Lelit Bianca V3 in Test: Dual Boiler with Flow Control

We can talk about the Bianca V3 from Lelit from various perspectives and barista skill levels. It is an excellent dual boiler espresso machine that doesn't have to hide its core capabilities as a dual boiler from any other dual boiler in its price class. While the potential of adjustment and operating options is endless, we can operate the Bianca V3 just as easily as any other espresso machine with a Faema E61 brew group.

We write this clearly and explicitly at the beginning of this article so that all home barista beginners don't get lost as we dive into the depths and possibilities of the Lelit Bianca V3.

You decide what the Bianca V3 is as an espresso machine for you and how you operate it. You can pull the lever and let the rotary pump work with standard pressure of 8–9 bar. Or you can open up the world of flow rate, pre-infusion, and puck resistance.

In any case, you can grow as a home barista with the Lelit Bianca V3. And the possibilities are virtually unlimited. How the Bianca compares to other Lelit models can be found on our overview page Lelit: all espresso machines and grinders in our test.

Where you can buy the Lelit Bianca V3

We don't sell espresso machines ourselves. We haven't for three years so we can write about machines without our own sales figures influencing our reviews. What we do instead: The following specialty retailers stock the Lelit Bianca V3 and we can recommend purchasing from these businesses. All offer the possibility to adjust the machine's offset.

Germany: Stoll Espresso, Bohnendealer

Austria: Die Röster

We search for specialty partners we know do good work and provide good service, and we're in close contact with the retailers mentioned. The links are so-called affiliate links. If you order through one of these links, you don't pay any extra, but we receive a small commission that we invest directly in new test equipment.

We continue to search for competent partners in the DACH region for you.

About the Bianca V3 test

We bought our Bianca V3 unit ourselves. When Lelit released new color models of the machine, we were offered one for marketing purposes at no cost. We declined. We generally purchase the espresso machines we test. In rare cases, we have borrowed very expensive espresso machines, such as the Faema Faemina, on loan. When we do this, we make it clear. Beyond that, we have no consulting relationship with Lelit and tested this espresso machine like all others to the best of our knowledge and conscience. In addition to this espresso machine, we have compared numerous Lelit Biancas in our home barista courses over the past years, taken measurements (and adjusted the offset, more on that later).

This test has taken a long time. This is partly because the Bianca V3 is a complex espresso machine. On the other hand, it's because we wanted to better understand and investigate the entire topic of flow rate control, pressure profiles and their impact on taste, as well as how the coffee puck changes during brewing. This process is far from over. Nevertheless, we are now at a point where we can present an initial version of a test of the Lelit Bianca.

On the topics mentioned above, we are working on many further investigations that will occupy us for months or even years in some cases. Therefore, this test will continue to grow with our research and learning. Don't think of it as complete, but as a preliminary picture describing the Lelit Bianca as an espresso machine.

Do you have experience with the machine? Then write it in the comments. If you have questions about the machine, you can also reach us by email. However, we are grateful if you first ask the community, as many people have the Bianca espresso machine at home.

Test report and material collection for the Lelit Bianca V3

Here's an overview of what we'll be publishing about the Lelit Bianca.

• Extended test video (German)
• Videos in English and Spanish (publication to follow)
• Material collection with curves, measurements, etc.
• Test report

In a nutshell – this is the Lelit Bianca V3

• Flexible espresso machine that can grow with you. Good for beginners and with a steep learning curve for anyone who wants to dive into the depths of espresso brewing.
• Quiet dual boiler with sufficient power and good temperature stability.
• Double flow rate control via paddle and electronic low-flow regulation.
• Suitable for light, medium, and dark roasts, short and long coffee drinks, and milk frothing.
• Smart in many ways, for example through repositionable water tank or quick heat-up time through overriding at startup.
• Low power consumption without steam boiler. High energy demand with steam boiler.

Technical specifications of the Lelit Bianca V3

All values are our own measurements, not manufacturer specifications.

The dual boiler and the Faema E61

A "Faema E61 with dual boiler" sounds as ordinary as many other espresso machines on the market at first. But the paddle on the thermosyphon already signals: "I'm different." Not different like a La Marzocco Mini with a fake paddle, which is nothing more than a shot start, but different with manual flow rate control. And that's not all: Lelit blesses us with the V3 version with a double needle valve that we can control both manually and electronically. More on that later.

