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| Meta Title | The Best Espresso Machine - CoffeeGeek |
| Meta Description | The most common question we get at CoffeeGeek, finally answered: what is the world's best consumer espresso machine? We have two picks., The most common question we get at CoffeeGeek, finally answered: what is the world's best consumer espresso machine? We have two picks. |
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| Boilerpipe Text | For the entire time Iāve run CoffeeGeek, this is one of the top questions from our readers and members, and via social media. Itās even more common than āhey, have you heard of that cat poop coffee?ā or āwhatās the best coffee in the worldā.
What is the best espresso machine of all time, for consumers?Ā
The answer, of course, is entirely subjective. Based as much on opinion and personal preferences as it is on technology, ability and reliability of the machine. Because of this, I usually try to avoid answering this question, often deflecting it or redirecting the conversation to whatās really important in a home espresso setup (the grinder).
The Speedster
The first day I owned the Speedster Espresso Machine. It was initially paired up with a customized grinder I bought from 49th Parallel. I hadnāt even changed the programmable offset in the PID controls yet.
If I were put on the spot, my go to answer for a long time was always the same: the
Kees van der Westen Speedster
. Not only is that machine capable of producing five star espresso shots all day long, but it actually makes you feel kind of awesome while youāre doing it. You feel part of the process, but the machineās unique ability and engineering deliver the goods as well. It is the true ultimate in a hand crafted, unique and individual espresso machine with character to spare.
After owning the machine for a few months, I paired it up with a
Verslab M3 grinder
. This may be a boast, but I knew I was pulling better shots on the Speedster and Versalab than the finalist baristas at the World Barista Championship were doing in competition.
This wasnāt because of my own skill
. Itās because I had an espresso machine better than the WBC machine of the era. Ditto on the grinder. They were that good together.
You donāt see a lot of influencers online talking about the Speedster because, to be honest, Kees donāt got time for influencers. He very rarely sends out test machines for people to try and blog or youtube about. I suppose if Hoff asked him, heād send him one (Jim
does own a KvdW machine
, just not a Speedster).
I owned and used a Speedster for a decade (yup, I bought one of the first ones ever sold in North America), and that gave me the background and experience to label it the best machine of all time. But there is a caveat. Not only is the Speedster obscenely expensive (landed cost in the US is around $15ā$16K now, incl taxes and shipping); it is one of the most expensive machines to own and maintain in a home environment.
In my 10 years of ownership, I spent, on service and maintenance, more than what I paid for the machine initially. A lot of stuff on that machine broke down and needed replacing, from the SSRs to the PIDs, and most of the 7(!!!) Parker solenoids. I even had to replace the preinfusion piston assembly at one point.
One of the first dialed in shot pulls on the Speedster
One of many service calls done on the Speedster. This was a PID replacement.
The Speedster next to my (2nd) GS3 machine.
Speedster on the home bar. It is a striking machine.
And therein lies the rub. If you factor in literally everything about an espresso machine, including initial cost, ability, mechanics, reputation, features, build quality, how it makes you feel operating it, and operational cost, maintenance and service, well, the Speedster is
not
the best espresso machine in the world.
To this day, it pains me to say that. I sold the machine three years ago, and I still miss it. A lot.
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The La Marzocco GS3
My third GS3, before I had the Strada Paddle upgrade done to it.
Then thereās the La Marzocco GS3, which would normally be my very close second choice as the best in home espresso machine in the world after the Speedster. But sadly, when all things are factored in, it too is
not
the best machine you can buy today.
The GS3 is an absolutely landmark, ground breaking, standards setting machine. It was the first machine developed (not sold, but developed) with PID controls. It was the first true dual boiler machine to run on 110V with no real compromises. It was the first successful home machine to have a rotary pump running on a 110V setup.
The GS3 also has La Mazoccoās unique saturated group design (KvdW machines sort of copy it, to be fair). The steam ability is off the chart. It had the ability to run on an economy mode (which still seemed like full power) on 110V 15A, but if you plugged it into a 110V 20A circuit (most kitchens have this), it would go into full throttle mode.Ā
Crafting exceptional espresso on the GS3 is childsplay.
Shots on the GS3 always please.
And it produces absolutely amazing, super consistent and temperature stable shots of espresso. All day long.
I was involved in the
development of the GS3 machine
; indeed, I still own one of the late prototype versions. Itās sitting on a workbench in our basement, and I still fire it up once in a while. Hereās what it looks like:
A GS3 Prototype ā in a Linea Single Group body. Inside are all the GS3 components and early tweaks.
Iām on my third production La Marzocco GS3, and it sits in our kitchen as I type this.
Third? Yup, because like the Speedster, the GS3 is finicky, had some early build issues, and continues to be a machine that requires a lot of expensive service. Let me walk you through my own history with the GS3.
I bought, at a discounted price, a very early production unit back in 2007 (no, La Marzocco did not give me a free one, despite me being involved in the development); that machine lasted about 4 years with me spending about $2,000 on service calls on it past the one year initial warranty. It was a problem machine with a lot of early build quality issues.
La Marzocco USA agreed to swap it for a paddle version around 2011 (which wasnāt available in 2007) though I was charged a one time $1,000 premium to get the GS3 MP variant. That unit also turned out to be really bad (basically a dud, but I wonāt go into all its issues with leaks, failing parts, pressure issues, etc), so La Marzocco swapped that one for another model in 2014-2015, provided I drove the dud one down to Seattle, to pick up the new unit to bring back to Vancouver.
I did that. And since then, that 2015 MP GS3 machine has seen about $2,400 in service maintenance, and a one time $2,000 cost to upgrade it to the new Strada pressure control paddle group (which comes standard with the current GS3 MP models). All told, my ownership of a La Marzocco GS3 has cost me an initial investment of $6,800 (thatās $10K in todaysā dollars), and another $7,500+ in service, maintenance and upgrades.
The time I had the GS3 serviced for several leaks.
The retrofit kit to convert my older GS3 MP to the current version with the Strada group
Major surgery (and a $2,000 bill) to upgrade the group to the Strada MP Grouphead
Once, the inventor and engineer of the GS3, Bill Crossland, visited, and serviced my machine!
In good faith, I cannot āproclaimā a $7,500-$9,000 machine as the best in the world in the consumer espresso space if the maintenance, service, and parts prices end up costing as much as the initial machine purchase inside of a decade. I mean, La Marzocco charges $400 just for the drip tray pan on the GS3 (which is just plastic wrapped with thin steel, and a few screw on lock claps). And $250 for the drip tray cover! Donāt ask what the replacement tray for the Speedster costs: you cannot afford it.
As a side note, I suggested to La Marzocco, way back in 2004 when I was involved in the development, that they include an AppleCare+ like package for GS3 owners. Pay a yearly fee (I suggested $150 back then, though I guess $250 today would be more appropriate), and get unlimited service and support on the machine. Caveat is, owners can only buy into it within the first year of ownership, then keep paying it every year to stay in the program.
I feel this would make La Marzocco a ton of money, but also save SOME GS3 owners from a lot of repair, maintenance, and service costs. Of course, La Marzocco did not do this. Perhaps because they were aware of the service LM GS3s require a few years down the road.
GS3 Back Badge
But I digress. We were talking about the Best Espresso Machines in the World.
