Lelit Mara X review

Rich, steady shots in brew mode, running hot the longer it stays on6.2/10

The espresso is good, and shot quality still divides opinion because of heat. In brew mode, at a normal pace, the temperature holds closely from shot to shot and no cooling flush is needed. Lance Hedrick's summary: "I have never had a heat exchanger machine as good as this one before".1

In the cup that means rich, creamy shots under a gentle, fixed pre-infusion that helps consistency. Laurin Müller of yellowbrews used his every day and reports many excellent shots. ECS Coffee found it easy to dial in.

The caveat is drift. Hedrick found the temperature skews high the longer the machine is on, and The Coffee Chronicler watched it climb with each back-to-back shot.2

“With each successive shot, the temperature would increase, until by the third or fourth shot, it approached 100°C.”

Control is limited too. Temperature is set by a simple switch, pre-infusion cannot be changed, and steam priority mode brews hotter still. Light-roast drinkers are the ones most likely to want more than it offers.

Forceful steam in steam priority, a fading wand in brew mode6.9/10

Milk steaming suits some routines and not others, and the mode switch is the reason. In steam priority the wand is powerful enough for fast, well-textured milk. Lance Hedrick says "it just crushes steam".3

In brew priority the machine lowers steam pressure to protect the shot, so pressure can sag partway through a jug. Good latte-art milk is still possible there, and Nathan Hanna steams only in brew mode. Alternative Brewing found it fell short with anything but a small jug.

Home-barista.com calls the result "a lottery when it comes to steaming", fixed by a quick flush when you want full power.4 HomeGrounds adds that the shifting pressure is not the easiest way for a beginner to learn. The wand itself is well liked: it swivels freely and stays cool enough to touch.

24 minutes to full heat, and no machine for a queue of lattes4.3/10

Heat-up is the clear weakness. The maker's figure is 24 minutes max, and Alternative Brewing confirms the wait is longer than some machines in its class.5 Several sources waited that long or a little longer before trusting the first shot.

The ready light can go out sooner. Artisti Coffee Roasters showed a reasonable coffee is possible early, but the group is not yet hot, so that cup is not at a stable temperature.

Once warm, you can pull a shot and steam straight after, which is quicker than any single boiler. The limit comes with volume: Alternative Brewing says it is not designed for one milk drink after another, and an overheated machine needs time to settle before the next good shot.6

40 lb of stainless steel, on weak feet and with electronic faults on record6.8/10

The Mara X feels solid, and the long-term record is mixed. The chassis is stainless steel throughout, everything you touch is metal or wood, and at 40 lb it stays put on the counter. The pump is mounted on rubber and is notably quiet.

It is also easy to live with as a machine to keep. The casing comes off without hidden screws, the inside is tidy, and parts are simple to reach and replace.

The weak points are specific. HomeGrounds complains of stock "feet that are known to break" if the machine is dragged instead of lifted, and Espresso Outlet finds the sheet metal thin beside rivals.7

Faults do appear. Nathan Hanna's machine went dead early on, with no response at all from the power button, though his seller offered to cover the repair. Laurin Müller reports that "after only 6 months, I had to pay a bill for a technician", and The Coffee Chronicler points to forum reports of replaced temperature probes and controllers.8

Simple levers and a gauge, around a routine you adapt to5.6/10

The controls are simple and the workflow is not. There is a single power button, a brew lever, two valves and a pressure gauge that shows what the pump is doing. Many find that hands-on layout a pleasure to use.

The trouble is managing the modes and the heat. The Coffee Chronicler would not call it "an easygoing, plug-and-play machine", and notes the mode switch is marked only with a zero and a one.910 There is no automatic shot stop, so you watch the scale.

The hot water wand gets in the way of the brew lever, and both wands swing out beyond the body in use. The 2.5L tank sits under the top, so a machine tucked under cabinets has to slide forward for a refill.

Strong kit for $1,699.95, with critics who expect more control7.3/10

Value is widely liked, mostly for what comes in the box. That means IMS baskets, a well-made portafilter and a heavy 58.55 mm tamper, which Artisti Coffee Roasters calls "one of the best included tampers with any machine".11 It also pairs well with modestly priced grinders, and a flow control kit can be added later.

Not everyone agrees the price is right. Lance Hedrick would look at other machines for the money, and Laurin Müller steers beginners to something cheaper first. The Coffee Chronicler, after living with the workflow, concludes "at this price point I just expect more".12

Two smaller points: the portafilter in the box is spouted only, and the machine costs noticeably more in the US than in Europe.

A roomy steel drip tray that is open to view and awkward to carry5.1/10

Upkeep is ordinary, and most of what is said about it concerns the drip tray. The tray is stainless steel and holds plenty, so it does not need emptying often.

It is also open, which means splashes and a visible pool of used water that looks dirty quickly.13 Espresso Outlet found it awkward to remove and replace, especially when full. HomeGrounds found the tray itself easy to dump but the surface above it fiddly to clean.

The polished steel shows fingerprints and needs regular wiping to look fresh. One helpful detail: the power cord detaches, which makes cleaning around the machine easier.

Our verdict

Buy the Mara X if you want classic E61 espresso from a small, quiet machine and make a drink or two at a time. Skip it if you need coffee minutes after waking, entertain often, or want precise temperature and flow control without add-ons. Decide before buying whether you will live in brew mode or steam mode, because that choice shapes the whole routine. At the counter, check the feet, slide the full drip tray out and see whether the hot water wand blocks your hand on the brew lever.