The Lelit Mara PL62 X is an espresso machine with dual-circuit technology and three-stage temperature control. The developers have packed in an astonishing number of great features and accessories and charge relatively little for it compared to other heat exchanger machines.
As a community, you have repeatedly pointed us toward the Lelit Mara X. The latest model was released in March, and we have taken a detailed look at the machine. This review is part of a series of tests. Over the next few weeks, we will be testing a total of 12 heat exchanger espresso machines. We are pursuing two goals with this. We are looking for the best heat exchanger espresso machine on the market to provide you with some guidance. At the same time, we are including the three machines we consider to be the best in our
We have tested the V2 version of the Lelit Mara X. This article is currently being revised. In the meantime, we have also tested the latest Lelit Mara X3. It is a Mara with flow control.
NEW: Our temperature tips for the Lelit Mara X. Please note that the Lelit Mara X V2 functions differently than the Lelit Mara X V1. You will find the most important change in this article under Temperature control in stages."
In the meantime, we have also tested the dual-boiler Lelit Elizabeth and have reached a positive conclusion.
Are you looking for a specialist dealer that sells the Lelit Mara X?
We recommend Stoll Espresso, who run a very competent workshop and are a great point of contact for the machine even after your purchase.
View the machine at Stoll Espresso.
We look for specialist partners for you who we know provide good work and good service. We are in close contact with these retailers. These are affiliate links. If you order via this link, it costs you nothing extra, but we receive a small commission that we invest in new test equipment.
Lots of features for relatively little money
The Lelit's performance package is astonishing. No other heat exchanger espresso machine we know offers as many promises of performance and features for so little money. The list price of the espresso machine in Switzerland is 1490 francs. That would already be a good price. However, there are frequently much cheaper deals available. In the EU, you can find numerous offers that have the Mara X in their range for less than 1000 euros.
That is quite a statement, given its comprehensive range of features. Dual pressure gauge, PID control, cool-touch pipes, super quiet. But let's take it one step at a time.
Compact, small, and purrs like a kitten
“Are you brewing yet?” I asked Michel Aeschbacher in our test. “Yes, it’s just so quiet!” replied the Swiss Vice Barista Champion. For comparison, we had two other heat exchanger machines running. The Lelit put out up to 10 decibels less noise. This is due, on the one hand, to the type of vibration pump installed. On the other hand, Lelit has integrated rubber connections in places that typically rattle. For example, the drip tray does not rest directly on the machine's metal, but on small rubber flaps. The placement area for espresso cups is also supported this way. Less rattling is the result. As with all espresso machines, it is simply important that the cups on the machine do not touch each other so as not to create another surface for clattering and rattling.
Less rattling thanks to rubber padding.
The Lelit Mara X is very compact. It is just 22 cm wide. That is about 5 cm narrower than the Appartamento. This is contrasted by a depth of 41 cm and a height of 35 cm.
The drip tray is strikingly large and deep, holding more than a liter of water. Still important: don't wait until the very last second to empty it. Drip trays cannot be carried without making a mess.
The rubber feet ensure that the 18 kg machine does not simply rotate when you lock in the portafilter.
Temperature control in stages
The Lelit Mara X has built-in temperature control. In addition to the temperature sensor in the steam boiler, a second sensor is installed directly in the heat exchanger. The 3-stage toggle switch behind the drip tray allows this temperature to be adjusted.
However, it is important to first set it to brew priority mode. This can be activated via a second toggle switch on the right side. To ensure the wrong mode is not activated, please first determine which version of the Mara X you have!!!
With the Lelit Mara X V1 version, which can be identified by a red logo, brew priority mode is activated when you set the toggle switch to position 1. With the Mara X V2, the brew mode is activated when you set the switch to position 0!
Some Mara X V2 units were still delivered with old operating manuals that have incorrect instructions. At some dealers, we have even recently found online manuals that referred to version 1, which is no longer being shipped today!
So once again... the V2 version runs in brew priority mode when position 0 is activated. The V1 runs in brew priority at position 1.
The other switch position activates steam priority. The temperature of the steam boiler is then controlled via a sensor in the hot water area and heats the machine so that the temperature is very suitable for foaming, but not for brewing! It is then way too hot at over 98 degrees Celsius!
