Lelit Bianca PL162T V3 Gold Espresso Machine

The paddle is the handle on the group: turning it changes the water flow, and with it the pressure on the coffee, at any point in the shot until you lower the lever. It turns through 200° and you read the pressure on the group gauge. Before lifting the lever, turn it all the way to the right so the water can pass.

Low flow does a similar job automatically, and you set it on the LCC display: low flow start reduces the flow from the beginning of the shot up to the second you choose, low flow final from the second you choose to the end. Each one goes from 1 to 20 seconds, is off from the factory and repeats the same way on every shot. The paddle is on page 13 and low flow, with the flow graphs, on pages 17-19 of Lelit's extended guide for the Bianca V3.

Pre-infusion has two times, each from 1 to 20 seconds: when you lift the lever, the pump wets the coffee for the ON time, stops for the OFF time and then carries on as normal. It is off from the factory.

To set it, press the − button to open the LCC menu and scroll to the pre-infusion times; press + and the value starts flashing, then change it with − and +. Three seconds after your last press the LCC saves and exits. The steps are on pages 16 and 17 of Lelit's extended guide.

There is no post-infusion among the LCC settings. For the last part of the shot you can use low flow final, which reduces the flow from the second you set to the end, or the paddle by hand. Pre-infusion and low flow can be combined.

No, it is not a calibration: it is an LCC menu setting that you adjust to taste, and it is 0 °C from the factory. It raises or lowers the coffee boiler temperature during the shot, which changes the temperature of the water at the group; the range is -20 to +20 °C.

Try +5 °C first and then -5 °C: a positive value gives a more acidic cup, a negative one a more bitter cup. The coffee boiler temperature itself is set separately, from 80 to 115 °C, and is 95 °C from the factory. It is all on pages 16 and 19 of Lelit's extended guide.

Yes, that is standby: after 30 minutes without use, the display and heating elements switch off and the ON/OFF switch flashes every 3 seconds. To wake it up, lift the group lever and wait for «OK» on the display.

If you prefer, you can turn it off: switch the machine off, lift the group lever and switch on again; if the switch frame stays lit, wait 5 seconds, then lower the lever and switch off. The same steps turn it back on: if the switch LED blinks one second on and one second off, standby is active. The procedure is on page 15 of Lelit's extended guide.

It depends on how much you use it, but as a rule:

• after every espresso run a little water through the group (flush): it clears coffee residue from the shower screen;
• every day backflush with the blind filter and water only;
• every 1-2 weeks, more often if you use it a lot, backflush with espresso machine detergent.

Do not overdo the detergent: even in small amounts, over time it strips the grease from the gaskets and O-rings and dries them out.

Yes. The Bianca V3 is rated 220-240 V and 50-60 Hz: it works on 220-240 V mains, the voltage in most of the world, Europe included, at either 50 or 60 Hz.

Before plugging it in, check that the rating plate matches your mains. If in doubt, write to us before ordering.