classic Up is a really interesting machine.

I’ve long expected Gaggia would eventually give us a factory-PID’d Classic, but they haven’t just done that. What they’ve made here, I think, is aimed at a slightly different user than the E24.

And that’s actually a good thing, because it means there are now loads of choices if you’re set on a Gaggia Classic:

• Buy the E24 and keep it simple
• Buy a pre-modded E24 from someone who does that
• Mod one yourself
• Or just buy the Classic Up and skip the whole tinkering phase

Would I say it’s the perfect machine for every Classic fan? No.

If you’re a hardcore modder, probably not. If you don’t care about the Gaggia name or the Classic heritage, maybe not either, because there are other strong options around this price point.

But if you like the idea of a solid, compact, heritage-rich Classic with genuinely useful modern upgrades, and you want it all done from the factory rather than with cable ties, kits and swearing… then yes, I think the Gaggia Classic Up makes a lot of sense.

So there you go. Gaggia Classic Up. What do you think? Will you be buying one? Let me know in the comments!

The post Gaggia Classic Up Review: A Modern Gaggia Classic? appeared first on Coffee Blog.

Why? Put simply, it’s a semi-commercial, premium coffee grinder which was released at a premium price. In the UK, when it was first available, you wouldn’t have got much change back from £1,000!

What’s changed? Baratza is now part of the Breville (Sage) group, and they’re being more aggressive with price in Europe. They’ve not changed the grinder, but they HAVE changed the price, and it’s now an absolute steal for such a premium grinder.

Before I continue with the updated Baratza Forte Review for 2026, I should really introduce myself.

If this is your first time here, hello. I’m Kev (aka Coffee Kev). I run CoffeeBlog.co.uk, the Coffee Kev YouTube channel, and CoffeeKev.com for my coffee-loving cousins in the US. I’m also the Founder & Director of Coffee at Cworks.co.uk, where we sell affordable, very freshly roasted, MEGA-tasting coffee.

My reviews are fully independent. Nobody’s paying me to say nice things about grinders, espresso machines or anything else.  I put stuff to the test and say exactly what I think, good or bad (usually a bit of both). Since I’ve never once produced sponsored content, I never have to worry about losing a client for being completely honest.

So in this post, I’m reviewing the Baratza Forté, including the Baratza Forté AP and Baratza Forté BG. I’ll explain the difference between the two versions, what the burrs are like, what the workflow is like, how accurate the grind-by-weight is, whether it still makes sense in 2026, and whether it’s actually one of the best grinders you can buy at this price.

This article is also supported by my YouTube video review, which I’ve embedded below, along with photos throughout the post to show you the features and bits I’m talking about, rather than just waffling at you in text form like a caffeinated Victorian ghost.

Quick Navigation

• Baratza Forté Review
• What Is the Baratza Forté?
• Baratza Forté AP vs BG
• Price
• Build Quality
• Burrs
• Adjustment & Calibration
• Retention
• Grind by Weight & Grind by Time Precision
• How Loud Is It?
• Workflow & Espresso Results
• Interface
• What I Like
• What I Don’t Like
• Alternatives
• Verdict

Baratza Forté Review

SAVE £59£599 Now £539 on Baratza including my 10% OFF code

What Is the Baratza Forté?

The Baratza Forté is a premium flat burr grinder that sits in a slightly unusual sweet spot between a high-end home grinder and a compact commercial grinder.

It isn’t a trendy single-dose grinder designed to look nice next to a white oak shelf and a tiny ceramic cup on Instagram. It’s more of a solid, serious workhorse grinder built for people who actually want to grind coffee day after day without loads of fuss.

It’s available in two versions:

• Baratza Forté AP = All Purpose, more espresso-focused
• Baratza Forté BG = Brew Grind, more filter-focused

Both versions use 54mm flat burrs, both can grind by weight into the grounds bin, and both are built around the same heavy-duty frame and adjustment system.

So if you’re looking at the Baratza Forté, Baratza Forté BG, or Baratza Forté AP, the main question isn’t “is this a good grinder?” because yes, it is. The question is really which version makes more sense for how you make coffee.

Baratza Forté AP vs BG

This is the first thing most people need to get clear on: the two versions are similar but not identical.

Baratza Forté AP

SAVE £59£599 Now £539 on Baratza including my 10% OFF code

• AP = All Purpose
• Comes with 54mm ceramic flat burrs
• Includes the grounds bin and the portafilter cradle
• Offers grind by weight, grind by time, and on-demand grinding
• More espresso-focused

Baratza Forté BG

SAVE £64£649 Now £584 on Baratza including my 10% OFF code

• BG = Brew Grind
• Comes with 54mm stainless steel flat burrs
• Includes the grounds bin but not the portafilter cradle
• Offers grind by weight and on-demand grinding
• More filter-focused

If you mainly want espresso, the Baratza Forté AP is the obvious choice.

If you mainly want filter coffee, manual brew, or brew bar-type performance in a compact grinder, the Baratza Forté BG is the obvious choice.

If you want one grinder to cover both espresso and filter,  the AP may be the more sensible starting point for most people, because it’s a bit cheaper, it includes the portafilter cradle, and you can always buy the stainless steel burrs separately later if you want to.