Let's stick with the Faema E61 and the dual boiler. The former is in principle so classic that we can refer to what feels like four dozen articles on our blog. Except for the inlet of the needle valve and the downstream pressure gauge, which shows the pressure against the resistance of the coffee puck.

The Lelit Bianca V3 comes with a brew boiler of 800 ml and a steam boiler of 1.5 liters. Size-wise, this is in the middle range of boiler espresso machines and promises solid performance. The water is driven by a quiet rotary pump, which we measure at 61 decibels in volume.

The 2.5-liter water tank is a sign of what Lelit likes to do: think outside the box. Symbolically, the water tank is not integrated into the espresso machine but hangs on the back. We loosen one screw on top and one on the bottom, and the tank can be removed and mounted on either the left or right side of the machine. Sounds nice, but what for? The Bianca gives you the flexibility to be set up right- or left-handed, and anyone without much depth on their work surface will also appreciate the reduction in the back. The water tank itself can only be removed from the top, but it folds in nicely and comes without hoses.

Also notable: A double pressure gauge for steam and brew pressure, the "Lelit Control Center" with PID control, and many smart adjustment options.

Size, design, and workmanship

By default, the Lelit Bianca comes in stainless steel with wooden handles and wooden paddle. Alternatively, it's available in white or black for a significant extra cost. The aesthetics, for diplomatic reasons, are in the eye of the beholder. From "old" to "stylish," we've heard it all about the Lelit Bianca. Fact is, the stainless steel version, like all stainless steel machines, seems to chronically attract fingerprints. When we tap on the machine, it sounds tinny. Other espresso machines in the same price range seem more solid in terms of material thickness. The white and black versions, however, look much more robust, even if that's just the additional coating on the stainless steel body.

The Bianca V3 is a compactly designed espresso machine with a height of 40.5 cm at the paddle. The machine's cup shelf is at 38.5 cm height. The Lelit Bianca has a width of 29.3 cm and a depth of 50.0 cm. However, the water tank can be mounted on the side, reducing the depth by 8.7 cm. Also consider: The portafilter protrudes at the front and adds 9.5 cm to the depth. The machine weighs 27.0 kg.

We've already mentioned the low noise level of the Bianca. In addition to the quiet pump, rubber dampers in many transition areas are responsible for this. Whether on the grills of the drip tray, the cup shelf, or the water tank lid, rubber stops everywhere prevent vibrations and thus noise.

Below the drip tray, we notice sharp edges. However, the visible edges are each curved and thus unproblematic. The drip tray holds 0.98 liters.

Included accessories

The accessories included with the Lelit Bianca are impressive. In addition to a bottomless portafilter, the typical Lelit portafilter with two spouts is also included. These are positioned so close together that they're also well-suited for extracting into a single espresso cup. Therefore, it can also be used as a single-spout portafilter. However, the proximity of the two spouts requires precise aiming to fill two cups. Since the distance between the spout and drip tray is quite high, an included grid extension makes aiming easier. Balancing a scale on it could be a challenge.

Also included are a water filter cartridge, which is not recommended in our filter cartridge test, a blind basket, a plastic spoon (why?), and an 18-gram and a 20-gram basket.

We particularly like the polished tamper, which according to Lelit has a diameter of 58.55 mm and sits almost flush with the included basket. The distance to the edge is just 0.4 mm. By the way, the Lelit Bianca's portafilter socket is standard 58 mm, so many portafilters are compatible.

Also included are a connection set for fixed water supply, a microfiber cloth, and an additional 4-hole tip for the steam wand.

Lelit is smart: 17-minute heat-up time and a modular water tank

Lelit, the manufacturer from Baitella, Brescia, Italy, repeatedly surprises with the extra mile. Faema E61 espresso machines are as common as sand on the beach, and most work quite similarly. But Lelit doesn't just rely on this proven technology and stop there. The engineers at the company are constantly looking for smart solutions to make the machine better.

