Two entry-level espresso grinders, both named Fred: the Lelit PL043MMI for around 185 euros and the Lelit PL044MMT for around 235 euros. We tested both extensively and, as always, bought them ourselves. And both deliver the same result, just packaged differently.
The Freds were part of the most affordable comparison group in the first set of our espresso grinder test series, in the range between 150 and 250 euros. Back then we compared 24 grinders directly with each other, and since then over 100 have gone through our lab. You can find how we measure in the espresso grinder test protocol. You can find all our Lelit tests bundled on the overview page Lelit at a glance.
What distinguishes the two Freds
Less than the price difference might suggest. The burr set is the same conical burr in both grinders. The PL044MMT is larger and has programmable time dosing; with the PL043MMI the gear ratio is visually open, and in the larger model everything is covered.
Both are built from bent sheet metal, and you can tell. Lelit is a machinery manufacturer, not a grinder manufacturer. When you bend stainless steel yourself, you take a burr set and wrap a stainless steel case around it. It's not poor workmanship, but it's not work that brings joy either.
The bean hopper holds around 250 grams and has no slider. In theory you can remove it, but in practice that means: grind empty, empty it out, unscrew a black protective cap, remove a screw. And then the problem: once you've rotated the hopper, the grind size scale on the front no longer matches unless you've marked where you were beforehand. These grinders aren't built for daily bean switching.
Noise, Speed, and a Safety Mechanism
88.9 decibels for the PL044MMT, 87.5 decibels for the PL043MMI. Both are loud. The motor actually sounds like a motorcycle when adjusting.
They're also slow. 14.3 grams in 10 seconds for the PL044MMT, 15.1 grams for the PL043MMI. So for 18 grams of espresso you need a good twelve seconds. That's at the lower end of the test field.
And then there's a quirk that can really annoy you in everyday use. During our consistency measurement on the PL044MMT, we wanted to grind ten doses in a row. After the third one, nothing happened. You press, the grinder doesn't grind. The instruction manual contains the explanation: after about three grinding cycles of around 10 seconds each, the grinder needs a 100-second break. We suspect a thermal protection because the grinder heats up while grinding.
For two espressos in the morning, that's not an issue. But if you want to grind four or five portions in a row for guests, the grinder will eventually stop and won't give you any coffee. Anyone who grinds more than 18 grams at once will hit this lock faster.
The temperature is 38 degrees (PL044MMT) and 37.9 degrees (PL043MMI), with an increase of 0.8 and 0.7 degrees respectively over the measurement series. Both start out warm. In our measurement series so far, we haven't found a sensorily clear influence of ground coffee temperature.
Retention and Dosing Accuracy
4.5 grams of retention for the PL044MMT, 5.0 grams for the PL043MMI. Before this grinder test, we would have said: it's okay. Today we know there are grinders that are at 3 grams and below. 5 grams is a lot. That's old powder sitting in the burr set that you'll eventually have to grind through.
In single dosing, the Freds lose 3.7 grams (PL044MMT) and 3.0 grams (PL043MMI). That's too much to meaningfully alternate between different coffees while grinding.
We measure the dosing accuracy of the PL044MMT with a standard deviation of 0.48 grams, which corresponds to a variation of around one gram. Combined with the high retention and programming that runs via blink signals, adjusting becomes a test of patience.
The Espresso in the Cup
This is where things get unpleasant. Both grinders produce an espresso that isn't balanced. The acidity stands out sharp and alone, the sweetness is missing, the bitterness has no counterpart. Michel Indelicato, Swiss Vice Barista Champion and instructor with us, summed it up in the test like this: "It's not a unity."
The problem with the grinders, however, isn't the brewing recipe. Even with different recipes, the result in the cup doesn't achieve balance. The coffee has the body of a typical espresso, but it lacks equilibrium. It becomes clearer as it cools down.
Sensorily, the two Freds hardly differ. One feels slightly softer and more acid-forward in texture, the other somewhat less balanced. These are nuances within a result that doesn't convince in either case.
