Are you looking for an upgraded home coffee machine to achieve excellent temperature stability and consistent coffee, but don't know where to start? Then this article on the Lelit Mara X might be worth your consideration! It records enticing options worth considering.
As a heat exchanger (HX) espresso machine, the Mara X continuously circulates water through its boiler, ensuring you always have fresh hot water ready for brewing. This avoids water idling in the brew boiler, which can lead to a decline in brew quality.
In this sharing, I will share the experience of using Mara X, focusing mainly on:
Introduction to Lelit Mara X Espresso Machine
The Lelit Mara X is a well-constructed, mid-priced espresso machine made in Italy. It uses a sturdy stainless steel boiler and commercial-grade group head, ensuring durability. It uses an E61 group head to deliver water to the portafilter, despite lacking a true E61 pre-infusion lever. Pre-infusion is still achieved through a spring-loaded system.
Some key features include:
- 1.8-liter boiler capacity
- Flow control paddle (optional)
- Adjustable brewing temperature settings
- 120-second heat-up after brewing
- Compact footprint, ideal for baristas experimenting with different recipes.
- Unique plumbing design significantly reduces common heat exchanger issues.
The price ranges from HKD$9,900-$18,000, depending on your needs. For a machine of professional consumer grade, it is undoubtedly an investment, but the price is reasonable as you will enjoy a high-quality espresso experience.
In-depth Study of Temperature Performance
Temperature stability is a common issue with HX machines. The Lelit Mara X uses a dual-probe system to monitor boiler temperature. One is at the top, and the other is at the brew water inlet point. This provides higher accuracy compared to just relying on the steam boiler temperature.
In daily use, I found the cup temperature maintained impressive consistency throughout the brewing process. The three brewing temperature settings - low, medium, high - matched expectations very well. Additionally, the machine's temperature rise was not too obvious after long idle periods, allowing me to consistently make Espresso, even during gatherings or events, easily achieving café-level quality at home.
However, I still recommend turning it off when not in use, as you never know if the continuous heating inside the espresso machine could lead to premature aging of the machine.
Understanding Heat Exchanger Technology
As mentioned above, I frequently refer to heat exchanger technology (HX) because it is very important for a good espresso machine. Its operating principle is to use the hot water in the steam boiler to flow through the pipes, heating fresh incoming water to the appropriate extraction temperature. This thermosiphon effect provides a continuous supply of hot water.
In contrast, the extraction water in dual boiler machines will idle in the boiler, leading to mineral sedimentation and reduced coffee quality. The heat exchanger solves this problem.
The Mara X uses a reverse heat exchanger design, further improving temperature control performance. The cold water pipe and hot water pipe are arranged in reverse, fully utilizing the boiler's thermal energy, avoiding overheating issues.
Lelit Mara X with Flow Control Enhances Coffee Quality
Lelit Mara X can be upgraded to add a Flow control that allows adjustable flow control, enabling precise pre-soaking and gradual pressure profiling. This can help in brewing bitterness and avoiding channeling.
The standard helps ramp up to full pressure within 7-8 seconds, which is great for dark roasts, but light roasts may benefit from a quicker ramp-up.
By turning off Flow Control in the early extraction phase, you can extend the wetting time of the coffee grounds. Then gradually turn it on to avoid dripping and localized channels. Turning off Flow Control again in the later extraction phase can reduce bitterness and enhance richness. Different coffees require testing different flow profiles, which requires some experimentation and practice. But Flow Control can indeed enhance the flavor.
However, note that Flow control can be used to limit the water flow, but it cannot be completely shut off. The maximum flow rate according to the official statement is approximately 4 ml/second.
Milk Coffee and Espresso with Lelit MaraX V2
In terms of coffee quality, the Lelit Mara X V2 can brew balanced and delicate coffee without excessive bitterness. The slow pressure ramp-up makes dark roasts smooth. Light roasts may lack some layers, but overall it's still good.
With sufficient steam power, even without using the dedicated steam mode on the machine, it can easily froth milk and pull a very beautiful "latte art" cup in a busy morning. Handling consecutive demand is no problem, and if you want to drink with your family at home in the morning, you can also brew for them.
Daily Use and Maintenance Tips
- When pulling shots, wait about 2-3 minutes before extracting the next cup for more stable temperature, of course, you can pull continuously, but if you have high temperature requirements, then 2-3 minutes is worth the wait.
- Do not let the machine idle for more than 2 hours, it will naturally overheat.
- Regularly use the steam wand to clean oil stains and keep the steam pipes clear.
- Completely disassemble and clean once a year to avoid mineral deposits, as repairs can be troublesome.
- Use a cleaning tablet or cloth to wipe the water outlet (E61 group head) every week to keep it clean.
- Use a coffee machine cleaner for deep cleaning every month to prevent oil accumulation.
- Completely disassemble and wash once a year to remove scale buildup in the pipes and heat exchanger.
Finally, thoughts on using the Lelit Mara X V2 espresso machine
Mara X is one of the best espresso machines I have used. The innovative dual temperature probes provide excellent thermal stability. The quality construction and components make this machine durable.
In terms of price, you might prefer competitors that start up faster, consume less energy, and are easier to maintain. However, if you want an Italian coffee machine with excellent temperature control, then the Lelit Mara X will be your good friend, providing you with cup after cup of delicious coffee.
For product details: Lelit MaraX V2 PL62X Espresso Machine 【Hong Kong Original | One Year Warranty】 | Coffee Stage (mycoffeestage.com)
