Lelit Bianca V3 PL162T-EU E61 Espresso Machine

The first Bianca version was introduced to the public at the Host 2017 exhibition and began production in 2018. Lelit’s goal was to create an espresso machine with outstanding value in the market but within the affordability range of home coffee enthusiasts.

This means Bianca isn’t an espresso machine with the absolute best features. It’s an espresso machine with the most excellent features for the money spent. An outstanding machine that’s relatively accessible.

Especially in the Vietnamese market, officially imported Bianca receives tax benefits, resulting in an actual selling price of ~$2000.

In the European market, Bianca’s price of ~$3000 is nearly equivalent to premium German machines like the Profitec Drive or ECM Synchronika.

Clearly, a home espresso machine at the 50 million VND price point isn’t something everyone is ready to buy. But for those planning to spend this amount on an espresso machine, the Lelit Bianca V3 is a TOP REFERENCE CHOICE. Even when compared to machines priced much higher, Bianca is still an excellent machine worth considering (unless your needs extend to commercial use).

Machines that can be fairly compared with Bianca include: Profitec Drive (69 million); ECM Synchronika (86 million); La Marzocco Linea Micra (97 million), Rocket R Cinquantotto (82 million)… You can see that most of them are priced significantly higher than Bianca with features that could be considered similar (differences lie in continuous stable brewing capability for commercial use and machine finishing quality).

Of course, each espresso machine will have its own characteristics suited to different users. What’s important is considering what you really need to make the right choice.

WHAT MAKES LELIT BIANCA AN OUTSTANDING ESPRESSO MACHINE?

1. LELIT BIANCA INTEGRATES FLOW CONTROL PADDLE

Flow control (FC) by 2024 has gradually become a fairly familiar term for coffee brewers. This feature allows flow control through different stages of the extraction process.

• In the first stage, if pressure is too strong it can cause water to tend to find the weakest connection point in the coffee puck (due to uneven tamping, uneven distribution, light roast coffee with slow water absorption, uneven grinding…). Coffee terminology calls this “channeling”: Water flows through channels rather than through the entire puck. This can make espresso weak and lacking in flavor. Reducing water pressure at this stage allows coffee to slowly absorb throughout the entire puck and almost completely eliminates channeling.
• In the final stage, pressure in the coffee puck tends to decrease. If the water flow rate remains the same, extraction speed can increase and pull unwanted flavors. Reducing pressure at this stage helps control negative flavors as well as espresso volume in the cup.

This Bianca feature is most useful for light roast coffees as it allows coffee to be infused longer at the user’s discretion.

Bianca also allows independent programming of slow flow for these 2 stages (holding at 4 bar pressure). This stabilizes coffee quality without needing to intervene with the FC paddle.

2. LELIT BIANCA USES THE CLASSIC E61 GROUP HEAD

Many professional espresso machines use this classic group head: The entire solid brass assembly weighing up to 4kg helps it stabilize temperature once given enough warm-up time (15-20 minutes).

This E61 group head design from 1961 has remained unchanged to this day. Its advantages have been proven for over 60 years: Durable, easy to maintain, and operates stably!

Easy to see the structure and brass material on the Lelit Bianca’s E61 group head assembly

3. LELIT BIANCA IS A DUAL BOILER ESPRESSO MACHINE

One 1500ml boiler with 1400W power for steaming/hot water needs and an 800ml boiler with 1000W power for espresso brewing. Bianca can brew coffee and steam milk simultaneously while maintaining stable pressure and temperature.

Of course, 2 boilers heat up slower than 1 boiler. But waiting a few extra minutes for delicious coffee is definitely worth the trade-off.

The video below will quickly provide you with the basic differences between 3 types of espresso machine boilers: Single boiler, Heat exchanger, and Dual boiler:

4. LELIT BIANCA HAS SEPARATE TEMPERATURE CONTROL (PID) FOR 2 BOILERS

One of the problems with brewing coffee with heat exchanger boiler machines is that even with PID, they only control steam temperature, thereby indirectly adjusting brewing temperature. Single boilers can only adjust brewing temperature but cannot adjust steam power.

Not precisely controlling brewing temperature means instability in each brew.

2 independent PIDs mean users can customize the most suitable temperature for their needs: Could be 135 degrees for the steam boiler (higher temperature means stronger steam, faster steaming speed) and 93 degrees for espresso brewing water (can be higher or lower depending on whether coffee is dark or light roast).