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If we are to pick the best espresso machine in the world, every factor about the machine is equally important. I listed most in the Speedster section above, but to reiterate, it includes: the quality of the materials and parts used in the machine; the build quality; the usability factors; the featureset overall; the noise it makes; the machineās aesthetics; how it makes you feel in ownership; and of course the drinks it outputs. Equally important are the various cost of ownership categories: bang for buck, service costs, after sales service and support from the vendor or manufacturer, parts costs down the road, and resale value.Ā
With all these factors in mind,
thereās two machines that I think stand out as the best machines in the world
, in the consumer espresso space.
One is the
Lelit Bianca V3
espresso machine. The other may surprise you. Itās the
Breville Bambino Plus
.
The Lelit Bianca V3: The Best Espresso Machine of All Time
The Lelit Bianca V3 in painted black, freshly unboxed.
We are midway through our full review process on the
Lelit Bianca
, and every single day I become more and more impressed with this $3,000 machine. I donāt like the phrase āend gameā and how it is so casually used in coffee influencer circles, but I recently learned something about the
Lelit product lineup
as a whole, and the Bianca in particular that have pushed it over the top into what I think is a true end game machine.Ā
First of all, pretty much everything the La Marzocco GS3 paddle group machine can do, the Bianca can do in a package costing almost 2/3rds less. And even more so. The Bianca has three independent pressure modification systems on it; two are programmed automatic modes, and the third is a completely manual control. The Biancaās PID system isnāt as granular as the GS3 is (which can go down to 0.3F adjustments), but it is smarter and more modern than the GS3. The Bianca, like the GS3, can be plumbed in, and attaching this machine to your home water line increases the ways you can play with pressure profiling, more so than the GS3 allows.
The big accessory box the Lelit Bianca comes with.
The Bianca comes with two very high end portafilters with the custom wood accents, and a matching tamper
This is where Lelit is way better than La Marzocco ā their attention to the smallest details on the machine.
Then thereās what comes with the machine. The only thing missing is a steam pitcher, a scale, and cups. The Bianca comes with wood accents and parts and knobs and feet (that can cost you up to $500 more on the GS3); it comes with the complete direct plumbed in parts (so does the GS3); it comes with four IMS filter baskets. It comes with two portafilters: the beautiful spouted model, and a chopped unit (the GS3 comes with only one PF). The Bianca also comes with a very high end tamper, matched to your machineās wood accents (La Marzocco gives a stock tamper with the GS3; fancy matched wood is extra).
To get a similar package with all the extras when buying a La Marzocco GS3, you would spend about $10,250 ($9,500 plus another $750 for the extra stuff), making the Bianca close to 1/4 the cost.
The custom upgrade configuration for the GS3 to make it more similar to what you get with the Bianca
Things I learned about Lelit this year really push the Bianca to the top. You may know that
Breville bought Lelit recently
. Starting in January, they revoked the (previous) sole importerās exclusive control over the brand in the USA, and are now directly handling distribution, sales, service and support. Even better, they are migrating Lelitās after sales service and support to the Baratza team (which
Breville also owns
), and bringing Baratzaās parts availability and pricing system to Lelit.Ā
That means if you buy a Lelit machine today or in the future, you will get Baratza style after sales service, support, and parts pricing. Absolute game changer. LM may charge you $250 for a drip tray cover, but if you want a new one for your Bianca, my guess is youāll probably pay a fraction of that cost for it. New solenoid valve? Cost plus small handling charge. I bet theyāll even have new body panels available for the machine, at a very reasonable cost.
And one more thing happened. With most companies of high end espresso machines, the painted or limited edition colours are a premium price on top of the base models. La Marzocco charges $450 for custom colour choices on the GS3 (plus another $500 if you want upgraded side panels). Lelit was that way with the Bianca: the base steel unit was $3,000, and the premium white or black models were $200 more.
Breville decided to make them all
$3,000 as of January of this year
.Ā (they also reduced the price on all other Lelit espresso machines,
sold through their website
).
Beatiful shots, all day long. And you can program the machine to pressure profile everything.
For $3,000, you are getting an incredibly advanced, extremely high end, generational machine that is absolutely state of the art. It isnāt perfect (we noticed more than a few things weād like to see updated in the Bianca, which Iāll save for our review). But in terms of ability, engineering, robustness, parts used, features available, consistency in the cup, steaming ability, recovery times, pressure controls, accessories included, technology inside, parts availability, maintenance costs (yes, all of this), there is literally not a better machine available today for the home espresso enthusiast.Ā
Unless of course $3,000 is just an unfathomable number for you for a home espresso machine.
Which brings us toā¦
The Breville Bambino Plus: The Best Espresso Machine of All Time
The Bambino Plus, from our review
I know, crazy right? But when you think about it, for about $450 or less, (sometimes way less), the
Breville Bambino Plus
gives you a machine with the following:
PID stable temperature controls (200F, non changeable) at the grouphead
instant on ability, meaning you can pull a shot 3 seconds after turning on the machine
instant steam ability, meaning you can start frothing milk about 3-4 seconds after turning the machine on, or after completing a shot pull
automatic milk frothing ability via its early version of the MilQ system Breville keeps evolving. It produces authentic, high quality microfoam, completely hands off
can still steam manually with the machine (and itās powerful)
full 9 bar at the grouphead thanks to a tuned OPV valve
3 way solenoid pressure relief after shot
volumetric shot controls with preinfusion as well as a manual brew mode
Extremely low power draw overall thanks to its heating system design
hot water delivery built in (a surprising number of machines under $1000 do not have this, including the Profitec Go, or Turin Legato)
Lots of parts available for the machine from Breville at very economical prices. The water reservoir, last I checked, is $35
Can be serviced / modified by end user (OPV valve, dimmer mod, pump replacement, etc.
Minimal scale issues (thereās no boiler to scale up).Ā
Sure, the Bambino Plus has plenty of issues (the cup tray never heats up, the drip tray is pitifully tiny, the grouphead doesnāt heat up, necessitating a couple of blank flushes before a shot pull), but when you factor in the machineās ability, consistency between shot pulls, instant on ability, steaming ability, temperature stability, parts availability and the absolute massive bang for the buck it deliversā¦
The first shots we pulled on the Bambino Plus during our initial review.
This is a candidate for the best espresso machine of all time. Because you could easily spend double the amount, buying a Profitec (Go), or Lelit (Victoria), as just two examples, and not get better espresso. Youāll get more robust, less plastic machines, but they also donāt have the technology the Bambino Plus does. Iād argue both machines donāt even steam nearly as well as the Bambino Plus does, automatically.
At the
standard $500 price point
, this is an excellent machine. If you can get it on sale for $450 or less, it is āthe bestā by a stretch in this price range.
