Lelit Elizabeth PL92T in Review: Dual Boiler from 1,050 Francs

The Lelit Elizabeth PL92T is making a strong case for itself in our testing for the title "Best Entry-Level Dual-Boiler Espresso Machine." We are pleasantly surprised and also feel vindicated. Because Lelit goes the extra mile with the Elizabeth in the dual-boiler espresso machine category and does a lot of things right. That's why our view of the Lelit Elizabeth is similarly positive as our previous test of the two-circuit Lelit Mara X.

The Lelit Elizabeth is one of many dual-boiler espresso machines we have tested and will continue to test. You can find an overview here.

Classification of Lelit Elizabeth Dual-Boiler

The Lelit Elizabeth is one of the cheapest dual-boilers on the market. In Switzerland, prices range between 1100 francs on large online platforms and 1600 francs in local retail. In Germany, the Lelit Elizabeth is available from 1050 euros. That's really affordable!

Many dual-boilers start at prices of more than 1800 francs or euros, which makes the Lelit Elizabeth's price all the more competitive. Pointing out that these prices are realized due to high volumes and especially through online retail doesn't change anything: the Lelit Elizabeth is very reasonably priced for a dual-boiler!

At the same time, it comes with a backpack of features and refinements that much more expensive models don't have. Various pre-infusion modes, a shot timer, and thoughtful controls make the Lelit Elizabeth an exciting espresso machine for entry into the dual-boiler class!

Lelit Elizabeth Quick Check

Don't want to read the whole article? Here you'll find the most important strengths and weaknesses of the Lelit Elizabeth summarized.

Facts

• Dual-boiler with PID temperature control and vibration pump as well as pump manometer.
• The Elizabeth weighs 12 kilograms, is 32.2 cm wide (with portafilter), 38.2 cm tall, and the body is 26 cm deep. When you add the portafilter and protruding power cable, the Lelit Elizabeth reaches a depth of 43 cm.
• The drip tray holds 1.4 liters.
• The water tank has a capacity of 2.5 liters. The machine cannot be connected to mains water.
• Steam boiler volume: 0.6 liters (can be switched off)
• Brew boiler volume: 0.3 liters
• The machine's housing is made of brushed stainless steel.
• Lelit is an Italian manufacturer and belongs to the Breville Group.

Strengths of the Lelit Elizabeth

• The Lelit Elizabeth combines the strengths of a dual-boiler espresso machine with a relatively affordable price. The separate boilers allow precise adjustment of the espresso machine for its two main purposes: making espresso and steaming milk.
• The temperature of the Lelit Elizabeth is consistent once the machine is properly heated. This occurs after more than 20 minutes of warm-up time.
• The Lelit Elizabeth PL92T has low power consumption of approximately 0.13 kWh for 5 double espresso shots with heating but without the steam boiler. With the steam boiler switched on, we measure 0.24 kWh.
• The steam performance of the Lelit Elizabeth is good. It rolls powerfully but heats slowly, which allows for a long rolling phase and thus creamy foam. The boiler can be adjusted up to 145 degrees Celsius.
• Practical shot timer to see the extraction length in seconds.
• Two different pre-infusion modes that offer a lot of room to achieve the perfect result from every espresso.
• Clear LCC (Lelit Control Center) for machine control and display of the shot timer. Additional functions for controlling and programming the machine in expert mode.
• Good basket with 18-gram capacity included.
• Programmable buttons that can also be used for automated flushing and cleaning programs.

The Lelit Elizabeth PL92T allows control at various levels. On the surface, temperature and, for example, extraction time can be programmed. Pre-infusion settings are also possible. Through advanced controls, many details of the PID can be adjusted. At this level, hardly any manufacturers allow access.

Weaknesses of the Lelit Elizabeth

• The build quality of the machine could be higher. The stainless steel body feels thin compared to other dual-boilers.
• The portafilter is functionally good, but not balanced. The plastic handle looks cheap.
• A plastic tamper is included, but it's not suitable as a tamper.
• The plastic steam wand looks like a temporary solution and reflects the lower quality of the portafilter handle.
• The Lelit Elizabeth has relatively sharp edges in various places, which can lead to unpleasant cuts even in everyday use.
• The machine becomes quite loud when the water level in the tank is too low. The pump itself is rather quiet.
• The water tank feels like a leftover from an earlier era. Unlike the Lelit Mara X, water is not drawn from below but through tubes that need to be re-threaded after each refill.
• The warm-up time is 20 minutes if the machine is to reach the correct operating temperature. The machine itself indicates readiness earlier, but our measurements don't support this.
• The optimal temperature is reached when the machine has been running longer. Therefore, it's important to know your own machine and work with a local dealer to check and adjust the current actual temperature.
• The buttons sometimes don't respond sensitively.

Low Power Consumption Without Steam Boiler

Compared to other dual-boilers, the Lelit Elizabeth with the steam boiler switched off has relatively low power consumption. However, note that the power was measured here at a protocol of only 15 minutes. At that point, the machine was not yet fully at temperature. So the actual power consumption will be slightly higher, though still relatively low. It's not comparable to some thermoblocks that achieve consumption of just 0.1 kWh. And yet 0.13 to 0.15 kWh is also a good result. We will repeat the power measurement without the steam boiler with an operating time of 20 minutes.

With the steam boiler on, we measure 0.24 kWh, which matches the result of the Rancilio Silvia Pro X. With many dual-boilers, we achieve high values of more than 0.35 kWh in the comparative measurement.