Price

As I’ve mentioned, the reason I think the Forté is worth talking about now, is due to the price change.  This grinder makes much more sense at today’s price than it did before.

That’s really the whole reason for this review revisit.

If this had launched today at around £600 for the AP, I honestly think it would be getting way more attention, because that’s a very strong price for a grinder with this kind of build quality, burr set, grind adjustment range, and grind-by-weight capability.

I’m not actually saying I thought it was overpriced at the previous price. It was about £900 in the UK when I first reviewed it, and compared to other commercial grinders, this wasn’t over the top, but most people weren’t spending that kind of money on a home coffee grinder, and still aren’t today.

The new price, though, is far more acceptable for premium home grinders.

One strange thing about the price, though, is that I can’t really understand why the BG costs more.

When you weigh up what they both come with, it would appear that the BG should be cheaper. So if you want both burr sets, the slightly cheaper route may well be to buy the AP and then buy the stainless burrs separately.

Build Quality

This is one of the biggest selling points of the Baratza Forté.

The Forté was designed as both a premium home grinder and a compact commercial grinder, and it feels like it.

It’s built around a one-piece die-cast zinc chassis, and the motor, burr carrier, and adjustment system are all mounted to that rigid frame. It uses a high-torque DC motor with a belt-and-pulley drive rather than a direct drive, which helps smooth out torque and reduce vibration.

In other words, it feels less like a “nice home grinder” and more like a small commercial grinder that’s wandered into a domestic kitchen and decided it quite likes it there.

That’s one of the reasons I like it so much. It just feels solid. There’s a reassuring lack of flimsiness about it.

Burrs

Both versions of the Baratza Forté use 54mm flat burrs made in Europe by Ditting.

Baratza Forté AP burrs

The Baratza Forté AP comes with ceramic flat burrs, which are designed to favour espresso.

These burrs tend to produce slightly more fines when grinding finer, which can increase puck resistance and help produce more body, more texture, and more of that syrupy espresso feel people often want from traditional espresso.

Baratza Forté BG burrs

The Baratza Forté BG comes with stainless steel flat burrs, which are more filter-focused.

These tend to produce fewer fines and a cleaner particle distribution in the filter range, aiming for less muddiness and greater clarity.

If you’re wondering what I mean by fines, I’m talking about the very small particles created during grinding. You always get some fines, and you also get some bigger particles, often referred to as boulders. Burrs that produce slightly more fines are often preferred for classic, fuller-bodied espresso, while people chasing clarity, especially with lighter roasts, often prefer burrs that produce fewer fines.

In theory, you can brew and make espresso with both burr sets, but they lean in different directions. The ceramic AP burrs make more sense as all-rounders, while the BG burrs make more sense if you’re mainly or heavily filter-focused.

Adjustment & Calibration

The Baratza Forté uses a macro- and micro-stepped adjustment system, and this is one of the things I really like about it.

You get:

• 10 numbered macro settings
• 26 lettered micro settings

That gives you a total of 260 grind settings, from 1A to 10Z.

These are very fine changes, just a few microns in burr gap per click, so you can make very small, repeatable adjustments and get back to a specific setting without loads of guesswork.

That’s one of the big advantages of this style of stepped system done properly. It’s not “stepped” in the clunky, limiting sense. It’s stepped in a very usable, very repeatable sense.

Important note: You should only adjust the burrs while the grinder is running. Not only because it’s safer, especially when adjusting finer (to avoid bits of bean getting stuck in between the burrs, which can, in theory, cause alignment issues), but also because it can take longer to see the grind adjustment actually kick in if you adjust while the burrs aren’t running.

Calibration

The Forté also comes with a calibration tool, which makes it very easy to tweak the burr gap if needed.

You just insert the tool into the calibration screw and turn it in the stated directions to adjust finer or coarser. It’s a very straightforward system, and I really like that Baratza has kept this grinder easy to maintain and recalibrate rather than making it feel like you need a degree in mechanical engineering just to keep it happy.

Retention

From my testing and broader user experience, the exchange retention on the Forté seems very low. By exchange retention, I mean the amount of coffee from the previous grind that ends up in the next dose.

From very unscientific real-world use, it seems to be around half a gram or less.

That’s very decent for a hopper grinder like this.

If it seems like more than that when adjusting the grind size, keep in mind that if you adjust the grinder while the burrs are stationary, it may take a little while for the burr gap to settle where you think it has. So again: adjust while the grinder is running.

Grind by Weight & Grind by Time Precision

This is one of the key reasons people look at the Baratza Forté, especially if they want a hopper workflow but still care about dosing accuracy.

Grind by weight

In my testing, the grind-by-weight performance was very impressive.

Using external scales to check results, the doses were generally within 0.2–0.3g of the target, and often right on the money.

That’s very good.

For a grinder in this price range, with this kind of workflow, that’s one of the reasons the Forté stands out.

Grind-by-weight only works with the grounds bin in place, not with the portafilter cradle.

Presumably, this is because the portafilter cradle weighs about half a tonne and would probably squash the scale platform into next week.

So if you want to grind by weight, you’re using the bin.

That might sound like a downside, but in practice, I actually really like using the grounds bin. It’s a very tidy workflow, and you can give the bin a little shake to help distribute the grounds before dosing into the basket.