Best is Subjective but Price / Service Must be a Factor
As you can guess, this is all subjective. Iām sure my picks for the best espresso machines in the world wonāt match what others pick. I always feel dollars play a very important part of the equation.Ā
I owned two of the machines that most pundits would pick as the best consumer espresso machines ever made (and continue to own one of them). I absolutely loved working on the Speedster. It made me feel very different from how I feel pulling a shot on a Bambino Plus. But that machine was a serious financial black hole. The GS3 is as well.Ā
Time will tell if the Lelit stands up to decades and decades of use where the overall service and maintenance is under $150 a year, averaged out over a decade or two. I think thatās a reasonable price to pay. Think of it as the strata fees youād pay for a condo. The news I heard about Lelit going forward, following the Baratza after sales service model really pushed it over the top for me.Ā
This is also why I havenāt mentioned the
Decent Espresso
machine yet. Many would pick that as the epitome ā the toppermost of the poppermost ā in espresso machines. I cannot. Though it is clearly one of the
most advanced
espresso machines you can buy today, it is also the
most complex
espresso machine available today. A gazillion parts inside, all needing to function correctly for the machine to work at full potential.Ā
Decent is a tiny, almost cottage industry company. Iād make the guess that La Marzocco sells more GS3s in a year than Decent has sold in their lifetime. Service and support is really good, right now, but if the company dissolves down the road, owners of Decent machines might be left with an extremely expensive brick at some point.
For that main reason, and the potential for the machine to be an even more expensive money pit than a Speedster or GS3, I cannot consider it as the best machine you should buy.Ā
A cappuccino made with the Bianca. Amazing steam performance, very easy to texture.
Lelit is a massive company by comparison, and has a nationwide (in the US) service and support infrastructure being built right now, which will be as good as the service in Europe already is. They also have 35 years of sales and support to stand on.
And the Bambino Plus? I dare you to find another machine anywhere near its price point with its ability and tech inside. If itās not the best espresso machine of all time, itās certainly the best bang for the buck machine thatās ever existed. And for many, that also makes it the best, overall.
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The Best Espresso Machine
- [Article by: Mark Prince](https://coffeegeek.com/author/markprince/)
- [Published: April 7, 2024](https://coffeegeek.com/2024/04/07/)
What does it really take for an espresso machine to be called the ābest in the worldā? Is it pure ability and cup quality? Or should other factors, including after sales support, resale value, machine reliability, and even how the machine makes you feel as a home barista come into play?
- Tags: [bambino plus](https://coffeegeek.com/tag/bambino-plus/), [best](https://coffeegeek.com/tag/best/), [espresso machine](https://coffeegeek.com/tag/espresso-machine/), [la marzocco](https://coffeegeek.com/tag/la-marzocco/), [lelit](https://coffeegeek.com/tag/lelit/), [lelit bianca](https://coffeegeek.com/tag/lelit-bianca/), [speedster](https://coffeegeek.com/tag/speedster/)
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For the entire time Iāve run CoffeeGeek, this is one of the top questions from our readers and members, and via social media. Itās even more common than āhey, have you heard of that cat poop coffee?ā or āwhatās the best coffee in the worldā.
What is the best espresso machine of all time, for consumers?
The answer, of course, is entirely subjective. Based as much on opinion and personal preferences as it is on technology, ability and reliability of the machine. Because of this, I usually try to avoid answering this question, often deflecting it or redirecting the conversation to whatās really important in a home espresso setup (the grinder).
## The Speedster
The first day I owned the Speedster Espresso Machine. It was initially paired up with a customized grinder I bought from 49th Parallel. I hadnāt even changed the programmable offset in the PID controls yet.
If I were put on the spot, my go to answer for a long time was always the same: the [Kees van der Westen Speedster](https://coffeegeek.com/reviews/firstlooks/speedster-espresso-machine/). Not only is that machine capable of producing five star espresso shots all day long, but it actually makes you feel kind of awesome while youāre doing it. You feel part of the process, but the machineās unique ability and engineering deliver the goods as well. It is the true ultimate in a hand crafted, unique and individual espresso machine with character to spare.
After owning the machine for a few months, I paired it up with a [Verslab M3 grinder](https://coffeegeek.com/opinions/history-technology/how-we-test-espresso-at-coffeegeek/). This may be a boast, but I knew I was pulling better shots on the Speedster and Versalab than the finalist baristas at the World Barista Championship were doing in competition. **This wasnāt because of my own skill**. Itās because I had an espresso machine better than the WBC machine of the era. Ditto on the grinder. They were that good together.
You donāt see a lot of influencers online talking about the Speedster because, to be honest, Kees donāt got time for influencers. He very rarely sends out test machines for people to try and blog or youtube about. I suppose if Hoff asked him, heād send him one (Jim [does own a KvdW machine](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4QyfElo1fs), just not a Speedster).
I owned and used a Speedster for a decade (yup, I bought one of the first ones ever sold in North America), and that gave me the background and experience to label it the best machine of all time. But there is a caveat. Not only is the Speedster obscenely expensive (landed cost in the US is around \$15ā\$16K now, incl taxes and shipping); it is one of the most expensive machines to own and maintain in a home environment.
In my 10 years of ownership, I spent, on service and maintenance, more than what I paid for the machine initially. A lot of stuff on that machine broke down and needed replacing, from the SSRs to the PIDs, and most of the 7(!!!) Parker solenoids. I even had to replace the preinfusion piston assembly at one point.
One of the first dialed in shot pulls on the Speedster
One of many service calls done on the Speedster. This was a PID replacement.
The Speedster next to my (2nd) GS3 machine.
Speedster on the home bar. It is a striking machine.
And therein lies the rub. If you factor in literally everything about an espresso machine, including initial cost, ability, mechanics, reputation, features, build quality, how it makes you feel operating it, and operational cost, maintenance and service, well, the Speedster is **not** the best espresso machine in the world.
To this day, it pains me to say that. I sold the machine three years ago, and I still miss it. A lot.
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## The La Marzocco GS3
My third GS3, before I had the Strada Paddle upgrade done to it.
Then thereās the La Marzocco GS3, which would normally be my very close second choice as the best in home espresso machine in the world after the Speedster. But sadly, when all things are factored in, it too is **not** the best machine you can buy today.
The GS3 is an absolutely landmark, ground breaking, standards setting machine. It was the first machine developed (not sold, but developed) with PID controls. It was the first true dual boiler machine to run on 110V with no real compromises. It was the first successful home machine to have a rotary pump running on a 110V setup.
The GS3 also has La Mazoccoās unique saturated group design (KvdW machines sort of copy it, to be fair). The steam ability is off the chart. It had the ability to run on an economy mode (which still seemed like full power) on 110V 15A, but if you plugged it into a 110V 20A circuit (most kitchens have this), it would go into full throttle mode.
Crafting exceptional espresso on the GS3 is childsplay.
Shots on the GS3 always please.
And it produces absolutely amazing, super consistent and temperature stable shots of espresso. All day long.
I was involved in the [development of the GS3 machine](https://coffeegeek.com/blog/coffeegeek20/20-years-of-coffee-and-the-internet-part-2-espresso-focus/); indeed, I still own one of the late prototype versions. Itās sitting on a workbench in our basement, and I still fire it up once in a while. Hereās what it looks like:
A GS3 Prototype ā in a Linea Single Group body. Inside are all the GS3 components and early tweaks.
Iām on my third production La Marzocco GS3, and it sits in our kitchen as I type this.
Third? Yup, because like the Speedster, the GS3 is finicky, had some early build issues, and continues to be a machine that requires a lot of expensive service. Let me walk you through my own history with the GS3.
I bought, at a discounted price, a very early production unit back in 2007 (no, La Marzocco did not give me a free one, despite me being involved in the development); that machine lasted about 4 years with me spending about \$2,000 on service calls on it past the one year initial warranty. It was a problem machine with a lot of early build quality issues.