Brew priority of the Mara X
The operating manual does not break down the exact function of the temperature settings here. However, position 0 delivers the lowest temperature, position 1 is supposed to deliver a medium temperature, and position 2 a higher/hot temperature.
In our initial test, we measured very high temperatures overall. At position 0, the Mara X delivered a consistent 93 – 94 degrees, and that very steadily as well. The other two settings served us temperatures that were too high in our test, at 96 and 98 degrees. We boosted the temperature beyond the desired level through a boost and our operating routine. Dave Corbey also points this out in a very good review of the machine.
He writes that you should not flush between espresso shots. Flushing is a blank shot of water that has two effects. On the one hand, it stabilizes the brew temperature on many espresso machines, and on the other hand, it cleans the shower screen of the brew group. We cannot recommend skipping the latter under any circumstances.
We contacted Lelit regarding this. The short answer was: rinse briefly after the shot, not before the shot. And really briefly. We did that in our big heat exchanger comparison video. Well... the result was a pretty significant temperature crash, regardless of whether it was in brew priority or steam priority.
We need to revisit this and will film a tips video on operating the Lelit Mara X, because we like it for many other attributes.
Frothing milk and making cappuccino with the Mara X
The Mara X performed super well in terms of frothing behavior, and even in "brew priority mode." We were particularly impressed by the machine's power. The rolling phase, as explained in our latte courses and videos, was so powerful that any small or large bubbles were crushed, creating a creamy foam. Interesting detail: the milk did not heat up quickly. This provides extra time for frothing and is thus particularly interesting for beginners in milk frothing.
If you remove the drip tray, the espresso machine can be set to steam priority mode. Instead of focusing on the brewing water temperature, the espresso machine then targets a boiler pressure of 1 bar, 1.2 bar, or 1.5 bar, depending on the stage selection. This allows you to bypass the machine's complex temperature programming, and a cooling flush becomes possible again (and very useful!)
Cool-touch and other good features
Both the steam wand and the tea water outlet are built with so-called cool-touch pipes. As the name suggests, the pipes do not get hot on the outside. Every espresso machine has enough places that get really hot. The Faema brew group in particular gets very hot, and you always have to be careful not to burn your fingers accidentally. However, you don't usually touch a brew group. The steam wand pipe is different. Usually, rubber covers or plastic grips are clamped onto the pipe to allow the wand to be moved. The cool-touch pipes are a smart solution to avoid this. It’s really bold of Lelit to install these steam wands, which are more expensive to manufacture, on this "entry-level machine." But it is absolutely a plus and truly designed with the user in mind.
Side view of the Lelit Mara X.
The brew boiler holds 1.8 liters and ensures temperature stability. The entire construction of the machine is high-quality. Stainless steel reduces the risk of rust. In terms of seamless metal edges, the Lelit Mara PL62 X is average.
The water tank is easy to remove and can thus be filled directly at the tap. Note: use soft water!
The dual pressure gauge is chic and practical – it shows the boiler pressure as well as the brew pressure. A 58mm wooden tamper is included with the machine, as is a riser for the cup placement area to assist with espresso extraction.
As with all new espresso machines approved for the EU, an automatic standby function is integrated.
Dual pressure gauge of the Lelit Mara X
Conclusion on the Lelit Mara X and what we particularly like
We are just at the beginning of our heat exchanger espresso machine tests. But the other espresso machines will have to really pull out all the stops to knock the Lelit Mara PL62 X off the podium.
It is almost cheeky what is delivered here in terms of price-performance. PID temperature control. The machine is very, very quiet. As a result, the rest of the house will no longer be woken up by the espresso machine's pump, but by the noise of the grinder.
The espresso and milk foam quality is good to excellent. Lelit has thought things through in many places and has taken up and implemented ideas from the community. The machine is compact and also looks good with its brushed chrome steel finish.
Class, it's a pleasure!
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Update Lelit Mara X V2
Not much changes on the espresso machine with the update to the Lelit Mara X V2. The only really important thing is the changed control. The V2 version runs in brew mode at position 0! If you keep that and our tips in mind, you can make good espresso with the Mara.
Here are the updated temperature measurements that we took with two other Lelit Maras (V2). By the way, we have had the same experiences in our Home Barista courses with numerous other Lelit Maras.
As always, we also bought these espresso machines. This test was not requested by Lelit, etc.