This shows in the details, like the forward-bent portafilter that shows the home barista the creamy flowing espresso. It goes deeper when we look at the Lelit Control Center's control options or the strategic overheating at machine startup. Lelit deliberately heats the brew boiler above the target temperature to heat the portafilter faster, then lets the temperature drop to the desired value. This results in a heat-up time for the Lelit Bianca that we measure at 17 minutes until target temperature and heated portafilter are reached. That's around 8 to 12 minutes faster than the average Faema E61 portafilter espresso machine.

The double flow rate control, programmable pre-infusion, and the modular water tank outside the machine are further evidence that a proven system can tolerate innovative thinking.

Access to the boiler below the machine makes servicing the Lelit's heating much easier since it doesn't need to be removed.

10 seconds of low flow at startup (slow flow rate).

Flow rate control squared

The Lelit Bianca V3 is equipped with dual flow rate control. An upstream needle valve can be programmed for low and normal flow (low flow = low flow), and a downstream needle valve can be used with a paddle for further flow reduction.

It's astonishing how little is said about water flow rate in espresso machines when you consider how important it is for preparing the drink. Pressure is often cited, and not infrequently, especially with cheap espresso machines with vibration pumps, high pressure potential is advertised at 15 bar. However, high pressure does not mean good coffee or even even extraction.

Pump excursus

The pump of the espresso machine generates the pressure. Cheap espresso machines are equipped with a vibration pump, which implements the speed of the water supplied to the portafilter relatively sluggishly, then realizes the pressure buildup against the coffee. A rotary pump gets going faster, and the pressure buildup against the puck and on the pressure gauge is accordingly much faster. With rotary pumps, we adjust the grind a bit finer. Nevertheless, the first extraction drops often appear after 5 to 6 seconds. With the vibration pump, we usually wait over 8 seconds. The third, rarely used pump is the gear pump or toothed wheel pump. This pump allows you to regulate its "pressure exertion" in relation to the extraction. The vibration and rotary pumps typically deliver relatively statically the set pressure force. But espresso machines like the Decent or San Remo YOU show that more flexibility is possible with these pumps than is often used.

We can reduce the realized pump pressure on the coffee puck by reducing the flow rate through valves after the pump. In the case of the Lelit Bianca, two needle valves are used for this. Figuratively speaking, we, or the needle valves themselves, sit on the hose. But why does Lelit equip the Bianca with two needle valves? And what is the consequence of the reduced flow rate that also manifests itself in the pressure on the puck?

Low flow means even extraction?

Yes and no. The extraction of an espresso can be divided into different phases: a saturation phase, where the brew water soaks the entire coffee, a main extraction phase and finally a phase where the extraction ability of the coffee puck decreases and the resistance of the coffee puck collapses rapidly. This knowledge helps you modulate the flow with espresso machines that have flow rate control.

If we brew an espresso not with full pressure of 8 to 9 bar against the puck, but for example with 6 bar, it's easier to achieve more even extraction. High pressure increases the likelihood of channeling and also reduces the resistance of the coffee puck more quickly. However, with low pressure, we can't extract everything from the coffee.

However, anyone who doesn't want to spend much time on careful puck preparation generally does better with lower brewing pressure. However, the pressure reduction is not limitless, because if the pressure built up against the puck drops too much, extraction decreases or the strength of the coffee drink is too low. Taste-wise, it will no longer be perceived as espresso.

Low pressure at the beginning

Low pressure at the beginning, combined with very low pressure, allows complete water saturation of the coffee puck. If this can be achieved before the full brewing pressure is released, even extraction is guaranteed. If dry spots remain in the coffee puck, the following water will avoid them. Dry coffee is fundamentally water-repellent (hydrophobic) until it's saturated.

If a pressure increase follows the complete saturation, the coffee puck can long offer even resistance, provided it was carefully prepared and tamped.

Manual flow rate control

The Lelit Bianca's paddle allows you to manually control the espresso machine's flow rate. Home baristas have almost all the options here. First, you need to pull the espresso machine's extraction lever.

When the paddle is at 9 o'clock, little water flow is delivered. When the paddle is at 6 o'clock, we measure 2.5 to 2.8 g/s on the scale without resistance. At 3 o'clock, we observe flow between 4.9 and 5.1 g/s. With the paddle completely open, we reach just under 6 grams per second flow on the scale.