La Marzocco USA agreed to swap it for a paddle version around 2011 (which wasnāt available in 2007) though I was charged a one time \$1,000 premium to get the GS3 MP variant. That unit also turned out to be really bad (basically a dud, but I wonāt go into all its issues with leaks, failing parts, pressure issues, etc), so La Marzocco swapped that one for another model in 2014-2015, provided I drove the dud one down to Seattle, to pick up the new unit to bring back to Vancouver.
I did that. And since then, that 2015 MP GS3 machine has seen about \$2,400 in service maintenance, and a one time \$2,000 cost to upgrade it to the new Strada pressure control paddle group (which comes standard with the current GS3 MP models). All told, my ownership of a La Marzocco GS3 has cost me an initial investment of \$6,800 (thatās \$10K in todaysā dollars), and another \$7,500+ in service, maintenance and upgrades.
The time I had the GS3 serviced for several leaks.
The retrofit kit to convert my older GS3 MP to the current version with the Strada group
Major surgery (and a \$2,000 bill) to upgrade the group to the Strada MP Grouphead
Once, the inventor and engineer of the GS3, Bill Crossland, visited, and serviced my machine\!
In good faith, I cannot āproclaimā a \$7,500-\$9,000 machine as the best in the world in the consumer espresso space if the maintenance, service, and parts prices end up costing as much as the initial machine purchase inside of a decade. I mean, La Marzocco charges \$400 just for the drip tray pan on the GS3 (which is just plastic wrapped with thin steel, and a few screw on lock claps). And \$250 for the drip tray cover! Donāt ask what the replacement tray for the Speedster costs: you cannot afford it.
As a side note, I suggested to La Marzocco, way back in 2004 when I was involved in the development, that they include an AppleCare+ like package for GS3 owners. Pay a yearly fee (I suggested \$150 back then, though I guess \$250 today would be more appropriate), and get unlimited service and support on the machine. Caveat is, owners can only buy into it within the first year of ownership, then keep paying it every year to stay in the program.
I feel this would make La Marzocco a ton of money, but also save SOME GS3 owners from a lot of repair, maintenance, and service costs. Of course, La Marzocco did not do this. Perhaps because they were aware of the service LM GS3s require a few years down the road.
GS3 Back Badge
But I digress. We were talking about the Best Espresso Machines in the World.
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## The Best Espresso Machine Today
If we are to pick the best espresso machine in the world, every factor about the machine is equally important. I listed most in the Speedster section above, but to reiterate, it includes: the quality of the materials and parts used in the machine; the build quality; the usability factors; the featureset overall; the noise it makes; the machineās aesthetics; how it makes you feel in ownership; and of course the drinks it outputs. Equally important are the various cost of ownership categories: bang for buck, service costs, after sales service and support from the vendor or manufacturer, parts costs down the road, and resale value.
With all these factors in mind, **thereās two machines that I think stand out as the best machines in the world**, in the consumer espresso space.
One is the **Lelit Bianca V3** espresso machine. The other may surprise you. Itās the **Breville Bambino Plus**.
## The Lelit Bianca V3: The Best Espresso Machine of All Time
The Lelit Bianca V3 in painted black, freshly unboxed.
We are midway through our full review process on the [Lelit Bianca](https://lelit.pxf.io/vNLNDN), and every single day I become more and more impressed with this \$3,000 machine. I donāt like the phrase āend gameā and how it is so casually used in coffee influencer circles, but I recently learned something about the [Lelit product lineup](https://lelit.pxf.io/KjRjBz) as a whole, and the Bianca in particular that have pushed it over the top into what I think is a true end game machine.
First of all, pretty much everything the La Marzocco GS3 paddle group machine can do, the Bianca can do in a package costing almost 2/3rds less. And even more so. The Bianca has three independent pressure modification systems on it; two are programmed automatic modes, and the third is a completely manual control. The Biancaās PID system isnāt as granular as the GS3 is (which can go down to 0.3F adjustments), but it is smarter and more modern than the GS3. The Bianca, like the GS3, can be plumbed in, and attaching this machine to your home water line increases the ways you can play with pressure profiling, more so than the GS3 allows.
The big accessory box the Lelit Bianca comes with.
The Bianca comes with two very high end portafilters with the custom wood accents, and a matching tamper
This is where Lelit is way better than La Marzocco ā their attention to the smallest details on the machine.
Then thereās what comes with the machine. The only thing missing is a steam pitcher, a scale, and cups. The Bianca comes with wood accents and parts and knobs and feet (that can cost you up to \$500 more on the GS3); it comes with the complete direct plumbed in parts (so does the GS3); it comes with four IMS filter baskets. It comes with two portafilters: the beautiful spouted model, and a chopped unit (the GS3 comes with only one PF). The Bianca also comes with a very high end tamper, matched to your machineās wood accents (La Marzocco gives a stock tamper with the GS3; fancy matched wood is extra).
To get a similar package with all the extras when buying a La Marzocco GS3, you would spend about \$10,250 (\$9,500 plus another \$750 for the extra stuff), making the Bianca close to 1/4 the cost.
The custom upgrade configuration for the GS3 to make it more similar to what you get with the Bianca
Things I learned about Lelit this year really push the Bianca to the top. You may know that [Breville bought Lelit recently](https://dailycoffeenews.com/2022/03/11/breville-to-acquire-italian-espresso-machine-maker-lelit-for-124-million/). Starting in January, they revoked the (previous) sole importerās exclusive control over the brand in the USA, and are now directly handling distribution, sales, service and support. Even better, they are migrating Lelitās after sales service and support to the Baratza team (which [Breville also owns](https://dailycoffeenews.com/2020/10/02/breville-acquires-us-grinder-maker-baratza-for-60-million/)), and bringing Baratzaās parts availability and pricing system to Lelit.
That means if you buy a Lelit machine today or in the future, you will get Baratza style after sales service, support, and parts pricing. Absolute game changer. LM may charge you \$250 for a drip tray cover, but if you want a new one for your Bianca, my guess is youāll probably pay a fraction of that cost for it. New solenoid valve? Cost plus small handling charge. I bet theyāll even have new body panels available for the machine, at a very reasonable cost.
And one more thing happened. With most companies of high end espresso machines, the painted or limited edition colours are a premium price on top of the base models. La Marzocco charges \$450 for custom colour choices on the GS3 (plus another \$500 if you want upgraded side panels). Lelit was that way with the Bianca: the base steel unit was \$3,000, and the premium white or black models were \$200 more.
Breville decided to make them all [\$3,000 as of January of this year](https://www.lelit.com/en-us/product/bianca-pesbn03?sku=PESBN03WHT1BXX1). (they also reduced the price on all other Lelit espresso machines, [sold through their website](https://lelit.pxf.io/KjRjBz)).
Beatiful shots, all day long. And you can program the machine to pressure profile everything.
For \$3,000, you are getting an incredibly advanced, extremely high end, generational machine that is absolutely state of the art. It isnāt perfect (we noticed more than a few things weād like to see updated in the Bianca, which Iāll save for our review). But in terms of ability, engineering, robustness, parts used, features available, consistency in the cup, steaming ability, recovery times, pressure controls, accessories included, technology inside, parts availability, maintenance costs (yes, all of this), there is literally not a better machine available today for the home espresso enthusiast.
