Lelit Bianca, Todd Young

– The paddle to adjust shot profile
– Rotary pump
– All the stainless steel
– Boilers
– The Lelit control
– Steam power
– Stability

The only negative was early on the silicon hose that connects to the relief valve on top of the boiler was split on the end and leaked water when the unit was warming up. I just took the top off and cut a small piece of the hose off and reattached. Problem solved!

I have had this espresso machine for over a year so I have had enough experience to really rate it. Previously I had cheaper machines and decided after the second one started having problems I would upgrade to something far better that would be repairable since any espresso machine will eventually need repairs and maintenance. I looked at machines from Profitec and ECM and Rocket. I was almost sold on the Profitec when I found this espresso machine. It was fairly new at the time so reviews and information were hard to find. I decided it was mostly made from common espresso parts and would be what I was looking for. The paddle to adjust the shot was what put it over the others however.
To start, the machine looks great and is well built. Getting to the inside is not too difficult but it is apparent it is built to last. The entire thing, including the frame, is made from stainless steel so no rust unlike some of the competition.
Now to the performance. I have never had an issue with using the machine. Once I have the grind figured out for each coffee it performs perfectly. I noticed another review mention that normally they can just leave everything alone with the machine and when there is more time they can experiment. This is very true and is a huge selling point in my opinion. Leaving the paddle alone means the machine is just a normal espresso machine. However, adjusting it is a huge deal. You can get dramatically different espresso shots by adjusting the paddle. I have experimented with courser grinds and lower pressure or just lower pressure over longer periods. I have been able to produce very sweet shots by having a low pressure. And having the pressure gauge makes it fairly easy to reproduce the same shot. All you need to do is remember at what pressure you ran the shot. As for steam, it has been great. It comes with two steam tips but I have mostly used the tip with the larger holes. It steams milk quickly and, with experience, allows me to get the perfect foam for latte art.
I would recommend this machine to anyone looking for a high-quality espresso machine. The ability to change the shot pressure means it has a feature that was previously available only on machines that were thousands more and gives the operator the ability to continuously change the espresso flavors. And the steam ability gives professional latte quality at home.

I purchased from 1st Line Equipment. They provided all relevant information and shipped quickly. They also provide a rewards program which will give you roughly another $100 in items for free after you purchase the machine.