The only slight downside is that a bit of coffee can cling to the bin with static, so sometimes you do have to give it a little slap.

Grind by time

On the AP, you also get three programmable timed doses, which is handy if you prefer grinding straight into the portafilter using the cradle.

My testing here was also very positive. Once dialled in, the timed grinding was consistent enough to be genuinely useful for espresso workflow.

What happened to the Smart Dose feature?

Older versions of the Forté had a feature called Smart Dose, which meant you could grind by weight into the bin, then convert that result into a timed dose for use with the portafilter cradle.

That was clever.

But when Baratza updated the interface a while back, the feature disappeared. At one point, the manual still referenced it, which caused some confusion, but it turned out the feature had actually been removed.

I don’t know why they removed it, and it still hasn’t come back. That’s a shame, because it was genuinely useful, but to be fair I think most people who try using the grinds bin will probably find it nicer for workflow anyway, as I do.

How Loud Is It?

Noise-wise, the Baratza Forté sits somewhere in the middle.

It isn’t the loudest grinder I have heard (that title still belongs to the Baratza Sette) and it isn’t the quietest either (that’s probably the Niche Zero).

In testing from around one metre away, it was sitting roughly in the high 60s to low 70s dB, peaking around 71 dB.

So it’s not exactly stealth mode, but it’s also not an ear-splitting demon box.

Workflow & Espresso Results

This is where the Baratza Forté AP really starts to show why it’s such a strong option.

I tested it pulling espresso on a relatively inexpensive machine (Sage Barista Pro), specifically to make the point that if you’ve got a fixed budget, you’re often better off spending more on the grinder and pairing it with a simpler espresso machine than doing it the other way round.

A really good grinder paired with a modest espresso machine often yields much better results than an expensive machine paired with a mediocre grinder.

Workflow with the grounds bin

Using the grounds bin with grind-by-weight is actually a very nice workflow.

You grind the dose accurately into the bin, give it a little shake if needed, and dose it into the portafilter. It’s tidy, practical, and consistent.

I can understand why some people initially think “I want to grind directly to the portafilter”, but in practice, the bin workflow works really well.

Workflow with the portafilter cradle

If you prefer a direct-to-portafilter workflow, the AP offers it via the adjustable cradle and timed dosing.

Again, it’s a very usable, simple setup, even if the loss of Smart Dose means it’s not quite as slick as it once was.

What’s the espresso like?

With the ceramic burrs, the espresso is excellent for the money.

In my testing, the shot he pulled as mega, with a big-bodied, chocolatey profile using Cworks Chocolate Fondant blend, and that lines up with what I’d expect from this burr set.

The Baratza Forté AP is very capable of producing rich, satisfying, syrupy espresso, and I think, paired with most espresso machines, even fairly inexpensive ones, it’s going to do a cracking job.

That’s one of the big reasons I think this grinder is such a bargain now. It’s just a lot of grinder for the money.

Interface

The interface is… fine.

And I mean that as a compliment.

It isn’t flashy, it isn’t fancy, and it isn’t trying to look like the dashboard of a spaceship. It’s just simple, responsive, and intuitive.

You get:

• Three programmable weight doses on both versions
• Three programmable timed doses on the AP
• Easy adjustments and a simple save process
• A screen that goes into sleep mode after a few minutes
• Tap the screen to wake it back up

Dead simple. Which, for a grinder, is a good thing.

What I Like

• Excellent build quality: it feels like a small commercial grinder, not a flimsy domestic one.
• Great value at the current price: much better value now than when it cost more.
• Very good espresso performance with the ceramic burrs.
• Very good filter performance with the stainless burrs.
• The macro + micro adjustment system is brilliant for repeatability.
• Grind by weight is genuinely accurate and actually useful.
• Easy to calibrate.
• Easy to remove and swap burrs.
• Replacement parts are widely available from Baratza and are reasonably priced.
• The burrs themselves are fairly affordable, which makes swapping or replacing less painful.
• Likely to last for years, if not decades.

What I Don’t Like

• I wish it still had Smart Dose. This is the main thing for me.
• Grind by weight only works with the grounds bin, not the portafilter cradle.
• A little bit of coffee can cling to the bin with static, so sometimes it needs a tap.
• The BG pricing still feels a bit odd relative to the AP.
• The interface update removed a genuinely useful feature, which still seems like a strange decision.

None of these are deal-breakers for me, by the way. But they are the bits I’d moan about if you handed me one and told me to be annoying.

Alternatives

The most obvious alternatives to the Baratza Forté are actually within Baratza’s own range.

Baratza Vario+

SAVE £34£349 Now £314 on Baratza including my 10% OFF code

The Baratza Vario+ is the more affordable sibling. It comes with ceramic burrs and is the most obvious “do I really need the Forté?” comparison if you’re mainly looking at espresso.

Baratza Vario W+

SAVE £39£399 Now £359 on Baratza including my 10% OFF code

The Baratza Vario W+ is the grind-by-weight version and comes with stainless steel brew burrs.

It’s also a very obvious alternative, and in many ways it’s the more domestic version of the Forté.

The key difference is that while the Vario grinders are very good, they don’t have the same semi-commercial one-piece die-cast build as the Forté.

