What is it?

The Lelit Bianca PL162T is an Italian-designed and built dual boiler, rotary pump, E61 espresso machine with a built-in PID, and shot timer that can be direct plumbed or run on its built-in reservoir. It also features a unique flow control paddle.

Who is it for?

The home barista who is excited about diving deep into the world of espresso. You want something that’ll enable you to get the most out of every coffee by allowing you to control flow so you can ramp up the pressure, reduce channeling, and nail every extraction. You don’t need a commercial workhorse, but you certainly hope to serve groups of friends with cappuccinos and straight shots once you’ve perfected that new recipe.

Why do we carry it?

The Lelit Bianca occupies a unique spot in our lineup. It’s not only the most affordable flow control machine by a large margin, but it’s also our only E61 espresso machine capable of flow control. Having access to this powerful feature on an E61 machine is great on its own, but the Bianca doesn’t rest on its laurels. Its large boilers are fitted with powerful 1400W heating elements, making nearly bottomless power for shots and steamed milk.

Its rotary pump isn’t just silent – it also allows this machine to be used with either its reservoir or directly plumbed. In a unique stroke of genius, the reservoir is modular. It can be detached when direct plumbed, making the machine drastically smaller. When in use, it can be fitted to the left, right, or back of the machine to suit your kitchen’s needs.

On top of all that, you get an included bottomless portafilter and all of the wood trimmings. We’ve been drooling over this thing since the day we got it in our showroom – at least the included premium microfiber towel makes cleanup easy.