Unless of course \$3,000 is just an unfathomable number for you for a home espresso machine.
Which brings us toā¦
## The Breville Bambino Plus: The Best Espresso Machine of All Time
The Bambino Plus, from our review
I know, crazy right? But when you think about it, for about \$450 or less, (sometimes way less), the [Breville Bambino Plus](https://coffeegeek.com/reviews/firstlooks/breville-bambino-plus/) gives you a machine with the following:
- PID stable temperature controls (200F, non changeable) at the grouphead
- instant on ability, meaning you can pull a shot 3 seconds after turning on the machine
- instant steam ability, meaning you can start frothing milk about 3-4 seconds after turning the machine on, or after completing a shot pull
- automatic milk frothing ability via its early version of the MilQ system Breville keeps evolving. It produces authentic, high quality microfoam, completely hands off
- can still steam manually with the machine (and itās powerful)
- full 9 bar at the grouphead thanks to a tuned OPV valve
- 3 way solenoid pressure relief after shot
- volumetric shot controls with preinfusion as well as a manual brew mode
- Extremely low power draw overall thanks to its heating system design
- hot water delivery built in (a surprising number of machines under \$1000 do not have this, including the Profitec Go, or Turin Legato)
- Lots of parts available for the machine from Breville at very economical prices. The water reservoir, last I checked, is \$35
- Can be serviced / modified by end user (OPV valve, dimmer mod, pump replacement, etc.
- Minimal scale issues (thereās no boiler to scale up).
Sure, the Bambino Plus has plenty of issues (the cup tray never heats up, the drip tray is pitifully tiny, the grouphead doesnāt heat up, necessitating a couple of blank flushes before a shot pull), but when you factor in the machineās ability, consistency between shot pulls, instant on ability, steaming ability, temperature stability, parts availability and the absolute massive bang for the buck it deliversā¦
The first shots we pulled on the Bambino Plus during our initial review.
This is a candidate for the best espresso machine of all time. Because you could easily spend double the amount, buying a Profitec (Go), or Lelit (Victoria), as just two examples, and not get better espresso. Youāll get more robust, less plastic machines, but they also donāt have the technology the Bambino Plus does. Iād argue both machines donāt even steam nearly as well as the Bambino Plus does, automatically.
At the [standard \$500 price point](http://breville.oie8.net/eKoKnZ), this is an excellent machine. If you can get it on sale for \$450 or less, it is āthe bestā by a stretch in this price range.
## Best is Subjective but Price / Service Must be a Factor
As you can guess, this is all subjective. Iām sure my picks for the best espresso machines in the world wonāt match what others pick. I always feel dollars play a very important part of the equation.
I owned two of the machines that most pundits would pick as the best consumer espresso machines ever made (and continue to own one of them). I absolutely loved working on the Speedster. It made me feel very different from how I feel pulling a shot on a Bambino Plus. But that machine was a serious financial black hole. The GS3 is as well.
Time will tell if the Lelit stands up to decades and decades of use where the overall service and maintenance is under \$150 a year, averaged out over a decade or two. I think thatās a reasonable price to pay. Think of it as the strata fees youād pay for a condo. The news I heard about Lelit going forward, following the Baratza after sales service model really pushed it over the top for me.
This is also why I havenāt mentioned the [Decent Espresso](https://decentespresso.com/?decent_lang=en) machine yet. Many would pick that as the epitome ā the toppermost of the poppermost ā in espresso machines. I cannot. Though it is clearly one of the **most advanced** espresso machines you can buy today, it is also the **most complex** espresso machine available today. A gazillion parts inside, all needing to function correctly for the machine to work at full potential.
Decent is a tiny, almost cottage industry company. Iād make the guess that La Marzocco sells more GS3s in a year than Decent has sold in their lifetime. Service and support is really good, right now, but if the company dissolves down the road, owners of Decent machines might be left with an extremely expensive brick at some point.
For that main reason, and the potential for the machine to be an even more expensive money pit than a Speedster or GS3, I cannot consider it as the best machine you should buy.
A cappuccino made with the Bianca. Amazing steam performance, very easy to texture.
Lelit is a massive company by comparison, and has a nationwide (in the US) service and support infrastructure being built right now, which will be as good as the service in Europe already is. They also have 35 years of sales and support to stand on.
And the Bambino Plus? I dare you to find another machine anywhere near its price point with its ability and tech inside. If itās not the best espresso machine of all time, itās certainly the best bang for the buck machine thatās ever existed. And for many, that also makes it the best, overall.
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##### [Mark Prince](https://coffeegeek.com/author/markprince/)
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Mark has certified as a Canadian, USA, and World Barista Championship Judge in both sensory and technical fields, as well as working as an instructor in coffee and espresso training. He started CoffeeGeek in 2001.
- Mark Prince
[Silence is No Longer an Option: Why Coffee Geeks Must Reject Fascism](https://coffeegeek.com/opinions/state-of-coffee/silence-is-no-longer-an-option-why-coffeegeeks-must-reject-fascism/)
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- Mark Prince
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- All Photos by Mark Prince for CoffeeGeek.com
Columnist
#### Mark Prince
Mark has certified as a Canadian, USA, and World Barista Championship Judge in both sensory and technical fields, as well as working as an instructor in coffee and espresso training. He started CoffeeGeek in 2001.
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## 5 Responses
1.  **Chris C.** says:
[April 30, 2024 at 1:45 am](https://coffeegeek.com/opinions/state-of-coffee/the-best-espresso-machine/#comment-307)
This is a very intriguing article. I especially like to focus on after sales service and support. Iāve long admired the La Marzocco GS3 from a distance, but learning the realities of owning such a bespoke, custom and hand built machine (and specifically the service costs) is a reality check. This article made me dive a bit into La Marzocco Homeās website, and Iām shocked at the prices they charge for various accessories and parts. I do hope your prediction that Lelit will become a lot more serious about after sales support, and the prices on parts and accessories comes true. I see Lelit is on a big sale right now. There may not be a Bianca in my future, but the might be a Victoria or Mara\!
2.  **kim martin** says:
[May 18, 2024 at 6:37 pm](https://coffeegeek.com/opinions/state-of-coffee/the-best-espresso-machine/#comment-525)
Thank you so much Mark for this very informative article. Wondering if you would investigate how to improve the flavour factor (looking for richness/body) with the bambino plus. I had no idea where to start with espresso and bought a delonghi but was not happy with lack luster flavour (iām used to turkish grind with stove top bialetti).
You are so right about BPās excellent features but iām wondering if is, in part, because portafilter is 54 mm as opposed to standard 58mm of more expensive/commercial machines? Iām thinking to buy baratza sette 270 as it is on sale. Have been using blade grinder shaking it as it is grinding and i am getting a consistant med fine grain( i have backed off from fineness so time of shot is ~ 25 sec and I pick out any larger uneven bits. I was also thinking of the mini lagom . Iām also trying to suss out machines 500 to 1300 with 58mm and can be serviced in vancouver bc.
Thanks again for providing an excellent website.