Important: These values are not measured against pressure. Against the standard pressure of our Scace portafilter, the pressure looks like this:

With the Scace's back pressure, we measure around 2 g/s flow and 4.8 bar pressure at 6 o'clock. At 3 o'clock, we achieve 2.5 g/s with 7.5 bar pressure against the Scace. Completely open, we reach between 2.7 and 2.8 g/s with 8.1 bar pressure. These values should be interpreted with caution. The water flowing out of the Scace is sprayed onto the cup bottom with relatively high pressure, which negatively affects the scale's measurement accuracy.

The pressure values with the Scace only represent an approximation of what happens in a portafilter and when used with coffee. During coffee extraction, the puck's resistance decreases over the course of extraction.

For your Lelit at home, it's important that you can adjust the settings of your needle valves and thus shape the flow rate in each range.

Tips for working with the paddle

To achieve repeatable results, we generally recommend working with fixed positions. A changing pressure on the pressure gauge is normal because the resistance of the coffee puck decreases with brewing time.

By the way: If the paddle is not exactly at 6 o'clock, it has minimal effects. Still, it makes sense to orient yourself to fixed points.

The paddle also offers opportunities to "fix" extractions. If water flows too quickly through the puck, you can take a firm grip to reduce the flow rate and thus slow down the extraction. Taste-wise, this will taste better than a thin, super under-extracted result.

Electronic flow rate control

While the V2 of the Lelit Bianca was only equipped with manual flow rate control, the V3 version comes with additional electronic control. This gives the machine not only many new possibilities but also allows you to define fixed profiles and sequences. The repeatability of extractions has greatly increased.

The electronic needle valve control is not as flexible as the manual one. Essentially, two "low-flow" phases can be defined: one at the beginning and one at the end. At the beginning, the duration of low flow is set. At the end, the beginning of low flow is set.

We measure approximately 1.5 - 1.7 g/s and 3.1 bar with the Scace's resistance in the low-flow phase.

Nesting of electronic and manual flow rate control and pre-infusion

By nesting manual and electronic flow rate control, you can unlock further operating possibilities for the Lelit Bianca. For example, low flow can be further reduced by using the paddle.

Programmable pre-infusion offers further possibilities. By activating pre-infusion, a pause option is unlocked. If pre-infusion is not further nested with low flow, the Bianca starts with normal flow and pressure and then pauses for a selected time.

It makes sense to combine the pre-infusion time with a low-flow time. For example, 10 seconds of pre-infusion could be combined with 10 seconds of low flow and a subsequent 5-second pause.

Bianca V2, V3, and V4: what's different

The Bianca versions can be distinguished by the scope of flow control. The V2 had only the mechanical paddle. The V3 tested here additionally has the electronically controlled needle valve, or programmable low flow, and thus significantly better repeatability. Anyone coming from a V2 and only working with the paddle gains little. Anyone who wants to call up profiles gains a lot.

We haven't done our own measurements on the Bianca V4 yet. We can add what we can write about it once we've had it in the lab.

Espresso quality potential

We've talked about the possibilities of espresso preparation. Of course, we still need to get our hands dirty, adjust the grind on a good grinder, and prepare the espresso cleanly. If that works, the espresso will work too. The Lelit Bianca V3 provides all the prerequisites for good espresso. The options discussed above are pathways for this, as is the good temperature stability that we'll discuss next.

We're often asked whether a particular espresso machine "matches" certain coffees. And indeed, there are some espresso machines that show their strengths with rather lighter or darker roasts. We give the Lelit Bianca the accolade: "can do it all." From a complex Doña Margarita from our purple line to the stronger all-rounder Dreispitz to brewed filter coffee as espresso – with the Bianca and its influence options, you can basically brew anything.

Temperature stability

When it comes to temperature, three questions are interesting:

• How fast does the espresso machine get hot?
• How stable is the temperature during extraction?
• How stable is the temperature from extraction to extraction?