5. LELIT BIANCA IS FINISHED WITH MANY WALNUT WOOD ACCESSORIES

10 official Lelit walnut wood accessories priced at ~252 EUR

Although placing this outstanding feature at position 5, in reality this is the first factor that makes everyone stop to look at Bianca.

Typically, an espresso machine is finished with plastic knobs, plastic-wrapped handles, silicone or steel feet… If you want to upgrade, you’ll need to pay extra. If it’s walnut wood… then it’s a lot of money.

With a list of walnut wood details similar to Bianca, these official accessories cost 252 EUR (somewhere around ~7 million). But when you buy a Lelit Bianca espresso machine, all of them are already there for you to use. No extra charge! Do you see some value now?

The 10 walnut wood details include:

• 2 portafilter handles
• 2 steam wand and hot water spout knobs
• 4 high feet
• 1 paddle
• 1 lever knob

Oh, not to mention that besides the double portafilter, the brand also provides an additional official Lelit bottomless portafilter ~100EUR! That’s about 10 million worth of high-quality separate accessories added to Bianca.

6. LELIT BIANCA USES A SUPER-QUIET ROTARY PUMP

Rotary pump manufactured in Italy used on the Lelit Bianca V3 espresso machine

Quietness is the greatest value a rotary pump brings: During use, the crackling sound of water flushing from the group head and the whooshing sound of steaming milk actually have greater intensity.

Next is pressure stability: Rotary pumps can increase pressure instantly (unlike vibration pumps which only increase gradually).

Rotary pump lifespan is longer than vibration pumps: An espresso machine using a rotary pump can continuously operate for decades without encountering any problems.

7. LELIT BIANCA HAS OPV PRESSURE LIMITING VALVE

Besides using the paddle to intervene in flow rate and pressure, the OPV valve functions to limit maximum brewing pressure (usually set at 9 or 10 bar) helping coffee avoid over-extraction that negatively affects flavor.

Basically, the OPV valve works like the speed limiter setting when driving a car. No matter how hard you press the gas pedal, the speed will never exceed the allowed limit. This avoids unwanted tickets.

The OPV valve is adjusted through a screw under the machine. To set it, just attach the blind basket and flip the lever, then tighten the screw to increase/decrease pressure based on the gauge at the E61 group head.

However, since Bianca already has a flow control paddle, this valve set at 10 bar pressure at the factory will probably rarely be touched!

8. LELIT BIANCA CAN CHOOSE DIRECT PLUMBING OR USE WATER RESERVOIR

The 2.5L water reservoir can be placed on the left, right, back of the machine, or removed completely (direct plumbing). Depending on the specific area where the machine is placed, users can flexibly position this water reservoir. This feature helps Bianca easily fit many different spaces in each family.

The Bianca machine comes with direct plumbing accessories. Depending on needs and actual location, users decide the most suitable method. Of course, direct plumbing will be much more convenient than constantly filling the reservoir.

Bianca also notifies when water is low if the reservoir is nearly empty. From when the screen displays information, the machine still has enough water to continue completing the espresso being extracted.

9. LELIT BIANCA USES BURN-PROOF STEAM WAND

One of the details enhancing user experience is the fully insulated steam wand, eliminating accidental burns during use. Thanks to this, Bianca’s steam wand is smooth and doesn’t have any rubber knobs.

Even while steaming milk, users can comfortably grip directly and adjust the angle appropriately. The insulated steam wand is also easier to wipe clean of milk after frothing (compared to hot steam wands that get residue buildup).

10. LELIT BIANCA HAS CENTRAL ELECTRONIC DISPLAY LCC (Lelit Control Centre)

Central setting screen for all brewing parameters as well as brewing time display on Lelit Bianca

The setting center allows displaying and adjusting all variables in the machine. Including pre/post infusion time; 2 boiler temperatures; time; boiler on/off… Basically we have full control of Lelit Bianca through LCC.

• Press the “-” button to access the settings menu. Continuous pressing will switch through different settings (with wrench icon)
• Press the “+” button to edit settings
• Press “+” and “-” to change parameters (add/subtract, forward/backward through options)
• Stop pressing for a few seconds for the machine to auto-save settings (stops flashing)

WHY IS BIANCA V3 A PROFESSIONAL ESPRESSO MACHINE FOR HOME?

One feature Lelit always emphasizes: Bianca V3 can program automatic water delivery (without touching the paddle).

Using the flow control paddle allows users to customize many different brewing profiles for each type of coffee. But this advantage also makes Bianca complex and difficult to use for those not overly passionate.