Eureka Mignon XL

£529.00 - Clumsy Goat

Outside of Baratza, sticking with flat burr hopper grinders, there’s the Eureka Mignon XL, usually around £500-£600

• 65mm flat burrs
• Stepless adjustment
• Grind by time
• No grind by weight

Eureka Mignon Libra

£449.00 - Clumsy Goat

There’s also the Eureka Mignon Libra, usually around £500 

• 55mm hardened steel burrs
• Stepless adjustment
• Grind by weight

So there’s definitely competition, but the Baratza Forté still stands out because of the combination of:

• Solid semi-commercial build
• Flat burr performance
• Grind by weight
• Excellent parts support
• Reasonable price for what it is

Verdict

The Baratza Forté might not be new, and it definitely isn’t trendy, but if you’re looking for a solid, workhorse flat burr grinder that’ll produce great espresso with the ceramic burrs and great filter coffee with the stainless steel burrs, I think this is one of the best grinders you can buy for the money right now.

That’s especially true if you prefer a hopper workflow and you want to grind by weight, because that combination still narrows the field quite a bit.

The Baratza Forté AP is, I think, the best choice for most espresso drinkers and probably the better starting point for mixed espresso/filter users, too.

The Baratza Forté BG makes more sense if you’re strongly brew-focused and want the stainless burrs from the outset.

Is it perfect? No.

I still think losing the Smart Dose feature was daft, and I’d love to know why Baratza removed it. But that doesn’t change the fact that the Forté is a brilliant grinder with excellent build quality, very good dosing accuracy, really useful adjustment, and the kind of long-term serviceability that makes me think it’ll still be grinding away happily long after some more fashionable grinders have ended up in a cupboard or on Marketplace.

Bottom line: if you want a serious hopper grinder with flat burrs, grind-by-weight, very solid build quality, and genuinely excellent value for the current price, the Baratza Forté is absolutely worth a proper look.

It might not shout the loudest, but it’s got loads to say.

The post Baratza Forté Review: Is This Flat-Burr Workhorse Finally a Bargain? appeared first on Coffee Blog.

Because yes, it’s a new version of the Mara X, and yes, there’s a new, more premium-looking design, but the paddle introduces something genuinely interesting: real-time pump power control, plus there’s a 25% more powerful heating element, and quite a bit of fine-tuning to improve the temperature stability. So this machine is way more than just a cosmetic refresh with a new gimmick. 

If this is your first time here, hello. I’m Kev (aka Coffee Kev). I run CoffeeBlog.co.uk, the Coffee Kev YouTube channel, and CoffeeKev.com for my coffee-loving cousins in the US. I’m also the Founder & Director of Coffee at Cworks.co.uk, where we sell affordable, very freshly roasted, MEGA-tasting coffee.

My reviews are fully independent. If something’s brilliant, I’ll tell you. If something is annoying, overpriced, or makes me question my life choices before I’ve even had espresso, I’ll tell you that too.

So in this post, I’m reviewing the Lelit Mara X3 Pagaia. I’ll explain what it is, how it differs from the Mara X V2, what the Pagaia actually does, how it compares with a more traditional flow-control setup like the Lelit Bianca, what the espresso is like, and whether this is worth the extra money.

I’ll also talk about temperature stability, specifically answering the question: Did they fix the temperature stability issues you may have heard about with the Mara X V2?

This article is also supported by my YouTube video review, which I’ve embedded below, along with my own photos throughout the article to show you the features, trim, details, and bits I’m talking about, rather than just standing here waving my arms about them in text.

Quick Navigation

• Lelit Mara X3 Pagaia Review
• What Is the Lelit Mara X3 Pagaia?
• Specs
• Price
• Is It a Dual Boiler?
• Does It Have a PID?
• What Is the Pagaia?
• Pump Control vs Needle Valve
• How Can Pump Control Help the Shot?
• What’s the Side Ribbon All About?
• Test Results
• What’s the Espresso Like?
• Does This Mean You Don’t Need to Dial In?
• Could This Come to Other Lelit Machines?
• Lelit Steve
• V2 Temperature Stability Issues Fixed For X3?
• Lelit Mara X3 Pagaia vs Mara X V2
• Lelit Mara X3 Pagaia vs Bianca
• What I Like
• What I Don’t Like
• Verdict

Lelit Mara X3 Pagaia Review

£1,079.95 on Lelit with my 10% discount code

What Is the Lelit Mara X3 Pagaia?

The Lelit Mara X3 Pagaia is a new version of the Lelit Mara X.

As with the Mara X V2, it’s a smart heat exchanger espresso machine with PID temperature control and dual temperature probes, which is one of the things that has always helped the Mara X stand out in a market full of heat exchanger machines that can be a bit more “guess and hope” when it comes to brew temperature.

But the big new feature here is that the Mara X3 Pagaia gives you real-time control over the pump power.

That’s the really interesting bit, but there are other interesting additions too, including a new, 25% more powerful (stainless steel instead of copper) heating element, a slightly narrower temperature band, and other tweaks intended to increase temperature stability.

It also gets a much more premium-looking design, including the new side ribbons, wooden accents, chunky, oversized wooden dials, wooden feet, a wooden-handled portafilter, and a matching tamper.