Particle Distribution Explains Why
We took seven particle distribution measurements and analyzed four espresso grinds. The fine portion is at 20.1 percent (PL044MMT) and 21.7 percent (PL043MMI), so in the low range of our 2022 measurements and thus fine. Two other values are the problem.
First, the X50 value, the midpoint of all particles: 359 micrometers for the PL044MMT, 360 for the PL043MMI. That's clearly above 300 and thus in the upper range of the test field.
Second, and this is the actual finding: the width of the main peak. 336 micrometers for the PL044MMT, 349 for the PL043MMI. The best grinder in the test field back then was at 180 micrometers. These two Lelits thus have the broadest particle spread of the 24 directly compared grinders.
Particle distribution of the Lelit Fred PL044MMT
Particle distribution of the Lelit Fred PL043MMI
Why it tastes the way it does: extraction happens on every single particle. The more particles that are the same size, the more uniformly they extract. With broad scatter, small particles are over-extracted while large ones aren't finished. You get everything in the cup at once, and that's exactly what you taste as a lack of unity.
For comparison, we show the curve of a grinder with a narrower main peak. A narrower main peak typically leads to more balanced shots and more even extraction.
Comparison of the Lelit curves with the Eureka XL (X50 303 µm, fine portion 21.6 %, coarse peak 239 µm) in the espresso recipe 18 g in, 45 g out in 25 seconds.
What the Freds Do Well
Two things, and they're not nothing.
First, both grind espresso-fine and even ristretto-fine. That sounds trivial, but it's a basic requirement that not every cheap espresso grinder meets. The Freds cover our entire espresso range.
Second, the grind size reproducibility is good. Small changes to the dial result in little change, you need two to three turns for a noticeable difference. That makes it easy to find a spot again. Right where the Lelit William PL72 fails in the same category, the Freds are reliable.
And the extraction times are right: we consistently got precise shots between 23 and 27 seconds. If you want to learn how to dial in espresso, you can practice with these grinders.
Measured Values in Comparison
| Criterion | Lelit Fred PL044MMT | Lelit Fred PL043MMI |
|---|---|---|
| Price* | around 235 € | around 185 € |
| Noise Level | 88.9 dB | 87.5 dB |
| Retention | 4.5 g | 5.0 g |
| Speed | 14.3 g / 10 s | 15.1 g / 10 s |
| Temperature | 38.0 °C, increase 0.8 ° | 37.9 °C, increase 0.7 ° |
| Dosing Consistency | Standard deviation 0.48 g | – |
| Single Dosing | 3.7 g loss | 3.0 g loss |
| X50 (Espresso) | 359 µm | 360 µm |
| Fine Portion | 20.1 % | 21.7 % |
| Main Peak Width | 336 µm | 349 µm |
| Bean Hopper | around 250 g, not removable | around 250 g, not removable |
| Time Dosing Programmable | yes | no |
* Prices at time of testing, not current.
Conclusion on the Lelit Fred PL044MMT and PL043MMI
For brewing pure espresso, we cannot recommend the two Freds. The particle distribution scatters too broadly, and that directly shows up in the cup. We've measured many grinders in this test, but none where the connection between measured data and taste was so clear.
If you primarily drink cappuccino, latte macchiato, or other milk-based drinks, the assessment changes. Milk is the great equalizer—it brings the sweetness that the espresso lacks. In this case, both Freds are usable entry-level grinders, and the PL043MMI at around 185 euros is the more honest purchase because the price premium for the PL044MMT's programming doesn't bring much.
What you can't do with these grinders: develop yourself sensorily. If you want to find out how different coffees can taste, you'll fail with these grinders and look for the fault in yourself. That's exactly the experience that participants bring into our courses: everything done right, and it still doesn't taste good.
How the Freds stacked up against the rest of the test field and which grinder won in this price category is in our overview of the best espresso grinders for home, which now covers over 100 tested grinders. You'll find a classification of all Lelit devices under Lelit: all tests and models. And if you want to work on recipe and grind size: how to prepare espresso.
As always, we bought both these grinders ourselves. This test was not requested by Lelit.
