“I purchased the Lelit Anna in December 2021 after comparing it to other models on your website which is a handy feature. I received very helpful advice when I contacted your store by phone and again when I went to pick it up. I am very happy with the machine and it has consistently made great coffee. The usage and self maintenance instructions that were included have been very useful also. My only suggestion is that while I was in the store I wasn't offered the cleaning kit that was recommended in those instructions which would have been useful. No big deal though as I purchased them online and they were delivered promptly. I recommend the Lelit Anna to anyone looking for an Espresso machine of that specification - it is great value and looks fantastic! I was also impressed by your service both on the phone and in the store.”
“I've been pumping out upto 8 coffees most days with this little wonder for almost 6 years and it's still going strong. I bought it for its good looks, simple use and petite size, ideal for my limited kitchen bench space! Suitable for pulling upto 4x singles or 2x doubles on a single run, it's quick and easy to maintain and clean. The only minor repair in all this time was to replace the steam tap rod about 6 months ago, which was an easy DIY with parts bought from Jetblack espresso. For longevity, good looks, great coffee and price, you can't beat it.”
“I purchased the basic Lelit machine as a replacement for my great old Gaggia classic. It took a bit of effort to dial the Lelit in but I'm now very happy with the shots I'm pulling. Pluses = easy to clean with blind filter included for back flushing, pressure gauge is very useful, solid build including metal switches, reasonable warm up time of 10 minutes, the steamer is very good for texturing milk at the price. Only negative is the 57mm portafilter which I don't like at all! Pity that they went with that choice as this machine would go from very good to great with that one change.”
“If you want cafe quality coffee from a cheaper machine this is one to get. Easy to use and the coffee’s are sensational. Also it looks pretty damn good!”
“My previous machines were the lower end Brevilles which made surprisingly good coffee for the relatively low cost of the machine.
I decided it was time to crank things up a notch and did some research on machines around the $800-$1000 mark. That research popped up the unknown (to me) Lelit brand espresso machines. I watched videos and read endless reviews before pulling the trigger and purchased the PL41LEM. I know in the big scheme of things $800+ isn't a huge amount to spend on an espresso machine but it's a fair old wedge of cash to myself and I'm sure many other people.
I got it home read the somewhat confusing instructions. Instructions that I suggest you read to minimise any issues in potentially damaging the boiler. I'm not going to lie in all honesty it wasn't as easy as the videos to pull a shot with sky high crema but patience, practise and some tweaking of my grinder have thankfully been rewarded!
I am now pulling really great tasting shots from this little machine. It's right up there if not better than some of the coffee shops I go to and I'm in cafes a lot! I'm stoked to be honest and my initial fears of "what have I done" have now well and truly been thrown in the bin. The steamer is also very impressive and super quick unlike my previous machines which took an age to froth milk.
So if you're looking for a quality machine that doesn't take over your entire kitchen bench top and isn't going to have you taking out a second mortgage then pop the Lelit PL41LEM on your list to check out. I'm certainly not regretting my purchase and I'm sure you won't be either.”
“New to the espresso game, and after much research decided on this Lelit. So far so good, extremely happy with this purchase. Best value as far as I can see - if you're happy with a few small concessions.”
“Okay, so back in 2003 we moved out of Brunswick St Fitzroy and out into the (then) wilds of Preston. We bought a Quaha Junior II even before we got a TV. It gave us 13 solid years of service so we had a pretty good idea of what we hoped for when we bought the Lelit. Had to wait a month or so for the back order, but we now live in Darwin so we're used to waiting. The Lelit is a sexy but intimidating unit. I'd gotten so used to the quirks of our old machine that I'd forgotten what it's like to be confronted by a strange bank of dials, knobs and switches. But being a flight sim enthusiast I was undaunted. This little beast has really made me have to up my coffee-shu skillz. The first pour was sad and disappointing, but not as bad as with our previous machine, where on first pour I released the head too soon and was covered in scalding water and coffee grounds. Having the pressure dial on the front I found confusing. I thought it was boiler pressure and suspected it of being broken because it was not registering steam pressure. Later on I worked out that it's measuring the pressure in the basket during the pour and is a direct measure of what is going on with the pack and the tamp. If you hit just below 9 bar there (and on second pour I did) you get primo crema and a well balanced coffee. So now we are masters (almost) of this sexy beast with the cool blue dial and the funky spaceship switches. I've bought a nice commercial tamper - not a fancy expensive one, but well functional. And the coffees are consistently great, and my wife is always slyly checking over my shoulder to see whether I've "barred up" to 9 bar.
Complaints: Being so sexy and cool, its a pretty intimidating machine. A friend of mine who touch types and is a bit of a hacker has a keyboard that is all black - no letters, just the touch marks on the J and the F. - Not as intimidating as that, but yeah.
Also something about this head makes it VERY hard to lock the basket in if you've got even a tiny bit too much in the dose.
And the extra mm in height that the nice cup rest gives means that anything taller than a classic casablanca latte glass won't fit. So yeah - a bit unforgiving of imprecise dosing (handle), a bit obvious if you've missed tamping you puck right (blue dial that the missus watches from across the room) and a bit fussy about glassware, and a bit intimidating for guests.
But - is it sexy? - Hell's yeah.
Does it make a great coffee? - you betcha.
Does it make you build your skills - yep.
Would I recommend it? - It was recommended to us, by someone who knew what we liked. And if this review sounds like you might like it - then you will.”