So this isn’t just the Mara X with a tiny tweak. It’s still very recognisably a Mara X, but with a much more premium finish and a genuinely meaningful new way of controlling the shot.

Also worth knowing: this is not replacing the Mara X V2. The V2 is sticking around, which I think is good news because it’s a brilliant machine for the money.

Specs

The Lelit Mara X3 Pagaia is a compact machine for what it is.

• Width: about 22 cm
• Depth: roughly 41 cm, including the group and drip tray
• Height: around 35 cm
• Weight: 18 kg
• Water tank: 2.5L removable tank with handles
• Drip tray: roughly 700 ml capacity
• Pump: Lelit “Quiet” vibration pump
• Boiler: 1.8L stainless steel boiler
• Heating element: new 1800W stainless steel element
• Steam wand: insulated anti-burn wand with 3-hole steam tip
• Group: Lelit L58E E61-style brass group
• Temperature system: PID control with dual temperature probes
• Modes: brew priority mode and steam priority mode
• Brew temperatures: warm, hot, and extra hot
• Pressure gauge: yes
• Trim: wooden dials, wooden paddle, wooden tamper, wooden portafilter handle, wooden feet
• Design feature: metal side ribbon on both sides

One of the things people really like about the Mara X platform is that it’s compact, especially in width. I’ve heard from loads of people over the years who chose the Mara X over various rivals because they simply didn’t want a huge machine dominating the worktop.

This is still small for a machine of this calibre, but at 18 kilos, don’t let the compact footprint fool you. It’s an absolute unit.

I also like that it has Lelit’s better water tank with handles. That sounds like a small thing, but not having to put your fingers inside the tank to remove it is one of those little quality-of-life upgrades that make daily use nicer. And let’s be frank, sticking your fingers inside a water tank every time is a bit rank.

Price

At RRP in the UK, the Lelit Mara X3 Pagaia is:

• £1,079.95 with my exclusive 10% discount for the brushed stainless steel version
• £1,169.95 with my exclusive 10% discount for the coloured versions, black or white

I don’t have the confirmed pricing to hand here for Continental Europe, the US, and Canada, so I’d update those once the retailer listings are fully settled.

The key point, though, is this: the Mara X3 Pagaia sits roughly £300 above the Mara X V2, and that’s really the value question you’ll need to answer.

If you want the more premium design, the wooden trim, and the new pump control, I think the pricing makes sense. If you’re not fussed about those things, the V2 is still very tempting.

Is It a Dual Boiler?

No. The Lelit Mara X3 Pagaia is a heat-exchanger espresso machine, not a dual-boiler.

It has one main service boiler, or steam boiler, with a heat exchanger pipe running through it. The heat from the boiler is used to heat the brew water as it travels to the group.

So in day-to-day use, it behaves in some ways like a dual boiler because you can pull shots and steam milk at the same time. And thanks to the dual temp probes and brew-priority mode, it’s also closer to a dual-boiler in terms of temperature stability than many traditional heat-exchanger machines.

But it’s still a single-boiler heat exchanger machine. There’s only one boiler in there.

Does It Have a PID?

Yes, it does.

Some people get confused by this because there’s no flashy digital screen where you tap in temperatures like you’re launching a missile.

But PID doesn’t mean “screen”. PID refers to the type of temperature controller: Proportional–Integral–Derivative.

In simple terms, it’s a feedback control system that constantly adjusts the heating element to help keep the temperature stable.

Some machines use a PID with a digital interface that lets you set the temperature in 1-degree increments. Others, like this, use a simpler control method. On the Mara X3 Pagaia, you switch between three brew temperature settings:

• Warm: around 88°C / 190°F
• Hot: around 92°C / 198°F
• Extra Hot: around 96°C / 205°F

That’s still PID temperature control, just with a simpler user interface.

What Is the Pagaia?

Pagaia is Italian for paddle, and yes this isn’t the traditional paddle you’d find on the Biance, or other flow-control machines. I’d actually say it’s more of a lever, but I suppose we could say it’s a vertical paddle, like an oar maybe ;-).

But whatever it is technically, what the Pagaia does is to give you real-time control over the vibration pump power.

Rotate it clockwise, and you increase pump power. Rotate it anticlockwise, and you reduce it.

You don’t have the spring-powered mechanical preinfusion you’d usually get from an E61 group machine; they removed this to enable the paddle to work properly. Instead, you have full direct control over pump power. 

You can start the shot at very low pump power, ramp up slowly, taper the pressure at the end, or hold the whole shot at a lower pressure, like 7 or 8 bar, if that suits the coffee.

And the little finger hole in the paddle is one of those simple ideas that just works brilliantly. 

Pump Control vs Needle Valve

On machines like the Lelit Bianca, the flow paddle works via a needle valve. In that setup, you’re adding resistance to the water path, which reduces the flow reaching the puck.

On the Mara X3 Pagaia, you’re doing something different: you’re controlling the pump power itself.

That makes the response feel much more immediate and much more intuitive.

Rather than restricting the water path downstream of the pump, you’re directly controlling how hard the pump pushes in the first place.

And in day-to-day use, that really does feel different.

How Can Pump Control Help the Shot?

Once pressure ramps up, the puck is still in charge, so this doesn’t magically replace good puck prep, proper distribution, good tamping, and being actually dialled in.

