As a passionate espresso enthusiast, the idea of owning a personal coffee machine with an E61 group was incredibly enticing. After much consideration, I settled on the Lelit Mara X V2 (PL62X). This espresso machine beautifully marries a sleek design with high-level performance. I’m absolutely delighted to share my experience with the Lelit Mara X V2 in this review.
Lelit, a distinguished Italian brand, is renowned for its exceptional coffee machines. Since its inception in 1997, the company has rapidly carved out a niche for itself, thanks to its unwavering commitment to innovation and the deep-rooted tradition of Italian coffee. It’s particularly acclaimed for its espresso machines, with the Mara X series being a particular crowd-pleaser.
Delving into the Intricate Design of the Lelit Mara X V2
The Lelit Mara X V2, with its sleek and modern design, is sure to grab your attention at first glance. This espresso machine, meticulously crafted in Italy, exudes a contemporary charm. Its robust construction, featuring stainless steel and chromed brass, guarantees longevity while adding an elegant flair to its overall design.
Following in the stylish footsteps of its refined sibling, Bianca, the PL62X is available in three tastefully designed options for your selection: the timeless stainless steel, the immaculate white, and the chic black.
Diving into the Technical Specifications and What’s Inside the Box
- 22 cm wide
- 41 cm deep
- 35 cm high
- 1400 W of power
- 2.5 L tank
- 19 kg
- 2-way filter holder with classic black resin handle LELIT 58
- Filter 1 dose LELIT 58 (9-11 g)
- Filter 2 doses LELIT 58 (14- 18 g)
- Filter 2 PLUS doses (18-21 g)
- Blind filter
- Stainless steel buffer with red wooden handle
- Ground coffee spoon
- Water softener filter 35 l
- Cup stand
- 1st cleaning kit
- Brush with nylon bristles
Other features: (click to scroll)
- L58E unit with mechanical pre-infusion
- HX dual-probe system with thermosiphon circulation
- Quiet pump
- Temperature setting knob (Warm – Hot – Very hot)
- Mode setting knob (Xmode coffee or Xmode steam)
- Steam boost
- Standby function
- Professional water-steam valves with spring-loaded shut-off
- LED for machine preparation and/or preheating
- Lack of water in reservoir or no reservoir LED
- “Reserve mode” active
- Stainless steel backlit I/O switch
- Dual pressure gauges for pump/steam pressure
- Brushed stainless steel body with cup-warmer grid and drip tray with metal grid
- Multidirectional anti-scald steam and hot water lances
- Suitable for cups
- Boiler: 1.8 l with AISI316L stainless steel heat exchanger
- Water tank: 2.5 l
Boasting standout features such as the E61 group, dual pressure gauges, and a whisper-quiet vibrating pump, this Lelit model already makes a strong impression on paper. But let’s not stop there. Let’s dive in further to uncover the additional treasures this Lelit machine holds for us.
Experience the Silence with Our Quiet Vibratory Pump
Despite being equipped with a vibrating pump, the Lelit Mara X is impressively quiet. Sure, it’s a smidge louder than a rotary pump, but it’s substantially less noisy than any other vibrating pump I’ve come across. If you’re intrigued, I encourage you to watch this enlightening video that compares the noise levels of the Lelit PL92T and the Lelit Mara X.
Exploring the Steam Nozzle and Hot Water Tap
Unlike some machines, such as the Bezzera Unica, the PL62X distinguishes itself with a unique feature – a separate steam nozzle and hot water tap. This thoughtful design offers significant advantages. To illustrate, let’s consider the Bezzera Unica. I remember a time when my father, trying to use the integrated hot water tap in the steam nozzle, unintentionally created a water jet so forceful that it splashed out all the coffee he was attempting to dilute. Fortunately, the clever design of the PL62X safeguards against such incidents, ensuring a more controlled and user-friendly experience.
Our machine’s steam nozzle is a marvel of versatility and power. Thoughtfully insulated everywhere except the tip, it guarantees your safety by preventing burns and keeps things tidy by ensuring milk doesn’t stick to the surface. It’s all about enhancing your experience with a touch of safety and cleanliness!
Similar to the faucet, the tap also boasts a multi-directional and insulated design. This ensures that you can operate it with ease and confidence, without the fear of scalding yourself.
Exploring the Temperature and Steam Mode Buttons
Upon removing the water drip tray, you’ll discover a versatile three-position switch located on the front of the machine. This convenient feature provides you with the flexibility to select from three distinct temperature settings, tailoring your experience to your preference.
