Lance Hedrick|03. Mai
Lelit Mara X V3 Pagaia Review: Worth It?
Introduction & Background
- Lance Hedrick reviews the newly released Lelit Mara X V3 Pagaia, teased about a year ago and rolling out in 2024.
- "Pagaia" is Italian for "paddle," referring to the new flow control mechanism on the side.
- The machine comes from Lelit, now owned by Breville, which holds a patent on controlling pump frequency for flow control.
- The paddle controls flow, not pressure directly.
- It acts like a dimmer for the vibration pump – a cheap mod (about $20/20€) you can do on any vibe pump machine.
- Compared to needle valves (e.g., Slayer), this method is more responsive but less granular.
- Pros of V3: Modern, pentagonal knobs (replacing the "daisy" design), wood accents (knobs, lever, side peg), stainless steel mirror strips with logo, feet, improved steam tip (3-hole), new display (pressure and back pressure).
- Cons: The feet feel cheap and the front ones are poorly integrated. The mirror strips are prone to smudges. No hidden bottom water tank connection.
- The new 1,800W heating element claims to reduce warm-up from 24 to 15 minutes. In practice, it still takes ~25 minutes for the group head to reach target temperature (measured with a Scace device).
- Temperature stability is decent, but not flawless for a heat exchanger (HX). Standard deviation is around 2.1 °C (WBC protocol).
- Criticism: Lelit’s claim of "no cooling flush needed" is only partially true. Extended idle or cycling can cause significant temperature drift.
- Temperature changes are slow! Switching from hot to cold takes a long time due to the massive E61 group head. It's recommended to set your desired temperature at the start of the day.
- No shot timer – a notable omission for the price.
- Reserve water technology – the machine won’t cut off mid-shot if the tank is low.
- Accessories: Includes a high-quality, balanced stainless steel portafilter, 58.5mm tamper, IMS basket, cleaning tools, and water test strips.
- Steam: In "X-Steam" mode, it's nearly as powerful as the Bianca (with 3-hole tip), but at the cost of brew temperature. In "X-Brew" mode, steam is weaker.
- Good: Solid espresso machine, modern look, built-in flow control, good accessories.
- Bad: The ~$400/€400 price premium over the V2 is hard to justify for the changes (dimmer mod, design). The machine suffers from typical E61/HX drawbacks (thermal inefficiency, slow temperature changes, energy waste).
- Lance's Recommendation: The V2 is the better value, unless you absolutely don't want to mod your machine. A DIY dimmer mod (approx. $20) gives the same result as the paddle.
- Alternatives: The Lelit Elizabeth (dual boiler) offers better thermal stability for a similar price. All-metal dual boilers like the Profitec Move are also strong competitors.
Key Takeaway: The Lelit Mara X V3 Pagaia is a good machine, but the price hike is too steep for what is essentially a dimmer mod. If you want flow control, you can do it cheaper yourself or opt for the more affordable V2.
