Including Tips & Tricks
The best dual boiler machine for beginners. The Lelit Elizabeth PL92T is stepping up to claim this title. Lelit has really gone the extra mile and their concept pays off. The machine impresses in many respects and you can tell that the company Lelit, just as they did before with the Lelit Mara X, is doing a lot right.
Lelit Elizabeth at a Glance
The machine features a rotary pump and comes with PID temperature control. It also has a pump pressure gauge. With dimensions of 32.2 cm in width, 38.2 cm in height, and 26 cm in depth, it weighs 12 kilograms. The drip tray can hold 1.4 liters, and the water tank holds 2.5 liters. The steam boiler has a capacity of 0.6 liters and can be switched off. For brewing, there is a 0.3 liter brew boiler available. The machine is made entirely of brushed stainless steel.
Strengths of the Lelit Elizabeth
The Lelit Elizabeth showcases all the strengths of a dual boiler machine at a very attractive price. Thanks to the two separate boilers, the machine can be adjusted very precisely. Both steam temperature and brew temperature can be dialed in to the exact point and contribute to outstanding flavor.
A second major advantage is temperature stability. Once heated up, which takes about 20 minutes, it maintains its temperature very reliably. We'll go into more detail about the heating process shortly. Power consumption is also low at 0.13 kWh for 5 espressos including heating, or 0.24 kWh with the steam boiler switched on. Many other dual boiler machines consume more power. The Lelit performs well here. Speaking of the steam boiler, the steam performance of the Lelit Elizabeth also impresses us.
The shot timer is very practical and displays the espresso shot time. The clear LCC (Lelit Control Center) is rounded out by programmable buttons where you can set things like flushing or a cleaning program. The baskets included in the package are decent and don't need to be upgraded.
Weaknesses of the Lelit Elizabeth
During intensive testing, we noticed some weaknesses on the machine that, despite its many strengths, should not go unmentioned.
The stainless steel body feels somewhat thin and therefore not as high-quality as on other machines. There are some spots that even have sharp edges. This is not very appealing and can lead to painful cuts. The portafilter also isn't entirely successful. It has a plastic handle and is not really well-balanced. The steam knob is made of plastic and also doesn't feel very high-quality. The plastic tamper can be discarded right out of the box.
When the water level in the water tank is low, the machine becomes very loud. Unlike the Mara X, water from the tank is not drawn from the bottom but from the top via tubes. This looks like a system from an earlier era and is not well thought out.
The machine's heating time is about 20 minutes. Although the machine indicates earlier that it would be ready, according to our measurements it is then still too cold. It's important that you get to know your machine well and develop a feel for when you can start. The machine's buttons sometimes don't respond well; there's still room for improvement here.
Heating Time
We measured precisely and imagined everyday situations that the Lelit Elizabeth would encounter. The machine already indicates after 10 or 15 minutes that it is ready for the first espresso shot. However, the PL92T is actually not ready yet. We recommend waiting at least 20 minutes. According to precise measurements using the WBC protocol, it seems to us that the truly optimal range for the machine is reached after about an hour. It appears to be designed for extended use, such as in a small café or for catering. But for home use, this seems out of place. Who turns on their machine an hour before brewing? If you don't want to preheat the machine that long, you should set the brew temperature about 2 degrees higher in the LCC. According to our measurements, you'll then get a good solid value even after 20 minutes of preheating. The LCC really makes sense here, and in combination with the PID temperature control, you can make fine adjustments to your heart's content.
Preinfusion and Espresso Quality
The machine produces good espressos. However, as described above, they become a bit better if you pay attention to the temperature and set the machine a bit higher for short heating times.
Preinfusion can also be adjusted. With the steam boiler switched on, we can use the steam in the preinfusion to apply gentle pressure to the coffee puck for 3 to 20 seconds. Another option is to set what's called a blooming preinfusion. The coffee puck is then briefly wetted with water, then after a short pause, brewing continues.
But do you really notice a difference in the cup when you can adjust the preinfusion? Clear answer: Yes. The possibilities are huge. Some of our best results came from steam pressure preinfusion. Light roasts here become even more balanced and very delicious. We tested, for example, our Toca Espresso, with whose cooperative in Mexico we work together on a process for regenerative coffee cultivation. Our Robusta Espresso Mamy, on the other hand, tasted very good even without preinfusion. As you can see, the possibilities are endless.
Steaming Performance
In the default setting, the steam pressure of the Lelit is a bit low. But since you have so many adjustment options in the LCC, we turned up the temperature in the steam boiler to 145 degrees. Then steaming was really fun. A perfect rolling phase develops in the pitcher without the milk getting too hot too quickly. The long rolling phase enables perfect milk foam results. The only issue is that the steam knob isn't really attractive. But hopefully there will soon be some nice upgrades from modders. Maybe something made of wood?
Conclusion and Further Tips
The Lelit Elizabeth PL92T is a really interesting espresso machine. The price is a statement to the competition, and the various preinfusion modes set new standards. Even with the default settings, you can prepare an espresso that tastes better than many more expensive models. Thanks to the sophisticated adjustment options that work deep into the machine, you can experiment endlessly. We will continue to work with the Lelit Elizabeth and keep you updated on our new discoveries.
You'll find a more in-depth blog post on our Swiss site (here).