But it does give you a lot of control over the parts of the shot that matter most:

• How the shot begins
• How quickly pressure ramps up
• What peak pressure do you allow
• How the shot tails off

For example, if you want to try 6– or 7-bar shots, you can do that without opening the machine or adjusting the OPV.

You can also do:

• Long pre-infusion
• Blooming shots
• Low-pressure starts
• Low-pressure finishes
• Or just a simple, standard 9-bar shot

So no, it doesn’t override physics. But yes, it does give you much more control over how the extraction develops.

What’s the Side Ribbon All About?

Lelit calls the metal strip on the side the side ribbon.

Officially, it’s just part of the new design language they’ve developed with Design Group Italia, an external industrial design studio based in Milan.

They’ve worked with Lelit on the new design details, including:

• The gem-shaped knobs
• The pentagonal portafilter handle and tamper
• The wooden accents
• And the side ribbon

That’s the official explanation.

But the interesting bit is that the side ribbons appear to be a separate piece bolted onto the body on both sides. So there’s some speculation that it could be doing more than purely looking pretty. For example, it may help Lelit reuse the same chassis across multiple machines in this new generation.

I can’t prove that, obviously, but I do think this feels like more than a one-off cosmetic tweak. It feels like part of a broader redesign of the brand’s product language.

Test Results

Steam Power

Time to steam 170ml of milk to 60°C:

• Steam priority mode: roughly 27 seconds
• Brew priority mode: roughly 32 seconds

Both of those results are quite a bit faster than the Mara X V2 in my testing, which is a very nice improvement. The V2 is around 40 seconds on steam priority mode, and around 70 seconds on brew priority mode.

Heat-Up Time

The machine will heat up in roughly 11-12 minutes, but because it has a big brass E61 group, I’d recommend giving it about 25-30 minutes to be fully temperature stable before your first coffee. In my temperature stability testing, although it was up to temperature after 11-12 minutes, when I did a series of back-to-back shots after 15 minutes, the temperature was a bit all over the place, and it was way more stable 30 minutes from turning on.

If you use a smart plug, you can just schedule it and stop thinking about it, which is what I’d do.

Hot Water Temperature

The hot water temperature from the dedicated hot water spout is in the high 90s, which is very hot for Americano or Long Black. You may want to take a leaf out of James Hoffmann’s book, and steam your hot water instead. It may seem weird, but he’s 100% right.

When you steam fresh water to warm it up, you can take it to whatever temperature you like, it never tastes over-boiled as water from boilers can, and it ends up having a really nice, slightly textured body. Try it!

Noise

It’s really quite quiet for a vibration pump machine, the pump noise ranges (depending on power) between around 35-45 dB. This uses Lelit’s “silent pump”, which I think is a rather optimistic name for a vibration pump ;-), no pump is ever going to be silent, but it is quieter than most vibe pumps.

What’s the Espresso Like?

I always answer this question in videos. To be honest, it’s a fairly irrelevant question, but it does seem very relevant, so when I don’t answer it, people get a bit annoyed ;-). The reason it’s not particularly relevant is that espresso quality with any espresso machine comes down to a number of factors, including, but certainly not limited to, the machine’s capabilities.

The espresso quality is mainly going to come down to the beans you’re using, the grinder, and how well dialled in you are.

In my video, I was demonstrating the Mara X3 paired with the new Lelit Steve grinder and Cworks Chocolate Fondant blend, and the results were pretty flipping good. When it comes to dialling in, I’m not always perfectly dialled in when filming. I tend to accept “OK” rather than striving for perfection, simply due to time restraints on the day. I’ve used the Mara X3 Pagaia a lot, though, off camera, and I’ve pulled some amazing shots with it.

You’ve got loads of control over the shot, so for example, you can:

• Do a standard straight 9-bar shot
• Start at low power and ramp up
• Bloom the shot
• Taper pressure at the end
• Run the shot at 7 or 8 bars

Once you find what works for the espresso beans you’re using, you’ll probably get very good shot-to-shot consistency, especially because you can fine-tune things in real time while the shot is running.

And the control feels very direct. Even a tiny movement of the paddle sends the needle moving, so you really are in charge.

Does This Mean You Don’t Need to Dial In?

Definitely not.

This is not a magic fix for bad espresso technique.

The puck is always in charge. If you’ve ground way too fine, way too coarse, or your puck prep is a mess, and you’ve got severe channeling, the Pagaia isn’t going to wave a magic wooden finger-hole wand and save the shot.

So yes, flow or pump control can help you shape extraction. No, it does not remove the need to:

• Dial in properly
• Use a good grinder
• Prepare the puck properly
• Pay attention to what you’re doing

Could This Come to Other Lelit Machines?

This is one of the things I find most interesting about the Mara X3 Pagaia.

I don’t think this is necessarily just about one machine getting one new feature.

I can absolutely imagine this new design language and this new pump power control being rolled out across more of the Lelit range, and if that happens, I think it could be a big deal.

For example:

• If the Lelit Anna were priced this way, I think it would give the Gaggia Classic and similar machines some serious competition.
• If the Lelit Victoria got this, it could make life very interesting for the Profitec Go.
• If the Lelit Elizabeth got a Pagaia version, I think a lot of people would suddenly start paying attention to a machine that’s already underrated.