- Position 0: fairly hot (88 to 91°C), ideal for dark roasts.
- Position I: hot (91 to 94°C), for medium roasts.
- Position II: very hot (93 to 97°C), for light roasts.
Whenever I set my Mara X into action, it usually requires around 15 minutes to heat up and reach the ideal temperature.
Once you’ve gently taken out the water drip tray, you’ll find a surprise waiting for you! There’s another button nestled on the right-hand side of the machine, just ready for you to explore.
There are two delightful ways you can utilize this button:
- Xmode Steam (I on the button) increases steam power after making a coffee.
- Xmode Coffee (0 on the button) does not change the steam power after making a coffee. It promotes regularity in coffee brewing, especially when several coffees are made consecutively.
Delving into the world of steam power, you’ll find a distinct contrast between the two modes. Xmode Coffee holds its own when it comes to frothing milk, yet it’s evident that Xmode Steam outshines with its exceptional power. It operates as though it’s equipped with a boiler exclusively engineered for steam, positioning it as a top-tier choice.
After you’ve experienced the “Xmode Steam” feature, you’ll observe how promptly the machine’s heat exchanger returns to its initial temperature. This process becomes even speedier with a thorough flush!
The gifted developer who spearheads the open-source project “MaraX_Visualizer” has adeptly distilled the relevant data for our benefit.
Exploring the Water Tank
Lelit has ingeniously designed a water tank with two small handles, making it effortlessly easy to handle. To extend the lifespan of your machine and prevent issues such as limescale, we recommend using filter cartridges. In a thoughtful touch, Lelit has included graduations on the handles, enabling precise measurement of the filtered water, ensuring your machine remains in prime condition.
This impressive machine features a water tank that can comfortably hold up to 2.5 liters. If you’re just getting started with it, we recommend checking the water level in the tank. Remember, the machine’s boiler has a maximum capacity of 1.8 liters.
Exploring Sight Glasses and Pressure Gauges
The Lelit is thoughtfully designed with three convenient LED indicators for your ease of use:
Just a gentle reminder that your machine is in the process of warming up. It should reach the perfect temperature in about 15 minutes. Stay patient and excited!
Our thoughtful feature is designed to alert you when water is detected in the tank. Should the tank run dry, a flashing LED light will serve as a gentle reminder to refill. And, if you’re in the midst of brewing your favorite cup of coffee, there’s no need to fret. The machine is equipped with a small emergency reserve to guarantee that your brew is finished to perfection.
The PL62X comes with a cleverly designed LED light that surrounds the “on/off” button. This feature offers a clear and easy-to-understand visual indicator of whether the machine is powered on or off.
The dual pressure gauge is a handy tool that offers two essential pieces of data:
- Steam : Indicates steam pressure.
- Pump : Displays pump pressure. The pump is electronically equipped with an integrated pre-infusion function.
Comes with a Filter Holder and Tamper
Lelit has truly outdone themselves with their brilliantly engineered spouted filter holder. This masterfully crafted piece is designed to sit perfectly flat on your countertop, featuring a small, innovative wedge that ingeniously prevents the spouts from making direct contact with the surface. This clever feature not only keeps your countertop clean but also protects the spouts from potential damage. The filter holder’s dual spouts are conveniently positioned close together, offering flexibility for brewing into one or two cups. And the cherry on top? The filter holder comes complete with a full set of precision IMS filters, a brand that coffee aficionados around the globe trust and rely on.
The tamper, with a diameter of 58.55 mm, is very comfortable to hold. Its simplicity, with a red-painted wooden construction, makes it both effective and aesthetically pleasing. There’s no immediate cost to replace it.
For my part, I ended up opting for a tamper with a guide, the Normcore V4. I prefer a tamper with a guide because it allows uniform tamping and keeps channeling to a minimum.
Enhance Your PL62X Experience with Our Elegant Wooden Accessory Kit
Perhaps you’ve noticed a few unique details while examining pictures of my machine alongside those from the manufacturer. I’ve added a dash of personal flair by replacing the standard plastic elements such as taps, levers, and filter holders, with delightful wooden counterparts.
Lelit is the official seller of these items. Personally, I believe they greatly elevate the visual charm of the machine.
Take your coffee-making journey to the next level with the Lelit Mara X, complemented by our meticulously crafted accessory. This set features a 58mm bottomless filter holder, perfectly matched with an IMS filter designed for two cups. The cherry on top? Its chic ‘walnut wood’ variant that infuses a dash of sophistication into your coffee brewing ritual.
