Lelit Victoria3 PL91T3 Stainless Steel Espresso Machine

The Victoria3 has two ready-made profiles, one for each coffee button, each made of 5 steps with their own pressure and duration. Button 1 (5) is «Lever Shot», which mimics a lever machine: it starts at 9 bar and drops by one bar every 10 seconds down to 5 bar, for a more intense, full-bodied espresso. Button 2 (6) is «Modern Shot»: 10 seconds at 3 bar, then 9 bar and a decline to 6 bar, for a sweeter, more aromatic cup. The last step runs until the set shot time, 60 seconds from the factory, and each profile needs its own grind setting.

To change them, press the − button 5 times for profile 1 or 7 times for profile 2, then +. The − button moves from one step to the next, + selects it and − and + change the pressure, from 0 to 10 bar in 0.5 bar steps; after a few seconds the pressure is saved and the step duration flashes, which you set the same way. Any of the first 4 steps set to 0 seconds is skipped. Pressing − 4 or 6 times, then +, lets you disable profile 1 or 2: that button then brews at a constant 9 bar. The steps are on pages 19-20 and 29-31 of the manual.

The Pagaia is the lever on the group that controls the pump power during the shot: more power means more flow and more pressure. With the portafilter locked in, turn it gently clockwise: after the click the shot starts and the power rises up to 100%; turning it anticlockwise lowers it. At the start the pump runs at full power for one second, then follows the Pagaia position. The display shows the Pagaia position as a percentage, the actual pressure and the time. To stop the shot, turn it fully anticlockwise until the click.

If you switch the machine on or wake it from standby with the Pagaia away from the OFF position, manual brewing will not start: turn it anticlockwise until the click and then start again. Stay between 0 and 11 bar and change the pressure gradually. It is all on pages 22-25 and 28 of the manual.

The Victoria3 has a single boiler, which has to be brought up to temperature for steam: press the steam button (7) and wait for the bar on the display to fill, about 60 seconds, while the temperature rises to 140 °C. With the wand pointing at the drip tray, open the knob to let a little water out, close it when steam arrives and then froth the milk. When you finish, let steam out for a few seconds to clean the wand, close the knob and press button 7 again: the pump refills the boiler and the machine goes back to 93 °C for coffee.

For hot water, which comes out of the same wand, open the knob and press coffee button 2 (6) and the steam button (7) together; to stop it, press any button and close the knob. It is all on pages 25-26 of the manual.

You open the menu with the − button, and each further press moves to the next setting; + lets you change it, and three seconds after your last press the LCC saves and exits. Besides the pressure profiles you can set:

• Coffee temperature (1 press): 80 to 110 °C, 93 °C from the factory.
• Automatic shot time for button 1 and button 2 (2 and 3 presses): 1 to 299 seconds, 60 from the factory; if an X appears instead of the time, it is disabled.
• Steam temperature (8 presses): 120 to 145 °C, 140 °C from the factory.
• Temperature unit °C or °F, group LED lights and dose counter (9, 10 and 11 presses): hold + for 5 seconds to reset the partial count; the total cannot be reset.

After 30 minutes without use the machine goes into standby and coffee button 1 flashes every 3 seconds: press any button to wake it. The full menu is on pages 28-33 of the manual.

Both are Lelit single boilers with a LELIT58 group, a three-way valve and one wand for steam and hot water. The Victoria3 is the new generation:

• Pressure control: the Victoria3 has the Pagaia and two pressure profiles you can programme in 5 steps; on the Victoria, pre-infusion is switched on or off from the menu.
• Coffee buttons: two on the Victoria3, each with its own programmable shot time; one on the Victoria, with a timer on the display.
• Group and boiler: a new saturated LELIT58 group with a stainless steel heating element and a 200 ml brass coffee boiler on the Victoria3; the LELIT58 commercial group and a 300 ml boiler on the Victoria.
• Also on the Victoria3: a new silent pump, LED lights on the group, a 3-hole tip and a 70 litre water softener instead of 35.

The right water has no chlorine, a pH of 6.5 to 7.5, total hardness up to 110 ppm CaCO3 (11 °f), carbonate hardness of 40 to 75 ppm, chlorides below 30 ppm and sulphates below 50 ppm. The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) guidelines point the same way: clean, odour-free water with a low but not zero mineral content. Use the Lelit 70 litre water softener from the box: leave it in a jug of water for 3 minutes before fitting it in the tank, and replace it every 28 complete fillings or after 4 months, or if the machine stays unused for a month.

If you have not used it for at least a week, rinse the boiler: tank full of fresh water, a 1 litre jug under the wand, press coffee button 2 (6) and the steam button (7) together and open the knob. The machine stops by itself; then close the knob and wait for it to return to 93 °C. The instructions are on pages 11, 18 and 34 of the manual.

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.

On the Victoria3 the backflush is automatic: with the machine on, put the blind filter in the portafilter, lock it in and press coffee button 1 (5) and the steam button (7) together; the display shows two droplets and a clock. When you use detergent, put one sachet in the blind filter; when the cycle ends, rinse the portafilter with water from the group, refit it with the empty blind filter, empty the drip tray and repeat with 5 and 7. Finally rinse the portafilter and filter. The procedure is on pages 9-10 of the manual.

Not this version: the Victoria3 PL91T3-2Q is rated 220-240 V and 50 Hz, so it is for 220-240 V, 50 Hz mains. For 60 Hz mains Lelit makes versions with different model codes.

Before ordering, check the voltage and frequency at home: if your mains is 60 Hz, even at 220 V, the PL91T3-2Q is not the right one. Choose the version that matches your mains from those on sale on this page; if the one you need is not there, write to us.