Congratulations on your new Lelit Bianca Espresso Machine. In this video, you should find everything you need to set up and operate your dual boiler, rotary pump, flow profiling, E61 espresso machine.
Step 1: Inspect the box and the machine for damage
- Remove the machine from the box. We recommend saving all of the packing materials and boxes.
- Set the machine on a stable and level surface.
- Inspect the machine for damage. If you find any damage, please contact us immediately.
Step 2: Water Quality and Your Machine
- Before introducing any water to the machine, it’s important to test it to make sure it is adequately soft
- Use the included water test strip to verify the softness of your water. Ideally, we’re looking for a hardness around 50 ppm.
- For more information on water, take a look at CliveCoffee.com/water or click the link in the description of this video.
- If you wish to use the machine’s internal reservoir, fill the reservoir with water now.
- If you plan to direct plumb the machine you’ll first want to remove the reservoir. First, remove this screw at the base of the reservoir, followed by these two screws connecting the reservoir to the top of the machine. Next, carefully tilt the machine forward to access the bottom where we’ll then unplug this cable and then pull this clear tubing off the machine’s water inlet. The reservoir and clear tubing can now be set aside.
- Now you’ll use a wrench to remove the barbed tip currently attached to the water inlet, which you’ll replace with an adapter. You’ll find it in a small plastic bag in the accessories box. Thread it on until hand-tight and then give it a solid quarter-turn with the adjustable wrench. Next, you’ll thread on the braided line included with the machine, again getting it hand-tight and then giving a quarter turn with the adjustable wrench.
- Then, flip open your water line and check for leaks at all the connection points.
Step 3: Filling your boilers and turning on the machine
- Plug in your machine and turn it on by pressing the power button on the front.
- With the power on, the machine will automatically begin heating.
- It’s important to immediately lift the machine’s brew lever to begin filling the brew boiler with water. Return the brew lever to its off position when you begin to see water coming from the group head.
- You’ll know the machine has come to temperature and is ready to pull shots when the PID displays a temperature of 200°F.
- At this point, your machine is ready to pull your first shots. With coffee in your portafilter, lock it into the group head and lift the brew lever to begin pulling espresso. When you reach your desired shot weight or volume, return the brew lever to its off position.
A Few Tips Before We Go:
- One of the most exciting features of the Lelit Bianca is its flow control paddle. It’s a useful tool and we encourage experimenting with it. We have a go-to procedure that you might find helpful as a starting point.
- We start with the paddle at about halfway and lift the brew lever. Then, once we see the group pressure gauge slowly rise to about 3 bar we open up the flow by moving the paddle all the way to the right, allowing the group to reach 9 bar pressure for the remaining duration of the extraction.
- This makes for a long, gentle pre-infusion. We find it helps mitigate channeling and results in consistent extractions.
- The Bianca features a PID which allows for precise control over boiler temperature. Different coffees taste best at different brew temperatures. Darker roasts tend to taste better at lower temperatures and lighter roasts at higher temps, with the entire range being between about 195 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit.
- To adjust the brew temperature first press the minus button under the display. You’ll then see a little wrench icon below the temperature. Pressing the plus button allows you to edit this setting. You can now use the plus and minus buttons to adjust the desired brew temperature by one-degree increments. To save the setting, leave the interface alone for a few seconds until the temperature readout stops blinking.
- Pressing the minus button again will show you the steam boiler temperature. Continuing to press the minus button will cycle through the various settings on the machine, eventually cycling back out to the standard temperature display.
If you wish to use the included filtration cartridge please see the steps below:
The Bianca also includes a proprietary filtration and softening cartridge which can easily be installed into the reservoir. To use the included filter, Immerse the filter in a pitcher of water and allow the filter to soak for 3 minutes. Remove the filter from the water. Remove the small net filter from the water charge hose. Insert the water softener filter into the hose and place the filter in the tank.
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