Automating the extraction process makes brewing coffee simple for anyone in the family. Whether it’s grandparents or parents, as long as the main user sets it correctly, coffee will be consistently good because the brewing process is uniformly replicated.

ACTUAL STARTUP TIME OF LELIT BIANCA E61 ESPRESSO MACHINE

Countries using 110V power have slower heating time compared to 220V like in Vietnam. That’s why many foreign reviews show it will take about 25 minutes to heat the machine to brewing mode.

However, actual testing of Bianca in Hanoi’s autumn shows Bianca takes about:

• 13 minutes to be ready to brew if the machine only turns on 1 boiler: Mode for those who only brew espresso
• 18 minutes to enter ready mode if the machine turns on both boilers: Mode for those who like brewing Cappuccino, Latte

***The above test is only accurate for weather and voltage in the testing area. Winter, summer and voltage changes will cause startup time to change accordingly… However the error is only about 1 minute!

ACTUAL USAGE CAPABILITY OF LELIT BIANCA

With a 5-year lifespan (since 2018), Bianca has proven its durability through thousands of machines supplied to the market.

Typically, Bianca after 1 year of use:

• Gasket still soft and sealed
• Pump still operates smoothly
• Paddle still works like day one
• 1.5L boiler still creates strong and stable pressure
• If regularly steaming milk for Lattes, the knobs wear gaskets more than the E61 lever but still work well
• Surface finish easily wipes clean like new even when there are coffee stains for several days
• Wood detail surfaces still smooth, not dry and not warped despite frequent contact with high temperature and humidity

Bianca after 3-5 years of use will need inspection and replacement of gaskets and rubber seals in the E61 assembly. Overall, the pump operates almost stably and the boiler still has good pressure (as long as the user uses clean water with TDS below 50ppm to avoid scale buildup reducing boiler efficiency).

Besides high performance and stable, long-lasting working ability, the price factor is also something users must consider. So then:

IS BIANCA TRULY WORTH THE MONEY SPENT?

At the current time, can we find a second espresso machine on the market with the same technical characteristics and finish quality as Bianca at a cheaper or equivalent price?

No! No! No!

There are only machines priced equivalently but inferior in performance, or machines with equivalent performance at higher prices.

Moreover, investing in Bianca from a long-term perspective can be considered ECONOMICAL because users almost never need to upgrade no matter how advanced their skills become (unless your preference is to change machines, collect, or want to find an espresso machine programmable on mobile devices…).

SOME OTHER FEATURES OF LELIT BIANCA ESPRESSO MACHINE

• Has hot water spout: Brew hot Americano, get water for tea, rinse cups…
• Active Eco mode: Turn boilers on/off according to usage needs
• Passive Eco mode: When the machine is on for 30 minutes but not used, the steam boiler will shut off and the brew boiler water temperature drops to 70 degrees. When turned back on, the machine will only take about 10 minutes to fully heat.
• Machine feet can adjust height: Easy to calibrate according to actual machine placement area
• Professional 58mm portafilter handle: Compatible with many popular espresso accessories
• Comes with 1 double portafilter and 1 bottomless portafilter: Bianca’s double spout has a special soft design helping espresso foam flow out smoothly and last longer.
• All feet, handles, knobs, paddle details are walnut wood: Suitable for spaces requiring aesthetics
• Color options available: Black/White/Yellow/Steel (On black and white machines, wood accessories are made from Maple wood)

DRAWBACKS OF LELIT BIANCA ESPRESSO MACHINE

We’ve talked about the features that make Bianca an outstanding espresso machine. But that doesn’t mean it’s perfect. Therefore, knowing these drawbacks of Bianca is necessary before you decide whether to own it or not:

• Bianca’s drip tray surface plate is raised at corners by fairly soft rubber knobs. Everything will be fine, but if you lose these knobs, every time you brew coffee you may continuously hear a clattering sound… very annoying. Pay special attention to this detail.
• The central control screen is a bit small, feels difficult to control and a bit outdated compared to the bright, bezel-less screens of current espresso machines. Make sure you wear glasses when using if you’re near/farsighted.
• Bianca’s 1500ml steam boiler is very powerful, but it’s only powerful if you brew 3-4 cups continuously. If you want to brew 7-8 cups at once, it’s not so great. After every 3 Lattes, you need to wait about 1-2 minutes for temperature/pressure to truly recover. Don’t be sad because from the start Bianca was never designed for commercial scale. The heat compensation feature only affects espresso brewing water temperature; it can support brewing 5-6 cups continuously.
• Bianca warranty will be somewhat complex and requires technical staff as well as good equipment. If your espresso machine has problems (there’s always a risk rate), no one will come to your location for repairs. You need to send it to the warranty facility and you’ll also need to pay this shipping cost. Therefore, consider this factor as well. If you can comfortably enjoy phin coffee or filter coffee while waiting, everything will be fine.