Warm-Up Time of the Lelit Elizabeth PL92T

We've read a lot about the short warm-up time of the Elizabeth. We don't agree. At 10 and 15 minutes, the PL92T is not yet at target temperature. We recommend warming up the machine for at least 20 minutes.

The Lelit Elizabeth is really in its comfort zone when it's been running longer. This is also shown by our measurement using the WBC protocol. We have the feeling that the machine was optimized for the goal of "running for 1 hour." For everyday use at home, this seems only partially practical. Because at least we very much enjoy an espresso right when the machine reaches temperature. After that, we typically turn off the machine in daily use and turn it back on a few hours later for the next espresso.

To clarify: the Lelit is in the temperature range earlier. However, with the standard factory programming, it becomes truly stable once it's been on longer. It's possible this could be adjusted through the advanced settings of the LCC.

The measurements were made using the Lelit Elizabeth's factory standard settings. These were: KPc 2.0; KIc 0.04; KDc 1.0; BC 30; KPs 2.0; KIs 0.00; KDs 20.0; BS 30; Ec 10; Es 0; F01 1; Tr 0

These settings can be controlled through the advanced settings of the Lelit via the LCC. Lelit provides everything needed to adjust many fine details in the behavior of the PID and control. The length of the pump phase in the pre-infusion can also be adjusted. Dave Corbey provides a good explanation in a blog post. We will discuss the setup options further in another video and also test the Lelit's temperature using the settings suggested by Dave.

Pre-Infusion and Espresso Quality

Even in standard mode, the Lelit Elizabeth allows us to brew good espresso. When the machine is properly heated, we get good results. However, we set the machine two degrees higher if we want to drink espresso 20 minutes after turning it on!

Additionally, the espresso machine allows use of two different pre-infusion modes. On one hand, with the steam boiler turned on, we can use steam to apply gentle pressure to the coffee puck for 3 to 20 seconds after stopping the pump.

On the other hand, a type of blooming pre-infusion can be performed. For this, the steam boiler must not be running. Now the pump switches off by default after 6 seconds of operation and then enters a definable pause phase.

Advanced Pre-Infusion Settings

The pump's pause phase can be defined for both modes in the advanced settings. Here's how to access the menu:

BLS1 stands for button 1 and BLS2 stands for button 2. The following number defines the activated pump phase before the steam pressure pre-infusion. In the example above, we chose 3 seconds, which seems like a reasonable value to us.

BLP1 sets button 1 for blooming pre-infusion and BLP2 sets button 2. In the example above, we chose 6 seconds before the pump stops.

In both modes, the activated pump time is subtracted from the total set pre-infusion time. So if we choose a ten-second pre-infusion in the menu, it will actually be 7 or 4 seconds, since the pump pressure time counts as part of the pre-infusion.

Effects of Pre-Infusion on Different Espressos

We experimented extensively with pre-infusion and tried both modes with different espresso roasts and extraction times. The possibilities here are immense. We achieved better results with steam pressure pre-infusion. Especially with lighter roasted specialty coffee espressos, they became sweeter and more balanced. In the video test, for example, we taste Toca from our bio project partner in Mexico.

With a darker roasted Robusta espresso, the difference was small; it worked well without pre-infusion too. With its settings options, the Lelit Elizabeth offers a playground for curious coffee aficionados. But it also carries the risk of getting lost. In that case, stepping back to the standard profile makes sense.

New: Lelit Elizabeth 3 with Pagaia

At the World of Coffee 2026 in Brussels, Lelit showed the Elizabeth in a new version. Lelit calls it the Elizabeth 3, and it brings the Pagaia, that little lever for controlling flow rate that we first tested on the Lelit Mara X3. Pagaia doesn't mechanically control a valve; it electronically regulates pump power. You control the flow, and the pressure follows as a result.

For the Elizabeth, this is more than just an add-on. Further up, we describe how cumbersome it is to adjust pre-infusion through the advanced LCC settings, with BLS1, BLP2, and second values that are subtracted from the total time. With Pagaia, that becomes a lever movement.

And the Elizabeth 3 goes even further than the Mara X3. It also has a pressure sensor whose value is displayed, and two buttons on which you can store a profile with multiple stages. A gentle pre-infusion at low pressure, then the second stage, then the third, accessible at the push of a button. This is the point that really interests us: on the Mara X3, flow profiling is manual work and therefore not reproducible; on the Elizabeth 3 it would be storable. However, there's also no volumetric or time-based control here.

Lelit quoted a 300-euro upcharge for the Pagaia function at the Brussels show.

Steaming Performance

The base pressure of the steam boiler is rather low. However, the temperature can be increased to 145 degrees Celsius, and then the Lelit Elizabeth becomes really fun for steaming. It rolls powerfully without heating too quickly. This allows for a long rolling phase and is the prerequisite for very good milk foam.

Especially for those just beginning to steam milk, the Lelit is also an interesting choice from a steaming perspective. The long rolling phase helps break down the bubbles created by inexperienced steaming.

The steam wand frustrates us a bit each time we start steaming again. But there will surely be some nice upgrades from tinkerers soon.

This dial controls the steam for steaming milk. We received a tip from the community that there are nice custom-made wooden versions available, turned in small series.

And what are your experiences with the Lelit Elizabeth? Feel free to write to us in the comments.

By the way, this also applies to this machine: we bought it, we conduct our tests independently and test to the best of our knowledge and conscience.