The temperature control of the Lelit Mara X differs from all other dual boiler espresso machines. With our tips, the Lelit Mara X becomes a very precise and reliable espresso machine with many advantages. Anyone operating the Lelit Mara X like a classic dual boiler will have difficulty getting the temperature under control.
The Lelit Mara X has already been extensively tested on our test bench. And it also performed well in our large Zweikreiser-Vergleich The Lelit Mara X achieved good results. What makes it special is the ability to switch between brew priority and steam priority.
Brew Priority and Steam Priority on the Lelit Mara X
The steam priority mode (side switch on 0) corresponds to a dual boiler with Faema E61 thermosyphon principle and PID. A temperature sensor measures the temperature in the steam boiler and triggers heating when the steam boiler is not at the desired temperature. The steam boiler itself transfers heat to the brew water flowing through a separate pipe via the heat exchanger principle.
Temperature control is correspondingly imprecise and varies, for example, when large amounts of water rush through the heat exchanger. At the same time, the thermosyphon tends to overheat during longer idle periods. This is one of the reasons why sufficient flushing before brewing espresso is necessary.
Lelit recognized this problem and solved it by adding a second temperature sensor. This is located in the heat exchanger and monitors the incoming temperature and heats accordingly. However, this principle also has some quirks. In our first test, we drove the temperature beyond the target temperature by flushing between shots. This will likely happen to many people who already have dual boiler experience.
Temperature Management in Brew Priority
Behind the drip tray of the Lelit Mara X is the temperature control, which is divided into three levels. The levels control the following temperature range.
- Level 0: 90 – 91 degrees Celsius
- Level 1: 91 – 92 degrees Celsius
- Level 2: 93 – 95 degrees Celsius
It takes some time for the Lelit Mara X to build up temperature and the temperature rises during brewing.
The temperature levels of the Lelit Mara X.
The temperatures shown were achieved by brewing according to the following protocol. We flushed after each espresso and not before. Between brews, we always gave the espresso machine two minutes to stabilize in temperature. With shorter time intervals, we observed a drop in temperature, which the following graph shows.
The interval between brews was shortened. This reduced the brew temperature.
We did very well with this principle. However, over a longer session – which probably doesn't correspond to everyday use anyway – the Lelit Mara X lost its rhythm. After that, a longer "stabilization phase" of at least 15 minutes was necessary.
Switching between brew and steam priority also requires at least 15 minutes.
Since steaming in brew priority mode works almost equally well as in steam mode, we see no reason to switch to this mode. The only reason could be if you prefer to use the Lelit Mara X the classic way, like many other dual boilers on the market.
The intelligent solution of the Lelit Mara X is really clever and compensates for some typical problems of dual boiler thermosyphon machines. For this reason, it's worth adapting your rhythm to the Mara X.
Temperature Control at Home via Coffee Sensor
We promised you for a long time to make a measurement comparison between the temperature in the thermosyphon and our measuring portafilter. For the measurement, we screwed in the practical little thermometer from Coffee Sensor again. Then we started pulling the shot.
Initially, the Coffee Sensor displays a temperature about two degrees higher, then it stabilizes at about 1.5 degrees higher. With this knowledge, you can very meaningfully improve your espresso machine with a sensor. This makes particular sense for the Lelit Mara X, as you know exactly whether it's currently in the right range or has possibly shot up above it.