To check temperature stability and heat-up time, we use the Scace 2 with a K-type sensor and a PCE-T 330 data logger. We record the WBC protocol on the one hand and the KM protocol on the other hand, which we use to monitor heat-up, for example at 15, 20, or 25 minutes. In between, we let the espresso machines cool down for a whole day again. A really elaborate test protocol, then.

According to our measurements, the Lelit Bianca reaches its target temperature of 93 degrees Celsius (+/- 1 degree Celsius) after 17 minutes. While the initial temperature in our measurement was 92.03 degrees, the temperature rose to 93.16 degrees over five extractions with one-minute intervals. The standard deviation over these five extractions, measured from second 4 to 25 of the extraction, was 0.99 degrees in the KM protocol after 17 minutes. That's a good value.

In the WBC protocol measurement after one hour of operation, we get a standard deviation of 0.69 degrees Celsius. Thus the Lelit Bianca is not far from the World Barista Championship's target specification of 0.55 degrees Celsius.

We can confirm very good temperature stability from extraction to extraction and during extraction for the Lelit Bianca. With longer idle times, we recommend, as with all Faema E61 brew groups, a purge shot before extraction.

Adjust offset: 4 to 8 degree deviation from the factory

The biggest and most important problem to note is the sometimes massive offset. Over the last six months, we've measured over 20 Lelit Biancas. The Bianca is regularly tested with participants from our home barista courses at our academy. We also use this opportunity to check the temperature of the espresso machines. Of course, we want the participants of our courses to go home with a well-calibrated espresso machine (by default, all home barista participants bring their espresso machine).

The Lelit Bianca's offset is typically between 4 and 8 degrees Celsius. In virtually all cases, this has been negative, meaning the machine was effectively too cold. Offset means there is a discrepancy between the temperature displayed on the PID control and the actual brew temperature. To rely on the temperature display, verification by a specialty retailer is essential. Beware when buying online – careful offset adjustment is not likely.

Our test machine's offset was 6 degrees Celsius. This meant that at a displayed temperature of 93 degrees, we actually had a brew temperature of 87 degrees. It's important to note that the control knows two offset values: one on the user interface and one in the technician or submenu. The latter is the one that needs to be adjusted.

Steam and frothing performance

From a dual boiler costing over 2000 euros, we expect not only good frothing performance but of course also parallel frothing to espresso extraction. What feels confirmed during frothing can also be objectively demonstrated. Frothing performance – and again here the spectrum of options that Lelit has provided – allows us to customize the Lelit Bianca for everyone.

To assess steam power, we use 300 ml of 20-degree cold water and check how long it takes to heat it to 60 degrees.

With the standard setting of 125 degrees boiler temperature, we need 47 seconds with the standard 2-hole nozzle. If we want more power, we adjust the Bianca to 135 degrees. The same exercise is then completed in about 36 seconds. Those who want even more pressure switch to the 4-hole nozzle, which is also included in the delivery. Now we need 25 seconds to heat the 300 ml to 60 degrees.

As said: The Lelit Bianca can be the frothing partner everyone wants. Those who want to froth well and safely set it to 4-hole at 135 degrees. Those who prefer to take their time to go through the phases of frothing stay at 125 degrees and try the 2-hole nozzle.

Energy consumption Lelit Bianca

Depending on how espresso machines are used, their energy consumption varies. Espresso machines consume electricity primarily when heating the boilers. The power consumption of pumps or displays is low compared to the thirsty heating elements of the boilers.

Those who only drink espresso consume significantly less electricity than cappuccino drinkers. Provided the usually larger steam boiler can be switched off. With the Lelit Bianca, that's possible. If we only switch on the 0.8-liter insulated brew boiler, the energy consumption is significantly reduced. We get 0.133 kWh consumption for heating and preparing 5 double espressos. Preparing an espresso in this scenario consumes 0.1194 kWh, taking into account and including the heat-up.

When the steam boiler is switched on, consumption is more than three times as high. We measure 0.4259 kWh, taking into account the same criteria with heat-up and 5 double extractions. Preparing a cappuccino including heat-up takes 0.34616 kWh.

Frequently asked questions about the Lelit Bianca V3

Does the Kaffeemacher portafilter fit the Lelit Bianca?