So yes, part of my interest here is the machine itself. But part of it is also what this machine might be hinting at for the future of the whole Lelit lineup.

Lelit Steve

I can’t say loads about the new Lelit Steve just yet, other than it seems to be the only other machine in Lelit’s lineup so far with this new design language.

If you want a rough idea of what it is, think of it as an upgraded take on the Lelit William, with:

• The new design style
• Finer adjustment
• And two timed doses

It hadn’t been fully released at the time of the video, so I’d keep this section light in the article for now and link out once the full Steve review is live.

Mara X V2 Temperature Stability Issues. Fixed For Mara X3?

People were asking in the video comments whether the X3 had fixed the brew temperature stability issues the V2 had. So I did a load of side-by-side temperature tests, with a bunch of 6 back-to-back shots, at different wait times after heating up. 

I wasn’t able to replicate the significant overheating issues some people reported, so I can only imagine this was a fault in specific machines. 

What I did discover is that the Mara X V2 is actually pretty decent for overall temperature stability, and that, generally speaking, the X3 is slightly more temperature-stable.

Firstly, we should manage expectations. These aren’t dual boiler machines, they’re heat exchangers, which means the brew water is being heated as it passes through a pipe running through the steam boiler, so you’re never going to get the same kind of shot-to-shot temperature stability that you would with a premium dual boiler machine.

But, both the V2 and the X3 performed really well in my testing, with the X3 seeming to be better tuned for temperature stability except after 15 minutes of on time. The V2 was the more temperature stable of the two after 15 minutes. After 30 minutes, the X3 was slightly more temperature-stable from shot to shot, and after an hour, it was quite a bit more stable. 

Understanding Steam Priority Mode

I think some of the complaints about temperature stability have come from people misunderstanding this mode. Lelit told me they believe they didn’t make this mode clear enough for the V2, and they’ve tried to make it clearer with the X3. 

It runs hotter vs brew priority mode, and this is true for the V2 and the X3, but more so for the V2. In my testing, the V2 was running just over 7 °C hotter than in brew priority mode, and the X3 was running just under 3 °C hotter.

It’s workflow-sensitive, meaning that if you don’t steam the milk, the next shot will be hotter. It works by turning on the heating element in reaction to you starting the shot, so by the time you start the second shot, if you don’t steam milk, it’ll be hotter. In my testing, this translated to about 3 °C hotter brew temp with the V2 and just under 2 °C hotter with the X3. 

Lelit Mara X3 Pagaia vs Mara X V2

The Mara X3 Pagaia is not replacing the Mara X V2. The Mara X V2 is sticking around, which I think is the right decision, because it’s still a brilliant machine for the money.

The Mara X3 Pagaia is the more premium version.

You’re not just paying for the new paddle. You’re also paying for:

• The redesigned body
• The side ribbons
• The wooden trim
• The more premium overall look and feel

So the question becomes: will you actually use the pump control?

If you think you’ll play with it for a few days and then forget it’s even there, it probably makes sense to save yourself about £300 by buying the Mara X V2.

If, on the other hand, you love the design and you know you’ll actually use the Pagaia to shape shots, then the X3 makes a lot of sense.

Lelit Mara X3 Pagaia vs Bianca

I know a lot of people will wonder about this because once you start talking about flow or pump control, the Lelit Bianca naturally comes up.

But these are actually quite different machines to live with.

Why choose the Bianca?

• Dual boiler 
• More independent temperature control
• Digital interface
• Ability to save a preset profile

Why choose the Mara X3 Pagaia?

• Much more compact
• Lower price
• Very direct and intuitive manual pump control
• Easier fit for smaller kitchens

The key difference here is the size, and dual boiler vs heat exchanger. There’s a separate boiler for the brew water, which leads to better shot-to-shot temperature stability. 

If you make lots of shot-to-shot milk drinks, then you’d be better off with a dual boiler if the size and cost aren’t an issue.

The Bianca is one of my all-time favourite espresso machines. I think she’s a stunner and a brilliant machine to use. I find the preset profile very useful, although I wish there were more than one preset slot. But, it’s clearly a lot more money & takes up quite a bit more space. 

That said, in terms of manual control, I actually think the Pagaia feels more direct than Bianca’s needle valve. Read my full Leilit Bianca review ‭→