NOTES WHEN USING LELIT BIANCA ESPRESSO MACHINE

• On the group head there’s a nylon sticker warning “Caution: Hot” that many people will want to remove for cleaning convenience. To make things easy, heat the machine for about 30 minutes before peeling the sticker. If you peel this sticker when the machine is cold, you’ll have a nightmare with the adhesive residue here.
• Installing the water softener filter (included with machine) will help limit scale buildup. If you use hard water (unfiltered), should replace after 6 months of use. If you’ve controlled input quality through an RO filter (with TDS ~50ppm), usage time will be longer or unnecessary.
• On the first startup, the machine will require flipping the E61 lever continuously 2 times to pump into 2 boilers. Please refill water in the reservoir after this process is completed.
• Bianca has heat compensation feature: Usually every 5°C setting (in the boiler) will change ~1°C of water at the group head. After about 40 seconds of continuous flushing, temperature starts to decrease, so depending on espresso brewing intensity/ambient temperature, set more or less compensation. Most likely we’ll only need this feature in winter. Maximum setting is 25°C in the boiler (equivalent to 5°C compensation at group head).
• Actual temperature at E61 group head is always 2-3 degrees C lower than brew boiler temperature setting. Note this characteristic to set appropriate temperature parameters for the coffee you use.
• Machine warm-up time is about 18 minutes (much faster than many E61 machines) but will be most optimal in 25 minutes. If users need to save time, can use a smart timer outlet (Xiaomi, Rang Dong…) with the machine switch in open mode. Set the machine to turn on at 6:30 AM and be ready to brew at 7 o’clock. Have breakfast and drink coffee before going to work!
• For those who rarely drink Latte/Cappuccino, can actively turn off the boiler through screen settings. This will reduce machine warm-up time and save over 50% electricity compared to normal.

HOW TO TURN ON/OFF POWER SAVING MODE (ECO MODE)

On Bianca V3, by default the machine will enter rest mode after 30 minutes (even standby mode is at OFF parameter). This time can be adjusted to be longer but cannot be turned off in the LCC screen.

Can turn off/on power saving mode by operating sequentially as follows:

• Step 1: Turn off machine
• Step 2: Flip E61 lever to highest position
• Step 3: Turn on machine (Light steady means Eco mode off, flashing light means Eco mode on)
• Step 4: Turn off machine
• Step 5: Lower E61 lever completely
• Step 6: Turn on machine

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS OF LELIT BIANCA ESPRESSO MACHINE

• Brand: Lelit
• Model code: Bianca V3
• Dimensions (Width x Depth x Height): 29 x 40 x 40 cm (Depth will add 8.5cm if water reservoir placed at back -> 48.5cm)
• Machine weight: 25kg
• Material: Stainless steel
• Steam boiler capacity: 1500ml/1400W
• Brew boiler capacity: 800ml/1000W
• Super-quiet rotary pump
• Default pump pressure: 9 bars – maximum 15 bars
• Integrated brew pressure gauge on group head, pump gauge and boiler pressure on machine body
• Integrated timer as soon as extraction button is pressed
• Integrated digital screen can set brewing profiles (Temperature, time)
• Water compartment: 2500ml (2.5 liters) and has integrated direct plumbing
• Has drain spout for direct drainage or waste water storage in tray
• Operating voltage: 220V
• Made in Italy
• 12-month warranty

LELIT BIANCA ESPRESSO MACHINE SET INCLUDES

Lelit Bianca espresso machine accessories

• 1 Bianca machine
• 2 Portafilter handles: 1 with bottomless basket and 1 with Bianca exclusive design double spout
• 3 IMS filter baskets: 9-11g / 14-18g / 18-21g
• 1 metal blind basket
• 1 metal tamper
• 1 coffee scoop
• 1 water softener filter
• 1 cleaning brush
• 1 soft cloth
• Additional 4-hole steam wand providing stronger steam
• Inlet and drain pipes
• 1 cup riser (used to raise espresso cup during extraction)
• Some initial machine cleaning accessories
• User manual (CAN DOWNLOAD PDF VERSION HERE)

REFERENCE FOR SOME COFFEE GRINDERS TO USE WITH BIANCA

REFERENCE FOR OTHER HOME ESPRESSO MACHINES

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