Lelit Bianca, Vitaliy P

Gorgeous construction and dead set reliable so far

Using pressure paddle requires endless experimentation based on roast and ground type, weight, etc.

Great machine, had it for a little over a year now. Plenty of reviews out already, so will just add my 2c that might not have been mentioned before.

1. Consider its size – the height is about 16.75″, so should fit under most traditional 17″ cabinets. However it is also very deep (long?), hence I had to place it diagonally in my kitchen. You cannot place it with front legs hanging over the counter. Was so excited to get the Bianca that haven’t considered that aspect before ordering!
2. The only timer built into Bianca is to shut off boilers after 30/60/90/etc. minutes of inactivity. That’s good, but since it takes 20-25 minutes to warm up, you will also want to have a start up timer, especially for your morning coffee rituals. Luckily, ebay solves this issue spectacularly with $10 Wi-Fi smart plugs. You can set schedules and turn on/off remotely with your phone. Love it, especially since it is one less thing to go wrong with the Bianca.
3. Since most people looking into this machine are likely upgrading from $500-$1,500 equipment, you will appreciate the build quality (at least on the outside), the mechanical feel of pulling shot lever (like shutting the door of a Rolls or a G-Wagen) and of course the pressure paddle! The quality has actually grown on me more now, instead of something to get used to and take for granted.

Seamless – delivered via freight on a pallet to my doorstep. Weights about 120lbs, hence this method of delivery