Yes. The Bianca has a 58-mm E61 standard socket, so our portafilters fit. Both our bottomless portafilter 58 mm E61 and the portafilter with double spout 58 mm E61 can be inserted directly. The double spout is particularly interesting if you have difficulty hitting two cups with the Lelit portafilter included because its spouts are very close together. The bottomless portafilter is the tool with which you can even see channeling, and thus the most sensible first addition when you want to work with the Bianca's flow control.

Which baskets and shower screen can I use?

The package includes an 18-gram and a 20-gram basket as well as a blind basket. Because the Bianca follows the 58-mm standard, standard precision baskets and shower screens for E61 brew groups work. If you're working on the puck anyway, look at our baskets. Lelit did well with the tamper, the included polished tamper has 58.55 mm and leaves only 0.4 mm distance to the basket edge.

Can I connect the Bianca to fixed water supply?

Yes, a connection set for fixed water supply is included. The Bianca has a rotary pump, which makes fixed water operation technically obvious. If you stay with the tank: It holds 2.5 liters, hangs on the back of the machine, and can be remounted left or right with two screws, reducing depth by 8.7 centimeters. In any case, make sure you use suitable water, we don't recommend the included filter cartridge after our filter cartridge test.

How much space do I need for the Bianca?

Plan for 29.3 centimeters width and 40.5 centimeters height at the paddle. Depth gets interesting: 50.0 centimeters with tank at the back, 41.3 centimeters with side-mounted tank. Add 9.5 centimeters because the portafilter protrudes at the front. If your work surface is under an upper cabinet, check the height above the cup shelf, which is 38.5 centimeters. The weight of 27 kilograms is more of an argument to choose the location once and for all.

Bianca V3 or Lelit Elizabeth?

The decision comes down to flow control, not steam. The Elizabeth PL92T is a true dual boiler from around 1,050 euros, can do espresso and milk in parallel, and is up to temperature after 20 minutes. But it has no paddle and no programmable low flow. If you want to modulate extractions, there's no way around the Bianca. If you just want good espresso and cappuccino, the Elizabeth is the more sensible choice and you save more than half.

Bianca V3 or Mara X3 with Pagaia?

The Mara X3 costs 1,699 euros and brings flow control via Pagaia but is a two-group machine with heat exchanger, not a dual boiler. In our measurements, the Bianca has significantly better temperature control: 0.69 degree standard deviation in the WBC protocol, while the X3 in the same stress test over 14 extractions has a temperature window of 7 degrees. If you want flow control and temperature stability, take the Bianca. If you have less space and less budget, the X3.

What color variants are there and is the extra cost worth it?

Standard is stainless steel with wooden handles and wooden paddle, with coated versions available for a significant extra cost. A practical argument beyond taste: The stainless steel version chronically attracts fingerprints, the coated versions look more robust and are easier to keep clean. Whether that's worth the extra cost depends on your own cleaning willingness.

Where do I find the user manual and offset adjustment?

The settings run through the Lelit Control Center, the PID control on the machine. Important for temperature: The control knows two offset values, one on the user interface and one in the technician or submenu. You need to adjust the one in the submenu. Because the offset is typically 4 to 8 degrees negative from the factory, it's worth either having it done by a specialty retailer or checking it yourself with a measurement portafilter.

What does the Lelit Bianca V3 cost?

It's over 2,000 euros, the exact price depends on version and color variant and fluctuates considerably in retail. We deliberately don't name a daily price but refer to the specialty businesses mentioned above. More important than the last few euros: Buy from where your offset will be adjusted.

Appendix and additional materials

Pressure and flow rate measurements

In the following, we show you some ways the Lelit Control Center can be used to run different profiles. These curves were recorded using the Espresso Smartsensor and its associated app. However, we used a Scace 2 as the portafilter. The curve would look slightly different with coffee because the resistance decreases when using coffee. The resulting pressure on the puck would decrease. However, we find this visualization helpful in showing the principle of different curves.

5 seconds pre-infusion followed by a 5-second pause.

5 seconds pre-infusion, 5 seconds pause with 20 seconds low flow. After a total of 40 seconds, low flow again.

5 seconds low flow pre-infusion, 5 seconds pause.

As always, we bought this espresso machine ourselves. This test was not requested by Lelit.