"Should I buy the Bianca or MaraX?"
Before you make your decision, continue reading this post for an in-detail comparison of both espresso machines.
The most apparent difference between both the machine is the size. As you can see from the picture, the MaraX has a smaller footprint compared to Bianca. It is approximately 30% smaller than Bianca. The MaraX weighs about 18.8kg while the Bianca weighs about 26.5kg. The dimension (width x depth x height) of both machines are as below:
Bianca: MaraX:
29 x 48.5 x 40cm 22 x 41 x 35cm
The Bianca has a polished stainless steel body whereas the MaraX has a brushed stainless steel body. The surface of Bianca is much brighter and it literally can be used as a mirror. A good thing about polished stainless steel is that it’s more resistant to corrosion and it’s easier to clean. Of course, it will need proper and extra care to maintain its shiny surface. Another obvious character of Bianca is the wooden paddle, knobs, lever, and feet - such a beauty. Even though the MaraX is not lustrous like Bianca, it still has a matte finish which is still attractive.
In addition, the water tank on the Bianca is adjustable, you can move around from its default position at the back, place it left or right, it’s totally up to you. As the tank is external, you can easily add water without removing the cups, super convenient. While the one in MaraX can’t be moved around, it’s still separated from the cup warmer which means you can refill the water tank without removing the cups as well. Both have the capacity of 2 litres.
Moving on to the technology, Bianca has two separate boilers, one for steam and hot water, another for coffee. This design gives better thermal stability and allows you to froth milk while pulling a shot. As a barista, I would say it’s pretty efficient and it saves the customer’s waiting time. You can also set your preferred brewing temperature. The highlight of Bianca is the paddle on top of the E61 group, which allows you to control the flow rate and thus controlling the brewing pressure during extraction. While the MaraX, HX system with a single boiler, doesn’t come with these features, it still lets you set the brew temperature and the mode of use (Brew Temperature Priority - BTP or Steam Temperature Priority Mode - STP). If you didn’t know already, the problem with most heat exchanger machines is the temperature fluctuation; it can go as high as 106°C which isn’t so ideal for brewing. Because of that, you'll need flushing for the temperature to drop. With the BTP mode, minimal to no flushing is needed. And with the patent-pending technology, it helps to regulate the brewing temperature and prevents overheating of grouphead.
What I love about both machines is they are very quiet and you'll be surprised how silent MaraX is considering it's a vibration pump machine. Not to mention, vibration pump machines are normally noisy. And Bianca is the quietest rotary pump machine in the market.
To sum it all...
If it's your first time getting an espresso machine and you just want a good cup of coffee every morning, you may consider the Lelit MaraX since it's a user-friendly machine. If you're not so fussy about the small temperature fluctuation, MaraX will do the job very well. On the other hand, if you're interested in flow profiling and likes experimenting with different parameters when brewing coffee, the Bianca will surely amaze you.
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Do drop us a comment or a message if you're interested or have any queries on the machines. See you on our next post!