1.  **[Mark Prince](http://www.coffeegeek.com/)** says:
[May 20, 2024 at 2:14 am](https://coffeegeek.com/opinions/state-of-coffee/the-best-espresso-machine/#comment-549)
The 54mm portafilter is the least issue amongst those youāve listed; a really good grinder, even the Encore ESP, SK40 Turin, DF54 or DF64Gen2 and the Lagom Mini for sure will vastly improve the espresso a Bambino Plus will produce. Iād concentrate on a) a good grinder, b) using good filtered water, c) sourcing good coffee, then work on your skills.
The 54mm portafilter can hold up to 18g in the basket, which is more than enough for a nice 45-50g double shot that is well balanced and tasty.
3.  **David S** says:
[June 1, 2024 at 3:21 pm](https://coffeegeek.com/opinions/state-of-coffee/the-best-espresso-machine/#comment-713)
Interesting that both your top machines are Breville brands. Iāve owned two Brevilles ā their original dual boiler machine (paired with a Compak K3 grinder), and currently an Oracle Touch. Both machines have been unreliable money pits. The dual boiler machine (I actually had two as the first didnāt work when I received it, so Breville replaced it) had multiple leak problems over the 4 years I had it and Breville stopped servicing those machines. So they offered me a good discount on the Oracle Touch. I spent ~\$750 on the Touch last year because of internal leaks and bad solenoids causing the thing to go crazy even when turned off, and now itās broken again with similar sounding issues (Iām not a tech type guy and wouldnāt dream of taking it apart to see whatās wrong). Iām currently waiting for the box to ship it back to Breville for a repair quote. And to be fair, Brevilleās customer service has been good. But I do worry about the reliability of everything Breville.
Now, if the Bambino Plus has a problem after a few years, I guess itās cheap enough to just get a new one. But thatās contributing to the throw-away society weāve become, which seems wrong.
1.  **[Mark Prince](http://www.coffeegeek.com/)** says:
[June 1, 2024 at 10:54 pm](https://coffeegeek.com/opinions/state-of-coffee/the-best-espresso-machine/#comment-714)
A couple of notes.
First, Lelit is now owned by Breville, but they are still built, designed and entirely managed by the same team and company that they have been for 20 years; and their machinesā reps are pretty solid. So I feel really comfortable recommending them. The fact they are being moved over to Baratzaās after sales support team starting in 2024 was the kicker.
Second, I have a Dual Boiler BES800 model from 2012 that is still functional today and has, according it its service menu, 8200 shots pulled on it. I have had to replace some gaskets on the steam boiler, and replace the pump once. For most of its life, I have used filtered water with it. Replacing gaskets is fairly trivial, even for those who are uncomfortable with removing the main body panels and diving into the machine. Itās no where near as difficult as doing, say a heating coil replacement in one of the boilers. Most of the āleaksā you find in most espresso machines come from these gaskets. Iāve had to do the same kind of work on long-used Rancilio Silvias, my La Marzocco GS3, the Speedster, two different Gaggia Classics, a Profitec 400, and several other machines. This isnāt an exclusive issue with Breville machines.
Third, I have a BES820 model from 2016 that we use as our lab test machine, and that has 714 on the shot marker, which means it has pulled 7140-7150 shots. I have replaced gaskets on the steam boilerās probes twice on that one, and the grouphead gasket twice. It has used filtered water its entire life.
A good friend of mine in Ottawa has a BES820 that had leak problems starting about 2 years after he started using it. Got it serviced. Leak problems showed up again about 18 months later. We had a lot of back and forth (because I recommended the machine to him) and finally figured out he wasnāt using the water filter included, or better filtered water afterwards. Where heās at, the water is particularly hard. The water he used ended up shortening the life of his machine and the parts. I pulled a few strings, and he got a good service deal on the machine (I donāt want to go into too many details) but he has used filtered water ever since (the BWT system). In four years since, his machine hasnāt had any leak problems or other issues.
So my main question to you is, were you using filtered water? Because Breville sells literally 100s of thousands of these machines every year, and their return rates are, last I looked into this (around 2019) are lower than the high end industry average. They have been actively working since 2014 or so to improve their parts service, and after sales service (getting an Oracle Touch for \$750 is a pretty amazing deal, all things considered that is below their US delivered cost). Their improved after sales service is another reason why I said the Bambino Plus is a serious machine to consider.
For you to have every one of your Breville machines fail seems an outlier, and possibly a user-end issue, not problems with the Breville machines themselves. Be totally honest: whatās your local water supply like, and were you religious about using 100% filtered water (or even better, water designed to prevent scale build up, like BWTās systems).
I donāt do enough in our past reviews to absolutely stress the importance of good, filtered water for espresso machines. (I plan on changing this). Think about what they go through, compared to an auto drip machine or a kettle, or any other water heating device for coffee brewing. Espresso machines go through literal torture compared to those other devices, and bad water will definitely shorten their lifespans.
RANCILIO SILVIA PRO X
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| Readable Markdown | For the entire time Iāve run CoffeeGeek, this is one of the top questions from our readers and members, and via social media. Itās even more common than āhey, have you heard of that cat poop coffee?ā or āwhatās the best coffee in the worldā.
What is the best espresso machine of all time, for consumers?
The answer, of course, is entirely subjective. Based as much on opinion and personal preferences as it is on technology, ability and reliability of the machine. Because of this, I usually try to avoid answering this question, often deflecting it or redirecting the conversation to whatās really important in a home espresso setup (the grinder).
## The Speedster
The first day I owned the Speedster Espresso Machine. It was initially paired up with a customized grinder I bought from 49th Parallel. I hadnāt even changed the programmable offset in the PID controls yet.
If I were put on the spot, my go to answer for a long time was always the same: the [Kees van der Westen Speedster](https://coffeegeek.com/reviews/firstlooks/speedster-espresso-machine/). Not only is that machine capable of producing five star espresso shots all day long, but it actually makes you feel kind of awesome while youāre doing it. You feel part of the process, but the machineās unique ability and engineering deliver the goods as well. It is the true ultimate in a hand crafted, unique and individual espresso machine with character to spare.
After owning the machine for a few months, I paired it up with a [Verslab M3 grinder](https://coffeegeek.com/opinions/history-technology/how-we-test-espresso-at-coffeegeek/). This may be a boast, but I knew I was pulling better shots on the Speedster and Versalab than the finalist baristas at the World Barista Championship were doing in competition. **This wasnāt because of my own skill**. Itās because I had an espresso machine better than the WBC machine of the era. Ditto on the grinder. They were that good together.
You donāt see a lot of influencers online talking about the Speedster because, to be honest, Kees donāt got time for influencers. He very rarely sends out test machines for people to try and blog or youtube about. I suppose if Hoff asked him, heād send him one (Jim [does own a KvdW machine](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4QyfElo1fs), just not a Speedster).
I owned and used a Speedster for a decade (yup, I bought one of the first ones ever sold in North America), and that gave me the background and experience to label it the best machine of all time. But there is a caveat. Not only is the Speedster obscenely expensive (landed cost in the US is around \$15ā\$16K now, incl taxes and shipping); it is one of the most expensive machines to own and maintain in a home environment.
In my 10 years of ownership, I spent, on service and maintenance, more than what I paid for the machine initially. A lot of stuff on that machine broke down and needed replacing, from the SSRs to the PIDs, and most of the 7(!!!) Parker solenoids. I even had to replace the preinfusion piston assembly at one point.
