Lelit Bianca Cheat Sheet

The circular illuminated main POWER button above the display screen should be left ON at all times unless you are not planning to use the machine at all.
The machine will automatically sleep at 70 degrees C while the power is on. The display shows a blinking clock face.

waking the machine Lift the brew lever to the right of the group head up until it stops straight out towards you and then return it to its’ fully downward position. The temperature on the PID screen will begin to flash as the brew boiler climbs to 95 degrees C. Then the steam boiler will finish heating and the group head will release a short burst of pressure. When the machine is fully ready the screen will display a solid not blinking 95 degrees C. This takes about 10 minutes in total. The machine will stay awake as long as it’s being used. No need to put it back to sleep. After 60 minutes the machine will go back to sleep automatically and the display will return to a blinking clock face.

grinding and brewing the espresso Hold the beaker under the spout of the Mazzer grinder, switch on the grinder by rotating the switch on the lower right side of the grinder clockwise, and grind an 8 count into the glass jar. Switch off the grinder counter-clockwise. Tap the ground coffee into the portafilter basket to form a slight mound, smooth it down with your finger, rest the portafilter on the soft plastic topped puck and tamp it down with a firm press and a twist of the metal tamper. Wipe any stray grounds from the rim and lock the portafilter into the machine. Push the handle firmly to the right until it seats tightly.
Put a cup under the portafilter and lift the brew lever to the right of the group head up until it stops straight out towards you.
The machine is set to preinfuse for 6 seconds, stop to steep for 5 seconds, and then resume regular pumping. Little mouse tails of brewed coffee should run from the portafilter spouts. At around 30-45 seconds on the display there should be a nice double shot in the cup with a generous layer of golden brown crema on top. Return the lever to its’ fully downward position and the pump will stop. If your coffee is coming out more slowly your tamp is too hard or you’ve squeezed too much ground coffee into the portafilter basket. The crema will be a much darker brown. If it's blowing out faster it's either a light tamp or not enough coffee in the portafilter. Both are OK to drink. Chasing the perfect cup is part of the addiction.

steaming the milk Pour about a finger of cold milk into the pitcher. Hold the pitcher angled slightly away from you against the steaming wand at the left side of the machine with about a third of the steaming tip submerged in the deep end of the pitcher. Open the steam valve at the top left corner of the machine and begin to let steam into the milk. As you increase steam, you're striving for a whirlpool that sucks tiny bubbles of air into the spinning milk. Keep the tip just below the surface. Don’t bounce up and down. The sound should be low and deep as the volume of steamed milk increases with the incorporated air. If your tip is too deep, the sound will be high pitched and painful and you’ll get overheated milk with no bubbles or body. If it’s too high above the surface of the milk, you’ll be blowing bubbles and splattering milk all over the place.
After what should take 10-15 seconds, close the steam valve and lower the pitcher. You can tap the pitcher on the counter to pop any larger bubbles.
Give the espresso a twirl. Give the steamed milk a twirl. Make latte art.

cleaning and resetting the machine Slightly wet a spot on your coffee towel, wipe the steam tip, wrap the towel loosely around the steam wand, carefully aim the wand away from you and with your hand well clear of the tip let a little steam out to clean off any milk residue.
Unlock the portafilter from the group head, knock the spent coffee puck out against the rubber bar into the knock box, and rinse and wipe out the portafilter basket. Lift the brew lever for a second or two to rinse the group head screen inside the group head, and return the empty portafilter to it's place locked in the machine. Never leave the portafilter lying around on the drain rack. Keeping it at the same temperature as the group head is critical to good brewing.
You’re now ready for the next cup or to let the machine go to sleep. If you’re making a second coffee, take care to wipe the portafilter basket dry before tapping in the next jar of coffee grounds. If you’re finished, there is NO need to turn the machine off. It will automatically sleep after 60 minutes and stay asleep until the next time you wake it.