Lelit Mara X3 Pagaia Vs. Lelit Bianca V3 Vs. Lelit Mara X V2 Comparison Table

Feature	Lelit Mara X3 Pagaia	Lelit Bianca V3	Lelit Mara X V2
Price	£1,079.95 with my exclusive 10% discount code	£2,299 Now £2,069 on Lelit including my 10% OFF code	£1,299 Now £1,169 on Lelit including my 10% OFF code
Machine Type	Smart heat exchanger	Dual boiler	Smart heat exchanger
Boiler Setup	1.8L stainless steel service boiler with heat exchanger	800ml stainless steel brew boiler + 1.5L stainless steel steam boiler	Stainless steel double-probe heat exchanger boiler
Pump Type	Lelit quiet vibe pump with real-time pump power control	Quiet rotary pump	Lelit X quiet vibe pump
Flow / Pressure Control	Pagaia pump power control	Manual paddle + programmable low flow/preinfusion	No built-in flow control Optional paddle mod available
PID Temperature Control	Yes, 3 brew temperatures	Yes, fully adjustable via LCC	Yes, 3 brew temperatures
Temperature Stability	Excellent for a heat exchanger, thanks to dual probes and brew priority mode	Excellent, dual boiler with independent temp control	Excellent for a heat exchanger, thanks to dual probes and coffee mode
Brew Temperature Adjustment	3 settings: warm/hot/extra hot	1°C increments via LCC	3 settings: warm/hot/extra hot
User Modes	Brew priority mode/steam priority mode	Programmable via LCC, manual, or profiled use	Coffee mode/steam mode
Group	Lelit L58E E61-style brass group	E61-style group	E61-style brass group
Steam Wand	Insulated no-burn wand, 3-hole tip	Insulated steam wand	Pro no-burn wand, 2-hole tip
Steam Power	170ml to 60°C in ~27 sec (steam mode) ~32 sec (brew mode)	170ml to 60°C in ~27–28 sec	Good, but slower than the X3 in Kev’s testing
Shot Timer	No	Yes	No
Programmable Profiles	No, manual control only	Yes, via LCC	No
Preinfusion / Blooming	Manual via Pagaia + natural E61 preinfusion	Manual and programmable	Natural E61 preinfusion only
Water Tank	2.5L removable tank with handles	2.5L tank, can be positioned on the back or either side	2.5L water tank
Drip Tray	Approx. 700ml	Large drip tray	0.8L capacity
Size	22cm wide, 41cm deep, 35cm tall	29cm wide, 48.5cm deep, 39cm tall	22cm wide, 41cm deep, 35.3cm tall
Weight	18kg	Heavier, much larger overall machine	Compact footprint, lighter-feeling package than Bianca
Noise	Very quiet for a vibe pump machine	Very quiet, rotary pump	Quiet for a vibe pump machine
Design / Finish	Premium redesign, side ribbons, wooden trim, wooden feet, chunky wooden dials	Premium E61 styling, wood accents, multiple colour options	Classic Mara X styling, simpler trim
Best For	People who want compact size + premium design + direct manual pump control	People who want maximum control, dual boiler performance, profiling, and rotary pump refinement	People who want Mara X performance and compact size for less money
Main Drawback	You’re paying extra for the paddle and the fancy trim/design	More expensive, bigger, and more machine than some people need	No built-in pump/flow control
My Take	The classy, more premium Mara X with a genuinely useful new trick	The one I personally prefer overall, if budget and space allow	Still one of the best-value compact heat exchanger machines around

What I Like

• It’s one of the nicer heat exchanger machines to live with, just as the Mara X V2 is.
• Very compact footprint for a machine of this calibre.
• Temperature stability is excellent for a heat exchanger.
• Brew priority and steam priority modes are genuinely useful.
• Simple three-position temperature control is easy to live with.
• The design is gorgeous.
• The wooden trim on the dials, paddle, portafilter, tamper, and feet adds loads of class.
• The Pagaia is genuinely smart, not just gimmicky.
• The finger hole makes the paddle really easy to control.
• Steam performance is very decent, especially compared with the V2.
• It’s really quite quiet.

What I Don’t Like

Not a great deal, to be honest.

The main thing for me is the pricing structure.

Not because I think it’s overpriced. I actually think it’s good value if you want the fancy version with the wooden trim and the whole more premium design treatment.

What I think is a shame is that Lelit haven’t done a cheaper version with just the pump control.

In other words, if you want the Pagaia, you’re also paying for:

• the new design
• the wooden trim
• the premium visual upgrades

I think it would have been great if there were also a simpler version with the same basic Mara X V2 trim, but with the new paddle. That would have been a really interesting option for people who care more about shot control than aesthetics.

Verdict

The Lelit Mara X3 Pagaia, in a nutshell, is basically the Mara X V2 with a much more premium look, lovely wooden trim, and a clever new vertical paddle that gives you direct, real-time control over pump power. It also has a more powerful heating element and some finer tuning over the PID for slightly better shot-to-shot temperature stability.

And I think that’s more significant than it might look at first glance.

This isn’t just a prettier Mara X. The new Pagaia adds a genuinely interesting and very usable way to shape espresso extraction. It feels immediate, intuitive, and practical, and I think people who really enjoy experimenting with shot pressure and flow will have loads of fun with it.

At the same time, the Mara X V2 still makes loads of sense. If you don’t care about the new design or the paddle, I think saving yourself the extra money is a perfectly sensible move.

But if you want a more premium finish and you like the idea of manual pump control in a compact, smart heat exchanger machine, then I think the Lelit Mara X3 Pagaia is a very, very compelling machine.

I also can’t help wondering whether this is the start of something bigger for Lelit. The new design language and the new pump-control approach both feel like they could end up appearing on more machines in the range, and if they do, I think things could get very interesting.

Bottom line: a compact, classy, very capable heat exchanger machine with genuinely useful manual pump control. Not cheap, but if this is the version of the Mara X you actually want, I think it’s a cracking bit of kit.

Let me know what you think by clicking “leave a reply” below.  Do you fancy this? And would you like to see the paddle and/or this new design language roll out across more of the Lelit lineup?

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