One of the first dialed in shot pulls on the Speedster
One of many service calls done on the Speedster. This was a PID replacement.
The Speedster next to my (2nd) GS3 machine.
Speedster on the home bar. It is a striking machine.
And therein lies the rub. If you factor in literally everything about an espresso machine, including initial cost, ability, mechanics, reputation, features, build quality, how it makes you feel operating it, and operational cost, maintenance and service, well, the Speedster is **not** the best espresso machine in the world.
To this day, it pains me to say that. I sold the machine three years ago, and I still miss it. A lot.
[](https://breville.oie8.net/GrindControl "Grind Control")
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## The La Marzocco GS3
My third GS3, before I had the Strada Paddle upgrade done to it.
Then thereās the La Marzocco GS3, which would normally be my very close second choice as the best in home espresso machine in the world after the Speedster. But sadly, when all things are factored in, it too is **not** the best machine you can buy today.
The GS3 is an absolutely landmark, ground breaking, standards setting machine. It was the first machine developed (not sold, but developed) with PID controls. It was the first true dual boiler machine to run on 110V with no real compromises. It was the first successful home machine to have a rotary pump running on a 110V setup.
The GS3 also has La Mazoccoās unique saturated group design (KvdW machines sort of copy it, to be fair). The steam ability is off the chart. It had the ability to run on an economy mode (which still seemed like full power) on 110V 15A, but if you plugged it into a 110V 20A circuit (most kitchens have this), it would go into full throttle mode.
Crafting exceptional espresso on the GS3 is childsplay.
Shots on the GS3 always please.
And it produces absolutely amazing, super consistent and temperature stable shots of espresso. All day long.
I was involved in the [development of the GS3 machine](https://coffeegeek.com/blog/coffeegeek20/20-years-of-coffee-and-the-internet-part-2-espresso-focus/); indeed, I still own one of the late prototype versions. Itās sitting on a workbench in our basement, and I still fire it up once in a while. Hereās what it looks like:
A GS3 Prototype ā in a Linea Single Group body. Inside are all the GS3 components and early tweaks.
Iām on my third production La Marzocco GS3, and it sits in our kitchen as I type this.
Third? Yup, because like the Speedster, the GS3 is finicky, had some early build issues, and continues to be a machine that requires a lot of expensive service. Let me walk you through my own history with the GS3.
I bought, at a discounted price, a very early production unit back in 2007 (no, La Marzocco did not give me a free one, despite me being involved in the development); that machine lasted about 4 years with me spending about \$2,000 on service calls on it past the one year initial warranty. It was a problem machine with a lot of early build quality issues.
La Marzocco USA agreed to swap it for a paddle version around 2011 (which wasnāt available in 2007) though I was charged a one time \$1,000 premium to get the GS3 MP variant. That unit also turned out to be really bad (basically a dud, but I wonāt go into all its issues with leaks, failing parts, pressure issues, etc), so La Marzocco swapped that one for another model in 2014-2015, provided I drove the dud one down to Seattle, to pick up the new unit to bring back to Vancouver.
I did that. And since then, that 2015 MP GS3 machine has seen about \$2,400 in service maintenance, and a one time \$2,000 cost to upgrade it to the new Strada pressure control paddle group (which comes standard with the current GS3 MP models). All told, my ownership of a La Marzocco GS3 has cost me an initial investment of \$6,800 (thatās \$10K in todaysā dollars), and another \$7,500+ in service, maintenance and upgrades.
The time I had the GS3 serviced for several leaks.
The retrofit kit to convert my older GS3 MP to the current version with the Strada group
Major surgery (and a \$2,000 bill) to upgrade the group to the Strada MP Grouphead
Once, the inventor and engineer of the GS3, Bill Crossland, visited, and serviced my machine\!
In good faith, I cannot āproclaimā a \$7,500-\$9,000 machine as the best in the world in the consumer espresso space if the maintenance, service, and parts prices end up costing as much as the initial machine purchase inside of a decade. I mean, La Marzocco charges \$400 just for the drip tray pan on the GS3 (which is just plastic wrapped with thin steel, and a few screw on lock claps). And \$250 for the drip tray cover! Donāt ask what the replacement tray for the Speedster costs: you cannot afford it.
As a side note, I suggested to La Marzocco, way back in 2004 when I was involved in the development, that they include an AppleCare+ like package for GS3 owners. Pay a yearly fee (I suggested \$150 back then, though I guess \$250 today would be more appropriate), and get unlimited service and support on the machine. Caveat is, owners can only buy into it within the first year of ownership, then keep paying it every year to stay in the program.
I feel this would make La Marzocco a ton of money, but also save SOME GS3 owners from a lot of repair, maintenance, and service costs. Of course, La Marzocco did not do this. Perhaps because they were aware of the service LM GS3s require a few years down the road.
GS3 Back Badge
But I digress. We were talking about the Best Espresso Machines in the World.
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If we are to pick the best espresso machine in the world, every factor about the machine is equally important. I listed most in the Speedster section above, but to reiterate, it includes: the quality of the materials and parts used in the machine; the build quality; the usability factors; the featureset overall; the noise it makes; the machineās aesthetics; how it makes you feel in ownership; and of course the drinks it outputs. Equally important are the various cost of ownership categories: bang for buck, service costs, after sales service and support from the vendor or manufacturer, parts costs down the road, and resale value.
With all these factors in mind, **thereās two machines that I think stand out as the best machines in the world**, in the consumer espresso space.
One is the **Lelit Bianca V3** espresso machine. The other may surprise you. Itās the **Breville Bambino Plus**.
## The Lelit Bianca V3: The Best Espresso Machine of All Time
The Lelit Bianca V3 in painted black, freshly unboxed.
We are midway through our full review process on the [Lelit Bianca](https://lelit.pxf.io/vNLNDN), and every single day I become more and more impressed with this \$3,000 machine. I donāt like the phrase āend gameā and how it is so casually used in coffee influencer circles, but I recently learned something about the [Lelit product lineup](https://lelit.pxf.io/KjRjBz) as a whole, and the Bianca in particular that have pushed it over the top into what I think is a true end game machine.
First of all, pretty much everything the La Marzocco GS3 paddle group machine can do, the Bianca can do in a package costing almost 2/3rds less. And even more so. The Bianca has three independent pressure modification systems on it; two are programmed automatic modes, and the third is a completely manual control. The Biancaās PID system isnāt as granular as the GS3 is (which can go down to 0.3F adjustments), but it is smarter and more modern than the GS3. The Bianca, like the GS3, can be plumbed in, and attaching this machine to your home water line increases the ways you can play with pressure profiling, more so than the GS3 allows.
The big accessory box the Lelit Bianca comes with.
The Bianca comes with two very high end portafilters with the custom wood accents, and a matching tamper
This is where Lelit is way better than La Marzocco ā their attention to the smallest details on the machine.
Then thereās what comes with the machine. The only thing missing is a steam pitcher, a scale, and cups. The Bianca comes with wood accents and parts and knobs and feet (that can cost you up to \$500 more on the GS3); it comes with the complete direct plumbed in parts (so does the GS3); it comes with four IMS filter baskets. It comes with two portafilters: the beautiful spouted model, and a chopped unit (the GS3 comes with only one PF). The Bianca also comes with a very high end tamper, matched to your machineās wood accents (La Marzocco gives a stock tamper with the GS3; fancy matched wood is extra).