Enhance your machine with this beautifully crafted filter holder. Made from the same design as your machine, it adds a touch of elegance with its wooden construction. The set includes four IMS filters – a single cup filter, a pair for two cups, and a blind filter. This wooden filter holder is the ideal accessory for your Lelit, especially if you’re thinking about upgrading it with a walnut wood kit.
Enhance your espresso machine’s aesthetic appeal with this official kit from Lelit. It allows you to replace the standard plastic taps and lever components with sophisticated walnut wood elements. In my opinion, this tasteful upgrade not only elevates the machine’s elegance but also adds a touch of warmth and charm to it.
Exciting Opportunities for Improvement
A Step-by-Step Guide to Installing Flow Control on Your Lelit Mara X V2
Meet the Bianca, the sophisticated older sibling of Mara X, which comes equipped with a standard flow control feature. Unfortunately, this handy tool isn’t a standard feature on the PL62X. However, don’t let this dissuade you! This accessory is incredibly useful, enabling you to monitor and tweak the extraction pressure in real-time. This opens up a whole new world of coffee aromas for you to explore. You can create and replicate extraction profiles to your heart’s delight, truly personalizing your coffee experience.
Are you on the hunt for a top-quality flow control device? I highly recommend you take a look at coffee-sensor. I personally sourced my own device from this site and was pleasantly surprised to find it was the most cost-effective choice at the time. They don’t just offer competitive pricing, their customer service is also exceptional. I’ve had multiple interactions with them and each time, they’ve been impressively prompt in their responses. What’s more, their after-sales service is truly praiseworthy – I can vouch for this as I had to request a replacement for another item I purchased from them.
Are you excited to begin the installation? Don’t worry, the procedure is quite simple and we’ve prepared a useful video tutorial for you right below. The only things you’ll require are some duct tape and a reliable, large wrench. So, shall we get started?
Discover Open Source Projects to Enhance Your PL62X Experience
If you’re a DIY enthusiast, you’ll be thrilled to know that there are several open source projects readily available here and there. These resources can guide you on how to add a PID and timer to your Lelit Mara X. I must admit, I haven’t had the opportunity to implement these modifications on my own machine yet, mainly due to a tight schedule.
Concluding Thoughts
At the attractive price of $1,130 on Amazon, this machine has truly won me over with its exceptional value for money. Its chic design adds a touch of elegance to my coffee nook, particularly with the charming wooden taps. Although it may not have all the cutting-edge features found in some of today’s premium coffee machines (which often come with a steeper price), it nonetheless provides a thorough, budget-friendly, and notably delightful user experience.
In my personal experience, the absence of a PID (Proportional-Integral-Derivative) controller isn’t a disadvantage at all. With three temperature settings at your fingertips, you’re given the exciting opportunity to experiment and uncover the unique flavors that varying temperatures can coax from your coffee. Watching my father use a machine equipped with a PID, I’ve observed that the water temperature isn’t something that’s frequently tweaked in daily use. Therefore, having a selection of three temperatures, rather than ten, doesn’t truly restrict your coffee-making journey in any meaningful way.
Furthermore, this E61 model stands out as one of the most compact choices on the market, boasting a sleek profile of merely 22 cm in width. Don’t let its small size fool you though, it thoughtfully includes both a steam nozzle and a hot water tap for your convenience.
This exceptional machine is equipped with a high-quality filter holder, a comprehensive set of IMS filters, and a dependable tamper. So, you can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that there are no hidden expenses to fret over in this regard.
The key to an impeccable espresso is nestled within the core of a superior coffee grinder. Together with my co-author, we’ve thoroughly tested a grinder that’s priced under $100, and it consistently produced exceptional results in every brew.
Embarking on your espresso adventure? I highly recommend you take a peek at this enlightening article. It’s brimming with useful advice to guide you away from the pitfalls of the channeling phenomenon. Enjoy your brewing journey!
The Bright Side
- Price
- Successful design
- 22 cm wide
- Heats up quickly
- Numerous accessories
- IMS filters
Areas for Improvement
- PID
A near-perfect choice for this espresso machine. One could argue about Lelit’s choice to offer a selection between three temperatures rather than opt for the addition of a PID. However, as I explain, this is not a major constraint. The machine proves to be excellent, offering remarkable value for money.
Leave a Reply