Critical reception
James Hoffmann featured the Lelit Anna in his September 2020 "Best Espresso Machine Under £500" survey, despite "Lelit was not a brand I knew particularly well" prior to that review.[11] He was impressed with the Anna's value and consistently sweet shots of espresso, and for being both the only machine in his survey to be set at 9 bar brew pressure from the factory and to come equipped with a pressure gauge to show that setting. The version of the Anna reviewed did not include a PID controller, and was equipped with an earlier, pannarello-style steam wand cover, an ineffectual design that Hoffmann removed prior to testing. Despite this, he found that the Anna still produced good milk texture: somewhat underpowered compared to the Rancilio Silvia (V3) and Gaggia Classic (2019), but notably superior to the Breville Bambino and Delonghi Dedica. (Later versions of the Lelit Anna have a commercial steam wand similar to the Silvia V3 and later Gaggia Classics.)
Hoffmann also included the Lelit MaraX in his June 2021 "Best Espresso Machine Under £1,500" survey, in which the MaraX was by far the least expensive machine reviewed, at just 2/3 of the maximum budget.[12] Hoffmann praised its build quality, overall value, and compact design (the smallest footprint among those tested), noting that the machine did not compromise on user interface or experience despite packing the same features into a smaller space. He noted the Lelit MaraX's pressure gauge as the only one in that survey to give an accurate representation of brew pressure at the E61 grouphead, though he expressed frustration that the default setting for brew pressure on the adjustable OPV was higher than it should have been, and required user adjustment for optimal shots of espresso. He generally admired the MaraX's build quality, with the notable exception of its rubber feet, though he also criticised the unusual design of the spouts on the portafilter.
Asser Christensen concurred with Hoffmann about the MaraX's build quality and the persistent annoyance of the machine's feet, and expressed frustration with its thermal management, especially in maintaining consistent brew temperature, and with Lelit's documentation and customer support related to managing those thermal issues.[13]
Lance Hedrick, conversely, described the Lelit Mara X as the 'best value heat-exchanger' machine in April 2023,[14] and called the Lelit Elizabeth as the 'best value dual-boiler' espresso machine in May 2025, introducing the Elizabeth as "one of the best kept secrets" in espresso.[15]
Hedrick subsequently awarded Lelit two of his three highest rankings on his June 2025 "Prosumer Espresso Machine Tier List," giving 'A' ratings to both the MaraX and Elizabeth models.[16]
Hedrick also gave the Lelit Anna and Victoria 'B' grades in his May 2025 "Ultimate Budget Espresso Machine Tier List," describing them as strong competitors to the current Gaggia Classic Pro and Rancilio Silvia, as well as the Profitec GO and Gemilai Owl. (Just one machine was given an 'A' grade in this survey.)[17]