To get a similar package with all the extras when buying a La Marzocco GS3, you would spend about \$10,250 (\$9,500 plus another \$750 for the extra stuff), making the Bianca close to 1/4 the cost.
The custom upgrade configuration for the GS3 to make it more similar to what you get with the Bianca
Things I learned about Lelit this year really push the Bianca to the top. You may know that [Breville bought Lelit recently](https://dailycoffeenews.com/2022/03/11/breville-to-acquire-italian-espresso-machine-maker-lelit-for-124-million/). Starting in January, they revoked the (previous) sole importerās exclusive control over the brand in the USA, and are now directly handling distribution, sales, service and support. Even better, they are migrating Lelitās after sales service and support to the Baratza team (which [Breville also owns](https://dailycoffeenews.com/2020/10/02/breville-acquires-us-grinder-maker-baratza-for-60-million/)), and bringing Baratzaās parts availability and pricing system to Lelit.
That means if you buy a Lelit machine today or in the future, you will get Baratza style after sales service, support, and parts pricing. Absolute game changer. LM may charge you \$250 for a drip tray cover, but if you want a new one for your Bianca, my guess is youāll probably pay a fraction of that cost for it. New solenoid valve? Cost plus small handling charge. I bet theyāll even have new body panels available for the machine, at a very reasonable cost.
And one more thing happened. With most companies of high end espresso machines, the painted or limited edition colours are a premium price on top of the base models. La Marzocco charges \$450 for custom colour choices on the GS3 (plus another \$500 if you want upgraded side panels). Lelit was that way with the Bianca: the base steel unit was \$3,000, and the premium white or black models were \$200 more.
Breville decided to make them all [\$3,000 as of January of this year](https://www.lelit.com/en-us/product/bianca-pesbn03?sku=PESBN03WHT1BXX1). (they also reduced the price on all other Lelit espresso machines, [sold through their website](https://lelit.pxf.io/KjRjBz)).
Beatiful shots, all day long. And you can program the machine to pressure profile everything.
For \$3,000, you are getting an incredibly advanced, extremely high end, generational machine that is absolutely state of the art. It isnāt perfect (we noticed more than a few things weād like to see updated in the Bianca, which Iāll save for our review). But in terms of ability, engineering, robustness, parts used, features available, consistency in the cup, steaming ability, recovery times, pressure controls, accessories included, technology inside, parts availability, maintenance costs (yes, all of this), there is literally not a better machine available today for the home espresso enthusiast.
Unless of course \$3,000 is just an unfathomable number for you for a home espresso machine.
Which brings us toā¦
## The Breville Bambino Plus: The Best Espresso Machine of All Time
The Bambino Plus, from our review
I know, crazy right? But when you think about it, for about \$450 or less, (sometimes way less), the [Breville Bambino Plus](https://coffeegeek.com/reviews/firstlooks/breville-bambino-plus/) gives you a machine with the following:
- PID stable temperature controls (200F, non changeable) at the grouphead
- instant on ability, meaning you can pull a shot 3 seconds after turning on the machine
- instant steam ability, meaning you can start frothing milk about 3-4 seconds after turning the machine on, or after completing a shot pull
- automatic milk frothing ability via its early version of the MilQ system Breville keeps evolving. It produces authentic, high quality microfoam, completely hands off
- can still steam manually with the machine (and itās powerful)
- full 9 bar at the grouphead thanks to a tuned OPV valve
- 3 way solenoid pressure relief after shot
- volumetric shot controls with preinfusion as well as a manual brew mode
- Extremely low power draw overall thanks to its heating system design
- hot water delivery built in (a surprising number of machines under \$1000 do not have this, including the Profitec Go, or Turin Legato)
- Lots of parts available for the machine from Breville at very economical prices. The water reservoir, last I checked, is \$35
- Can be serviced / modified by end user (OPV valve, dimmer mod, pump replacement, etc.
- Minimal scale issues (thereās no boiler to scale up).
Sure, the Bambino Plus has plenty of issues (the cup tray never heats up, the drip tray is pitifully tiny, the grouphead doesnāt heat up, necessitating a couple of blank flushes before a shot pull), but when you factor in the machineās ability, consistency between shot pulls, instant on ability, steaming ability, temperature stability, parts availability and the absolute massive bang for the buck it deliversā¦
The first shots we pulled on the Bambino Plus during our initial review.
This is a candidate for the best espresso machine of all time. Because you could easily spend double the amount, buying a Profitec (Go), or Lelit (Victoria), as just two examples, and not get better espresso. Youāll get more robust, less plastic machines, but they also donāt have the technology the Bambino Plus does. Iād argue both machines donāt even steam nearly as well as the Bambino Plus does, automatically.
At the [standard \$500 price point](http://breville.oie8.net/eKoKnZ), this is an excellent machine. If you can get it on sale for \$450 or less, it is āthe bestā by a stretch in this price range.
## Best is Subjective but Price / Service Must be a Factor
As you can guess, this is all subjective. Iām sure my picks for the best espresso machines in the world wonāt match what others pick. I always feel dollars play a very important part of the equation.
I owned two of the machines that most pundits would pick as the best consumer espresso machines ever made (and continue to own one of them). I absolutely loved working on the Speedster. It made me feel very different from how I feel pulling a shot on a Bambino Plus. But that machine was a serious financial black hole. The GS3 is as well.
Time will tell if the Lelit stands up to decades and decades of use where the overall service and maintenance is under \$150 a year, averaged out over a decade or two. I think thatās a reasonable price to pay. Think of it as the strata fees youād pay for a condo. The news I heard about Lelit going forward, following the Baratza after sales service model really pushed it over the top for me.
This is also why I havenāt mentioned the [Decent Espresso](https://decentespresso.com/?decent_lang=en) machine yet. Many would pick that as the epitome ā the toppermost of the poppermost ā in espresso machines. I cannot. Though it is clearly one of the **most advanced** espresso machines you can buy today, it is also the **most complex** espresso machine available today. A gazillion parts inside, all needing to function correctly for the machine to work at full potential.
Decent is a tiny, almost cottage industry company. Iād make the guess that La Marzocco sells more GS3s in a year than Decent has sold in their lifetime. Service and support is really good, right now, but if the company dissolves down the road, owners of Decent machines might be left with an extremely expensive brick at some point.
For that main reason, and the potential for the machine to be an even more expensive money pit than a Speedster or GS3, I cannot consider it as the best machine you should buy.
A cappuccino made with the Bianca. Amazing steam performance, very easy to texture.
Lelit is a massive company by comparison, and has a nationwide (in the US) service and support infrastructure being built right now, which will be as good as the service in Europe already is. They also have 35 years of sales and support to stand on.
And the Bambino Plus? I dare you to find another machine anywhere near its price point with its ability and tech inside. If itās not the best espresso machine of all time, itās certainly the best bang for the buck machine thatās ever existed. And for many, that also makes it the best, overall.
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Mark has certified as a Canadian, USA, and World Barista Championship Judge in both sensory and technical fields, as well as working as an instructor in coffee and espresso training. He started CoffeeGeek in 2001.
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